Basic Shadow Ch. 02

The next week, Dee Dee opened her office officially. She was scarcely rushed for business. No new professional is, not in the first weeks. However, she did get two of the bank's recommendations in on the Monday. One was hopeless: too poor to afford her fees, even discounted, and unable to follow a business plan or control his own spending.

"I can't help you if you won't help yourself. Look, this is a spending budget. Keep it religiously. List every cent you spend. Come back in two weeks, and if I can see improvement I'll try to help."

The other was a much better bet. He showed her his business plan, which she criticized.

"You are too optimistic about the start-up phase. Nobody does that well. To get through that time you have to produce more slowly, and put off hiring additional staff until the orders come in. Your pricing is based on full volume. At a guess, you won't get there for six months to a year, and you'll be haemorrhaging money for your first year. It's a new product. Charge more. Ever read Adam Smith? Wealth of Nations? Try it.

"Do you mind if I ask George about it? He might have some ideas from the business side that could help."

The client was not that happy that she trashed his business plan, but he could see the merit of her concerns. He was enthusiastic that she might get some ideas from George, though.

"George is a smart cookie. If you could get him to have a look, that would be great."

Dee Dee knew her brother was well regarded, but not quite how much he was looked up to. Tony Dan's words began to have a second meaning, and she started calculating what George's hourly rate should be. She decided to call Bart Culderson.

"Bart, Dee Dee here. . . . No, I'm still coming tomorrow. I've got a couple of ideas I want to test and maybe we can start saving money a lot sooner than I first thought. . . . Thank you. This call is for a different purpose. I want to add George to my practice as an occasional business consultant. . . . Yeah, I thought it was a brilliant idea myself! . . . I'm sure he'd appreciate your confidence in him. My real question, though, is what do you think he should charge. I've got an idea, but I wanted your impression. . . . Same as me, eh? . . . Well, that's what I thought, too. Will they hold still for it? After all, he doesn't have degrees and certificates. . . . It's that or go broke? Kind of hard on me, isn't it? . . . Oh, they're the ones going to go broke. Probably so, at that. . . . Thanks, Bart. See you in the morning."

Maybe it was going to be Foster and Foster for real, she thought. George didn't use all his time on the Culderson store. This consulting work would be good for him. Having him on tap seemed as if it might be good for her, too. It had been a good morning.

George called in at noon to see if Dee Dee might like to go for lunch. To celebrate her first day, he proposed to take her to lunch at Carlton's. Carlton's was pretty much the only decent eatery in town, where most of the established businessmen ate lunch. He wanted to show everyone that she was his, something that gave him a lot of pleasure despite the forbidden nature of their relationship. What was it Julie said? As long as you don't rub their noses in it too much.

"Will you come to lunch, sweetheart? I'd love to show you off again."

"How sweet of you, George. Let's go. I'll just lock up so Julie can go home for lunch, too."

It was a short walk over. Dee Dee explained her idea for a business consultancy using George's knowledge as well as hers. George was intrigued.

"You're not going to get too much for someone with only a community college business course," he laughed.

"Same as me. Before you laugh, that's the rate Bart Culderson said I should charge. If they don't want to pay, they can go broke. His exact words."

"I'd better keep close track of my time, then."

"I've already got one you can try out. I'll show that to you this evening."

By this time they had reached Carlton's. The place was busy, but not full, just as it usually was during weekday lunch hours. You might need a reservation for the evening, or you might luck out. Lunch was usually safe. George and Dee Dee were placed at a table for two near the windows.

George seated Dee Dee with knightly courtesy, then absented himself for a few moments to attend to natural functions. Dee Dee, unfamiliar with the offerings, took the opportunity to go over the menu in detail. The lunch menu was limited but the dishes offered a range of tastes. It was a good business arrangement, she thought.

Suddenly a hand snatched the menu from her hand. It was Tom Sanderson, the accountant who had offered Dee Dee a job for sex. He was the one who'd messed up the buyout deal on the store, too. He was quite obviously far along on a five martini lunch.

"Showing up with the big boys after I offered you a job? You turned your nose up at it, didn't you? Now I hear you're slandering my reputation. We don't need your kind in here. Go home. Go away. Leave town."

