Catching You (Saving Ryder Book 1)

Catching You - 10

Sutton's POV

My brother knows how to surprise me and I hug him. "This is a nice surprise and of course you can spend the night. I don't have much food here. So, I was thinking maybe we could go out and grab something for dinner?"

"Sounds good. Do you know of any good Italian places we could eat at? I'm hoping they will have a table available."

It's New York. Of course it won't have a table available. They will have something for take away though.

He goes through his phone looking for a place.

"They won't have anything available, Miles. In New York everything fills up."

Shaking his head he looks at me. "My friends know a few places here that would have tables available. I just have to speak to the right people." With that he walks away from me with his phone to his ear.

Sutton, I'm still on the phone. I hear coming from the loud speaker.

Oh, shit. I forgot Mom was on the phone.

Me: Sorry, Mom. I forgot you were still on the line.

Mom: Did your brother distract you?

Me: Yes, he did. What happened to Riley? I thought she would have been here?

Mom: That's something you need to talk to your brother about. It's not my story.

Me: Did he leave with her at least?

Mom: Yes, she did. That's all I'm going to say on the matter.

Me: Okay, I'm looking forward to seeing you on Friday. What are we having for dinner?

Mom: Anything you want.

Me: I was thinking that we could have a baked dinner, with your potatoes, sour cream and chives?

Mom: Done, do you want wine?

Me: Of course. Maybe, we can open one of your fancy ones?

Mom: I can sacrifice one of my fancy bottles for my daughter who's returning home after so long away.

Me: Thank you.

Miles walks into the room with a grin on his face. "I got the reservation. We're having dinner at Mesi Italian Restaurant."

"That's great, but I've never heard of it before."

"It's located in a secluded part of town. It has a bar close by too. If you want to have a few drinks afterwards?"

A smile spreads across my face. "That sounds like fun. It's been a while since I've had a night out in town."

Mom: Kids, I'm still on the phone.

Hearing her voice makes me laugh. "I didn't forget it this time, Mom. We're talking about having dinner and getting some drinks."

Mom: I like the way you two are catching up. Soon I'll have all my kids in the same place.

Me: When did Carlos move back home?

Mom: Last year. His wife and him wanted their children to grow up close to their Grandparents. The closest place they got was Venice Beach.

I love going to that beach. Maybe, I'll take up surfing again since I'm back home.

Me: How far is the beach from their place?

Mom: It's a five minute walk. Why?

Me: When I get home I want to go surfing and maybe when I'm at the beach I'll visit them.

Mom: They will like that.

Me: I still have to pack a few things, Mom. I will see you on Friday. I love you.

Mom: I love you, too. See you then, pumpkin.

Hanging up the phone I walk over to the book shelf and start pulling books from the shelf. I come across a leather bound book that says 'Property of Emilia Valentina Conti.'

Who is that? I've never heard of her.

Miles walks over to me and looks at the book. "What do you have there?"

"I think it's a journal. It belongs to someone called Emilia Valentina Conti. Isn't Conti an Italian name?"

"Yes, it is." He takes the book from me. "Should we read something from it? Whoever owns probably wants it back. There could be something about the owner and where we can drop the book back too."

"Okay," taking the book back from him we walks over to couch and sit on it. I open it and go through the first page.

Dear Diary,
It's been another eventful evening at the Conti compound.

A group of men from a rival Mafia Family broke into the compound and started firing at us.

They wanted to take my father out and break the Conti Mafia Family apart, but it didn't work.

The men of the family fired back and the woman had to go into hiding.

As we were going into hiding my mother was shot and she died in my arms.

On the page is a red blood print.

"Is that blood?" Miles asks.

"I think so. I don't think I want to read the rest of this book. It seems messed up. What this girl went through. I wonder if she made it to adulthood. Especially, with a lifestyle like that."

"We can flip the the last page and see when the last entry was written."

Miles takes the book from me and begins reading the last page. "Dear Diary. My life has been a blessing since I disowned my family. Moving to Marina Del Rey has been a blessing. I have a loving husband and four beautiful children. All whom I love with my heart.

If this diary gets into the wrong hands I will lose everything. Including my four children. Carlos, Miles, Dante and Sutton."

This is Mom's book. She's going to be pissed when we tell her that we know her secret. That her family is Mafia.

"I think we need to put this book in its rightful place. Back on the bookshelf at Mom's. She's going to be happy to see the book."

Looking over at him I ask. "Do you think she knows it went missing?"

"I'm not sure. If she did she hasn't said anything." He puts the book in with my others.

Taping the box I put it aside with the others. "Thanks for helping me with this."

"You don't have to thank me. We're family."

"Can I ask you something?"

"Sure,"

"Why isn't Riley with you?"

He pulls a face. "I was hoping you weren't going to ask me something like that." Taking a seat he looks out the window. "She slept with my boss before we drove to Canada. She kept it from me until we reached Niagara Falls. That's when she blurted it out. We got into a fight. Broke up and she took the first flight out. If you ask me it's a good thing."

"That's terrible. What are you going to do about you're job?"

A smile spreads across his face. "I plan on not showing up when I'm due back. Let his business turn to shit. That's all he deserves."

"What are you doing for work then, Miles?"

He shrugs. "I have no idea. Christmas is coming up soon and the new year. A lot of places will be closed. So, getting hired won't be easy. Unless you have a job going?"

"I have something up my sleeves, Miles. Do you want to help me with a few things when I get home?"

"Yes,"