Page 153 of In Spades

“Try me, Beth,” she snapped.

“Han, it’s fine,” I said quietly, feeling as though I was walking to my death. “I can handle whatever this is about.”

“I’m coming with you,” she said, not leaving any wiggle room in her words for an argument.

Beth held up her hand, stopping Hannah from leaving her office. “If it was simply a termination, I’d say whatever. Unfortunately, the situation is a little more complex than that.” She looked at me. “Let’s go to Mr. Davidson’s office, Kristin.”

And just like that, it was over.

The life I’d built. The job I’d busted my ass for over the last five years. I would have to go home and tell the kids. I couldn’t lie about it to them.

Maybe Bridget would hire me at the bar. I didn’t know shit about mixing drinks, but I could learn.

“Kristin, take a seat,” Rich said, motioning to the empty chair in front of his desk.

A cold sweat broke out on my forehead, and my clammy hands trembled. “Can you please just get it over with?” I looked at Beth, “I promise, I didn’t know that Mr. Solomon owned Allegiant Holdings. He never told me.”

“This isn’t about your...relationship,” Beth stammered.

Rich sat behind his desk and slid a piece of paper to me. “Do you know what this is?”

Hunched over with brows furrowed, I scanned the spreadsheet. It was filled with dollar amounts, dates, and account numbers.

I shook my head. “No. Should I?”

“It’s the housekeeping expense account,” he said. “The inn has been bleeding money and we finally traced it back to unauthorized cash-outs from this account.” He looked at me, beady eyes lit with glee. “Unfortunately, we don’t have any choice but to terminate your employment. Charges will have to be filed. Beth is merely present as a formality. Because of the nature of your misconduct, we will not be offering a severance package.”

“But I?—”

Rich held up a hand. “Speaking as a friend, I’d advise you not to say anything else without an attorney present.”

But I didn’t do it! I looked at Beth, hoping she’d say something to corroborate my story.

She was dead behind the eyes as she set a thick stack of papers in front of me. “We’ll need your signature on a few forms before you turn in your key. After that I’ll walk you out.”

Rich reached into his suit jacket and pulled out a pen, clicking it as he handed it over.

Tears streaked down my cheek and splashed on the page. It smeared the ink as I began to sign my name on the dotted line of the page that explained why I was being fired without severance.

A knock on the door startled me as I began the swoopy loops of the ‘B’ in my last name.

Rich didn’t answer.

There was another loud knock, followed by a voice. “Beaufort P.D.”

Oh my God. I was getting arrested. And that voice… It was Steve.

Beth walked behind me and opened the door.

I peered over my shoulder to find Steve and Chase in the doorway, hands on their hips and stern expressions on their faces. I swallowed thickly and opened my mouth to say something, but nothing came out. What was I supposed to say?

A third person stood just outside the door behind Chase. Will. He was here.

Was this a prank? It certainly didn’t feel like one. I looked down at the half-way signed document in front of me.

Rich stood up from his desk, pressing his palms on the smooth surface, “If you’ll give us just a second to finish up some paperwork, gentlemen?—”

“Kris, don’t sign that,” Will snapped in the most authoritative voice I’d ever heard him use. It paralyzed the hand that was holding the pen, but sent a thrill of excitement between my legs.

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