“This is the place, right?” Paloma asks as they approach a simple brick house covered in snow. “Is this even allowed?”

“I don't know, but he asked us to come here.” Mordecai says as they approach the door and he knocks loudly. After a few moments, they hear someone coming before the door opens to reveal Dominic sporting a flower print apron. “Uh…”

“Pardon the attire, had to do dinner dishes, come in.” The older man says as he lets them inside. “Just hang your coats and hats on the rack.”

“Is this allowed?” Paloma asks as she sheds her coat. “I don't want you getting in trouble.”

“It's fine, you're safe here. Oh watch your step.” Dominic responds. “Boys! Come pick up your shoes!”

Mordecai almost didn't notice the two pairs of shoes on the floor, as well as a baseball glove that was falling apart with a dirty looking ball, a toy train and a stuffed bear. He hears multiple footsteps approaching before two young boys emerge and grab the items off the floor. One of them has brown colored fur with stripes and dark curls while the other has pale white fur, grey fur on his ears and around his eyes and one hand and also sports dark curls on his head. Both watch the two quietly for a few seconds before rushing off into the house.

“Sorry, been telling them to clean up and they hardly do.” Dominic says. “Been trying to give my wife a break lately, she's due around February.”

“Aww, congrats.” Paloma says with a smile as they follow him to what must have been the dining room.

Seated at the table was a woman attempting to get out of her seat, heavily pregnant. She had soft fluffy white fur with some brown around her eyes and the ears, her dark hair pulled back in two thick braids with thick red ribbons braided into it, grunting as she gets up.

“Xime, we have guests.” Dominic calls out as he approaches the woman and smiles, putting an arm around her. “This is my wife Ximena, who I'm hoping is carrying a baby girl.”

“Oh Dom, I've told you before that it's possibly a boy.” The older woman chuckles, putting a hand on her swollen belly. “We've already had two, a third is inevitable.”

“I still think it's a girl.”

“Well you can keep hoping, but this is gonna be our last baby, so no more trying for a girl.”

“Are you…from Mexico by any chance?” Paloma suddenly asks. “Your hairstyle is…well, kind of similar to what some women in my family wear, even without the ribbons.”

“Oh yes! I suppose by your accent you are as well?” Ximena asks, perking up.

“Yeah, Zacatecas. You?”

“Well I was born in Chihuahua, but my family moved to Texas before I could even walk. That's how I met my husband.”

“Yes, you threw a baseball at me and managed to get me in the head.” Dominic laughs.

“Because you pulled on my hair and stole my ribbon!” His wife scoffed.

“On a dare! You had the longest hair in the school!”

“Still so rude of you!”

“So are we here to discuss what you invited us to talk about or not?” Mordecai asks loudly. “We should probably move somewhere more private.”

“Oh it's fine, Dom is used to talking about his police work around me.” Ximena assures him with a dismissive wave of her hand. “But I'll go make you all some tea and give you complete privacy. The boys need to be put to bed anyways. Take them to the living room Dom, I'll be down in a bit to make you tea.”

Dominic leads the two into the living room and motions for them to sit on the couch while he moves an armchair to sit in front of them. Once comfortable, he picks up his pipe from the table in front of him along with a lighter.

“So, have you figured out who Susan May is?” He asks before sticking his pipe into his mouth.

“We have no idea, we've asked old acquaintances of Atlas May, his widow, no one knows.” Paloma admits.

“You know, don't you?” Mordecai asks.

“Yes I know, I just wanted to see if my little hint helped you find some clues on your own or dig up some stuff I haven't found.” Dominic says with a nod and taps on a plain colored folder on the table. “Look through this.”

Mordecai grabs the folder to open it, revealing several documents and photographs. A marriage certificate, a divorce certificate, a photo of Atlas with a fancy dressed woman, a photo of a young child with curly hair, a birth certificate, a wedding photo, and a photo of the woman kissing with a man who was not Atlas.

“What is all this? Who is this?” Mordecai asks, squinting at the documents.

“Susan Diane May, Atlas’ first wife. Married in 1908 but the marriage didn't last long, divorced in 1910 thanks to an affair with some low ranking gangster who used to work under him.” Dominic explains. “Unknowingly, she and Atlas had a child, Ruth Marie May. I assume Atlas did find out at some point, considering those other papers there.”

