The lawyer was pleased, and destroyed the two letters. Then he called all of the old associates, and explained what was happening. They were shocked, and most of them, as he told me earlier, had been almost friend, and with deep debts of gratitude to daddy. Yes, I call him dad and daddy. I’m repeating myself, again, but those letters were so full of love that I felt I would have loved him, and mom with all my heart. In fact, I was loving them, or at least their memory, with all myself.
The young associate to whom they gave the task of checking on me was called. They asked if he was doing the periodical check personally, and he initially answered affirmatively. When they insisted, he admitted that he hired a local lawyer. Then they told him what was the reason for the checking and what his laziness was causing. While he was interviewed, a team of colleagues and security guards searched his office and his computers, and found evidence that he was betraying the Cordell’s and its clients. He was arrested, fired, and later disbarred and sentenced to several years of prison.
With everything settled, we started my plan. First, all of my tutors’ accounts were seized. The one where they were getting the money from was drained, but not so much as to raise suspicions in them, like having a warning on their mobiles or their cards refused when buying.
They were due back from their cruise in a few days, and they would find law enforcement officers waiting for them. Their house, cars, everything they ‘owned’ was seized, in waiting for the eventual trial and sentence for fraud, misappropriation, and a few other charges, including their lack of care in the child they were given the responsibility of, bordering to abuses of a minor.
I could attend their arrest before going back to my bookstore job. I know, I didn’t need it anymore, but as said I came to love the job. They were shocked for being arrested, and they called the Cordell’s asking for support, discovering that it was the law firm itself who was proceeding against them on my behalf, since it was working for me, and not for them. I visited them at the Police District, and they tried first the card of the bossing parents – I’ve always been shy and insecure – when with a shock they discovered it wasn’t working, they tried to say that they respected the pacts, gave me the best, provided for me so much, never been selfish. I asked only one question. “How keeping me unaware of who I was and throwing me out from home is fitting with ‘doing my good and not being selfish’ while you were cruising around the world with the money you were supposed to use for me?”
Before they could find an excuse and answer, I had left. The lawyer who I left there had been instructed, saying that they could plead guilty, and return everything they didn’t spend yet, and they would be spared prison, or they could try and fight, and end up losing everything anyway and add to that a good number of years in prison.
By then, they could afford only a public lawyer, or use one of the offshore accounts to pay a better one. That second case, they would risk also to be prosecuted for tax fraud, expecting another good number of years of prison. So, with a public lawyer (it was made sure the one assigned to them was the dumbest of those available) they would lose and get many years of prison and then risk to be prosecuted again when they tried to recover their offshore accounts. To pay a private lawyer, would maybe keep them out of prison for the matter regarding me, but would put them under prosecution for tax fraud. Accepting the deal and try to cheat keeping their accounts secret, would end up back in one of the first two cases. Accepting the deal and give up all of their stolen money, including offshore accounts, would keep them out of prison and nearly broke, but clean of charges.
It took them an hour to decide to try… option three. Of course, we knew already about that, even if we didn’t have access to their accounts, we knew about them, where they were and how much they held.
When they signed their agreement, the lawyer asked them to write the list of all of their accounts, and give access to each. They wrote about all of their local accounts – including the one that wasn’t theirs but from where they were withdrawing the monthly amount supposedly for me – but none of their foreign accounts.
“You understood clearly that if you don’t respect the agreement, it would be void, and you will end up in prison, right?”
“Yes, we did. We told you everything.”
“Well, what about this account in Belize?” He showed them the account data, and they paled.
“But… we thought… it was only about the accounts here. There is no jurisdiction there.”
“The agreement is about everything. We perfectly know that the money you stole from our client mostly ended up in offshore accounts. We want them also. Or you can face your trial, and one for several accounts of tax fraud after that. It’s up to you. Ask your lawyer, I think he would suggest a full collaboration.”
Then he left.
The next day they gave their lawyer, between tears, the full list of their offshore accounts, properties, and any possession. Everything was quickly seized, and they were set free as soon as every account was closed and every possession and property changed owner.
They were dirt poor and broken, and at around sixty they didn’t have many chances to find a job. Oh, on the other side, their marriage was annulled and they avoided jail time only because of their legal partners, one was dead and the other didn’t care about pursuing charges, if she – it was her legal husband – signed a renounce to anything. Their child, now around forty, knew about her and had no love or interest in his selfish and heartless mother, who abandoned the family for another man decades earlier.
I was a very satisfied woman when I was back in the shop. Mary, in her grumpy way, let me know she was happy to see me back.
