Chapter 15 Slipping Through your Fingers
Rae had sat quietly out of the way at the funeral of Albert Hardy. She had arrived in time not to be late, and had slipped in unnoticed, which suited her just fine.
Having never been to any kind of Jewish service before Rae had no idea what was going on, or when the ceremony was coming to an end. At last though everyone stood up and began to talk quietly together so she thought that it was probably safe to say that things were, here at least, almost over.
Having done a little research Rae knew that the family would be pretty much uncontactable for the next week and so she was hoping to at least speak to them before she left. It was Aaron who spotted her first and, with a sad but welcoming smile on his face, made his way towards her.
"Detective Yeager, thank you for coming. We weren't sure whether your duties would allow you the time to be present."
Rae always tried to attend the funeral services of any murder victims she was investigating. It wasn't always possible, but not only did it keep the contact with the remaining family on a respectful level, it also gave her a chance to look round at the mourners and find out if there was anyone present who wasn't recognized by the family of the deceased. With the Red Rose Killer she had been spending far too much time in churches and graveyards, and she wanted it to stop.
"I'm glad that I could make it. Mr. Hardy, I need to ask you whether there is anyone here that you or your brother and sister don't know. Or, by the same token, anybody that you think your father wasn't acquainted with."
"Why would someone who didn't know him come to his funeral?" Aaron asked the question, but Rae was saved from answering as realization crossed his features. "Ohhh, I … I never would have thought of that. No, no, I don't think so. Let me go check."
For five minutes Rae stood looking around as she waited. Finally Aaron, Ben and Havi came back together.
"No, Detective, there isn't anyone here that we weren't expecting. In fact, the only person whose presence was in doubt is yourself."
"Ok." Rae smiled, she was the only person in the place who she knew hadn't killed Albert. "I'm sorry, but I had to ask. If I need any further information or if I have anything to tell you, can I contact you over the next week?"
The two men nodded their heads but the woman began to speak. "Yes, you know that we'll be at Dad's apartment. You have the number?" Havi saw Rae confirm that she had and continued speaking. "We'll call you too, before we leave."
Rae shook hands with the family members' and made her way back out into the sunshine, glad that she had attended but wishing that she hadn't had to.
ooo
Wayne had watched, waited and watched, knowing that they would be home by lunchtime. The brother was there too, which was an interesting state of affairs. He was just beginning to think he'd missed them when, finally, the car of the cop drew into the driveway and he watched again, this time through binoculars as it drew up in front of the house.
The door was opened by the man he knew was called Juan, the English butler had disappeared, the revelation that he himself was a Walters had shocked everyone, but none more so than his partner in crime who had been furious. Impatiently he had sat for over an hour and a half, but he wanted to make sure that she was home before he carried on with his plans. Wayne would have preferred if Jo was alone, but the brother wasn't the same as a cop who would be off to work soon he was certain, and he wasn't sure she told David everything anyway.
After a very slow and painful looking walk to the house his quarry disappeared inside and the door closed. Wayne sat for a few more minutes before seeing a delivery van draw up and then slowly drove away down the road, a satisfied smile on his face.
ooo
Even though David and Juan were both in the hallway when Jo and Steve arrived home the house had never seemed so empty to either of them. Daniel was still at school, not knowing that his mom was being discharged from the hospital just in case the plan had to be changed. He had stayed at his Grandpa's house ever since Jo had been admitted, but a message had been left at the school asking him to make his way back to his own home at the end of the day.
Jo stood and looked around her, the home that she had always loved was the last place she wanted to be, in fact everywhere except the NICU was the last place she wanted to be, but trying very hard to put a brave face on it she smiled at her brother and then carefully made her way into the morning room.
"Can I get you a drink of tea or coffee, Madam?" Juan came into the room once he had taken the bags up to the east wing and spoke softly.
Jo nodded her head. "That would be lovely, a chamomile an' lime tea please." Just as she was about to lower herself into a chair the sound of the doorbell ringing interrupted her progress and, in case it was for her, Jo remained standing.
Two minutes later Juan returned, handing a bouquet of flowers to his employer before moving off to the kitchen.
Jo smiled as she fished inside the envelope for the gift card, but as she read it the colour drained from her face, and the beautiful blooms fell to the floor.
