Lambert's Pride

by Coleman, Lynn A.

  Kavan jumped to his feet in one smooth motion. He placed his hands on Travis’s desk and lowered his face toward his boss’s. “I’ve told you before, and I’ll tell you again, I am not stealing the division’s money.”

  He trembled, using every ounce of self-control to keep himself in check. He wanted to explode at Travis, but he knew it would gain him nothing and only deepen Travis’s suspicion of him.

  “I don’t see any records proving otherwise.” Travis cocked his head sideways as if to challenge Kavan.

  “My records are in order.”

  “What happened when your spreadsheet program crashed?”

  “I lost my original records.”

  Travis leaned on the desk and folded his fingers together. “Rather convenient, don’t you think?”

  Kavan gritted his teeth. “I didn’t purposefully crash a computer program, Travis. I had duplicate files at home. They are available for you to see anytime you want to see them.”

  “Did you doctor those files, Donovan?”

  “Don’t patronize me, Travis. I’m not a twelve-year-old kid lying his way out of trouble.”

  Travis stood and walked around the desk. “I’ve been patient, waiting for you to come clean while I can still help you. Sooner or later, this will be out of my hands. If this turns into an official investigation, you are on your own.”

  Kavan recognized Travis’s intimidation tactics. Yet, he had nothing to confess, nothing to reveal. His records were in order. The whole implication that he would steal and commit forgery angered him. He thought his character and reputation were irrefutable.

  He sensed the Spirit of the Lord whisper to him at the moment. Humble yourself.

  Kavan paused, pondering what to say next.

  “Well?” Travis said after a moment.

  Taking a deep breath, Kavan said, “I can’t confess something I did not do, Travis, but I will submit to whatever process you want me to go through.”

  Travis’s hard exterior softened with surprise. Kavan saw the muscles in his face relax. “Well, uh, why don’t you bring in your files from home, and we’ll take a look at those. We’ll get to the bottom of this, I’m sure.”

  Kavan turned to leave. “Thank you, Sir.”

  ❧

  Elizabeth felt buried under a pile of papers. She’d spent most of the morning daydreaming between Kavan’s kiss and heading off to grad school. She’d searched on the Internet for jobs in nuclear energy, and there were plenty available. New government initiatives would expand the field, and by the time she graduated with her master’s, lucrative career opportunities would be waiting.

  However, she ignored the churning in her stomach every time she thought about school. Dismissing it as nervous energy, she let her thoughts wander back to Kavan.

  How sweet he’d been when they finally talked about their kiss. As far as she was concerned, it was about the best first kiss a girl could ever get—sincere, tender, and passionate.

  Will peered around the doorway. “You got the quarterly report? We’re meeting with the board of directors in a half hour.”

  Elizabeth snapped back to the present. “Yes. Yes, I do. I just need to call your secretary and ask her a quick question.”

  Will nodded. “Bring it to the board room when you’re done.”

  Elizabeth dialed Rose’s number. “Hi, Rose, it’s Elizabeth. I have a question about the quarterly report.”

  Rose answered without hesitation, and within ten minutes, Elizabeth pulled the report together and rushed it down to Will.

  “Thanks, Beth,” he said.

  Back in her office, Elizabeth took a deep breath and said a short prayer. “Lord, I need to focus. Stop daydreaming about Kavan and get on to my next goal—school.”

  The phone rang on the trail of her words. “Lambert’s Furniture.”

  “Hi, it’s Kavan.”

  “Hi.” Elizabeth’s resolve crumbled.

  “How are you?”

  “Fine. And you?”

  “Tired of all this hero stuff.”

  Elizabeth laughed. “Typical White Birch, don’t you think?”

  “Yes. Guess that’s why I love this town.” He chuckled. “I just wish it wasn’t focused on me.”

  “Well, if you ask me, you deserve it.”

  “The only way I can endure it is if you will accompany me to Friday night’s ceremonies.”

  She answered without hesitation. “I’d love to, Kavan.”

  “Elizabeth,” he started. She heard the seriousness in his tone. “This is a date.”

