Mob Princess - Tess DiRosa's Story
Copyright© 2025 by Argon
Chapter 26: Multi Tasking
The next morning, Tess was having breakfast with Joey and Deirdre. Gianni was dropped off at the day care by Eileen, who was still doing her best to carry her weight around the house, and who was as much an aunt to Gianni as Tess.
“You came home late?” Joey remarked, with an implied question mark.
“Yeah, we stumbled on something potentially big in upstate Pennsylvania, and we had to wait for the big cheeses to show up and look important,” Tess said offhandedly. “It’s out of our hands now.”
“How did the Penn State case pan out?”
“We don’t have the lab results yet,” Tess yawned. “Next week, we’ll know more. All I know today is that my sweetheart will come to visit, so if you and Deirdre are up to something, put a gag in her mouth. Ted grew up sheltered and I don’t need him getting inferiority complexes because I’m not that loud.”
Deirdre’s cheeks assumed the usual ripe tomato color, but she grinned, too.
“Not my fault if you settle for vanilla,” she gave back, causing Joey to snort.
“Give me a break, you two,” Joey said. “You wanna discuss my sexual prowess, wait at least until I’m off for work.”
“You’re no fun,” Tess complained. “I made an appointment with Morton for tomorrow afternoon.”
“So, Ted is on board?”
“For having a look, yes. Strangely, having you as neighbors didn’t scare him off.”
“Those vets are tough, I hear,” Joey gave back. “They’re used to hostile environments.”
“Probably,” Tess admitted.
“He’s putting up with you. How can we scare him?” Deirdre added her nickel.
“Air raid sirens sounding off on Sunday mornings?” Tess teased her sister-in-law.
“At least you’ll know when you’re not welcome to scrounge a breakfast off us,” Deirdre said facetiously.
“Damnit, Joey. What did you do? Where’s the shy wallflower who’d look down and blush silently?”
“Probably left with the abrasive broad who also used to live here,” Joey hazarded.
“Touché! Still, a laid-back Deirdre is a weird concept.”
“Not as weird as a lovey-dovey Tess.”
Lucille had Tess see Gorman first thing when she arrived, and she found him happy as a pig in shit.
“Morning, Tess. When you go fishing, you land a whale, don’t you?”
“What’s up, Sir?”
“They arrested the sporting goods owner this morning. He was funneling guns to some crack pot group using the younger McGhee as go-between. ATF says ‘thank-you’. Easton PD gets a few bones to chew on as well, and they appreciate the cooperation. That old-timer, Carson, he was on the news, wearing his best suit and all his World War II medals, and in his wheel chair, saying he apologized for enabling ‘that good-for-nothing polecat’ to spout threats against the president from his wireless network. Really moving. I’ll write him a citation for helping us. McGhee’s uncle will also get an official recognition for his cooperation. We’ll have the local newspaper and TV people report on it.”
“Goodwill, huh?”
“Never wrong to create goodwill, Di Rosa. Well, we better get some work done. Andrews from Forensics was here this morning. She has something for you, so look her up. A word to the wise: visit her in her lab. Shows respect.”
Tess smiled at that. “Good point, Sir. I’ll go and see her.”
“Then off with you. Catch some more miscreants!”
With a smile, Tess got onto an elevator, and a few minutes later, found Andrews.
“Oh, you shouldn’t have come, Ma’am. I was going to...”
“Please, no Ma’am crap. I’m your age and we both work for our pay, right?”
“Yes, M ... how will I address you?”
“Why not Tess? We’re colleagues, and I’m not your boss.”
“Okay, then, Tess. I’m Shona, and I have the results. I had the mass spec to myself yesterday.”
“Anything interesting?”
“Yeah, you can say that. The culture medium of the test samples contained trace amounts of a glucocorticoid drug, prednisone to be exact. It’t an anti-inflammatory drug. Perhaps your Doctor Keller can tell you what effect it may have on his experiments. The control samples contained no prednisone, so that’s at least invalidating any results. I’ll write up our findings and have Doc Weaver sign the report by Monday.”
“Thanks, Shona. Been a pleasure to work with you.”
“Likewise, Tess. Good to have you here.”
Tess called Dr. Keller from her office, on his cellphone, and he answered on the second ring.
“Good morning, Doctor. This is Special Agent DiRosa. We have the results. The mass spectrometer picked up a glucocorticoid immune suppressor, prednisone. Does that ring a bell for you?”
There were a few seconds of silence on the other end, before Keller answered.
“Chotzbrocke!” The guttural word had to be a curse word. “It would suppress anti-inflammatory cytokine production and tilt the reaction into a T helper cell type 2 response. It was in the medium?”
“Only in the test samples, not in the controls, Doctor. I’ll have the written report over our Doctor Weaver’s signature on Monday. Would you agree that then will be the time to ask your student a few pointed questions?”
