by Donna Fasano
She stalked into a building two corners away, prowled past the receptionist, who jumped up and then made her way to the office that had Sam Black written on the door. A young man stood slowly, his brow raised in a question. “It’s okay, Stella. I’ll handle this.” He waited until she closed the door behind her and then looked at Angelina and Joe. “Can I help you? I’m Sam Black.”
The yummy man, handsome as sin, standing with his hand extended, could have posed for GQ, or starred as a hero in an action movie. Angelina forced saliva into her dry mouth and croaked, “Sam Black? Then you must be Nathan Black’s son.”
“Yes, Nathan’s my father. How can I help you?”
“You can tell me why the hell he sent his lawyer to serve me with this ridiculous allegation.” She threw the letter at him and crossed her arms.
“I’m sorry to have to be the one to tell you, Miss Serrano, but we’re accusing you because there’s $80,000 missing from our accounts. And the only drain there can possibly be is through your company.”
Angelina’s pulse quickened and she felt faint. “It can’t be. Our people are as honest as the day is long. They would never steal from anyone. There must be a mistake and I intend to find it. We’ll be going over every one of your accounts; the details of every transaction. Your daily ledgers, journal entries and your month ends. I’ll even hire an independent auditor. Señor, you’d best start working on an apology—a real one.”
A sardonic smile lifted one side of Sam Black’s face. He looked first at Joe and then to Angelina. “I don’t think so, Miss Serrano, and that—I’ll admit—is regretful.”
Angelina noticed Joe’s frown at the flirtatious way Sam Black bowed and then guided her to the door. Maybe Joe stood taller, and had a lot more muscle, but any man as good-looking as Sam should be licensed.
Chapter 49
Tee tried to sneak out of sight when she saw Ray bearing down on her. Unfortunately, he caught up.
“Hold it, munchkin. The clock says five-thirty—quitting time. You’re still getting over that rotten cold and it’s my butt on the line if you have a relapse.”
“Aw, Ray! Dude, you must have eyes in the back of your head. I’m waiting for Angie anyway, so I’ll just finish up this last bit. Don’t sweat it, okay? Lighten up! I’m fine now.”
“I’ll be tellin’ you when you’re fine, cookie. That wasn’t a request. It’s an order. You get your tail outta here. There’s no more work to be done until Monday—Capisce? Anymore of your lip, and I swear I’ll spill the beans to Angelina about how you’re not taking care of yourself.”
“Fine, you sneaky ol' man. I’m finished.” With that Tee threw her hands into the air, in a gesture similar to one he would have used himself, and strutted with exaggeration to the main office.
Seeing hyperactivity in the office at a time when normally everyone would be shutting down for the day had her questioning Coralee. “What’s up?”
So far, Coralee had treated Tee with kindness and a distant kind of acceptance. She hadn’t demonstrated suspicion outwardly, but Tee had the feeling it was always there, underneath. She knew she was being watched, closely.
Coralee nodded her head towards the chair closest to her desk. “Come over here,” she said. “And keep this to yourself.”
Something was wrong. Tee knew it, in the same way she knew it was bad.
Coralee looked deeply into her eyes and Tee held her gaze. Stare trouble down! That lesson had been well-learned over her short but unhappy life.
“Angelina’s been accused of stealing money from one of her clients. A sleazebag lawyer came today with a letter, serving notice that she has a week to return eighty thousand dollars, or they’ll file a suit against her.”
Tee bolted to her feet. “No way!” Righteous anger simmered. Having a dislike of being touched or touching, careful to never instigate it, Tee reached out unthinkingly to Coralee and grabbed her by the hand. “There’s no damn way Angelina is a thief.”
Tee saw a warm smile light up the other woman’s face. Holding Tee’s hand in both of hers, she squeezed gently.
“Don’t fret, sweetie, we have the proof to set things right. It’ll take time and oodles of work, but we can prove Serrano’s is scrupulously honest.”
“What can I do to help?”
Coralee nodded as if to say—I knew we could depend on you. Tee unexpectedly felt a shifting of emotion inside her chest.
