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This wasn’t going to work. I couldn’t get my head in the game. I turned the music off again and typed out a quick message to ‘Darling.’
I’m sorry, something has come up. I’ll refund you the money now.
My phone immediately pinged with another message.
Can we reschedule? I really want to see you.
Without hesitation, I responded.
I can’t reschedule. I am closing down my website. I won’t be taking any more bookings.
With that, I reversed the charge and refunded ‘Darling.’ I closed the laptop and quickly left the room, feeling a bit lighter than before.
**
“How was your weekend? Skylar able to walk?” Jeremy chortled, coming into my office on Monday morning.
I ignored his second question but answered the first. “We had a great time, thanks for asking.”
“It’s nice to see you with a social life. I was starting to think you should give up law and enter a monastery,” Jeremy smirked.
It was then I noticed a file in his hand. “What’s that?” I asked.
Jeremy looked down at the thick file and frowned. “That’s actually why I came in here. I wanted you to have a look at something for me. I want to know if what I’m seeing is right.” He came around the side of my desk and handed the file to me.
I opened it up to find a bunch of spreadsheets as well as at least five tax returns. “What exactly am I meant to be looking at?” I scanned the numbers, flipping through the pages.
“There, look at these numbers, then look at the tax returns and tell me that makes sense.” Jeremy stood back, crossing his arms over his chest.
I scrutinized the paperwork. “What is this? Paperwork for the mob? This is some Al Capone level stuff here, Wyatt.” Because what he was showing me was clear-cut tax evasion. “Whose money is this?”
Jeremy was clearly upset. “Tiffany Hardwell’s.”
I couldn’t stop my mouth from dropping open. “These are Tiffany Hardwell’s tax returns and income paperwork?” Jeremy nodded. “Shit, Jeremy, she’s been hiding millions of dollars worth of income.”
“I know. From what I can gather she made her money with this business called Boys and Toys. She was declaring only fifty thousand a year, but her bank statements show transfers to offshore accounts for years. We’re talking millions going to the Cayman Islands. What kind of business is Boys and Toys? Do you think it’s an escort service or something?” Jeremy chewed on this thumb nail.
I was tired of lying to the people I cared about, so I didn’t answer him. Instead, I poured over the information in front of me. If the IRS got hold of this Tiffany would be in a lot of trouble. As in jail time trouble.
“What should I do with it? Do I ask her about it? I know this falls under client privilege, but I feel like I need to clear the air with her if this firm is going to stay on her retainer. We don’t want to be associated with dirty clients,” Jeremy said, sounding furious. I didn’t blame him. Tiffany had put us in a hell of a bind. Not that I was surprised. Tiffany wasn’t the kind of person to think of anyone but herself.
“I think you need to take this to Adam and see what he wants to do,” I told him, closing the file, and handing it back to him.
“Ms. Hardwell has brought us a lot of money. But now that I know it’s not legit cash, I just want to give it all back. If I hadn’t just put a down payment on a lake house.” Jeremy groaned, rubbing his temples. “Okay, well I’ll go talk to Adam and see how he wants to handle this. Thanks, Rob.”
After he left I sat back in my chair, feeling better than my partner did at the information I had just been given.
Because now it seemed I had something called leverage.
**
I knew when I blew off Tiffany last week that it would only be a matter of time until I heard from her again. I still didn’t really understand why she had come to Southport and what her angle was, but if I wanted to really start something with Skylar and make it last, I had to deal with this very ugly part of my past.
I was just finishing up a meeting with a client after lunch when my phone vibrated with an incoming message. Thinking it was Skylar I chanced a glance at the screen.
You haven’t come by to see me. :-(
Even though the number wasn’t familiar, I knew exactly who it was.
Tiffany.
After showing my client to the door, I picked up my phone again to find three more messages. All from Tiffany.
I thought I made my desires clear. I need to see you.
I don’t like it when you ignore me. It makes me think I have to do things to get your attention.