Dee Dee was concerned. This was the asshole whose plan would have cost Mr. Culderson over a hundred thousand. If she couldn't calm him down, George would knock his block off. Maybe she didn't want to calm him down. She was getting pretty pissed herself.

"Maybe there wouldn't be room for me in this town if you were a competent accountant," she retorted. "Bugger off before you get hurt."

Tom pulled his arm back to take a swing at her. She was going to kill him herself if he did that.

Behind him his arm was suddenly arrested. A not very friendly voice instructed Tom:

"The lady said she wanted you gone, Tom. Go."

A brief scuffle and Tom left. A worried Ken Sampson stood there in his place.

"I'm awfully sorry about that, ma'am. We don't put up with that sort of thing in this town, especially about ladies, and especially about ladies who just pulled his nuts out of the fire. Pardon the language ma'am."

"Twice, I think, Mr. Sampson. Thank you for your help. Would you care to join us? George should be coming back in a moment."

"Thank you, Ms. Foster. I've just finished and have to be on my way. I am pleased that I could be of assistance. You call me if you have any more troubles with that one. He's the one who never called me back while the appeal period expired. I appreciate that you took the time to help me, especially when you weren't even open for business. Here's George, now. No one will cause you trouble while he's here."

"Oh George, I just had a bad experience with Tom Sanderson. He came over to run me out of town. Mr. Sampson, here, was good enough to calm him down."

"Thank you, Ken," George responded.

"We don't want that kind of behaviour in here, or in this town, George. Just doing my duty by a pretty woman. See you around." With that, Ken Sampson went his way.

Seeing Ken gone and Dee Dee apparently without a protector, Tom was struggling to his feet to renew the assault. He hadn't noticed George's return.

Ken wasn't the only one who wouldn't put up with that kind of behaviour. The waitress just told Tom to go home. A couple of the partners in his office made the same suggestion. Tom appeared to be prepared to defy all of them. The proprietor came out and offered Tom another drink, compliments of Mickey Finn. That ended that problem for the day.

"Tell him when he wakes up that any repetition of that sort of behaviour in my business will see him banned." The owner of Carlton's was not the sort to put up with disturbances, even from good customers.

**********

At the office, Dee Dee reported the fracas with Sanderon to Julie.

"That's not like him, Dee Dee. I wonder what's underneath all that. Tom usually just lets the changes in business go as part of the ebb and flow. Something's got to be bothering him. Maybe you better keep your eyes open for something significant at the store. Bart Culderson is a sharp cookie, but he did rely on his accountant."

"Thanks, Julie. I don't know anything about Tom. He's new in town since I went off to college five years ago. I can't believe anyone would react like that to losing an account, even a big one. Bigger than it should be, I think."

"Tom moved in about four years ago and started spending big. I guess he had the business. Maybe he has to keep all of it to fuel his lifestyle. Maybe there's something else. Keep your eyes open."

"All right, I'll be especially wary."

"Okay, the tax office called. They want you to get back to them but they say Ken Sampson's appeal is settled. They appreciate that you didn't raise hell with them for a silly mistake."

"The tax guys can be your best friends if you let them, if you know your job."

"Nothing newer than that."

"Well, we'd better get Sampson's bill out, and see if we can get started paying our own rent."

**********

George came by to pick Dee Dee up after work.

"Need a ride, Julie?"

"No, my husband is coming by in a few minutes. Have a good evening."

Dee Dee and George were arriving home when they were accosted by Tom Sanderson outside their house.

"I want you both out of town tonight," he snarled.

"Tom," George said. "You've been seeing too many bad westerns. Check with your wife about doing anything more. I don't think the accountants' group life covers suicide."

The two of them went in, leaving Tom standing. Eventually he went away.

"George, that was wonderful. This is a great town, where people will help anyone!"

"You ought to know, Shadow, this is the town where we grew up."

It was George's turn to prepare supper, but Dee Dee told him to wait while she addressed certain needs. She stripped him bare in the entryway, then tugged him into the front room while she took off her own clothes.