“How about you heading down the street for some pizza and soft drinks?” Coralee reached for her purse, but Tee stopped her going there.
“I’ve got it covered.” She couldn’t help her proud tone and blushed.
“Thanks, kid. This is going to be a long night. We’d better feed the troops to keep their brains active. Thank God tomorrow is Saturday. We can stop working on our other accounts and concentrate strictly on this one.”
“Just so you know, I’m sticking in here with you guys tonight. Find me something to do that’ll help her.” With her message stated loud and clear, Tee stomped out of the office, scowling at the world.
Chapter 50
For the first time in days, Tee had no lingering symptoms of her recent cold and was feeling healthier than she had in a long, long time. Wrapped in nothing but a large bath towel, believing herself alone in the house, she’d decided to go to the kitchen and fetch a cup of hot chocolate.
“I’m aware the youth of today have changed significantly from when I was young, but I must say it’s a bit risky wandering around in your birthday suit with only a towel for protection, don’t you think?”
Tee shrieked. Reeling, cowering, she totally crumbled, unheard of behavior from a gutsy girl whose defenses were always on high alert. For some reason, in Angelina’s home, she had lowered her guard, feeling safe, warm—blissfully happy.
All thanks to Angelina and Rosario, two wardens who were freaky about her taking her medicine, getting enough sleep, not to mention the quantities of wholesome food they’d plied her with. Secretly, she loved the attention and felt normal for the first time in her life, or at least as close to normal as she could possibly imagine normal was.
At Angelina’s request—okay, orders—Tee had promised to spend her Saturday morning sleeping in, maybe coloring her hair and taking time for herself. She had a full intention of going into the office to help the others, but to keep Angelina cool; her plan was to show up later.
Rewrapping her rebellious towel and slowly turning, she masked her fear with her trademark cheekiness.
“Hey? Give a girl a heart attack?”
“Pardon me? What about the stroke I’m contemplating? Little girl, I do appreciate your young healthy attributes, but if you please, could you adjust your cover.” The towel had slipped again at the mention of the old lady possibly croaking. Frantically, Tee tightened the cloth over her smallish breasts and tucked it under.
“There now! I am Evie Butcher, Angelina’s grandmother. This is my home and I assume you’re Tee, ah… short for trouble, my granddaughter’s guest. Would you be so kind as to join me in the sunroom? When you’re respectfully clothed, that is.”
“Yeah, okay.” Speechless and mortified to be caught in such an awkward predicament, Tee was at a loss for words. Not a normal comfort zone for her.
As if she had expected no less, Grandma Evie nodded and headed briskly into the kitchen, and Tee rushed to her room to get ready. Nervous, and disliking the feeling, she made sure her teeth were sparkling and her hair was sufficiently tamed. Then she donned a T-shirt that was one of her newest.
What if the old lady doesn’t like me? Doing an inspection, she looked in the mirror, scanning herself like a stranger would. Seeing nothing out of the ordinary that would mark her as being a misfit, an unwanted child or a someone close to losing it, she shoved her hands in her pockets and headed down to meet her fate. Be nice, don’t freakin’ get your shit in a knot… try and make her like you.
A tray dressed with fancy dishes, a hefty platter of cinnamon buns, butter, flowered
blue napkins and strawberries coated with thick cream was waiting along with the old lady when Tee, fake cockiness restored, bounced into the room.
She stopped in the doorway to survey the scene. Angelina’s grandmother had fluffy white curls haloing her lined face and piercing blue eyes that stared at Tee with a warning. I might look like a lovable, little old lady, but beware…
“Are you going to stand there with your mouth open, child, or will you join me?”
Tee, flustered, moved forward at the beckoning from the matriarch waiting for her.
“How did you know me?”
“Who could mistake Angelina’s description? She hit the mark, right down to the flower tattoos and the – um - delightful ring through your nose. Your hair was further proof. I must say I don’t believe I’ve ever seen that particular shade before. Somewhere between plum and magenta, I should think.”
Bristling and unable to stop herself, Tee slipped into character. “Are you dissin’ me?” she asked. It was hard to tell since the twinkling eyes and the softness in Grandma Evie’s voice made the old lady hard to read.