"Jo, Honey, what is it?" Steve was instantly at her side, his face etched with worry and concern as he tried to direct her to the sofa and then dismay as she moved away from him.
"I … I need to go lie down, an' … an' I need you to deal with it." The card fluttered through the air as she dropped it onto the breakfast table, and then slowly, ignoring both her husband and her brother's pleas, she walked out of the room leaving the two men to stare after her.
For a few seconds the room was totally silent, but then, looking at David, Steve spoke quietly. "Don't follow her, but could you just make sure she's alright on the stairs? I need to read this then I'll go to her." Not waiting for a reply Steve picked up the card by the corners, knowing the florist would have written it, but still being careful.
Jo,
So glad you are coming home today, we will be running into each other again soon I'm sure.
Love,
Wayne
xxx
ooo
The dress hanging in the window of the department store had called to Susan the moment she saw it. It was very plain, almost classic and she knew that it would look great on her. The price tag said that it was $119, which was quite a lot to pay, but she was turning over a new leaf, living life for herself now, not anyone else, and if she liked the dress then she was definitely going to have it.
Dominic-Matthew had been wandering around the stores for just over an hour. Today was the funeral of the caretaker, and he didn't want to be in the building when they all came back, as apparently they were to sit Shivah in Albert's apartment.
At first he hadn't known where to go, and had moped around his local neighbourhood, but gradually, travelling a little further afield, had hopped onto a bus that appeared just as he was passing a stop and getting off in Santa Monica. As he alighted he had spotted her right away.
He had been walking roughly two people behind her for it seemed like ages, but now he followed her into the store, still not getting too close, and felt his heart beat faster as he looked at her. She was beautiful, and he knew that somewhere he had seen her before. Her hair was glorious, hanging down her back in a golden curtain that he was just desperate to run his hands through, but for now he had to content himself with staying back and watching, he would have his time with her, of that he had no doubt.
ooo
Jo heard someone follow her out of the room and, not being able to move very quickly, she turned wanting them to go and leave her alone. She saw her brother standing there, uncertain what to do or say and, unable to speak to him, she mumbled a short apology before beginning to make her way, very slowly and tentatively, towards the stairs.
The card screamed at him, and Steve knew that he needed to get on to the florist, needed to get an officer in there to help identify the man who sent the flowers, needed to get this guy off their backs, but all that had to wait, first of all he had to be with Jo. As he opened the door to the hallway he saw her put a foot on the first stair and was, almost immediately, placing his arm around her and supporting her as she took one step at a time. He had looked over to David as he moved, and seen his brother-in-law looking concerned but relieved, understanding that Steve would deal with the problem.
As soon as they were on the second floor landing Jo shrugged herself out of her husband's grip again and began walking towards the east wing. She pushed open one of the big double mahogany doors and then went down the carpeted hallway and into the main bedroom that made up a large part of the building.
Steve had hung back, knowing that she needed a few seconds to control herself, but he went straight to her as she sat heavily in one of the gold brocade covered chairs and gripped the arms tightly.
He didn't know what to say, feeling totally empty, wanting and needing his son to be home with them, so he knew that for Jo it would be a hundred times worse. That alone was hard enough to deal with, but now the flowers had compounded everything and having no idea how to comfort her, or what words to say to try and make out everything was fine, because they both knew that wasn't true, he still needed to speak. "Honey, I am so sorry."
"I know you are, but somehow, right now it doesn't help. That man, how did he know I was comin' home today? Who told him I was leavin' Community General? An' Jayden, I just want to be with him, Steve. Not here, for the first time in my life I don't want to be here, I want to be able to stay with him in the hospital an' … an' I can't. An' I guess … I guess I'm not used to havin' to do things I don't want to or bein' scared in my own home ... what do I do about … I have no idea what to do."
Again Steve didn't know what to say. The emotion he heard in his wife's voice tore through his heart. He knew what she was saying was correct, she wasn't used to not getting her own way and her house had always been her castle, the place where, whatever the world might throw at her, she was safe, and Wayne had defiled that twice, and he, her husband, hadn't been able to do anything to stop it either time. His anger flared but he pushed it away. Now wasn't the time to lose control. Her money always bought her what she wanted, whether that was goods, services, envy, deference or admiration. But this time, when the life of her child was at stake, she had to leave things to the medical professionals, their child himself, and to God. And she also had to deal with this new problem, the invasion of her privacy, he was a very private person himself, and felt the intrusion and the danger it produced almost as keenly as his wife. Individually each problem was scary and seemingly insurmountable, but together they presented a situation that he was sure was going to cause more emotional turmoil than he wanted either of them to face.
