“Let me get this straight,” Bruce said, “Wentworth actually stole the money himself? But why would he do that?”
“Maybe because he knew that once Brian Watts got back to me, I’d be asking the board to fire him?” Mimi said. “So he thought he’d kill two birds with one stone. Discredit me, and give himself a nice little nest egg that no one could ever trace back to him since it’s all in small bills.”
If Mimi thought Bruce was sweating before, it was nothing compared to now. “I swear, I never condoned thievery.”
“But, you were responsible for hiring this guy,” Zeke said. “Looks like someone let the wolf inside the hen house to count the eggs.”
Bruce slumped down on the couch, too stunned to do more than stare into space.
“I’m so sorry,” Bettina said, “Obviously, Bruce is having a nervous breakdown. I promise you, Mimi, he’ll never do anything like this again.”
“We want a public apology,” Zeke said. “For all the things he accused my wife of this morning.”
“Yes, yes, of course. You’ll apologize, right?” Bettina said to Bruce, who if Mimi didn’t know any better almost seemed catatonic.
“And I want you to do it by taking out an ad in the Whispering Bay Gazette. A big one, taking full blame for everything,” Zeke continued.
“And he needs counseling,” Mimi added.
“Right. A little counseling never hurt anyone,” Zeke said, catching Mimi’s gaze.
“Nope,” Mimi said, grinning back at her husband, “It sure doesn’t.”
*~*~*
Mimi looked into the back seat of the police cruiser where Doug sat handcuffed. He caught her gaze for a few seconds, then sneered and turned away from her.
“What’s going to happen to him?” she asked Zeke.
“He’ll be charged with grand theft. I suspect he’ll probably make bail, find some overpriced attorney and try to wiggle his way out of this thing.”
“He won’t get off, though, will he?”
“I think they’ll be plenty of people, Bruce Bailey included, who’ll fight like hell to see that doesn’t happen.”
Mimi sighed heavily.
“You okay?” Zeke asked her.
“I’m just relieved that’s out of the way. But I now have less than twenty-four hours till Claire’s graduation and I have at least forty people coming to the house. Including your sister and Tom.”
At the mention of Allie, Zeke looked away. “Have you talked to her since last night?”
“No, but she’ll come around. You just need to meet her halfway.”
“How am I supposed to do that?” he asked.
“Oh, I think you know how.”
The graduation ceremony took place in the high school gymnasium, where just a little over twenty-four hours ago Mimi’s sex life had been analyzed by Bruce Bailey for everyone in town to hear. It was amazing how things could change in the short span of one day.
She sat in the front row of the bleachers, flanked by Zeke on one side and Cameron on the other. Momma and Daddy and Allie and Tom sat behind them. Allie had been sweet to Claire, giving her a big hug and kiss before she’d gone off to join the rest of her class for the traditional march. She’d even hugged Zeke, but it had been distant and sad. Zeke, in turn, had been pensive. Mimi supposed that was to be expected. He had a lot to think about, after all.
The ceremony was about to start when Mimi spotted Adam, wandering around the gym floor, trying to find a seat in the crowded bleachers. Without thinking, she waved to him. “Adam!” she called out. “Over here!”
After hesitating briefly, he began to make his way over to them. “Be nice,” Mimi whispered to Zeke.
“I’m always nice,” he shot back.