Unrestrained Behavior: The Pleasure and Risk of Choice (The 'Un'missable Series Book 3)

by Jerry Summers

  “There really isn’t anything to explain. Maybe sometime later on, but for now, I really have no desire to discuss any of this further. Please stop calling me. This is our last conversation regarding our brief personal life.”

  “Fine. I’ll give you some time, but I really want to have a discussion in person and if, after that discussion, you still feel the same way about me as you do now, I promise I’ll never bring any of this up again. I won’t call you for a month. If you decide you want to talk sooner than that, just give me a call. I’m just telling you now, I’ll continue to call you on a monthly basis until we have an in-person discussion.”

  Wendy rubs her temples. “Whatever. I don’t want to hear from you again for a month, starting now. Deal?”

  “Fair enough. I’ll call your cell one month from today.”

  As she hangs up the phone, she wonders how long he’ll continue to call to meet with her and, after a short analysis, she figures he’ll schedule a follow-up telephone call every month until she finally agrees to meet with him. She shrugs, trying to disregard the feelings that realization brings up, and then begins to focus on a review of her current clients, where they are in their counseling plans, and who she will refer most of them to.

  Ultimately, she decides to call Pegge Peterson, the counselor she is most interested in sending all her clientele to, and leaves a message with her secretary. Within an hour, she receives a return call.

  After she explains her situation to Pegge, she says, “You’re the only person and counselor I would trust my clients to. I hope you’ll be willing to take them on as your clients, but if not I’ll continue searching until I find someone I trust as much as you.”

  Pegge is stunned. “Well, thank you so much for that compliment. I’d be honored to accommodate your request, because I respect you immensely. When do you need to transfer them?”

  Relieved, Wendy sets a time to meet with Pegge to deliver all her files, after copying them to a disc. “I’ll be sure to keep tabs on all the clients who agree to meet with you, so I can brief you on their files and expectations before you meet with them for the first time. I’ll make sure all of them know you have the best recommendation from me, and I think eighty to ninety percent of them will follow my recommendation. Thank you so much for even considering doing this. It’s completely amazing of you, especially on such short notice.”

  Pegge can’t help herself and asks, “What has prompted such a drastic change?”

  “It’s a couple of things actually. First, I’ve decided I need to take a sabbatical for a couple of years to prepare to reopen a counseling practice after my assistant, Mona, gets her counseling degree. I’m not sure I want to specialize in domestic violence any longer, as it has taken its toll on me psychologically. I’ve become very negative and sarcastic lately. Second, I was dating a guy whom I thought was fantastic and came home the other night to find him in my bed with another man. That didn’t do much to help my negative outlook on life. I think I need to step back, find some joy, and learn to love life once again.”

  “Oh, no! I’m so sorry to hear that. Is there anything I can do? Do you want to talk about any of this?”

  “Thank you for your concern and offer, but you taking over my clients is a huge load off my plate. With regards to the guy, I just need to process through the hurt and grief personally. So I decided the best way to do that is travelling, laying on the beach in the sunshine, and reading all the trashy novels I want to.”

  “You left out cocktails with umbrellas and fit, tanned cabana boys to wait on you hand and foot!” Pegge says.

  “Yeah, that’s what I’m looking for in life nowadays.”

  They laugh and promise to keep each other up to date as the transition unfolds. Wendy thanks her again and hangs up to meet with her next appointment.

  Jim Baxter walks into her office and sits down. Wendy notices he has lost weight and looks much more confident and composed.

  She welcomes him. “Hello, Jim. It’s nice to see you. How are you doing now that things have settled down a little bit?”

  “Things are starting to fall back into place, work is going well, I’ve been exercising regularly, and I’ve lost a few pounds,” Jim replies proudly.

  “Wow. That’s absolutely wonderful. I noticed the weight loss. How much have you lost?”

  “Thirty-two pounds, to be exact, but who’s counting?” he replies with a grin.

