by David Harder
As soon as Nate placed his empty drink on the table, the glass was replaced by a fresh martini. In one swift, soundless transfer, the waiter exchanged the two glasses and then vaporized into thin air. Arleen sat quietly, waiting and watching Nate’s movements. She was accustomed to having men act foolishly around her because of her attractive looks. Nate took a sip and set the glass down. The warming consequences of the vodka soothed Nate’s apparent nervousness.
Folding his hands, he propped his elbows on the table while tapping his clasped hands to his lips. He was looking for the right words to start their conversation. Their private dinner was suddenly interrupted.
“Bonsoir, Mademoiselle Chenair.”
A well-dressed gentleman stopped beside the table. He took Arleen’s hand and kissed it; then the two began a lively conversation in French. Nate could swear he heard Jim Kreider’s name mentioned, especially noting Arleen also reflected an instant sadness. Nate suspected the gentleman was an acquaintance or colleague. The man then turned, facing Nate.
“Monsieur, I am Paien and the owner of this restaurant.” He held out his hand.
Nate stood and noticed he was a good six inches taller than Paien. As is customary in the military, Nate introduced himself by his formal name and title.
“Nathanial Martin, vice president of sales and marketing for Tynedex Corporation.” Nate extended his arm and firmly shook hands, ensuring he produced a firm grip as a sign of authority.
Paien smiled. “It is a pleasure, Mr. Martin. Please enjoy your dinner. And may I recommend the lobster? They were flown in this morning and appear excellent.”
“Thank you. It’s a pleasure meeting you as well and thanks for the recommendation.”
“Magnificent. A bottle of Chardonnay will be delivered with your meal, compliments of the house. Bon appétit.”
“Thank you again.”
The gentleman turned to Arleen, and the two exchanged pleasantries in French before he walked away.
“I’ll assume you’ve been here previously?”
Arleen smiled. “It is our favorite restaurant. James and I dined here many times.”
Nate slowly nodded. “I’m not seeking to ruin your testimony during our meeting at the lawyer’s office because, quite frankly, I’m anxious to hear about your relationship with Jim. Our discussion tonight concerns Jim, but purely from a business perspective. Are you comfortable speaking about this matter?”
“But, of course. James and I were close, but we were also business associates. I have no problem separating the two.”
Nate thought differently, given Arleen’s earlier reactions in Tony’s office. Nonetheless, Nate decided to navigate tonight’s conversation with caution. Nate selected a non-threatening approach.
“How familiar are you with Jim’s business activities when he was working in Europe?”
Arleen took her time to respond. “Are you interested in whether or not James was a trustworthy employee?”
Nate was surprised by her straightforwardness. He reassured Arleen, “I trusted Jim implicitly. What I’m asking is if Jim discussed company business with you and to what degree?”
Again, Arleen took her time to respond.
“I suspect you have a motive for these questions, Monsieur?”
This time, Nate delayed his response, looking for the correct language. It was evident Arleen loved Jim by her defense of his honor. Nate decided to cut to the chase and alleviate her concerns. “Arleen, I liked Jim Kreider and had absolute trust in his business demeanor, but it has come to my attention that Jim’s expense reports were not matching his expense receipts. Fortunately, the numbers were resolved by the end of each quarter, and it raised no suspicions in our finance department.”
Arleen frowned. “Exactly what are you asking, Nate?”
Waiters suddenly appeared with dinner, interrupting their conversation. The two guests sat quietly as four service staff hovered near their small table. As quickly as they had appeared, the staff evaporated and was gone. Nate smiled, and Arleen politely responded in kind. As Nate began to pick up their conversation, another figure loomed over their table.
“Ah, magnificent, I see your bottle of Chardonnay arrived. The lobster is flash-broiled in distilled water and Moroccan spices, bathed in butter, and served over a bed of crisp chard. The green beans are fresh from an organic farm and picked daily. The petite potatoes au gratin are smothered in a buttery hollandaise sauce, created years ago by my family, and topped with fresh cilantro and lemon. Bon appétit.”
Before Nate could thank Paien, the owner vanished from their sight. For the next forty-five minutes, Nate and Arleen enjoyed their dinner with idle chatter. Nate picked up the bottle of Chardonnay, attempting to read the label.
“The wine is from the Alsace-Lorraine region, near my parent’s home. It is a limited selection with availability to certain respected clients.”
“It’s excellent and complements the lobster quite nicely. I taste a hint of butter, peach, and citrus. The finish is amazingly smooth.”
Arleen smiled, casting her eyes downward. “The winery has served royalty since King Louis the seventh in the early 1200s.”
“Are you serious? That’s amazing. Nothing in America comes close to the kind of history you’re describing.”
Again, she smiled. “Nate, earlier you mentioned some issues with James’ accounting.” Arleen frowned as if trying to understand the meaning of Nate’s comments.
The service staff arrived and whisked the finished dinner plates away, clearing the table. Nate was impressed—not only by their efficiency, but also by the quiet speed at which they accomplished their goals. In less than a minute, their table was spotless. Two glasses of aperitif appeared.
