Jennifer was piling her things into her suitcase, but she smiled when she noticed Abby standing there.
Abby smiled back sadly. “I’m going to miss you.”
Jennifer stopped packing. “Me too.” She walked over to Abby and put her arms around her. Abby returned the hug. “Are you sure you don’t want me to stay longer?” Jennifer asked.
“I don’t know how long Eric will be gone. Besides, your family needs you. We’ll be okay.”
“You’ll have to keep me up to date on everything that’s happening.”
“Believe me, I will.”
“Good. Now help me shut this thing. I think I’m going home with more than I brought.”
Chapter Sixteen
Once home from the airport, Abby noticed how empty the house seemed with Jennifer gone. She walked around the family room and ended up in front of the bookcase where the origami bird stared at her from its perch. Reaching up, she touched one paper wing, then plucked the bird from the shelf. With the little bird held in one hand, she began unfolding the green paper, then she paused, remembering the promise she’d made herself that she wouldn’t open it without Eric. With a sigh she repaired the damaged wing and set the bird back on the shelf.
The baby moved inside her, jarring her out of her thoughts, and she went to the couch and sat on the soft cushions, tucking her feet underneath her. Laying her head back, she closed her eyes and fought with herself over whether to feel self-pity or to do something more about her situation.
Resolve won the battle as she lifted her head and stared at the wall across the room. In her mind’s eye she pictured Tim Meher. It had been several days since she’d spoken to him. Maybe he would have some new information for her and perhaps she could get up the nerve to ask him what the reporter was talking about when he’d said there were discrepancies in the accounting department at Central Valley Construction.
“This is Tim,” he said after Abby called his cell phone.
“This is Abby Breuner.”
He was silent for a moment, then his voice became warm. “Yes. How can I help you, Abby?”
Encouraged by his friendly tone, she hoped he would be able to answer her questions. “I was wondering if you have free time for me to stop by and talk to you.”
“I won’t have time until tomorrow morning. How does nine o’clock sound?”
“That would be fine,” Abby said.
“I’ll see you then.”
It wasn’t until Abby had hung up that she realized Tim hadn’t asked about Eric. It was almost as if he’d known there had been no contact.
Of course he knows Eric’s still gone. If he were back, he would’ve gone to work.
As Abby thought about Eric, it occurred to her that she should let Eric’s father know his son was missing. After the pleasantries were over she got right to the point.
“Harry, I wanted to let you know something. Please don’t get too upset when I tell you this.”
“What’s going on, Abby?”
“Eric’s missing.” Abby shut her eyes as she waited for his response.
“What? What do you mean? He’s not using drugs again, is he?”
“Truthfully, I don’t know. I’m praying that’s not it. I have no idea where he could be or what he’s doing.” Abby stared at the photo of her family on the desk and felt a lump forming in her throat.
“Have you contacted the police?”
Abby explained the situation and added, “But I did arrange for the local paper to run a small story. It came out in today’s paper.”
“Perhaps that will lead somewhere.” He paused. “I wish I could tell you something more to help you. Is there anything you’d like me to do? Do you want me to come out there?”
“That’s thoughtful of you, but actually my sister just left. Besides, I don’t think it would be a great idea if you came out here only to find he’s had another relapse.”
“I agree. The last thing that would help him is to have his old man show up,” Harry laughed. “I don’t think he would respond well to my counsel.”
“I think we’ll be all right for now. But if you could just keep him in your thoughts . . . I’ll let you know when I find out anything concrete.”
“Sounds good, Abby. You take care of those girls. And that baby. Okay?”
“I will.”
Tiffany finished writing her spelling sentences as the morning-recess bell rang, then she put her paper and pencil in her desk and pushed her chair in.
“Tiffany,” Mr. Phillips called. “Would you come here a minute?”
Tiffany walked toward her teacher as the rest of the students raced out the door. She stood in front of his desk, waiting for him to speak.
Mr. Phillips smiled. “I saw in the newspaper that your father is missing. Is he back yet, Tiffany?”
Tiffany was ashamed to admit her dad had abandoned her family. She glanced at her teacher before looking at the floor. “No, he’s not back. But I talked to him on the phone last night.”
“That’s great, Tiffany.” He paused. “Where is he?”
Tiffany realized she had made a mistake in lying to her teacher, but she was too embarrassed to admit it now. Her heart beat faster as she tried to think of what to say. Finally she answered, “I don’t know. He talked to my mom for a long time, but he only talked to me for a minute.” Tiffany shifted from one foot to the other, suddenly anxious to leave the classroom and be with her friends on the playground.
Mr. Phillips stared past Tiffany’s shoulder.
“Can I go now?” she asked, feeling uncomfortable.
“What?” he asked, seeming to having forgotten Tiffany was standing there.
“Can I go to recess now?” she repeated.
“Yes.” He smiled. “I’ll see you after recess.”
Tiffany walked to the door and then ran out to the playground. As she began playing with her friends, she forgot about her conversation with Mr. Phillips.
