Page 50 of Demon On Deck

“All good. Just a slight headache. I think we’re safe to go ahead and close up. If you count the drawer, I’ll close out the computer.”

Again, Grey looks as if he has more to say, but simply nods and heads back to the front. I quickly close out the computer and tidy up a few things in the back. Ten minutes later, we walk out the door and say goodnight.

Much like the drive to work from Neeve’s office, the drive home is a blur of numb dread and mounting anxiety.

How am I going to afford this accountant?

Do forensic accountants have payment plans?

Am I going to be able to afford the accountant and still pay Neeve?

What if I can’t afford both?

Maybe Mel and I can watch a bunch of legal shows involving divorce. Then I can wear an earpiece, and Mel can feed me the appropriate legal speak to get me through court. Okay, that’s unlikely. We’ll call that plan X, as in, this should not be an option.

As my thoughts continue to spiral, I spot Mel’s car as I pull into the driveway.

“Mel? Everything okay?” I call out once I get inside the house.

“All good,” she says from where I spot her in the kitchen, the sound of a knife chopping echoing in the quiet space.

She pauses as I walk towards the kitchen and picks up a glass of wine, holding it out to me.

“Bless you,” I say, accepting it gratefully.

“Figured you’d need it after the lawyer. You’re home early. I was hoping to have dinner done before you got home,” she says, picking up the knife and resuming the chopping of veggies.

I place a grateful hand on my sister’s back. “Thank you. It was dead, so we closed early. Let me wash up, and I can help.”

Once I’ve taken several soothing sips of my wine and washed up, I finish chopping while Mel begins stir-frying chicken. As we cook, I give her the details of my meeting with Neeve. By the time we finish the stir fry and sit down, I’ve moved on to the call from Jackson and Grace.

“So I’m basically fucked,” I say around a mouthful of heavenly spices and noodles coated in a luxurious sauce.

“You’re not fucked,” Mel says flatly, pouring us each more wine.

“I’m fucked. I can’t be at the lawyer’s and at the shop at the same time. And it’s not that I don’t trust Grey, I do. It’s just that this is such a huge event, and it’s celebrity-level clientele. I just feel more comfortable handling it myself.”

Mel nods, chewing like the lady I clearly am not in this moment, before speaking, “That’s understandable, Kallie. This is a big deal for the business. But you are not fucked, nor do you need to find a way to break the laws of the space-time continuum so that you can be in two places at once.”

“Elaborate,” I say flatly.

“You keep your appointment with Jackson and Grace. I’ll take all the financial stuff to Neeve. I can at least meet the forensics guy and give you my gut feelings about him, her, or them. Problem solved,” she finishes matter-of-factly.

“Oh” is all I manage to get out.

She smiles and pats my hand. “It’s been a rough day” is all she says before she resumes eating.

Fucking understatement.

“Thank you. Seriously, I don’t know how I’d survive without you.”

“You wouldn’t, which is why you’ll never be rid of me.”

We both laugh and finish our meal. After we clean up, Mel heads home, and I head for bed. As I lay there trying and failing to fall asleep, I hope that everything will work out.

If it doesn’t, I don’t know what I’ll do.

Chapter 17