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Her eyes narrowed as she stared at their wedding picture.
 
When did this affair with Marty start, and how long did it last?
 
She reviewed the years, trying to remember any secret glances or smiles she might have observed between the two.
 
But would she have noticed?
 
She trusted them both implicitly, never dreaming anything would go on between them.

     
Angie recalled how her parents had hired Marty's mom and dad years ago.
 
The two girls had grown up together.
 
Marty seemed the natural choice for a nanny for her and Bud's children.
 
Of course, it never happened.
 
But Marty worked hard and proved herself to be a good housekeeper and manager of the household affairs.

     
Even as a child, Marty had been a natural beauty.
 
Thin, smooth olive skin and a well-shaped figure.
 
In her teens she'd been pretty wild, but once through those difficult years, she settled down.
 
Her good looks still attracted men and she seldom went without a suitor.
 
However, she had a problem with drinking.
 
Even though it didn't seem to interfere with her duties, men shied away from her once they found out.

     
Angie let out a long sigh, went into the bathroom, freshened her face and brushed her hair.
 
She couldn't retreat into her room like a teenage girl.
 
These things had to be faced head-on.
 
Her biggest decision was whether to keep Marty in her employment.
 
She paced the room.
 
Making a snap judgment wouldn't be fair after their long friendship.
 
She made the decision to talk it out with Marty.
 
Lay all the pieces on the table; then she'd know best what to do.

     
When she went downstairs it surprised her to find Marty puttering in the kitchen.
 
This would be a good time to talk or the problem would fester like an ugly sore.

     
Marty glanced at her, then cast her eyes downward.
 
"I want to prepare your favorite dinner of fried chicken before I leave."

     
Her nose had taken on a strange swollen appearance.
 
Both eyes had dark circles beneath them.
 
No doubt, by morning she'd have two big shiners.
 

     
Angie sat down on one of the stools at the kitchen bar.
 
"You've decided to leave?"

     
"I know that you don't want me here anymore.
 
I've saved up a little money, so I'll be fine until I can find another job."

     
"I haven't decided anything yet.
 
I want us to talk first."

     
Marty stood at the sink with her back to Angie.
 
"It happened a long time ago and I'm so ashamed.
 
I've brooded all these years about the day you'd find out."

     
"Were you and Bud lovers?"

     
Marty jerked her head around, her blackened eyes wide as if in shock.
 
"Oh, no, Mrs. Nevers, it just happened one night when you, Mr. Nevers and Mr. Weber were all in the study.
 
Not long after you lost the baby and before Mr. Weber met Sandy.
 
You were taking some strong drugs and couldn't drink, so you went to bed.
 
You were barely coping then, the worst time of your depression."

     
Angie dropped her head in her hands, remembering the many nights when she'd left Bud and their guests alone.
 
She'd felt bad about it at the time, but it didn't stop her from leaving.
 
"Go on."

     
"This particular night, Mr. Nevers and Mr. Weber were celebrating a really big contract.
 
They had the music loud and were tipping that champagne bottle like crazy.
 
When you left, Mr. Weber came into the kitchen and danced me around the kitchen floor.
 
He said, 'Marty come in here and join us in this celebration.'
 
I told him no, but Mr. Nevers yelled, 'Yeah, get in here and share this champagne with us.'
 
They were both already pretty tipsy and Mr. Weber flirted with me a lot."

     
Marty stopped talking for a moment, floured the chicken and put it in the frying pan.

     
Angie watched her wipe the tears away with the corner of her apron.
 
"So what happened?"

     
"Please remember this happened over twenty years ago.
 
I thought myself quite a good looker.
 
I knew men noticed me.
 
But I realize now how stupid I behaved.
 
I'm so ashamed when I look back and realize how I teased those men."

     
Angie didn't want to know what Marty did to entice Bud into a sexual encounter, but she remained silent and let her continue her story.

     
We danced and drank that champagne until after midnight.
 
I remember how I kept telling them to turn down the music and lower their voices, afraid of waking you.
 
But Mr. Nevers said you were out like a light.
 
Finally, I decided I better get to the cottage before I fell on my face.
 
Mr. Nevers insisted on walking me.
 
The next thing I remembered..."

     
Heavy sobs shook Marty's shoulders.
 
She had the corner of the apron over her mouth.
 
"I woke up before daylight," she choked.
 
"Mr. Nevers lay across the foot of my bed and I didn't have one speck of clothes on.
 
I woke him up, pushed him out the door and told him to get home before the sun came up.
 
Nine months later Melinda came into this world."

     
Angie felt confused.
 
"Why don't I remember you being pregnant?"

