Page 54 of Pucking Rebound

“We’re not even a thing you and I, Jordy. I couldn’t ask you to do that.”

Her words are like a knife stabbing my heart, making it bleed out. “I am your friend, Lola.”

“It doesn’t matter now. I handed over all the evidence I had, and it’s with the police. They told me it would be difficult, maybe impossible to prove that it wasn’t me transferring the money.” Shaking her head back and forth her voice drops to a whisper. “I felt so stupid today when the police told me that they think it’s likely Graham struck when I was at my most vulnerable, which is something they said scammers do. They prey on susceptible victims, like me.” She points at herself, as if embarrassed. “It’s so obvious now.”

“Predators, like Graham, or James, whatever the fuck his name is?—”

“It’s James Graham Kennedy,” Lola interjects. “I identified him from the name on my bank transfers to a photo from his criminal record from a DUI when he was nineteen. He didn’t disclose that on his application either. Moving forward, I’m tightening up our employee checks.”

This is fucked up. Poor Lola.

Dropping my voice so it’s much softer now, I say, “Predators like him, from what I’ve read online, know exactly what they’re doing. They are cunning and clever.”

“Until they get caught.”

“Yeah, they slip up, like Graham did. He got caught cheating on you and now everything is unraveling.”

“I don’t care.” Her voice is much stronger now. “Although the police did point out that using his birth name to transfer the money was a rookie mistake.”

“They don’t think he’s done this before?” I ask.

“They don’t,” she confirms. “Dissecting each transaction with the police took hours this afternoon because there were so many. But the one that stood out the most was the ten thousand dollars that went missing from my working account only a few weeks after my father passed away. A month later, I questioned him about it. I remember him telling me it was the money I promised to help with his mom’s medical bills. He even told me I did the transaction, which I didn’t. He made out that I was confused and in mourning for my father and needed to lie down. Which I did. I can’t understand why I believed him. What an ass I’ve been.”

“You’re not an ass.”

“He’s made me look like one. And do you know what, Jordy? To this day I have no recollection of that conversation about the medical bills, and the reason is that it never happened. Graham has been manipulating the truth since the first day he met me.

“And I’ve yet to meet his mom, who needed the money because he said she lived in Mexico. He even asked me if I would pay for her and his sister’s flight for the wedding as well as their outfits, which I agreed to. I’m not sure if they even exist. I’ve been so naïve and played for a fool. After leaving the police station, I searched the internet for how to spot a scammer and it was all there in black and white. He’d had multiple jobs, lived in several places, made me pay for everything. His stories about where he grew up were never consistent. One time he told me he was born in Connecticut, then another time it changed to Calgary. He maintained it was a slip of the tongue, but I knoweverything he told me was a lie. Based on the cheap engagement ring he bought, which was more than likely out of a Christmas cracker, it all makes sense now. I’ve been living, breathing, and sleeping under the same roof as a con man. I’m so relieved I made a lucky escape.”

As am I.

“I still have your ring,” I inform her.

“No, you don’t. I fished it out the pocket of the jacket you had on last night and put it in the trash,” she mutters. “I hope you don’t mind me going into your closet to get it.”

“I don’t.”

“I color-coordinated your clothes when I was in there.” She looks sheepish when she confesses, before she adds, “And your sneakers… as well as your suits.”

My eyes widen in surprise. “Basically, you reorganized my entire closet?”

“It’s my thing. It was a mess; I couldn’t leave it the way it was. It was giving me anxiety.” She sits up, suddenly more animated as if having a lightbulb moment. “Did you know Graham asked me to marry him at an abnormal speed which is a classic scammer move too? Why didn’t I see it?” Her brows dip low, causing a little bump to form between them.

“Because you were grieving and trying to keep your father’s businesses running. You didn’t have the capacity to think there was anything wrong,” I state.

“I left him in our family home alone with my dad sometimes when he was alive.” She wraps her hands around her neck and her voice drifts off into a whisper as if she’s struggling to get the words out. “The thought of him wandering freely through my family home makes me feel sick. He probably went through my father’s office, which means he knew my net worth. It’s millions. God, I shouldn’t be telling you that. Maybe you’re a scammer.”

“I’m not a scammer.” I chuckle, realizing she’s having a little unreasonable breakdown but it’s also super cute. “I have plenty of money. I don’t need anymore.” I wish she would share with me what’s really going on in her life. She told me last night to trust her. How can I not? If Kali does, then I should too.

Wagging her finger at me she agrees. “Good point. I knew that.”

Looking up, it’s like I can hear the cogs spinning in her head until she finally says. “After my father’s third heart attack, which led to him having bypass surgery, I became his full-time caregiver until we lost him due to an infection. Within a week of him dying, Graham convinced me to sell the house, and it’s so obvious now why. It was all to get my money into the bank, so he could take it all for himself.” She covers her face with her hands and her words become muffled. “It’s no wonder he was annoyed with me for wanting to wait a few years to get married. He was desperate to get his greedy paws on my inheritance. Being an only child, I was a prime target for him. I inherited everything, and when we got married, he would have free access because I wasn’t planning on a prenup. Didn’t think I needed one.”

“Lola.” I remove her hands from her face. “I will keep telling you until you finally hear me… this is not your fault.”

For Lola’s sake, I hope she gets justice and I’m praying Graham gets everything he deserves, which is hopefully a prison sentence if she can prove it wasn’t her.

“I feel like a total joke, Jordy.” Avoiding me, she stares at her fingers in her lap.

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