Chapter 5

 

Details emerged in bursts, the first one in a rather startling manner.

“It’s Kaycie Marlow,” Mary announced.

“What! The blondie-chick weather babe from Channel 3? That’s his trophy?” Amber’s mouth actually hung open. “The girl can’t even read the teleprompter without moving her eyes back and forth. Meteorologist? What a joke—she probably can’t even spell the word.”

Mary gave a gentle smile. “Surely she’s not quite that dumb.”

“Oh, I didn’t mean to say your ex would—”

“No, no, it’s fine. I’d like to think I have some qualities which surpass her perfect little face and cascades of golden hair.” Mary picked at a cuticle. “But you can see why it’s a little intimidating to compare myself to her.”

Sandy put up one hand. “Mary, we’re not even going there. No bit-by-bit comparisons. The truth is you supported your husband and helped build his business to a level of financial success. There is no justification for the way he and Kaycie Marlow treated you.”

The others jumped in to agree.

“Okay, let’s take down those names and addresses. Anything and anyone you can think of who might help us figure out where the money went.” Gracie held her pen poised to make notes.

“Well, to start with, there’s the bookkeeper who took over my position at the office when I had to leave,” Mary began. “Two of the business accounts normally had better than six-figure balances, but I realize I can’t get a judge to listen on my word alone. I need proof. I’d already thought of simply going to the office one night, letting myself in and finding the financial statements, but my key didn’t work anymore. He’d actually changed the locks.”

Gracie and Amber exchanged a secretive little smile. Sandy didn’t want to ask what that was about.

“I guess finding the new locks was the point where I realized he wasn’t welcoming me back into the business.” Mary seemed wistful for a moment. She took a deep breath. “We could check out a couple of his buddies from Stardust Resort where he plays golf—he might have confided something to one of them.”

Gracie wrote notes in her book; Amber was tapping away on her iPad.

“What about neighbors, social friends?” Pen asked.

“I don’t know … he seems to have turned most of them against me with his story of how I abandoned him.”

“Yes, but those are the ones he would have bragged to, giving his own justification for why he would move money out of your reach. Think about it.”

“His home,” Pen said. “Most men want their secrets nearby, so he’ll have a safe or a desk or some place at home where he’s locked away account numbers and such. Where is he living now?”

“I actually don’t know. I assumed he’d moved in with her when they got married. I mean, if money was running low … and she makes a good salary …”

Amber stared at the screen on her tablet and said something, which Sandy had to ask her to repeat. “Vandergrift Towers. That’s their address.”

“Seriously?” Gracie peered toward the lighted screen. “Holy crap! It’s one of the most expensive condo complexes in the state.”

Pen gave Mary a firm stare. “Money was not running low—get that through your head right now. What he told you—it’s all poppycock.”

Mary looked as if she’d been punched in the stomach. She reached for the wine bottle and refilled her glass, downing half of it in one gulp. The others exchanged glances and Sandy quietly moved the bottle to the other end of the table. They needed their friend coherent tonight, although no one could argue with the emotions raging through her.

Amber made eye contact again. “Okay, there’s a personal bank account at Scottsdale Bank, although the balance in it at the moment probably wouldn’t cover two months’ rent at the Vandergrift condo … Oh, but look—here’s an account in Barbados with more than a hundred thousand dollars in it.” She gave a devilish smile and turned the tablet toward Mary, whose face hardened when she saw the screen.

“All right, girls,” she said. “This is war.”

Sandy stood. “This is an area I’m very uncomfortable with. As an officer with a major bank I really cannot be privy to this sort of knowledge and shouldn’t even be acquainted with anyone with the hacking skills to learn such things. So, let’s just say that I went into the house to make us a snack. Say that was ten minutes ago and I never heard any of this last bit. And let’s say that when I come back out with a tray of cheeses and crackers, the topic will have turned to things less specific about Mr. Holbrook.” She picked up one empty wine bottle and gave a wink as she left the table.

“Are there more accounts?” Pen asked, once Sandy was out of earshot.

Amber nodded. “Several.”

“I think it’s best if we leave direct knowledge of them to a very small circle—let’s say only Amber and Mary—while the rest of us concentrate on other things. I’ll be happy to see what I might learn from the golfing friends. Benton is a member of the same club, among others, so I’ll have a way to ask around and perhaps make acquaintance.”

