I want to say thank you to Octobersfinest for the new cover of this book.

This cover below was made by DarielClaire

The Many Adventures of Detective Catherina Mackeena

The case of the stranger known as Tino.

The year was 1930s a time when the mafia, loan sharks and gangs ruled the streets. A time when the world as people knew it in the United States was falling apart. A time known as the great depression.

It was during this time that two local thugs robbed the first national bank of New York stealing a total of one million U.S. dollars.

They hid their crimes from their wives and warned them never to bother them while they were doing business. They never knew that their husbands were members of the mafia.

One day, Maurice's wife accidentally overheard a conversation that her husband was having with his men, a conversation that she would come to wish she had never overheard.

"So boss, what do youse want done with this two bid thug?"Asked one of the men in the room pushing a man with a swollen eye forward towards Maurice.

"Who is he again?"

"His name is Anthony Boss."

"What exactly did he do?"

"He's been moving in on our territory offering "protection" to local stores. He's also been selling his moonshine which is cutting in on our sales and our profits."

Maurice sighed. "He's a stubborn one. I gave you a chance and you used that chance to stab me in the back. What do you have to say for yourself?"

The man known as Anthony didn't reply.

"Look kid, I'm trying to do you a favor. You are lucky this information was brought to me and not to my business partner.  It's a dog eat dog world out their friend. You seem like a smart young man, how about I make you an offer you can't refuse? You can join my team and we can work together or my friend here will show you the harsher side of the business world. It's your choice."

"I'm not afraid of the likes of you" replied the young man spitting. "Here's what I think of your offer" and with that he spit on Maurice's shoes.

Maurice sighed. "Have it your way son, dispose of him."

At these words the young man's face turned to that of fear. "Wait please I... "His voice cut out and then she heard a thudding sound and she could see a man lying on the floor through the door crack. Suddenly, the door started to open and some men dragged a man out of the room. They frowned at her as they passed by.

As she turned to leave, she was pulled into the room by one of the men and thrown to the floor near Bandito's feet.  "Look what we have here boys, a spy" said the man who had addressed Maurice earlier. She stared up at her husband pleading with him for help but her gaze was met with cold eyes.

"I wasn't spying and I didn't hear or see anything I swear. I was simply looking for my husband to let him know that dinner is ready. When I realized that he was in the middle of a business meeting, I decided to come back later and that's when you pulled me in the room."

Maurice could see the fear in his wife's eyes and he sighed. He turned his face toward the window his mind racing with questions. He desperately wanted to believe her, but the fear in her eyes when she had been pulled into the room, told him that she had seen or heard some part of his meeting.

He wanted to take her in his arms and assure her that everything was going to be alright but he knew that she had to be punished for disobeying him. Perhaps there was hope, perhaps the men in room believed her story. He would wait and see how things played out.

"If your husband is in this room then why doesn't he reveal himself? Why doesn't he vouch for you?"  With that the guy turned his attention towards the other men in the room. "Will any of you speak for her? No one? Seems no one here believes your story miss. I hate to do this but..." With that he pointed a gun at her head.

Maurice held up his hand and the man paused. "You have been given her testimony boys now it is time to pass judgment do you think she's telling the truth?

"With no disrespect sir, replied the man who had pulled her into the room, she's a woman, all women are vipers and lying Delilah's. They are just waiting to exploit any weakness they can find. They can't be trusted. So many of us have been lead astray by a pretty face and it's caused us nothing but trouble." 

"So say you one? So say you all?" Maurice asked the men in the room. They all nodded in agreement.

Maurice's wife could not believe that he said nothing as his men convicted her of the crime of spying. Why didn't he tell his men who she was? Perhaps he did not love her any more at this thought she broke down sobbing.

"Save your crocodile tears they won't help you now. You are a liability and must be dealt with" replied the man who had pulled her into the room.

"No... Please...."

"Wait." Maurice said as He held up his hand and the man paused once more. "I think we are being a little hasty. Perhaps she is telling the truth. I think we should give it some time to determine if she is a liability to us or not."

"You know as well as I do that we can't do that boss. Don Tino gave us all specific rules. No loop holes allowed. All liabilities or possibly liabilities must be dealt with permanently."

"Please don't let them do this" She cried throwing herself at Maurice's feet.

Maurice rose from his chair, "enough! No more discussion! I'm the boss and I've decided she's telling the truth and we are going to let her go home."

"But Boss, the rules clearly state...".

"Don't quote the rules to be boy! I wrote them! I gave you the opportunity to decide if she was telling the truth, I never gave you permission to condemn her and certainly not to condemn her to death."

"Yes Sir, but the rules...".

"Don't apply to my wife" Maurice replied with a growl.

Surprised and frightened by the news that the woman they had convicted was Maurice's wife his men began to beg for forgiveness. After all, his nickname wasn't the Mauler for nothing.  Maurice was not in the mood to hear their pleas and ordered his men out of his sight. After they were gone, he helped his wife up from the floor and asked her kindly how much she had overheard or had seen.