The next week, I got another big surprise. The young lawyer from the AFLA who helped me back then when I was told to leave the city tracked me down and was in urgent need to speak with me. I asked the girl helping at the moment in the shop to cover me and invited him upstairs. He told me this.
“Apparently, everything in the Glantry family was still in the hands of the grandfather, Michael Albert Glantry, the first, while his son and grandson were only spending his money with the son managing, not that good, one of the businesses, just to pose as a successful businessman and have the alibi to go around and screw secretaries and women. The grandson is even worse, but the family is well connected and very protective about his lifestyle, as you experienced on your own skin. Apparently even the mother is getting screwed around, but does it with care so to avoid any scandal.
"Since the AFLA knew that sooner than later the old man was going to die and his son would inherit everything, they chose to be loyal to the son and not to the old man. Being suspicious about that anyway, when the grandfather heard voices about you, through one of the men still loyal to him, he hired a private investigator to get all of the story about what happened to you. When he was told, along as his son, daughter in law and grandson usual behaviours, he was outraged, and knowing he could do nothing directly, he called for a known honest and prestigious notary, and at the presence of two of those loyal men gave him his new will. Then he started working back in his business, practically ousting his son even from those few he had the hands on, and forbade the hiring of his grandson. They tried to have him telling them what was wrong, but he just said he wanted to feel ‘useful’ again.
"Also, he was often in meetings, even in social events, and clearly acted smartly and lucid, thus avoiding any claim of insanity. That worked, also because the family wasn’t caring much as long as they had money to spend. Last month, the old man died. Three days later his will were opened, as per his request, at the presence of the county and state authorities, and some known journalists that would keep the mouth shut unless something strange would happen, like a suspicious death of you, so nobody could try and hide anything. He left his whole business to you, along with all of the money, save for good sums to any and every one of the women that had been ruined by his son and grandson and who he could find, and sums to the men who proven loyal and honest.
"You weren’t called to the reading, because to avoid any problem to you, your name wasn’t in the list of the beneficiaries of the will. The law firm should have notified you immediately after, but they didn’t, until they devised a plan. They sent me to find you, and I can say they will kiss your feet, if you let them keep the management of all of the legal part of the business, while at the same time keeping doing their best to protect the interests of the family they are so tied to and steal everything from you. But after this behaviour, and many things I witnessed in the years, including the managing of all of the unwanted pregnancies of both son and grandson, ruining lives and protecting those scum, even if I understand they have to protect their clients, I can’t bear it anymore and will quit as soon as I have your answer about the will.”
I couldn’t stop and started laughing so loud that Mary from below asked what was wrong. I recomposed, and told her that I just got very good news, not to worry.
“Ok, Mr … I don’t even know your name, and it is the second time you help me.”
“I’m Miles Dash, Miss.”
“Ok, Mr Dash. You’ve been the one risking everything to give me some help, and now you are the one giving me honest advice, and giving up your job for that. You will be jobless soon, as many in the AFLA I might add, but this time it is me who will help you. Contact this person – I gave him Mr Jack Carey’s card – and tell him who you are and what you have done for me. I’ll call him also, and I bet he could help find a place for you in his law firm. But keep it a secret, I don’t want anyone know that I am connected with them, please.”
“But they are… wow! It’s the biggest and most trusted law firm in the country. They are so strict with their rules that they got one of their own associates arrested just the past week! Every other firm would have covered it to avoid a scandal, they consider it a point of honour to eliminate a bad apple, and I heard they are refunding were possible the clients damaged by the unfaithful associate! I don’t know if I’m at their level! And no, I won’t say a word… my sister always wanted to move from there. She helped me with the money I gave you, and never said a word. May I tell her? She won’t speak, I guarantee it!”
“Well, to answer everything. I was there when the guy was arrested, I was indirectly the cause of that, and I know they value honesty and integrity above everything, and about your abilities, I bet you’ll improve and in a few years, you’ll be amongst their highest ranking associates. And if you are sure she won’t speak, tell her. Remember that doing that you would violate the lawyer-client secret, though.”
“You are right. I won’t tell.”
“I formally give you permission, so you wouldn’t violate anything. But tell her if anyone finds out from any of you, your career would end up in the bin.”
“Ok, thank you. She won’t speak. Now, what should I tell my soon former employers about you?”
“Tell them I have to think about many things, that this is a surprise to me, and that I’ll go meet them with a lawyer of my trust soon. Of course, you have a copy of the documents I am supposed to accept with my signature, so I can read it, right?”
