Baring it All (part 47) Memories Claude walked back into his apartment for the first time since Monica's death. He slowly walked around the room and could almost feel her presence in the room. He sat down on the couch as he replayed the last few weeks over in his head. Claude knew it all started when he'd agreed to do the onstage orgy with Lisa. For a long time he had thought Monica was cheating on him. He loved her but he wanted to get even. He thought showing up on stage at Chocolate Paradise would be just the thing to do that. Besides that Lisa had promised them she'd split her tips 4 ways for their help. Claude really needed the money so he had done the show. Afterwards Lisa disappeared and so did Monica. Claude went home pissed off and when Monica didn't come within an hour he went over to Lisa's to demand his money. She tried to give him the brush off but he was insistent. She offered him $100 but Claude knew she had made 10x that much. She'd then taken off her wedding rings and told Claude he could pawn them for at least 2 grand. He agreed to take the rings and $200 cash and left. After she was murdered Claude knew that he'd be arrested if he pawned the rings so he just held on to them for a few days. He got up off the couch and went into the bedroom. He lay down on the bed and stared at the ceiling thinking of Monica. He'd been mad as hell when he realized she'd stolen the rings and was headed home to cuss her ass out. He never understood why Monica stole from him when he would have given her the world. On the way home Claude's cab had been involved in minor fender bender. He'd been even more pissed off that he had to stand around and give a statement to some stupid traffic cop. However the same stupid cop had turned out to be his airtight alibi in Monica's death. Claude wished he had realized it before he decided to run. He'd gotten home 2 hours later than he planned and when he stepped off the elevator he couldn't believe what he saw. Monica was lying in the doorway of the apartment. Claude was overcome with grief and had sat down on the floor and cradled her in his lap. He kissed her lifeless face and just held her. As angry as he had been he couldn't believe his sassy vivacious Monie was dead. Claude remembered that the Reverend had been arrested for Lisa's murder and suddenly thought he'd be the prime suspect in Monica's death as her live in boyfriend. He gotten up off the floor and gently laid Monica's head down. He'd kissed her one last time and then ran from the building almost knocking Tori down as he passed. Claude got up off the bed and finished packing his bag. He had called Monica's mother in Alabama early this morning and was taking a flight out in a few minutes. He had told her he would arrive just in time for the funeral. Claude walked out of the apartment and locked the door.