"I didn't hear much of anything, just those men referring to you as boss and asking you how you wanted a certain situation dealt with. Then I. saw a man fall on the floor and some of the other men drag him out of the room. I think he was dead. That's when that man dragged me into the room."

Maurice wondered if she was telling the truth. Could he trust her anymore? If she knew that he was a member of the mafia, then both of their lives could be in jeopardy.  He knew that the "family would hold him responsible for his wife's actions and realized that he had to tell Tino what had happed. He also knew that her life depended on him convincing Tino that she never betray "the family."

"I see no reason why your wife should be killed, she simply overstepped her bounds it is no big deal. You will have to tighten her leash is all, let her know that her actions were unacceptable and that any further acts of insubordination will be deal with in the harshest manner." Tino said as they walked in his garden. 

"I'm concerned that she might e put two and two together and realize what it is we do" replied Maurice.

"If she has, you will just have to deal with it. You aren't my partner for no reason I trust your judgment. Deal with it how you see best. Just know, that if I ever feel that your wife has become a threat and that you aren't capable of handling her then I will take matters into my own hands. Understand?"

After he talked things over with Tino, Maurice knew that everything was going to be all right. Maurice realized that he would have to explain the rules of being related to a member of the mafia.  He would warn her, that no one betrayed the "family" without winding up at the bottom of the river.

Meanwhile, Tino had been thinking about his discussion with his partner. He knew that that Maurice would never have the guts to teach his wife who was boss, so he decided that he would make sure that she fully understood the consequences of her actions.

When Maurice arrived home from his walk, he found his wife crying in the bedroom. She had a fat lip and what looked like a black eye. When he asked her what had happened she began to beg his forgiveness for her actions that afternoon. She promised him that she would never disobey the rules again. She knew now what a fool she had been and that she had no idea that her disobedience could have cost him his life. It was with these words that Maurice realized that Tino had taken it upon himself to punish her for her behavior that afternoon.

"I'll deal with this, you stay here darling. Don't worry about a thing" With that Maurice slammed the door and headed to Tino's office to give him a piece of his mind.

"You had no right to punish my wife for her actions that is my responsibility!"

"I was within my rights as the Don. I knew that you'd never have the guts to do what was needed in this situation. You'll never live up to your nickname. You will always be the lover, you'll never have the guts to be the mauler if I hadn't given you that nickname no one would respect you.  As for what I did tonight, I was doing you a favor. I put her in her place.  You should be grateful, remember the family holds the husband responsible for his wife actions. If she disobeyed you once what's to stop her from doing it again? Now she knows the consequences of her behavior. If it wasn't for our friendship you and your wife would be in cement shoes right now." Maurice knew that Tino was right.

When he arrived home Maurice's sat his wife down to discuss the rules of being a family member. To his surprise his wife started the conversation. "Maurice there is something I need to discuss with you.

"There is something that I need to discuss with you as well darling."

"Please, let me go first." So much for her learning her lesson and learning to show me respect Maurice thought to himself. "I think it's time you ended your partnership with Tino."

"Excuse me??? "

"I think that you should look elsewhere for a job. I don't think being partners with Tino is a good idea. I have known for a long time now that he is involving himself with dangerous members of the mafia. Based on his actions today I now know that this is true. In fact I've heard rumors that he runs a mafia himself. I wouldn't be surprised if they weren't just rumors.   I just don't think that you shouldn't be a part of that. I don't want to see you wind up in jail or worse dead."

"It should come as no surprise that I am aware of Tino's involvement with the mafia.  We have been partners for years. As for the rumor that Tino runs a mafia himself let me lay that to rest. The truth is that Tino and I run a mafia together. In fact, I am the second in command of the "family.  You need to get this silly idea of leaving out of your head. Once a member of the mafia you are member of the mafia for life. I thought that Tino made this clear to you this after noon."

"I don't want our children growing up associated with the mafia Maurice.  I want to provide them with a future that doesn't involve them winding up with a criminal record."

"What are you talking about women?  We haven't even talked about having children. Besides Tino and I have worked out an agreement that when either of us have kids we will tone down the criminal activities until the children are a reasonable age say 10ish. 

"That is what I need to talk to you about. We are going to have children sooner then you anticipate."

It took Maurice a few minutes before he realized what Crystal was trying to tell him. I'm going to be a father? Is it a boy or a girl? It doesn't matter. I'm going to be a father. Wait till I tell the guys."

"Maurice the mafia is no place to raise a child. I mean look at the way Tino's little girl has turned out. Is that what you want for our child? To grow up to be heartless? Well that is not how my child is going to be raised do you hear me?  If you want to be a part of your child's life then you are going to have leave this world behind you.

