Nick picked up a blue diary. He desperately opened it and turned to the first page. That wasnโt it. Nick tossed it aside and found the black journal. He turned to the first page. He exhaled when he realized that it was a continuation of the red one he had read. Nick sat Indian style and zoomed in on the entry. We decided to meet one last time before the plan went into effect. Plus, we needed to speak to Jacobs about Matt Kirby. Would Matt be easier to deal with than Marty? We hoped. So, midnight last night we met at Jesseโs. His house is far away from other homes and is at the end of town. Jacobs walked in - with Matt Kirby. We couldnโt believe Jacobs exposed us. All of us thought that was it. David thought his own brother was waiting outside to arrest him for committing conspiracy against a cop or something like that. Nick groaned as he rubbed his forehead. โWhat the hell did you guys get involved in? What did you do?โ Matt
Jodi drove as Jackie nervously twitched in the passenger seat of the red jeep. It was almost eleven. Jackie swore under her breath when Jodi got behind a car that was driving a little too slow. โDonโt worry. Weโll get there. Heโs not going to leave because weโre a few minutes late,โ Jodi soothed. Jackie gave her a weak smile. โI canโt thank you enough for coming.โ โYou would do the same for me and Matt if he was in trouble,โ Jodi said. โIt must be serious for Nick to call us on an orgy night.โ โLuckily, we have competent employees,โ Jackie said. โI know it was hard for you to keep this from Matt. I wouldnโt have asked you to if it wasnโt important.โ โI know. Hopefully, when we meet with Dalton things will become more clear and I can tell Matt. I have learned my lesson about keeping secrets from him. Once it is all said and done, maybe Matt can help.โ The car in front of them took the turn they were about
It was so quiet after Mattโs announcement that Nick could hear a pin drop.Look at them staring at me like Iโm the elephant in the room. โWhen you say he knows,โ Jacobs began. โKnows what exactly?โ โAll of us being here at the same time at an outsiderโs request is not a coincidence,โ Jesse said. โHe knows . . . the big one. The one that ties us all together.โ โYes,โ Nick snarled. โThe outsider knows!โ He stared at them as he slowly started walking the balcony again. He knew he was hard to see in his black long sleeve dress shirt and black jeans. His boots clunked on the planks. โOnly half the story is in here,โ Matt said as he held the red diary up. โWhereโs the rest of it?โ โDanielle wrote the rest in a separate diary. That I happen to have,โ Nick answered. โShit!โ Jesse exclaimed. โAnd yโall said she wasnโt naรฏve.โ โActually, we said she wasnโt stupid,โ Bonnie corrected nervously.
Nick took a few steps towards the twins. โI have to say, ladies, the operation was a masterstroke. I mean I know that you didnโt come up with every single detail of the plan, but to get everyone together to gang up on Marty - great idea. Pulling twin magic on Joe was a good idea, too, but it sounded like he was too smart for ya on that one.โ Both of them gasped. โYeah, Danielle wrote about the shower scene, too. Right after you told her, Jodi,โ Nick revealed. โGod, what was she thinking writing all that stuff?โ Jodi asked rhetorically as she placed her hand on Jackieโs hair. โI believe she thought no one would see it, but fate stepped in,โ Nick replied. โI had put the diaries in a box and forgot about them. I was putting the boxes away and the bottom fell out of one of them. One of the diaries fell open and a picture fell out. A picture of all of you โ together - having a private celebration in Lesterโs office after Matt wa
Two and a half months later . . .Cousins, Jodi and Gabriella Garvey, walked the campus of the stateโs university. Gabriella had taken three business classes during the semester and she had just finished her exams. Gabriellaโs car was in the shop. Jodi wasnโt busy, so she picked Gabriella up from the Phoenix campus.Before driving home, they had stopped at the campus coffee shop. They sat on a bench, chatting and enjoying their frozen coffee.โHow do you think you did on your exams?โ Jodi asked and sipped her drink through a straw.โGood, I think,โ Gabriella replied. โI hope, anyway. You and Jackie spent a lot of money paying for my classes. I donโt know how Iโll repay you.โโLike Jackie had said, it was an investment,โ Jodi said. โYouโll be able to handle the paperwork at Garveyโs now. Take on more responsibilities. Itโs your birthright.โโIs it?โ Gabriella said with doubt. โDaddy had sold his half to Garveyโs to Uncle Jack ages ago.โโThat doesnโt matter. Youโre still a
Nine weeks later . . .Jodi Garvey was in her room with her husband to be. They were discussing their future living arrangements.โBunny, you were okay with moving in my house a couple of months ago,โ Matt stated. โWhatโs changed?โโNothing, I want to live in your house and keep my room here, too,โ Jodi said. โThatโs not a crime.โโWhat for?โโWhatโs the big deal?โ Jodi asked as she sat on the edge of the bed.โYou just answered my question with a question,โ Matt said. โWhat is it really, Jodi?โโI . . . itโs a big change. Iโve lived here for over four years. My twin and cousin are here. My friends. We have breakfast and lunch together every day. That will change when I move into your house. If I give up my room . . .โ She trailed off.โI see. Youโre having a hard time leaving this place โ permanently,โ he said and stroked her dark, straight hair.โYes,โ she admitted. Matt took a deep breath. โUh huh. Basically, you want to be able to spend the night here from time to ti