"You need to be gettin' back to the station, Rae will be wonderin' where you have got to. I have David, I'll be ok." Jo tried a small smile, but as she did so a sound shattered the air and she froze.
The noise was that of a baby crying, and Steve realised instantly that David had brought his daughter with him and she must just be waking up from a nap. For Jo though it was one thing too many on a day where she had battled so constantly with her emotions that she was only barely holding herself together. Before Steve's eyes she began to retreat, seeming to shrink away from him and calling her name urgently he took his cell phone out of his pocket and speed dialled his dad at the same time.
ooo
The department store was quite crowded and Susan looked around for the directory to show her where ladies wear was. She noticed that shoes and cosmetics were on the same floor and, smiling to herself, decided that she could probably go the whole hog and treat herself to a complete new look.
The unplanned visit to the police station, along with the revelations from the counsellor she was seeing, had given Susan a lot to think about. She had spent the time since then re-evaluating her life and deciding that it was up to her to get it sorted out just as she wanted it to be.
The first thing Susan had done was give up her pokey apartment and she had moved into the building next to the hospital where a lot of the nurses lived. She knew that some of the girls who lived there thought she was stuck up and stuffy, but she needed to make friends, and living alongside other nurses seemed like a good way to start the process.
She had written a letter apologising to Jesse and his wife for what she had done, but at the moment it was still in the bottom of her purse, because she knew when she mailed it, then it truly was over between them, and that was a final step she wasn't quite ready to take yet.
The dress was just as glorious up close as it had looked in the window, and Susan took one off the rack, held it against her and stood in front of a full-length mirror to see the effect. As she did so she saw a young man behind her, dark hair, goatee beard and glasses, and smiled.
"This is just beautiful but do you know if you have it in an eight?" She turned round as she spoke holding out the hanger in front of her.
"Well, you know I think it's beautiful too, but I don't actually work here."
"Oh." Susan blushed, and was about to speak again when the young man beat her too it.
"But, here, on the rail, this is an eight." Dominic-Matthew held out the creation in the correct size and Susan took it from him.
"Thank you."
"I know this seems a little forward, but I would happily give you an unbiased opinion of how it looks on you, unless you have a friend rummaging around through the other racks that I don't see." Dominic-Matthew mentally crossed his fingers, he didn't want to push too hard, but he did want to get to know her better.
Susan looked at the man in front of her. She wasn't a fool, Los Angeles was a dangerous place, especially with that guy roaming around, and she was blonde. But he wasn't, he had dark brown, almost black hair, and his eyebrows were the same colour. The little beard was neat and trim, and a similar shade as his hair. Knowing that she ought to say something Susan shook her head. "I don't even know you, why would you want to see me in this dress?"
"What can I tell you? I think it will look great; I want to see if I'm right. My name is Nika by the way."
"Nika, that's unusual."
"Yeah, it's Greek, but I like it, my dad was Greek." He wasn't, Dominic had no idea who his father was, let alone what nationality he had been, but it was as close as he could get without using either Dominic or Nicholas.
"Well, Nika, my name is Susan, and I'm pleased to meet you."
Dominic-Matthew nodded slightly, and then smiled. "Likewise, now do I get to see you in that dress?"
Susan considered again, he was charming; this was the start of her new life, and however confident she was trying to be it would be nice to have someone see if she was setting off on the right foot.
"Ok, thank you." The sign for the changing rooms was at the back of the department, and the two of them made their way there quietly. Susan went in through the arched doorway as Dominic-Matthew made himself comfortable on one of the chairs set out in a line for those waiting for their companions.
