Page 4 of Jake

“He will, Jenna. I swear to you; I’m going to do my best for him. As for her messes, I’d say even before they were wed Carol was into one thing or another. I’ve been doing some research on your girl. I know that you’re aware that she didn’t pay property taxes for two years, and you had helped Jake out with that. But there were other situations that I don’t think anyone was aware of. Lucky for Jake he was notified at work or he might have lost it all. One of the smartest things he could have done was put things in your name. But did you know what she did with the money?” She asked him if she’d been shopping again. “Yes, that’s what I would have thought too. No, she used the money for an abortion. Not once, but twice over the course of their marriage. There could have been more, ones that I can’t track down, but she’s been a very wayward girl. And so you know, I don’t think either of the babies were Jake’s. She was having numerous affairs throughout their marriage, mostly with men that Jake thought of as friends. Jake said that they slept in separate rooms for most of their lives together, so that leads me to believe that she didn’t take their vows all that seriously from the beginning.”

“Does Jake know?” Forrest told her that he did now. “Well, if this didn’t close that door with her, I don’t know what will. But I actually think that he’s happy about this. When he came to my home for breakfast this morning, I could have sworn that he was excited for this next chapter of his life to get under way. He told me that he’d actually spent most of last night ordering things that he wanted for his home. This has been very liberating for him.”

“When I spoke to him this afternoon to ask him when he would like to set up a meeting, he told me that he was furniture shopping. I told him that I could get his things back for him, but he said that he wanted fresh and his choices. I asked him what he wanted done with the things and he told me to send them to her parents, since he was sure that was where she was staying. She’s not, but I sent them there anyway. They should arrive there in a couple of days. I had a blast making that wish come to fruition for him. That did not sound like a man that was on the bad end of a divorce.” He laughed. “I cannot wait to meet him, Jenna. After all the things you told me about him, I’m sure I’m going to like him a great deal.”

“He’ll adore you as much as I do. Especially now that he’s getting things finished up with her. Tyler and Belinda did a horrible thing raising her up like they did. I’m telling you, Forrest, they should have beaten her more.” He leaned back in his seat and thought of how much this woman knew about him and his own parents. And the debacle that had been what he thought was the love of his life. “I can almost hear your thoughts, young man. I will not have you being depressed about anything right now. You’re going to be fine, just like my grandson is going to be.”

“I really screwed up with Thomas, Jenna. I don’t know what happened. Everything about him and us was a lie. And the fact that he stole from me, and I sort of let him, hurt me more than I think anyone can know.” She told him that she understood and that she was sorry. “Thank you so much. But it’s been five months. Do you suppose I’ll ever trust anyone again?”

“Yes, I really do. And I think you’re not so much upset about this as you are lonely. You need to meet you a nice man, show him your lovely cat, and live together happily ever after. You deserve that.” He looked at his computer when it notified him of a message. He was sure that Jenna heard it and laughed when she spoke again. “I have to go myself. You go on and set up whatever you need to, and I’ll make sure that my boy is there. And Forrest? You keep your chin up. This too will work out. You can bank on that.”

After he hung up, he sat there for several minutes before he opened his inbox. There were several emails there, most of them from his own attorney, Paul. Thomas Simpson, his former lover—and thief—was suing him for breach of promise and a whole plethora of other things. And unlike Jake’s suit, this wasn’t going to be easy, but messy as fuck.

Thomas had been a bartender in a sleazy bar when he’d met him. The only reason Forrest had even gone into the place was because he’d been meeting a client. It wasn’t his usual haunt. The place had had one redeeming thing, and that had been Thomas. Or so Forrest had thought.

Their relationship started out quickly. Too quickly, he knew that now. Forrest wasn’t sure who had initially started it, or how they’d ended up back at his place. But within hours, just hours, not only was the man in his bed, but he’d moved a few of his things in as well. Forrest thought he should have seen the red flags even then. Then one morning, about three months after their first night, he noticed that some of his things were missing. Then his bank called.

He’d been on his way to work and was looking at his phone when the call came in. For some reason—and he did find out later that Thomas had done it—the calls were muted, and he would have missed the call from the bank had it not been for the fact that he’d been on his phone when the call came in. Answering on the third ring, he could tell that the bank manager, Roger Wayne, was in a tizzy.

“Your friend, Thomas, he’s been in here several times over the last few days trying to add his name to your accounts. I just didn’t know what to do without you here. And to be honest with you, Forrest, I was surprised by it. That just didn’t sound like something you’d do. I mean, you’re a generous man, but I don’t think you’d be that lavish. Not with your own money.” He asked him if he’d added him yet. “No, no. I explained to him that it would take three business days. A lie, I’m sorry to say, but without talking to you, I thought it best in this incident. I was nearly ready to go by your home to see if he’d murdered you off or something. I’m so glad I got you today. I just thought that your signature just didn’t look right. Close but no cigar, as my grannie used to say.”

Forrest wanted to go back in the house and confront Thomas. To demand for him to tell him what else he’d been up to. But he had an idea that Thomas had played this hand before, and would have been very careful in his movements. Roger explained how he’d had all the right forms, knew just what signatures were needed and why.

“I’ll be there in a few minutes. But can you do me a favor? I’d like for you to open another account for me, please. And when I get there, I’ll transfer all my money to that one.” Roger said he could do that as he laughed. “Then we’ll add him to the account that he wants on. Plus, that will get him in big trouble if he’s forged my name to paperwork.”

