Pretty Dangerous by Lynn Emery Read Free Book Online Page B

cousins.
Despite Adrienne’s assurances, MiMi only felt more anxious to see
Sage for herself. MiMi tried to release the tension by keeping her
eyes open but couldn’t. She gave in after the first fifteen minutes
in the air. Instead she looked over her research on money
laundering. Willa would probably flip out, and Jazz would call her
crazy. MiMi didn’t care. The more she dug, the more she became
convinced her deceased lover had hidden almost one million dollars.
She couldn’t write off that kind of change. Sage deserved it, and
MiMi felt she’d earned it.
    MiMi sighed when they touched down at
Armstrong International Airport in Kenner, outside of New Orleans.
Irrational as it seemed, she expected an air marshal to pop up out
of nowhere and take her away. Yet the end of their journey was
blessedly uneventful. They caught a shuttle to the airport lot
where Willa had left her SUV. An hour and half later they were in
Baton Rouge. They pulled up to MiMi’s house first. The afternoon
April sun still beamed down just as hot as though it was midday.
She gazed at the lovely landscaped front yard and tan brick three
bedroom ranch with love.
    “Thank you Lord!” MiMi breathed.
    Willa got out and helped carry MiMi’s three
bags to the front door. “Yeah, now get some rest and figure out how
to stay out of trouble for the next decade.”
    “Amen,” Jazz called from her seat in the SUV.
“I don’t want to visit anymore jails or courtrooms. I’ve been in
enough of those on my own shit. Don’t need yours, too.”
    “What a sweet sentiment,” MiMi retorted. She
grinned when Jazz gave her the finger. “Seriously, I really owe
y’all.”
    “Oh hell yes you do,” Willa replied promptly,
a hand on one hip. “Now look, I hope this little episode has
convinced you to forget Jack’s shady money. You have a child to
think about.”
    “I was thinking about Sage, but you’re
right,” MiMi said quickly when Willa started to speak again. “I
have to let go of the past.”
    “Exactly. Not living the rich life isn’t a
death sentence. Work hard, do what you gotta do.” Willa pointed a
finger at MiMi for emphasis.
    MiMi frowned. “Right. My job, if I still have
one.”
    “Set a meeting with your boss as soon as
possible.”
    “Yes, mother.” MiMi gave Willa a quick hug.
Then she blew a kiss at Jazz. “I love my two BFFs.”
    Jazz waved at her. She had ear buds in and
was bobbing her head to an unheard beat from the playlist on her
smartphone. “Whatever.”
    MiMi laughed and turned to Willa. “I’m going
to pick up Sage before I do anything though.”
    “Give her a kiss for us.” Willa yawned. “I’m
going to the office for a minute after I drop off Jazz. See
ya.”
    “Bye, and thanks again for everything,” MiMi
called as Willa walked back to the SUV.
    After texting her sister again, MiMi put away
the luggage without unpacking. She had a doll from the Dominican
Republic sitting in Sage’s car seat as a surprise. Twenty minutes
later, she pulled up to Adrienne’s two story home on Brister
Boulevard. Arriving in her sister’s circular driveway never ceased
to impress MiMi. And that was exactly the effect Adrienne and her
husband had gone for when they bought the seven hundred thousand
dollar home. Never mind that they only had one child, her son
Brayden. MiMi smiled at the thought of her eight year old nephew.
Brayden smiled his way into female hearts easily. And Sage adored
him. He laughed a lot, and accepted others without judgment. MiMi
hoped he would hold onto his personality, and not become his
parents. Or his grandparents for that matter.
    MiMi parked her Lexus GX behind a sleek gray
BMW 328i and tried not to have car envy. Her sister and
brother-in-law also had a shiny new BMW X5 SUV. The front door
swung open as she got out of her vehicle. Adrienne’s husband,
Christopher, strode out. He stood six feet tall with cafe au lait
skin. Snatching him off the market had made a host of debutants
depressed. As