The sun shone brightly as Abby pulled into the parking lot at Central Valley Construction. She glanced around at the other vehicles, but as expected, Eric’s wasn’t among them.
“How are you, Abby?” Tim asked when she was seated in his office. He took the chair next to hers.
“I’m okay.”
“Good.” He leaned toward her. “Have you heard from Eric?”
“No, I haven’t heard anything. That’s one of the reasons I’m here. So you haven’t heard from him either?” On top of everything else, she was worried about Eric’s job.
“No, and I wouldn’t really expect him to contact me before talking to you.”
“Of course. I’m sure your right.” Abby paused. “Tim, I need to know if anything unusual has been happening around here. Specifically in the accounting department.”
Tim looked at her more closely. “Did you have something in mind?”
She looked back at him, not sure what to say.
He laughed. “We’re not exactly in the habit of giving out company-related information to employee spouses.”
“Of course not. But I’ve heard rumors that there might be problems in your department.”
He squinted in Abby’s direction, his friendliness fading. “Where did you hear these rumors? From Eric?”
Abby should have guessed he would jump to that conclusion. “No. Eric never told me anything about the business.”
“Then who did?”
Obviously he wasn’t going to give out information willingly. She closed her eyes briefly, already feeling exhausted by the effort this conversation was taking. She opened her eyes to a suddenly concerned Tim.
“Can I get you something? Water perhaps?”
Feeling drained, she shook her head. “No. Please just answer my questions.”
“I’d be happy to. What was it you wanted to know?”
Abby clenched her teeth, irritated by what seemed to be a game they were playing—a game she seemed to be losing. “I asked if there were any problems in your department. For e
xample,” she said, forcing herself to calm down, “have significant discrepancies been found in any accounts?”
Tim sat quietly for several moments, staring at one of his paintings. Abby thought he wasn’t going to answer, but when she was about to ask the question again, he shifted his gaze to her.
“Abby, can I be honest with you?”
“I’d like nothing better,” Abby said, relieved he was finally going to answer her questions.
He stood and walked around to the other side of the desk and pulled out his large leather chair. After settling in, he began speaking, this time in a serious tone of voice. “We think Eric has embezzled company funds.”
Abby’s mouth fell open and her hand flew to her chest. “What?!”
“Your husband has taken money that does not belong to him.”
A wave of dizziness crashed over her, and her ears began to ring. “Can I have that glass of water now, please?” Her voice shook as she spoke.
Tim smiled sympathetically as he stood. “Certainly.”
She stared at the wall as Tim left, her brain careening wildly from one thought to another. Tim just called Eric a thief. Is it true? Is he capable of . . . of . . . embezzlement? The word seemed to catch in her brain, like she’d never heard it before. Will he have to go to prison? What will happen to me and the children? I can’t be married to a prisoner—a felon.
“Here you go,” Tim said a moment later as he held out a glass of water, pulling her out of her terrifying thoughts.
Her hand trembled as she took it from him. “Thank you,” she whispered.
When he sat behind his desk, she noticed him watching her as she swallowed the last of the water, and when she set her glass on his desk, he picked it up and set a coaster beneath it.
“Do you feel better?” he asked.
“No,” she said, trying to keep the hysterical laughter from climbing her throat. How would drinking a glass of water possibly make any of this better?
“Now, what I would like you to do is this. When you hear from Eric, tell him if he turns himself in and gives the money back we won’t press charges.”
“Charges?” Abby choked, the reality lashing against her that Eric really would have to go to prison if what Tim said was true.
He spoke to her as if to a child. “There won’t be any charges if he gives the money back.” He stood and helped her to her feet. “You’ll tell him, won’t you?”
Abby nodded, not trusting herself to speak.
Tim led her out of his office, and Abby was grateful the secretary wasn’t there to witness her shame and embarrassment.
As she walked down the hall, she felt like everyone was looking at her, knew who her husband was and what he had done. It was beyond humiliating. She shoved through the door of a nearby ladies’ room and gazed into the mirror, deciding she looked awful. Her face was pale and her hair looked like it was having a worse day than she was. She went to reach for her lipstick or blush, hoping to hide her reaction to Tim’s revelation, but immediately realized she’d left her purse in Tim’s office. Nausea rose up as she knew she’d have to face him again, and she swallowed several times to keep the bile in her stomach, then braced herself for a second round of humiliation.
Peeking out the bathroom door, she didn’t see anyone around, so she slowly moved back down the hall toward Tim’s office. When she saw that the secretary was still missing from her post, disappointment shot through her—she’d hoped the woman would be able to retrieve her purse for her.
As she approached Tim’s office, she saw that his door was ajar, and when she lifted her fist to knock, she heard his voice. Apparently he was talking to someone on the phone. She paused, not wanting to interrupt him again.
The words on his end of the conversation floated out to her.
“Yeah. I told you I’m working on it . . . Look, I know you’re serious and I’m doing all I can to take care of it. We just need a little more time . . . Fine. I’ll see you on Friday.”
Abby stood silently, trying to comprehend what she was hearing.
What is he talking about? Could it have something to do with the conversation we just had? Who else knows about Eric’s . . . embezzlement?