  She smiles back at him. “You are, of course. Isn’t that what all accountants do?”

  He nods in acquiesce, and Wendy proceeds to tell him that she is closing her practice. “I would never just leave you on your own though,” and gives her recommendation of Pegge Peterson. “I trust her completely. Would you meet with her to see if you two can work together?”

  He agrees. “She sounds like she has your full support, so I guess I trust her, too. Congratulations on your decision to enjoy life and take time for yourself. That’s hard to do.”

  They chat a little bit about Jim’s life currently, and then Wendy repeats the process throughout the day with much the same results.

  ***

  Mona is in the office when Wendy arrives on Tuesday morning.

  “Good morning, how are the kids doing?”

  Mona lets out a sigh. “Surprisingly well. I think the photographs Tyler took of them bothered them so much they knew it was wrong of him to do so, and the fact that he committed suicide cements that his behavior was very wrong. I think they are actually relieved they won’t ever have to go through that again, but they are also sad their father is dead, of course.”

  Wendy nods. “I’d keep them in counseling for a while, but I think they are going to be just fine. I started referring clients to Pegge Peterson yesterday. She agreed to accept all of my clientele until further notice.”

  “Wow, that’s wonderful. You are really going to do this, aren’t you? I thought maybe you were just drunk at the beach.”

  “Oh, I was definitely drunk at the beach, but that’s beside the point. Yes, we are doing this. Have you filled out your application yet?”

  “Yes, and it’s been sent off. All there is to do from my stand point is wait, and we both know how much I love to wait for anything,” Mona replies, making a face. “It’s only that much worse when it’s something I want as badly as I want this.”

  “Relax,” Wendy says reassuringly. “Everything is going to fall into place perfectly, and then your real work will begin.”

  “Have you told Bonnie about this decision yet?”

  “Not yet. I was going to call her after this conversation and let her know. I’ll still be able to make all the board meetings through conference calls or flying back from wherever I am at the time. And for the board meetings already scheduled, I’ll just arrange my travel schedule to be in San Francisco for each one.”

  “Call her now, before you forget and she gets really pissed at you.”

  Wendy chuckles and walks back into her office to call Bonnie.

  When she answers, Wendy asks, “Do you have time to talk for a few minutes?” “I always have time for you, and if I don’t, I’ll make the time. You’re my family,” Bonnie replies easily.

  “Okay. I wanted to tell you about a few decisions I have recently made, and I want you to hear me out before you react.”

  “Well, that sounds ominous. But okay, go ahead.”

  “Here it goes. I’m going to close my practice within the next six months. I’m sending Mona to graduate school and, when she graduates, we’re going to open a new counseling practice, with both of us counseling. In the meantime, while she is busting her backside in school, I’m going to travel and just bum around.”

  Bonnie is quiet for a moment, “I think that’s a wonderful idea, but what has brought on this sudden change in lifestyle? Besides a six-billion-dollar inheritance, I mean.”

  “Well, I’m kind of feeling burnt out. You were here the week two of my client’s husbands died, and now I’ve got this pesky news reporter insi
nuating I’m somehow responsible for their deaths. While I know it’s all garbage, it has made me realize just how tired I am of dealing with people like that, so I’m going to take some time for myself and do things I’ve always wanted to but never could afford.”

  “Do you think you’re going to go back to dealing with domestic violence victims when you reopen your practice or do some different type of counseling?” Bonnie asks, curious.

  “I’m not sure right now, but I suspect I’ll do something different. I don’t have to decide that right now. Why do you ask?”

  “Well, my hope is that maybe I can get you to move up north and open your new practice in San Francisco.”

  Wendy smiles. “Probably not. I like the weather in La Jolla better than San Francisco and people know me here, so a new venture would be easier for me to get off the ground. Plus, Mona’s kids are in school here. I want you to know I’ll set my travel schedule so I can make the SERF board meetings. I don’t want to put you out or inconvenience you in anyway. If you have to send your jet to get me, I’ll pay for the expense.”

