Page 116 of Bourbon Bliss
“I’m satisfied with your decision to withdraw the lawsuit.”
“So, is that it?” she asked, her eyes flicking to Cassidy and Scarlett. They both acted as if they were bored. “Are you going to let me go?”
“Yes,” I said. “You’re free to leave.”
She hesitated, narrowing her eyes. “Are you going to go to the press about my website?”
“No.”
With another wary look at all three of us, then at Bowie outside, she stood and gathered her things.
I watched her go without saying a word. She cast a glance at me over her shoulder and stumbled, almost tripping. Barely keeping her feet, she hurried outside.
After the door closed behind her, Cassidy and Scarlett both burst into laughter. I couldn’t help myself. I laughed too.
“Did you see the look on her face?” Scarlett asked. “She was about to pee her pants.”
Bowie came in and slipped an arm around Cassidy. “She’s gone. Is that it?”
“Yes, we achieved our desired aim,” I said.
“But why did you tell her you won’t go to the press about her website?” Cassidy asked. “You had her by the lady balls. Why back down like that?”
“I saidIwouldn’t go to the press,” I said. “I didn’t say what George will do. As she so helpfully reminded me, I haven’t been with him very long, so I certainly don’t speak for him.”
“You’re a little bit evil, Juney,” Bowie said. “But I like it.”
“Why didn’t you make her admit she stole George’s money?” Scarlett asked.
“I estimated the chances of getting a confession at less than twenty percent. And even if we did, there would be a high probability that it wouldn’t be admissible in court. So I determined the best course of action would be to use the leverage at our disposal to convince her to drop the lawsuit.”
“I’m in awe,” Cassidy said. “You assured me you weren’t going to threaten her with anything you couldn’t back up, and you weren’t kidding.”
“I took a risk and it paid off,” I said.
“What is this?” Cassidy asked Scarlett, tucking her finger beneath the lanyard around her neck. “You realize that impersonating a law enforcement officer is illegal, right?”
“It’s just my gym card,” Scarlett said, her eyes going big and round in an expression of mock innocence. “It’s not my fault if Ms. Skankson thought I was FBI or something.”
Cassidy shook her head, smiling. “You gonna tell George?”
It was my turn to smile. “In time. For now, what he doesn’t know won’t hurt him.”
37
George
The news that Andrea had dropped her lawsuit lifted a weight from my shoulders. I still had the IRS breathing down my neck, but at least I wasn’t trying to fight a war on two fronts.
And then, not two days later, I got even better news. Marc and his team had clear, undeniable evidence of Andrea’s theft. They’d put together a paper trail that was not only admissible in court, it would prove I hadn’t intentionally defrauded the IRS.
Andrea was arrested. Charges were filed.
Marc warned me that I would probably still owe back taxes, interest, and maybe even fines. But I wouldn’t go to prison. The rest? It was just money. It sucked, but it wouldn’t ruin me. I’d come out on the other side, whole, free, and a hell of a lot wiser than I’d been before. Even if my bank account took a hit.
The first thing I did was call my real estate agent and tell him to put my house back on the market. I wanted to make this move to Bootleg Springs official.
The second thing I did was make sure everything was good to go for the Do-Over Prom. June still didn’t know I was behind the dance. It was just days away, and now more than ever, I wanted to give her a night she’d never forget.
