by LB Shaw
After pouring drinks for everyone, Rob suggested they go back outside and sit in the shade. On the way out, Ana grabbed Rob by the arm and gave him a sarcastic smile. “Um, just so we’re clear, you’re not allowed to look at Rhonda, okay?”
“Oh, please. That woman? She doesn’t hold a candle to you, gorgeous.”
Oh, that melt-in-your-mouth romance… Ana leaned close to Rob. “She not only holds a candle, but I’m on fire and quickly smoldering away to ashes. I mean, dayum! Are you blind? I think she’s giving me a hard-on.”
Rob laughed and looked at Rhonda again, this time studying her closely. “Yeah, she’s pretty, but she’s not the one I want. And I’m pretty sure she’s sitting next to the one she wants.”
“Really? You think… you think they’re a couple?” Ana lowered her voice even more. “Was Stephanie into that sort of thing when you were together?”
Rob was keeping a watchful eye on them as he and Ana talked. “Not specifically, no. Just call it a gut feeling. I’ve had my suspicions for a while now, and in light of recent behavior, I think she might be gay, or bisexual. I totally respect her lifestyle and her privacy. I’m not going to go and ask her, you know? But I’m not so sure that respect is reciprocated. Across the board, I mean! Not that I have an alternative lifestyle that needs to be respected. Uh, not that being gay is an alternative lifestyle. Well, you know what I mean.” Rob shook his head and ran a hand through his hair.
Ana looked at him curiously then glanced at Rhonda. “Hmm… she’s got good taste in women, I’ll give her that.”
The rest of the guests arrived within the hour, and by late afternoon, Rob’s house was alive with music, drinking, and swimming. Ana spent most of the afternoon sunbathing with the occasional dive in the pool to cool off. Before darkness set in, the attendance tapered off a bit as several guests began to gather their things and leave. Rhonda had gotten dressed and was sitting at one of the tables alone, engrossed in what appeared to be a text conversation. Stephanie was nowhere in sight. Quickly scanning the pool area, Ana noticed that Rob wasn’t around either. Maybe he was in the bathroom or just seeing some guests off. She gave it a good five minutes before her unrelenting curiosity made her go searching.
She wandered through the large house, a sick feeling growing in her stomach. While she definitely had trust issues that needed to be addressed, she really didn’t suspect that Rob was up to anything cagey. However, she didn’t trust Stephanie. She had learned over the years to listen to her gut. The alarms didn’t always sound, but when they did, they were usually right. After making a final pass through the top floor, she decided to head back outside. He was probably already out there wondering where she was.
As she walked by the last room in the hallway, she heard voices. It was hard to tell where they were coming from, so she peeked in the room and happened to notice the window was open. As she approached it, she recognized Rob’s voice right away. It sounded as though he was in a heated conversation with someone. Ana looked out the window and saw him standing with the bitch.
“Obviously I haven’t made myself clear. I’m not doing this anymore Stephanie. You’re on your own.”
“You know what Rob? That’s fine. I expected this from you.”
“What the hell does that mean?” Rob snapped.
“You’re weak. I thought we were a team, that we were going to get through this together. Obviously I was wrong. And by the way, you’re in way over your head with Ana.”
Rob grunted. “You know what Stephanie? Get the hell out of here. I’m done with this shit!” He threw his hands up and walked off. Stephanie couldn’t stop herself from adding a little fuel to the fire.
“She’ll break your heart, dump you when she realizes what you’re all about. You mark my words.” Rob didn’t appear to be playing her game, though. He kept walking around the side of the house as Ana stood there in a stupor staring out the window, wondering what that conversation was all about. If only she had gone looking for him sooner, maybe she could have heard the whole thing. It almost sounded as though they were breaking up again, but it was possible they were discussing something else.
Ana’s head was swirling in a whirlwind of thoughts. She rushed downstairs and ran into the bathroom. She wasn’t ready to face Rob yet. Just some time to gather her wits, splash some cold water on her face, and she’d be fine.
