by David Allen
“Let me know when would be a good time to meet so we can discuss the needs of the clinic. Maybe we can do it over dinner,” he said confidently, as he finished up the message.
The news on the contract and knowing how happy it was going to make Laura kept Steve smiling. He scanned his desk and decided that he was ready to tackle his e-mail and his in-basket. Both of them were overflowing as a result of his brief two-day absence from the office. Most of the morning hours were spent just on his e-mail alone.
At a little before noon, Steve’s email review was interrupted by a knock on his door. It was Tim Burke.
“Good morning Steve. Do you have a minute?” asked Tim in an uncharacteristically sheepish tone.
“Sure Tim, I have a few minutes. Come on in,” Steve said.
“Steve, I remembered who told me that you called in sick. It was Kevin George,” said Tim.
Steve raised his eyebrows and looked a little surprised. “Kevin?” he asked. Well, this certainly explains the voice mail message, Steve thought to himself.
“Steve… actually Kevin told me that someone else had called in sick. I thought he said Steve. Obviously I made a mistake. I heard him incorrectly.”
“Well, I guess that explains it,” said Steve nodding his head. “Thank you for passing on that information. I feel better that people were not making up rumors.” Steve tried to sound positive. He tried not to show any signs that would indicate he was aware of the plan.
“I got your message about discussing the ideas for new products and I will have to get back to you with a time for that. Everything is really up in the air with the meeting on Thursday,” said Steve. “Maybe we should wait until the following week for things to calm down.”
“Sure, that would work,” said Tim. The words from Steve sounded good to Tim. It sounded as if everything was still in place. Tim took a few steps backwards to the door and paused. He needed to know more. He still had to be sure that Steve was not on to his plan. He needed to dig a little deeper.
“Do you need me to help you with anything? I have some spare time if you need me to do anything or review any of the documents in order to get ready for the meeting tomorrow. You know all you have to do is ask.”
“Thanks Tim. Everything is pretty much under control. All of the documents were approved by legal last week and everything looks like a go.” Steve pushed himself slightly away from his desk. “You guys must be getting pretty excited for tomorrow?” he said.
“Yes. We’re all looking forward to it,” said Tim. “We can’t wait to start contributing to Peterson Software in our new roles. And if I can help with anything now, just ask,” he said, as he again started for the doorway. “I would be happy to begin my new role now.”
Steve needed Tim to think he knew nothing of the plan. He needed him to feel as if nothing was wrong.
“Hey Tim, if you want to help you can request a copy of all of the documents for the meeting from legal. Tell them I said it was OK. I would like you to look them over to see if you can find any issues or problems with them. Then I don’t need to spend the time to review them myself.” Steve sounded very sincere. “And thanks for the offer Tim. It will help me get through some of these other issues.”
“Great Steve, I will go ahead call legal as soon as I leave here. I can get started right away,” said Tim.
Tim nearly ran back to his office. He thought the conversation with Steve went well. He has no idea at all about the plan, Tim thought.
Steve’s offer for Tim to review the legal documents worked wonders in boosting Tim’s confidence in his plan. Steve appeared to be back to his old self. He even appeared to accept the explanation that Tim offered regarding the sick day blunder. Now only one thought remained swirling in the back of Tim’s mind. The new number one concern for Tim was now Christy. She never checked in for the morning call that she had assured Tim she would make. Tim already tried to unsuccessfully contact her several times earlier. He knew that Christy was avoiding his calls and he was quite disturbed. Thoughts of a double cross entered his mind.
Tim picked up his phone and dialed Christy’s work number. The call did not even ring. It went directly into her voice mailbox. He dialed her cell phone. The electronic message reported that the phone was either out of the area or turned off. Tim’s doubts were building as each second passed.
* * *
Steve Peterson began digging back into his work as soon as Tim left his office. He finished responding to the last e-mail and then started into his overflowing in-basket. A large interoffice envelope was picked off of the top of the heap just as his office phone rang.
Steve saw the caller-ID number and tossed the envelope aside before snatching up the phone.
“Hello, this is Steve Peterson,” he said, trying to hide his excitement.
“Hi Steve, this is Laura Hanson. I just got your message and I am so excited. I knew you would come through on this. I knew I could count on you. Thank you for all your help on this Steve,” she said without taking a breath.
“You are very welcome Laura. I was happy I could help out.”
“Steve, you mentioned that we needed to meet in order to work out some of the clinic details,” said Laura. I have tomorrow night free after the clinic closes. I should be able to get out about seven, seven thirty at the latest.”
“That would be great Laura. Joe is already planning on taking me over to Clearwater after work tomorrow so I could pick up my car. I can meet you at the clinic. I’ll be there by seven o’clock. If you’re running late I won’t mind waiting around for a while. We can go and catch a bite out and talk about the clinic space. I know this great Thai place up in Safety Harbor.”
“Thai sounds great Steve and thanks again. I will see you at about seven o’clock then,” said Laura enthusiastically.
