DUPED! (Letta Storm)

by Dee Dawning

  Accompanied by music, the newly wedded couple slowly strolled out, followed by maid of honor, the best man, the groomsmen, and bridesmaids.

  Those privileged with an invitation headed to the ritzy Beverly Wilshire Hotel, to a massive wedding reception was to be held. As the wedding had been, the gala was a star-studded event heavily covered by the media. Guests ran the gamut from actors and directors to studio heads. After all, it wasn't every day one of their own got married.

  Jamilla, sat with Tony at the wedding party's table next to the dance floor. Still having difficulty grasping the remarkable chain of events, which befell her, starting eighteen months ago, she watched the wedding couple as they danced the initial dance to a slow romantic song. She took Tony's hand. "I love you."

  The return love in his eyes was unmistakable. "And I love you."

  Keeping her eyes on the dancing newlyweds, Jamilla leaned over and whispered, "This is the fourth happiest day in my life and they've all happened since I met you."

  Tony's eyebrows arched. "The first three being?"

  "The night of the première when we made love until four and you proposed. A month later when you, Letta, Sal and I, ran off to Vegas to get married. And ten months later when Nicolas Antonio Castanza was born.

  Tony chuckled. "Yeah, it's been a whirlwind year and a half." Tony hitched his chin toward the newlywed couple. "They look very happy."

  "It took them long enough. I'm twenty-nine."

  "How did they get together?"

  "It was Letta's doing."

  When the song was over, the bride and groom came back to the table, and sitting next to Jamilla, the bride reclaimed her seat. "Robert and I were wondering where little Nicolas is today?"

  Before Jamilla could answer, her father, Robert, added, "Yeah, where is that little bundle of joy? Glenda thinks he looks just like me."

  I agreed. "He does look like you, but he also looks like Tony."

  "Must be them Italian genes. Where is he?"

  "Nicolas is spending the weekend with his other grandma and grandpa."

  "I was hoping to hold my grandson one more time before we go on our worldwide honeymoon for two months? I never forgot your mama, you know. I should have married her thirty years ago."

  Tony grinned and lifted up his champagne glass. "Well, you're making up for it now. A toast."

  Everyone at the table picked up their champagne glasses. "To 'Love.' When it comes along ya better grab it by the ass and squeeze it for all that it's worth, because it won't hang around forever."

  The table laughed, then clinked their glasses together. "To 'Love.'"

  Robert turned to his son-in-law. "I've been meaning to ask you. How's that new screenplay coming? I want to produce it, you know?"

  "Yeah, that's what Glenda said. It's coming along fine, now that Jamilla is helping me."

  Simultaneously, with furrowed brows, everyone at the table asked, "Jamilla?"

  "Yeah, she's been co-writing with me. Once I helped her and gave her some tips, she became a great little writer. We make a great team, just…"

  "That's wonderful," said Jamilla's mother, breaking in at Tony's near faux pas.

  The wedding coordinator came up and whispered in Glenda's ear. She rose and grasped Robert's forearm. "It's time to cut the cake. Who wants a piece?"

  Everyone at the table either raised a hand or said me, except Jamilla. "Not me. I just went through hell to lose thirty pounds."

  "I noticed. You really do look wonderful," Glenda praised, "How did you manage it?"

  After the baby, I gained all the weight I had lost and more back. I was even more overweight than when I met Tony, so Letta and I finally went to a weight reduction spa near here."

  "Where is Letta?"

  Tony spoke up. "I saw her sitting at a table with Sal near the bar."

  Glenda lifted her hand and placed her forefinger to her lips. "You don't think…"

  I shook my head. "It's possible, love is certainly in the air, but I doubt it. I think they just became good friends, like he and I."

  Glenda shrugged. "Well, it was a thought." She glanced at Robert who had risen. "Are you ready?"

  He nodded. "Lead the way Mrs. La Guerno."

  "We'll be back. Duty calls."

  As they walked off, I rose, "I need to say hi to Letta. Will you be all right?"

  "Sure. Say hi for me."

  "I'll do that." I kissed Tony goodbye and headed in the direction he'd indicated.

  I eased up behind Letta with stealth and placed my hands over her eyes. In my deepest male voice I challenged her, "Guess who?"

  To my disappointment and surprise, she said, "Jamilla, so good to feel you. Won't you have a seat?"

