Free Whos Loving You by Mary B. Morrison

to keep from laughing at that fool. I asked my brother, “What the fuck have you done? This isn’t about Honey. You’re involved in something illegal. What is it?”
    Benito’s face was drenched in sweat, as though someone had dowsed him with a bucket of water. His dingy white cotton T-shirt stuck to his chest as he exclaimed, “Wasn’t my fault, man. I didn’t kill Sunny. I didn’t pull—”
    “Wait a minute. You mean Sunny Day? That gorgeous young girl who was on the national news a few weeks ago? The twin who was murdered in Vegas the day before her twenty-first birthday? All of this shit you’re telling me is recent?”
    “I guess you heard about that, huh? Yeah, that’s the one. Like I was saying, I didn’t pull the trigger. Valentino did. But he made me bury the body. But I didn’t bury her body. I left it in Sunny’s condo back in Vegas. Her twin sister found the body, and they had a funeral and all, but you can’t tell nobody I had anything to do with any of that shit. That’s all over, man. What I need you to help me do is find out what happened to the hundred million dollars I heard Lace stole from Valentino’s mansion so I can get Valentino out of jail and get my share for saving his ass. I know you don’t need my money, but I’ll break you off a li’l something when I get paid.”
    Okay, I thought. First he said Lace killed Sunny. Then he said Valentino killed her, but he disposed of the body. Then the money was his. Now it’s not his. It’s Valentino’s, but Lace has got it. A hundred million dollars? Damn, if Benito is telling the truth, Lace, Honey, whosoever she is, she is smarter than I thought. I was greatly intrigued. So that’s how she paid cash for her mansion. With that amount of money, Honey would need some legitimate investments in addition to her business. Perhaps she could partner with us. Hmm. I’ll propose the idea to Trevor.
    I looked at Benito. “First off, none of the money is yours,” I said. “Second, you’re fucking crazy if you think you’re going to make me a conspirator to murder and money laundering, and third, take this five hundred dollars, get the hell out of my office, and don’t ever come near me or my parents again.”
    Benito stood there dazed and confused, like he didn’t know if he wanted to beat my ass or cry. But I could tell he was happy as hell to have a few dollars.
    I went on. “Invest it wisely. I thought my father was overreacting, but he’s right. You’re endangering all of our lives. What if this pimp Valentino James has a hit out on your dumb ass, thinking you set him up and stole his money? You ever contemplate that? I’m going to ask you politely one more time. Leave.”
    Benito pleaded with me, gesturing with his hands. “Valentino is my boy. He wouldn’t do that to me. But look, you have to help me. We’re blood, and I don’t have anywhere else to go. Five hundred dollars won’t last long in D.C. You want me to sleep under the freeway again with those homeless people?”
    “Here. Take this card. Maybe this woman can help you,” I said, giving the number for the lady I’d met at Starbucks. My blood pressure must’ve shot up fifty degrees as I yelled, “We’re not blood! Get the fuck out!” This time I snatched opened the door and waited for this ignoramus to leave.
    “Aw’ight. That’s cool. But you’d better pray Lace doesn’t have my money, or she’s one dead bitch,” Benito said, walking out.
    I yelled, “You’re so stupid, you’d probably shoot yourself, and you don’t have any money, you dumb ass!” Then I slammed the door. “The nerve of him.”
    Sitting in my chair, I exhaled heavily and stared at the amazingly beautiful woman in the picture. I wondered who in the world she was. Loose curls framed her flawless face and dazzling smile, but there was no sparkle under her long eyelashes, although I could picture how Honey’s eyes did light up for me whenever we were together.
    I had to find out for