It was an impossibly busy day at #GlamSquad.
Several important clients had appointments all around the same time, which meant all hands on deck and Annie spending more time than usual out on the floor instead of in the office.
Unused to being on her feet these days, by the time four o’clock hit she was exhausted and almost ready to go home and collapse into bed when the phone rang.
“Annie, it’s Nick. Can you come over to my office—preferably today? I need to speak with you face-to-face.”
Nick was her business manager of sorts, her friend Gemma’s brother and a financial whiz kid. Annie was thinking of expanding the business and opening a second and possibly even a third salon, and he’d originally agreed to help her look at the best way to finance it all without putting the current operation under pressure.
But he’d recently ended up having to take a more hands-on role by stepping in and taking over the accountancy side when Annie’s previous guy immigrated abroad suddenly.
She checked her watch. “Timing’s not great, Nick. Can’t it wait till tomorrow? I was just about to head off. Anyway, what’s going on?” she teased, her voice light. “You make it all sound so serious.”
“It is, actually. And no, I’m not sure it can wait.”
She sat forward in her seat, all ears. They had an easygoing, almost buddy-like relationship, and she’d never actually heard him sound so serious.
“Hey, what’s going on?”
He sighed heavily. “Well, I’m looking through the accounts for the last three years and I have to tell you, there’s something very wrong.”
Her heart leaped into her throat. “Wrong how?”
“I really think it’ll be easier if you just come here and see for yourself.”
“OK. I’ll try to be with you within the hour.”
“Great. See you then.”
Annie was troubled. She was due to meet with the bank soon to help fund the second premises and thus needed the accounts in order before then.
Nick had only been working on them a wet week. What could possibly be wrong? Business was booming. Every single day they were out the door with clients—exactly the thing that made the idea of a second salon a no-brainer.
Distracted, and still feeling more than a little uneasy, she picked up her mobile and fired off a quick text.
Something unexpected’s come up so I’ll be a bit late. Call me if any issues.
Annie left the salon for the girls to close up later.
She got into her car and headed straight to Nick’s office in nearby Kimmage, meeting some annoying traffic on the way. Half an hour later she was seated in front of his desk.
“So what’s going on?” she demanded, sitting up straight in the chair, unsure what to expect, but bracing herself for a problem.
In her world, there was always a problem.
Nick looked at her, a deeply solemn expression on what was usually an open and smiling face. It was one of the things that had initially made her trust him. And Annie didn’t trust easily.
“I honestly don’t know how to say this...”
“Just spit it out, Nick. I’ve never known you not to speak your mind. And you obviously made me come all the way over here for a reason.”
“It’s not often that I have to tell a client—” his face softened then “—or a friend, what I have to tell you.”
Her stomach knotted afresh. Now he was seriously scaring her. “What do you have to tell me?”
“The business...it’s in trouble, Annie. Serious trouble. Basically, you’re broke. Other than what cash you have in the bank.”
Everything froze. She was sure she’d misheard him. “What did you say? That’s not possible.”
“I’m sorry but it is.”
She sat forward and slapped her hand on his desk. “No, it isn’t. We do a good six figures in turnover a year and have done so for the last three at least. There’s little overhead besides the lease, so profits are very healthy. You’re obviously missing something.”
“I’m not, truly. You mention three good profitable years but as far as the Revenue is concerned, you owe them back taxes for every penny you’ve ever made.”
“What are you talking about? I put aside a huge lump sum for tax every year—I always have. And I’m up to date with staff insurance and pension contributions...”
But Nick was shaking his head and Annie’s heart plummeted again.
He stepped out from behind his desk and perched on the side of her chair. “Your last accountant was obviously creaming the money you set aside for the Revenue. He never paid them a penny, Annie. He’s also messed up your cash flow by being late on supplier invoices and racking up some serious interest.”
Her mind was whirling. “Frank was stealing from me? But how? Why?”
“I’m not entirely sure of all the ins and outs of it just yet. But even a quick look at the numbers and alarm bells started ringing. I waited until I’d spoken to someone at the Revenue office and knew for sure until I involved you. But it would probably explain why he left so suddenly when you got me in to go over the accounts.”
“Oh my God. How much do we owe?” she asked, afraid of the answer. But being a businesswoman was all about facing facts. Not to mention that Annie had never been one to hide away from reality. Better to just face up to it instead of collapsing in a heap about the whys and wheretofores. “And how much cash do we have?”
Nick’s voice was especially somber now. “I’m sorry, Annie. At present, the business owes far more in back taxes, interest, and penalties than it earns. So the short answer is...nothing.”
“Don’t say that!” Her breath hitched and tears began to fill her eyes. Despite her best attempts at keeping her emotions rational and in check, upon hearing this she couldn’t help her despair.
Nothing...
What the fuck had Frank done? And why? He’d come highly recommended, so she’d trusted him to keep the books in order when the salon had become so busy that she could no longer do it.
Granted, she’d had a hard time letting go of the reins initially, but that was understandable. This was her business, her baby. And Frank had messed it up on her—stolen from her, cleaned her out!
Her knuckles went white as she clasped the side of the chair. She’d kill him. She’d track the bastard down, wherever he was, and there’d be hell to pay...
“It’s a horrible situation.” Nick was still talking. “And he obviously scarpered when he knew he’d be found out.”
“This can’t be happening...” Annie whispered, almost to herself. “He can’t get away with this...”
“I know you’re upset and that’s understandable,” Nick soothed, moving to place a comforting hand on her arm. “This is a huge shock to the system—for anyone. But now we need to figure out what happens next.
“The salon owes the taxman a lot of money—everything. Even if you set up a payment plan, with interest and penalties, you’ll be paying it back for years. And the current cash to hand won’t be enough to keep paying the staff or indeed yourself a salary for too much longer.”
A cry left her lips so suddenly it surprised her. “You mean I’m finished? Gone? The salon is finished?”
She didn’t know how to process any of this. She’d worked so hard for so many years to get where she was.
Felicity had trusted her to make something of herself.
Now Annie felt dizzy. It couldn’t be true. All these years, all the work—blood, sweat, long hours, and sacrifice—gone. The shock, confusion, and pure disbelief she was feeling then reminded her of when she’d first heard news of her father’s death all those years ago. This, too, felt like a death.
It couldn’t be happening...
Her mind reeled as she tried to get a handle on the implications of it all.
She wanted to run out of the room, get as far away as she could from Nick’s words and this unfolding nightmare.
But she also knew she couldn’t do that; from what he was telling her, the situation was critical, beyond that, even. There were decisions to be made, plans to make—desperate measures to consider. She didn’t have the luxury of taking off somewhere to cry and lick her wounds.
Nick had made that much very clear.
Still Annie couldn’t escape an all-too-familiar feeling of déjà vu. And that, once again, she’d been let down. As always, just when she thought she’d found something good in life, the ax had to fall.
Story of her life.