“How’d he steal it?” I asked. The situation wasn’t unusual, but the method varied, and I wanted as much information as I could get so I could help her.
“He accessed my personal bank account, transferred the money to another account, withdrew it all in cash, and skipped town. And before you ask how he got into my account, I’ll confess that I kept my passwords stored on my laptop for easy access, and Ilet him have access to my laptop whenever he wanted to check email and his socials. Stupid, I know, but please don’t lecture me on that. Seamus taught me several lessons. That was only one of them.”
“Where isSeamusnow?” I asked, wanting to find the guy and pound him. “Do you know?”
“The rumor is he’s in Tampa, Florida, where he’s probably hanging out on a beach, enjoying my money, and having a grand time.”
“Are we talking enough money for this to be a felony?” That would make the difference on how dedicated law enforcement would be to pursuing the case.
“I…think so? I’m not really sure what the line is for that. He took ten thousand from my personal account, and twenty from a business account my friend Mel and I had set up so we could start our own tattoo parlor.”
Mel must be short for Melody. She’d been the one to text that she couldn’t deal with Caitlin’s guy drama because she was still pissed about her ex. That made sense if they had planned to go into business together and her money had gotten stolen, too.
“I’m trying to deal with the bank to get my money returned since it was illegally taken from my account, but they said that I need a police report because of the amount,” she continued.
“That’s definitely a felony. You didn’t file a report?” Anyone would in that scenario unless…she still had feelings for Seamus and didn’t want to see him go to jail. I tugged at my collar. It suddenly felt tight, restrictive. I didn’t like the idea of Caitlin with this guy and worse, protecting him, if that’s what she was doing.
“I tried to,” she sighed. “But the officer I spoke to in Austin seemed to think that I was somehow in on the theft—that it was some insurance scam Seamus and I were running together. And that if I reallywasa victim, then it was my fault. He belittled me about my password and about being too trusting.”
From what Caitlin had told me about her upbringing, being made to feel stupid and insignificant was a definite trigger for her. I took her hand and held it in his. “You should have asked to see a different officer.”
“I couldn’t,” she insisted, her voice rising. “He was threatening to have me charged with committing fraud unless I let it drop. I was telling the truth, but he made me feel so…inferior that I told him to forget it and I ran out of the station.”
I wanted to ask for the officer’s name and which substation he worked out of, because the guy shouldn’t be wearing a badge. I’d get to that, but first I needed to do something for her. “Thirty thousand is at the top end of felony theft before they start adding numbers to it, like second and third degree. I can help you file the report and start the process of getting your money back.”
“You can?” She perked up. “From here?”
“Yeah, come to the station after your shift ends. I’ll need to call the substation you originally went to in Austin. Just so you know, I plan to report your negative experience,” I said. “No victim should be made to feel guilty or inferior by a police officer. Ever.”
“You’d never do that, would you.” It wasn’t a question. I felt warmed by her trust in me. She squeezed my hand. “Thank you. Really, I’ll feel like a weight’s lifted from me if I can get evenpart of the money back. It wasn’t just mine but Mel’s, too. She shouldn’t have to suffer because I trusted the wrong guy.”
“Happy to help you.” I could have let go of her hand then, but it felt right to sit there with her in the sunshine and have her hand in mine.
“Caitlin? Can you come back in, hon? We’re slammed,” Aurora’s voice reached us from the kitchen.
“Gotta run.” She jumped up, breaking the contact between us. “Thanks, again.” Then she placed her hand on my shoulder and leaned down to kiss my cheek. A second later, she was gone, leaving me to wonder how else I could help her.
FOURTEEN
CAITLIN
Iwalked out of the sheriff’s office into the late afternoon sunshine, feeling lighter and freer. Brian had made some calls and helped me with the police report, which I hoped would finally put me on the road to financial recovery. If my money was returned, Mel and I could put our dream to own a tattoo parlor back together. The space we’d planned to rent was no longer available, but we could begin the hunt for another place. In fact, I was excited at the prospect.
I owed Brian a huge thank you. I eyed Carly’s Coffee and Treats across the street. Something sweet? It would make a nice dessert for the dinner Brian would likely eat late in the evening when he got home. His schedule was ridiculous with the rodeo so close, and he’d said it would be another marathon work session for him today. He deserved a treat.
I headed to the bakery, surprised to find myself the only customer.
Carly greeted me from behind the counter. “About time you walked through my door. How many times have I seen youstrolling past my place and you couldn’t even bother to step in and say hi? What’s up with that?”
“Guilty.” Although Carly was a few years older than me, we’d shared some extracurriculars, so we’d been friendly with each other in school. “Work’s keeping me busy, and I’ve mostly been keeping my head down.”
“I hear you there. It’s good to see your face, finally. What can I get for you?”
“I’m hoping you have a whole pie or cake.” I looked at the pastries and doughnuts in the case, but that wasn’t what I was after.
“I have cakes in the cooler. What are you interested in? Chocolate? Carrot cake? Vanilla with strawberry filling?” Carly offered.
“That last sounds good.” I paid for the cake and smiled to myself as I imagined Brian’s expression when he found it waiting for him in the refrigerator.