Knock, knock…
“Ana, is that you in there?” Rob asked.
Shit. “Yeah, I’ll be right out,” she replied.
“Okay. Stephanie and Rhonda are leaving. They just wanted to say good-bye.”
I’d like to punch her good-bye. I’d start by putting my hair in a ponytail, taking my earrings out, and slipping on my ass-whooping boots. Then I’d grab her by the hair, give it a good yank…
“I’ll tell her you’ll be right out, okay sweetheart?”
“Yep!” A short, quick response was the best she could do under the circumstances. Ana tended to get a little worked up when she was pissed. But really, she was harmless. She would never pick a fight, but she would stand up for herself if backed into a corner. And she wasn’t afraid to speak up. But for Rob’s sake, she would keep her mouth shut. At least until she had a chance to talk to him and find out what their conversation was all about.
Once back at the pool, Ana saw Rob at the bar talking to Carl. Stephanie and Rhonda were standing at the gate. Not waiting for Ana to approach, Stephanie came up and gave her a brief hug. Ana stood there in a stupor. She looked over at Rob, and he appeared surprised as well, his mouth gaping wide open. It occurred to her that he might be worried about what Stephanie was saying, but his feet remained firmly planted.
“Ana, I just wanted to thank you for a lovely party. I’m sure you helped a lot, and, well, I just have to tell you—I’ve watched Rob over these last few weeks and he just seems so… happy. I’m so glad he has you.” As Stephanie spoke, she rubbed her hands up and down Ana’s arms. It made Ana cringe, and she had to fight the urge to pull away from her.
“Thank you, Stephanie,” she choked. “Rhonda, it was very nice to meet you. Please be safe driving home.”
Stephanie forged a smile. “You be safe too, dear.”
“Always.” Ana gave a sultry spin and dove into the pool with the grace of an Olympian.
* * * * *
That evening, after the last of the guests had left, Ana went around the pool, picking up bottles and empty cups. Rob approached her from behind, wrapping his arms around her waist.
“Don’t do that. I’ll get it in the morning.”
Ana quickly pulled away from him.
“What is it? You’ve been distant all night,” he said.
“Nothing. I just wanted to get some of this picked up.” Ana wanted to approach the subject of the conversation she overheard, but she wasn’t sure how. This was such unfamiliar territory to her.
“You don’t have to do it at all. I told you I’d get it in the morning. Why don’t we go inside and have naked movie time?” He slid the silky strap of her bikini down, softly kissing her shoulder.
“I was thinking about going home tonight.” Rob wrinkled his brow at Ana’s words. “I’ve been here almost every night this week. I have finals to study for,” she added, then turned around and continued cleaning.
“Well, you’re not going to get any studying done tonight. I can take you home in the morning.” Rob’s reply was met with silence. Taking the bag out of her grip, he turned her to face him.
“Okay, what is going on? This isn’t like you. Talk to me,” he demanded.
“Fine.” Ana returned his hard gaze and saw her own reflection mirrored in his eyes, fearful and unsure. “What is going on with you and Stephanie?”
Rob took a step back and cocked his head. “What makes you think something is going on?”
“Earlier, when you disappeared for a while, I went looking for you. I heard the two of you talking in the yard. You told her that she was on her own, and then she said she thou
ght you two were a team. She said I would break your heart?” Ana fell into one of the chairs, and Rob sank into the lounge next to her, releasing an exasperated sigh.
“Ana, I know how this looks, but sweetheart, it’s just work stuff. There’s been a lot going on and Stephanie has done some things that… that I simply don’t agree with. And obviously you threaten her on some level, I don’t know. Maybe she’s jealous.”
“What work stuff? Tell me. I’m in business school, you know. It’s not like I’m a total ignoramus.”
