The Reef

by Lois Kay

  Jody smiled and softly moaned when Sam playfully nipped a sensitive area below her ear.

  “Oh, I’ll have to remember that spot,” Sam teased.

  “I’m sure you will,” Jody answered, squirming in her arms. “But if you keep this up, Dutchie, my brother and sister won't be too pleased, because they’ll have to wait a very long time for you to make an appearance.”

  “Good point.” Sam kissed Jody on the nose and pressed their foreheads together. “I’ll be back as soon as possible. I promise to be careful.”

  “Oh, I count on that,” Jody whispered.

  * * *

  “Alright, girls.” Megan put a pot of freshly brewed coffee on the table. “You promised us the full story as soon as Sarah would be back. I know Sam will be leaving to meet up with Luce and Gerald, but I’m dying of curiosity, so, spill it.” Her eyes looked from Sam to Jody and back again. Sarah had taken a seat next to her and Megan could feel her hand squeezing her knee. She glanced aside to see a pair of gray eyes radiating warm affection. With a smile, Megan put her hand over Sarah's, leaving it there, gently stroking the skin.

  “I guess I’d better start at the beginning,” Jody said. “Last Thursday I…wow, it's only been three days ago, it seems so much longer. Anyway, last Thursday—”

  With a clear voice, Jody told Megan and Sarah how she had run into Sam at The Reef, their awkward first encounter and how they found out the way her father had deliberately driven them apart. She related the disappearance of money from The Reef’s accounts, the fire and their suspicions in regards to the way her apartment was methodically destroyed. After she finished her story there was a long silence and both Sarah and Megan looked horrified.

  “Honey, you're crushing my fingers.” Sarah gently extracted her hand from Megan’s grip. “I need some circulation.”

  “Oops, I’m sorry.” Megan let out a nervous chuckle. “Good grief, I can hardly believe this, Jody. But aren’t the police doing something?”

  Jody cast a quick look at Sam and Megan saw the hesitation.

  “They are investigating,” Sam replied. “I haven’t told them about the flash drive yet, though.”

  Sarah frowned. “Why not? It seems that flash drive is the key to this whole mess.”

  Sam nodded. “I know. But I wanted to be sure there’s something to be found on them.”

  “Is there?” Megan asked curiously.

  Sam looked at Jody. She hadn’t had the opportunity to talk about it yet and felt bad about that. As if she could read her mind, Jody nodded, encouraging Sam to continue.

  Sam cleared her throat. “At first I thought there was nothing more to be seen than the discrepancies Jody had already discovered. But as I was pulling apart the data, I discovered a few remarkable things. Every employee that works for our company has their personal identification number. It consists of first day and month of employment combined with date and year of birth and a gender code. That way, it's nearly impossible to have two employees with the same identification number. I discovered that at The Reef, there are nine people who have the exact same employee number.”

  Jody shot upright in her chair. “What?”

  “You told me about your encounter with the groundskeeper. I found proof in the accounts. I don’t have any further details yet, but I emailed the files and my findings to Tom. I hope he’ll be able to extract more details. My guess is that by employing either fake employees or undocumented ones, it was possible to funnel away money. I discovered three different bank accounts that are connected to the nine identical numbers. Makes you wonder, doesn’t it?”

  “But, Sam, why didn't I see that? I've been looking through them numerous times.” Jody looked genuinely upset.

  “Because they were hidden in various sub directories. It took me quite a while to find them. Only when I started to put them together I could see there was something wrong.”

  “When will you tell the police all of this, Sam? “Sarah asked. “This is fraud, pure and simple.”

  “I'm waiting for Tom's report. That will provide me with more information and might even reveal a name. I’d like to know who is behind all of this. I need to know who we’re up against, especially since they don’t seem to shy away from willing to hurt Jody and I refuse to put her in any kind of danger. There's a lot of money involved, but somehow, I feel there is more to it. I’d like to have a talk with the illusive William Jenkins and hear what his story is. But before I do that, I need more information.”

