Sinful Lies (Book 2): Miss Fortune World: The Cappuccino Posse, #2

By J.K. Hage

If Pepper Monroe thought her life was crazy when she first came to Sinful, things are about to get downright insane.

First, her dead husband Daniel Monroe turns out to be not-so-dead. After a dozen years, he turns up claiming to want her back.

Second, a mysterious deposit of 50 million dollars in her bank account is causing trouble with the FBI -- and brings the mob to Sinful.

Third, the hottest man south of the Mason-Dixon line -- Jaxson LeBlanc -- and the southern heat are setting her on fire.

Lies and suspicion are flying around faster than bullets. It will take everything she has, along with help from Ida Belle, Gertie, and Fortune, to solve this mystery and set things straight -- or as straight as they can be in Sinful, Louisiana.

• Language: English
• Publisher: J&R Fan Fiction
• Release date: Aug 17, 2018
• ISBN: 9781386930150

J.K. Hage

J.K. Hage believes the world is a better place when you take the time to enjoy humor, coffee, and plenty of chocolate. Bitten by the writing bug in elementary school, Julie spent much of the eighties filling notebooks with romantic ramblings and story ideas before joining the “real world” of college, marriage, children, and working to pay the bills. But she never lost the desire to tell stories. Many years later, thanks to an inspirational friend, she took the plunge and began writing fiction for a wider audience.   If you were to visit Julie at home, you would probably find her writing a new story or blogging on her laptop while sipping a tall mug of sweet and creamy iced coffee. In her spare time, she loves reading or binge-watching her favorite television series with an orange tabby cat on her lap and the world’s laziest Jack Russell terrier snuggled in next to her.

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Copyright © 2017, 2018 by J.K. Hage

(First published under the same title in August 2017.)

This is a work of fiction, and the views expressed herein are the sole responsibility of the author. Likewise, certain characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events or locales, is entirely coincidental.

This story is based on a series created by Jana DeLeon. The author of this story has the contractual rights to create stories using the Miss Fortune world. Any unauthorized use of the Miss Fortune world for story creation is a violation of copyright law.

Sinful Lies can be read at any time during the Miss Fortune timeline, but it was written to take place after the first Miss Fortune book, Louisiana Longshot. Any variances in characters, timelines, or relationships after that point in the Miss Fortune series have not been incorporated into this spinoff series.

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author and the publisher, J&R Fan Fiction, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Prologue

JAXSON LEBLANC WAS surprised when he saw the name of the caller displayed on his phone. He answered, wondering what his old friend could want. Hey, Bruce, how’s the FBI treating you these days?

Not bad, LeBlanc, not bad. Listen, I wanted to call and give you a heads-up about a situation that crossed my radar today.

You remember we have different bosses, right?

I know, but your little town of Sinful started popping up in my team reports, and I wanted to let you know a mess could be heading your way. You’re living back there now, aren’t you?

Yeah, but you knew that before you called. What’s going on?

We might have an agent going rogue, and you know him—Daniel Monroe.

Sure, I remember Daniel. We worked an inter-agency case not long ago. What makes you think he’s going rogue?

We’re hearing rumors of suspicious activity, an operation with off-record deals that might not be kosher. Lots of mob money involved, some of it might be missing. If the guy shows up, we would appreciate it if you could keep an eye on him.

Jaxson thought about the inter-agency collaborative case when he and Daniel had met. There had been many late nights, lots of beer and whiskey, lots of talking and bonding. When it was over, Jaxson had mentioned he planned to move back to his hometown of Sinful. He had invited Daniel to come work for him in his construction business if he ever decided to leave the FBI. He wouldn’t think anything of seeing Daniel show up out of nowhere.

He finally said, You know I’m not allowed to ‘keep an eye’ on US citizens. That’s outside the Company’s jurisdiction.

Think of it as a favor for a friend.

I’ll let you know if he shows up. But why do you think he would come here?

It’s the perfect storm. You’re an old friend who would help him without asking too many questions, and he might take advantage of that. Plus, his wife lives there now. You may have even met her—Pepper Monroe.

Jaxson couldn’t even reply. When they were working together, Daniel acted like he was divorced. He never mentioned his former wife’s name or that she had relatives in Sinful. Jaxson never considered checking the FBI agent’s story. They were supposed to be on the same side.

He knew without a doubt that Pepper wasn’t involved. Or at least he was 99% sure. That was enough, wasn’t it?

Jaxson agreed to keep watch around Sinful and let his friend know if anything seemed suspicious.

Chapter 1

... PEPPER MONROE WAS having a nervous breakdown as she hurried to her rental house. She couldn’t even think, only run. When she arrived, she stumbled up the back stairs and smack into the very person who had sparked her present state of disbelief and panic—the man she had believed dead for the past dozen years—her husband, Daniel Monroe.

What... Why...  How did you know I would come here? The words wouldn’t come out right when Pepper tried to speak. She was shaking from head to toe. Tears poured down her face.

Daniel just stood there for a minute, saying nothing, then he reached out to touch her. Pepper realized he looked exactly like he had in her recent dreams—older, but still Daniel. She would know those bright blue eyes anywhere.

Pepper. One word. That was all it took to completely break her. Twelve years. For twelve years she believed her husband was dead. Her legs would no longer hold her, and she sat down on the porch, her body heaving with sobs. She hadn’t cried like this since the first year Daniel was gone. And now? It was a lie?

We need to talk. Daniel’s voice was quiet but firm, exactly as she remembered.

"Ya think?" Pepper felt the anger kicking in even while the tears continued to flow.

The back door opened. Pepper looked up to see Jaxson. Oh, Good Lord, could this get any crazier? The hottest man south of the Mason-Dixon line was once again on hand to see her at her worst, while she was talking to her husband. Pepper’s serious brown eyes were red and swollen, her choppy dark hair was flat and sweat-soaked thanks to her run from the café, and she was having something close to a nervous breakdown.

Jaxson immediately moved toward Pepper before noticing the other man standing on the porch. He looked from Pepper to Daniel. He looked surprised. Daniel?

Pepper’s jaw dropped. What? You two know each other? And why are you at my house? She turned on Jaxson.

Although he obviously