  She chewed her bottom lip and played with the pencils lined up on her desk. The whole town would see her with him. They’d assume. . .

  “Well,” she paused, “as long as you don’t kiss me in front of everyone. . .”

  Kavan’s laughter floated over the line. “I promise.”

  “Okay, then.” She felt like a schoolgirl.

  “I’ll pick you up at seven.”

  “Six-thirty,” she countered.

  He chuckled. “Six-thirty. I gotta go. Need to get some stuff for Travis. The refurbishment debacle won’t go away.”

  “Really? I’m sure you’ll figure it out.”

  “I’m praying so. I can only lean on the Lord on this one. It’s a puzzler.”

  “See ya.”

  “Friday.”

  After she hung up, Elizabeth stared blankly at the wall. What was I thinking, saying yes to him? The whole town will whisper about us. The family will tease me with “love and marriage” remarks.

  Hmm. . . For the first time, she realized she didn’t care. The idea didn’t petrify her, and she rather enjoyed the junior high jitters dancing in her middle.

  Enough, Elizabeth. Back to work. Diving into accounts payable, Elizabeth worked steadily for several hours.

  A collection of invoices surfaced from the Division of Forests and Lands. All of them like the ones she’d seen before. Cuts of expensive wood, all bearing Kavan’s name.

  She shook her head, withstanding the urge to assume. What are you doing, Kavan?

  Elizabeth printed the invoices and placed them one by one on a worktable. She studied them, hands on her hips. After a moment, she moved to the filing cabinet and pulled the division’s purchase orders. One by one, she matched purchase order and invoice. Hunching over, she examined each set.

  Kavan’s signature caught her attention. She smiled, liking the funny way he made his Ks. That purchase order and invoice, dated in March, was for a load of pine. Typical orders, according to Mr. Hansen.

  Her gaze moved to the next set of papers. “Oh, no,” she whispered, picking up the purchase order for a closer examination. The order called for a load of teak, and while the bottom line carried Kavan’s name, it was not his signature.

  Swiftly, she found all the purchase orders that did not have Kavan’s signature. She arranged them by date and moved to the copier.

  Several minutes later, she dialed Kavan’s cell phone. No answer. She read the Division of Forests and Lands’ phone number from their account in the computer and dialed the office. “He’s not here,” a woman said, overly sweet.

  Fumbling through the phone book, Elizabeth looked up his home phone number. Kavan, be home, please.

  The busy signal beeped in her ear. Busy.

  Elizabeth grabbed her purse, the copied stack of purchase orders and invoices, and dashed out the door.

  ❧

  A low growl emanated from Fred. Kavan glanced up from the computer where he was copying his refurbishment report to a floppy. Ginger whined and scratched at the back door.

  Kavan listened. “Lay down, Fred. Lay down, Ginger. No one is here.” He clicked the printer icon above the spreadsheet. He thought it would be wise to have a hard copy of his spending. . .just in case.

  A small knock on the back door sent the dogs into a barking frenzy. Startled, Kavan jumped from his chair.

  “Pipe down, you two,” he hollered, grabbing the doorknob.

  “Eliza
beth! Come in.” He stepped aside to let her pass.

  She came through the door grinning like the Cheshire cat. She plopped her big leather purse on the counter and beamed at Kavan, her sapphire eyes sparkling.

  He joined her at the counter, resisting the subtle but sure urge to wrap her up in his arms and greet her with a kiss. He’d kissed her once, but kissing still felt like uncharted territory, and he wanted to proceed cautiously.

  “Well, are you going to tell me why you’re looking at me like I just won a million dollars, or do I have to guess?”

  “I’ve discovered something,” she blurted out.

  “Fascinating. A new law of physics?” Kavan leaned as close to her as he could. She smelled like fresh flowers.

  “Ha! No.”

  “Then what?” Kavan folded his arms and regarded her. He loved seeing a new side of Elizabeth.

  She pulled a stack of papers out of her purse. Clearing the napkin holder and the salt and pepper shakers from the table, she systematically placed copies of Lambert’s Furniture invoices and forestry division purchase orders in front of them.

