Total pages in book: 130
Estimated words: 129571 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 648(@200wpm)___ 518(@250wpm)___ 432(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 129571 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 648(@200wpm)___ 518(@250wpm)___ 432(@300wpm)
I grimaced. “I keep forgetting that you knew him.”
“I did, but don’t worry. He’s not Jasmine’s father.” She leaned back in the chair like a queen. “So what did you read in Benny’s journals? Now you’re all jumpy, when I come close to you. What did Benny have to say?”
“A lot.”
“So are we still friends?”
“Of course, Mrs. Montgomery. You’re Jasmine’s mother.” My skin shivered as if reacting to slimy snakes slithering over me. “We will always be friends.”
“Good boy. I always knew you would be perfect for my Jasmine. I just never thought you would take the bait.”
“The bait?”
“You may want to learn things day-by-day. Getting it all at once might blow your mind away.” She raised her hand to her head and mimicked an explosion. “Sometimes we can’t all get it at once. Our minds are delicate.”
“What do you mean the bait?”
“Benny said you had a problem with keeping girlfriends alive. Thought the shit was funny. I hated hearing about those poor girls.” She shook her head. “You know, I figured it was that Lulu chick.”
“Lucy?”
“Yeah. I thought it was her. Benny told me all about that girl’s life. Rape makes you crazy.”
Lucy’s face flashed in my head.
“Let’s leave that alone,” I said. “Let’s talk about something else.”
“Aww, is the conversation over already?” She pouted. “Do you have any more questions?”
I parted my mouth and wasn’t sure which one I should ask.
Too much raced around in my head. She’d planned the event that had scarred Jasmine and Troy for the rest of their lives, and then played matchmaker to my tesoro and me.
What do I need to know right now? What will change the game?
I asked the only thing I could think of that wouldn’t reveal how much I figured out about her. “Who’s Jasmine and Troy’s father?”
“How significant do you think that question is to our present dilemma?”
“I think it’s important.”
“Their dad isn’t your father. That’s the only thing you should be worried about. Other than that, Jasmine and you are in the clear. Is Benny the father? Does it really matter? No matter what, my kids don’t need to be around him. And regardless, he’ll still need to be dead.”
“Why?”
“Because it’s time, Chase.” She rose and strolled to the back. “It’s time for Benny to die.”
If Sherman is right, then his mother had Benny go after Lucy. But why? That would get me more involved, but I’d already been trying to get rid of Benny. I didn’t need to be motivated anymore. It was only the moment he took Jasmine that I united with her.
I tapped my fingers on my arm rest and ran everything over and over in my mind.
Why kill Lucy?
The only way I would work with Sophia was if Jasmine was gone. Sophia had come to my office many times, asking for money and demanding things.
Did she even need all that money? It sounded like she had enough. Maybe she couldn’t use all of it. The biggest problem with dirty money is cleaning it so you can spend the bucks and not get caught.
I glanced over my shoulder. Sophia stared at me with vacant eyes. Her mask was slowly slipping away from her face. It would be harder for her to hide the demon inside now.
My giving her an allowance allowed her to spend money freely. Everyone in the city knows she’s my girlfriend’s mother. If she bought a house or two, she could point to me. No cop in the state would check up on her, gossip in the streets or not, they’d have to mess with me. My family vacationed with the state governor and sipped champagne with most of the senators and house reps.
My tapping increased. At this rate, I would make a tiny hole through the solid plastic.
Why kill Lucy? Why start this, if she did? What are the benefits, getting rid of Benny and tying Jasmine to me?
If she’s my mother-in-law, she would be safe to do what she wanted in South End. Now I’d bought the Chops. In her eyes, I bet she figured she owned it.
But how did we get to that? Fuck. I needed to find Jasmine.
The stewardess walked up to me. “Mr. Stone, would you like anything to eat? We’ll be landing in thirty minutes.”
“I need a coffee. Make it strong with no sugar or cream.”
“Okay, sir.”
How did Sophia know that Jasmine would go to Benny? How did Sophia figure out a way to get me alone with her? Killing Lucy wouldn’t get me running Sophia’s way. But killing Lucy started it. How did she know my moves?
And then it came to me.
“Fuck.” I gripped the armchair hard.
She hadn’t known my moves, but she did know Jasmine’s and Benny’s. I bet Sophia was certain that after all these weeks of my hiding Lucy away, he would do something extravagant once he got her in his grasp. Maybe, she even got in his ear or perhaps she figured he’d be bold. But she knew that Jasmine would find out what had happened to Benny.