Stepparenting 101
Chapter 8
Lee and Amanda were stunned as they dug into the new information on Judith Bradford and her mother, Charlotte Tyler!
Both women were shown to be in the thick of it all as Lee tried to figure out in his mind what was shown on the computer.
He began pacing and said to Amanda slowly, "All right. We have Judith who was Daddy's little girl until he up and hires Marty, a braggart from New York who didn't know finances from squat but Hal decided to take him under his wing anyway."
He stopped and looked at Amanda squarely asking, "You're Hal's daughter who's gotten pretty much anything she wanted until then. What do you do?"
Amanda shrugged, " I'd try to find out from Hal why he'd want a stranger instead of his own flesh and blood as his partner in the company?"
Lee nodded. "Right. And what else?"
Amanda thought carefully and replied, "Well... If he doesn't tell me what I want to know, then I'd go to Charlotte. But Lee, I still don't see-"
Lee realizes something at that moment and puts a hand up as he goes to the phone. "Wait, Honey. I think I have something."
He dials Francine's extension remarking, "It's got to do with money here."
When Francine answers Lee quickly tells her, "Francine! Get all the bank records you can on the Bradfords and Charlotte Tyler and bring them up here, okay? Thanks."
As Lee hung up Amanda shook her head. "Lee? How do you think Charlotte's involved? I mean I can understand Judith's part in it now, but why her mother? And Marty as well?"
Lee sighed. "You've heard the saying, "Money is the root of all evil", right? Well Sweetheart, there's never enough money for people that are this desperate to hide stuff! And if what I'm beginning to think is true, then those ladies have been making Marty the scapegoat for years. But I'm not sure how just yet."
Amanda sadly laments, "And putting poor Chet in the middle of all this bruhaha-"
Lee puzzled asked, "What was that?"
Amanda chuckled lightly and waved it away."Oh, it's something Mother said to me when I got back home after the Stemwinder mess. It just means when there's a lot going on that doesn't make sense. But what happens to Chet if this turns out bad for all three of them?"
Lee swallowed and gently rubbed Amanda's shoulder in comfort saying wistfully, "I dunno, Honey. I just don't know."
Amanda's phone desk rang as Francine knocked and entered.
Francine picked it up."Desmond?"
Nodding she looked at Amanda. "Line one. The boy's school."
Amanda picked up the extension. "Hello? Oh, Mrs. Dennis, how are you? Everything all right? "
Surprised as she listened she asked, "What? When? Well, is Jamie with them? No? Okay, well I'll call home and see if they're there. I'm sure they're all right, though. Thank you for calling. Bye, bye."
Lee asked as Amanda hung up and then dialed her home. "Trouble?"
Amanda shrugged, "I don't know. But Phillip has never left school early except for appointments."
Dotty picked up and answered, "Hello?"
Amanda asked, "Hello, Mother. Are Phillip and Chet there by any chance?"
Dotty shook her head. "No, Dear. Were they getting out early?"
Amanda sighed shaking her head at Lee. "No. The school just called and said that both boys left half an hour ago-"
Dotty asked, "Well, Phillip doesn't just take off. Should we call the police?"
Amanda quickly said, "No, no. I'm sure they're fine, but I'm going out to look for them now. Could you stay by the phone in case Phillip calls, please?'
Dotty nods. "Of course, Dear. Good luck."
As Amanda hung up Lee grabbed his jacket saying, "Let's go."
Francine putting the folder on Amanda's desk asked, "Need backup?"
As Amanda got her purse she shook her head. "No, thank you."
Lee answered, "Just let Billy know where we are, and that we'll be back. Thanks..."
TBC
