Chapter 31

 

Sandy reached into her freezer, spatula in hand as she tried to scrape a stubborn hunk of ice off the uppermost wire shelf.

“Sorry about this,” she said to Mary. “Everyone in the nation has frost-free freezers now, but I inherited this one from my grandmother … and it really does keep food better than the other kind.”

She wore stretch capris and an old T-shirt with the logo of a charity Fun Run she’d done a dozen years ago, and a headband held her hair away from her face.

“It’s just a pain in the neck those couple times a year when I have to defrost the thing.” The ice fell off in a chunk. She picked it up and plopped it into a plastic mixing bowl. “Almost done. Anyway, you were able to get into Holbrook Plumbing’s records?”

Mary perched on a stool at the kitchen counter and watched her friend through the open door to Sandy’s small utility room. “Getting in was the easy part. I thought I was home free—the place was quiet when I got ready to leave—until I opened the door. Debbie was standing right there, right by the sales counter.”

Sandy’s eyes went wide.

“I just kind of melted back into the storeroom and hoped neither she nor the guy she was talking to had seen the movement. I guess they didn’t because they kept on talking. I thought that conversation would go on forever but, finally, they walked to the back. I guess they went into Debbie’s office. I tell you, my heart was pounding so hard I’m surprised they didn’t hear it.”

“Mary, it sounds pretty chancy.” Sandy dumped the bowl of ice clumps into the sink. She noticed the folders Mary was pulling from her backpack. “But it looks like you got some reports?”

“Yeah, the financial records from the past four years. Judging from the two years when I was there with an eye on the business, I don’t think things look quite right. I’d love for you to take a look, especially in the banking sections.”

“Sure.” Sandy carried an old towel, saturated with water, to the kitchen sink where she wrung it out. “I shouldn’t be much longer at this job.”

“No rush. Since I couldn’t make copies of the documents with no one the wiser, I darn sure don’t intend to break back in and put them away. Keep them as long as you want.”

“You sure? Will it look bad to the court that you got these papers without permission?”

“Does it look worse to the court that Clint basically embezzled from our company and that he lied to the attorneys about it at the time of the divorce?”

Sandy had to admit Clint’s crimes were the greater of the two evils. She stepped to Mary’s side and looked at the folder on the countertop.

“For instance, right here where it shows the gross sales for year before last.” Mary pointed at the line item on the profit sheet. “I know, I mean I’m virtually certain we had about double that amount of sales.”

She flipped to the balance sheet. “And this—the cash in the bank at year end. It’s way off. I remember being shocked when Clint’s attorney presented these figures, but I guess I was too stunned to argue. I can’t believe I just sat there in that meeting and let him get away with it.”

“Do you have any proof to the contrary?”

Mary’s expression looked bleak. “I don’t think so. I don’t know. There was some paperwork that I stashed away when I moved out of the house. I left a few boxes with a friend. I’ll see when I can go by there and get them. We might find something.”

“Well, from what I remember of the tidbits Amber has come up with, I’d say this is suspicious. Clint moved a lot more money than this between his banks, and if he didn’t earn it here, where did all that cash come from?”

“Exactly.” Mary seemed mollified. “Thank you for believing me.”

Sandy put an arm around her shoulders. “Why wouldn’t I believe you? Clint’s the guy I don’t trust one bit.”

“Sad to say, but I’ve lost all faith in that man. Let’s just hope the judge is willing to take a serious look at all of it.”

The phone rang as Sandy went back to her dripping freezer. “Can you get that?”

Mary picked it up and looked at the caller ID. “Hey, Gracie. How are things on the other side of the world?”

“Mary! You’re at Sandy’s house?” Gracie took a deep breath. “Well, I’ve been in acting classes for two days.”

“Seriously?”

Sandy came in, drying her hands on a towel.

“I’m putting you on speaker so we can all talk,” Mary said. She handed the phone over to Sandy, looking a little out of her depth with the buttons on the unfamiliar phone. In a moment Gracie’s voice came into the room.

“So—acting?” Mary asked.

Gracie laughed. “Not actual classes—just whatever Pen and Amber decided to throw at me.” She went on to explain that the next day she would be tailing Kaycie Marlow, in the guise of being her escort, as she went in for surgery. “You should see my disguise. Well, actually, you can’t because it’s a surprise for the others tomorrow morning.”

“Sounds exciting compared to what we’re doing,” Mary said. “Going through paperwork to figure out how my slimy ex managed to keep two sets of books without my ever figuring it out. I tell you, water torture is too kind a treatment for that man.” She cleared her throat. “Never mind. Tell me what kind of place Kaycie Marlow is trusting her life to. Sorry, but having elective surgery in Shanghai sounds pretty iffy to me.”

“Oh, you should see this place, Beautiful Life Haven it’s called. The facility is huge. You walk into a reception area where you see nothing but gorgeous women—and some men—sitting around a large room on very modern couches. It’s all done in soft colors, gray and pink with touches of sage. Once you pass through these double doors there’s a whole warren of offices and rooms, doctors’ offices and meeting rooms. Mirrors, nice furniture, plants.”

“Is this doctor super wealthy or what?”

“It’s way more than one doctor. I counted at least five, all milling around, each with a half-dozen assistants. I was worried about walking in there pretending to be an employee, but I don’t think anyone will know. A bunch of the assistants are foreigners—Americans and Europeans—since that’s where a lot of the clients come from. I was posing as a potential client and met with a ‘beauty expert’ who sat me in front of a mirror in a room with this ultra-clear lighting. When I said I was thinking of having my nose done, she tried to upsell me on eyelids, cheekbones and jawline.”

“Ugh, that sounds creepy.”

“I suppose. But the lady herself was so beautiful and she had such a friendly manner. You come away feeling that you want to be exactly like her.”

“Gracie …”

“Me? No way would I sign up for that stuff. All I have to do is get Kaycie in there tomorrow.”

“Isn’t she worried about being recognized—being sort of a celebrity?”

“Well, for one thing, no one over here knows who she is. But they’ve thought of that. There are private entries and exits for the day patients on the opposite side of the building. A lot of them opt to stay in the adjoining spa facility where they have private rooms and nursing care in addition to pampering beyond belief. They assure the clients no one will see them until every bandage and bruise is gone.”

Mary and Sandy exchanged a long look.