by Anne Kyle
“Well, there’s a sight for sore eyes,” a plump woman wearing faded denim clothes said as she came up and hugged Alex. “Where have you been hiding yourself?”
“Miss Margaret, you’re not the only one who works all the time. If it makes you feel any better, I haven’t been cheating on you with any other restaurants.”
“That’s because you know better. If I found out you were shucking oysters someplace else, I’d stuff you in a crab trap and throw you in the creek,” she told him as they released their hug.
“Miss Margaret, I’d like you meet my friends. This is Charlie, the nice man who drove us here,” Alex told her. “And this is my good friend Kat.”
She took my hand in both of hers; they were rough and calloused, hands that had seen their share of hard work. “Nice to meet you both,” she said. Miss Margaret turned her warm, brown eyes on me and gave me a long once-over. “You better behave yourself, Alex, because this one looks like a keeper.”
“I’m on my best behavior,” he said, and gave me a sly grin that made me think of his behavior just a little while ago. “I’m going to do my best to hang on to her.”
“Well, ma’am,” Charlie said as Miss Margaret released my hand, “I know these two don’t want an old fool like me eating all their oysters, so I was hoping that you might have a table for one.”
“There’s no fool like an old fool. You play your cards right, and I’ll make it a table for two,” she said and gave Charlie a wink. “You go on inside and get yourself a table, I’ll join you in a minute. Alex, I know it’s been a long time but I’m sure you remember the way to your table out back. You two go on, and I’ll put your order in. I assume you’ll be having the usual.”
“Yep, oysters, and keep ‘em coming. I’ll have a Bud in the can, and the lady will have…” Alex left me an opening to order.
“I’ll have a Bud in the can, too, and keep ‘em coming.”
Alex led me out of the back door, where we almost ran into a man holding a big shovel full of steaming oysters. The view from the back of the restaurant was magnificent. We were surrounded by marsh, and a tidal creek flowed with a small amount of water as it waited for the incoming tide. Alex led me to a table like the ones inside, with a hole in the middle and a trash can under the hole to catch oyster shells.
“What you did for Charlie was very nice,” I said to Alex as we sat down next to each other and looked out over the marsh.
“It’s no big deal. I couldn’t just let him sit out there in the car. Him being able to smell all of this good food and not able to eat would’ve just been cruel. I do hope you don’t mind that I didn’t ask him to join us.”
“Not at all,” I told him. “Being nice is one thing, but I don’t think we need a chaperone.”
Miss Margaret brought us a bucket with six cans of beer nestled in ice. She pulled two of them out, popped the tops, and set them down in front of us. “If y’all need anything, just shout. The oysters will be out in a minute. Now, if the bugs get too bad for you, just move the party inside. Charlie is all set up, so just enjoy.”
“Thank you, ma’am,” Alex said. “Please make sure you put Charlie on our bill. And for God’s sake, don’t let him drink any alcohol. I don’t want to have to drive him home.”
“Don’t you worry none I already tried to give him a beer, and he turned me flat down,” she as she walked away.
We tipped our cans together and each took a big swallow. The natural beauty that surrounded us was breathtaking, and we tried to take it all in. Herons slowly walked through the shallow water spearing fish with their bills. Pelicans sat on top of some abandoned dock piling and kept a watch out for their dinner.
“So, do you always get a private table out here?” I asked.
“Not always,” Alex replied. “Most of the time, when I get the time to come here, that is I usually sit with Miss Margaret and whoever else is hanging around. I called earlier to see if this was available, and fortunately for us, it was.”
We held hands while we drank our beer and silently enjoyed each other’s company. Every few minutes, our eyes would meet and we’d smile. We leaned close together and pointed out different things we saw in the marsh. This feeling we shared was wonderful, but the shadow of what I had to tell Alex loomed over me.
As if he knew what I was thinking, he leaned over and kissed my shoulder, “We’ve got time, let’s just enjoy this moment. I hope it’s one of many that we get to share.”
I looked at the sun as it began its slow dance over the horizon, “I’m just happy that we finally get to see the sunset. We got a bit distracted yesterday.”
He gave a small chuckle, “and it was one of the best distractions I think I’ve ever had.”
“Speaking of distractions,” I said, “is everything okay at the restaurant?”
“I’ve got the phone on, but I told Jerry not to call unless the place was under attack or there was a natural disaster. I think he got the message. Besides, I made some calls and got the dishwashing taken care of.”
Just as we popped the tops on two more beers, a large man in a dirty white T-shirt set down a huge metal tray piled high with rocky, grey oyster clusters and without a word, he turned and walked away. Miss Margaret came to the table with a roll of paper towels, two oyster knives, some cocktail sauce, and a cup overflowing with horseradish. She also had a bottle of hot sauce and two more beers. She plunked the beers in the bucket and grabbed our empties. “Call me when you’re ready for more. Charlie is already puttin’ ‘em away as fast as we can get ‘em to him.”
We each grabbed a cluster, picked up our oyster knives, and went to work. If you’ve never eaten oysters like this, it can be a tricky. You have to stick the tip of the knife into the joint just right to separate the shells so you can get at the oyster. Since I grew up here, I had no problem. I was going to give Alex some pointers, but when I turned to help him, I saw him opening them with a speed most locals would envy.