Matt was having a great time. The boys had completely transformed the conference room. They had a portable bar set up in the corner. A poker table was set up on the other side of the room. Mattโs police academy graduation portrait hung over the whiteboard on the wall.Matt had opened gifts from the guys. He was working on the last one. It was from Goldman. Matt opened the box. He laughed and held up the pack of edible underwear.The men chuckled.โHell, thatโs more of a gift for Jodi, isnโt it?โ Jacobs asked.โItโs both their honeymoon,โ Goldman said with a smile.โThanks, guys, I appreciate it,โ Matt said and put the edible drawls back in the box.โNow, letโs make a toast,โ Walker said and raised his beer bottle. Walker cleared his throat. โTo Matt Kirby. Excuse me, Sheriff Matt Kirby.โThe men cheered.โMay your marriage be happy and fruitful,โ Walker said.โMay your honeymoon be wet and wild, General,โ Goldman shouted with excitement.Everyone laughed.โTo Jodi for putting up with
Matt had peeled the strippers off of him and guided them one by one to one of his deputies. Billy and Carter were having a rematch at the poker table. Jacobs had joined the game as well. One of the girls sat at the table with them. Walker had gone home. The last thing he needed was for his wife to find out that he was looking at big tittied strippers.Matt made his way around his drunken deputies, George, and Lance who were all dancing and flirting with the girls, to get to the bar. โJesus,โ Matt enunciated once he got to the bar.Goldman laughed. โIs it too hot for ya, General?โMatt smiled and shook his head. โIโm going to be a married man in less than twenty-four hours. I canโt have a bunch of half-naked women shaking their pom poms in my face.โThey both laughed.โHow come youโre behind the bar? I would think youโd be on the floor with the girls,โ Matt said. โLike the rest of the guys.โGoldman smiled. โI have plenty of girls who are just as sexy as them in my contacts. These guys
After Juan had left, Cindy had asked Mindy to grab items to put on her Nicolette persona before they left for Phoenix. Cindy wouldnโt tell her why. She had said they were going somewhere that she needed to see and it was a surprise. Five miles outside of Phoenix, Cindy stopped the SUV at a rest area, grabbed a bag out the back, and told Mindy she had to go to the bathroom. Fifteen minutes later, Cindy returned, but she didnโt look the same. Cindy had on a pile of make-up and a red-wig, and it wasnโt the red wig Mindy had given her. When Cindy got back in the car, Mindy asked what was going on and where were they going. Cindy begged her patience and assured her that everything would become clear. They were in the downtown area of Phoenix. They parked on the street. Cindy walked Mindy to a building that looked like it had glass for walls. They got on the elevator and went to the twelfth floor. There were two businesses on the floor; Grass
It was late Tuesday morning. Mindy was packing a gift basket. She was going to drop it off as she and Cindy rode out of town. Cindy wanted to go shopping in Phoenix. Of course, Mindy couldnโt afford to buy anything but she didnโt mind keeping Cindy company on her shopping trips. Cindy walked in. โWhoa,โ she said as she took in the basket on the kitchen table. โThatโs a big thank you.โ โWell, it is from both us. Canโt have it skimpy,โ Mindy said. Cindy shrugged and opened the refrigerator to retrieve a can soda. There was a knock on the back door. โWho in the world could that be?โ Mindy asked. Cindy walked to the door and opened it. The man raised his head so they could see his face from under the wide brim baseball hat. โHey, girls,โ Juan greeted. โJuan, come in,โ Mindy said with a smile. He darted inside and closed the door. โI parked my car two blocks away and walk
By the time Matt had found out what was going on, it was over. He and Jodi were having a hot romp in the kitchen when Patty tried to call him. He had left his cell in the living room.Two ambulances, the forensics van, two cruisers, and Williamsonโs truck were outside. Matt and Jodi walked into Garveyโs bar. โSon of a bitch,โ Matt sneered as he put his hands on his hips, taking it all in.Otto was taking pictures of the body on the floor. Goldman stood tall as he was taking notes while Mindy and Cindy Pandock sat at a table talking to him. Juan was sitting at the bar looking like he had never been more relieved in his life as Carter took his statement.โOh my god,โ Jodi said with a shocked look. โIโm going to check on Juan.โโAll right, just donโt interfere with the questioning. Iโm heading for the lobby to see what else is going on,โ Matt said seriously.Jodi nodded and walked away.Matt strode to the lobby doors which were propped open. There was a body on a gurney covered by a shee
