“So long as you don’t have a previous criminal record, the judge may waive the jail sentence, which is typical for first-time offenders. You would likely be fired from your current employment, you might have a difficult time finding a new job, and you would lose the right to vote.”
“I don’t have any previous record.”
“After five years, we could apply for an expungement of your record.”
I started to tear up. “Five years?”
Mr. Schubert handed me a tissue and continued, “They have to prove two things. First, that you took the money unlawfully and second, that you took it with the intent of not giving it back. The fact that you admitted that you had the money makes it easy for the prosecutor to prove that the money was moved from its original location. The judge may draw an inference that you took it unlawfully. But, if you have witnesses testifying that your intent was to make change and bring it back, then I think we have a pretty good case.”
I gave him Bonnie’s, Rodney’s and Tex’s full names and contact information. All of them could vouch that I periodically did bank runs to change large bills, although, I wondered if Rodney would vouch for me. Mr. Schubert asked how he could get in touch with the previous municipal clerk. I knew she had moved, possibly to North Carolina, I thought. He said he would try to locate her.
“I have another question,” I said. “You said something about the judge inferring I took the money illegally. Won’t the jury have to decide?”
“No. If you weren’t accused of taking anything more than one hundred dollars, it’s not an indictable offense. The case doesn’t rise to the level of being presented to a jury.”
Mr. Schubert asked if I thought anyone had something to gain by having me arrested or if anyone had a vendetta against me. I told him how Tex told me to watch my back, but I couldn’t think of anything or anyone myself. He prepped me for what to say in the event anyone, like the press, contacted me. He thoroughly explained the process that I would be going through and said that he would try to get the court to schedule a date as soon as possible.
“Do you think you will be able to get the charges dropped?” I asked.
“It depends. I’ll know more once I question your witnesses and see the police report. Don’t worry. I’m good at my job,” he said.
I handed him a check to cover the retainer fee. He said he would let me know when he used up the retainer and that he would bill me an hourly rate. He offered to let me pay over a period of time.
I left his office not feeling any less apprehensive. My dad was wrong. I didn’t feel better after talking to the attorney. I decided to take the back roads home. I drove from Hamilton Township, making my way through Robbinsville, and hopped onto Route 539 in Allentown Borough. I found myself subconsciously driving to Laurita Winery in New Egypt.
Laurita Winery was a place I had been before. It was nestled back in the woods behind rolling hills of vines. From the moment you turned into their driveway, you got a special feeling—like you stepped out of New Jersey and into California Wine Country. The tasting room was part of a huge building that had a deli area, store, banquet area, and a loft which overlooked the entire place. A large, double-sided fireplace divided the banquet room from the tasting room.
I paid the seven dollars for a tasting of six of their wines, then decided on a bottle of Relaxing Red and a bottle of Chocolate Therapy to take home with me. Since the talk with the attorney hadn’t eased my stress as I had hoped, I knew the wine would. At least temporarily anyway.
I called my parents from my cell phone on my way back home and filled them in on what happened at the attorney’s office. I told them I would swing by and pick up Mandy when I got back and head home. They offered to give me the night off instead. I called Bonnie and asked her if she wanted to come over for a drink.
A half hour later, I met Bonnie at my place. We opened up the Relaxing Red and had a seat on the couch.
“How did it go with the attorney?” Bonnie asked.
“Not as well as I would have liked.”
“Why? What did he say?”
“That I could go to jail.”
“Really? That’s ridiculous. The money was accounted for.”
“He said he’ll know more once he gets the police report and he talks to my witnesses. I gave him your name; I hope you don’t mind.”
“Not at all!”
“I’m scared.”
“Don’t be scared. Just take this time to spend with your daughter and don’t worry about anything else.”
“I don’t know if I can pay my bills being out on leave this way and having to pay an attorney. I spent my savings when I was out on maternity leave to pay for baby items and bills.”
“I have money; how much do you need?”
“Bonnie, I am not taking your money!”
“And why the hell not?”
“Look, I really appreciate the offer. It was so incredibly generous of you. I can borrow some from my parents if I really get in a bind.”
“The offer still stands if you change your mind.”
“Thanks, Bonnie.”
We opened the second bottle of wine. I was already tipsy. The Chocolate Therapy was like drinking a dessert. My problems seemed to disappear as the wine disappeared. I was two sheets to the wind when we finished the bottle. Bonnie called Jayce for a ride home. I went to bed and passed out.
Chapter 12
A couple of days later, a knock at the door roused me from my sleep. Mandy was down for her nap and I used that time to get some much-needed shuteye. I was still reeling from my arrest and I was none too pleased when I looked through the peephole and saw two men flashing badges. I thought about not answering, until I heard one of them say, “Chelsey, it’s the FBI.”
I suddenly remembered that they had wanted to talk to me about the safety paper. They never called me back to set up a meeting time, so I was surprised by their visit. I threw on a robe and opened the door. I was a mess. My hair was like a bird’s nest and I was in my sweats. I let them in and asked them to be quiet since the baby was asleep. I told them to have a seat and that I’d be back in a jiffy. I brushed my hair back into a ponytail, brushed my teeth, and quickly slapped on some makeup. I threw on a clean pair of jeans and shirt, then met them in the living room.
