whole story of how I made what Mom called “suspicious accusations” last night, how she got mad at me for questioning Steven, and how she still wasn’t talking to me this morning.
“I really blew it.”
She sort of nods, but her expression is slightly grim.
“What’s wrong?”
“Your mother left Steven’s cell phone number at the office for me,” she says. “I only got to it a couple of hours ago.”
“And?”
“Does the name Greg Hampton sound familiar?”
I shrug. “Not really. Should it?”
“I discovered that the number your mother gave me for Steven is actually under Greg Hampton’s name.”
“Who’s Greg Hampton? A friend of Steven’s?”
“That’s what I’m trying to find out. Want to see some photos I just pulled up?”
“Of Greg Hampton?”
“Yes, or a.k.a. Steven Lowery, whichever the case may be.”
“Huh?”
“I think your mom’s boyfriend may have changed his name a few times.”
It doesn’t take long before I spot a photo that looks exactly like Steven, or Greg, or whatever his name really is. I feel a mixture of relief and shock as I point to it. I’m relieved that I’ve finally been able to identify a person by his photo, but I’m shocked to see that Steven’s real name is actually Gregory John Hampton. Not only that, but he’s wanted in several states for fraud.
“Greg seems to have moved steadily westward,” Ebony points out as she reads the details of the report. “His MO seems to be presenting himself as a successful stockbroker. Nice clothes, nice car, good-looking guy—quite a package.”
“That sounds like Steven, or whatever his name is.” I frown. “What does MO stand for anyway? I mean, I know it means the way a person does something, but what are the initials really for?”
She sort of smiles, but her eyes are troubled. “MO stands for modus operandi, and that’s Latin for ‘mode of operation’— the methods a person uses.”
“Right.”
“According to this, Steven’s MO is to move to a new town and meet a vulnerable woman who possibly has money. Heseems to prefer older women and widows. He begins dating them, wins their trust, promises them a great investment opportunity, then cleans them out before he heads on to his next target. As far as I can tell, he started this whole nasty business after 9/11. He targeted a policeman’s widow in New York City. Apparently he has just the right sympathetic touch when it comes to tragedy.”
I sink into the chair by Ebony’s desk as I try to absorb this horrible news. “So he is responsible for my mom’s messed-up finances?”
“That’s my best guess. The big questions are if this jerk is still around and if we can catch him.” She picks up her phone now, quickly dispenses some information, issues an APB for him, and then enters something into her computer as well.
“What about my mom?” I ask weakly.
She nods. “I’m going to go see her myself. I don’t think this is something you need to handle, Samantha.”
“She’s going to be crushed.”
“It’s good that she has you…”
I nod, wondering if that’s how Mom will see it. Or will she think this is somehow partially my fault? I know that seems completely unreasonable, but I remember how defensive she became over Steven last night. Like he was such a wonderful guy and I was somehow disloyal for questioning his integrity. Hopefully, she’ll believe Ebony.
Seven
I ’m not mad at you, Samantha!” yelled my mom. Okay, her tone wasn’t exactly convincing. Nor was the fact that she’d been slamming things as she supposedly cleaned up the kitchen, which wasn’t really in need of cleaning—just another sign she was seriously ticked. But I wasn’t about to argue with her tonight. Instead, I slipped off to my room where I planned to lie low until she calmed down—although it appeared that might take a few weeks.
Naturally, she was not the least bit pleased with Ebony’s news. I’m not even sure she completely
“I really blew it.”
She sort of nods, but her expression is slightly grim.
“What’s wrong?”
“Your mother left Steven’s cell phone number at the office for me,” she says. “I only got to it a couple of hours ago.”
“And?”
“Does the name Greg Hampton sound familiar?”
I shrug. “Not really. Should it?”
“I discovered that the number your mother gave me for Steven is actually under Greg Hampton’s name.”
“Who’s Greg Hampton? A friend of Steven’s?”
“That’s what I’m trying to find out. Want to see some photos I just pulled up?”
“Of Greg Hampton?”
“Yes, or a.k.a. Steven Lowery, whichever the case may be.”
“Huh?”
“I think your mom’s boyfriend may have changed his name a few times.”
It doesn’t take long before I spot a photo that looks exactly like Steven, or Greg, or whatever his name really is. I feel a mixture of relief and shock as I point to it. I’m relieved that I’ve finally been able to identify a person by his photo, but I’m shocked to see that Steven’s real name is actually Gregory John Hampton. Not only that, but he’s wanted in several states for fraud.
“Greg seems to have moved steadily westward,” Ebony points out as she reads the details of the report. “His MO seems to be presenting himself as a successful stockbroker. Nice clothes, nice car, good-looking guy—quite a package.”
“That sounds like Steven, or whatever his name is.” I frown. “What does MO stand for anyway? I mean, I know it means the way a person does something, but what are the initials really for?”
She sort of smiles, but her eyes are troubled. “MO stands for modus operandi, and that’s Latin for ‘mode of operation’— the methods a person uses.”
“Right.”
“According to this, Steven’s MO is to move to a new town and meet a vulnerable woman who possibly has money. Heseems to prefer older women and widows. He begins dating them, wins their trust, promises them a great investment opportunity, then cleans them out before he heads on to his next target. As far as I can tell, he started this whole nasty business after 9/11. He targeted a policeman’s widow in New York City. Apparently he has just the right sympathetic touch when it comes to tragedy.”
I sink into the chair by Ebony’s desk as I try to absorb this horrible news. “So he is responsible for my mom’s messed-up finances?”
“That’s my best guess. The big questions are if this jerk is still around and if we can catch him.” She picks up her phone now, quickly dispenses some information, issues an APB for him, and then enters something into her computer as well.
“What about my mom?” I ask weakly.
She nods. “I’m going to go see her myself. I don’t think this is something you need to handle, Samantha.”
“She’s going to be crushed.”
“It’s good that she has you…”
I nod, wondering if that’s how Mom will see it. Or will she think this is somehow partially my fault? I know that seems completely unreasonable, but I remember how defensive she became over Steven last night. Like he was such a wonderful guy and I was somehow disloyal for questioning his integrity. Hopefully, she’ll believe Ebony.
Seven
I ’m not mad at you, Samantha!” yelled my mom. Okay, her tone wasn’t exactly convincing. Nor was the fact that she’d been slamming things as she supposedly cleaned up the kitchen, which wasn’t really in need of cleaning—just another sign she was seriously ticked. But I wasn’t about to argue with her tonight. Instead, I slipped off to my room where I planned to lie low until she calmed down—although it appeared that might take a few weeks.
Naturally, she was not the least bit pleased with Ebony’s news. I’m not even sure she completely
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