“I know… it’s just that… honestly, I don’t want to get into it right now. I told you, Stephanie has changed from the person she once was. Her behavior lately has been unscrupulous. To be honest, I’m doing a little digging myself, trying to get a better grip on the way she’s acting. I think our company might be in trouble, and I’m not sure she can be counted on to avert any damages. She might even be involved in something illegal, I don’t know. But frankly, I’m worried.” Rob placed a hand on Ana’s leg. “But let me assure you, nothing—and I mean nothing—is going on with me and Steph. That thought shouldn’t even cross your mind. I would never cheat on you, and I will never go back to her.”
Ana felt relieved by his assurance. “Could she fire you?”
“Yes, she could fire me, but she wouldn’t do that. She knows I’m too valuable. As far as the company is concerned, this storm isn’t passing as I thought it would, at least according to Stephanie. But I’m not sure I can trust her judgment, which is why I’m taking matters into my own hands.”
Ana reached out and stroked his face. “I’m sorry. I had no idea things were so crazy. Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I didn’t want to burden you with this shit. Plus, I’m not used to having someone to unload on.”
“You can always unload on me. I want to know what’s going on in your life, okay? That’s important to me. If we can’t talk about these things, then what’s the point?” Rob grinned in acknowledgment then briefly looked away, his smile fading in a sea of silence.
“Do you want to go inside now and have naked movie time?” she asked, pulling his hands to her thighs. Without waiting for an answer, she pulled off her swimsuit and strolled casually into the house.
Thirteen
Rob was no lawyer, but he was judicious enough to know that something wasn’t right with this whole assignment Stephanie had put him on. Multiple attempts at uncovering information had failed. He had even begged Stephanie to let him come forward to Ana and simply ask whatever she needed to know. But she insisted that things be done her way.
Several weeks ago, he showed up on a Saturday hoping to have the place to himself and uncover something. It proved to be a futile attempt as Stephanie’s office had been locked. When he and Ana finally made love that night, he knew he was in deep. He was falling in love with her. By then he was acutely aware of the probability that Stephanie was manipulating him, but how could he tell Ana that? Today, he would find a way to get to her desk when she wasn’t around. Someone had deliberately kept Ana’s family and legacy a secret from her, and he was bound and determined to find out why.
Rob decided the best way to do this was to wait for her to go to lunch. Usually she would grab something at the cafeteria and bring it back to her office, working right through. All week, he had paid careful attention to what time she left and how long she was gone. The shortest length of time was seven minutes and the longest was ten. If he could run in as soon as she left, he was confident that four or five minutes was all he needed to find something important, if anything was there to be found.
Carl Dunlap’s office was right next to hers. He could think up an excuse to go visit him before Stephanie’s usual lunchtime then he could sneak in as soon as she left. It worked like a charm. Stephanie headed out at 12:35 and told her secretary she would be back from the cafeteria momentarily. Now was his chance. He excused himself from Carl’s and walked into Stephanie’s office, pulling the door closed quietly behind him.
Sifting through the mountain of paperwork on Stephanie’s desk at warp speed was harder than he had predicted. He had no idea what he was looking for, but he had a hunch he would know it if he saw it.
He glanced at his watch—three minutes had passed and still nothing. He tried quickly to log on to her computer, but of course she had changed her password since they were together. He attempted with several guesses—important dates, family names, but no luck.
Four minutes… Dammit! If she found him in here, he wouldn’t be able to explain away what he was doing.
Finally, he came across the folder he had given her a while back. When he opened it, he saw all the sheets of paper he had taken notes on but came across something else that caught his attention. He read over it carefully as it was obviously something that had been drafted and signed by one of the company’s attorneys, none other than Carl Dunlap himself, as well as William Ross. Once he realized what was going on, he was shocked. He had known Stephanie a long time and never would have predicted she would stoop so low.
It looked as though Stephanie might have started the whole hostile takeover rumor just to get what she needed from Rob. She knew he was dedicated, loyal, and overly trusting. She was certain he would do whatever she asked in order to protect Signify, especially if he thought the company was in danger of collapsing.