“How about if Amber and I check out the offices of Holbrook Plumbing, see if there’s a way into the records,” said Gracie. “I mean, you never know when someone may forget to lock a door or a secretary may leave some vital piece of paper out in plain sight …”

Mary spoke up: “I can surely walk into my old office during the day—say I just wanted to visit everyone.”

Sandy came outside just then with a bowl of salsa and a bag of tortilla chips. “Sorry, I was out of cheese. And this was quicker.” She set the items down. “Mary, I heard your idea about visiting the office and I’m going to suggest against doing it. We already know Clint is able to move money around and he’s certainly not above doing it again to hurt you. A visit would come as a surprise to him right now, since you say you’ve had no contact in almost a year. I think you need to stay out of his sight completely, so as not to alert him that we’re suspicious.”

“I agree,” said Pen. “Let him believe he’s succeeded, that he’s pulled off his shenanigans without being caught.”

The others nodded.

“In fact, we all should be careful about meeting with Mary in public places for awhile. If Clint suspects anything at all—and it could come from a casual mention by an acquaintance such as ‘oh, I saw your ex-wife having lunch with Penelope Fitzpatrick the other day.’ The smallest thing could alert him. Let’s gather facts, put together a case and then surprise him with it.”

“Sandy is right. I’ll consult Benton on this, but I’m fairly certain if you want a judge to reopen your divorce settlement case on the basis of fraud, you’ll need plenty of evidence. It’s too risky to let Clint know what we’re up to.”

“But, I feel like you girls are doing all the work and I won’t be contributing anything,” Mary protested.

Sandy set a hand on her friend’s shoulder. “You will be doing plenty, especially behind the scenes. Plus, you’ve done quite a lot already by giving us the information you provided tonight. For the near future, we’ll limit face-to-face visits to your stopping by the bank to see me. We’ll get you a phone so staying in touch will be easy.”

Gracie looked at her watch. “That’s a beep from hubby, wondering if I’ll be much longer, so I think if we’re set for tonight I’ll take that as my exit cue.” She stood and tucked her notebook into her bag.

Amber, who had been frowning intently at her iPad for the past ten minutes, tapped a couple of times on it and closed the cover. “Me too. Looks like I’ll have a busy day tomorrow.”

Sandy and Mary gathered glasses and the remaining chips to carry indoors. Pen had gone to the powder room and Sandy turned to Mary.

“I have a spare room,” she said, “and I’d really rather you stayed here than going to the—wherever you’ve been staying.”

Mary’s reluctant demeanor returned. “I can’t ask that—”

“You didn’t ask. I offered.”

“I’ll stay at the shelter at least one more night. I have to go back for my clothes and things anyway. And then I’ll let you know tomorrow. I’m going to get a job. If nothing else, you and your friends have given me the hope and confidence to get out there and make something of myself. It’s been two months since Mom died, and it’s ridiculous that I haven’t already taken action.”

Pen emerged from the bathroom in time to hear Mary’s words.

“May I offer an idea?” she said. “A small loan—”

Mary sputtered.

“Only a loan, dear. Only enough to get you into an apartment of your own and get set up with some basic things.” She made a stop motion with one hand. “It’s only practical. You cannot be conducting this sort of business, having these types of private calls from such a public place as a shelter. You need your own place. You’ll get that job quickly, and the loan will be repaid in no time. Really. I’m only looking out for the interests of the entire group.”

“In that case, thank you,” Mary said with tears in her eyes. “Thank you so much. I’m going to contact the owner of a gym where I used to be a member. He was always so nice to me, even after the split with Clint. I’d love to teach self-defense or lead workout classes, but if all he offers is for me to mop the floors, I’ll do it.”

Pen took both of Mary’s hands and squeezed gently. “I do believe there are great things ahead for you.”

As Pen drove away, Sandy turned to her friend. “Are you sure you don’t want a room here for the night?” Privately, she couldn’t see how on earth Mary would be teacher material for a gym, but Pen’s offer for the apartment was nice and eventually something would come along.

Mary shook her head. “I’d feel more comfortable going back, if you don’t mind driving me? I’m pretty sure the buses have quit for the night.”

“Okay. I am going to insist on a stop along the way though.” Sandy picked up her keys and purse.

Mary gave the address of the women’s shelter and Sandy planned the drive so they could stop at a 24-hour Walmart store along the way. A half-hour later, Mary was equipped with a new cell phone and enough prepaid minutes to keep her in contact with the rest of the team for a couple of weeks.

“Add this to my loans to repay,” she said when they were back in the car, although she was beaming as she played with the buttons on the phone.

“It wasn’t much. Consider it a gift.”