Double, Double Cross

I looked again at the check with my name on it, four hundred grand. I still couldn't believe it. I dropped it off at my accountant's on the way home. I told him to put twenty grand in my account and figure out how to keep as much of the balance as possible from Uncle Sam... legally, of course.

The next morning, I walked into Walker's outer office. Dorie wasn't any more excited to see me than she was the last time.

"You're like a bad penny, McDaniels."

"I think he's going to want to see me, doll face, I have something for him."

The bleached-blond bombshell hit the intercom button and told Walker I was there with something for him. "He'll see you," she told me, motioning toward the door to his office.

I didn't bother sitting. I really hated to do it. If Walker was the swindler Richardson made him out to be, he didn't deserve what I was about to give him. Sometimes, in my business, you have to do some pretty distasteful things, this was one of them. I pulled the envelope from my inside coat pocket and tossed it on his desk.

He read the company's name on the front. "What's this?"

"Open it and find out," I replied.

His expression was pretty much what I expect my own was. "Three million, six," he almost yelled, looking up at me. "You got it back? What... what about the rest of it?"

"I get ten percent as a finder's fee, remember?"

"Ah, no, no I don't remember that at all."

Richardson was right; Walker was a snake in the grass. "I thought you might say that," I told him, "so here's a copy of the contract you signed when you first hired me," I said, throwing the three-page agreement on his desk.

"Okay, fine," he responded, knowing I held all the aces. "I suppose I should thank you."

"Don't bother," I told him. "The other day, I was looking down the barrel of a thirty-eight, but I think having to give you that money is the least pleasant thing I've done all week."

When I got to my office, I picked up the newspaper and read the cop's account of what happened at the lake house. It was time to tell my side. I borrowed a couple chairs from the employment agency next door and called a small press conference in my office later in the afternoon.

That little Eloise broad was cute as a kitten and had been looking at me with bedroom eyes the whole time. Stacy and I had never put any restrictions on each other. We were both free to do whatever or whoever we wanted. A week ago, I have no doubt I'd be dancing in the sheets with that little minx from the paper, but somehow, it didn't seem right all of a sudden.

Next, I pulled up my bank balance online and smiled when I saw the twenty grand was already in my account. I took a chance and called one of the high-class restaurants in town and made reservations for later that night, then I had to make sure Stacy was free for the evening. When I told her where we were going she said she had nothing to wear. I told her not to worry about it. I knew she still wore the same size as when we were married.

I had to go home and get ready but needed to make a couple of stops first. I rang Stacy's doorbell at six-thirty; that still gave her time to finish getting ready. She screamed when she saw the dress.

"Blake, it's beautiful, but how can you afford it? This had to cost a fortune. What'd you do, rob a bank?"

"No, I was just able to finally collect on a debt. Now hurry up and put it on. We have less than an hour."

All through dinner, Stacy questioned me regarding the debt I told her about. I just told her she'd have to wait for the morning paper. I knew those reporters would hype up the story to sell more newspapers; by letting her read about it, I could still stay humble, I told myself with a small smile.

We had taken the last bites of our desserts and were about to leave after finishing our coffee when I decided it was time. "Oh, I almost forgot," I said while reaching into my suitcoat pocket.

When she saw the ring box from Tiffani's that I'd set down in front of her, she screamed so loud the entire restaurant looked. Tears immediately flowed from those gorgeous eyes as she fumbled to slip the large, pear-shaped diamond onto her finger. She held her hand up for all to see. "We're engaged," she yelled.

We heard shouts of, "Congratulations," accompanied by clapping patrons and staff alike.

Epilogue:

I have a good accountant. I knew he'd invest my money wisely, which allowed me to be more selective with clients and the kind of cases I took. Living with Stacy has been nothing but great, and I'm looking forward to a wonderful future together.

The end.