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It was only a matter of time before two detectives arrived at Seth's room.

"Seth Elbaz?" One of the detectives called out. He detached his badge from the clip attached to his trouser belt and held it up for Seth to see. "I'm detective Mason Cabot; this is my partner, Hank Walker." Hank copied Mason's movements.

"Yes, that's me," Seth confirmed. "How can I help you?"

"We need to ask you a few questions, sir," Detective Walker said. "This has to do with your wife's murder."

Seth understood. He jutted his head in Talia's direction, signaling to leave him be with the detectives. Talia only grabbed April and headed out, leaving the two to wait outside the door.

"You wanna grab a drink while we wait?" April suggested.

"I'm alright, April. Thank you," Talia kindly rejected. She then sighed heavily. "Later is my mother's funeral. . . And I don't know if I'm strong enough to attend. It feels like half of my heart is missing."

"Hey, I know that what's happening to you is extremely hard, but you're not alone," April said in a comforting tone. "We're here for you. Now more than ever." She hugged Talia with all the care in the world. April wanted to add something else, something along the lines of 'It will be alright', but she knew better than anyone that nothing would be alright after the death of a loved one. That four-word sentence was nothing more than an illusion to divert away from the pain and loss.

Talia drew back from April's arms before she spotted a familiar person approach them. The woman had tanned skin and the most deep-set eyes Talia had ever seen; the woman's thick hair was as dark as chocolate and tumbled loosely down her shoulders. Worry was the only thing Talia could see in the woman's eyes as they made contact.

"Priya?" Talia knew Priya not only as a former employee of GenTech Labs, but also as her mother's best friend.

"As soon as I heard what happened I came here as fast as I could," Priya explained, gripping her handbag. "I'm so sorry, Talia. I wish there was something I could say."

"Thank you, Priya," Talia nodded, accepting her condolences.

"How is your father? I heard on the news he was sent to the hospital."

"He is fine. Thankfully whoever wounded him missed his heart. The police are questioning him inside right now."

Priya shifted her feet. "Actually, can I talk to you, Talia? It's important."

One look from Talia made April get the message. "I'm going to ask where the bathroom is." With that, April was off.

"What is it that you want to tell me, Priya?" Talia folded her arms.

"I assumed you already watched the news, yes? About your mother and her making illegal money transfers?"

Talia frowned slightly. "I am going to speak to the press and the police that what they are saying isn't true. I'm not going to let them tarnish my mother's memory."

"Talia, you and your father need a lawyer." Priya fished something out of her handbag and gave it to Talia. Talia saw that it was a business card for a certain Floyd Hitch— one of New York City's acclaimed attorneys. "Please call him at once."

"I don't understand. Why?"

Priya inhaled deeply. "I don't know how to explain this to you, but. . .your mother liked to dabble in shady businesses. . ."

"What are you saying, Priya?"

"Your mother was in kahoots with a criminal organization."

***

"Where did you get that information, Priya?" Talia questioned when she and Priya moved to a private room. "Do not tell me you also believe what the press is saying."

"Everything they say is true, Talia," Priya sighed. "Genesis had been going down this crooked path for a long time now."

"But that is impossible. My father and I would've known!" Talia didn't want to hear any of this. My mother? A criminal organization? Preposterous! The mother Talia knew wasn't even capable of hurting a fly!

"Look, when I worked at GenTech Labs I did everything your mother asked of me, but I didn't know all of her businesses."

"So you are trying to tell me that you're also involved with this criminal organization?!"

"No, Talia!" Priya shushed her. "Lower your voice, alright? I helped Genesis, but I didn't know everything she did. All I'm trying to say is. . ."

Denial hit Talia harder than a brick. "You are telling me this so I can hate her, right? So I won't be affected by what happened? It's a lie. . . Please tell me it's a lie. . ." Talia sunk into Priya's arms, sobbing. How could her mother be entangled with a criminal organization if her mother was dedicated to both NYC and it's people? The same upstanding woman who did whatever she could for her family and others? The same one who had never held back secrets from her husband and daughter? Genesis was the definition of noble.

"It explains everything, Talia," Priya begun to explain. "Before your mother became CEO, she merely worked in a lab. How do you think she was able to afford the mansion and all the other properties? No way. How about all the trips to Europe and Asia? All the luxuries you and your father enjoyed?"

"My mother had an import-export company. She said the investments were going well," Talia said.

"That business was only a front, Talia. It's how she was able to launder all of her illegal money."

Talia felt like she was about to fall down. "It can't be. . ." Every revelation coming out of Priya's mouth was like being punched in the stomach. She thought about every time her mother went away claiming it was for 'business.' Every luxury vacation she and her parents went on. Every time her mother bought a new yacht, car, or house.

Everything had been a lie. And yet as much she knew Priya was telling her the truth, Talia thought there had be an explanation. There was no way her mother would do a complete 180 out of the blue. "I know my mother, Priya. She wouldn't do anything without a reason."