  “Purchase orders?” Kavan asked. “Invoices?”

  “POs with your name on them.”

  Kavan examined the papers. “Two hundred board feet of cherry.” He glanced at Elizabeth. “I never ordered cherry.”

  “Teak and cedar, too,” she said, selecting another purchase order for him to review.

  Kavan shook his head. “But that’s not my signature.”

  “Exactly,” Elizabeth said. “Kavan Donovan, I am afraid you’re being framed.”

  His gaze met hers. “Come on, Elizabeth, who would do such a thing?”

  “I don’t know, but someone is charging expensive materials to the forestry division and signing your name. This must be the key to your budget problem.” She paused, then added, “Your boss thinks you’re embezzling, doesn’t he?”

  “It sure seems that way. How did you figure this out?” Kavan asked, picking up one of the forged orders. “Some of these date before I even started the refurbishment project.”

  “I noticed the cherry order one day. I called Grant Hansen to see why we cut several hundred board fet of cherry for the forestry division. He said we still provide millwork to some customers. Your name stood out to me because we’d just met a few days before at Sinclair’s.”

  “Good eye, Lambert. Think I’ll call you Eliz-a-sleuth from now on.”

  She narrowed her eyes at him. “Har, har. Don’t even think about it. I’ll take my evidence and leave you to your own measly devices.”

  Kavan cleared his throat, pretending to be threatened by her words. “How did you know it wasn’t my signature?”

  “Remember how I thought your Ks were unusual? I noticed it when you signed the debit card receipt the first time we went to Giuseppe’s.”

  Kavan looked at her and let his gaze linger on her face for a moment. “I can’t thank you enough.”

  She reached out and tenderly touched his arm. “Anything for a friend.”

  Kavan pulled her to him and brushed her cheek lightly with the back of his fingers. Without a word, he kissed her.

  After the kiss, she looked up at him, a spark in her blue eyes. “Are you always going to kiss me without warning?”

  “Maybe.” He winked.

  “I’ll be on guard, then.” She gathered up the purchase orders and returned them to the folder. “Come on, let’s go show your boss. I can’t wait to see the look on his face.”

  Sixteen

  Kavan walked into the Division of Forests and Lands office like he owned the world, Elizabeth by his side.

  “Cheryl, is Travis in?”

  She nodded but narrowed her dark eyes at him. “Who’s your friend?”

  “Elizabeth, this is Cheryl.”

  The women greeted each other. Kavan stepped over to Travis’s office and rapped his knuckles lightly on the heavy wooden door.

  “Come in.”

  Kavan stepped through, motioning for Elizabeth to follow. The heavyset director studied him, waiting. He considered them with his hands clasped together on his round belly as if he expected a show.

  Kavan dropped the signed purchase orders and invoices on Travis’s desk.

  “What’s this?” Travis asked, reaching for one of the papers.

  “That’s not my signature, Travis.”

  Travis glanced at Kavan, indifference in his eyes.

  “Someone is ordering teak, walnut, mahogany, and cherry from Lambert’s Furniture and charging it to the fire tower account. They signed the POs with my name.”

  Travis moved to review the documentation, his brow raised. Kavan knew he finally had his attention.

  “How did you come across this?” Travis examined each of the forms.

  Kavan introduced Elizabeth and explained her discovery. “She recognized my signature. Look, on those purchase orders.” Kavan pointed to the ones with his legitimate signature. “The lumber is pine. That’s all I’ve used on the fire tower.”

  “You’re telling me somebody ordered lumber and charged it to your refurbishment account,” Travis summarized.

  “Yes,” Kavan said without hesitation. “There are also some that were charged to the general department expenses before the fire tower project was even approved.”

  Travis picked through the orders again. Suddenly a shadow fell over his face. Quickly, he flipped through several of the pieces, then stacked them neatly together. He stood. “May I keep these, Miss Lambert?”

  “Those are copies.” Elizabeth glanced sideways at Kavan. “You can keep them.” Kavan watched her trying to suppress her beautiful smile.

