All Chapters of Love, Money, and Lies (A Series of Secrets 2): Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

Margo was an hour late getting on the road thanks to her and Bruce’s morning sexcapade. When she had complained that he had made her late, he had burst out laughing. Then she had laughed, too. They had gotten dressed. When they had walked out of the house, Bruce had said that he was going to pick up Alec on his way out. They were going to do some Christmas shopping. She guided her Mustang into the descending lane to get off of at exit 129. After driving another fifteen miles, Tomoka Correctional Institution came into view. She made this trip every two months. She was going to come after Christmas, but he had called yesterday asking her to make the trip sooner than later. When she had asked him why, he had said that he needed money on his books, and she may as well come a little early. As far as she knew, she was still the only person that visited him. His family had written him off after he had gone to trial seven years ago. He had made friends in p

It was Christmas Eve, and Bruce was not in a festive mood. Once his nieces and nephews over the age of two had gone upstairs, his father and one of his brothers confronted him about his melancholy demeanor.He decided to confide in them. They were both married, and maybe they had some wisdom to share. “I never thought I’d see the day when a woman would have you in stitches, Bruce,” his brother Daryl stated. “This isn’t the time to make fun of me,” Bruce said sourly. “I’m not. I was just making a statement.” “And here is another statement. I never thought you would run into a woman you couldn’t handle,” his father said. “Margo is different, that’s for sure,” Bruce replied. “What in the world do you think she’s hiding?” Daryl asked. “I don’t know, but it’s big enough for us to have a fight over it.” “Are you sure you’re not being paranoid?” his father asked. “Or overly obsessive?

Margo had run all the errands she needed to run with the exception of one. She had taken a cab to the Starbucks that was five miles away from Sunset Boulevard. The driver said as long as she could pay the tab, he would wait on her. However, she wasn’t dumb enough to leave her black satchel full of the money Morris paid her for the Mustang, living room furniture, and dining set. He had assured her that he wasn’t paying her with the money from the SunBeam Heist. It was still too hot to use that cash yet. Margo assumed he paid her with drug money. Not that she cared. As long as it was spendable in the near future, it was fine with her. She looked at her Rolex as she sat in the booth in the back. It had been fifteen minutes since she had called Lacey to meet her there. Margo couldn’t lie low until she got this one last thing done. The door opened. It was Lacey and Lana. Damn it, I told her to come alone. They looked around for he

Alec’s and Bruce’s mouths dropped open when they saw the large Ryder moving truck in Margo’s yard. The neighbors at the end of the cul-de-sac looked surprised as well as they stood on their porches trying to pretend they weren’t looking at Margo’s former house. Two brunettes and a man with bleached blond hair came out of the front door. “Who in the fuck are they?” Bruce asked with bewilderment. “Shit, if I know,” Alec answered with shock. He pulled over at the curb and cut the engine. They got out of the truck. “Hi,” Alec greeted with a friendly smile. “Hi,” the man said. “My name is Alec. I live four houses down. Are you my new neighbors?” “We sure are, Alec,” the man said happily. “I’m Steve Faulkner.” He shook Alec’s hand. The two brunettes who were wearing pink jogging pants and matching shirts started walking toward them. That’s when Bruce realized they were twins.

Alec took a deep breath once the steel door closed. He looked over at Frank. The prisoner sat down like nothing had happened. He walked back to the table and sat and was grateful that the cameras weren’t equipped with sound. Hopefully, the warden would overlook Bruce’s unprofessional conduct. They did tell him they were conducting an unofficial investigation to see if they had to make it official. “You were on him as soon as he walked in,” Alec stated. Frank remained silent. “Jealous?” “That’s part of it. I was peaches top guy before he came along. I mean, I knew she dated other guys, but she wasn’t head over heels about them. But there’s been a change in her emotions. She still loves me, that I know, but not like she did before.” “Partly? I take it that the other part of you thinks Bruce deserves what he gets?” “Yes. Look, I know you two have been partners and best friends since college. I