“Custody for the kid?” Paloma asks, pulling a paper out of the folder. “But what does that have anything to do with Atlas and his death?”

“You know the term “hell hath no fury like a woman scorned”? Let's just say that Susan is still bitter about the divorce and that she barely got anything out of it save for some alimony.”

“So Atlas is dead because of an ex wife?” Mordecai asks. “Seems a bit anticlimactic, but I dealt with his bookings and finance, I would have seen things about the alimony.”

“Wait wait, Asa and Atlas were friends long before we all got employed, so he had to have known about Susan.” Paloma points out.

“Indeed he knew her, I think she was a cousin or the daughter of a cousin of the Sweets. From what I gathered, he set them up and hasn't had any contact with her since the messy divorce.”

“Ex wife, dead rich man, child…oh!” Paloma suddenly exclaims. “Was there any sort of will involving who would gain what assets he had?”

“As far as I could find during my research, there didn't seem to be any kind of will.” Dominic says with a shake of his head. “Why?”

“His widow was left with no money, she had to sell off a lot of things, wouldn't she have inherited something unless there was a will that left everything to the daughter?”

“That's impossible, Atlas loved Mitzi dearly, but it is strange she had to sell off so much of his things after his death and still have no fortune.” Mordecai says with a frown. “Actually, I don't ever recall any lawyer calling us to do a reading of the will.”

“Hmm…messy divorce, Atlas later finds out he has a daughter between after his divorce and his death, no will…is there a way to contact Susan?” Paloma asks.

“I don't think that's a safe idea.” Dom says with a shake of his head. “Last information I had on her, she was moving to Arkansas or Louisiana with that gangster and then the trail on her went cold.”

“What about the daughter?”

“Same thing. Got an ideas?”

“Just one, doubt it would be useful.”

Mordecai just shakes his head. “I suppose this means we have to go out of state to look for her. But the question I'm having a hard time finding an answer for is about that will and whatever fortune Atlas had.”

“Do you know who his lawyer was?” Dominic asks.

“Some old man, I can't recall his name but I think it started with an R? Roland? No…Ruby? No not him, it's…”

“Remy.” Paloma says, her attention now on a booklet she was flipping through. “He's not that old, maybe Viktor’s age, last I saw him was a few weeks after our break up to speak with Mitzi about something, can't remember what.”

“What are you even reading?”

“Oh, this was under the folder and I assumed it was part of the case file.” Paloma says, gesturing to the booklet. “It's rather very interesting, I should read murder mysteries more often.”

“You do realize this is important, right?”

“I have tea!” They hear Ximena say as she enters with a tray. “Not sure what sort of tea you liked so I brought packets to dip into your cups. And some of my cookies too, don't go eating them all Dom.”

“The boys at the station already say I'm looking a little fatter thanks to these.” Dominic laughs as he gets up to kiss her cheek. “I think by the time the baby is here I'm gonna look like a balloon.”

“That's why I hid them and - Dom! I've told you to not leave my manuscripts out on the table when guests are over!” Ximena gasps as she quickly sets down the tray and hastily takes back the booklet from Paloma.

“Why not? I can't be your only reader and critic forever.” Dominic says with a shrug.

“Oh you wrote that?” Paloma asks.

“Y-yes. I didn't have much to do when I was done doing household chores for the day and…well I started scribbling things down on random scraps of paper or a notebook, Dom found them and gave me a typewriter to make it easier to read and write…they're just random little things I've written.”

“She likes to write crime stories based on cases I've worked, with some tweaks and creative twists.” Dom whispers with a grin before his wife smacks his shoulder with the booklet. “What? It's true! One time what you wrote helped me solve a case involving a body in a locked room!”

“No one but you reads them! I can't go having strangers read my stuff, my sister-in-laws already gave me a hard time with the first one I wrote!” Ximena groans.

“Well there are a few grammar mistakes, other than that, it's a solid story so far.” Paloma says with a smile. “You should publish this, maybe get an editor to look over the work? I think some newspapers or magazines would love this.”

“N-no, not yet. I'm…I can't yet.” Ximena says, covering her face with the booklet. “I think-”

“¡Mami! San threw up!” They hear a child yell from another room.

“Again?” Ximena asks, sounding relieved. “I'm coming! Dom, no eating all the cookies!”

