Baton Rouge.

Chapter 31 - Double Crossed! [Part 2.]

The next morning, Melissa's family started to prepare for another party. New Years. As they set up balloons, Melissa walked downstairs and scratched her head as Maria placed a small plate of food on the table.

"Here you go, dear." Maria said. "Breakfast from earlier."

"Thanks." Melissa sighed as Louis and Rodrigo placed balloons up around the house. "Where's grandma?"

"She's upstairs." Rodrigo answered as he grabbed another balloon and blew into it. "She's still getting ready."

Melissa got up from the table and walked upstairs, looking into her grandmothers room. When she walked inside, she saw her slowly blending down and look under her covers.

"Grandma, you know that you're not supposed to be bending down like that." Melissa sighed.

"I know dear it's just......I can't find my bracelet that your grandfather gave me..." Rosa said in a nervous and shaky tone. "I've been looking for it all morning."

"The one you always wear on your wrist?"

"Yeah. I......I thought I placed it in my purse last night..." Rosa stuttered as she looked around. "I misplaced it again."

Melissa started helping her look around as Rosa lifted up and placed her hand onto her forehead.

"I......I can't lose that bracelet. This is the second time this has happened..." Rosa mumbled, looking around.

"Here, let me go tell my dad."

Melissa jogged down the stairs, walking into the kitchen.

"Dad, I won't be down for breakfast."

"Why?" Rodrigo asked.

"I'm helping grandma look for her bracelet." Melissa responded. "She can't find it."

Rodrigo froze. He lifted up and gave Melissa a blank stare, pulling out his phone. Maria looked over at him, giving him a weird look.

"What's wrong, sweetie?"

"Hi, I'd like to call and report about a possible thief." Rodrigo said.

Melissa's eyes widened as she rushed up to him.

"What are you DOING?" Melissa mouthed to him.

"I have a pretty good idea who it is, would you like me to call you when I get concrete proof?" Rodrigo said.

There was a little pause as Rodrigo nodded.

"Okay. Thanks."

Rodrigo hung his phone up as Melissa gave him a furious look.

"Is this about Jionni!?" Melissa scowled.

"I KNOW that that boy took my mothers necklace." Rodrigo scowled.

"Oh dad, cut the shit!"

"Melissa you watch your damn mouth before I come over there and smack it off-"

"Y'know what, no! I'm tired of this, mom!" Melissa barked. "Jionni's done some things in the past, but stealing from my grandmother? What makes you think that he'd do something that vile!?"

"I know that he did. I know." Rodrigo said in a serious tone. "And when you find out Melissa, you'll finally realize that everything I was saying was true."

Melissa didn't believe that Jionni would do ANYTHING like that and Rodrigo, Maria, Louis, or Rosa could ever convince her otherwise. She knew Jionni best.

Or at least he thought...

"How much you thank I can get for dis bracelet?"

Jionni stood nervously at the counter, tapping his fingers on the desk as the clerk glanced at the diamonds through a magnifying glass. Her eyes widened as she placed it down onto the counter.