Errands Around Town

who: Max
where: around town
when: Late Morning

I imagine that the unbelievable tragedy yesterday might means you have to work the days you dislike so much. Saw this and thought of you. Thought you might like to decorate the office a little more. Take Care. Yours, Malcolm Hayes

Short, simple, and simpering, Max figured as he dropped the package at the Coroner’s office for December Trent. It was a rather odd, twisted piece of artwork. Metalwork, the owner of the curiosity shop said in mild distaste when Max had inquired about it. A fearsome raven with it’s wings spread out, mouth open in battle cry. He’d thought it was perfect and had it packaged immediately.

The family was in a quiet panic. Among the list of the dead identified so far, there were people from both sides. The DiGiovanni felt fairly safe in their innocence, as if it had been attack, the wife of the Don would, under no circumstances, had been there. But his mother was, and so was Arienne.

Arienne. Max supposed that he’d come off less gleeful than she might’ve hoped for the night before, but his mind had been occupied with the fact that she’d nearly died, making sure she was okay. She seemed fine enough and had gone to school that morning and Max had let her go. He himself had spent the night thinking about the carnage and chaos he’d missed, imagining with a smile the screams, what pitches they went to as pipes went through throats and jaws and stomachs.

With the chaos descending upon the city, Max’s mind was going in various directions and he wondered if the Don would call him to visit personally, or if he should just... drop in and pay his regards.

Maybe kill the man while he was at it.

Arienne wanted to take over the family business, did she not? Well, he was still alive and ‘groomed’ or not, if their father died without naming a successor (and to Max’s infinite knowledge and connections, none had been named at present), things would pass to him. There might be some tentative successors, or at least what would have to be done. Like... some vote.

It wasn’t that Max had any particular interest in running the family. Of becoming the new Don DiGiovanni and having his ring kissed... okay, he could admit that that part sounded quite appealing and he wouldn’t mind doing that. If plans had to change, as they seem to be gearing to do, Arienne couldn’t very well step up. Not yet. It wasn’t that he didn’t doubt she could do it, but she was, for one, seventeen, and two -- the more important bit -- she was a woman. And sure there were women in the workplace and all that but while he knew his sister would be able to handle it (eventually). it was precarious. She’d need someone to take care of things until she could properly step in.

At the end of the day, Max liked what he did now. He liked being the one that people were scared of. The creeper in the dark.

He needed to focus, Max decided as he stopped at the jewelers to pick up his gift for Arienne. He needed something.

The boy was young, peeking his head into the jewelery shop, clearly looking for his mother when Max saw him and he smiled down at him as he prepared to leave the shop, the clerk helping someone else now. “You know, I think I saw her go out this way,” he told him kindly. “Let me help you look for her...”

Yes. Let’s go look for mother