Authors: Sasha Campbell

Scandals (25 page)

BOOK: Scandals

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Monica

The last thing I had expected was for Robin to pass out. I lay her back on the couch and started patting her hand. “Robin ... girl ... you okay?” I had no idea she would react that way. I knew they were cool and all, but they were like day and night. Friends, dancers, but not close friends. “Robin, sweetie, wake up.” I started slapping her lightly on the cheek, trying to get her to snap out of it, and eventually she started mumbling something under her breath. For a moment there I thought I was going to have to call an ambulance to see about her. She scared the hell out of me.

“Tell me it ain't true,” she kept mumbling over and over under her breath with her eyelids still lowered. I didn't know what to say except for the truth.

“It's true. She's gone. I heard Honey's been missing since yesterday.”

Robin started shaking her head in disbelief, and next thing I know she was screaming at the top of her lungs. “No!” I tried to calm her down because the last thing I needed was for her to get hysterical. Besides, the kids were upstairs and I didn't want her to wake them.

She was crying hard and my heart went out to her. I hugged her and whispered in her ear, “I'm sorry.” Honey wasn't one of my favorite dancers, but she had at least been nice to me. The person I'd hoped had been in that Dumpster was Mercedesâthen I saw her skinny ass sashaying into the club like she didn't have a worry in the world. The bitch. Ever since she caught me in the VIP room with Greg, she had been watching me like she was waiting for the right moment. To do what? I couldn't figure it out.

I patted Robin on the back and tried to say a few soothing words to calm her down. I had never been good with death, but I did the best that I could. Eventually the cries turned to sniffles. I released her, stared at her tearstained cheeks and swollen eyes.

“Do you know what happened to her?” Her voice cracked.

I shook my head. “No, other than she was at the club last night and was seen talking with this one dude and was scared to leave alone, so she got one of the bouncers to walk her to her car and was last seen pulling away ... but no one knows what happened after that.”

Robin pulled her legs up to her chest. She looked so fragile, like one of my girls, sitting there on the couch rocking back and forth.

“I'm really sorry.”

I watched as the tears rolled slow and steady down Robin's cheeks before she reached up and brushed them away with an angry fist.

“This shit is fucking unbelievable. I just talked to her on the phone yesterday and everything was fine!” She threw an angry fist in the air. “She and her dude, Jordan, were going out to dinner yesterday before she worked at the club.”

“Do you think that guy could have something to do with what happened to her?”

Robin took a moment to think about my question and then she shrugged. “Shit if I know. Those two were always getting into it. I tried calling her this morning but I didn't get any answer. I figured she was still sleeping off last night.” She closed her eyes and leaned her head back again the couch, and for a long time neither of us said anything.

Her cell phone rang and I watched as she reached for it and looked down at the number on the screen. Her eyes grew large with fear.

“What's wrong?”

She shook her head like it was no big deal then slowly brought the device to her ear. “Hello?”

I couldn't hear what they said, but whatever it was I don't think I've ever seen a light-skinned chick turn that white before. She closed the phone and sprang from the couch, then moved over to the window.

“What's wrong?” I asked because she was beginning to scare me.

“Monica ... I need to go. I should have never come to your house.”

“Why? What's going on?”

She peeked out between the curtains, looking for something, then looked over at me. One thing I never expected to see from Robin was fear. As far as I was concerned, she was the strongest woman I had ever met.

“Somebody is after me.”

“Somebody like who?”

She paced nervously from one end of the room to the other, and I was ready to scream at her to tell me when she finally spoke again.

“Remember the guy who comes into the club all the time asking for me ... Halo?”

It took a moment to think of who she was talking about, then my eyes grew wide with recognition. Ever since the first time I had spotted him in the club, there was something about him I had found familiar. But that wasn't the reason why I was suddenly seriously worried. “I know exactly who you're talking about.” I paused because there was more, I just didn't know how to say it. But Robin could see it on my face.

“Monica, what is it?”

I hesitated. “He was in the club tonight ... asking about you.”

Robin

I didn't know whether to laugh or cry, because this entire situation was like something out of a freaking movie, and all because I wanted my sister back in my life. The sister who for years I pretended no longer existed. I walked around the room and took a seat on the couch because I wasn't sure how much longer my legs were going to be able to hold me up. I was a nervous wreck.

“Halo came by asking about me?”

Monica looked afraid to nod her head. “He came up and asked me if I had seen you, and when I told him you weren't working tonight, he said to tell you he was looking for you.”

I tried to force myself to remain calm. “Please tell me you didn't tell him where I was?”