The anxiety free call left Steve euphoric. He thought the call went well. He had a conversation with a woman that he cared for and he didn’t screw it up. He smiled as picked up the envelope that he set aside and dug back into his work.
The papers inside the envelope were folded in half in order to get them to fit. Steve wiggled them from side to side in order slide them out, and then he flattened them out on the desk. The pages were taken from the corporate phone usage report. They detailed Tim Burke’s phone usage for the prior month.
Even though Steve was already convinced that Christy and Tim were working together, he was still dismayed to see all of the calls to her work number and cell phone. He was up to over fifty-five calls before he stopped counting. Steve took a deep breath. The smile turned to a frown as he exhaled. He crumpled up the report and threw it in the garbage.
Chapter 35 - The Split
The evening crowd with their roller blades and running shoes was starting to converge onto the sidewalk that runs along Bayshore Boulevard. The longest uninterrupted sidewalk in the United States was soon filled with people trying to work out the stress acquired from their day at the office.
Steve Peterson gazed down at the typical evening progression from the wall of windows in the living room of his condo. His mind was alive with activity in anticipation of the conversation he would soon be having with Christy. Steve glanced down at his watch, his stomach felt queasy. Christy would be home any minute.
Several scenarios of the altercation that was about to unravel began to play out in Steve’s mind. None of them ended very well. Steve’s cold hands started to sweat from the ugly thoughts. His heart raced, pounding nearly as hard as the hearts of some of the runners outside the window.
Steve hated confrontation of any sort. He dreaded the unavoidable war of words that would soon be cascading down around him. He stared out the window at the seemingly carefree people below, wishing he was one of them.
The arrival of the penthouse elevator was chirped out by the alarm system. Steve tensed at the signal. He could feel that all too familiar knot retaking control of his stomach. Steve swallowed hard at the sound of the door closing.
“Ju
st a few minutes and it will all be over,” Steve muttered to himself. He heard the sound of Christy’s high-heeled shoes move into the kitchen. He cringed at the sound of her high-pitched voice.
“Hi Steve, I’m home. Are you home yet?” Christy called out.
The sound of her voice only added to the sense of loathing Steve was already feeling. He stepped away from the window and walked over to one of the leather sofas.
“Christy, I am in here,” he said rather forcefully. “I’m in the living room.”
Christy rounded the corner and entered the living room just as Steve took a seat on the sofa. She saw Steve and immediately went into her act. First she flashed a smile, and then came the sweet and gentle words.
“I am glad you’re home early,” Christy said. “Did you remember that I wanted to discuss something with you?” she asked.
“I remembered,” said Steve. ”Do you want to change first or do you want to talk now?” asked Steve. He hoped she would want to change, anything to delay the inevitable conflict.
“Well, they say there is no time like the present,” said Christy. She took a seat next to Steve on the sofa. Christy furrowed her brow and jumped into her script.
“Steve, I have a concern and I hope I am not too late, but I wasn’t sure what I should do. Maybe I should have talked to you about this sooner but I really didn’t think anything about it until just recently. Or it may just turn out to be nothing.”
“What is it?” asked Steve. “It sounds serious.”
“Well, it has to do with Tim Burke. I think he may be up to something at Peterson Software.”
“You know Tim Burke?” asked Steve.
“Yes. I met Tim a little over a year ago through some mutual friends, but we have not spoken for quite some time. A few weeks ago when you were away on business he called here and asked for you. He said he forgot you were away and then started asking questions about things going on at Peterson Software. He asked questions about the plan to split the ownership of the company. I thought it was odd at the time but I soon forgot about it.”
“Maybe he just didn’t remember that I was away,” said Steve.
“Yeah, I thought of that. But then, the other day he walked up to me while I was at lunch with the girls. He said it was a coincidence that he was there. But now I don’t believe him. He started asking more questions about the ownership transfer and also about the homeless shelter project. I just told him I didn’t know anything about it but he kept asking. As he was leaving he said if I remembered anything he could make it worth my time. He told me to give him a call. The more I thought about it, the stranger it seemed.”
Christy reached out and gently laid her hand on Steve’s leg. “Steve, I just thought I should let you know about it in case something was going on at the company. Maybe you could stop it. I want to help you.”
Christy’s act was fairly convincing. She sounded genuinely concerned for Steve and his company. If Steve did not already know the truth he would have been fooled by the performance.
Steve slid to the edge of the sofa. “So you didn’t say anything to him or give him any information about the company did you?” he asked.
“No Steve, I didn’t tell him anything. But he kept asking. I really wouldn’t trust him if I were you. And remember that it was me that warned you about him.”
Steve looked up at Christy. He took a deep breath. It is now or never, he shouted to himself.
“Christy, I know that you have provided Tim with inside information on the company,” he said firmly. “And I also know for a fact you have been working with him. I know everything you just told me is a lie.”
