In the Middle of Love's Crime *BWWM Mystery Romance Thriller by ReNita A. Burgess Page B

you fucked him in my apartment while I was away?” Simona stammered.
    Jamika shamefully looked down before responding. She wasn’t sure what else there was to say. Her best friend had just discovered that she was cheating with her fiance, There was always an attraction between Jamika and Ben, but it was one that was lustful. Simona never suspected it, until now.
    “If you were cheating with him then why aren’t you dead like all the others?!!” Simona shouted.
    “What the fuck is that suppose to mean?” Jamika folded her arms.
    Simona rose from her seat, snatching her purse from the floor and nearly kicking the nail technician. The customers were all watching in curiosity at the two friends go back and forth, this was better than Love and Hip Hop.
    “Jamika, you cheat on your fiance at times but you didn’t have to cheat with mines! You’ll be sorry for this!” Simona yelled angrily.
    “Simona, get back here.” Kristen called after her. “We need to talk this out!”
    “Kristen, please stop trying to be a peace maker! Just let her go.” Jamika said. She was starting to feel the embarrassment over her. Somehow she just had to tell Simona the truth, it was eating her up inside. The deaths of the murdered women who Ben also dated were killing her conscience.
    Simona paid the nail technician for the service and headed towards the exit. Before she left, she gave Jamika one last look. A look that was cold and unforgiving.  A look that wasn’t forgetful.
     
                 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Chapter 23
    What was she going to do with all his stuff? All the belongings that were left behind. She thought of selling them outside just like Bernadette from the movie Waiting the Exhale , but she didn’t. Instead, she decided to pack up his things. Tears flowed down her cheeks as she unzipped the luggage, tossing things inside.
    Simona’s phone was ringing. Was she in the mood for a conversation? No, but she needed to get her mind off things around her. She was going crazy.
    Simona noticed it was an unrecognizable number and she was curious to find out who it could be.
    “Hello…”
    “ Hello .” The automatic operator said. “ You have a collect call from Richland County Sheriff’s Department, with a call from……”
    Ben spoke his name sympathetically into the phone.
    “ If you do not wish to accept this call, please hang up now to decline charges. If you wish to accept this call, press 1 .”
    Simona wasn’t sure if she should feel excited or upset to hear from Ben. She pressed the #1 as she positioned the phone to her ear.
    “Hello, Ben.” She said, sitting at the dinner table, tapping her fingers along the wood.
    Ben sighed. “Baby, I only have a few minutes to talk. I just want to say that I miss you, I’m sorry and I was afraid of getting married. It finally hit me that I was only doing it just to move in with you. If we got married then the military would give more money.”
    Simona chuckled sarcastically. “So you were playing me all along, Ben? I can’t fathom that you were screwing three other women besides me.”
    “Baby, let’s just get past that. My cheating was only due to my fear. We need to get past this. You have to forgive me.” He pleaded. “I am being charged for murders here.”

The sound of other inmates were loud in the phone’s background.
    Simona was silent for a moment. “Ben, I don’t know what to say. I’m scared.”
    “It sounds as if you don’t care about me anymore. You have to come by and see me. You just have to. A lawyer is coming by to see me in a few days and I have court very soon.” Ben said quickly.
    “ 1 minute remaining .” The automatic operator interrupted.
    Simona wanted to cry and she wanted to scream. How in the hell was he asking for her support? “I may come through this evening; depends on how I feel.”
    Ben sighed with relief. “Simona, thanks. I’ll be looking forward to seeing you. It sucks