“No ... why in the world would I do something like that? He gives me the creeps. I know him from somewhere, I just can't figure out where.”

The police still hadn't arrested him. Why was it taking so long? I just couldn't understand that. As long as he was out on the street, I wasn't safe. Neither was anyone who was around me.

“Monica, I shouldn't have ever come to your house. He's looking for me, and he might have followed you home.”

She tried to put on a strong face, but I could see her lips shaking as she spoke. “Nobody's getting through that security system. If they do, the police will be here the second they step through the foyer.”

I tried to smile. I know she was trying to make me feel better, but it wasn't working. Nothing would until this entire ordeal was over.

“Do you know what happened to Honey?” It was more of a statement than a question. I know she wasn't accusing me of anything, but the look in her eyes said she knew I knew more than I was admitting about the whole thing.

I nodded. “Yes. I think I know what happened to Honey.” I just didn't want to believe my asking her to get involved in my mess could have gotten her killed, but I had a sinking feeling it had. “Halo probably killed her.”

She gasped and there was more silence. Enough to make me nervous. “But why?”

“Remember when I told you my sister was in jail?”

She nodded, waiting for me to finish.

“Well, she was arrested for murdering one of Halo's crew.”

She flinched and looked even more confused than before. I quickly explained. “She didn't do it. Halo set her up.”

“Oh my goodness! But how can she prove it?”

“Well, that's where me and Honey came in.” I went on to tell her about my suspicions of Halo and how he acted paranoid all the time. “Anyway, as soon as I saw my sister's charm, I knew whatever happened to Mannie, happened at the club. I had Honey distract Halo while I snuck into his panic room and stole the video for that night.”

“This is crazy!” she said, shaking her head in disbelief.

“Worse than crazy. I watched the video, and sure enough, his murder was on that video. On Monday morning, Trey took me down to the police station so I could give it to the police.”

“Oh my goodness. You really saw him get murdered!” She took a deep breath. “Does Halo know that you know?”

I nodded. “Unfortunately yes. When I left the panic room I forgot to secure the door. Not to mention Mercedes caught me leaving. I received a text message from him the next day letting me know he knew. That was him that called a few moments ago. He tried to disguise his voice but I know it was him.”

“That was him! What did he say?”

I couldn't even bring my lips to form the words. He was trying to scare me and he was doing a damn good job. “He said, âyou're next.' ”

“Oh no! Should we call the police?”

I shook my head. “There isn't much they can do. I already gave them the video. All I can do now is wait for them to arrest him or for him to come after me.”

She sat there, eyes traveling around the room, thinking of something she could do to help me. “I hope you kept a copy just in case.”

See, that's one thing I liked about Monica, she was smart. “Of course. Matter of fact, I got it right here in my purse. Would you like to see it?” It took her all of two seconds to think about it before she nodded. “You got a computer?”

I followed her down the hall to an office on the other side of the gourmet kitchen. We stepped into a huge room with books lining one wall and a massive desk at the center of the room. She moved behind the desk and took a seat in front of a large flat screen and logged on. As soon as the desktop was up, I reached inside my purse for the thumb drive and stuck it into the USB port on her computer. After a few moments the video started. I fast forwarded it to after the club was closed, when Halo and two other dudes stepped into his office. After that everything happened so fast that Monica was shaking, and by the time Mannie had been shot, she had run out of the room.

Damn, I should have known the video was going to be a little more than she could handle. I was getting ready to pull the thumb drive out of the modem when she stepped back into the room. “Wait! Let me see that again.”

I couldn't understand why she wanted to see Mannie being executed, but I pressed Play again, and before Halo pulled his gun out of his desk drawer, Monica leaned forward and pressed Pause.

“I know that man,” she announced.

“Who ... Mannie?” She shook her head and tried to pull her words together. “No,
that
man there.” She pointed at the tall, good-looking dude who had stepped into the room with Halo.

“You do? Who is that?”

Monica reached inside her desk and riffled through some papers in search of something. I had no idea what she could possibly be looking for, but I was anxious to find out. She finally found a picture and handed it to me. She was right. The picture looked just like the man on the video with Halo. Again, I asked, “Who is he?” What she said blew me away.

“That man is my ex-husband, Anthony.”

Monica

I stepped into the conference room with my lawyer and took a seat. A mediator was already sitting at the head of a long table, looking anxious to get the proceedings started. So was I. Like clockwork, the door opened and Anthony and his attorney stepped in. My lawyer, Bernard, had decided that before we went to court, we should schedule a friendly discussion with Anthony and see if with a little persuasion, he might drop the custody suit. Anthony's eyes said he was ready to make my life hell.