  A heavy silence hung in the air. Travis remained focused on the forged purchase orders, his hands idly stacking them over and over. “Well, Donovan, looks like you’ve managed to clear your name.”

  Kavan nodded. “Yes, Sir.” He extended his hand to Travis.

  It took a second, but the older man grasped his hand in a firm shake. “I’ll take it from here. You keep working on that old White Birch fire tower.”

  “If you don’t mind, I think I’ll wait until the dust settles.” Kavan eyed his boss. Travis had obviously seen something in those papers that bothered him. But Kavan knew better than to ask.

  Outside, he laughed and grabbed Elizabeth in a swirling hug. “Thank you! I feel like I’ve lost a thousand pounds.”

  Once he landed her feet back on the ground, he kissed her again with enthusiasm.

  Elizabeth stepped out of his embrace. “I can’t believe you,” she said, her tone sharp, her blue eyes sparking.

  Kavan stared at her for a moment. “What? I told you I’d kiss you without warning.”

  “I can’t believe you let Travis Knight off so easy. He all but accused you of stealing. Stealing, Kavan.” She glared at him with her hands on her hips. “He questioned your integrity. And you let him off with a howdy-do handshake. He didn’t even apologize!”

  Her ire stirred his. “What’d you want me to do, slap him around?”

  “Demand an apology. A written apology.”

  “What? Elizabeth, he was mistaken. Quite frankly, I can understand—”

  “Your career and reputation are on the line, Kavan. Stick up for yourself.” Elizabeth turned and marched toward the truck.

  Kavan raced after her and grabbed her arm. He pulled her aside and peered into her face. “My reputation and career is not mine to defend. The Lord will look out for me. He’s done so much already. How Christlike would it be if I sought revenge or retribution?”

  “I could never let it go that easy.”

  “The Lord gives grace to the humble, Elizabeth.”

  To his surprise, tears glistened in her eyes. “Let’s go,” she whispered.

  They drove in silence to his house. Slanted rays of late afternoon sunlight glanced over White Birch, and the serenading song of the crickets filled their ears. When Kavan pulled into the gravel drive, Fred and Ginger hailed them with a bark
ing chorus.

  “What’s bothering you, Elizabeth?” Kavan stopped the truck, shifted into park, and shut off the engine.

  She faced him and said with passion, “That you are just letting this go. You’re letting it happen, not sticking up for yourself.”

  He glared at her. “Well, I don’t see it that way. The Lord resolved the issue—”

  “With my help. If I hadn’t found those purchase orders and receipts, you’d still be suspect.”

  “Hold on there, Elizabeth. Yes, you were the key to this whole mystery, but the Lord unlocked the door in the first place. He could have done it without you.”

  Elizabeth got out of the truck and slammed the door.

  Kavan bounded out of the truck after her. “Where are you going?”

  “To take command of my life.” She jerked open the door to the VW and climbed in.

  “Elizabeth, what’s going on?” He looked through the open passenger side window. “Obviously this is about more than Travis Knight and the case of forged signatures.”

  She cocked her head to look at him. “You’re right. It’s about me, Elizabeth Lambert, taking charge of my life.”

  Kavan watched her drive away. He resisted the urge to chase after her, certain she would not welcome his prodding. “Lord, You speak to her. Comfort her.”

  ❧

  “Grandma, I’ll be in my room,” Elizabeth said as she entered the kitchen.

  Grandma glanced up from the kitchen table where she read her Bible. “You’re home early. Everything okay?”

  “Any mail for me today?”

  “Nooo,” Grandma answered, drawing out the word.

  Muttering to herself, Elizabeth entered her room. She pulled up the window shades to let in the day’s remaining light and booted up her laptop.

  “Let my relationship with Kavan distract me. . . And Grandpa’s story about Harvard and a pregnant wife. . . Thinking I could live in this town. . . Who cares about school? Me. I’m going to find out what’s going on with my applications.”

  Checking her E-mail, she found nothing new regarding her graduate school status.

  Determined to find answers, she hopped onto the Internet and found Ohio State’s admissions page. She clicked on the link for graduate students. Finding a telephone number, she reached for the phone.