“The only “dissin ” I’m doing is dishing up your brunch. Come here, please, help yourself.” In a queenly fashion, Evie waved her hands over the coffee table where the tasteful banquet was displayed.
Gladly digging in with gusto, Tee’s groan of ecstasy from her first bite of cinnamon bun changed the atmosphere.
“You like my cinnamon buns?”
“You made these?” Talking with her mouth full didn’t seem to faze the other woman, and Tee was glad she’d ignored her slip in manners. “How come you’re here? Angelina figured you were staying in Vegas with her parents.”
“I made up a fictitious story about a forgotten dentist appointment and came home early.”
“You mean you lied.”
Grandma Evie bristled. “I never tell lies.” When she saw Tee’s raised eyebrow, her eyes lowered. “Well… only in an emergency,” the old lady admitted, winking at an intrigued Tee.
“And this was an emergency?” questioned Tee, sticking to the subject like a baby sucking his thumb.
“When we talked to Angelina after the earthquake, her voice reassured me that the crisis was over. She wasn’t in any danger and there was no need for us to be with her. In fact, she implied we’d be somewhat of a hindrance because she had so much to do. Let me tell you, it was difficult to talk her father out of rushing here to deal with her problems. Both her mother and I had to use all our wiles on the man. Knowing how independent and protective Angelina is about controlling her own business, we worked hard to calm him. We suspected it would take time for the repairs, and since we had a full itinerary lined up, there was no hurry to return.”
Tee’s admitted. “It was true—at the beginning.” Protecting Angelina came easy.
“Except for the fact she had downplayed the severity of the damage. I saw it for myself when I had the taxi drive me past the office building this morning on the way home from the airport,” Grandma Evie said rather sternly. “Again, my granddaughter’s voice was normal, even happy when she described the remodeling, and also the success of Coralee’s operation. Other than certain nuances, which I took for affection in her voice when she explained about you, the gold and your service to her, she continued to sound happy and upbeat. Mind you, I have to admit there was always a strange inflection when she mentioned Dr. Davidson, who, by the way, I’m anxious to meet; she still came across as our independent, in-control girl. Then yesterday, her voice rang false. I sensed fear, worry and even disillusionment, so here I am. Do you have a story you need to share with me, Tee?”
“It’s nothing but pure bullshit, is what it is,” Tee said, ranting, forgetting herself in her righteous indignation. As soon as the swear word reverberated around the room, she stiffened and her eyes swiveled to her companion. How could you forget, you idiot?
Ignoring Tee’s tension, Grandma Evie reached over to pat her hands. “Tell me, child. I want to help my Angelina, and I can’t unless I know what’s happening here.”
Feeling her shoulders loosen, Tee ignored the panic attack and answered, “Some moron who Angelina’s company does the books for is trying to charge her with fraud or stealing, cooking his books— something like that. It’s bullsh—crap. Angie wouldn’t even keep the gold coins we found buried in her own building. Said they likely belonged to the previous owners. In fact, she hired a private investigator to find the people so she could return them. Seriously, she’s no more a thief than I am.”
“Tee,” Grandma interrupted her, “you are welcome to stay in my home for as long as you wish. Angelina needs friends like you. And so do I.”
Tee felt another shift happening deep inside. She allowed this woman to join Angelina in the space she occupied and wondered that her heart didn’t burst from so much tenderness. Worried that tears weren’t far away, she croaked the words, “Thank you,” and the other woman reached for her.
With her rough fingers firmly wedged between both of Grandma Evie’s soft palms, the elder said firmly, “I think it’s time I made an appearance.”
“Good thinking, Mrs. Butcher. I was going to head downtown myself as soon as I finished getting ready.”
“Little girl, you will refer to me as Grandma or Grandma Evie, whichever you prefer. Mrs. Butcher is used only by strangers and people I don’t particularly care for.”
“Sweet! I’ve never called anyone Grandma before so… ah, yeah, I’d like to.” Tee knew the grin on her face was probably pathetic but she didn’t care. Grandma!
