Page 38 of Two Wrongs

Arlene practically bounces in place as my turn comes around. “Hey there, Wren! So nice to see a young person actually use the lobby. What can I do for you?”

I force a smile. It’s not her fault this makes me uncomfortable. It’s probably why, even though I didn’t like that Liam kept me from the bank accounts, I didn’t force the issue. I’m not the best at confronting people.

“I need access to my joint accounts with Liam,” I say, faking as much confidence as I can muster.

She looks at me sadly. “Honey, you don’t have any joint accounts.”

I feel a dark cloud brewing. Specifically, a six-foot-three-inch storm of pissed off standing right behind me. He presses up close to me, and leans against the counter. “What do you mean she doesn’t have joint accounts with Liam?”

Arlene blinks rapidly. Griffin has that effect on women. Even when he’s pissed off, he’s stunning. “I’m sorry, Mr. Hale. Liam never put Wren’s name on the accounts.”

“Were her checks ever deposited into those accounts?” he pushes.

She nods. “Yes sir. Twice every month for the last four and a half years I believe.”

Griffin raps his knuckles on the counter. “Then why can’t you show her what was being done with her money?”

She trembles slightly, and part of me feels bad for her. I know what it’s like to be the focus of his ire. Arlene looks to me for help, but Griffin and I are on the same side for once.

“I’m sorry, really. I can’t disclose private financial information. I can show her the lines of credit she has open,” she offers.

My jaw drops. “The what? I didn’t open any lines of credit.”

Now she really starts to shake. “Oh, my.” She puts her hands on either side of her face, and she pales.

“I think I better go grab Greg.” Before we can say anything, she runs off to the back office.

Greg Johnson, the bank manager, comes out wringing his hands after fifteen of the longest minutes of my life. “Wren, can you come back to my office?”

I start to follow him, and realize Griffin is right behind me. For a second I think to make him wait in the lobby, because it has to be about something Liam has done. Griffin has already dealt with enough disappointment where his son is concerned. I can’t lean on him to get through this. It’s not fair to him, and will only make it harder on me when I have to cut both of them out of my life.

Then he slips his hand into mine and squeezes, lending me the strength I wouldn’t have asked for. The thing is, he’ll find out about this whether I take him into that room with me or not, and maybe he needs my support too.

Greg waits for us by the door to his office, and once we enter he closes the door and takes a seat behind his desk. He steeples his fingers and takes a deep breath, which makes me hold mine while waiting for him to speak.

“Wren, I’m not sure how to tell you this. Apparently, Arlene assisted your husband several months ago in opening a few lines of credit in your name. I can’t tell you why she did this as it’s against policy, but if you like I can help you start the process of disputing them. I can see that you’ve never had access to the bank accounts, but since this is a community property state, and I see your checks have been deposited, I’m going to grant you access to those.”

Words won’t come out of my mouth. I sit there staring, my mouth opening and closing. Griffin puts his hand on the back of my neck, and squeezes. The move grounds me. “Greg, can you give us a couple of minutes?” Griffin asks.

“Of course,” he says. He stands up and pauses before he opens the door. “I’m terribly sorry for the role the bank has played in this. If you’d like I can go pull a credit report and see if there are any other accounts opened in your name.”

I nod, still unable to speak.

Once we are alone, Griffin turns my chair to face his. “Breathe, Wren.”

His demand is enough to make me suck in a lungful of air. “Slower,” he orders, and I instantly obey. Later, I’ll reflect on why I am so eager to follow his instructions, but right now I need him to get me through this. So much for my decision not to lean on him.

“Okay, now that I’m not worried you’re going to hyperventilate and pass out, let’s sort through this,” he says.

“How? We don’t even know the extent of what it is, other than Liam opened accounts in my name. I don’t know if he’s made payments on them, or what they were used for,” I point out.

“What if—“ he starts, but I cut him off by holding up my hand.

“I’m usually the one getting ahead of myself. Let’s just get Greg back in here and find out what we’re dealing with,” I suggest. I’m surprised at how calm I’m able to appear when inside I’m falling apart. All my plans, leaving town and going to school, seem to be evaporating right before my eyes.

Griffin nods. “Let me go get Greg.”

He opens the door, and waves him down. Greg rushes back in with papers clutched in his hand. The look on his face is all the confirmation I need that this is exactly as bad as I fear.

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