Page 29 of Sultry Nights

"Okay. Is there anything else?"

Her father nodded. "The bank is making her whole. However, as of this morning, it wasn't completed yet. I'm now on her account and will watch it daily. I also set up a text communication with the bank. Anytime money is spent from her account, I'll get a text and I can immediately deal with any of Isaac's scams."

Grant wrote this information down and shook his head. "This guy, huh? Hanna, I'm so glad you got away from him."

She nodded. "Me, too."

She was happy. What more could she say?

"Okay. I'll be in touch with the president of the bank too, to make sure that happens. Have they deposited some of the money?"

Her dad nodded. "They've made a couple of deposits, but not in full. Apparently, they are putting the money back into the account in the order it had been withdrawn as the bank is doing their forensic accounting. They just wanted to make sure her account had money in it for now."

"Okay. Well, keep your eye on that. They’re also afraid you’ll sue them for their employee’s deception. After all, as a depository, they have a fiduciary duty to protect their customers’ money. Make sure they make her whole and let me know if anything stalls on that front. I can contact the bank myself then. What about the business account?"

"He's never had access to that. They were divorced already when Hanna came home to run the bakery. I've always managed the bakery account and still am."

Grant nodded and stood. "Good. Thank you both for coming in. I'm sorry we're once again dealing with Isaac, but please don't worry. My office will have this all covered."

He reached out and shook her dad's hand. He then reached forward and shook her hand. He wrapped his left hand around hers and shook her hand with both of his. He looked her in the eyes. His were kindly blue eyes, with light creases around them from years of laughter and probably irritation from some of his clients and some of the things he had to do. But he smiled genuinely, and he said, "We've got this, Hanna. We're going to protect you. And you call if you need anything at all, or if you have any questions."

"Okay. Thank you, Grant. I really do appreciate it." She swallowed the knot that formed in her throat and took a deep breath to stem the flow of tears. "I appreciate your time on such short notice as well."

Grant nodded. "Anything for a couple of cinnamon rolls, I'll tell you that. My wife is hooked." He patted his stomach. "I guess I have to admit I am, too."

She chuckled, and it felt wonderful. She'd been tense the entire time they were here. Actually, she'd been tense for the past few days. It really was time to let somebody else handle some of this stuff.

She nodded her head. "Thank you. And please stop by. I've got a couple on the house for you for taking care of us so quickly."

Grant nodded. "I'm not going to turn that down. I'll be around later on today."

Her cheeks heated, and she smiled. "You do that."

He opened the door, and she stepped out first. Her father behind her.

The receptionist behind the desk, Ms. Jailisa Burns, was as professional as ever, an older lady who Hanna had known most of her life. "Thank you all for coming in."

Hanna smiled and waved. "Thank you, Ms. Burns. Nice seeing you."

Her father nodded to Jailisa, then rushed to the outside door to open it for her. Hanna stepped from the cool, serene air-conditioned law office to the sweltering heat of the Florida summer afternoon. It hit her like a brick. She moved along with her father to his car sitting at the curb. The law office was across the town square from her bakery, but her father wanted to drive. Likely due to the heat and humidity. She'd be drenched by the time she walked around the square, and she had a date tonight.

Her father opened the car door for her and said, "I told you he'd take care of everything for us."

Hanna nodded. "Yes, he's always been good to us, hasn't he, Daddy?"

"He sure has, sweetheart. We're not going to let Isaac do anything more to you. You made the hardest decision to leave him and divorcing him. That should have been the end of it, but we're going to make sure now it is."

She sat in the passenger seat, hooked her seat belt, and took a deep breath. After her dad had taken his seat, attached his seatbelt, and started the car, the air blowing from the vents was hot for a second, but cooled down quickly as he drove.

"Thank you so much, Dad. I'm so embarrassed. And feel like a fool. I feel so angry at all that Isaac has put me through. But I'm angrier at what he's put you and Mom through. I'm so sorry."

Her sweet father glanced briefly toward her, then back to the road. "You don't worry about a thing." He stopped at the stop sign and waited as a big blue pickup truck rumbled through. "Now, do you need to stop anywhere before we go back to the bakery?"

"No, thank you. I'm sure Mom needs a break right now and I have things to bake for tomorrow."

He chuckled. "Yes, she misses the bakery a lot, but she does like her naps in the afternoon."

Hanna smiled.

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