I guess we'd see about that.

I knew there was something about Halo that I recognized, I just couldn't figure out where I had met him before and now I knew. I had seen him at Anthony's office that afternoon I went over to beg for money, and once while Anthony and I were still together, we had run into him and a female at dinner. Anthony had introduced him as a client. The woman had been Robin. Talk about a small world.

Anthony took his seat with his lawyer, and his eyes traveled across the table to me. He had a cocky look on his face and was trying to intimidate me. At one time it would have worked, but not anymore.

“We are here today to discuss the custody of Liese and Arissa as well as an increase in financial support, but before we begin we would like to show you something.” Bernard reached inside his briefcase and handed copies of the document to Anthony and his lawyer, as well as the mediator. “After some digging, I discovered something quite interesting. Mr. Houston owns property in two countries and also has over three million dollars in an overseas account that was never entered in the original divorce settlement.”

Anthony jumped out of his seat. “That's my money!” he shouted. We waited while his lawyer urged him back into his seat.

Bernard then went on to explain how I had a right to part of those assets and gave an impressive argument that made me sit up taller in my brand-new black pantsuit. “As for the custody of the girls ... before we get started, I would like to show a short video. I think after Mr. Houston sees it, he might decide it's in his best interest to drop his lawsuit.”

Anthony looked at his lawyer with a questioning gaze. He simply shrugged and signaled for him to relax. That didn't last long. The moment the video started and Anthony realized what was on that recording, his eyes looked like someone had stuck his foot in an electric socket. When he glanced over at me, I couldn't resist a grin.
Gotcha!
I wished I had a camera to capture that moment because by the time the video was over, Anthony was hanging his head low. The room grew quiet and I noticed his lawyer wiping beads of sweat from his brow.

“My client is asking for one million dollars and full custody of the girls,” Bernard said, then looked at me and winked.

“Mr. Boone ... what does your client have to say to that?” the mediator asked after another prolonged moment of silence.

Anthony's lawyer started shuffling papers and suddenly lost his confidence right along with his client. And I didn't think things could get any better until the door opened and a man stepped into the room.

Bernard looked over and acknowledged him with a nod. “This officer is interested in asking Anthony a few questions about that video.”

Anthony looked scared, and for a split second, I almost felt sorry for him. I didn't want to see Anthony in jail, but at the same time, I was willing to do whatever it took to keep my babies at home with me.

Anthony had a word with his lawyer in private and after a few minutes, which felt like forever, his lawyer finally faced the table. “Bernard ... go ahead and draw up the papers and send them over to my office.”

The two lawyers shook hands, and while the detective spoke to Anthony, I turned to Bernard. “So ... what happened?”

He winked. “Don't worry. You're going to be able to keep the girls and get the money. The last thing he wants is a fight.”

I was so happy I sprang to my feet, clapping my hands like a little girl. I was going to be able to take care of my girls. My days as a stripper were finally over.

I gathered my things and watched Anthony out of the corner of my eyes. The detective said something and Anthony gave a gloomy nod as he watched him walk out of the room. My ex-husband had a lot of explaining to do.

I walked over to where he was standing. Anthony looked down at me and I wanted so desperately to hate him, but I couldn't. “Thanks for dropping the fight.”

He shrugged. “I didn't have much of a choice, now did I?”

I should have known he wasn't doing it out of the kindness of his heart. Bernard already said if he refused, we would be going to court and try to take every dime of the three million. Those assets would probably be frozen for a long time if the police discovered it to be laundered drug money.

“Tell me one thing ... how did you find out I was dancing?”

For the longest time he just stared at me before he finally took my hand and led me over to the corner, away from eavesdroppers. I glanced at the door and spotted two detectives out in the hall waiting impatiently for Anthony to exit the room and come with them. They were probably taking him down to the station for further questioning.

Anthony took a deep breath. “I don't even know why I'm telling you this, but I guess the only thing that's going to help me at this point is honesty.” His voice was low and shaking. I had never seen Anthony so scared before. I figured whatever he was about to say was going to change his life forever. “I had come by the club to discuss business with Halo when he murdered that man,” he whispered. “Then this chick pulled up and Halo demanded she let him load the body in the trunk of her Camry, wrapped in this bear rug. Everything happened so fast, and I must have dropped my wallet into the trunk while I was helping load the body. She showed up at my office a few weeks ago to return it. When she told me she recognized you in a photo I still kept inside of you and the girls, I paid her for the information.”

“What chick?” As soon as he said the name, I gasped.

“She works at Scandalous ... her stage name is Mercedes.”

BOOK: Scandals

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