Missing You, Missing Me Ch. 07

Jade inhaled deeply, slowly exhaled, and then looked up to face April. "I guess that's why we fought over you. For the first time, there was this beautiful woman who wasn't afraid of us, or interested in cashing in on the Dupree name. Yes, I seduced you when you first came here. I thought it would be a fun, and convenient, way to keep tabs on you and the progress of your investigation. I was so use to all of my relationships being just about sex; I didn't expect..." her voice trailed off. April waited a few moments, but she didn't continue.

She chuckled. "I sure as hell didn't expect you and your sister, either, but here we are. And I think the real reason there isn't a line at your door is because you and Jasmine are intimidating as hell. Both wild, fiercely independent, and tempers that should require you both to wear warning labels." April laughed at her own comment, saw Jade's face transform into a genuine smile, and continued. "I mean, face it Jade, you two are a hell of a hand full. I think most women around here just didn't think they could hold on for the ride. They were probably afraid you'd trample them, and you would have, both of you would have, have even, I'll bet."

April leaned towards Jade. Anyone watching would probably think she was asking about to whisper sweet nothings in her ear. "I'll let you in on a little secret, my friend," she patted Jade on the knee under the table, "I'm not that strong. Matter of fact, you and your sister scare the hell out of me, every single day." She sat back in her chair. "No, honey, I'm with you two because I'm too crazy, or maybe too stupid, there's a thin line between the two, to know when to run like hell."

Jade burst out laughing and several heads swiveled their way, but neither one of them noticed. They talked a little longer and April soaked up every minute. She started envisioning what it would be like, once Jade was back home, the three of them hanging out, shopping together, sharing their lives together, and it made her smile. For the first time in a very long time, she had a family again.

She glanced over at Lonna's table and decided it was time to wrap things up. Tucking her Hallmark images into the back of her mind, she stood up and offered Jade her hand.

"Let's get this show on the road, shall we?"

Jade looked up into April's dark brown eyes, her smiling face, and felt momentarily jealous of her sister's good luck. Then again, maybe she was lucky too, in a different kind of way. Returning April's smile, she accepted her hand and stood, then let April guide her back to the table she was sharing earlier with Lonna.

As they neared the table, April could tell Lonna was spoiling for a fight. They were inches from the table when Lonna stood up, grabbed Jade's arm and pushed her into a chair, then turned on April.

"I hope you enjoyed yourself," she snarled, "because it's over. If we weren't in public, I'd stomp you into the ground."

April just smiled and casually reached out to smooth the lapels of Lonna's suite. "Relax, lady. No need to get your panties in a bunch." She considered Lonna for a minute. "Well, maybe there is, because the lady is leaving with me. You obviously are too stupid to know what to do with her, or she wouldn't have been so eager for my attention."

It was really satisfying to watch Lonna's face turn beet red as she glowered at her. "Why you little shit! Do you know whom you're dealing with? I can ruin you with the snap of my fingers! Who the hell are you, anyway?"

"Ruin me, huh? I find that extremely doubtful," April answered with a cocky grin. She could tell Lonna wasn't use to anyone being insolent with her, amused even, and April happily listened as Lonna started to sputter.

"You...You..."

"Bitch?" April helpfully offered. "Yeah, I get that a lot. So much so, it's probably true. Looks like you met your match, sugar."

Lonna's eyes were beginning to go red with rage. If they weren't in the middle of a party, she'd probably attack her.

April folded her arms across her chest, bent one arm at the elbow and rested her chin in the palm so she could tap a finger against her lips. "I'm curious though, who exactly YOU think you are, that you've got the power to ruin me. Wait, let me guess, you're the DA's wife, right?"

She made a show of looking around the ballroom, found the DA and his wife seated several tables away, and then she pointed to them. "No, that's not right, because she's right there with her husband."

At this point, Lonna was vibrating with anger. "I'm the woman who can crush Dupree Enterprises with a single phone call."

"Ewwwww. That's impressive, but I don't think there's anyone to answer that call."

"What? You think I'm bluffing?"

"As a matter of fact..."

Lonna was now standing toe to toe with April, literally nose to nose. "One phone call, and this little bitch you're so hot for, goes straight to jail for embezzlement, and when they investigate, they'll find Dupree Enterprises is wiped out; completely bankrupt."

Jasmine had been keenly watching the argument, listening in. When she heard Lonna's last comment, though, her head snapped towards her uncle, but he looked as surprised as she was.

April noticed Jasmine and John's reaction, which spoke volumes, and decided she needed to bait Lonna a little longer. "Completely bankrupt?"

Lonna became smug, nodded in the affirmative. "You see, while Jade was sitting here, leading you on, she had a hacker sneak into the company's system and transfer their funds to her Swiss bank account."

"Hmmm. Well, seeing that you know so much about it, wouldn't that makes you an accomplice?"

"Oh no. I'm the poor, duped girlfriend who just happened to stumble onto Jade's scheme." Lonna laid a hand against her chest. "And as an upstanding citizen, I quickly reported it to the authorities. Jade will be arrested within the hour. In fact, they might mistake YOU for an accomplice."

