This was originally written as one long story. The break on the first page saying present day means the back story has caught up to the timeline that began in the first half page of Pt One.
All chapters were submitted together so the others won't be too far away.
Thanks again to Favored for his editing.
*****
The next morning it was raining hard, I opened the bedroom curtain saw the bleak outlook and climbed back into bed. I had an appointment with my lawyer in the afternoon. We were going to go through Rachel's financial report, which finally arrived yesterday, to work on strategies for Wednesday's hearing. I couldn't get back to sleep, visions of Charlie and David kept leaping into my mind's eye whenever I closed my eyes.
Getting up I had some breakfast, put some laundry in the wash and then in the dryer. I got bored so I got an umbrella and went for a walk downtown. It was quiet for a Saturday, probably the rain. I went to the coffee shop, ordered a coffee and grabbed the papers. I spent a leisurely hour flicking through the paper and ate a ploughman's lunch.
I was waiting outside Brian's office when he arrived.
"Nothing on this morning?" Brian chirped.
"Yes, my social diary is a little bare at the moment," I grunted.
"Yes, I suppose it would be..." Brian flicked through his keys trying to find the right one.
Inside Brian passed me the financial report to peruse. It was short, the villa despite being bought for one point five million and then extensively renovated was written down as being worth one point four including furnishings. A seventy five percent share in a French real estate investment company, seven hundred and fifty thousand. That was it for assets, on the debit side there was a loan facility with a French bank for four hundred thousand. It was unbelievable! Ten million had become one million seven hundred and fifty thousand in less than twelve months! Splitting this money was the best thing I had ever done.
Looking up I saw Brian watching me with an amused look on his face.
"Amazing isn't it!"
"Unbelievable! It can't be true!" I was flabbergasted.
"I doubt it is but it explains why we received it so late. There is no chance of checking these figures in three days."
"Aren't these supposed to be independently verified?" I slapped the folder down on the table in frustration.
"Yes but our problem is that we haven't really got time to organize proof to dispute them."
"Maybe we do..." my mind went to Mandy." What time is it in London?"
"It would have to be the middle of the night." Brian played with his phone looking for a world time app.
"I know someone there who may be able to help. I'll ring her later and get her working on it!"
"Good, now on to your defense. Do you still want me to make the offer?" Brian inquired.
"Yes, tomorrow at four forty five so they only have one day to consider it."
"Still four million dollars?" I could tell by his tone he didn't approve.
"Yes, they will won't more than that won't they?"
"Definitely, I'd say they would want half of your assets including family home and business and a bit extra for twenty years' service. Ball park...um...six...six point five. What they will accept, that's the question!
"So they laugh at four, that's what I want. Then when we get in front of the judge at least we've tried to negotiate."
"But unless we can prove that Rachel still has some money stashed away then the judge will think it's a joke too!"
"It will be worth a try, if my contact in London comes through we may have the proof."
"Don't get your hopes up. You haven't got any skeletons in the closet have you?"
"Umm..."
"I don't like the sound of that!" Brian huffed.
"Do you really want to know or would it be better to not tell you."
"You had better fucking tell me! I don't want to get blindsided, Rachel's lawyers are savage!"
"Okay, I...I won a bit more than twenty million." I said sheepishly.
"How much more?"
"Ten million more..."
Brain was stunned. "Where is it? Not under the bed or buried I hope?"
"No, no, my sister has it. I gave her a third for safe keeping."
"What! Why isn't it in your financial statement?"
"Well, technically it's not mine and only she and I and now you know about it. Oh... and the lotteries people because they paid it straight to her. I said she and I had a syndicate."
"Technically? Where is it now?" Brian was getting exasperated.
"It's in an investment company run and administered by my sister. I am a director and it is in my financial statement where I list all the companies I'm a director of." Brian picked up the folder with my statement and began leafing through it. "Page four, Mistcal Pty Ltd."
"What are all these companies?" Brian asked pointing at the half page list.
"A number of my rural clients run their businesses as family companies. They like to have an independent director to act as a referee in family disputes. I don't get paid but I get the accounting business."
"Are there any other multi-million dollar companies here?"
"Have you tried to buy a farm recently? They are all million dollar companies! The largest, Jones Bros, is worth around forty million but they do have a transport component to their portfolio."
"Hmmm," he stroked his chin and regarded me over the glasses perched on the end of his nose. "I wondered why you included this list when you state you receive no remuneration as a director. Hiding in plain sight, heh. I'll have to watch you. I didn't have you marked as being that devious!"
"Nothing to hide! It's my sister's money, I just do the accounting." I said with a smile.
"Is that your official line? Do you have any proof that this syndicate existed?"