I wiped my mouth with a paper towel and threw it in the hole with a number of empty oyster shells. “You’re pretty good at that,” I said to Alex. “Some people can’t ever get the hang of it.”
“You should have seen me the first few times I did it,” he told me with a laugh as he wiped hot sauce off of his chin. “I cut my fingers up pretty badly. I stabbed myself with my oyster knife I don’t know how many times. Until Miss Margaret showed me what to do, I thought that eating these things was some kind of a trick the locals played on tourists. But practice makes perfect.”
With that, he popped open a huge shell, dug the mammoth oyster out, and with the tip of his knife, he offered it to me. I opened my mouth and let him drop it on my tongue. The flavor explosion that happens when you bite into a big one is hard to describe. It’s like chewing seawater.
“Mmm…I haven’t had anything that nice in mouth since last night,” I told Alex with a husky whisper.
“I just hope that you don’t try to get into my pants with an oyster knife,” he said, laughing.
We dug back into the dwindling pile of clusters, pausing only for a refreshing sip of beer. The light humidity, combined with the horseradish and hot sauce, gave my forehead a light sheen of sweat. Alex tore off a fresh paper towel and gently wiped my face. It was a sweet gesture that showed how tender and attentive he could be.
Miss Margaret had another (thankfully smaller) pile of clusters delivered to us, and we made short work of them. Our trash can was almost full with shells when we finally threw in the paper towel. We leaned our shoulders together for support and finished the last of our beer. Alex put his arm around me, and I relaxed into his embrace. We sat there enjoying the closeness. The heat brought out his manly scent, and I could feel his bicep bulge against my back.
“Man, that was good,” he said, patting his stomach. “We’ve got to come back here soon.”
I loved the way he made us sound like a couple, always including me in his plans. It seemed so right being together. I didn’t want it to end, but I
knew that after I told him about my problem, it very easily could. I was nervous at the thought that our first real date might be our last. I was just about to say something when Miss Margaret shuffled up to the table.
“Did y’all get enough to eat?” she asked with a big smile, clearly seeing that we were stuffed.
“Yes ma’am,” I said, “More than enough.”
“When you’re dealing with oysters, its always better to have too many than too few.” She giggled, pushing everything disposable into the big hole in the middle of the table. “Here’s the damage, darlin’. I threw in a couple of beers so it won’t be so long until you come back.”
Alex looked at the bill and dug a handful of money out of his pocket. He shuffled out what looked like way too many $20 bills and handed them to Miss Margaret. “I don’t know whether to thank you, Miss Margaret, or call the cops and have you arrested for attempted murder with a bivalve.”
She didn’t even count the bills, just stuffed them in her back pocket. “Get up and give me a hug, then you can go wash up. Charlie is out in the car, probably taking a nap. I’ve seen a lot of things, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone put away so many of those ugly little buggers.”
“I know you hear it all the time, but that was fantastic. I promise I won’t stay away for so long ever again,” Alex said with heartfelt conviction as they hugged.
Then, Miss Margaret turned to me and gave me a hug. “I don’t know what you’re doing, young lady, but keep it up. I don’t think I’ve ever seen this one so happy.”
I grinned from ear to ear and said, “This one makes it pretty easy, but I’ll do my very best.”
Alex and I held hands while we walked into the building and went to our respective restrooms. He met me at the door, and we strolled out to the car. Sure enough, Charlie was in the front seat with his chauffeur’s cap tipped down over his eyes.
“I know you think I’m sleeping, but I’m not. I’m becoming one with the environment,” Charlie suddenly said, taking off his hat and throwing it on the seat beside him. He got out of the car and opened my door for me.
Alex had gone over to the passenger side and said, “If you become any more one with the environment, I’ll have to call a cab for all three of us.”
Charlie started the car and turned his head towards us, “Where to now? It’s just the shank of the evening.”
Alex looked at me, and I just shook my head and patted my belly, “I can barely move, besides, don’t you have to get up early and go to California?” I hoped that Charlie couldn’t see me put my hand on Alex’s thigh and give it a squeeze.
“You’re right, we better call it a night. How about taking us back to the house, and we’re in no hurry,” Alex said.
“Back to the house, no hurry, that’s my specialty,” Charlie said as he rolled up the partition.
“Would you like something to drink?” Alex asked me.
“I don’t think that I have any room left in my body, but help yourself,” I told him.
“No, no,” he said, “If I put anything else in my tummy, I might explode. Now, why don’t you tell me why you can’t go to California with me?”
The moment of truth was here. I released a deep sigh and began. “Alex, the reason I can’t go to California with you is because there is a court order that prevents me from leaving the state. If I leave, I will be considered a fugitive from the law, and a warrant will be issued for my arrest.”
CHAPTER 5
Much to his credit, Alex didn’t laugh or make a funny comment. He just turned slightly in his seat, put his hand on my knee, and said, “Its okay, tell me everything.”
So I did. “I’ve always loved numbers. In high school, my math class was like having a free period. It just came very easy to me. Not physics or theoretical math, just basic number-crunching.