“I believe it would, Agent. What should I do?”
“Nothing until Tuesday, Doctor. Then I can show you the official report.”
“Yes, I will wait until then. When can I expect you?”
“Late morning is my best guess. I’ll call ahead.”
“Well, it’s good to have an answer to my worries. Thank you, Agent.”
It took a lot of explaining and another call to Dr. Keller to convince Assistant US Attorney Rodriguez to issue search and arrest warrants for Eric Warner, his lab bench and his dorm room, but in the end, Rodriguez promised to have the warrants ready by Monday afternoon. Time was not of essence in the case, and Tess said her thanks and got ready for the weekend with Ted.
In this case, getting ready for Ted’s visit did not involve any beauty treatments, but rather a call to Piero Santucci, her cousin twice removed, and an engineer with DiRosa Construction. After some idle chit-chat and family gossip, Tess came to the point.
“Listen, Petey, the reason for my call is that I need your advice...”
“Let me guess, you plan to buy a house?”
“Yep, here in Powelton, down the street from our house. It’s rather run down, but according to Joey, the substance is good.”
“Run down, how?”
“No repairs for fifteen years and more, no fresh paint anywhere, and for the carpeting I’ll better call in a hazmat team.”
“A roach farm,” Pete stated.
“A roach farm,” Tess confirmed. “I have arranged to see it tomorrow, sometime early afternoon. The owner lives two blocks away, and he’s flexible time-wise. I need somebody who knows rebuilding. We’ll probably want a rebuild from the ground up, with upgraded insulation, three-pane windows, the whole enchilada. I’m not looking for some cheapo fix.”
“You want me to come along and get an idea, right?”
“If you could be there, I’d be much obliged. If not, maybe you know somebody else at DRC who also knows his stuff?”
“Lemme ask.” He raised his voice. “Chiara, we’re havin’ any plans tomorrow afternoon? — It’s Tessa calling. She needs me to look atta house! — No, afternoon. You wanna come along? — Fine, I’ll tell’er! Hey Tess, can Chiara come along? She wants to see you.”
“Sure, it’ll be good to see her again. How about I spring for a couple’a pizze afterwards? You game?”
“Sure! ‘S long as you pay. I hear you’re raking in the big bucks now.”
“Totally exaggerated. I’m just a lowly civil servant.”
“Yeah, right. You’re a boss lady now with the Feds. Okay, should we come by around two?”
“That would be great, Petey. Thanks! Tell Chiara, she’ll see Joey and Deirdre, too, and their tyke.”
After ending the call, Tess nodded with satisfaction. Piero was good at his job, and he would rebuild the house properly, likely doubling its value in the process. DRS could then tag along to install security features. She quickly called Mr. Morton to make the appointment at 2:15 the next afternoon and quickly hopped into the shower. That finished, it was time for picking up Ted at 30th Street Station, and she left the house on foot.
It was less than a mile, and Tess enjoyed walking south on 33rd St. and then turning East. She arrived at the station with time to spare and found the platform, pulling out her smartphone and texting Ted where she was waiting. His thumbs-up acknowledgement came only seconds later, and she settled on a bench for the expected, short wait.
Tess did not consider herself a beauty by any stretch of her imagination. She knew that she was tall, with a sinewy body and smallish breasts, and her wavy black hair contrasted nicely with her slightly tanned complexion and matched her dark eyes. She was also aware that her face was too strong-featured to be considered pretty, let alone beautiful. It was impressive and attractive as Ted assured her, but decidedly average in Tess’s own perception. Why she attracted obnoxious Romeos was beyond her comprehension therefore.
Still, she had barely sat down, when a specimen of that category of men sat down next to her and looked her over without any sign of tact.
“Can I help you, Mister?” Tess asked in an abrasive tone of voice.
“Why, the question is, can I help you?”
Tess gave him her well-practiced, pitiful look with a sad shake of her head. “I hardly think so, Romeo. If you’re out quail hunting, no dice.”
“Oh, but I find you very appealing.”
“Is that so? Well, that appeal is not mutual. I can see where you normally wear a wedding band, I can see that your black hair comes from a bottle, and I can smell a mix of garlic and cheap wine on your breath. Just do yourself a favor and get lost!”
The self-assured smile vanished. “You arrogant...”
“Shhh! Whatever you want to say, swallow it, Buster! You struck out, and now you want to save face. I get it, but you better consider well what you want to say. I’m kinda touchy and prone to violence.”
“Sir, you may want to leave the young lady alone,” an authoritative voice sounded, and Tess caught sight of an Amtrak cop, a female one. Her male partner was standing back a few feet, but was also alert.
Romeo looked up at the cop and sneered. “I was only talking to her. I mean, she should be flattered that any man may be interested in her, and...”
