Page 45 of Stealing Iris

“Talk to me,” Dante coaxes. “Let me help you out of whatever trouble you’re in.”

I want so hard to believe that can happen. This nightmare can end, and I can get my life back. Gulping in air, I gather my thoughts and explain what happened. “Conny and his mother set me up.” Is this the best way to start my explanation? How do I defend myself? How do I make them believe I never stole anything in my life?

“My father disappeared last year. He left the store and never came home. I didn’t even realize it because we’d had a bad fight…” Shame piles on, making me jittery. “The things I said to him…”

Dante’s arms come around me. “I’m sure he understands,” Dante murmurs, pulling some napkins from a drawer.

I clutch one as if my life depends on it. “He-he said I probably wished he’d been the one to die and not my mother.” I bring the napkin to my face. “I did.” I hang my head, my voice barely a whisper. “And I told him so, to his face.” I’ve held that guilt for so long, it burned into my soul. Sharing the secret restarts the fire.

“Maybe we can wait until tomorrow.” Kassy’s understanding tone both humbles me and gives me the will to keep going.

“I’m okay,” I sniff. “I didn’t find out he was missing until days later since I’d been avoiding him. Olga, his girlfriend, came looking for me. She was a mess.” I wiped my nose. “Even hit the back of the carport when she came in. But she managed to do a police report on his disappearance. There’s just not a lot they can do in these cases.”

Dante clears his expression, obviously familiar with having people disappear in Nuevo Laredo.

“She said she thought he was being held for ransom. She’d had some big fight with Conny, so she sent me to get the money out of the safe and bring it to the house.”

“No one called,” he says, realizing the setup.

I purse my lips, shaking my head. “I feel like such an idiot for believing her.” I let my hands fall to my lap in defeat. “The money’s gone. My father’s gone. And now she disappears for days at a time, dropping in unexpectedly whenever she feels like it.” I swallow hard, knowing I have to tell him everything. “Conny…” I couldn’t continue with the rest.

“He’s a fucking pig,” Kassy spits out.

Bitter tears threaten as memories pummel me from where I stuffed them at the back of my mind. Being thrown, my clothes ripping, desperately screaming for a dad who would never come, and through it all, Conny’s laughter.

“After…the first time, I told Conny I was going to call the police.”

Dante’s hold grows firm.

“But Olga had already filed a police report on the “theft.” He showed me the recordings: the fight then my father disappears, and a couple of days later, I’m taking his money out of the safe in the middle of the night.” I twist the napkin around my fingers until Dante places his hands over mine. “He pointed out anyone who saw the tape would think I was stealing. And that’s just what they’d tell the police.” I sniff hard. “I was scared. The truth is, I kept hearing noises, and I thought someone else was in the building.” I wipe my nose. “There I am, clear as day, pulling money out of the safe.” The tears start again. “More cash than I ever imagined my father would keep on hand.” Dante pulls out another napkin. “I look guilty as hell,” I explain between sniffles. “I kept checking over my shoulder because I was afraid someone would catch me.”

“We can check into that tomorrow. If things look bad, we’ll hire the best lawyer in the country to defend you,” Dante assures me.

With that burden lifted, I could drift off on a cloud. For someone to believe me without hesitation is a marvel. Hopefully they’ll have some luck setting things right.

Dante shifts me in his hold. “How can Conrado come up with a hundred and fifty thousand dollars?”

I push up in his lap. “He’s been siphoning money from the store. I don’t think it would be that much.” Wringing my fingers, I run some rough numbers. “He’s fired nearly everyone, so he’s saving on salaries, and he hasn’t paid our vendors.”

“Would that be enough?” Kassy sits back in her chair, scrunching her brow.

“Well…” I raise my shoulders. “If you include what Dad had in there from before, maybe.”

Dante frowns. “Where’s he keeping the money?”

“No clue.” I’m no help at all.

“The cash is in the safe,” Kassy supplies. We both turn to stare at the screen.

“What?” My jaw nearly drops. He’s had the money at the store the entire time, and yet he hasn’t paid the bills.

Dante squeezes my hand. “Are you sure?”

“Saw him pull stacks of money from the safe on a video clip from this afternoon.”

Dante turns to me. “Have you checked in there?”

I shake my head. “I don’t really go in the office.” I hike a shoulder. It wouldn’t make a difference if I did. “Besides, Conny changed the combination.”

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