He knew that he had to go slowly; he was too well known now to follow the same routine almost blindly. He wouldn't ask her out tonight, but suggest that maybe they meet in the week, just for a coffee or something. Taking it slowly would be far more profitable, that way he would get what he wanted, her body, her hair and it was such beautiful hair. Already he could imagine the feel of it between his fingers, could see it fall into a silken heap as he cut it from her head and the anticipation of that, for the time being at least, was enough and Dominic-Matthew realised he was prepared to wait for the right moment to strike.
ooo
Mark had dropped everything and rushed to Beverly Hills, concerned about his daughter-in-law even more than he had been before. As Juan let him in at the front door he saw David Walters walking up and down the morning room with a baby in his arms and wondered whether that was a part of the problem. That wasn't his main focus right now though and so he listened as Juan told him where Jo was and then took the stairs two at a time arriving at the top more quickly than usual, but also more out of breath.
"Dad!" His son's voice echoed down the hallway of the east wing and he looked up and tried a smile.
"Hi … Son." He took a breather and by the time he had arrived at the door to the bedroom he was no longer suffering and Steve didn't seem to notice that he had been.
"She … I've … she just retreated, Dad, I hate it, I feel so helpless." Steve paused for a moment and his father looked closely at him, the doctor coming to the fore. Steve did look helpless, even close to tears and Mark knew that he was, in his way, suffering almost as much as his wife. After a few seconds Steve began to speak again, the desperation now apparent in his voice. "She heard Damita and … and with everything else, Jayden, the flowers, it was too much. Dammit, I should have known, maybe I could have stopped it."
Mark had no idea what flowers Steve was talking about, but instead of asking just shook his head, "I don't think so. It's her escape mechanism; she seems to come back stronger each time it happens, at least in certain areas, we just have to keep an eye on her, make sure she eats, and be there for her when she returns and needs us the most. But I have to say," Mark lowered his voice and moved a little way back from the door, "bringing Damita here wasn't the brightest thing to do."
"I know, but I think there are a few problems that need to be sorted. David called me, it's all to do with money, but I don't know the details yet." Steve's eyes looked at the door to his bedroom and Mark, knowing that his son wouldn't want to be talking about anything else for much longer, nodded his head and made his way towards it.
Jo was still in the chair she'd sat in when she entered the bedroom but she must have moved for a moment or two because now she was sitting with her arms wrapped around the new teddy staring into space.
ooo
Rae had arrived back in the squad room just after two, to find a note informing her that Steve wouldn't be in for the rest of the day and so she sat at his desk and began to go through his messages to see if there was anything that concerned their joint cases. As the Red Rose Killer had become more and more of a threat to the city Captain Newman had begun reassigning some of their work to other detectives, not wanting to lose the killings to Homicide Special. Rae hadn't wanted it to be taken from them either and had happily passed over some of the more ordinary and mundane work hoping that she wouldn't get them back again at a later date.
The only problem with that was it left nowhere to channel her energies when Dominic was wearing her down. She had insisted on keeping Albert Hardy, but he was only making her feel guilty right now and so she sat tidying Steve's desk for him as she tried to look busy enough that no one questioned what she was doing.
Rae was a very organised person and so it didn't take her very long to get Steve's desk looking like he was very organised as well. There was nothing on the Red Rose Killings that he had that Rae didn't, and vice versa, and so, reluctantly, she made her way back to her own desk, pulled the newspapers out from the foot-well and placed them on the clear surface. As police work went it was boring, brain numbing and she disliked it intensely, but as police work went, it also had to be done, and so with a deep sigh she began to read.
ooo
Daniel had bounded into the house, knowing that if he could come home then his mom was there too. He stopped, a look of shock on his face, when he saw a stroller in the doorway to the morning room and, peeking over the handles to look at the occupant, realised that he couldn't even shout to find out what was going on, because whoever's baby was just in front of him would wake up.
To his immense relief he saw his dad coming down the stairs and he moved over to him, keeping his voice low but urgent as he spoke.
"Dad, where's Mom, and whose baby is that? It isn't Jayden, way too big for him."
"That's your cousin, Damita, Uncle David is here. Daniel, I need to talk to you, come in here for a moment." Steve knew that small talk was beyond him right now. He needed to get and impart facts and nothing else.
There was a small room just off the entranceway that had once been a very large coat cupboard. After Wayne had paid a visit however, Jo had had it converted into a place to put unwelcome or unexpected guests. Now though, as Steve and Daniel sat on the two chairs which just fitted in there, the young boy waited for his father to speak, his worry getting worse as he did so.