George was pretty hard just from her naked presence, and her dominating behaviour just made him harder. She knelt beside his body on the rug, sucked him more to lubricate than to excite, and impaled herself on him.

"George, this is so fine, so fine. I've been anxious to get you back to myself. Ooooh, just let me fuck you senseless."

He slid his hands up to assault her breasts, flicking her nipples into fine little nubs, as she pounded him steadily. He dropped a hand to massage her clitoris while she continued to pound up and down on him.

As she was moving he started to meet her, adding sensation through her breasts and her clit. She began to shiver. His excitement soared. His cock felt like it would burst. Then she peaked, and he climaxed with her:

"Ahhhh, oh, George, that was wonderful."

"Shadow, that's the best appetizer of all."

He slid out of her, flaccid now he was spent, and laid her on the carpet.

"Time for the entrée."

He slid his tongue into her wet vagina and used his hands to maintain her arousal. His tongue moved up to her clit, fully aroused from their wild lovemaking a moment before. His hands once more caressed her breasts.

She came violently, without warning.

"Wow, that was great. What about you?"

"Not to worry. I just love seeing you get off. You are so marvellous. I am so glad you trapped me into this relationship!"

"I trapped you into nothing, George."

"True, in one sense, but you have tied me down just by being you, you know, your own marvellous self."

"Bullshitter." She was pleased, though. Who can resist heartfelt compliments?

"Not so, Shadow, all true."

She didn't contradict him again.

They prepared and ate supper nude since it seemed too much trouble to dress. For some reason they were both more tired than usual after a day at the office. They liked to look at each other, too.

After they cleaned up Dee Dee gave George the business plan to look over.

"You know, Shadow, this is kind of fun, to look through what someone is proposing and see what you can suggest to make it even better. This plan should work, He's projecting too much income too early, of course, and his pricing is wrong. It should start out about thirty per cent higher until he has sales that will justify full capacity. He has expansion plans if the sales will support it, which is good. Better to plan ahead and not be caught if the demand is higher than expected than to disappoint people with late deliveries."

"Those first two points are what I told him this morning. In terms of sustainability they offset each other. Is there anything more you can add?"

"Well, if he changes this relationship like this, he can up his cash flow, which means less borrowed money in the system. About four months in he should start shifting this supply node, and not wait as long as he plans to. He ought to consider making his own supply of these parts, too. They seem to be critical to moving forward. He only has one supplier identified. If that supplier decides to hold him up to ransom, or has labour or supply problems of his own, he's out of business."

Dee Dee had been busy making notes. "I think that's going to justify your charges right there. Those are all excellent points. I think we can turn a pretty shaky proposition into a sound business proposal. Thank you, George."

They both prepared to go off to bed, paying more attention to the locks than had been their custom, and making sure the alarm system was armed.

Dee Dee came into George's room to sleep. Her sheets were fresh, but George was there. Who wants clean sheets when the alternative is your lover?

"George, will you make slow passionate love to me now? Earlier was fun, and I really enjoyed it. Tonight I want to be loved, just the way you make me feel so loved."

"Of course, sweetheart, of course." And he did.

**********

The next morning, a Tuesday, Dee Dee's first day at Culderson's, the two of them arrived up in the offices to hear Bart on the phone.

"No, Tom, I'm not paying five thousand for the work you did on the transfer. I've already paid three, which is too much for what you did for me. . . . No, Tom, it's not just the word of a 'flighty scared newbie' to use your words. I've had it confirmed by two other reputable accountants. . . . Tom, they both said they are prepared to go to the board with their opinion. . . . It was not competent work, Tom. . . . I'm not paying. Sue and be damned to you. And your firm's connection with my store is over." He slammed the phone down.

"That person," he had obviously been prepared to use a different word but held back in Dee Dee's presence - he was a gentleman of the old school - "thinks he can charge another five thousand for that piece of tripe he tried to pass off as a tax-saving transition plan, a plan, miss, that you kindly saved me from. You heard my response. Good to see you in. If you want, Miss Foster, there is a spare office yonder that should have a phone and computer hook-ups. See Sue Bradley for anything at all you need.

