by Nick James
She took a long sip of water from the plastic bottle, seemed to study him, and took a deep breath. “Actually five and I’m interviewing for a sixth.”
“What? I thought…”
“Look Bobby, this thing is growing exponentially. I appreciate the fact that you originally presented the idea to me. But, I’ve grown the business. I’m the the one who teaches and coaches. I’m the one working the books. It’s nice of you to take the deposits to the bank, really it is. It saves me an hour every day. But that’s all you’ve been doing and I’ve grown this business. A business, I might add, that’s giving you a very healthy cut each and every day. And at the end of each and every day you had to spend very little time and deal with a total of zero interpersonal relations. Don’t take it wrong, but you’re getting more than two grand for that hour. I don’t know a lot of attorney’s who are billing at that rate and, well, need I remind you? You’re disbarred.”
He held his tongue, took a deep breath and changed the subject. “So tell me about your web site ideas.”
“Actually, I’ve already got a designer working on it. I’ve seen her preliminaries, it’s short and sweet. No one is going to spend hours going over our website. It gives an immediate emotional appeal and they can click on the link to contact us. Simple as that.”
“And you’re paying her?”
“I will, and I’ll hold the domain name. You’ll like the site, it should be up later this week.”
“Sounds great,” he lied. “I better get this deposit made before they close. Keep up the good work.”
She walked him to the door, gave him the charming sendoff, “See you tomorrow.” Then locked the door the moment he stepped into the hallway. He heard the lock click and the deadbolt slide in place.
“Everything all right?” Miguel asked as Bobby slid into the back seat of the Mercedes.
“I’m not sure. Let’s make this deposit then drive me over to the Grand Ave. bank. I’ve got a hunch.”
Miguel stared in the rearview mirror for a moment then pulled away from the curb.
Chapter Eight
When he deposited the checks he asked for a printout of the past months activities. He studied the printout as they drove across town to the Grand Ave. bank. For the past thirty days the deposits had remained essentially the same, even though Mira had added two more auditors which didn’t seem to make sense.
He filled out a deposit slip in the lobby of the Grand Ave bank then waited in line for five minutes while the three people ahead of him were taken care of.
“Just a deposit and if you could give me the account balance, please,” he said then handed the young woman behind the counter the deposit slip and a twenty-dollar bill. She clicked some keys on her computer, placed a pink slip in a machine, put the twenty in the drawer and then handed him a receipt with the balance to Mira’s account. Twenty-two-thousand-seven-hundred-and-fifty dollars.
“Will there be anything else.”
“No, thank you,” he managed to say.
“Enjoy your day,” she called as he walked toward the door.
“Take me back to Mira’s,” he said as he settled into the back seat.
“You forget something?” Miguel asked.
“Yeah, maybe,” he said and stared out the window as he felt his blood pressure rise. Fifteen minutes later he was dialing her unit on the security phone.
“Hello.”
“Hi Mira, it’s Bobby.”
“Bobby?”
“Yeah, let me in will you.”
“Is everything okay?”
“Yeah, fine, buzz me in, I got an idea for the web site. I had a brainstorm.”
“Okay,” she said sounding more than a little unsure.
He pulled the door open as soon as it buzzed and hurried to the elevator. He was thinking of killing her, literally. Wondering if he would strangle her or just beat her to death when he glanced up and saw the camera in the corner of the elevator. That seemed to awaken some common sense and by the time he reached her floor he was taking deep breaths in an effort to calm down. She opened the door almost immediately after he knocked which suggested she had been waiting for him.
“So a brainstorm for the web site?” She stood in the doorway smiling, but not moving, denying him entry into her apartment.
“Yeah, I was thinking maybe we write some testimonials. You know, something about how we saved the family home and made things right. Go on and on about how wonderful we are. Have a picture of a single mom with little kids, a family in front of a house, some woman holding a dog or a cat.”
“Actually, that’s not a bad idea. Maybe a family at the dinner table or even an older couple, they could be sitting on a couch or something. It would add credibility.”
“Yeah, I was looking at some attorney sites, they’re more like a junkyard dog thing. We’ll bite whoever you want, that sort of shit. I’m thinking our potential clients don’t want blood so much as they just want to be left alone.”
She nodded, smiled, said, “Makes sense,” but still didn’t move.
“You got time to brainstorm?” he said then glanced over her shoulder as he raised his eyebrows suggesting that he might come in.
“Actually, I’m sort of in the middle of something and, I just remembered I’m meeting a client a little after four so I’d better get ready. I suppose you could write the ideas down and we could go over them tomorrow. You know, when you pick up the deposit.”
“Any idea how much it will be?”
“The deposit? No, I won’t know until the girls drop off the checks in the morning. You know how it works, you set up a meeting, everything seems fine, once you finish the couple suddenly wants to think about it some more and you end up not getting paid.”
“I suppose. And you’ve got an appointment?”
“Yeah, in about a half hour so I really better get moving.”
“Sure, sorry to bother you. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Be sure to write down those ideas.”