     
"I hid it for months by just wearing smocks and aprons up until near the end.
 
Then, if you'll remember, you were doing much better and I took off for two months.
 
Telling you that my sick aunt needed me.
 
Mr. Nevers wanted me to abort.
 
I told him I couldn't do that, but I'd make sure you never knew."

     
Angie stiffened.
 
"Yes, now I vaguely remember you telling me there had been a family emergency and you had to go away for a while.
 
I thought it strange that you never gave me any details, but figured it wasn't any of my business.
 
But how did you hide a baby for all those years?"

     
"Mr. Nevers took care of all the details.
 
He rented a small home and hired a woman to take care of her.
 
I only got to be with her on the weekends.
 
Then when she turned six, she lived in a boarding school.
 
Not much of a family life for a young girl.
 
But that's the only way I could have her.
 
I couldn't bring her out here.
 
Mr. Nevers felt guilty about the whole situation and wanted me to stay on working here for your sake."

     
"Melinda told me she didn't know who fathered her until a few months ago.
 
Why didn't Bud ever tell her?"

     
Marty shook her head.
 
"I can't answer that.
 
But he made me promise not to.
 
He said if I did, he'd fire me.
 
Send me packing without another dime for Melinda's upbringing.
 
I knew it would be foolish of me to give up all the things he could provide her.
 
So I kept my mouth shut until one night when Melinda came to the cottage.
 
You were gone for the evening and I thought it would be safe enough.
 
However, I'd been boozing it up and we had a fight.
 
In my drunken stupor I blabbed and told her.
 
After that, she took things into her own hands."
 
Marty covered her face with her hands.
 
"I've discovered my little girl has a very mean, evil streak."

     
Angie stared at her as a thought flashed through her mind.
 
"Marty, didn't you have a boyfriend about that time?
 
How can you be positive that Bud is Melinda's father?"

     
Marty furrowed her brows.
 
"I thought about that too.
 
I'd broken up with him two months before this happened and hadn't taken on any new boyfriend.
 
Mr. Nevers was the last man in my bed before I found myself pregnant."

Chapter Fourteen

     
When the two detectives arrived back at Tom's office they found John Graves chewing on the end of a pencil while still studying the books.
 
The knot in his tie hung at mid-chest.

     
"Well?" Cliff asked.

     
John glanced up and raised a brow.
 
"I've found nothing mentioning ABC Wafer Company.
 
However, these books seem too perfect or else they've got a genius accountant."

     
Cliff scratched his head.
 
"What makes you say that?"
 

     
"Not one mistake in addition.
 
Of course, today's technology makes that easier.
 
However, this company is supposedly in a growth spurt and should be making money.
 
I mean, this script-writing thing where you can also make a printout in your own handwriting is a winner.
 
Yet, it doesn't show in the profits.
 
Either they've got a big storehouse somewhere full of lots of unsold stock,"
 
he waved his hand over the desk, "or someone's fixing these books."

     
Tom listened intently as he leaned against the wall, his arms crossed over his chest.
 
"So you think there's something unusual here?"

     
"Yeah.
 
This is not for the record.
 
But, yeah.
 
There's something strange going on here, but damned if I can spot it.
 
Particularly this past year."

     
"For instance?" Tom asked.

     
"A big change in the ordering pattern.
 
They ordered lots of stuff to put into their product, but I can't find the output.
 
Yet, everything balanced.
 
My brain tells me they're short about six hundred thousand dollars this year."

     
Tom tapped his foot, his mind working.
 
"That would fit with what Bill Crane said."

     
John leaned back in his chair.
 
"Who's Bill Crane?"

     
"A young college intern that Bud hired.
 
The kid spotted this ABC Wafer Company.
 
He told me he'd informed Mr. Nevers that fifty thousand a month was going out to that company.
 
Which, by the way, coincides with that figure you just quoted.
 
So how do you figure they've hid it?"

     
"Beats the hell out of me."
 
He pointed to one side of the book then the other.
 
"Probably within several companies; a few thousand dollars here and a few thousand there.
 
All the books display the same numbers.
 
It would require a hell of a lot of time to locate the discrepancies.
 
Probably in the beginning they used that ABC Wafer name as a dummy company, but have since figured out a more sophisticated system."
 
He pointed a finger at Tom.
 
"But somewhere there are original records.
 
And that's where you'll find that ABC Wafer Company.
 
Some genius they have in that company has managed to change all the books and computers to read the same."

     
Tom scratched his side burn, then extended his hand.
 
"Thanks, John, you've done a great job and we appreciate the many hours you've spent here today.
 
If we run across the originals, you'll be the first one we'll call."