trouble. But I’ve learned my lesson now. I’ve stopped the gambling. I mean to pay you back. Every cent.”
“Frank, I took a close look at the books. You’ve helped yourself to more than half a million dollars that I’ve identified so far. I’m guessing there’s more.”
His lip wobbled. “Please,” he said. “Please don’t go to the cops. I’m going to change. I am. I’m getting help. And I’ll set up a series of payments. You’ll get your money back. All of it. With interest.”
“I don’t know, Frank. I’ll need to talk to Lynette about this.”
He hung his head. “That makes me feel so much worse. With her heart condition, she shouldn’t be bothered by this burden.”
He was right, of course, but he might have considered Lynette’s health before he started embezzling, she thought.
The outer door bell rang, indicating somebody had come into the office. As she was the only one there, she excused herself and went out front.
It was Arnie, one of the pilots, with his time sheet.
“Great, thanks.”
Arnie was in his mid-thirties and his wife was expecting their second child. He took every extra shift he could get in order to help support his growing family. He said, “What’s up for tomorrow?”
She mentally scanned the jobs coming up.
“Let’s see. We need to get a piece of equipment to Westhaven mine. I’ll do that one. You can take the Joyner party up to the fishing lodge.”
“Is that the equipment in that crate?” He pointed to the large box in the corner that had been dropped off earlier for transport to the mine.
“Yep. That’s it.”
“It’s too heavy for you to load and unload.”
“I know. It’s a two-person job. I’m taking Max with me. He can help with the heavy lifting, and it will give me a chance to show him the route. Introduce him to the people at the mine.”
He nodded. “Sounds good. I gotta head off to prenatal class with the wife. See you tomorrow.”
She returned to her office and Frank continued as though she’d never left.
“I quit drinking, too. You can ask anybody. I joined AA.”
“That’s good, Frank.”
Finally, he said, “Well, like I said. I’m sorry. Why don’t you take a few days to think about it? Maybe we could get together again and work out a repayment schedule.”
“But how will you repay the money? You don’t have a job.” She hoped he wasn’t expecting a good reference because she couldn’t give him one.
“I’ll sell my house. I’ve mortgaged it to gamble, but if I sell it there’ll be enough to pay you back most of what I owe.”
Then, from the bag he was carrying, he pulled out a framed photograph. “You probably want this back,” he said and placed it in front of her on the desk. The photograph showed a much younger Frank with Claire and both her grandparents. Her grandfather had presented her with a company pin after she’d passed her first flight test. She remembered that day. It had been a hot August afternoon. They’d ended it with a barbecue. She’d been so proud and they all looked so happy.
Of course, she knew that Frank was deliberately manipulating her—she wasn’t stupid. Still, it was impossible to gaze at that picture and not remember better times.
Gambling was a serious addiction, she knew. Like alcohol or drugs, it took over a person, caused them to do things that were out of character. She glanced at the man sitting across from her. Had he really reformed?
“I need to think about this, Frank. What you did is serious. We could lose the business. Lynette is devastated.”
He stood heavily. “Understood.”
He held out his hand and, after hesitating a moment, she took it. “When can we talk again?” he asked.
“I’m seeing our lawyer on Wednesday. I’ll get some advice. If she agrees to a payback schedule, then I’ll get you to work it out with her.” That made the most sense to Claire. She didn’t want to be trying to negotiate how and when he was going to pay back the money
“Frank, I took a close look at the books. You’ve helped yourself to more than half a million dollars that I’ve identified so far. I’m guessing there’s more.”
His lip wobbled. “Please,” he said. “Please don’t go to the cops. I’m going to change. I am. I’m getting help. And I’ll set up a series of payments. You’ll get your money back. All of it. With interest.”
“I don’t know, Frank. I’ll need to talk to Lynette about this.”
He hung his head. “That makes me feel so much worse. With her heart condition, she shouldn’t be bothered by this burden.”
He was right, of course, but he might have considered Lynette’s health before he started embezzling, she thought.
The outer door bell rang, indicating somebody had come into the office. As she was the only one there, she excused herself and went out front.
It was Arnie, one of the pilots, with his time sheet.
“Great, thanks.”
Arnie was in his mid-thirties and his wife was expecting their second child. He took every extra shift he could get in order to help support his growing family. He said, “What’s up for tomorrow?”
She mentally scanned the jobs coming up.
“Let’s see. We need to get a piece of equipment to Westhaven mine. I’ll do that one. You can take the Joyner party up to the fishing lodge.”
“Is that the equipment in that crate?” He pointed to the large box in the corner that had been dropped off earlier for transport to the mine.
“Yep. That’s it.”
“It’s too heavy for you to load and unload.”
“I know. It’s a two-person job. I’m taking Max with me. He can help with the heavy lifting, and it will give me a chance to show him the route. Introduce him to the people at the mine.”
He nodded. “Sounds good. I gotta head off to prenatal class with the wife. See you tomorrow.”
She returned to her office and Frank continued as though she’d never left.
“I quit drinking, too. You can ask anybody. I joined AA.”
“That’s good, Frank.”
Finally, he said, “Well, like I said. I’m sorry. Why don’t you take a few days to think about it? Maybe we could get together again and work out a repayment schedule.”
“But how will you repay the money? You don’t have a job.” She hoped he wasn’t expecting a good reference because she couldn’t give him one.
“I’ll sell my house. I’ve mortgaged it to gamble, but if I sell it there’ll be enough to pay you back most of what I owe.”
Then, from the bag he was carrying, he pulled out a framed photograph. “You probably want this back,” he said and placed it in front of her on the desk. The photograph showed a much younger Frank with Claire and both her grandparents. Her grandfather had presented her with a company pin after she’d passed her first flight test. She remembered that day. It had been a hot August afternoon. They’d ended it with a barbecue. She’d been so proud and they all looked so happy.
Of course, she knew that Frank was deliberately manipulating her—she wasn’t stupid. Still, it was impossible to gaze at that picture and not remember better times.
Gambling was a serious addiction, she knew. Like alcohol or drugs, it took over a person, caused them to do things that were out of character. She glanced at the man sitting across from her. Had he really reformed?
“I need to think about this, Frank. What you did is serious. We could lose the business. Lynette is devastated.”
He stood heavily. “Understood.”
He held out his hand and, after hesitating a moment, she took it. “When can we talk again?” he asked.
“I’m seeing our lawyer on Wednesday. I’ll get some advice. If she agrees to a payback schedule, then I’ll get you to work it out with her.” That made the most sense to Claire. She didn’t want to be trying to negotiate how and when he was going to pay back the money
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