murmured.
Two hours later, the agents finally left. The pizza had arrived about a half hour after they did, but she figured it was stone cold by now. Charlotte felt like a limp dishrag. Agents Bray and Cruz had asked her questions, many times the same ones just worded differently, for most of that two hours.
After Special Agent Bray asked her, point blank, “Did you help your husband steal the ten million dollars from the company he owns with Mr. Swift?”, Greg had suggested rather forcefully that Charlotte call Brandy to come act as her attorney.
Charlotte had asked him to calm down. Looking at Bray, she asked, “Do you intend to arrest me tonight?”
“No,” he answered shortly.
Charlotte looked to Greg. “I should be safe for now. I don’t think I need to call Brandy.”
Greg gave Agent Bray a cold look. “If I feel as though you are harassing her or treating her with anything less than the utmost respect, I’m calling her lawyer whether she wants me to or not.”
The man stared at him for a moment before responding. “I would think that you would want us to do whatever we needed to in order to get your money back, Mr. Swift.”
Greg shook his head. “Charlotte is my friend. I’ve known her for over ten years. I know she wouldn’t help Derek steal from me. We knew each other before she even met him.”
Both agents wore skeptical expressions, but didn’t argue with him.
The grilling began shortly after the exchange between Greg and the investigators. Charlotte knew they were trying to trip her up, pressure her into revealing any lies she might be telling. Somehow she managed to remain calm in the face of their skepticism and answer their questions clearly.
Once the interrogation was over, Agent Bray gave her a card. “If you hear from Derek or think of something that can help us, please call me,” he said.
Charlotte nodded. “I will. I am not hiding my husband nor do I intend to help him evade arrest.”
She didn’t think that they believed her, but she meant every word.
The special agents left and Charlotte made a beeline for the wine rack. Even though she had already consumed a half a bottle that night, the visit from the police had sobered her up quickly. She couldn’t decide on a wine so she grabbed a bottle of rum instead, deciding to mix herself a rum and coke. Charlotte rarely drank but she honestly needed something to bolster her mood.
When she entered the kitchen, Greg was pulling the pizza out of the oven.
“I put the pizza in the oven to keep it warm,” he said.
“Great, I’m starving.” Charlotte went to the cabinet and grabbed a glass. She dumped some ice into the glass, poured a hefty serving of rum over the ice, and topped it with cola.
When she turned around, the glass to her lips, she saw that Greg was watching her closely.
“Are you okay, Char?” he asked.
“Not really. Another couple of drinks though, and I won’t care.”
He started putting slices of pizza on plates. “That’s not going to solve the problem, babe.”
She shrugged and took the plate he gave her before going to the table to sit down. “I know, but it’ll make me feel better for now. I’ll figure out what I’m going to do tomorrow.”
He sat at the table next to her. “I can’t disagree with that.”
Even though her world was still crumbling around her head, Charlotte smiled because she knew that she wouldn’t have to face it alone if she didn’t want to. Tomorrow, the pain of this latest hit would flare again, but, for tonight, she was going to drown it in alcohol and pizza and take comfort however she could.
Chapter Twelve
October, 2004
T he little apartment bustled with activity. Today was Charlotte’s wedding day. Though Charlotte and Brandy had graduated in May, they were still living together in their apartment to save money and Brandy was about to start law school. She intended to keep the small apartment for herself even after Charlotte moved out.
After a great deal
Two hours later, the agents finally left. The pizza had arrived about a half hour after they did, but she figured it was stone cold by now. Charlotte felt like a limp dishrag. Agents Bray and Cruz had asked her questions, many times the same ones just worded differently, for most of that two hours.
After Special Agent Bray asked her, point blank, “Did you help your husband steal the ten million dollars from the company he owns with Mr. Swift?”, Greg had suggested rather forcefully that Charlotte call Brandy to come act as her attorney.
Charlotte had asked him to calm down. Looking at Bray, she asked, “Do you intend to arrest me tonight?”
“No,” he answered shortly.
Charlotte looked to Greg. “I should be safe for now. I don’t think I need to call Brandy.”
Greg gave Agent Bray a cold look. “If I feel as though you are harassing her or treating her with anything less than the utmost respect, I’m calling her lawyer whether she wants me to or not.”
The man stared at him for a moment before responding. “I would think that you would want us to do whatever we needed to in order to get your money back, Mr. Swift.”
Greg shook his head. “Charlotte is my friend. I’ve known her for over ten years. I know she wouldn’t help Derek steal from me. We knew each other before she even met him.”
Both agents wore skeptical expressions, but didn’t argue with him.
The grilling began shortly after the exchange between Greg and the investigators. Charlotte knew they were trying to trip her up, pressure her into revealing any lies she might be telling. Somehow she managed to remain calm in the face of their skepticism and answer their questions clearly.
Once the interrogation was over, Agent Bray gave her a card. “If you hear from Derek or think of something that can help us, please call me,” he said.
Charlotte nodded. “I will. I am not hiding my husband nor do I intend to help him evade arrest.”
She didn’t think that they believed her, but she meant every word.
The special agents left and Charlotte made a beeline for the wine rack. Even though she had already consumed a half a bottle that night, the visit from the police had sobered her up quickly. She couldn’t decide on a wine so she grabbed a bottle of rum instead, deciding to mix herself a rum and coke. Charlotte rarely drank but she honestly needed something to bolster her mood.
When she entered the kitchen, Greg was pulling the pizza out of the oven.
“I put the pizza in the oven to keep it warm,” he said.
“Great, I’m starving.” Charlotte went to the cabinet and grabbed a glass. She dumped some ice into the glass, poured a hefty serving of rum over the ice, and topped it with cola.
When she turned around, the glass to her lips, she saw that Greg was watching her closely.
“Are you okay, Char?” he asked.
“Not really. Another couple of drinks though, and I won’t care.”
He started putting slices of pizza on plates. “That’s not going to solve the problem, babe.”
She shrugged and took the plate he gave her before going to the table to sit down. “I know, but it’ll make me feel better for now. I’ll figure out what I’m going to do tomorrow.”
He sat at the table next to her. “I can’t disagree with that.”
Even though her world was still crumbling around her head, Charlotte smiled because she knew that she wouldn’t have to face it alone if she didn’t want to. Tomorrow, the pain of this latest hit would flare again, but, for tonight, she was going to drown it in alcohol and pizza and take comfort however she could.
Chapter Twelve
October, 2004
T he little apartment bustled with activity. Today was Charlotte’s wedding day. Though Charlotte and Brandy had graduated in May, they were still living together in their apartment to save money and Brandy was about to start law school. She intended to keep the small apartment for herself even after Charlotte moved out.
After a great deal
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