“Well I’m not, Officer. He sat down next to me, invading my space, and gave me creepy stares,” Tess interrupted him. “I don’t feel flattered either. I’m waiting for my fiancé; I don’t need a smarmy quail hunter for my self-esteem.”
The male railroad cop snorted, and his female partner grinned.
“Did the young lady express herself clearly enough, Sir?”
“Yeah, I get it. Fiancé my ass. Fucking rug muncher!”
Romeo suddenly found himself pulled up and levered around by the female officer, while her partner jumped forward with his cuffs ready.
“Sir, I am arresting you on the charge of disorderly conduct and verbal assault. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can be used against you in court. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, the court will appoint a defender. Have you understood those rights, Sir?”
“You one of those dykes, too, huh! Damned queers taking over! I’ve got a right to free speech!”
“You better save your argument for the judge, Mister. Now let’s see your ID.” She put on gloves and fished in his pockets, finding a wallet with a driver’s license. “So, Mister Walker, let’s walk you to our nice little offices. Ma’am, will you press charges?”
“I think I will, Officer, if only to get the man on the record as a misogynistic ... umh ... person. I really am waiting for my fiancé. Should we come to your office so I can give a statement?”
“That would be appreciated, Ma’am. May I have your name and address?”
“I can do better, Officer,” Tess smiled, fishing a card from her pocket and handing it over.
The officer looked at it and grinned. “My, oh my! United States Secret Service! We’ll be waiting for you, Special Agent.”
Walker’s eyes bugged out. “Special Agent? That’s a laugh! Probably on blowjob detail!”
Tess folded her hands behind her back to prevent them from doing something unwise.
“Let’s add that as the next count on his charges, shall we?” she suggested with an icy smile.
“Sure thing, Special Agent. Let’s hope we get a female judge.”
“Any judge will do. Anyway, here’s the train coming in. Where do I find the office?”
“Upstairs, Room 2-011. Come on, Mister Walker! We have a nice arrest cell waiting for you.”
This left a rather bewildered Tess on the platform. This guy Walker topped all her negative experiences, perhaps save for ‘Bubba’ Burns, the would-be bomber. Denise’s ex-boyfriend was an enlightened gentleman by comparison.
Fortunately, it took not long for Ted to emerge from the train, and after a quick welcome kiss, Tess related her interaction with the distinguished Mister Walker. To her amusement, she saw that Ted was balling his fists, hearing about the invectives Walker had spewed.
“Don’t sweat the asshole, Ted. Maybe, I’ll just call a few friends from the Tulips and have him star in a femdom, S/M porn flick,” she laughed.
“You can let that roll off your back?”
“Nothing I haven’t heard already, although never in such a concentrated form. I’ll pass his name to DRS, and they can shadow him for some time. Let’s find the railroad cop barn and give them my statement!”
It took almost an hour before they were finished, but then they strolled leisurely to Tess’s house, holding hands along the way. Joey and Deirdre greeted him with affection, and then Tess whisked him upstairs to her room. It was an hour before they emerged and joined the family for dinner. Joey and Deirdre smirked the whole time, but talked about mundane issues. Of course, Tess related the incident at the station, and Joey concurred that the esteemed Mister Harold Walker merited some attention by DRS. A long look was passed between the siblings, and Joey nodded. He would call Felix and give him the details, so Ted would be unaware of it. Tess did not worry about Deirdre hearing of it; she had to be in the know about the fate of the Montalban brothers and Joey’s involvement, but she had never once let on to it.
After dinner, they sat in the living room, where Ted related some more unpleasantness. He had tendered his resignation by the end of the school year early in the week, but the acting principal had reacted by suspending him immediately. He was getting paid, but he would not teach and grade his students anymore. Ted had filed a complaint with the superintendent of the school board, offering his suspicion that he was suspended to free the way for his student to be back on the varsity. He had been told that the super would look into the matter, but it would take time...
“Welcome to school board politics, Ted,” Joey laughed. “Who gives a shit about science classes when the varsity’s season record is in jeopardy?”
“I hear you,” Ted answered soberly. “Thank God, I have all my evaluations on record, and God help that asshole if he gives me a bad final evaluation.”
“I don’t think they will,” Deirdre opined. “The last they want is a lawsuit. They’ll give you a flowery recommendation, stained with their tears over your departure.”
“You, Deirdre, are a true cynic. I love that!” Tess told her sister-in-law, who just shrugged.
“It’s how things like that work. If they are stupid, we’ll unleash Mom on them.”
Ted looked his question, and Tess filled in.
“Maureen. She’s the wicked witch of the courtrooms. She routinely makes opposing counsel cry. What you saw in the Tulips was private Maureen. Her professional persona is not quite as pleasant.”
Deirdre giggled at this characterization of her mother and Joey laughed.
“I can already see that trait in Carla sometimes,” he added, and Deirdre nodded.
“That girl is already a handful!”
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