I got into Furman, which is probably the best school on the state, with no problem. It was a no-brainer to major in accounting, and I was the best in my class. That’s not bragging—it’s just a fact.
The four years just flew by, and I had a good time. I made some good friends and dated a little. Nothing serious, just the usual college flings. I never felt much of a connection with any of the boys; it was like I was waiting for something and it just hadn’t arrived yet.” I let out a breath and looked into Alex’s shining blue eyes. He smiled and gave my knee a tiny squeeze.
I continued, “My senior year, I was trying to decide what I wanted to do after graduation. I was seriously considering going for my master’s degree. Near the end of the year, one of my professors told me that there was someone he wanted me to meet. I went to his office that afternoon and met a man named Burt Goodman. It turned out to be quite an ironic last name.
He was a senior partner at Goodman and Rodgers, a big accounting firm in Columbia. I told him that I had never heard of it. He said that there’s no reason that I should, since their clients were very wealthy and liked to keep a low profile.
He mentioned some of the companies that they represented, and I was impressed. He gave me the names of some big shots in the state and some celebrities that used their services. I was intrigued, to say the least. I still didn’t know where this was going. I thought that maybe they had an intern position or something of that nature that I could apply for.
Good old Burt told me how impressed he was with my grades. He said that my professors couldn’t say enough good things about me, and they all thought that I had quite a promising future. He asked me if I would be interested in being an associate at the firm.
I didn’t have to pretend to be surprised—I was shocked at this great news. It’s the kind of opportunity you only read about other people getting. It would mean that I wouldn’t have to pound the pavement or sit in a room with ten other people hoping my interview went better than theirs. I thought that it was too good to be true. Turns out I was right.
Burt said that as far as he—and he spoke for the firm—was concerned the meeting constituted my formal interview. He asked me if I was interested, and without hesitation, I said I was more than interested. So, with me saying yes and a handshake, I got my first real job.
My parents were thrilled, to say the least. And I’ll admit I was pretty proud of myself. I was going to be an accountant. I know it sounds funny to hear, but it was all I had wanted all through school, and it was happening. When I found out what the starting salary was, I almost swallowed my tongue. I could pay off my student loans twice as fast as I thought I’d be able to. I could afford a decent apartment. It really was a dream come true.
I moved to Columbia, found a place to live, and one month after I graduated, I reported to work. I got the hang of things pretty quickly. It was harder than I thought it was going to be, but I put in the hours and worked hard. I was happy.”
I looked over at Alex and asked, “Is this boring? I’m not sure any of this is coming out right.”
He took my hand and said, “Not at all. I love finding out more about you. Don’t stop now.”
“Two and a half years go by and I’m doing great. In addition to my salary, I get some nice bonuses, and I’m actually saving money. Not bad for a twenty-four year old at her first job. I’m given more important accounts, and in all of my performance reviews, I’m rated at the highest level. I deal well with the other people in the office, and they seem to like me.
Burt takes me under his wing and introduces me to the firm’s most important clients. There are expensive dinners, and I get to attend some lavish parties. I rub elbows with politicians and influential businesspeople. Things could not be going any better.
One day, I’m going through one of our bigger client’s holdings, and I look at some of the drafts going into the firm’s account. I see something strange in some of the transfers, so I check it again, and there seems to be money missing. It’s not a large amount and would have been easy to miss with all of the funds that get moved around on a daily basis. I review one year back and find the same thing. I go back two ye
ars, and there are the same discrepancies. I look three years back and don’t find anything. I go over the past two years again and come up with the same numbers.
I gather all of my findings together and take them to Burt Goodman himself. I tell him that I suspect that someone in the firm is embezzling money. I expected him to be shocked and outraged. He just sat there peacefully and asked me if I have any proof, and if so, what kind.
I’m a little taken aback by his nonchalance, so I start showing him what I’ve found. About a third of the way through, he stops me and says he’s seen enough. I tell him that there’s a lot more and that he should see all of it before making a judgment.
He tells me that he doesn’t need to see any more and that I’ve done an outstanding job uncovering this unfortunate situation. I relax a little now that I think he believes me. Then he drops the bomb.
He tells me that he thought that he had covered his tracks better than this. My jaw just dropped. He goes on to say how impressed he is with my diligence, and he doubts that anyone else could have figured out what he was up to. Burt says that I define the phrase “too smart for your own good.”
I’m speechless at his admission. I did not expect this and I couldn’t figure out why he was so calm when he had just told me that he had stolen almost $2 million dollars from the firm. Then, unfortunately, I found out why he wasn’t worried.
It seems that even though he didn’t think he would be caught, he had protected himself in the unlikely event that something like this happened. He told me that he had created a cybertrail that he could point in the direction of anyone he chose. Right now, the leading candidate was me.
I was told that I had a choice. One, I could take my story to the authorities and put my evidence up against his and see who the courts believed. Or two, I could have sex with him then point the finger at whoever I wanted to take the fall. If I chose option two, I could remain at the firm, be on a fast track to partner, and he might even cut me in on some of the money. Either way, there was no chance that anything would lead back to him.