From the papers in the folder, Rob discovered that Ana’s father had left a trust for her, allowing her to assume full control of it and all assets on her twenty-second birthday. There were other documents as well. Several pages of what appeared to be bank statements and quarterly statements from the trust. Also, someone had been making regular withdrawals from the account.
Six minutes…shit…
As he quickly sifted through the rest of the folder, several items fell to the floor. He looked down and saw Ana’s social security card and birth certificate. How the hell did she get that? He hadn’t taken them from Ana, so Stephanie must have sent for replacements. Jesus Christ… had she stolen Ana’s identity to borrow against the trust? If so, he had helped her. He was fucked. As the realization of what she had done was just starting to sink in, he looked up and saw Stephanie standing in the doorway. He never even heard her come in.
“Rob? What the hell are you doing?”
It was too late. He knew he wasn’t going to be able to walk away from this. “I think the more appropriate question is what the hell are you doing—and why?”
Stephanie stormed over to him and snatched the folder out of his grasp. “That’s none of your goddam business! Now get out!”
Rob calmly stood up from the chair and looked Stephanie square in the eyes. “This is reprehensible, even for you, Steph. And to think, there was a time I would have done anything for you. You used me to steal Ana’s identity and her money? How much did you get? Jesus, please tell me you didn’t clean her out!”
“I got enough to keep this company from going under, and that’s all you need to know,” Stephanie snapped.
“Is that what you’re going with? You did it for the company?” Rob rubbed his temples. He was starting to get a headache.
“It’s not what I’m going with. It’s the truth!” Stephanie suddenly changed her facial expression. It was as if another personality took over. She calmly placed the folder, along with her salad, on the desk, shifting her focus to Rob and setting her hands on his chest.
“Look,” she said softly, running her hands up and down his shirt. “I know things didn’t work out with us, but I had no idea you cared for me so deeply.” She started to undo his tie then continued as Rob stared at her with contempt.
“The truth is, I did this for us. I still care about you a lot. Ana is an innocent victim in all this. She has no idea about the trust, so how can she miss something she doesn’t even know exists? We could live a very comfortable life with this money. Next month, when she turns twenty-two, we can take the money and go somewhere far away, the South Pacific maybe. Wouldn’t that be wonderful darling, just
the two of us on a remote island where no one could ever find us?” She let her hand wander down to his crotch, but before she could make contact, Rob stopped her. He knew she was just buttering him up, manipulating him further. She didn’t give a damn about him.
“I’m not going anywhere with you. I’m putting an end to this right now.” Rob turned to leave the office.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” Stephanie barked.
Rob paused long enough to challenge her with a look of steel then walked out. He had to get in touch with Ana before Stephanie could take more from her than she already had.
* * * * *
Rob rushed to his car where he called Ana from his cell. She didn’t answer, so he left a message for her to call him as soon as she could. He tossed his phone aside and tried absorbing all that he had just learned. He couldn’t believe that he had been so stupid as to trust Stephanie.
Ana was supposed to inherit ten million dollars next month. How could she not know about this? And how was Stephanie able to pull all this off? Carl must have been helping her. He was the trustee, after all. There’s no way she could have done something of this magnitude on her own. Furthermore, was Signify even in trouble? Was she really stealing Ana’s money for the company? None of this made any sense, and he didn’t know how he was going to get the answers he needed. Stephanie would fire him at this point for sure. She wasn’t going to keep a traitor around. He would probably never find out the truth.
He had to tell Ana what was going on. He had glanced so quickly at the bank statements he wasn’t able to determine how much she had stolen so far. He could only hope that whatever she did take didn’t amount to anything grossly significant.
It occurred to him that when all was said and done, Stephanie would probably be going to jail for a very long time. And with his involvement, he probably wouldn’t escape some form of retribution himself. He felt as though he deserved it. He only hoped that Ana could find some way to forgive him. He couldn’t bear the thought of losing her in all of this. He had to get to her soon.