  “I’m not worried about the board meetings. We can use conference and video calls if we need to, so don’t let that worry you too much. If an emergency arises and you have to get here, we’ll figure out how to make it happen. Given the recent threats and your unwillingness to work with the FBI, it might just be the safest thing for you to do right now.”

  “You know as well as I do I would be a very unlikely target given my limited involvement. I’d be more concerned about Jessica, given her intimate relationship with Sean and her lifelong friendship with you. If it was up to me and I was looking to strike at the core of the SERF organization and board members, she would be the one I hit.”

  “What a scary thought. I never even considered her as a target,” Bonnie says quietly.

  “She’s the perfect target. Her kidnapping or, God forbid, death would be equally devastating to you and Sean.”

  “You have a disturbed mind young lady. Where on earth do you come up with things like that?”

  “I suppose it comes from years of working with deranged individuals,” Wendy says matter-of-factly.

  “I suppose.”

  “Did you get all your security issues worked out at the SERF offices and your home? What about SGM and Beauty Boutique Clothing?”

  “Sean’s office already has all the security features he needs, and his home is good to go as well. Jessica’s place is fine and SERF has already put in surveillance cameras and some other special features at the Beauty Boutique Clothing production plant, so everything we can do is completed already. Why were you so difficult with the FBI agents in San Diego?”

  “I wasn’t difficult. I just don’t want to run my practice or life like I am in a maximum security prison. Hey, I’ve got to go. I’m having a new bed delivered at my place, and they just called the office and said they would be at the condo in thirty minutes.”

  “Call me later. I want to know why you’re buying a new bed. Is there a chance of someone sharing it with you soon?”

  “God, no. I just want a better bed, that’s all. Part of this new taking care of myself thing I’m doing. I love you, I’ve got to go.”

  “Okay, love you, too,” Bonnie says, and they hang up.

  Wendy rushes out the office door and arrives at the condo before the delivery people. She is excited to see the new bed set up in her room and the old one taken away. Next she has the locksmith change all the locks to the condo, scrubs the shower from top to bottom, and finally starts to feel like the place is just hers once again. She pours herself a glass of wine and basks in the moment on the patio, considering where she wants to travel to first.

  CHAPTER 17

  discrepancies

  After a couple of months have passed, Mona gets her acceptance letter to the University of California San Diego, Graduate School of Psychology, and immediately strolls into Wendy’s office.

  She comes in nonchalantly. “Well, Jim has called again and is now beginning to intensify the number of calls requesting to meet with you. He even offered to buy an hour of your time, but I told him I would have to get your approval before I booked an appointment. He wasn’t very pleased with me.”

  She then hands Wendy the letter from the university. Once Wendy recognizes it’s an acceptance letter, she is excited for Mona, but their mini celebration is interrupted by an urgent call from Bonnie. Mona hands Wendy the telephone after placing Bonnie on hold and closes Wendy’s office door as she leaves.

  “Bonnie, is everything okay? Mona said this call is urgent.”

  “We have a developing situation at SERF that needs the board’s immediate attention. Can you break away from your practice and be here tonight for what will probably be an all-day meeting tomorrow, and I can have you back in San Diego on Thursday?”

  “Hang on let me check with Mona. I have transferred a lot of my clients to Pegge Peterson over the last two months, so I suspect we can make it work. Do you want to hold on or shall I call you back?”

  “I’ll hold if it won’t be too long.”

  Wendy checks with Mona and explains she needs to head to San Francisco, probably tonight.

  After reviewing her schedule, Mona nods. “We will need to rearrange the appointments scheduled for tomorrow and Wednesday, but I’ll make it happen. Just tell Bonnie you’ll be there.”

  Wendy gets back on the telephone with Bonnie. “Mona is awesome. She said she’ll rearrange multiple appointments, which means I’ll be able to just work this weekend. I would only do this for you, you know. What is this all about?”