They introduced themselves as Special Agent Romeo and Special Agent Lincoln. Romeo was middle-aged, tall, and thin. He had dark hair and dark eyes. He was clearly Italian, and had a stereotypical Italian schnoz. Lincoln was thirty-something, African-American, tall, and handsome with a nice body. I suspected women fell all over him. They were both dressed in black suits with black ties.
I shook Lincoln’s hand first and said, “Are you related to Abraham?” The man didn’t crack a smile. Not in a joking mood, I thought. I didn’t bother to ask his first name. I turned toward Romeo and shook his hand saying, “It’s nice to put a face with the name.”
“We’d like you to come with us for some questioning,” Romeo said.
I could feel my shoulders tense up and my nerves starting to rattle. “I’d love to, except I have a sleeping baby in the other room, so unless you can give me some notice to find a babysitter, then you’ll have to talk to me here.” I was terrified they were going to take me away and stick me in another jail cell.
They looked at each other like they were not expecting my snippy response. I guessed they didn’t do a thorough investigation of me, because if they had, they would have known I was a single mom.
“That’s fine,” Romeo said. “We can interview you here. We will be recording this interview.”
“For quality control assurance?” I asked. I received in return a deadpan stare. Okay, clearly not the joking types.
“I want to be clear about one thing,” I said. “I wish to know if I am I under arrest again. If so, I want my attorney here and I’m not saying another word until I have him here.”
“Again?” Romeo asked.
“Boy, you Feds don’t do your resear
ch, do you? This wouldn’t be the first time this week that a handsome man arrested me. I was arrested on Monday, accused of taking money which I did not take. So, I’m not in the mood for any games or accusations. I just want my attorney,” I said defensively.
They looked at each other again.
“What is that secret look for?” I demanded.
“Chelsey, we are not here because you are under arrest. You are not being investigated. This interview is voluntary at this time. If we need you formally at a later date, you would be subpoenaed as a witness for court,” Lincoln said.
“We can certainly schedule a time to speak with you with your attorney present if that makes you more comfortable,” Romeo said.
“If you didn’t know I was arrested and told not to come back to work, how did you know you’d find me at home?”
“We didn’t know you’d be at home. We drove by and saw a car in the driveway, so we knocked. We were going to try your work next if you were not here. We drove from Trenton and this was the first stop on the way,” Lincoln explained.
I relaxed a little. They wanted me as a witness and not as a conspirator for a crime that I didn’t commit. I could deal with that. They started to ask me about the safety paper. When did I notice it was missing? How many pages were gone? Did I suspect anyone? They asked me a lot of questions about Mayor O’Donnell too. I tried not to sound like a disgruntled employee with a vendetta, but I doubted I was successful.
I got the feeling they already knew the answers to the questions they were asking. It felt like a test to see if I would tell the truth. I wondered why they didn’t strap me to a lie-detector machine. The interrogation was stressful. I felt like I was on trial. I told them everything I knew, including that the local police were investigating various crimes that might or might not be connected to the missing paper.
Within an hour, Mandy woke up and started crying. I excused myself to tend to her. When I returned, the agents said they had enough information and would contact me if they needed more.
I asked them, “What does the mayor have to do with all this? Does she have something to do with the missing safety paper?”
They gave each other that look again. “We are not at liberty to discuss the details of this investigation with you,” Romeo said.
I secretly wondered if I was on to something. Was that the reason I got fired? I showed Romeo and Lincoln out of the front door, then called my attorney to tell him about the interview and my suspicions.
As soon as I hung up with Mr. Schubert, I noticed I had a missed call from Bonnie. I quickly dialed her back.
“Hey, Bonnie, it’s Chelsey,” I said.
“Well, first it’s you, then it’s me,” Bonnie said.
“What?”
“The mayor made a move to abolish my position. I was laid off today.”
I was shocked. “What the hell? Who is running the office?”
“A woman by the name of Lorraine Paso, a friend of the mayor’s. She doesn’t know her rear end from a hole in the ground. Ugly bitch too, I might add. If I had to take a guess, my guess would be that she used to be a man. A man who had his male appendage circumcised all the way up to his behind. She has a voice deeper than my husband’s. Oh, wait, if she had her penis circumcised up to her backside, would her voice be high instead of low? I take it back. My guess would be that she’s a woman taking male hormones in preparation of her sex-change operation.”
She made me laugh and I needed that. I was in a state of depression, trying to figure out how I was going to pay all my bills.
“What reason did they give for laying you off?” I asked.
“They told me budget cuts, but you and I both know it’s because I said I was going to be a witness at your trial, in your defense. I have a feeling there is much more to it than that, though. These politicians have a way of double-talking and blaming everything on the budget when there is actually an underlying agenda. I may not know what their agenda is at the moment, but you bet your bottom I’ll find out what it is, then I’ll sue them for wrongful termination for every dime I can get.”
I suspected something more was going on also, but I had no way to confirm my hunch. “Do you really think it’s because you are going to stand up for me in court?”
