Heartbeat || A Good Girls Fanfic

Chapter 18

Hours later, and with a lighter heart, Charlotte was back at home. She rehearsed in her head how she would bridge the topic of Beth's employment to her and, even more, how she'd tell her that the FBI agent had also wanted to speak to her. It was obvious that her sister would have to come clean, but just how far did the girl's own truth have to extend?

"Thanks for the ride," she smiled as the car rolled to a spot. "I'll let you know how everything goes."

"Just let me know what you gon' say, a'ight?" Rio said, reaching over the center console to cradle her chin. "Everything's gonna be fine. I got you."

"I know," she smiled. "I'll call you."

"A'ight." He pulled her face close to his and kissed her tenderly, holding onto her as if she belonged to him. "Night, Lee."

"Good night, Chris," she grinned. "Get home safe."

She waited at the doorstep until his car had disappeared from the street, wondering just how her life had changed so much. Obviously, she knew when and why it had happened, but not why she remained. Two months before, she would have laughed in anyone's face if they told her she'd be practicing clandestine medicine for gang members and their families while in a quasi-relationship with a gang boss willingly. It wasn't the sort of thing she did. Charlie was careful, calculated, and a walking ball of anxiety. Everything she was doing negated that, but somehow, she couldn't stop.

The house was quiet as she walked inside. Given the hour, she knew the kids would be dead asleep, but she hoped Beth at least was still awake. She always kept late hours, and now, knowing what she did, Charlie knew she'd most likely be wide awake.

Beth was at the kitchen island nursing a glass of whiskey when she noticed Charlotte walking in, quickly slipping on her mask. "Charlie," she smiled. "What're you doing here? It's so late."

"I've gotta talk to you."

"What is it, Charlie? Is everything okay?"

"An FBI agent came by the hospital today to ask me some questions," she said. Beth stiffened at the statement, avoiding her sister's eyes at all costs. "He was asking about suspicious activities in the neighborhood and mentioned something about some pictures. He also said he talked to you and Dean. Do you know anything about that?"

"What exactly did he say, Charlie?"

"We didn't get a chance to finish talking. A nurse told me Sarah had been admitted, and he gave me his card. Told me to go by his office soon," she added. "I know there's something going on with you and gang friend, Beth. I'm not an idiot."

"Why would you think that?" Beth laughed awkwardly.

"Because why else would a federal agent be asking about suspicious activity in this area and come to you specifically to question?" Charlie retorted. "I need you to tell me everything that is going on and what I have to say when I go there."

"Okay," the woman finally relented. She rounded the island and sat down on a stool with a sigh, patting the one next to her for Charlotte to sit on. "After Canada, I reached out to Rio—that's his name—and asked him for work. The first task wasn't exactly what we had in mind. He had us take care of someone that had been shot."

"The phone call," the girl recalled.

"Right, the phone call," Beth grimaced. "That didn't exactly work out, and I thought we'd be done for. That's why he came here on Kenny's birthday. He came to pick his "boy" up, but the guy had disappeared. But as of a few weeks ago, I called him up because I came up with a way to clean his money. Ruby, Annie, and I have been cleaning around 100 thousand dollars and getting a cut of the money. It's not as much as we expected, but it was keeping us afloat... for some time. So, I asked for an increase. We have to wash 500k this time."