“Compliments of Monsieur Paien. Please enjoy.” Then the waiter faded away.
Nate sat up and folded his hands on the table, searching for the correct words, which he suspected would be sensitive ones. “Nothing indicates Jim is in any trouble because all accounting records are free of errors. Please understand. I am not questioning Jim’s loyalty to our firm, or his honesty either.”
“But, there is more?”
Nate nodded, regarding her observations. “But he withdrew large sums of money from the company for traveling expenses.”
Arleen frowned again. “I don’t understand. This seems perfectly reasonable, and I do the same for my expenses.”
“Ah yes, but do you use your personal credit card for your daily expenses or a company credit card?”
“I use both. It depends on the circumstances. Still, I feel there is more to your story, Nate.”
“There is. Jim used the company business card, and he obtained the cash advances. At the end of his travel, he submitted expense reports, indicating he carried the cash advances forward to the next reporting period. Again, perfectly normal, except at the end of each quarter, he would write a personal check back to the company, covering the remaining advance monies. When I compared the receipts, I noted Jim used his own credit card on some occasions and the company card on nearly all the rest. No issues were raised because he submitted expense reports reconciling the monies by the end of each quarter.”
“I’m sorry, Nate, but I don’t understand. What was the problem?”
Nate took a deep breath, realizing his next comment would be difficult. “Jim was in possession of large sums of cash during his travel to Europe. All his other travel was business as usual, except the trips to Europe.” Nate allowed this information to sink in before he proceeded further. “I have no answer to my question, but I’m asking myself why anyone would need large sums of cash for travel to Europe, but not for other places.”
It was evident Arleen was processing Nate’s accusations. “How much money are you talking about, Nate?”
Nate was slightly uncomfortable with the disclosure. “This is a rough estimate, but all total? Between eighty and ninety thousand dollars.”
Nate watched Arleen carefully, observing her eye movements an
d facial expressions. The blood in Arleen’s face slowly drained away, and her pupils widened. She maintained her composure, but it was apparent to Nate that she knew something. Nate waited patiently.
Arleen’s nostrils flared as she took a deep breath. “I see.”
For a long, uncomfortable time, the two people studied each other in silence. No one moved a muscle. It was apparent that Arleen would not readily disclose what she knew. Acting unconcerned, she opened her purse and pulled out a makeup mirror, applying a fresh coating of lipstick to her pouty lips. Arleen picked up her aperitif glass and sipped.
Nate remained calm and tried to keep his facial expression in a neutral, non-judgmental state. He knew she would be saying something, but he could see she was searching for the exact words to start. Nate sat very still.
“In our village, where I grew up, was a boy a few years older than me. For as long as I can remember, he and I were great friends, but I held a secret crush on Robert.”
Arleen took another sip of her aperitif.
“On the day of my sixteenth birthday, he and I spent the afternoon walking and talking. When we stopped, our path brought us to a small creek that emptied into a lake within the forest. Without a thought, we undressed and played like children in the cool water. It was fun, and I was enjoying my time with Robert.
“We laid in the sun, warming our bodies, when suddenly our passions took charge. It was my first time with a man, and I experienced emotions and feelings, unlike anything I had ever known. I was only sixteen, but Robert was twenty-five.” Arleen blushed as she said, “You can imagine what happened next.
“One week later, I was devastated when I saw him with a woman from his college, and they were kissing passionately. When I caught his eye, he smiled and then whispered something into the woman’s ear. They both started laughing. I was humiliated and embarrassed. It broke my heart.
“Over the rest of the summer and into the fall, I noticed my body changing, and I was slowly gaining weight. Assuming it was a natural progression of my age, I dieted and was able to slow the progress. In reality, I had no idea why my body was undergoing these changes. About six months after our time in the forest, I could no longer keep my tummy flat, so I started wearing loose clothing to hide the changes.
“One day, I was standing in front of my mirror in the bedroom, admiring my body and the roundness of my tummy. I was fascinated with how I was changing, and I was unaware that my mother was watching me through a crack in the door. Suddenly, she burst into my room, filled with rage.
“Walking straight over, she slapped me so hard, it left a bright red imprint of her hand on my face. She then called me the worst names she could think of. I was speechless because my parents had never struck me before. I was ashamed and cried. She locked me in my room until my father came home.
“For the next several weeks, I was kept a prisoner in the house and not allowed to leave. About the eighth month, I experienced stabbing pains in my belly and cried out for my mother. My parents loaded me into their car, and we drove for several hours to a place I had never visited. I spent most of the time in the back seat, moaning and writhing in pain.
“It was dark when we arrived, and it was an old building. A man appeared at my side and injected me with a needle; and from that point forward, I could not remember anything. When I awoke the next day, my body was in tremendous pain, and I found fourteen stitches running down my belly.”
Arleen was trembling slightly as she took another sip of her aperitif. Nate reached across the small table and held Arleen’s hands, waiting patiently.
“I never saw the child. I didn’t know if it was a girl or a boy. I was so confused. For weeks, whenever I heard a baby cry, I would soak the front of my blouse with milk, which only increased my embarrassment. Later, my parents sent me to a boarding school, where I spent the next several years. I was able to visit my parents during Christmas and occasional weekends in the summer.