Carefully Steve explained to Daniel what happened to his mom when life got a little hard for her. He told him about the first time it had happened, how she had gone back to Texas, but since then had found what she needed right under this roof. Then he told Daniel about the flowers, about Damita crying, and about how hard it had been for the both of them to leave his brother in the hospital. Finally, after he was sure that his father had finished Daniel began to talk instead of listen.
"Is … will she know if I go sit with her?"
"Son, I don't know. I have to admit that once the crisis is over, or your mom feels able to deal with it again I don't tend to ask too much about what happened when she was unreachable. But if people in a coma know you've been with them, I can't see any reason why she won't know you're there."
"Can I sit with her? I have to read three chapters of my book for history; I could do that while I'm in there. I promise to be quiet."
"Grandpa is sitting with her right now, so what I would suggest is that you go knock, let the both of them know you are home from school, then do all your other homework and leave the history until last. When Grandpa and I come away you can take over, how does that sound?"
"Um, do you think I could come in just a little bit before you leave? That way I'll know what it is I have to do." Daniel wanted to be with his mom, but he wasn't sure how to handle it all, and so a quick session with his dad first would definitely help him.
"Sure, that sounds like a plan to me. Now, shoo, go say hi, I'm gonna make two cups of coffee and a sandwich for your mom, then I'll be back up, can you tell Grandpa that?"
Daniel nodded his head and left his dad alone. For a few minutes Steve remained where he was, the solitude was welcome, he felt as if he was on overload himself, and suddenly this little room was just what he needed to recharge his own batteries before returning to the east wing.
ooo
With a groan Rae put the last newspaper onto the read pile and looked at the empty space where the unread ones had been. The world had gotten dark while she had been busy, shifts had changed, and she had made almost fifteen pages of notes. The Captain had made her a coffee, which had not only shocked her, as she couldn't remember him ever doing that for anyone before, but made her realise that she must look awful for him to have even though of doing it. The only other interruptions had been when hunger had struck and she had made a quick trip to get a sandwich and a breath of fresh air, and then when public relations had called her and asked her to speak to one of the major TV stations about the case and she knew that she would hear herself on the late news that night.
Stretching up, so that her hands were clasped high above her head, Rae eased stiff muscles and thought longingly about the large circular bath in her suite at home. When she got back to Oak Place she was going to fill it to the brim with hot water, pour in some lavender bath oil and just lay back and forget about the rest of the world, for a little while at least.
Checking her watch Rae saw that it was almost eight o'clock. She had been reading writing and clipping articles for almost six hours. With a sigh that seemed to reach to her very soul Rae realised that she hadn't really gained anything except sore muscles. The situation that she, Steve, and the other officers working with them, found themselves in with Dominic was one of cat and mouse. They had gained the upper hand for a brief period when they published his picture, but Rae knew that unless he slipped up, or was maybe caught on a lesser charge, their killer was just as elusive now as he had been the first time he came to their attention.
That knowledge did nothing to improve her mood, and as Rae looked round the depressingly grey and familiar squad room she suddenly felt the need to get out into the air, even if it was dark and just a parking lot. For the first time her case closed quota wasn't that good, she hadn't solved a murder since the Masters killing, and right now she couldn't see that changing for a while.
The despondency was settling on her like soot on the roofs of an industrial town and Rae wished fervently that it was Thursday instead of Tuesday; at least that way she would have a day at home with her husband to look forward to rather than another day like the one she had just spent.
The detectives on the night shift weren't that familiar to her and so without saying any goodbyes Rae shrugged herself into her coat and made her way down the stairs, stopping only to sign herself out before leaving the building and taking deep breaths of the cool if polluted air on the way to her car.
ooo
The dress hung on a hanger on the front of her closet. Susan had known she would buy it, had known it would look good, but even she had been surprised at just how well it actually suited her. She and Nika had moved on to the shoe department where she had bought a very nice pair of strappy black sandals, high heels with suede straps and a diamante buckle on them. When she had made her way to the cosmetics counters though he had said he needed to leave, but had written down her cell phone number and they had arranged to meet on Wednesday night for pizza and a movie.