"That is not possible. Even if I wanted to leave I can't the mafia is not some country club I can end my subscription to. There are rules and regulations; I have an obligation to the "family".

"Your obligation is to your family, your real family. Your obligation is to your unborn child. What's there to think about? Either you want to be a part of your child's life or you don't? Decide and decide now!" 

"I just need some time..."

"I'm not going to wait around forever. I'll give you one week to make up your mind and then I'm leaving with or without you"

Questions pounded in Maurice's mind. "What am I going to do? she doesn't understand what she is asking. Even if I wanted to leave I can't. I'd be labeled a traitor there is no place we could hide that the family couldn't find us. . Tino wouldn't rest until he tracked us down and make us suffer for humiliating him. Yet she is right, the mafia is no place to raise a child.  They'd wind up with a criminal record at an early age and could wind up in jail for life.  I couldn't do that to my kid. Perhaps it is best if my child doesn't know me. What am I thinking? I don't want my child growing up not knowing me.  There has to be something I can do. I know I'll talk with the police about being put in witness protection program. They would relocate me give me a new identity. Who am I kidding that wouldn't work I'd be doomed the moment I set foot in the station. There has got to be some way we can receive new identities that doesn't involve the police." After pacing back and forth for what seemed like an eternity he made up his mind. He didn't care what it cost him he would do anything it ensure his families safety.

While going through the phone book Maurice's wife came across an ad for a Detective Arthur Pappaloochi's. "Maurice why not visit this guy? Isn't he an old friend from High School?"

"A Privet Eye? Are you crazy? That's just a fancy name for personal police officer. Do you realize what would happen if any one were to see me?"

"You're the second in command of this mafia are you not?  You shouldn't have to explain yourself. If Tino asks say you were visiting an old friend from high school. When questioned about the Privet Eye sign on the door explain the previous tenet was a privet eye and your friend hasn't had time to change the sign."

"You are a genius."

Realizing that he would need some help, he went to visit his old friend. He told the Arthur that he and his wife were ex-mafia members and needed new identities. The Detective Arthur Pappaloochi He changed Maurice's name to Earl Mckleenea.  He also decided to make Mr. Bendito a partner in his firm and helped him find an apartment. It was not too long after this that Christy was born. However, tragedy struck and when Maria was 4 years old, her mother suddenly died. Knowing that he could not raise Maria alone Earl remarried to a woman named Deloris and a year later I was born my name is Detective Catherina Mackeena. At school, we met Sistina and Jimmy and we all became the best of friends.

One day, while we were playing hide and seek a man came to visit our Father.  I was hiding in the closet and could not hear what was being said. I could tell by the look on dads face that he was not happy to see his guest. The others were told to go into Maria and my room and play their quietly while our father talked in private with his guest.  When our dad was sure we were all out of the room his confronted his guest.

"Tino... How did you find me?" What are you doing here?"

"I have a way of finding anyone, you of all people should know that. Did you really think you could outrun the "family" forever? When my men said they saw you talking to a Detective, I said, no, Maurice wouldn't betray me like that. He couldn't, not after everything we've been through. Then you disappeared like a thief in the night. No explanation, nothing. You just left. Why did you do it? Not that it matters, you're going to be punished either way but I deserve and explanation."

Maurice sighed. "My wife was pregnant. She didn't want to raise our child in our world. She gave me a choice leave or never be a part of my child's life. I didn't want that. I didn't want to lose her or the baby. I didn't want to leave the family either but I didn't see any other choice...

"I see. You know that I can't let you get away with what you've done. I have given you every opportunity to return. I gave you a chance to see the mistake you were making in leaving and you used that chance to stab me in the back. You betrayed the family. You stole money from me and worse, your new alias made you an enemy to both the family and other families. I want to forgive you Maurice. I really do but you know my hands are tied. You know as well as I do what our laws demand concerning this level of betrayal. I will give you 24 hours to produce the money you stole and come up with a cover story for the other members of the family.  As far as the rest of the family is concerned, they think I'm being too generous. Don't even think about seeking help from that partner of yours unless you want him to have an accident, if you get my drift.  Dont even think about trying to stab me in the back this time. There is no place on this Earth you can hide from me. No matter where you run, I will find you. Time is precious, if I were you I would not waste it. Have a good evening, Mr.Mackeena and remember, are watching you."

At that, Tino tipped his hat and walked out the door. My father, who been calm while Tino was around, placed his face in his hands and moaned. Only a few days after the meeting with the strange man, my was found at the bottom of a river with cement shoes tied to his feet and so was his partner. The police field their deaths as a suicides, but my sister and never believed these report to be accurate. We knew the awful truth, they had been murdered by the mafia. The other officers of the law were corrupt and on the mafia's payroll that's why they ruled the deaths as suicides. My sister's husband Arthur devoted his life trying to prove this theory and in the end he too met with an untimely death.