Chapter 4: A Tangle of Thoughts

…Reggie tries making sense of the numbers…

…which an employee confounds…

…while a photo suggests a disturbing link…

Reggie read the report and frowned. Sales were up but inventory wasn’t where it should be; a spot inventory last month confirmed it. Plus, there were disturbing register mismatches at shift change, especially the evening shift. Cash on hand and credit card slips should match register printouts.

He rose from his chair and looked out the window of his office. The evening shift was made up of some full-time employees but a lot of young part-timers. He ordered refresher training that made a difference for a while, but the problem resurfaced so he started working with Security. They identified some suspicious behavior but he always worried about a concerted effort, so he contracted with a private investigator.

Based on the investigations, he was satisfied the thefts were petty crime not connected to a criminal underground. Those employees would be terminated and prosecuted.

***

Stacy Wallop scanned the floor of the Men’s Furnishing department and sighed. The evening shift was empty of customers. Salespeople wandered idly from table to counter and back again to wait, straighten garments or gossip. She looked into a full-length mirror.

She was just twenty-one. Her silky hair formed an ash-blonde veil sweeping down her back. Her skin was tan with an attractive cluster of freckles under hazel eyes that gazed wide-eyed at the world. She wore a short red skirt that reached to the middle of a fleshy thigh and a white sleeveless blouse.

Stacy thought twenty-one would be more exciting. She could go to clubs legally now, but she’d been clubbing for years. She went to the beach when it was sunny; otherwise she’d go shopping. She never read, because she worried about lines forming on her brow. She waited impatiently for the next thrill to take her out of her boring existence.

She walked to a table of sale ties. Grabbing a handful, she threw them like a tangle of snakes. Lifting one, she held it out, halved then quartered it and neatly lay it back down. When she was finished she looked at her watch and sighed again.

A man approached with two shirts in hand. He was paunchy and gray. She directed him to the table. She laughed when he admitted he wasn’t good at matching colors. She’d be happy to help, she said. She grabbed a satin blue tie and smiled, holding it across her outthrust chest like a sash in a beauty pageant. The man studied it nervously through thick glasses but said he wasn’t sure. After browsing for a while he chose two. She carried his selection to the register. In answer to her question, he said he’d pay cash.

She scanned in one shirt and one tie, then completed the sale on the register. Doubling the figure in her head, she said, “That will be $87.20”. She gave him change from the till which she left open a crack. “Your receipt is in the bag,” she said flashing a winning smile. She folded over the top and handed him the bag. He took it, smiling nervously. After he left, she looked left then right. Not seeing anyone watching, she removed two twenties and slipped them into her pocket.

***

Reggie reviewed a report containing a nugget of information that was either gold or radioactive. He’d have to handle it carefully.

The report stated, in part:

Wednesday, August 19, 2009. This investigator parked outside the target’s home at 1234 Wallingsford Avenue. Three cars were parked in the driveway. They are registered to her parents who are listed at the same address as emergency contacts (Cf. personnel file). The target was observed getting into the silver Toyota Corolla (photo attached).

0900-1130. Target drove to the beach where she sunbathed (photo attached).

1130. Target drove to apartment complex at 4547 Sunnyside Way and sat in her car for about 15 minutes.

1145. Brown Camaro parked behind her car (photo attached) and a white male (black hair, approximately five feet nine inches tall) approached her vehicle. She got out and, holding hands, they went into the apartment complex (photo attached). This investigator could not tell which apartment they went to. The front lobby is secure and no attempt was made to enter the property.

1220. The male exited the complex alone (photo attached). He seemed to be in a hurry.

1250. The target exited the complex (photo attached) and this investigator followed her back to the 1234 Wallingsford Avenue address.

Reggie looked at the photo again. He knew the man and wasn’t happy about it. He put it back into the report folder and dropped it on his desk. It made a slapping sound and, unconsciously, he rubbed his cheek. He enjoyed the company of women, but as he got older he found himself feeling like father or protector. He felt a mix of honor and attraction but, to those young women, he would always be a male with questionable motives. Maybe that was the right call.

He’d have to approach Linda and he knew it wouldn’t be easy.

Chapter 5 will be posted December 20.