watching my entire world go up in flames." The smile instantly faded from her face.
"Alex has gone over your file," explained Steve. "I've brought him up to speed on everything."
She looked at Alex. "So, you've seen them?"
He lifted up his folder, revealing the current issue of Gentry Magazine hidden underneath.
"Yes, I have."
Her face began turning red. "Alex, I need you to understand something. I'd been living with someone, long term, and during that time my mother had a stroke."
"I know. Steve told me about her insurance running out and you going broke trying to take care of her."
"That's right. So when Doug dumped me, I was literally left homeless. I was camped out in my office. Then Louise called and offered me that photo shoot. I was desperate. I needed the money so I could find a decent place to live. That was the only reason I agreed to do it. She promised me the photos would only go to serious art collectors and that I'd remain anonymous. I don't want you getting the wrong idea."
"I understand and I'm not judging you, but now we have to deal with the consequences. Steve tells me someone set you up, and Louise has threatened to take legal action against you."
"I'm afraid so." She reached into the satchel, removing Caleb Wyman's letter and the check, and handing them over to Alex. "This arrived at my office two days ago. I swear, on everything that is holy, that I never, ever, entered their photo contest. When I came across those two photos of me, along with my name identifying me as the model, I totally freaked out."
"I understand. So what did you do after that?"
"As soon as I calmed down, I called Mr. Wyman's office, and when whoever she was answered, I told her I'd lost my copy of the release form, and could she email me another. She asked me to verify the email address they had on file. Alex, it wasn't my email address. It was one I'd never heard of."
"Did you tell her that?"
"No," she replied. "I didn't want to tip my hand. I simply said it wasn't correct and I gave her my real email address. They sent me the release form a few minutes later. As soon as it arrived I printed it out."
She reached into the satchel again, handing the release form to Alex.
"Look closely at the signature."
She reached into her purse, retrieved a pen and asked for a piece of scratch paper. As soon as Steve handed it to her she signed her name on it and handed it to Alex.
"Now that's my signature."
Alex studied the two side by side. "It's not that good of a forgery. Whoever did this may have thought they were being smart, but it's the work of an amateur. We'll turn this over to our handwriting expert."
"Then this arrived in my apartment mailbox this morning." She handed Alex a business-sized envelope. It bore the logo of another law firm.
"It's from Louise Dickenson's attorney," Alex said to Steve as he opened the letter. "No surprise here. He's letting her know they intend to file a case against her. I'll get a letter off to him in the morning, along with a copy of the release form, and let them know it's a forgery. Hopefully, they'll back off."
"What happens if they don't? When Louise called me, I tried to tell her I'd been set up, but she wouldn't listen to me. She intends to destroy me. She's got a vindictive side to her I've never seen before."
"We're going to take care of you," replied Alex. "Carrie-Anne, you're not alone here. We know that you didn't do anything wrong, and we're here to help you. We're also going to find out who did this to you. Identity theft and forgery are both state and federal crimes, and I'll do my best to see to it that whoever did this will end up serving some hard time."
"Okay." She took a deep breath. "I was afraid of this. So I need the two of you to understand something. It's about your fee."
"Carrie, listen, I--"
"Please, Steve, just hear me out. I wanted you to know that I've made arrangements to pay your fee."
"How? You're broke."
"Steve, listen to me, please. I did
"Alex has gone over your file," explained Steve. "I've brought him up to speed on everything."
She looked at Alex. "So, you've seen them?"
He lifted up his folder, revealing the current issue of Gentry Magazine hidden underneath.
"Yes, I have."
Her face began turning red. "Alex, I need you to understand something. I'd been living with someone, long term, and during that time my mother had a stroke."
"I know. Steve told me about her insurance running out and you going broke trying to take care of her."
"That's right. So when Doug dumped me, I was literally left homeless. I was camped out in my office. Then Louise called and offered me that photo shoot. I was desperate. I needed the money so I could find a decent place to live. That was the only reason I agreed to do it. She promised me the photos would only go to serious art collectors and that I'd remain anonymous. I don't want you getting the wrong idea."
"I understand and I'm not judging you, but now we have to deal with the consequences. Steve tells me someone set you up, and Louise has threatened to take legal action against you."
"I'm afraid so." She reached into the satchel, removing Caleb Wyman's letter and the check, and handing them over to Alex. "This arrived at my office two days ago. I swear, on everything that is holy, that I never, ever, entered their photo contest. When I came across those two photos of me, along with my name identifying me as the model, I totally freaked out."
"I understand. So what did you do after that?"
"As soon as I calmed down, I called Mr. Wyman's office, and when whoever she was answered, I told her I'd lost my copy of the release form, and could she email me another. She asked me to verify the email address they had on file. Alex, it wasn't my email address. It was one I'd never heard of."
"Did you tell her that?"
"No," she replied. "I didn't want to tip my hand. I simply said it wasn't correct and I gave her my real email address. They sent me the release form a few minutes later. As soon as it arrived I printed it out."
She reached into the satchel again, handing the release form to Alex.
"Look closely at the signature."
She reached into her purse, retrieved a pen and asked for a piece of scratch paper. As soon as Steve handed it to her she signed her name on it and handed it to Alex.
"Now that's my signature."
Alex studied the two side by side. "It's not that good of a forgery. Whoever did this may have thought they were being smart, but it's the work of an amateur. We'll turn this over to our handwriting expert."
"Then this arrived in my apartment mailbox this morning." She handed Alex a business-sized envelope. It bore the logo of another law firm.
"It's from Louise Dickenson's attorney," Alex said to Steve as he opened the letter. "No surprise here. He's letting her know they intend to file a case against her. I'll get a letter off to him in the morning, along with a copy of the release form, and let them know it's a forgery. Hopefully, they'll back off."
"What happens if they don't? When Louise called me, I tried to tell her I'd been set up, but she wouldn't listen to me. She intends to destroy me. She's got a vindictive side to her I've never seen before."
"We're going to take care of you," replied Alex. "Carrie-Anne, you're not alone here. We know that you didn't do anything wrong, and we're here to help you. We're also going to find out who did this to you. Identity theft and forgery are both state and federal crimes, and I'll do my best to see to it that whoever did this will end up serving some hard time."
"Okay." She took a deep breath. "I was afraid of this. So I need the two of you to understand something. It's about your fee."
"Carrie, listen, I--"
"Please, Steve, just hear me out. I wanted you to know that I've made arrangements to pay your fee."
"How? You're broke."
"Steve, listen to me, please. I did
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