“Yeah, I’ll do that, see you later.”
“Thanks,” she said then closed the door.
He took a couple of steps away from the door pretending to walk down the hallway, then returned and listened. He heard her voice and then a male voice, but he was unable to make out what was being said. Was she just grabbing some afternoon action? Coffee with a neighbor or a brother? Maybe it was a boyfriend? He didn’t really care, except that she wouldn’t let him in. Afraid he’d see the guy. Was she setting him up?
One thing was clear, she was up to something. Obviously, she wasn’t coming across with all the funds. He guessed she was banking five-hundred, maybe a grand per day that rightfully should be shared with him. Humph. It was a smart move, just executed poorly, the bitch.
Chapter Nine
Mira greeted him with a smile the following afternoon.
“Hi Bobby, come on in. Did you write down all those award winning ideas for the website?”
“Ideas? No, to tell you the truth I got the feeling we were both on the same page. You know, the family image, some nice pictures, a few testimonials. If people are desperate enough they’re going to make a decision relatively fast. They can click on a link and email us. It’s not like it’s rocket science.”
“Actually, that’s pretty much the way we’ve got it set up. I’m having a friend do a photo shoot on the pictures, a single mom, a young couple, an elderly couple and family with three kids. We’ll have them in the next day or two. It’ll be live by the end of the week.”
“Who’d you get to pose for the pictures?”
“Friends, a girlfriend’s parents, they aren’t on the internet so they’ll never see the pictures.”
“You got the checks for today’s deposit?”
“Yeah, they’re on my desk, let me go get them. I’ll be right back.”
He watched her walk down the hall then heard her say, “No, I told you, not yet.” She was back a minute later wearing a smile. “Here you go, five of them,” she said handing
him the envelope.
“Fantastic,” he said, thinking only five? She must be skimming at least two payments for herself. “I’ll head over to the bank now. Everything else going well?”
“Yeah, everything is fine,” she said then sort of crossed her arms and raised her chin slightly, as if she was daring him to do or say something.
“Enjoy your evening.”
“You too,” she said, then opened the apartment door and smiled.
He could tell she was nervous. She certainly wasn’t stupid and had probably figured out he was on to her little scam. At the very least she had to be suspicious. There was a small table next to the door with a little silver tray resting on top of the table. Two sets of car keys were on the tray. One of them had a bottle opener attached to the key ring. That set had to belong to a guy and he was most likely here. “Guess I’ll see you tomorrow,” he said then walked out the door and down the hallway.
“Next stop the bank?” Miguel asked when Bobby opened the car door.
“Not just yet. Pull around to the parking area behind the building next door. I want to see if she comes out with someone.”
“She two-timing you?”
“No, nothing like that. I wouldn’t care. I think someone I don’t know about is maybe getting involved. Just a feeling.”
Miguel drove into the parking area for the building next to Mira’s. He backed into a parking space that over looked the area behind her building.
“We’ll just wait here for a while and see if anything happens,” Bobby said. He took out a small notebook from his suit coat pocket and copied down the names and addresses from the checks Mira had given him. About ten minutes later the door to the underground parking for Mira’s building rose up. A large, black pickup truck drove out, the kind with a rear seat, two doors on each side and spoke wheels. Mira sat in the passenger seat. “There we go, see if you can follow them.”
Miguel followed the pickup for maybe five miles until they pulled into the ATM lane at a bank. Bobby wrote down the license number on the pickup as they drove past.
“You want me to go around the block and pick them up when they leave?”
“No. I think just take me to the bank so I can make this deposit. I’ll get the license plate checked out. See what we’re dealing with.” He sent a text message to Roark, the investigator Luis had put him in touch with, asking him to run the license plate. He received a text response about two hours later as he sat out on his patio going over a variety of options.
‘Vehicle is a black, 2014 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor. Registered to Dennis Hooley,’ an address and phone number followed.
Bobby sent a text back asking for any information on Hooley. A response was waiting for him when he woke the following morning. it turned out Hooley was a navy veteran, a sometime building contractor and appeared to be currently unemployed. He had declared bankruptcy at least twice, most recently in 2012. He was divorced, with no known children. His former wife lived in Cleveland, Ohio.
Miguel dropped him off at the office that morning just after nine. As he pulled to the curb Bobby leaned forward and handed him a piece of paper with Hooley’s address, phone and basic information. “See if you can have Jesús or someone follow this guy and see what he’s up to.”
Miguel scanned the paper and said, “Okay, if I do it myself? I got nothing going today.”
“That would be great. I’ll call you a little before three, we’ll go over and get today’s deposit.”
“You want me to call you if I learn anything?”
“No, I just want to see if there’s a pattern of some sort.”
“You worried?” Miguel asked then turned round to look at him, concern on his face.
“Worried? No, just being careful.”
Chapter Ten
Mira met him at her apartment door with the envelope. “Only four today, apparently a bunch of folks just weren't able to make a decision and sign on the dotted line last night.”
“Only four? You’re kidding. Oh, man, that’s not good. I think the sooner you get that web site up the better it will be for all off us. Four checks, tough to pay the bills on that,” he smiled.
