Meg searched online for any tidbits she could find about Cade. Daniel Cade Maloney, graphic designer, created the games she and her friends enjoyed together. Art definitely paid for Cade. The amount of the sale was staggering. Questions filled her mind, but thinking about Cade selling his creations was a deflection.

Staring at the ceiling in her dark room, she ran over that night. Other than the minute he spoke to his stepfather, they were together. Closing her eyes, she remembered falling asleep in his arms and waking in the same position. If he left the room, she would have felt him get up or heard the lock. Replaying the scene of Cade quickly dressing, his shirt was on top of her dress. She felt a longing ache as she remembered the order they discarded their clothing. First her dress fell pooling at her feet. Then he pulled his shirt off.

She felt the lust for him she couldn't find with Tyler. Her gut told her he wasn't a murderer. He kept telling her he was a nice guy. He came into money, alright. Meg couldn't fault him for keeping CEJ from her. She hid her identity too. Maybe in the morning they would have opened up.

Poor Cade. Did he go to jail? The news reported very little. It claimed a suspect connected to Pacheco had been questioned. A recent update named him as the prime suspect pending a grand jury indictment. Could she stop it? Was it too late? Could her name stay out of the news?

She wanted to ask her father, but then she would have to admit her deceit, starting with lying about Tyler and having sex with a stranger. She flipped onto her side and punched her pillow. If she didn't come forward, he would go to prison.

She woke groggy on Friday morning after very little sleep. Addelyn stopped by her desk to wish her a happy Friday. She sat down and whispered, "Tell me what's wrong!"

Meg shook her head. Her life sounded like the plot of an awful movie. Addelyn didn't understand the pressures Meg faced as a Rice. She wouldn't understand Meg's dilemma. Half way through the morning, she wandered over to the writing department. The magazine used freelance writers, but they had some on staff too. Greg who wrote the mafia piece was one of them.

Greg looked up as Meg approached his desk. "Are you gonna school me on the direct versus indirect phrasing?"

She smirked and shook her head. "I had some questions about your mafia research."

He eyed her sideways. "I heard you hated my masterpiece."

"Not your writing, but the topic. Someone recently mentioned Pacheco. What's his deal? Is he mafia?"

Greg pointed to the chair next to his desk. Meg sat feeling jittery about what she might learn. "Not in the traditional way. He runs illegal businesses which means laundering money with the help of a group of thugs. He recently upped his game by having a competitor killed."

Meg shifted in her seat. "I heard about that. Why isn't it all over the news?"

"Because they are probably holding back facts."

Picking at an uneven nail, she avoided eye contact. "Do you think their suspect did it?"

Greg looked around. "Pacheco is quiet. Shouldn't he be trying to get the guy off?"

"Is he his son?" Meg faced him as she hoped she heard the right answer.

Greg shook his head. "These characters have fascinated me for years. Pacheco has no kids. He likes his women young, so his current wife is out of character."

"Is he faithful?" If Cade was honest, she knew the answer.

Greg laughed. "No. His wife looks like a Stockholm syndrome victim. I eat at a restaurant below his apartment. I try to sit near his booth. The fresh pasta is amazing. He is usually with a woman younger than you."

"Sick."

"I agree. When he's with the wife, she fawns all over him. One day, he was mad because she talked on the phone. Why don't people realize others are listening?"

Meg shrugged. "Who was she talking to?"

"Her son. It was obvious Pacheco didn't like him. Then he verbally abused her for being stupid enough to marry a loser and have pathetic children."

"Children?"

"There's a daughter, but she changed her name. You asked if I thought the son killed the guy. My money is on no, but Pacheco has allies in blue. That's why he hasn't been caught. If you look in his high school yearbook, he's surrounded by guys who wear the uniform or carry a badge protecting our city. I'm sure there's someone working to make sure the blame goes to whoever Pacheco wants, the Maloney guy."

"I'm friends with an assistant district attorney. He would never send an innocent man to jail." Meg sat tall.

"I'm sure someone in that office is collecting a nest egg from Pacheco. That's how these people keep doing what they're doing."

"It's not fair." She felt nauseous.

Greg nodded, but slowly smiled. "Suddenly, you're interested in my article."

"I guess. I am. Can I stop by if I have more questions?" She stood slowly.

"Only if you don't slay my grammar."

"I'm not like that." But she was with the written word.

"Hey, Rice?"

"What?"

"If you want to know more, your old man knows all the players."

She nodded, but he was the last person she wanted to talk to. Brian Rice had high standards for his only child. Prior to being elected State Attorney General, he was the top federal prosecutor for the Boston region. Organized crime fell under the feds, but murder didn't.