  I frowned and pulled my hands away. There's no fooling the woman. She's uncanny. I leaned down and kissed Sal. "Hi, Sal."

  There weren't any empty chairs and I needed to speak to her. "Letta, I have some things to discuss, could you visit the ladies room with me?"

  "Sure sweetie."

  I wanted a quiet, private place to discuss something with Letta, but the ladies room was in heavy use, so we visited the hotel coffee shop.

  After the waitress deposited a cup of coffee in front of each of us, Letta said, "I like Sal, but we're just friends, just like you and he are."

  My jaw dropped and my eyes rounded, I was astonished. "How did you…"

  "I grew pretty randy, when you and Tony were going at it hot and heavy, and thought seriously about letting Sal…ah, comfort me, but I sensed he wanted more than a fuck buddy. Does that answer your question?"

  "But I didn't ask a question."

  "I know. Now, I believe you also want to ask me about the paperwork that was Federal Expressed to you."

  I was beyond astonished. I was flabbergasted. "How did…"

  "It was an obvious question."

  "I'll say. The paperwork said I would be getting a large sum of money."

  "Yes, that's your half."

  "Half?"

  "Yes, I'm getting, or rather the abused women's charity I'm setting up will get the other half. I tried to call and explain it to you, but you were wrapped up in your mother's wedding."

  "Well, explain it to me now."

  "Everything?"

  "Yes, everything."

  "Okay, in some places I have to fill in the blanks but here it is. Shortly after Jeanette jettisoned Max two years ago, he took up with a woman in San Diego. Her elderly husband had just died and among the things he left her were the land leases in North Dakota. Somehow Max ended up with them. Having no idea of their possible value, he decided to run a scam with them, setting up a sham company. You were victim number three and would have been his biggest score, but Jeanette blew that for him with her call to you.

  "Lucky me. Go on."

  "I went over the leases with a fine tooth comb and did some checking. The leases were all valid and the man who died had been in contact with an energy conglomeration about selling the leases, but Max didn't know that."

  "So this all has to do with Max's leases?"

  Letta nodded. "He thought the leases were worthless."

  "How did you get the leases from Max?"

  "He was going back to Jeanette and would be given an allowance. He didn't need them any more, so he signed them over to me for the return of his clothes."

  Cognition set in. "That's why you wanted those clothes."

  Letta smiled. "He signed the leases over to me for the boxes of his clothes and effects and I signed half over to you. What's ironic is Max was looking for a jackpot and had one in his grasp. Instead we're going to get it."

  I shook my head in disbelief. "May I ask just how big this jackpot is?"

  "Don't know yet. I'm still negotiating. Their last offer was twenty-four million."

  The almost empty coffee cup fell to the table. "Twenty-four million!"

  Letta's grin was effervescent. "Ah-huh. Be prepared to be rich."

  The End

  Other Books by Dee Dawni
ng, you may enjoy

  Lila Patterson receives the shock of her life when, after being stood up for lunch by her husband, she returns home and finds her things being moved into a moving van.

  Seeing her husband standing on the lawn directing the movers, she storms up to her husband, only to receive an even bigger shock and deep hurt when their lawyer, her long time friend from college, hands her a divorce petition.

  Rachel Cooke loves sex, but doesn't give it away to just anyone. When she meets Scott at the club where she sings, sparks fly. They flirt, they drink, they laugh, and go dancing. After several dances, Scott suggests they go someplace quiet and talk, but having just ended a disastrous relationship with her boyfriend/agent, Rachel isn’t ready to trust herself, let alone some new guy.

  When an innocent comment from Scott leads to a crazy test of his character, Rachel finds herself spending a hands-off night with him in her hotel room—naked.

  Barely surviving the night, the next morning all bets are off. Their passion knows no bounds, and the two of them become inseparable. That is, until Rachel's ex-boyfriend shows up, attempting to get her back by Dangling a series of lucrative engagements in front of her. Now, Rachel must decide if what she's found with Scott is love or lust, and if it's love, is he worthy of her trust?

  The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000.

  Please purchase only authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage the electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author's rights is appreciated.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. All sexually active characters in this work are eighteen or older.

  Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher, New Dawning International Bookfair.

  Duped

  Copyright © 2011 Dee Dawning

  Cover art by Dee Dawning

  All rights reserved.