“When I turned twenty, I was sent to college. My parents never discussed my situation again and acted as if nothing ever happened. Years later, I approached my parents, seeking any information concerning the incident, but they refused to even acknowledge I gave birth to a child. For them, it never existed, and no one I considered a friend in the village would discuss the situation either.”
“What happened to Robert?”
Arleen pursed her lips. “He was killed in a tragic auto accident the year after our encounter. I never told him about the child.”
“I’m truly sorry, Arleen.”
Beyond these four words, Nate was at a loss. To look at this beautiful woman, one would never guess she had experienced such devastation. Then, suddenly, like the fog lifting from a bay, Nate grasped the situation with Arleen and Jim. Nate’s expression became serious.
“Was Jim using the money to help you locate your child?”
Arleen jumped to her feet. “If you’ll excuse me, I need to visit the lady’s room.”
Astonished, Nate stood and watched Arleen strut across the room. Moments later, Mr. Paien appeared, and two cups of café au lait were set down on the table.
“Is everything alright, Monsieur?
Nate sat down and smiled. “Of course, thank you. Excellent meal, Mr. Paien, and thank you again for the lovely bottle of Chardonnay.”
“My pleasure, Monsieur.”
The next fifteen minutes dragged by slowly, while Nate kept scanning the room. He was certain Arleen would not be returning and decided it was best to settle his bill and go home. When he looked around for his waiter, a silver tray instantly appeared under Nate’s arm.
“I’ll take care of your bill whenever you’re ready, Monsieur.”
Nate reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out the papers from his office, laying them on the table. He then took out his wallet, retrieving the corporate credit card, and set it on the tray. The waiter disappeared. When Nate looked up, he was shocked to see Arleen seated across the table.
“Is it time for us to leave?”
“Well, to be honest, I wasn’t sure you’d be returning.”
“Oh, Nate, you must not be so sensitive. I needed some time alone, so I could think. Now, what were we talking about?”
“I asked if you knew Jim was using the money to help you find your child.” Nate’s response was a bit chilly.
“I thought James was using his personal money to assist me. I had no idea he was using corporate funds, and I certainly didn’t know how much money was involved. Are you absolutely confident about the amounts?”
The waiter reappeared with the silver tray, requesting Nate’s signature. Nate hurriedly signed the receipt and handed it back.
“Pardon, Monsieur, would you have my café cup warmed for me? I’m afraid it’s become cold during my absence.”
“No problem, Madam.” The waiter snatched the cup from the table and again disappeared.
Arleen’s innuendo did not escape Nate. He picked up the papers off the table and held them out for Arleen. She began perusing the papers. Stopping, Arleen looked up, amazed.
“Au sérieux? Nate, this is a lot of money!”
“And you had no idea?”
“None.”
“I believe you. Do you know where the money was being spent?”
“Not specifically, but I believe James hired a private investigator to help me find my child. The French government would not assist in locating the child, even when I showed them the box of letters I had written over the years to this unknown child.”
“I hope for your sake that you were successful.”
Arleen’s face brightened. “Not at first, but yes, eventually.”
“I see.”
Nate didn’t really understand and only spoke those words because they seemed appropriate. Even though Nate was divorced and remarried, he could not relate to Arleen’s situation. Nate and his first wife had grown distant as they added two children. Unfortunately, Nate’s career was more important than family, and he had allo
wed his work to take priority over everything else.
On one occasion, Nate was traveling on business for two weeks and returned home to find a moving van parked in the driveway. After supporting her husband through a well-connected military career, Nate’s wife was tired of playing second fiddle. She had loaded the vehicle, grabbed the two children, and headed for the car just as Nate walked to the front door. She stopped momentarily and handed an envelope to Nate.
She kissed him on the cheek and said, “Goodbye, darling. I left your favorite in the fridge.”
Nate watched the car drive down the street and turn the corner, followed by the moving van. In a fit of anger, Nate had crumpled her unopened envelope and tossed it into the rose bushes. Proceeding into his now-empty house, Nate found two cold six-packs of beer in the fridge and began drinking the bottles until they were all empty. After passing out, Nate awoke the next morning in a panic, vaguely remembering the events of the day earlier. Dashing for the front door, Nate shred his arms trying to fish the crumpled envelope out of the rose thorns.
Unfortunately, the sprinklers had started early in the morning, so now the envelope was soggy. Nate carefully opened four pages of handwritten notes filled with anger and hurts dating back twenty-seven years.
Despite their differences, Nate and his ex-wife eventually became good friends. In fact, Nate and his ex’s new husband became even closer friends. Nate had remarried, and the two couples spent many holidays and occasional summer vacations together. Nate had maintained a healthy relationship with his son and daughter, and everyone treated each other with open respect. Nate’s second wife was a career-driven executive, who seemed to enrich their relationship. Nate could not relate to Arleen’s situation, and to confess he understood her struggles made him feel guilty. It was a lie.
“Arleen, I owe you an apology.”