Chapter 51
Later in the day, Johnnie stopped Coralee at the bottom of the stairs and pulled her into the small alcove underneath.
“I’m going to shoot that bloody Joe,” he spat out. “Unless Ray gets to him first.”
“Did I happen to mention I have an old shotgun I’d be happy to donate? I’ll even clean it and buy the bullets. We can e-mail each other from our jail cells to keep in touch,” she answered, half-joking.
“Christ! I liked the guy. Thought they looked good together. Who’d have thought he’d end up being a player.”
“He had me fooled too. I’m so goofy-in-love with Lee, I missed what was happening right under my own snoopy nose. At first they seemed to tippy-toe around each other, and then it looked like they were beginning to hit it off, but something’s happened. Her anger at the Blacks’ treachery hides it somewhat, but it’s like she’s in a trance—walking, talking, working, but the essence of Angelina is buried under blankets of sadness or something. I can’t explain it, but it’s breaking my heart to see her like this. Okay, I’m in. Let’s run the creep over with your SUV.”
Just then Lee sauntered by and spotted the two gossipy slackers. “What’s up?”
Coralee turned on him, Johnnie at her back. “We’ll tell you what’s up. Your hustling, jackass friend is breaking our best friend’s heart, the spineless shit.”
“Hey! Back off!” His rare vehemence shocked them both. “You don’t really know the guy, but he’s a mess too. He told me today Angelina was stalking him.”
Before they could refute his statement, he held his hand up to continue, “Made no sense to me, so I point blank asked him what the hell he was talking about. He said she’s buried herself so deep in his head, the cost of seeing a shrink to eradicate her was going to devastate his budget this year.”
Agog, both Coralee and Johnnie listened, smiles slowly starting to form. Coralee spoke for them both. “You’re saying he’s got the hots for her. That he’s smitten. That it’s not only Angelina?”
“Oh yeah! He’s a goner,” sniggered Lee.
“Well! Bloody hell! Why doesn’t he tell her and put us all out of our misery?” Johnnie piped up.
“Because he hasn’t admitted it to himself yet,” Lee answered.
Ever the cynic, Coralee interrupted. “He’s rejecting his own feelings—and her. The guy’s a conceited bum who probably figures she’ll pine away waiting for him to come aro
und.” Fuming on behalf of her pal, Coralee glared at both men.
“No.” Lee broke in again. “He’s not like that. Joe’s an honorable guy. He wouldn’t hurt anyone on purpose. I guess he’s scared silly he’ll end up like his brothers, and consequently he’s always shied away from getting too involved with a certain kind of girl.”
Johnnie asked, “So what’s wrong with his brothers?”
“They’re all married.”
“Oh… gotcha!” said Johnnie, nodding his head up and down, instantly zeroing in on the problem.
Eyes shooting daggers back and forth to both men, arms folded aggressively, Coralee sputtered, “And so?”
Johnnie put his arm around her shoulders and, for the first time in days, looked his old cheerful self.
“Hang in there, babe. All is not lost. Most guys go through some sort of trauma when the idea of getting hitched looms on the horizon. It’s lame, pitiful, even shallow, but reality nonetheless.”
Lee kicked in. “He’s fighting with himself to stay away from her, and he’s losing not only her, but his spirit. He’s a miserable, sorry-assed copy of who he used to be and, let me tell you, I miss him just as much as you guys miss Angelina.”
“We’re going to have to get involved before this thing goes too far,” Coralee schemed out loud. “I’ll get back to you guys as soon as I have a workable, doable plan. Okay?”
~*~
“Check,” were the two replies clearly heard by the eavesdropper at the top of the stairs, who’d been perched there, listening since the beginning of their conversation.
She thought, so this is what a jumpstarted motor feels like. Filled with anticipation and hope—incredible antidotes to heartbreak—she hopped up, lifted her leg and cocked her knee over the banister. Down she flew...
Right into Ray who hadn’t yet left for the day.
No explanation was necessary. When he saw the stars in her eyes and the unholy grin on her face, he chuckled.