“Kids, never a quiet day with them.” Dominic chuckles as his wife hurries out of the room. “Sorry about that, Xime is just…very shy. Not really fond of showing off everything she makes, it took her a whole week after dating for her to get around to showing me all of her writing after I found some loose papers of it in her Bible. The only things she loved showing off frequently were our kids, really proud of them.”

“I'm sure she'll get around to showing off her writing, if she does she could do it under a pen name.” Paloma says with a smile. “But back to the…investigation we are doing. If i can find the lawyer, perhaps we could speak with him about the will. Also I could ask my boss about it too, see if she knows anything. If she asks, what should I tell her?”

“Just some truth, not all of it. I'd rather not have the entire criminal underworld be alert to this.” Dominic says with a nod. “You know, I recall Xime writing a short crime story involving a lost fortune of an heiress of some…business or something, and her sibling's grandchildren were able to locate it in some cove or cave by the sea where her manor was.”

“What are you saying?” Mordecai asks with a frown. Was this some sort of clue or hint about-

“Oh just a thought. Seems a bit far fetched about someone's actual fortune hiding right under your very nose, then again so are two gangsters falling in love.”

“It could happen, you never know.” Paloma says with a shrug before taking a cookie off the tray to take a bite. “I suppose we should brainstorm what to do next if the lawyer lead is no good.”

----

“How is he? Still sick?” Dom asks as he pokes his head into his sons room to find Ximena rubbing their oldest's back.

“I think he just has a bad tummy bug in his system, I have to keep him on the water and cracker diet.” His wife responds as she stops rubbing the boy's back to run a hand through his dark curls. “My poor baby.”

“He'll get better, don't worry.” Dom assures her as he walks over to Luis’ bed where the younger boy was half out from under his blankets. “Little rascal, I told him he'll get sick if he sleeps like this.”

“He felt warm, maybe he's getting sick too.”

“Then you probably shouldn't be in here, someone's gotta stay healthy.”

“I should say the same for you, since you are the breadwinner of the household.”

Dom lets out a soft chuckle before he ushers his wife out of the room, flicking off the light switch and shutting the door. Once that's done, he leads Ximena back to their bedroom and has her sit down on the bed before going through the drawers for their night clothes.

“So…who were those people you spent a good two hours talking to?” Ximena asks as she is handed a nightdress.

“Some folks who I found talking with that thief I was seeing for information. Should have seen the guy’s face when I asked him what they were talking to him about, he looked white as a sheet!” Dom says as he retrieves his clothes and sets them down to help his wife undress. “They're gangsters.”

“Gangsters? The younger woman as well? She was so nice!”

“The thief was terrified to talk about her, all I could get out is that she's known as either the Devil Dove or the Red Dahlia, depends who you ask.”

“Goodness, and you let them into the house?” Ximena asks with a horrified look.

“They may be gangsters, but they're not stupid enough to attack someone like me in his own home.” Dom assures her. “Plus they don't seem the type. Anyways, so we have a few ideas about how we are going to look further into this case. One of them has a pair of acquaintances from Louisiana who might be of help, and the other is going to look into that lawyer.”

“You aren't going to arrest them after this, are you?” Ximena asks once she is dressed and Dom proceeds to dress himself for bed while she starts to unbraid her hair.

“Not sure, but who knows.” Her husband responds. “Do you even mind me talking about work at home? Some days I wonder if it's ever a good idea to or not.”

“Some of the other's wives have told me they hate it when their husbands talk about work at home.”

“And when I do it, you get an idea.”

Ximena lets out a laugh before it melts into an upset one. “Please don't ever do that again, leaving one of my booklets lying around. You know I don't like sharing my work with anyone but you.”

“Well the young lady gangster who found it seems to think it's good enough to put in the magazines, even suggested you could post it under an alias or pen name.” Dom says once he finished dressing and turns to kneel in front of her and gently touches her face. “Xime, I know you aren't comfortable sharing your hobby with people, but I just wanted you to see there are others who would enjoy your work aside from me. I know you have doubts and you fear such awful criticism, but just know there will be others aside from me who would enjoy reading what you come up with. I love reading what I've inspired you to write, and you should share that with the world.”

