But She Knew

Chapter 2

*3 Months Earlier*
As I sat at the table in Beretti's office, I began to second guess the entire situation. It wasn't the idea of Beretti wanting to help lock away someone like Jerry Anderson that had me on edge, it was the fact that he wanted to help me do so. Billy Beretti had it out for Lucious since the moment Lucious left Creedmoor to start Empire. And at that time, I had been dating Lucious which made me associated with the Empire which meant that Beretti shouldn't want anything to do with me. And yet, he had rang the office claiming he had what I needed to put Anderson behind bars. I knew he kept tabs on Lucious, which probably meant he knew we hadn't been together for the past 5 years. But that meant nothing. "The past was the past" was not a saying used by people like Beretti.

"How do I know you aren't full of it?" I crossed my arms over my chest, eyes fixed on Billy Beretti. 

A smug grin filled his face as he slid me a manilla folder.  I glanced at him before pulling out five pictures, all taken from a security footage. It clearly played out Jerry Anderson shooting Phil Martin in the head then escaping in a black van. I hid my rapture behind a semi-pleased raised eyebrow. Replacing the photos back into the folder, I sealed it and nodded.

"What's the catch?"

Beretti stood and walked towards his liquor cabinet, pouring himself a glass. "Does Lucious know you're here?"

Lucious. Of course. I knew it. "What difference would it make?"

"So he doesn't know?"

"No, Beretti, he doesn't know I'm here. So don't worry, you're fine."

His snigger filled the room. Afraid that I slipped up coming here in the first place, I slowly reached for the gun strapped above my ankle.

"Actually, I'm not fine, my dear. Because I was hoping that he would know you were coming." His demeanor was non-threatening, just annoyed, so I decided against pulling the gun.

"Why would you want him to know?"

He stared at me as though I had asked the most absurd thing in the world. "We both know it would break whatever part of a heart he has left to know his love is here speaking to his biggest enemy."

His love. Haha, yeah. That's what I was. "So in exchange for giving me evidence to lock away Jerry Anderson, one of the biggest drug cartels in New York, you simply wanted the pleasure of hurting Lucious' feelings? That's it. Really?"

Beretti stared at me over his glass cup. "Sweetie, there is no greater joy then the simplicity of offending Lucious' ego. But it is fine, because I have a better idea."

I nodded for him to continue.

"You see, Empire is becoming a threat to Creedmoor, because it's ratings are on equal playing fields. Well, we have a new hip-hop artist, James Norman, on the rise. We signed him just before you came actually." My response was a bored look. "I want you to influence his popularity."

"I'm a lawyer. I can send him to jail, if that's the kind of popularity you are hoping to attract. Other than that, I don't have much of a fanbase or an influence for that matter."

"Not yet you don't." A bolt of excitement shot through the man's face and in an instant he was leaning over the table towards me. "I see it now. You will lock away Jerry Anderson. The person hundreds of lawyers have been trying to send away since 1992! Instantly, you will be seen as robust and the media will flock to you, most likely proclaiming you famous. Because let us be realistic, locking away Anderson would be historical."

"Get to your point, Beretti."

Beretti breathed out, recollecting himself from his sudden burst of anticipation. "When you leave the courtroom, hundreds of news reporters and journalists will be lined up to interview you. You will come out of the building accompanied by James and everyone will capture you both, earning him attention."

"So you're saying you want me to act like I am dating James Norman?" Beretti moved his eyebrows up and down. "Haha, no."

I got to my feet, heading towards the door.

"What about the evidence? You could lock this man away!" I stopped at the door, back still facing Beretti. "This could be a defining moment in your career. Ever since that day I met you and Lucious, I watched you study your ass off to be where you are now. You even left Lucious to make that dream happen. And yet, you refuse to take a chance to go all the way. You would be a hero. This man... Anderson... He has killed many and will continue to do so if you don't win that trial."

I looked over my shoulder at him. "Why do you even care to hurt Lucious anymore?"

"Because that ingrate wouldn't have gotten where he did without my money. And now he's gonna know exactly what that betrayal felt like."