  * * *

  Brian, one of the reception clerks of The Reef had just explained to a couple of German tourists how to get to the Currumbin Bird Sanctuary when he looked up and noticed a familiar, yet rare figure walk into the building. His eyes widened when he saw his manager. And on a Sunday to boot. It took him a lot of effort to hide his surprise and he politely smiled when William Jenkins approached his desk.

  “Hello Brian,” William Jenkins greeted the young man with a smile that never reached his eyes. “How are things? Is everything going smoothly? No problems?”

  “Um…no, sir, no, everything is under control,” Brian answered, trying to regain his composure. “No problems. The office wing on the third floor is closed, due to the fire the other day, but the guest that was up there checked out.”

  William Jenkins looked up. He seemed surprised. “Did we have a guest in the executive suite? Who?”

  Brian knew he was not allowed to give any information about guests to anyone, but William Jenkins was his superior.

  “A guest from the corporate office, sir. Jennifer DeWit.”

  “From Stevens?”

  “Uh…yes, sir, she did have an employee identification.”

  “I’m sure you have a copy. May I see it, please?”

  William Jenkins extended his hand and gave Brian a stern look, apparently not in the mood to discuss the need of his request. With flushed cheeks, Brian rummaged through the file cabinet underneath his desk. Jody was the one who always took care of the copies they made from the various passports. But since she had not been at work since Friday they were still filed in one of the drawers. Reluctantly Brian handed the copy of Jennifer DeWit’s ID to his manager.

  William Jenkins nearly pulled it out of his hands and eagerly cast a look at the paper. He immediately felt his blood run cold when he recognized the black and white picture. He pursed his lips and tried to stop his hands from trembling. When he thought things couldn't get any worse, the daughter of the boss came for a visit. He recognized her from a picture he had seen in one of the company’s newsletters. She worked for her father. He didn't have to wonder why she used a different name. They had found out. And she had been sent to check on the accounts. William Jenkins swallowed hard when he folded the sheet of paper and put it in his pocket, ignoring Brian's curious gaze. “I need the key to the safe, Brian.”

  “Um…Jody said—”

  “I don't care what Jody said. I'm the manager here and I want the key to the safe. I must make a deposit. I don’t want too much money lying around. You can either give me the key or go look for another job.”

  Brian didn't dare object. He didn't know his manager very well, because he usually dealt with Jody, but he didn't want to risk losing his job. He handed over the key and silently watched his superior fidgeting with it for a while.

  “Where is Jody anyway?” William Jenkins finally asked.

  “It's Sunday sir, she has the weekend off. Besides, her apartment was broken into yesterday. I think she's staying with family right now.”

  William Jenkins felt his stomach rebel and he tried to swallow away a sudden feeling of nausea. “They broke into her apartment? Yesterday?”

  Brian nodded. “Yes, sir. Nick was on duty and he told us Jody had called to ask him to bring over some coffee. They had to wait for the police.”

  “That…Jennifer DeWit, was she there as well?”

  Brian cast down his eyes and hesitated only for one moment. “Miss DeWit was there as well, yes.” He omitted th
e fact that Nick had told him the woman who had been with Jody at the time was Samantha Stevens and not Jennifer DeWit.

  There was a brief silence. “Right,” William Jenkins drawled. “Thanks, Brian. When I’m done, I’ll put the key in its usual place.”

  He turned around and walked toward the stairs that were leading to the third floor, where the safe was. He knew the noose was tightening. The fact that Samantha Stevens had flown halfway across the world and checked in using a different name, was clear indication they had discovered something was wrong. She would find out what he’d done. Everything would be exposed. He didn’t know Sam Stevens personally, but he was aware of the reputation she had within the company. Her quick-thinking and keen intellect were well known. The one thing William Jenkins couldn’t figure out was Jody McDonnell’s involvement. And it worried him. He liked Jody and part of him felt bad about all the lies he had been feeding her. She was a good person and an excellent manager. Without her assistance, The Reef wouldn’t have had the leadership it needed to function properly. He wished he could warn her about Joe Michaels, but he couldn’t. Not without revealing his own role.

