Chapter Fourteen:
If Momma Ain't Happy...
There were only a few reasons why Tucker's Pizza would close early on any given day: family emergency, start of a holiday weekend, a private party, or a family meeting. While each one was understandable, the family meeting was one that didn't happen as often as most thought. Yet on the days it did happen, the staff would shift a few things to accommodate the entire family. Except this time Vicky had opened up one of the bigger rooms that was reserved for larger mammals.
Most of the family already figured that it had some to do with Grace and what had happened the day prior. But something that came as no surprise was when the one bunny everyone knew as Aunt Joan stood up after the meeting started and tried to take it over.
"Now, does anyone know how long before the police will allow us to start the accounting firm back up?" she asked looking out across her nieces and nephews.
"As far as I know we can start it back up now, Aunt Joan," one of the bunnies said.
"Which will not be happening because neither of you own the building or the business," Vicky said trying not to lose her temper.
"What are you talking about, Victoria?" Joan asked looking at her, "You know better than anyone that Daddy made certain that if anything happens to him that I would step in as acting president until such time as he returns."
"Actually, the clause he put into effect was that the owners of the firm and building would step in until he either returned or a replacement was named. And not one of you owns the firm," Vicky said coldly, "And don't call me Victoria."
"If that's true, then who are the owners, Victoria?" Joan asked sounding skeptical.
"Well I did, up until a few hours ago," Vicky said as she started to smile, "I sold the building back to its original owner. The business was a little harder to sell, but I did find someone that was will to gut it like Augustus did to so many businesses and mammals, Aunt Joanie."
"Don't even bother asking, sis," Rebecca said walking over and standing next to her daughter, "I'm the one that bought it. And for the eighteenth time, you broke family protocol. Or did you forget that the one that calls the meeting is the one in charge of it?"
Joan took an involuntary step backwards as she stammered, "W-Wh-what are you doing here?"
"Besides coming to see my kits," Rebecca said as she walked up to her sister, "Something that has needed to be done for a lone time and that is state the truth about our father."
"N-Now Rebecca, d-don't"
"DON'T YOU REBECCA ME!" Rebecca yelled cutting her sister off, "For too long, our father has acted like a greedy tyrant over every single one of us. We either did as he said, or he would make everyone turn their backs on each other. Or did you forget Susan? What about Tommy? How about Jenny? Each one of them decided to do something besides help make him richer. You and I are the only two that haven't been thrown in jail because of some trumped up charge he came up with.
"But more importantly; that monster killed, not framed, KILLED my son. And what did you do? You called his 'cleaning crew' to remove the rug your nephew was found in like the good little receptionist you are. His blood and every single mammal he killed is on your hands as much as it is his. But the one thing that disgust me the most right now is out of two hundred and nineteen siblings; forty-nine have gone missing, sixty-four committed suicide, forty-five are in jail for crimes they never committed, fifty-three OD'd, and nine were committed to different mental hospitals.
"We are the only two that haven't been locked up, committed, gone missing or dead. But why stop there? Out of my hundred and eight-four kits, he excommunicated all but thirty. Those thirty, the ones he thought he could trust, were there to keep tabs on you, Joanie. Everything you did; to a client or your own family, was recorded. But there is one piece of footage I find extremely interesting. So interesting in fact, that I wonder what would happen if a certain shrew in Tundertown found out that you have been taking part of his daughter's money to secretly invest in a company and pocketing the returns."
"Y-y-you wouldn't dare?" Joan asked her voice full of fear.
"Oh I would. IF I knew how to get a hold of him," Rebecca said with an evil grin, "Now I'm no genius in math like Greg was, but if my numbers are right, you've stolen roughly around forty-four thousand dollars from a mobsters daughter. Do you know how much trouble you're in if they find out?"
"Oh they will be finding out," a voice said from one side of the room. Lights started to kick on to reveal Chief Bogo and two other ZPD officers standing by the rooms exit.
"Joan Morris," the cape buffalo said as he walked over pulling out a paw of paw-cuffs, "You're under arrest for embezzlement, falsifying records, and accessory to murder."
"And no; not one of us is going to bail you out," Rebecca said before her sister was taken away. She waited until they had left before looking at everyone in the room and said, "Now that that's taken care of, I do believe there are some questions that need answered. Like where are the rest of your siblings?"
"They moved away after Augustus excommunicated them," one of bunnies said with a hint of disgust in his voice upon saying his grandfather's name, "But we have been keeping touch."
"But they weren't the only ones, mom," a female bunny said wiping a tear from her eyes, "Uncle Evan and the others all left to get away from granddad and started over in different cities."
"I know, Holly, and your Aunt Liz says hi," Rebecca said walking over and giving her daughter a hug, "Theo, I'm going to need you to let them know what's happened here tonight."
"They already know," he replied motioning towards his phone, "Been live streaming the meeting since it started."
"And they have three days to get their butts back to Zootopia," Rebecca said looking at the device, "Because there is a niece that honestly thinks the greatest majority of this family hates her. And we disrespect Greg and Laura's memories the longer we let that go on. Speaking of my granddaughter, where is the one that attacked her?"
"Awaiting her day in court at the local juvenile center," Barry said as he noticed four foxes enter the room followed by a large group of bunnies, "And I take it this is Grace's adoptive family that is joining us?"
"Not all of us are adopted, Bartholomew," Trish said walking over to stand next to the bunny's mother; "And we all have something we need to talk about."