  “It’s a financial issue with SERF. I’ll tell you all about it when you get here tonight. Can you meet my pilot at the airport at five o’clock?”

  “Can we make it six? My last appointment today is at four and will finish by five. I’ll need about an hour to get through traffic to the airport.”

  “Six it is then,” Bonnie says and huffs out a breath. “Thanks for dropping everything. I’ve got to go, and I love you.”

  Before Wendy can say anything else she hears Bonnie hang up the telephone. She stares and her phone in disbelief, wondering what could be so urgent Bonnie would hang up so abruptly.

  Checking her schedule once again with Mona, she sees she has about a forty-five-minute window to go pack her bags and be back at the office over her lunch time.

  “Okay, I’m going to go pack,” Wendy tells Mona. “Please go ahead and move some of this week’s appointments to either Saturday or Sunday. Whatever day works for the clients. Congratulations on your acceptance! I promise we’ll celebrate next week.”

  Mona smiles. “I’ll hold you to it.”

  The day passes quickly and before either of them can imagine, Wendy’s last appointment arrives.

  As she’s guiding the client back to her office, Mona says, “Make sure you grab the rest of the week’s calendar for review, as well as your scheduled appointments on Saturday.”

  “Are you going to be gone before this appointment is finished?” Wendy asks, confused.

  “No, I just don’t want you darting out of here before you get it and I don’t want to forget to give it to you. This is just my way of making it both our faults if you fail to get it before you leave.”

  Wendy rolls her eyes. “Oh, I see how it’s going to be now that you’re a grad student, blame shifting and all. Besides, the calendar is updated and I can access it via my cell right?”

  “Yes, you can, but you know you prefer a hard copy,” Mona replies, going back to her work.

  Wendy disappears into her office with her client and emerges forty-five minutes later. She grabs her revised calendar from Mona and heads to the airport.

  ***

  Bonnie greets Wendy in San Francisco. During the limousine ride back to the house, Bonnie explains to her that the emergency is to discuss some financial shenanigans Jim Bush has been perpetrating on SERF.

  Wendy asks, “Have Sean and Jessica been informed about this?
And how did you find out?”

  “Yes, they are aware. Skip received a telephone call from one of our large donors explaining she received a receipt for her million-dollar donation to SERF, but didn’t get a receipt for her ten-thousand-dollar donation to the SERF1 account. Skip, being smart enough to cover his confusion, told our donor he was sure it was an oversight error by his new staff and would get it out to her by early next week. Knowing we have no such account, he decided to do a little investigation on his own to determine what is going on. He called every large donor asking if they had received their receipt for their SERF1 donations because he feared it was a clerical oversight on the part of his staff. He received the same answer from every one of them. After verifying a few dollar amounts, he quickly realized each of them made two separate donations, and the SERF1 donation was always one percent of their original donation. One donor said he thought the one percent administration fee was a brilliant idea to insure the entirety of the donation dollars were being utilized on restoration projects. Skip traced the Limited Liability Company funds to Caiman Islands Bank. At this point, we don’t know for certain that the LLC is Jim’s, but he is the only one soliciting money on behalf of SERF and, since we don’t have a SERF1 bank account, we know those funds aren’t coming into our coffers.”

  Wendy allows this to settle in for a moment then asks, incredulous, “So what you’re telling me is Jim receives a base salary of three hundred and seventy five thousand dollars, he was paid a first quarter bonus of one million dollars, and now he’s skimming another two hundred and something thousand dollars from SERF into an offshore bank account for himself?”

  “Only if the LLC belongs to him. But, yes.”

  Wendy rolls her eyes. “Who else would it belong to? None of us are seeking donations at Jim’s rate. What are you planning on doing?”

  “Well, that’s the topic of discussion for the board members tomorrow. Do we fire him? Do we make him transfer the funds to SERF? Do we seek criminal charges against him? Each possibility has pro’s and con’s to them.”