Christy was silent for a few seconds then came back at Steve with a piercing tone. “What the hell are you talking about?” she snarled. “I am trying to help you here. I am trying to help you and your company and you end up accusing me?”
Steve reached over to the glass-topped end table alongside of the couch. He picked up the top sheet of some papers that he had placed there before Christy’s arrival. It was a photocopy of the note he found in Christy’s closet. He handed the copy over to Christy.
“Christy, I found this note and I found the hidden contract for the homeless shelter. I know all about Tim’s plan at Peterson Software and I know all about your participation with him. I know you were in on it from the beginning,” Steve said.
Christy grabbed the copy from Steve’s hand and stare angrily at the page. “How dare you,” she screamed. “You searched through my closet! How dare you go into my things,” shouted Christy hysterically.
Steve had anticipated the anger and the rage. He took another deep breath and tried to remain calm.
“Christy I did not intentionally search through your closet to look for evidence against you. I found the note purely by accident.”
“So now you feel I am guilty because of this stupid note. I was going to show you this note. I saved this note to show you. I saved this as proof. Tim gave this to me when he asked for the information. I already told you that. I never gave him anything,” said Christy sounding quite frantic.
“We are not going to go there Christy. I have a lot of other information. I have listings and records of phone calls that Tim made to your office and your cell phone from his office. I am not willing to discuss this issue any further with you. As of now, I consider our relationship to be over. You need to move out of here immediately.”
Christy’s hostile temper flared. She stood and jabbed her finger in the air toward Steve, her voice rising to a fever pitch.
“Oh, it is far from over Steve,” Christy screamed. You made a commitment to me. You owe me. You can’t get rid of me just like that. It will not be that easy. You think you can say it is over and just expect me to leave my home. I live here. I live here legally. I’ll sue you for support Steve. There is such a thing as palimony in this state.”
Steve stared in silence at Christy’s tantrum. His silence only helped to fuel Christy’s hostility.
Christy again waved her finger hysterically at Steve. “You made a commitment to me when you asked me to move in here with you,” she shrieked. “I will sue you. I will take you for half of everything you own. I will get this condo and half of whatever is left of Peterson Software after Tim is done with you.”
Steve sat up straight on the couch, looking directly at Christy. For the first time in the conversation he started to feel as if he could take control. All Christy had were her loud words, nothing more.
“Christy, I have rented you a furnished apartment over on Harbor Island. It’s a real nice place. I have paid for a full year of rent up front to help get you started again. I also made arrangements with a moving company to move all your belongings out to the apartment this Saturday. They will bring all your things over to the new place. They will even set everything up for you.”
Christy had heard enough. She put both of her hand into the air and cut off Steve’s words. “I told you that I am not leaving this condo. Legally, this is my home now. You can go and live at that place you rented but I am staying here and there is nothing you or anybody else can do about it,” said Christy mockingly.
Steve continued to look directly at Christy. “I have already done something about it,” said Steve. “I have filed a complaint with the Tampa police stating that you have stolen checks from me and that you forged my name. I have you on the security system tape when you admitted the whole thing the other day in the kitchen. I also filed a complaint with the police about the stolen company documents. The detective I spoke to said you could expect five to fifteen years in prison if you are convicted of all charges.”
Steve reached over and picked another sheet of paper off of the table. “The detective also found this for me,” Steve said. He handed the sheet to Christy. “It’s a little something from your past. You have a prior conviction for forgery from the last sucker you swindled. The detective said that with your previous record you will be lucky if you get anything less than fifteen years.”
“You bastard!” shouted Christy. “After all that I have done for you! That money was owed to me! I didn’t steal anything, you lying bastard!”
“The police will be real interested in hearing your side of the story Christy. They told me they can’t wait to talk to you.”
Steve picked up the last document from the table and handed it to Christy. “If you sign this agreement and move out now, I will have all of the charges against you dropped.”
Christy snatched the paper out of the air. She scowled at Steve, saying nothing.
“It’s really not that bad Christy,” said Steve. I’ll let you keep the car and you get a nice place to stay for a year. Or if you want, don’t sign the paper and you may get someplace to stay for the next fifteen years. The choice is totally up to you. I won’t pressure you. It’s your decision.”
Christy remained silent as she started to read through the document. It spelled out the details of the breakup between her and Steve, stating the breakup was mutual and that under no circumstances could Christy seek damages of any kind against Steve. By signing the document she would sign away all rights to sue and all rights to any of Steve’s property. She carefully reviewed the entire document. She did not utter a sound until she was done.
Christy lowered the paper. She glared insolently at Steve. “This thing doesn’t say you will drop all of the charges against me,” she said aggressively. I am not going to put my signature on this document without a clause stating up front that you will not pursue any and all legal actions against me.”
Steve slightly shook his head and tensed his lips. “You do what you have to do Christy and I will do what I have to do. The document will not be changed. You sign the agreement or I call the police and tell them that you are here. After you sign the document and get out of here, I will drop all of the charges. You have my word on it. You know you can trust me on that.”