Slowly backing away from the office door, not sure what to do, she met the secretary as she rounded the corner.
“Mrs. Breuner? Is everything all right?”
Abby was caught off guard, but recovered quickly. “Oh. Yes. I’ve misplaced my purse. I think I may have left it in Tim’s office. Would you check for me?”
“Absolutely. Right this way.”
Abby was headed toward Tim’s office once more. She followed the secretary as the woman knocked on the door and walked right in. Tim’s gaze went to Abby, and he seemed disconcerted to see her there.
“Is something wrong, Carly?” he asked.
She smiled brightly. “No, no. Mrs. Breuner thinks she may have left her purse in here. Ah, yes. Here it is.” She bent to retrieve it from the floor near the chair Abby had occupied, then handed it to Abby with a cheerful smile.
“Thank you,” Abby said, a tentative smile on her face. Then she turned and left the office without saying another word, but wondering about the phone call she’d overheard.
Chapter Seventeen
Sitting in her minivan outside Eric’s workplace, Abby breathed deeply and slowly as she tried to calm herself before attempting the drive home, but Tim Meher’s accusations refused to be silenced. Despite the disquiet echoing in her head, she pushed the key into the ignition, then noticed her hand trembling.
Is Eric really suspected of embezzlement? Maybe I would prefer a drug relapse—or even whatever that picture means. At least cheating on me wouldn’t send him to prison.
Heart lurching at the thought, Abby swallowed down the tears that threatened, then began backing her minivan out of the parking spot. Pausing for a moment, she looked in the general direction of Tim’s office, trying to pick out his window, and thought she saw someone looking in her direction. Helplessness and embarrassment clenched her insides, but desperate to forget what Tim had told her, she continued backing out of the parking space and then headed home.
Walking through the garage door and into her house, Abby felt a a rush of security at being in a familiar place. Though her world had been turned upside-down, her home had always been the place where she felt the most safe and comfortable. Taking a moment to relax and decompress, she sank onto the couch and tried to think pleasant thoughts, but all she could see was the expression of pity on Tim’s face as he told her that Eric was a criminal—an embezzler.
Is that better than Eric being involved with drugs again? Maybe even being hurt or killed by drug dealers? Neither option was good, but at least Tim had held out the promise of forgiveness for Eric if he gave the money back.
But how can I give that message to Eric? Does Tim really believe I can pass on a message to Eric? That I’m in contact with him?
A cynical laugh burst from her throat at the thought.
Why does he think I’m in contact with Eric? Does he really believe Eric’s a thief? An embezzler? And who was he talking to on the phone?
Wanting to process all of the questions that flooded her mind, Abby grabbed a pen and paper and began jotting them down, but that only brought on more questions.
If Eric hasn’t abandoned us, what does that picture of him with the woman and child mean? She took the paper to the couch and sat down, resting her head against the cushions, frustrated by all the unanswered questions. Memories of Eric floated through her mind, and an image of him with red-rimmed eyes and clothing that smelled of marijuana passed in front of her. Then she remembered the email message she’d read recently, the one that had said “I want the package returned immediately.”
What package does Eric have? Is it here? Is it the money he stole? Is Eric that desperate for money? I know our bills have been a burden lately, but I can’t believe he would go to that extreme.
She recalled the conversation she
’d had with Jennifer a few nights before when she’d told her that Eric had somehow always managed to come up with the money they needed for the infertility treatments. The thought sickened her. It’s all my fault. I pushed him into this. At the realization, despair began to engulf her.
The ringing of the phone yanked Abby back to her present surroundings, but didn’t diminish her anguish.
“Hello?” It came out almost a whisper.
“Abby? Is that you?”
“Yes. Who is this?”
“It’s Tess.”
Not up to talking to anyone just then, especially not Tess, Abby responded more abruptly than she usually would have. “What do you want?”
Tess paused. “Well, I . . . I was wondering if you wanted to go to lunch with me. I know we haven’t really gotten to know each other, and, well, I’ve had something to celebrate for several days now—but haven’t had anyone to share it with.”
Abby closed her eyes briefly, shamed at her own behavior, as well as surprised at Tess’s honesty. Remembering her desire to be friendlier to her neighbor, she apologized. “I’m sorry Tess. It’s been a stressful day. I’d love to hear your news. When did you want to go?”
“Could you do it today?”
Abby was scheduled to work at one o’clock that afternoon, and she wondered what would happen if she asked for time off. Thinking she might have a nervous breakdown if her stress went any higher, she resolved to talk to Nadine that afternoon. That decision made, she turned her attention back to the phone. “Yeah, I guess so.”
“Great. I’ll meet you at that new Mexican place downtown at, say, eleven thirty?”
“Okay, see you then.”
An hour later, after Abby had taken some time to decompress, she felt marginally better and actually looked forward to talking to her neighbor. Maybe she’d be able to forget about her own problems, if only for a few hours.
As she sat a table waiting for Tess to show up, she looked at the people around her and couldn’t help wondering what they would think if they knew her husband was an embezzler.
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