  “Two more days,” he whispered to himself. “Wednesday, it will all be over.”

  * * *

  “Okay, Sam, are you all set?” Sarah looked at Sam, who had tucked away her laptop in its protective sleeve.

  Sam nodded. One look at Jody revealed the anxiety in her eyes and she ignored the knots in her own stomach. “I talked to Lucy. She and Ger will stay where they are and wait at the restaurant until they hear from me.”

  Sarah shot a glance at Megan and smiled at her partner. “After I’ll drop off Sam I’ll come back immediately. Alright?”

  Megan nodded. “Sounds like a plan. Jody and I won't go anywhere.” Megan reached out, grabbed Sarah’s hand and pulled her along toward her parked car. “I'll walk you to the car.”

  Jody stared at her disappearing friends and chuckled despite her nervousness. “That wasn’t even remotely a hint.”

  Sam let out a soft laugh. “It's not very subtle, no. But I appreciate the sentiment.” She pulled Jody in her arms and held her close.

  “You promise me you’ll be careful.” Jody’s face was pressed against Sam’s shoulder and her voice was muffled.

  “I promise. I'll have a look around and be out of there,” Sam said. “I might even be wrong about all this, maybe it's my imagination running wild.”

  “Maybe, and I do hope you’re wrong, but I won’t be surprised if you’re right. The more I think about it, the more sense it makes.” She leaned back into Sam’s arms and looked up. “You'd better go.” Jody’s voice was laced with worry. “This is not getting any easier. Besides, the sooner you'll go, the sooner you'll be back. Right?”

  Sam smiled. “Right,” She leaned forward and captured Jody's lips for a lingering kiss. They took their time, thoroughly enjoying each other’s softness. It was Sam who finally broke the contact. “I'll be back as soon as I can.” She dropped a kiss on the freckled nose in front of her, before turning around and walking to Sarah who was patiently waiting for her.

  Jody stared at Sam’s disappearing form. She felt lost and remembered the last time she had felt like that.

  * * *

  Eight years ago.

  All night long sleep had eluded her. The hours and minutes seemed to crawl and the darkness of the night refused to lift. Jody had spent most of the night in a chair near the window of her bedroom, staring outside, not able to enjoy the beauty of the millions of stars or the way the moonlight caught the trees in a silvery light.

  Her stomach was tied in knots every time she realized what she was about to do; leaving her family. She knew her father would disown her for what she was about to do, but she felt he had left her no choice. Deep down inside, Jody knew it was only her father who despised her for loving Sam, but losing her whole family would be the consequence of leaving. Lucy had assured her she would never abandon her, but Jody knew that as long as Lucy would live at home, her father would never allow her to visit her. But how could a feeling that came so natural to her be so wrong? Falling in love with Sam had been a revelation, introducing Jody to parts of herself that she knew had always been there. They just had been hidden until Sam came along. It had made her at peace with herself, realizing she had discovered her most inner self. She couldn't remember ever feeling so whole. So complete.

  Jody felt a lump in her throat and tried to swallow down the tears. She thought she had run out of them by now. Every night since Sam had left she had cried herself to sleep. But the tears came anyway. She cried over the loss of Sam, her home, the uncertainty of the future and the pain of being forced to make a decision that should not have been an issue if only there would have been more understanding. For the first time in her life, she felt completely lost and truly lonely. She was caught between two loves that couldn't integrate, leaving her without the loving support of her family, the only safe place she had ever known, except for Sam's arms.

  * * *

  “Fiona, please, stop whining. We don't have time to visit Jody. I've got to do some grocery shopping and after that we need to go and see your father. Maybe next time.”