Tyrone told Juan how they had tracked Chip down in Chicago. It wasnโt hard. Chip had left a rowdy drunk trail so anyone who wanted to find him could. Tyrone described how they worked Chip over for thirty-six hours. After being beaten for that long anyone would tell what they knew. Chip had given Juan, Sam, and Zeke up. He had even told them where he hid his cut of the money. During the conversation, Tyrone had given the girls more change to play more tunes on the box. Just like before, Chavez had walked with them. When they returned, Ginger got back in the booth and Nicolette remained standing next to a table. She didnโt look as petrified as before. Tucker James had taken a seat at the table with Juan with the gun still on him. Juan guessed he got tired of standing just as much as Nicolette got tired of sitting. It wasnโt hard for Tyrone to track down Zeke either. At least Zeke didnโt lose his mind with the money. He was enjoying a comf
Juan had gotten Tyrone to chat a little. He got detailed about how Sam suffered before he died to Juan, Nicolette, and Gingerโs horror. Tucker even had the nerve to say that at least Sam wasnโt a rat - if it was any consolation to Juan. Now, he was talking to the girls as Nod Ya Head by Will Smith played on the jukebox. Chavez was bobbing his head to the song. โAre you two sisters?โ Tyrone asked. โYou look like youโre related.โ โCousins,โ Nicolette choked out. โAh,โ Tyrone said with understanding. โItโs shame we didnโt meet under different circumstances. You two are cute. Oh, well, back to our friend Juan. So, Juan, where the hell is my twenty million dollars?โ Mindy and Cindyโs eyes bugled. โIโll tell you, but I have to know something first,โ Juan said. โYeah, whatโs that?โ Tucker said and put the barrel of the gun to Juanโs temple. โHowโd you figure out it was us?โ Juan asked ask he foug
Tucker had Juan sit down in a chair out on the bar floor. The silence made the situation more terrifying. Tucker pointed his pistol at his chest. How the hell did they figure out it was us? โLadies, do you want to listen to some music,โ Tyrone asked. โHuh?โ Ginger said. โMusic,โ Tyrone repeated. โNo reason for the situation to be unpleasant for you because you were in the wrong place at the wrong time. What kind of music do you girls like?โ Nicolette shrugged stiffly. โSome country and . . . I just started to listen to some hip hop lately.โ โOkay,โ Tyrone said as he nodded his approval. โWhat about you, babe?โ he asked Ginger. โSame including R&B,โ she answered. Tyrone dug into his pocket and pulled out some change. He took Gingerโs hand and placed the change in it. โPlay some hip hop. I donโt like country music โ oh, and no Eminem, Justin Bieber, or Justin Timberlake. I hate t
It was Sunday morning, and Juan was feeling pretty good despite what had happened last Sunday. No one in town or the surrounding areas knew about Sam being found dead at the hotel, which surprised Juan because he was sure the EMTs would have talked, but it didnโt seem like they had. Juan just thanked his lucky stars.Matt and his team were still working on Samโs case. Forensics believed Samโs death was an accident per cloth fibers that were found on his body and the ice bucket bag. Matt tended to agree based on the staff statements and security camera footage from the lobby and exit doors down stairs. He did have Juan come in to look at some of the footage that Matt found suspicious. Juan identified the two blondes Sam had been with. They had appeared to be in a hurry and they went out the side door exit. Juan only knew their first names. Matt had put in the Arizona state police database that they were wanted for questioning, but he didnโt suspect them of foul play. Samโs valuables ha
Monday afternoon, Juan prepared himself for the verbal assault as he settled in the office with Jodi and Jackie. He had asked Matt not tell the twins about Sam Ellis. Matt had said that it should come from Juan since they still own a part of the business, so they had a right to know. Juan didnโt want them to know because he knew they would blame him somehow. Sam was Juanโs friend not some random guest off the highway. In the end, Juan had refused to call them about it and told Matt to do what he felt was right in regards to informing the twins. โWhatโs up?โ Juan asked. โI think you know whatโs up,โ Jackie said. โJackie, what happened yesterday couldnโt be avoided. I donโt know how you think I could have prevented -โ Juan began. โOf course, you couldnโt stop it,โ Jackie interrupted. โWe came here to see how you were and how we can help.โ โYeah. You canโt stop someone who really wants to kill themselves โ or partici
The forensics team combed the room over while Matt and Juan waited in a room across the hall, so Matt could take Juanโs official statement. Both room doors were propped open. Otto was able to just walk a few feet to give Matt immediate need to know information.Matt noted Samโs license information on a pad so his license could stay in an evidence bag. Sam had one suitcase filled with clothes, normal toiletries in the bathroom, a bottle of aspirin, a hundred and fifty dollars in his wallet, a paper bag with eight thousand four and thirty dollars in it, no credit cards, a cell phone, a photo of a woman, a man, and three girls, a key chain with a car key, two regular keys, and a lock key, and a few business cards.โDo you know why he had so much cash on him?โ Matt asked.โSam still lived the life of a drifter,โ Juan said. โPlus, he liked casinos. He stopped at a couple in Arizona before he came here. Probably had a good run.โ โHmm,โ Matt mused. โYeah, but to keep that much cash in your