Not quite believing that she had arranged a date for herself with someone other than Jesse, Susan had mailed the letter on the way home, deciding that now was the time to cut the strings once and for all and start afresh. She didn't expect to instantly find Mr. Right, but Nika would definitely be a good start, a very good start indeed.
ooo
The three Sloans had sat with Jo for a long time. Daniel had brought his book with him but had been content to watch, anxiously, as his mother slept. Now though it was almost four hours since he had arrived home and Daniel was to be left alone with his mom while his Dad and Grandpa dealt with something else. Mark and Steve had plugged the baby alarm into the socket in the main bedroom and then, once they had tucked Jo snugly into bed and told Daniel to just call softly if he needed them, they made their way back down to the breakfast room where David was waiting.
"You were gone a mighty long time, what happened?" One or other of them had come down and spoken to Jo's brother on and off all afternoon, but only to just keep him informed about how she was. The concern on his face now made Steve and Mark forget the anger they had felt at Damita's presence in the house, although the sight of the little baby snuggled up to her father would have done that on its own.
For a moment Steve just looked on with envy, his arms felt so empty, while his heart was almost too full to bear.
"She's having trouble coping right now, but you knew that. We have left her asleep with Daniel watching over her, and I'm gonna stay tonight so that I will be with her when she wakes up in the morning. It's not surprising considering all she's had to deal with and I think she will bounce back quite quickly again. She'll want to be with Jayden I have no doubt about that. Thank you." Mark gratefully took a cup of coffee from Juan as he finished speaking.
"There is a selection of cold cuts and salad set out in the kitchen, when you are ready I will bring it in for you." Juan spoke directly to Steve who thought a moment before answering.
"Thank you, I think we'll talk for a while, and then I'll call you and we can come get it from the kitchen."
"Yes, Sir." Juan nodded his head in agreement and then, placing the other two coffees on the table, left the room.
"Steve, I'm real sorry to come an' dump more problems on your doorstep, but truth be told I had no idea who else to turn to. An' as much as I hate to admit it, I think my sister might be right about 'Miss Prissy Knickers' as I know she calls her."
As David spoke Steve noticed for the first time that his face was etched with worry and fatigue and he indicated with his hand for the younger man to sit down.
Deciding that it might be better to ignore what Jo called Debbie, Steve spoke quietly so as not to wake the sleeping child resting on David's shoulder.
"Well, start at the beginning and Dad and I'll see what we can do, that is if you don't mind Dad hearing."
"No, no I don't mind at all. I know how much Jo loves an' relies on him an' I could do with the help." Carefully David got to his feet and then laid his baby on a vacant chair, where the little girl moved slightly and then, sucking gently on her pacifier, was still.
It seemed that David needed to walk and talk at the same time and so as he began to pace the carpet he also began to speak.
"I had no idea that anythin' was amiss, we were just goin' along as usual. I guess it's because we have so much money that I don't really ever think that there will be a problem. The auditors came in, as they always do, twice a year an' after they had been there about three days they called me in, on a Saturday, needin' to talk with me 'real urgent' they said.
"Steve, have you had any problems with money here? Or Jo?"
"No, none at all as far as I'm aware." Steve drained the last of his own drink and then remembered. "Hold on, Jo said something about a credit card being issued in her name that she had nothing to do with. She asked Michael to look into that for her though, because …" He paused, suddenly feeling embarrassed and ashamed that he hadn't looked into it himself.
"She kept it to herself for a while, and … and I've been so busy." Even to his own ears it sounded lame, and he resolved to do better in future. He had taken the Captain's exams a little while ago, and the day that Jo was admitted to the hospital he'd heard that he had passed. So far only his dad and his wife knew, but maybe when he got offered a promotion he would have more time to spend on his family.
"Do you know what Michael found out?" Now, although neither man knew it, David was feeling as guilty as Steve, he hadn't thought to contact his own brother, or half-brother, about this, but he should have done.
"No, but I do know that he discussed it with Rae, I can call her," Steve looked at his watch and realised that he probably couldn't call her, "in the morning, I can call her in the morning, you carry on with what happened to you, Jo's side of things can be dealt with tomorrow."
"Ok. The auditors told me that they had found a discrepancy, an' at first I didn't even know what they meant. We had always just sailed through everythin' financial, I guess I must have appeared like a greenhorn an' not the head of a multi-million-dollar corporation, but I didn't stay green for long."