On the way in, he made several more calls. The first was to a lock company to go out to his apartment with the landlord’s permission and to change the locks. He wanted them changed as soon as Thomas left for the day. Then he had a cleaning crew set up to come in and clean his place from top to bottom, including sending his suits and all clothing out to be cleaned. Forrest wanted no traces of the man anywhere near him, and if it cost him a little to get it done, it was well worth it. Yes, it was rash and quick, he knew this, but in his heart, he knew it was the right thing to do. Cutting the tie quickly and sharply.

Roger had everything ready when he got to the bank. Not only was the forgery of his name pretty close, the account number and routing numbers were correct. One of the things missing from his home had been a check from his checkbook. Now he knew just where it had gone. The only thing Thomas didn’t have, for which Forrest was happy, was his social security number. Thankfully, like most people, he didn’t carry the card in his wallet any more.

By the time he made it to his office later that morning Forrest had called the police, and had made arrangements to have all the other things that he’d been missing reported and the security team at his offices on alert. Forrest was ready for the showdown. And it wasn’t long in coming.

The phone call came in just after two in the afternoon. Forrest had been knee deep in a file when he simply reached over and answered. He smiled the moment he heard Thomas’s voice on the other end of the phone.

“I’ve been arrested. Can you please come down here and help me out? I just don’t know what’s going on.” Forrest told him he was really busy at the moment. “Forrest, they’re putting me in a cell. I need for you to come down here and straighten things out. They won’t even tell me what is going on. And I think that someone has messed with your locks. I can’t get into our apartment either.”

“Straighten what out, Thomas? The fact that you tried to clean out my account? Or is it the paintings and artwork that you’ve sold off that I should help you find? I’m confused as to why you’d think I’d help you out any more than I have already. As for you having access to my apartment and my things, I’ve taken care of that myself.” Thomas started talking about gifts and how he’d given them to him. “No. I’m a nice guy to a point, but I’m not that nice. Nor am I stupid. One thing I’ve never given you was trust; also no gifts, no money, nor have I ever given you any kind of indication that you could get into my bank accounts. How far were you going to take this before you left? My car? My home? I’d really like to know what you thought you were doing.”

“So this is how it’s going to be, is it? Well I have news for you, Forrest. You and I, we were nothing.” Forrest said he had that right. “You were just another notch in my bed. And you know what? You weren’t that good of a lay either. Fuck you, Forrest. I’ll win this in the end. I always do.”

“Yes, you might have before me, but don’t think this is going to just go away. I’m not one to fuck with. You should have figured that out a while ago.” As he hung up the phone, he heard Thomas talking about the others, how he’d taken them, but Forrest had had enough. After laying the phone in the cradle, he sat there for several minutes before he realized he was no longer alone in his office.

“Bad news?” He nodded at Jenna. “Bad news, Forrest, or is it just something that came along at a bad time? You don’t look like a man who has lost a lot, but hated that you’ve been taken. Is that what it is?”

“I’m not sure what you mean.” She nodded. “This guy, I was living with him and he tried to rob me. Well, I guess he did. I don’t think this is the first time either.”

“Mostly he hurt you. And I doubt it’s the first time, either, if he got by you. Thieves and dickheads seem to get away for a long while before they finally fall. You’re going to make him fall, aren’t you?” Forrest nodded, feeling the tears fill his eyes. “I would imagine that he’s out there now crowing to the world about how he got to sleep with the great and powerful Forrest Stout.” The burst of laughter had him smiling at her.

“Not so much, I’m afraid. More than likely he’s going to be trying to get more out of me.” She told him not to worry about things that had no worth. “I could be ruined by this.”

“Could you? I don’t think so. But then, I’m not a gay man on the cusp of finding his feet. What did you think—just curious—was going to happen when you took him to your home? I don’t think you ever really trusted him, did you? I mean, you told me yourself that you’d not even bothered having his name put on your stationary.”

“Jenna, you are a hard woman.” She laughed when he did. “I don’t know that I did, no. I was happy, I think.”

“You can’tthinkyou’re happy, young man. You are or you’re not. Were you?” Forrest didn’t even have to think about it, and shook his head no. “See there, you knew this was coming and you’re a better man for it. There is someone out there for you. A mate, I think you call it. Now, young man, gird up your loins and take him to the cleaners, and be done with it. He’ll regret tangling with you.”

“I hope so. And there is no mate for me, Jenna. Gay tigers just don’t find their mates.” She asked him why not. “Because how do you think that would go over? Hey, I’m your mate for all time, but also I change into an enormous tiger and can eat you alive. I’d like to, as a matter of fact.”

“Sexually, I’m assuming on the eating part.” He felt his face heat up as he nodded. “I’m not like most older people, in the event you haven’t realized that. I go with the flow of things. I read up on things I don’t know, and ask questions when I think the person answering them has a head on his neck and not between his legs. When I first met you, I asked questions enough that I could do some research on your kind. Not a lot out there, sadly. Most of it bodice rippers about sex. But I did read, over and over, that there was one special person for everyone. You just have to wait for them. Are you going to wait, Forrest, or go willy nilly into the next relationship that might get you killed? So you know, I hope you wait. I’d very much like to see you happy.”

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