  Joan McDonnell cast a look in her rearview mirror and sighed when she saw the unhappy face of her youngest daughter. She knew her fourteen-year-old adored Jody and she didn't get to see her as often as she would want to. It was hard on the teenager, living with an older brother and a very strict father. Fiona was as rebellious as Lucy had been and Joan often felt she was caught between two fires, not able to put out any of the flames. She respected the rules her husband had set, but often felt sorry for her children. For a very long time, even before Jody had left, she had been afraid all the rules and regulations would turn them away from their parents one day. Fiona was as stubborn and outspoken as Lucy, which had gotten her in trouble more times than her mother could count. “Why don't we give Jody a call later and ask her if it's alright to visit tomorrow, when she's at work. Maybe we can have lunch together.”

  Joan McDonnell realized the fact that her husband was still in the hospital gave her a lot more freedom, like visiting Jody at her work or home. It was something she normally couldn’t do. Deep down inside she felt guilty about this infidelity, but on the other hand she appreciated the freedom the absence of David gave her.

  Fiona's face lit up by a brilliant smile and she looked at her mother in eager expectation. “Can we?” she asked.

  “Yes, we can.” Joan smiled “We'll give Jody a call, okay?”

  “Cool.” Fiona beamed, very happy at the prospect of spending some time with Jody, without the presence of her other siblings.

  Joan smiled and took a right turn, to head to one of the little deli shops she liked so much. She parked her car near 'Dutch Treat' and turned around in her seat to look at Fiona. “Are you coming in with me?”

  “May I have some licorice?”

  “Are you trying to bribe your poor old mother?” Joan laughed. “Well, alright, you may have some, if you promise me you won't eat it all at once like you did last time. You were sick all day.”

  “I won't,” Fiona grinned. She exited the car and followed her mother inside “This time, I’m going to enjoy it.”

  * * *

  Sarah drove her car onto the highway and tried to relax and not think about how uncomfortable Sam would be. She had folded her tall frame on the backseat to stay out of side. Just in case. Sarah glanced over her shoulder and met a pair of amused blue eyes.

  “Are you alright? You don’t look very comfortable.”

  Sam grinned. “I'll live. Although, I hope we’re nearly there, because the muscles in my right leg are not exactly happy right now.”

  “Hang in there a few more minutes. I'll park behind the shops. You should be able to get out without being noticed. There are some souvenir shops as well, so you could look around for a while and keep an eye out for Lucy and Bird. Oh, and Sam, in case you might need to….um…. disappear, the s
hop on the corner has two entrances, one’s at the back of the building. It should be right up your alley. It’s called ‘Dutch Treat’.”

  “Awesome. I wonder if they have licorice,” Sam laughed. “Thanks, Sarah.”

  Sarah skillfully parked her car between two pickup trucks and looked around. It was Sunday and there were a lot of people around, but they were all very much interested in the items the shops displayed and nobody was paying attention to the parking lot. “Okay, Sam. The coast is clear.”

  Sam opened the car door and extended her legs, grateful to be able to stretch her muscles again. She groaned when she felt a cramp in her right leg and firmly rubbed her affected calf, before putting her weight on it. She looked at Sarah, smiled and disappeared into the nearest shop, limping almost invisibly.

  Sam decided to leisurely stroll along the aisles, checking out the various items, before focusing on the restaurant across the street. She smiled when her eyes caught sight of a 'Dr. Oetker' butter biscuit mix, which was presented as a typical Dutch treat. “Wouldn't mind a slice of that right now,” she mumbled, remembering the sweet, buttery taste of the cake. It was one of her mother's specialties. When she passed the licorice, acid drops and peppermint sticks, she nearly collided with a dark-haired teenager, clearly startling her.

  “Excuse me,” the girl politely apologized, glancing up.

  Sam looked down with a smile and immediately froze in place. The face that was looking up at her was the spitting, freckled image of Lucy McDonnell, which could only mean one thing.

  * * *

  Fiona had been ready to join her mother who was talking to the shop owner. As soon as she nearly collided with a tall blonde, a long-forgotten memory surfaced.

  Nine years ago.

  “Okay, little bookworm.” Sam laughed. “Here you go.”

  A pair of strong arms lifted the six-year-old girl effortlessly out of the water, only to throw her back in again a few meters further down the creek. Fiona sputtered and wiped the water out of her face, her eyes shining with pleasure.