David paused, the scene in the boardroom that day had been uncomfortable and definitely something he wished he could forget.
"It seems that someone … someone has been takin' two thousand dollars every day from our expense account. It's used all the time, things are bought an' signed for without even thinkin' from there, I guess that's why it was chosen."
"How long had it been going on?" Steve had, almost unconsciously; taken the tablet of paper he always kept in his jeans out and was making quick notes.
"Since three days after the previous audit. So six months all but … well, three days. They come in regular as clockwork, it's booked for years ahead."
Steve was doing quick calculations on his pad, but as usual his dad was way ahead of him.
"So, someone has taken, embezzled, call it what you will, $260,000 from your company in the last six months."
"That's what they reckon."
"However much is in your petty cash?" Steve looked on amazed. He seemed to spend his life trying to cut down on the everyday spending at Barbeque Bob's, he couldn't imagine not missing $50 let alone over a quarter of a million.
"Steve, the general account covers everythin' that we use regularly in offices all over Texas, an' then there is another one exactly the same in California. I plan to go check that, but I have a feelin' that the same thing will be goin' on here too."
"And you think Debs did this?"
"Dad!" Steve looked scandalized, he had no idea where his father had got that idea, but then he realised what David had said at the start that his sister had been right about Debbie.
"You think your wife did this?" The years of police training had taken over now, and he no longer sounded as amazed as he felt. He was a cop doing his job, even though usually his job didn't involve this kind of money.
"Oh yeah, I'd put money on it, if she weren't happily takin' it all from me. I can't prove it, I even think I know when she did it, but again I can't prove that either. The letter approvin' the payments is signed … by me. No doubt about it, the signature isn't forged, but I never authorised anyone to type the letter."
"David, forgive me for sounding disbelieving, but although I can understand you not expecting money problems, I can't see you not reading your letters before signing them." Mark was talking earnestly now, and Steve could tell that although he felt very sorry for David his interest had been piqued, and he wanted to know everything.
"No, Sir, I don't read 'em. I have had the same secretary for so many years that I think she knows more about the business than I do. But about seven months or so ago Debs started comin' into the office about four o'clock, which is the time I sign my mail. I have one of those letter books, I don't know if you have seen 'em, but each page has a hole at the top where the address is an' another one at the bottom where you sign. I know Mary doesn't make mistakes, I never check the letters unless I have written a special one. I just sign each page an' send the book back out to her."
"I see, and what does Debs have to do with that?" This time it was Steve who was speaking. He had seen Jo out shopping taking her change and just dropping it in her purse, not counting it, or even separating out the bills from the coins. When he had asked her about it she said that she dealt with it at home. If there weren't enough cash in her hand to pay for her items she would use plastic. It hadn't worried him because he had watched her balancing her own accounts and knew that she counted every dime at that point each month. She had changed since he had first met her though, when she only spent what she earnt at Worthington Laboratories. But he guessed that having a husband and a child, two children, had made her more content, more able to spend what was hers.
"Son? Steve." Mark's voice broke into his thoughts and Steve shook them away.
"Dad, I'm sorry, I was just thinking how Jo deals with money."
"So, what you are saying, David, is that you think your wife has defrauded your company, although you haven't said how." Mark decided to carry on and let Steve gather himself, he had been under a lot of stress lately, it wasn't surprising if his concentration lapsed now and then.
"Oh yeah, an' she did it by comin' in just as the book was bein' brought to me, she would tell Mary that as she was goin' to come to me she would bring the book. It would have been easy for her to add another letter to the pile, an' then remove it before it went for posting. But that may not be all of it. The auditors have taken away piles an' piles of stuff. I don't know when we'll get them back. I authorised the removal of anythin' they needed. This has to be sorted out before the shareholders get wind of it. An' before our customers begin to wonder what we are doin' with an' for their money."
"And if you don't get it sorted out?" Steve looked over at his brother-in-law as he spoke.
"Then I'm responsible for the losses, an' you would have a felon in your family." David looked over at Steve as he spoke, but his eyes rested firmly on the badge on his belt and Steve felt a shiver run through him as another seemingly insurmountable problem reared its ugly head.