Hidden Secrets, L.K Du Plessis [my reading book txt] 📗

I needed him the most, when I found out my husband was cheating on me. He was the one i missed the most when he went to prison and after wards when he thought it best to move away.  Now my brother is back but under unpleasant circumstances, I gave him a once over he hasn't changed all that much in ten years, he might be a lil taller defiantly over seven foot, his hair is longer touching his collar he is a lot more buff looks like he spends a lot of time in the gym but overall he still looks just like always.

 It will be the first time ever since Amanda was born that all five of us will be under the same roof at the same time. “Hi stranger what brings you around?" it was a rhetorical question but it just seemed like the best thing to say to my brother whom I haven’t seen in way to long. He lifted me up in his bear hug and spun me around making me squeal. “Oh I’ve missed you kid” “Nice to see you too, but I’m not a kid no more” I said bitterly, I might have been when he left but its along time ago. “Yeah I’ve noticed. I met your daughter she is beautiful Lexi” He was trying to make light of the conversation so I decided not to give him to hard a time. “Thanks Ant, let’s go inside we have so much to catch up on”

 Inside I was met by screaming kids, the smell of my mother’s roast chicken with too much rosemary a very battered and bruised James and his girlfriend Dina. Now I always make a habit of never judging someone before I get to know them, but something was off with this Dina girl and I wasn’t the only one to notice. When the girl threw her arms around me in a hug I saw Emily mouth “trouble”. She seemed sweet, very overly friendly. She was a petite girl, short curly blond hair didn’t look a day over nineteen which mend we all though her too young to date James. I picked up straight away Anthony didn’t like her, and I was pretty sure it wasn’t just the age that was a problem but I couldn’t tell for sure. So I made a mental note to ask Anthony about her first chance I get.

We all talked for a little bout nothing really the usual, how have we all been? What’s the latest gossip? and so on.  Emily and I helped mom dish the food up and we all basically ate in silence except for Dina who kept on talking and talking. “Lauren this is such a lovely home you have and this food is amazing, isn’t it amazing Jamesy” At the mention of her nick name for James Emily and myself made gag faces, Anthony nearly chocked from trying to not to laugh.  Through it all no one mentioned the reason James and them are back, his badly beaten up body or the job he messed up. As dinner was coming to an end tension was building we all knew what was coming but none of us really wanted to talk about it.

After dinner the boys volunteered to do the dishes since mom and Emily worked so hard on supper but dad had another idea “Leave those dishes the woman can clean up, let us men go talk in my study” “Oh no you don’t Alexander” My mother’s voice was stern and it mend she is not to be argued with. I can only count a handful of times I heard my mother call my father by his full name and none of them ever mend any good. “This is a family problem, we are going to address it as such” “This is between me and the boys woman” “No they are my boys too and this time we are going to deal with it as a family. No more secrets it’s too dangerous” My father raised his hands above his as to indicate he surrender “Very well then we’ll do it your way, boys go help clean up we will address this business when you’re done”

While the guys did the dishes and the clean up off the kitchen me and Emily put the kids to bed with a movie in their room and Dina entertain my parents with more of her babbling. Our tasks took forever I thought to myself the boys deliberately took longer than necessary just to avoid the confrontation that was coming. “You all best take a seat, against my better judgement your mother though it a good idea that we all listen to this and find a solution to the problem together. James if you don’t wish for your girlfriend to be here she can go watch tv in the other room” I knew as my father made the suggestion that he was hoping James will agree Dina should leave. “No father Dina is as much a part of this as I am she is staying.” As he said it I saw Emily look to Vincent who looked at Anthony who in return just shook his head in a “don’t ask me” kind of way. “Very well then, why don’t you tell us exactly what happened and how you got yourself in this kind off mess”

My father’s voice was underlined with anger and we all know there was a lot more he mend to say but didn’t, not in front of us at least. “You already know I took the job from Big Mike Mc, well it was the same as all the other jobs, he gave me the keys to the cars I make them disappear he put in an insurance claim we make sure the claim goes through no hassle and when the heat is of he gets his cars back. Simple” “Not simple, if it was simple you wouldn’t look like you do what went wrong?” “It was simple dad, it’s just my inside guy in the insurance the one I always use bailed on me, I went to Mike and explain I couldn’t do the job no more because I had no inside man. He wasn’t as understanding as I hoped he would be and his guys got a little rough, said I took the job I best finish it or he will finish my family until I do or until he runs out of my family members whichever one comes first” 