"Sue," he called her over. "This is Miss Foster, a newly minted professional accountant who is going to be doing our work from now on. Of course it's nepotism, she's George's sister. Actually, she's doing the work because she just saved me better than a hundred thousand. Please see that she has anything she needs. She'll be in the spare office."

"Pleased to meet you Miss Foster."

"Just call me Dee Dee; everyone else does."

"Oh, that's who you are. You'll pardon me if I say that in my recollection Dee Dee Foster was pretty smart, but nothing to look at. I still don't recognize the beautiful woman in front of me as her."

"Why, thank you. I had an incident and decided I should change. I'm glad you think I succeeded.

"Could you get me the back up for miscellaneous? I think I'll start there. If you have any problem Mr. Culderson said to call him or George."

"I'm on it. No one is going to give me trouble, Dee Dee. That's just the way I am."

Dee Dee spent a long while doing very basic audit functions on the miscellaneous account, knowing there were all kinds of opportunities to create trouble in such a mishmash of items. It had been quite a bit higher, as a percentage of total, than it had any right to be. She sat up when she found a couple of Tom Sanderson's accounts there.

"Sue, I want you to make copies of these accounts, and start a record of all the accounting services charges to the store. This was hidden on purpose. It was not well-hidden, but then I suppose he figured no one would look. Right now I'm looking for duplication."

"Okay, that doesn't make sense. He charges enough in the labelled item. Dee Dee, what's this charge for director's fees? Bart and his wife are the only directors of Culderson's, and they don't take fees as directors."

"I don't know. Let's track it down. It references a numbered company. Let's see if we can find any transfers to it. I want to ask George what he knows about it."

Dee Dee, looking a touch harried, went into George's office. He wasn't out in the stock rooms, yet.

"George, what do you know about relations between Culderson's and a numbered company?"

"Nothing, really, except that Tom recommended some kind of separation to make the balance sheet look better, or something. I didn't pay much attention to it."

"Did you know that the store was paying Tom and his wife a fair amount in directors' fees for that company?"

"No, no such arrangement was agreed to. Let's see Bart."

Bart was livid.

"The deal with the numbered company was something to do with appearances. Tom said once it was incorporated there would be almost no annual cost, maybe a couple of hundred dollars or so."

"These directors' fees are measured in thousands."

"Track down all you can. I'm going to get that back, out of his hide and his partners. The store has no business covering that cost for another company anyway. Find the cheques if you can, or the transfers."

**********

Julie and Dee Dee were alone in the office for a change, in one of their increasingly rare periods of inactivity. Of course there were things that could be done, but neither of them were too anxious to get back to work right away. They'd been pretty busy.

"You know, Julie, I'd love to have a baby - George's baby. While the townsfolk probably wink at what we're doing, they won't sit still for me having George's baby. I suppose we could move away, but I don't want to do that."

"I don't want to see the two of you go, either, Dee Dee, and not just because of my job," Julie replied. "This town needs capable young people like you.

"There are at least two ways to go about it that I can think of. The first is to find someone you could fake a relationship with, perhaps married, and you get pregnant accidentally or on purpose and he can't marry you. I know Ken Sampson would do that, and it even fits. He already thinks you walk on water" - Dee Dee sputtered at that - "no, it's true. His wife is an invalid, and might even agree herself. The problem is that people would turn against you for trying to take Ken away from his wife.

"The second idea I have is that you should just disappear for a week every three months or so, maybe to look for a husband or boyfriend. One of those times you come back pregnant. The advantage is that people would look up to you as this paragon of virtue, who, through a mistake, became with child, as they used to say, and determined to have the child and raise the child herself. The approach might work even for a second child, but if you tried for a third people would start thinking you should have caught on to what's causing these pregnancies," Julie laughed.

"If you're going to do that, you'll have a problem arranging to meet with George, since the point of a trip away is to make it obvious the father couldn't possibly be George."

"Gee, thanks, Julie," Dee Dee laughed. "How to have George's baby without George!

"On the other hand, George goes away a few times a year, to check with suppliers, or the annual retail convention, stuff like that. We could arrange to meet once my pattern and intent is clear and people wouldn't think of us as being in the same part of the world, even."