Page 11 of Dirty Deceit

"Alright, but the offer is there if you need it. I wonder, though…"

"What?"

"There's a friend of mine that has some fast-paying investment opportunities, but that's not something you need to be thinking about right now."

"Fast paying how? How long to receive a return on their investments?"

"Two weeks, a month at the most. But they're high risk,” he explains. “That's why the return is so steep."

"How much of an investment are we talking about?"

"Oh, I don't know, thirty or fifty thousand. You can double or triple your money in a really short time."

I bite my lip. I realize what I'm doing and apply some lip balm. I have 75K in my retirement savings and need 100K for the down payment to the hospital. The remaining 200K I will have to pay in installments for what seems like forever. Maybe if I make a bigger down payment, the installments will be less, and I won't have to watch every penny that comes in and goes out.

Will Murphy think I'm abusing our recent friendship if I ask to talk to his friend? It would just be a discussion to see what the risks are. I've got nothing to lose right now. I had to book myself solid for the next month in order to make the 25K I needed for the rest of the down payment.

"Do you think I could talk to your friend about these investment opportunities? If you don't mind?"

"I don't think you should worry about that right now. You've just had a shock and need to see what's going on at your property."

"I know,” I say, “it's just that I've acquired this debt recently, and I think if I make the right investments with your friend, I could pay at least half of what I owe the hospital."

"The hospital?"

"Yes, my mother's stay in the hospital before her death was costly, and now it falls to me to pay it."

"I'm sorry to hear that, Gemma. You're definitely dealing with a lot." He hesitates. "Let me make some calls once we get back to New York, and I’ll see if I can connect you to one of my associates."

"Thank you so much. That would mean the world to me."

"I only want what is best for you, Gemma."

I sit back and sigh in relief. Maybe there's help coming my way after all.

Chapter 5

Gemma

We're finally in New York and heading up to my apartment. Murphy has this ability to calm my nerves, and I'm so thankful for that. I open the door, and I find that most of the furniture is gone, and only the knickknacks and kitchen stuff are still in place.

"Oh God." I plant my face in my hands in an effort not to look at the emptiness. There's nowhere to sit or to set my purse down. I go to the kitchen counter and put my purse there. The doorman gave me a copy of the police report. His tone was apologetic when he spoke to me. I still can't believe this has happened.

I turn around only to find Murphy behind me. I go into his arms immediately. A part of me doesn't like that I'm trusting a man so soon after meeting him, but he's been nothing if not kind to me. "It's going to be okay, Gemma."

"I know, it's just… I don't even know if I have a bed to sleep in." My voice comes out muffled because my head is buried in his chest.

"Come stay with me. At least while you get the basics set up."

"No, I'll call one of the girls. They should all be back by now."

"Are you sure?"

"I don't want to be a burden to you, Murphy. You've been so kind to me."

"It would be my pleasure to have you stay with me. I'm offering for selfish reasons. I want to spend some more time with you."

"Maybe the bed is still here." I go to my room only to find it in shambles. No bed, no nightstands. They took everything. "Damn it."

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