Page 73 of The Inmate
Still on for dinner tonight? I’m cooking! Can’t wait to see you.
To: Caleb McCullough
From: Natalie Farrell
Subject: Re: Tonight
I’ll be there! There’s one other thing I need to take care of tonight but I don’t think it will be a problem.
To: Mia Hodge
From: Dawn Schiff
Subject: Re: Greetings
Dear Mia,
I am just writing a quick email because I’ve got company coming over. It’s the first time since I’ve lived here that I’m entertaining a guest! Unless you count the maintenance people I’ve had over, which I guess you really can’t.
Even my mother hasn’t been here yet. Of course, you’ll be here next month during your vacation! I’ve already set up the extra bedroom for you and George to stay in. I’m glad you got a good price on the tickets!
Telling Natalie was the correct thing to do. I sent her an email asking to meet at the end of the workday, and she came by my cubicle just before five. When I mentioned there was a discrepancy in the accounts from last year, she agreed to come with me to the empty conference room.
Then when we were alone, I told Natalie about the missing money from each of her sales transactions. I told her how much money it was, and when she heard the number, she sucked in a breath.
Then she started quizzing me. She had about a million questions. She asked how far back in the records I had looked. Then she asked who I thought took the money, and I told her that I wasn’t sure, even though it seemed to me that she was the only person who could have taken it. Then she asked me who else I told about it.
“I didn’t tell anyone,” I told her, although that’s not entirely true. I’ve told you, but she didn’t need to know that. It’s not like you work for the company.
I was hoping Natalie would confess to taking the money and promise to return it before I had to turn her in. But that’s not what happened. Instead, she started talking about other people who might have taken the money and framed her. “Does anyone else have access?” she asked me.
“Only Seth,” I told her, but why would he steal from his own branch and make himself look bad? And why would he frame somebody who he likes so much?
But weirdly, Natalie didn’t dismiss the possibility that Seth could have done it. In fact, the idea of it got her excited. She said we needed to get together and Nancy Drew this mystery to figure out who took the money and why. That’s when she suggested coming over later tonight.
That part was exactly what I wanted to hear. She wasn’t blowing off my accusations. She was concerned and wanted to figure it out. Together.
We made plans to get together tonight. She reminded me not to tell anyone, because of course they would try to cover their tracks. Then she told me she was counting on me.
I asked her when she wanted to get together, and I was disappointed when she suggested not meeting till ten. She said she already made plans with Caleb, and he’d be so devastated if she canceled. She giggled and mentioned he was completely enamored with her, which I believe. She has him wrapped around her little finger.
I had been hoping Natalie and I might be able to have a nice dinner together at my house. But then I would have to worry about what I was going to serve. Natalie had very high-end taste in food, and it’s hard to satisfy those kinds of tastes while maintaining a monochromatic meal. Of course, I could have served her a meal that was more than one color, but that would have stressed me out too much.
I have been cleaning ever since I got home. Not that my place is messy, but I want to make sure everything is perfect! I even dusted the surfaces and scrubbed down my basketball-sized ceramic turtle. I have fed Junior, and now all I’ve got to do is wait for Natalie to come.
We’re going to have a really nice night together. I have a bottle of red wine, and we can each have a glass while we talk about the situation at work. We’ll get to know each other. I’ll introduce her to Junior. And we’ll figure out who took that money.
Oh my gosh, the doorbell just rang. That must be her!
Wish me luck!
Sincerely,
Dawn Schiff
ChapterForty-Four
PRESENT DAY