"If she did have a reason, Talia, she didn't tell me," Priya shrugged. "I only know everything because your mother confided in me. She told me your father was starting to get suspicious of her activities."

"Wait a minute. My father knew?" Talia raised her eyebrows.

"Not everything, but he suspected that your mother was up to something. He even hired a private investigator to track her movements, but there was lack of evidence that your mother was doing anything illegal. At least, that's what your mother wanted your father and the P.I. he hired to think."

Priya stepped forward. "I'm sorry you had to find out this way, but I fear that the worst is yet to come. And you and your father are going to get the short end of the stick."

Talia and Priya left the room as soon as their conversation was over. Talia's brain was processing the secrets revealed to her about her mother at a snail's pace.

"I'll see you at the funeral, Talia." Priya bid farewell and spun on her heel and walked in the opposite direction.

At that moment April had returned from her little visit to the toilet. "So, what did she tell you?" April's eyes glinted with curiosity.

"You're not going to believe it." Talia shook her head.

"Try me, sister."

Talia checked the time on her phone before turning away. "We should probably go. I have a funeral to get ready for."

***

Throughout the ride to the funeral home, Talia had actually thought about jumping out of the window and go back home where she could curl into the fetal position and not talk to anyone. She knew at some point that she was going to have to see her mother be buried, but she didn't think it was going to happen this soon. Expect the unexpected, her mother used to say.

When the limousine came to a halt, Seth (who had been discharged) grabbed ahold of Talia's hand and guided her outside. There was a shout and then came the sound of trampling feet belonging to a stampede of reporters and journalists.

"Hey! It's the crook's widow and daughter! The one who showed up on the news!" In an instant, Seth and Talia were smothered by cameras and reporter microphones.

"Mr. Elbaz, did you know about your wife's illegal activities?" One reporter shoved a reporter microphone in Seth's face.

"What can you tell us about this shocking discovery?" Another reporter questioned eagerly.

"Miss Talia, how did you survive the attack last night?"

Questions were being fired like bullets, which only served to make Talia's face burn hotter than an oven.

"Let us through! Respect our pain, please!" Seth snapped, making sure Talia was close behind him. "Don't you people understand? The woman who died is the mother of my daughter!"

Seth had to shove cameras away from his face and push his way through the crowd just to get inside the funeral home. Talia could still hear chattering and camera flashing outside, but nonetheless released a collective sigh of relief. They couldn't get to her here.

It took a few seconds to find April, who was dressed in a simple black dress and Mary Jane flats and, for the first time in forever, took the time to brush out her hair and do something with it (if this was on any other day, Talia would be jumping up and down and squealing over how pretty her best friend looked).

"I think the news pretty much squashed your mom's popularity," April pointed out.

And she was right. Talia noticed how besides her, her father, April, Mr. 'O' Neil, and Priya, the room was empty.

"I had a feeling it might be this way," Talia said, sitting down on the leather loveseat. "My mother was beloved by all; the revelation that she wasn't as straight-laced as people thought was enough to turn their backs on her."

"Reputation is everything, huh? Especially when everyone saw you as a good person on the outside," April wrung her fingers as she joined Talia. She side-eyed her best friend. "About what Priya told you back  at the hospital. . . Was it anything serious?"

Talia adjusted her hat and ran her fingers through her curly hair. "I didn't want to believe the news at first. All my life I believed my mother was a good person- and I still do; she would never do anything for personal gain. However, when Priya confirmed that my mother was indeed working for a criminal organization, I knew that she was telling the truth." Talia looked at April with watery eyes. "I need to find out the why, April. Knowing my mother's reasons will put me at ease."

"How exactly do you plan on doing that?"

"I am not sure." Talia pursed her lips. "But I know I can't rest my case on this until I figure it out."

When it became clear that no one else would show up, the service began. The Rabbi led everyone with prayers and readings of psalms. When it was time for the eulogy, Talia choke-sobbed through her speech. She looked over at the funeral frame holding her mother's smiling picture, feeling bits of her soul break into a million pieces.

An hour later, Talia and the rest followed the hearse to the cemetery. Before the wooden coffin was lowered, Talia scooped up a handful of dirt and sprinkled it over her mother's casket; her father did the same. She tossed the bouquet of flowers and both her and her father murmured one final goodbye in Hebrew.

"Shalom, Imma." Talia dropped to the ground, hunching forward and covered her mouth to suppress her heavy crying. Her salty tears showered the soil beneath her. Her father put his arm around her, shaking with sobs.

Someone once told Talia that funerals were made for the living, not the dead; it was made for the people who made a difference in your life and for the friendships and relationships you have created. Although the low number of mourners was an indication that no one cared, Talia was still grateful nonetheless that the people she knew and cared most were by her side today.

If only her mother knew how dark her world was now that she was gone.