“I think that’s part of it, although, I can’t prove anything just yet. Let’s go to lunch. I need a drink. Can your parents watch Mandy for you?”
I left Mandy at my parents’ house and headed over to Bonnie’s place. I made sure my seatbelt was on, and that I drove the exact speed limit. I didn’t want to get pulled over by any of Sunshine’s men in blue. They’d probably arrest me again.
We chose Woody’s Ocean Grill in Sea Bright for lunch. It was close enough to be a convenient drive, but far enough away where we weren’t at risk of running into anyone associated with Sunshine. Woody’s had great food and I was dying for their signature drink, an Orange Crush.
A lot of the travelers had left yesterday. Surprisingly, traffic wasn’t terrible like it normally was on a Friday during the summer. The weather was perfect out—warm and not too humid. There was one parking space left in Woody’s small lot.
We were seated at a booth across from the bar. I ordered the chicken tortilla soup and fish tacos. Bonnie chose the mahi-mahi.
“First things first,” I said. “I want to know if you heard about Mr. Triggers and his picket signs.”
“I did hear that!” Bonnie said, laughing. “He was arrested for disturbing the peace and obstructing the movement and flow of traffic.”
“I hadn’t heard he was arrested. That’s funny. Does he really think that picketing would help his court case?”
“When is your court date?” Bonnie asked.
“September 25th.”
“Good, now that I’m as free as a bird, I won’t have to take the day off from work that day. I’ll pick you up and drive you there if you’d like.”
“That would be good. I’ll be too frazzled to drive that day. Plus, if they take me out in handcuffs, then at least my car won’t be stuck in the courthouse parking lot.”
“They aren’t going to arrest you. I have to believe in the justice system. You didn’t take the money. You were set up. I guess you stepped on someone’s toes along the way.”
“I’m worried.”
“What are you worried about? You didn’t steal that money. I knew I didn’t like that Officer Williams. Can’t trust a guy who looks that good. He’s just some rookie cop who was told to get you out of the way.”
“What do you mean, get me out of the way? Have you heard any buzz? Any idea who might have wanted me out of the way?” I asked her.
“Probably the mayor wanted to create a job for her butt-ugly friend. Won’t she be surprised when the charges get dropped and she has to give you your job back?”
“I don’t know if I want my job back. How could I face everyone there after they dragged me out of the building in handcuffs and smeared my name all over the newspapers? It’s not like anyone would respect me. How could I work for the mayor again if what you say is true—that she wanted me out of there and told them to arrest me? I am so embarrassed. I’m borrowing money from my parents to pay the bills. I might have to sell my house. Uncle Lou would be rolling over in his grave right now if he knew I had to sell the house he entrusted to me.”
“Stop worrying. You won’t have to sell your house. They will have to give you the back pay when you’re proven innocent. You could also sue them for wrongful arrest. Did you know that Tex is going to testify at your trial on your behalf as well?”
“No, I didn’t know that. I haven’t talked to him since I was arrested. I didn’t want to put him in an awkward position by calling him. He hasn’t called me either.”
“He may not have called you, but he is keeping tabs on you.”
“I’m still worried.”
“Hey, if all else fails, I’ll tell everyone I witnessed Officer Williams whip out his junk and ask you to suck it. Then when
you said ‘no,’ he charged you with stealing money.”
“That would be perjury.”
“It was just an idea.”
“Thanks anyway.”
“At least you got a quick court date and this will be over soon.”
“I think my lawyer pulled some strings. Have you heard anything more about the safety paper?”
“No, nothing, but you said the State was on furlough until today.”
“Is it me, or do you think it’s convenient that I’m gone and now you’re gone, so that no one is there that would have details about the safety paper?”
“What are you saying? You think there’s a connection?”
“I’m not sure. It’s a random thought I had.”
“That’s a pretty serious allegation. Did you tell anyone that?”
“Who would believe me and not chastise me if I was wrong? I don’t want to get myself into any more trouble than I am already in. I think I’m going to let sleeping dogs lie on this one. I have a baby to worry about and what people did or didn’t do at the municipal building doesn’t matter much to me any longer. My only hope is that I can find a reasonable job somewhere, without all this drama, and move on with my life. I’d be perfectly fine if I never had to set foot in Sunshine again.”
“But you love Sunshine.”
“Used to.”
“Your parents still live there. I still live there.”
“Which means I don’t have a choice but to go there from time to time, but I still don’t like it. I have a bad taste in my mouth.”
“Bitter.”
“And you’re not?”
Bonnie took my hand from across the table. “You’re just stressed about all this. I promise you, everything is going to work out—for both of us. It always does.”
“Thanks for being a good friend,” I told her.
Chapter 13
Four and a half weeks had gone by without much news about Sunshine. I was busy spending lots of time with my daughter. She was crawling, babbling, and eating baby food. She always put a big smile on my face and she certainly took my mind off my impending case. Whenever I thought about the possibility that I could serve jail time for a crime I did not commit and be torn away from my sweet baby girl, I would become so overwhelmed with emotions that I would sob uncontrollably. I know Mr. Schubert said that jail time was not likely, but from time to time, my mind pictured the worst-case scenario.
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