At five, all she wanted to do was go for a run and crash, but Tyler invited her over. They hadn't had a mid week date, because it was her crunch week again. Being stressed because her one-night stand had been accused of murder wouldn't work as an excuse. Tyler was the third to last person she wanted to tell about her involvement. Hadn't he known about the murder? Did he know about Cade? She told herself no because he wouldn't know Cade and Daniel were the same person. Even Greg didn't mention the accused's legitimate business success.

Her brain felt tangled with what she thought she knew and what she had learned. For weeks after her night with Cade, the memory stayed with her. Even as she focused on Tyler, she compared him to Cade. Tyler was her best friend, but she knew next to nothing about Cade. Not his real name, Daniel Maloney. Ironically, she knew he was gentle and not a man who could kill another human. There was no way he fooled her. Even Greg didn't think he had committed the crime. If there were men working for Pacheco inside the police, they could twist the evidence to go against Cade. Did Eli know?

Blue greeted Meg when she let herself in Tyler's apartment. If she agreed it could be her home too. She already had her own key but expected Tyler to be home from work. Checking her phone, she had no messages. Blue sat by the door looking at her.

She clicked on her leash. "Come on, baby. I'll take you out. I know you miss him." Everything felt different since their platonic friendship ended. The sex had changed everything. She tried to think of it as a challenge. Could she get off without fantasizing or would she have to fake it? Occasionally, she didn't bother, but then Tyler tried harder the next time.  Why didn't she love the sweet man?

Once on the sidewalk, Blue pulled her to her favorite place by the street lamp post. She sniffed around and peed. When she pulled the leash forward, Meg turned expecting to see another dog. Instead, she watched as Tyler and Eli approached together.

Blue met her owner first, as he bent down to greet her. His eyes traveled up to Meg. The love in his gaze was unmistakable, yet she had been oblivious to it. "Thanks Meggy. My brother waylaid me."

Meg narrowed her eyes at Eli, who approached her. He brushed her cheek in a brotherly kiss. "You okay?" As he pulled back, she shrugged. It wasn't a question she could answer.

Eli stepped back, and Tyler approached her. He kissed her lips but didn't linger. "How was your day?"

"Fine. How was your drink?" She glanced at Eli.

"My prying brother is annoying."

"Prying?" She gulped. "About what?"

"Let's go inside."

Eli smirked. "I just asked when you were planning to make the engagement official." They stepped into the elevator. "If you were my fiance, I would want a diamond on your finger, so random guys wouldn't hit on you at clubs or wherever."

Tyler frowned. "We haven't been to a club since her birthday. Plus, we would go together. Her best friends are mine too."

Eli looked puzzled at his brother. Meg's belly churned as Eli performed his masterful cross examination. Tyler had unwittingly admitted to being with Meg the night she left with Cade. Obviously, Eli hadn't believed her story. Tyler was first in line with the people she would hurt.

"We were all celebrating my birthday together, but Emily left early."

Tyler started. "Me, um. Who wants a drink?" He unlocked his apartment door.

Eli would get whiplash if he kept looking back and forth. "I do, please."

Meg walked to the kitchen. "I'll have water."

After Tyler poured drinks, he fed Blue. While he was in the kitchen, Meg stood close to Eli. "He doesn't know I told you about us."

"Ty has loved you forever."

"But he never told me. I have a lot of questions."

Eli laughed. "You should just say yes to my poor brother."

Meg turned as Tyler walked over to her and draped his arm on her shoulder. "You two looked serious."

"Your brother doesn't understand why I'm not ready."

"You've been dating for a decade." Eli studied his brother.

Historically, Tyler was horrible at lying. They played a game where bluffing was required and Tyler always lost. Oddly, he lied about his feelings for her. Maybe withholding them differed from lying.

"Um, not continuously."

Chickie raised her boys not to say um, and Eli knew it. He shook his head. "Something's not adding up."

Meg stepped forward. "I just need time." She answered a different question, the one about Cade.

Tyler wrapped his arms around her waist. "Eli, are you staying? We're ordering delivery."

The older brother drained his glass. "Nah, I should go." He smiled. "A week's worth." Eli always had time to tease his little brother.

Meg stepped forward. "I'll let you out."

Eli kissed her cheek again. "Call me."

When she turned around after closing the door. Tyler shrugged. "He's acting strange. I think he needs a vacation."

Before Meg could answer, Tyler kissed her passionately. Feeling guilty, she would fake it to please him.

Thanks for voting ⭐️