Ximena closes her eyes and leans into his touch. “I know, but…Dom...I just…”

“Hey not all criticism you'd receive would be bad, sometimes you just might need it. Now, let me just…”

Ximena gasps as she is suddenly scooped off the edge of the bed, flinging her arms around her husband's neck as he playfully smirks and kisses her snout before gently laying her back down on her side of the bed. “¡Dominic Diego Drago! ¡Qué te he dicho sobre hacer eso especialmente cuando estoy embarazada!”

“Sorry I couldn't resist.” He apologizes, trying not to laugh. “Oh I can't wait for my baby girl to be born, something tells me she's gonna be as beautiful as her mama.”

“Oh you really want a daughter, don't you?” Ximena sighs as her husband turns off the lamps and climbs into bed to press a few kisses to her cheeks.

“Yes, one I can spoil rotten with love like her mama and brothers.”

“And if it's a boy?”

“Then we'll try again for a girl. But I have a gut feeling about this one being that sweet baby girl I wanted.”

Ximena rolls her eyes but smiles as she snuggles close to him. “I know we should be sleeping, but I am a bit curious about something one of the detectives has been investigating.”

“Its fine, we have all night.” Dom assures her. “You're talking about those mysterious fires, right?”

“Yeah, they've been getting closer to central. Any news on that?”

“Gale hasn't had any luck so far, he thinks it may be Leon behind this.”

“Leon…where have I heard that name before?”

“Some business man suspected of being a mafia boss here in St Louis. He's asked me if it could be him, but I'm not sure either. He's been getting bold for sure, and if it is him, it feels like he's trying to fish something out.”

“Something or someone?” Ximena asks.

“Who knows.” Dom says and yawns. “I think that's enough work talk before bed, get some sleep. I'll check on the boys in an hour or so to make sure Santiago didn't throw up again.”

-----

“I missed these kinds of strolls.” Paloma sighs as she hugs Mordecai's arm as they walk. “The ones we'd take at odd hours of the day, just…talking or enjoying the quiet and the fresh air.”

“Yes, and when it was only us.” Mordecai says, looking back towards Nico and Kuura, who were several feet behind them with the triplets bundled up and nestled in slings.

“Don't mind us!” Nico yells. “Won't intrude!”

“Did they have to come?”

“Amor, they needed to get out of the house, no one likes being cooped up in there for long.” Paloma scolds. “Especially with the babies, they need some fresh air.”

“Ugh.”

It had been over a few weeks since the triplets had been born, Kuura's birthday, Christmas, Hanukka and the new year as well. Mordecai had hopes they'd be able to get this mystery involving Atlas and this ex wife of his who might be involved with his death solved soon, perhaps before May. Paloma had mentioned that she wasn't sure if she should tell Mitzi about this news or not, and knowing her boss, Susan just might find her husband's widow on her doorstep with a pistol loaded and ready to shoot.

“You're making that face again.” Mordecai comments and reaches up to touch the tortie's head. “Also you have snow in your hair, hold still.”

“Look at you fussing over me as usual.” Paloma laughs as his gloved hand brushes her hair clean.

“Told you to wear a hat, you're going to get cold now!”

“I think Nico needed it more than me, and I can't believe we convinced him to put on shoes for once!”

“Pink suits me better!” They hear the boxer yell.

“Perhaps if you were more responsible you wouldn't have to be taking her hat!” Mordecai retorts with a frown.

“Nah he does look better with it.” Kuura laughs as they approach the two. “Maybe I should make him one.”

“Or you can make him be responsible and get his own hat!”

“Well, perhaps instead of standing here scolding me,” Nico steps forward to remove the scratchy looking scarf from around his neck to quickly loop it around Mordecai's neck and tie it, leaving him looking like some poorly wrapped gift. Before he could even try to remove the gaudy and scratchy thing off, the boxer gives him a hard shove, sporting that ridiculous smug grin of his. “A gift for you mon ami! Joyeuses fêtes!”

Mordecai stumbles, his feet sliding on the slick sidewalk before he collides with something - or more like someone - and tries to steady himself. He hears Paloma yelp as she grabs him, trying to steady them both before they unceremoniously fall. He immediately grabs ahold of her, twisting himself so his body painfully falls onto the concrete and she falls on top of him, her head smacking against his. It took the triggerman to realize that her lips were now on his, which she quickly pulls away.

“¡Amor! ¿Estás bien?” She asks and all Mordecai could do was let out a groan. “Is your head okay? Anything broken? I didn't hurt you, did I?”

