chapter 90
SAMANTHA SAT QUIETLY at her desk in a state of mild shock after the three old men explained the current situation. She would not have believed them if she hadn’t been in the Kroger meetings. After a long silence, she stood when there was a knock at her outer-office door. She walked to her coffeepot and filled a Styrofoam cup on her way to answer the door. The three men watched.
When she opened it, a middle-aged man gawked back, nervously asking, “Where’d the marriage counselor move to?”
“Are you really having marriage problems?”
“She was good to…you know…talk to.”
Sam handed him the cup of coffee, saying, “It’s black, just like your eyes will be when your wife finds out what you’re doing. Go down to the lobby and drink it, and think about what you’ll lose if your wife finds out that you’ve been cheating on her.” Samantha slammed the door and marched back into her office, where the old men were wild-eyed. “Men,” she said in disgust.
“Half,” Bernard said.
“Excuse me?”
“You lose half of everything in a divorce…I’ve lost half of everything three times. That’s why I’m so broke I can’t pay attention.”
Sebastian snickered, and everyone shifted in their chairs while Sam coldly looked them each in the eyes. When she got to Walter, she said, “Just so I understand, the money we were gonna give back to Kroger is gone?”
Walter, knowing his tail could be in a crack, sighed and said, “Yes.”
“And yet somehow, the three of you managed to lay your hands on nearly a million more dollars without getting caught or killed.”
Bernard smiled proudly and answered while Walter and Sebastian groaned. “That’s why we’re here. We want you to do some investigatin’ to see if you can find where Bailey Worden is. We know she’s got it.”
“You’ve been watching too many Perry Mason reruns. I’m not an investigator,” she informed them.
“Can’t you hire one?” Bernard asked.
“And pay him with what?”
“When we find the money, there will be plenty,” Sebastian said hopefully.
“Guys, I’m afraid y’all may be close to getting in some serious trouble.”
Nobody said a word. They all looked at the floor. To Sam they looked like three grade-schoolers in the principal’s office.
“Where on earth did y’all steal the money, and who’s Bailey Worden?”
“Is this…what’s the word?” Sebastian asked.
“Privileged,” Sam almost screamed. “And whether I like it or not, I’m your attorney. So, yes, sir, what you tell me is privileged and will remain confidential. Now, tell me everything. Start at the beginning.”