“I just okayed a half-dozen images for the web-site this morning and sent them over just before noon. The shots were just normal looking folks, they should work real well. She’ll put those in and then we’re pretty much ready to go. It’ll probably be live by tomorrow morning.”
“Good, the sooner the better. I’ve got a pretty full evening so I better run these to the bank. See you tomorrow.”
“Thanks,” she said then closed the door. He heard her lock the door and then slide the dead bolt in place. A moment later there was a conversational tone with someone although he couldn’t make out what was being said.
Back in the car Bobby asked MIguel, “What did you learn today?”
Miguel looked at him in the rearview mirror. “He went to the same bank as yesterday, used the ATM. I’m pretty sure he made a deposit. Then he drove here.”
Bobby slapped the envelope against his hand. “And I’m getting short changed, only four checks today.”
“I’ll follow him tomorrow, see if he does the same thing.”
“After we make this deposit take me over to Mira’s bank. I want to check her balance.”
Twenty minutes later he was in the lobby of Mira’s bank. He filled out a deposit slip, wrote her account number down, and took a twenty dollar bill out of his wallet. “Could I have the balance after this deposit, please.”
The teller smiled and nodded. A moment later she handed him his receipt and said, “Will there be anything else?”
“No, thank you, you have a nice day.”
“You too, enjoy the weather,” she said.
He didn’t look at the deposit receipt until he was back in the car. Twenty-five-thousand-five-hundred dollars. He did some quick math in his head. “Jesus Christ, she’s added over two grand in one day, that’s more than twice what I’m paying her. Follow your friend Mr. Hooley tomorrow see if he goes to the bank, again. I got an idea.”
* * *
The next day he phoned Miguel at a little after three and they drove over to Mira’s. On the way Bobby asked, “Did he do the same thing as yesterday? Go to the bank and then back to her apartment?”
“The same thing as the last two days. He drives up to the ATM makes a deposit and leaves. There’s just the receipt in the tube that comes out from the bank, no cash. Takes him about twenty minutes round trip.”
“You’re sure it’s just a deposit?”
Miguel reached into the console and held up what looked like a small scope for a rifle. “Very sure. I was checking him out today, up close and personal like,” he laughed. “All he got was a receipt, no cash.”
“So she’s ripping me off for at least a grand a day. This Hooley makes the deposit, maybe serves as security.”
Miguel sort of snorted and laughed.
“Is it time to replace her or shut the whole thing down?” Bobby asked the question more to himself, Miguel didn’t volunteer an answer.
He was still deep in thought when he knocked on her apartment door. He heard voices on the far side of the door then waited a few moments before the locks were undone and she opened the door.
“Hi Mira, how’s it going today?”
Her faced was flushed, she appeared upset and she shook her head, “Not well, better come on in.”
“Problem?” he asked stepping into the apartment. He noted she quickly locked the door behind him.
“Listen to this,” she said then held up her cellphone and pressed a button. A moment later a voice came on, male, very upset. He started out screaming, “What in the hell do you think you’re doing, bitch?” Things went downhill from there, finishing up with rather specific acts he intended to do to her.
“He doesn’t sound very happy,” Bobby said. “Doesn’t seem like the best way to ask for a date.”
She ignored his attempt at humor. “That’s just the
most recent one. The first one came in about nine last night. Another one around midnight, that’s when I turned the phone off. There were two more waiting for me this morning. This last one came in about an hour ago.”
“Do you know who it is?”
“No. The number displays as ‘no caller id’.”
“And you never answered them?’
“I’ve never answered any calls on this phone. I’ve always had them leave a message and called them back. It’s what we all do. Security. But this nut case sounds like he’s really gone off the deep end.”
“So, if he’s calling your phone, it’s someone you dealt with, not one of the other girls.”
“Yeah, I guess I didn’t think of that.”
“And, if he’s calling now there’s probably a good chance it’s someone you’ve dealt with recently. Someone who just got their refund and wants the five hundred dollar fee back as well.”
“Well, he wants the five hundred back, plus he wants to rape me and then he promised to cut me up into little pieces and feed me to his dog. Charming.”
“You meet with any guys recently?”
“Some, but none solo. Maybe a half dozen couples in the past week and a half.”
“You listened to all his messages?”
She seemed to sort of shiver. “Not completely, as soon as I heard him scream I just turned it off. I couldn’t listen.”
“Pick up anything like an accent or a speech impediment?”
“No, nothing like that, but I couldn’t listen to most of the messages.”
“Can you give me a list of the people you’ve worked with in the past say, three weeks, and their addresses?”
“Yeah, I can do that. You want to hold on I can print that off for you in just a couple of minutes. You want anything while you wait? A drink? A beer?”
“No, thanks, just that list. While you’re doing that leave your phone with me and I’ll listen to all his messages.”
She handed him her phone then said, “Might as well grab a seat and get comfortable while I print that list off for you. God, I could really use a drink,” she said then headed back to her office.