 James didn’t look up when he finish talking, he knew it and no one needed to say it. He messed up and he messed up big time. Everyone know when you take a job from Mike McKlousky you finish the job he means business and he don’t mind getting his hand dirty and killing a few people along the way. For a while no one spoke father was considering everything James said and was clearly thinking of a way out or what should be the next step. I saw Emily saying silent prayers that there is another way out.  I knew the most logic thing to do would be to finish the job, but it wouldn’t be that easy. James has no inside man and that is one of the key elements in a insurance fraud scheme someone inside.

There’s always me since I work in the head office of the insurance company but I didn’t dare open my mouth not with all the tension in the room.   “You said cars, are we to assume its two and not just one car?” Everyone looked up as Vincent asked the question to James that didn’t really seem like it mattered to me but clearly it was imported information in an operation like this. “No there are five cars.” “Five cars” Vincent repeated the words in utter disbelieve. “Five cars is impossible, it can’t be done” “It’s not that impossible Vinnie I have it all figure out” “I hate to burst your bubble little brother it has never been done it can’t be done!” “Enough! Both of you!. James, Vincent is right it’s never been done before and without an inside man it can’t be done”

 “Dad we have to do it, they gone kill me if we don’t” Almost immediately after James said that my mother started to cry, Emily’s knuckles turned white as she squeezed Vincent’s hand as for some kind of support. Anthony just sat there shaking his head as if he can’t believe what he is hearing.  My father looked at my mother “I just can’t see it being done.” “Are you not listening to him, they gone kill him there has to be a way Alexander”. “I can do it” Everyone suddenly looked at me as if they forgotten I was even in the room, and I realized I had actually said the words out loud.

“What did you say?” James asked in astonishment. “I said, I can do it. I can be the inside man.” “No! Under no circumstance no way tell her dad” It was the first time Anthony spoke since this conversation started and now it is to tell me I’m not helping. Ignoring Anthony James turned to me with more curiosity.  “Humour me, just how exactly do you plan to help?” “I don’t need to humour you James, what you talking about is a major insurance claim. It’s the kind of claim that passes all the little people and goes straight to head office. That’s why it’s never been done before. Now do you have someone in head office that can make this go through?”  James snorted in annoyance because he clearly never thought of the fact that this isn’t a normal claim. “No, but I’m guessing you know someone”

James’s tone of voice was dry and sarcastic so I decided not to answer instead it was Vincent who answered “Alex works at head office” “Wait you work at head office? You will do this, put the claim through?”  I was about to say yes I will help because he is family when Anthony decided to make his point as to why I’m incapable of helping.  “No she is not going to get involved, she has no experience in any of this. It’s dangerous dad please tell her no” My mother decided to answer Anthony’s plea.“Anthony clam yourself if your sister wants to help let her” “But mom” “No buts” “Dad” Finally all attention was back at my father as Anthony try to plea that I should not be a loud to be involved

“Anthony is right, it is dangerous, and I would not want my daughter involved in this. That is why we retired this business, years ago. “My mother wanted to protest and Anthony wanted to celebrate that he won. When my father held up his indicating his not done talking and everyone kept their mouths shut. He took a deep breath and continued. “However desperate times call’s for desperate measures and I see no other way but to let Alexis help if she is up to it” Everyone looked at me, I knew they really didn’t want me to say I can help except for James and my mother, but I also knew we needed to do this not just for James but to make sure Mike Mcklousky don’t come after anyone else.  “I can do dad” I couldn’t make out if my father was pleased or disappointed with my decision all he said was, “Very well then it is settled we will discuss a more full prove plan in the morning right now we all need some sleep.”

That was the end of that discussion my father’s word was final and I was going to help save my brothers mistake.  Anthony had more objections to the situation, and Vincent looked like he could murder me not to mention Emily that had a look of betrayal on her face. Suddenly I didn’t feel so confident anymore