"Bingo!" was all April could think. She raised her hand into the air and seemed to wave someone over. All heads turned to face the same direction she was looking in. Three men emerged from the kitchen area, two of them in dark suits flanking a third man dressed in jeans and a t-shirt, his face sullen, hands cuffed in front of him.

As they approached, April watched all color drain from Lonna's face. She turned to bolt, but April grabbed her arm and kicked a knee out from under her. Lonna would have fell, but April yanked her back onto her feet and, with a tight hold on one of Lonna's hands, pulled her to stand in front of her while she twisted Lonna's arm behind her back, effectively holding her in place.

The three men stepped up to them. "Lonna, I'd like you to meet Special Agent Tom Lucas of the FBI. I'm not sure who his friend is, the other suite, but I know I don't have to introduce you to Ralph here." April nodded towards the man in handcuffs.

"In fact, I believe you two are old friends, of sorts. Well, you were, anyway. I suppose that's all over now." April pressed up against Lonna's back and spoke into her ear. "You see, Ralph and I spent the morning together, discussing his outstanding warrants. Deep down, he's a really swell guy, so I helped him out and hooked him up with Agent Lucas. See, Tom and I go back a ways, and since he owed me a favor," April shot Tom a smile, which he returned, "he was happy to drive down to Baton Rouge and listen to Ralph's story."

"It's pretty sad, actually. It seems he got seduced by this older woman, who promised him the sun and moon, if he just did a few favors for her, like siphon some funds from Dupree Enterprises and make it look like Jade did the whole thing. Ralph's really, really good with computers, so it wasn't all that hard, but he was really upset this morning when I told him you really hate guys and planned on taking off with another woman, that you've been fucking another woman this whole time, while you told him he had to wait for it."

"Tusk, tusk, Lonna. Don't you know guys hate to be dumped for another woman? Anyway, once I explained the situation, showed him photos of you banging one of your waitresses behind the club the other night, he got kind of vengeful. Of course, I was more than happy to help him with that and, as a bonus, get him immunity for spilling his guts about your plan."

Jasmine rounded the table, fire in her eyes directed at April. "Why the hell did you wait this long? We could have had this bitch arrested the minute she got here."

April met Jasmine's glare. "Because. This way, we get a confession, of sorts, and a guarantee that Lonna Tassin will never darken the Dupree's doorstep ever again."

Agent Lucas pulled a small tape recorder out of his pocket and played back the last few minutes of April and Lonna's conversation. "I think," he said, "that the jury will be pretty interested in hearing Ms. Tassin explain how she knew all about the depletion of Dupree Enterprise's funds. Which, by the way, never actually occurred, since our friend here," Tom gave Ralph's arm a little tug, "decided to come forward this morning."

April looked at Tom, who was standing directly in front of Lonna. "Want to take this one off my hands too?"

"With pleasure." Tom stepped forwarded, walked behind Lonna, and promptly cuffed her. He pushed her forward and all four of them, Tom with Lonna and the other agent holding Ralph, began to walk away. Tom stopped and looked back.

"Pleasure doing business with you, April, as always."

April smiled and waved as the FBI agent marched a very disgruntled Lonna out the front door. She turned towards Jasmine, who was staring at her sister. Jade was staring back, a death grip on the back of the chair she was sitting in. Neither of them spoke, and John and Mama seemed reluctant to step between them, or break the silence.

"Kiss and make up already," April said, her voice a mix of impatience and amusement.

Suddenly, Jade launched herself out of the chair and straight into Jasmine's open arms. The two sisters held on tight to each other, crying. John rushed over and wrapped his arms around both of them. Mama stood beside the table, wiping tears from her eyes with a linen napkin.

April stood back and watched, happy to see the Dupree family reunited. Jasmine jerked away from her family and turned towards April.

"Don't you dare!"

"What?"

"The last time the three of us got caught up in a family moment, you disappeared."

April walked towards Jasmine, pulling her hat and mask off as she went. Once she was standing directly in front of Jasmine, she framed her face with her hands and pulled her in for a deep kiss. Long minutes passed as she dipped her tongue between Jasmine's soft lips, their tongues tangling together. Finally, April pulled her head back and stared in Jasmine's eyes.

"No such luck, this time. You're stuck with me, angel."

Jasmine threw her arms around April and hugged her for all she was worth. April glanced up to see John and Jade grinning at them, arms wrapped behind each other's backs.

"What?"

John spoke first. "Come on you two. Let's go home and celebrate." He started to guide Jade away, but April untangled herself from Jasmine, yet kept hold of one hand. She wrapped the other hand around Jade's arm and gently pried her away from John.

"Sorry, John, but I made these two a promise." She captured Jade's hand in hers and stood there, holding on to both sisters. She raised their hands to her lips and kissed each one.

"I think I said something about the three of us walking out together."

Jade and Jasmine looked at each other, smiled, then they stepped forward and, one standing on each side of April, wrapped an arm across her back. April reached out both arms to encircle their waists and pull them close against her.

"And you always keep your promises, don't you?" Jasmine asked, beaming at her.

"You bet your Cajun ass I do." She smirked at Jasmine as she heard Jade burst out laughing beside her, and felt her heart warm. She'd done it. She fixed everything, and now she had her family back; a new family in a new town, but it was all hers.