“You two look quite cozy!” They hear Kuura giggle.

“Shut up…” Mordecai manages to say as he tries to sit up, not even bothering to remove his hands from Paloma. “I'm fine yekiratì, just…sore. You're a little heavier than expected.”

“Normally I'd be insulted but you're very twiggy and have noodle arms worse than Roark.”

Mordecai rolls his eyes at the comment as the two get up, trying not to slip again before he yanks off his scarf and flings it at Nico. “And you! Take that back! It's poorly made!”

“My sister made it, but it keeps me very warm.” Nico laughs as he puts his scarf back on before a noise sounds from behind him. “Oh I think Jackson is awake.”

“Aw hand him to me, come here you sweet thing.” Paloma cooed as she takes the whining toddler from his father to gently bounce him. “It's okay, auntie Loma is here to make you feel better. Did daddy and uncle Mordi upset you with all the yelling?”

“I did not consent to being called that.” Mordecai grumbles as he tries brushing snow off his coat and removes his hat to shake it clean.

“Too late, you're officially gonna be uncle now if she's their auntie.” Nico laughs, slinging an arm around the triggerman's neck and lowers his voice. “So…you planning on making me and Kuura an auntie and uncle anytime soon?”

“What- I- you can't just say that!” Mordecai sputters as he shoves the boxer away. “We've barely been together for a few months!”

“What are you talking about?” They hear Paloma ask.

“Nothing!” Mordecai yells as Nico laughs.

The younger woman just shakes her head and goes back to her task of calming the infant. Mordecai dusts any snow that had fallen on him and hastily shoves his hat back onto his head.

“Here he's calm now, and asleep.” He hears Paloma say and turns back to see her pass the baby back to Kuura before hurrying over to him and grabs his arm. “Come on, let's keep walking a little more!”

“How long do you have to stay with them caring for the babies?” Mordecai asks as they continue to walk. “You've already helped Kuura with the birth and adjust to the whole mothering thing.”

“I think Kuura doesn't need my help anymore, or much care at the moment, so I'm free to not stay there anymore.” Paloma responds. “I'll have to see if I still have a job at the Lackadaisy, otherwise time to do some job hunting. Oh and I'm sure Viktor would be happy to have me home again and keep Leo from clinging to him too much.”

“Well…considering I haven't moved elsewhere after we broke up, you are free to come back to live in the apartment we got together. Kuura and Kalle were staying with me, not sure if they are going to now.”

“Wait, are you…”

“Am I what?”

Paloma lets out a laugh. “Asking me to move in with you again?”

Mordecai looks at her confused. “Yes? What's so funny about that?”

“Oh I'm just remembering how the first time you asked me, you were very awkward about it! I think it was snowing too that day, or very lightly snowing.”

“It was autumn.”

“It can snow in the fall too.”

Mordecai just shakes his head. “Well my offer still stands, you are free to move back in and get your old room back.”

“Oh you mean your room?” Paloma teases and Mordecai feels his face grow warm. “I kid! But I'd love to move in with you again. Gabriel mentioned he wanted to move into the city and get an apartment for himself and our siblings to live in so Viktor could move in with Elizia and Iliose, or they could move in with him. Once he gets a proper job of course.”

“Well whatever you want, the door is still open for you to come and go as your please.”

“Good. And we can get back in the habit of reading before bed, and move your conspiracy board back into your little office.”

Mordecai grimaces. “Ah, that. Speaking of, there is someone you may hear of who might be of help.”

“Really? Who?” Paloma asks, her ears now perked up.

“A man called Leon. But as someone who's been in this messy business since forever and has done much research on many of the gangsters of this city - stay away from him.”

The younger woman's perked ears flattened a bit as she looked at him confused. “Why? You just said he may be of help!”

“Yes, but his help comes at a price and I do not want you having anything to do with him or his gang. So if you ever see a man with this large and very crooked scar on the right side of his face, do not engage him.” Mordecai says and his frown softens. “I'm only telling you this for your own safety. We barely got back together and I'd hate for anything to happen to you that I could have prevented. So do as I say, please?”

He could see she wanted to protest, her nose was scrunched and her brows furrowed when she was upset and opened her mouth before clamping it shut.

“Fine, but only so you'd stop fussing over me.” The younger woman finally says before poking his nose. “That's my job.”

“Of course it is.”