Working Romance. Susan Kohler

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СКАЧАТЬ take a short nap first.”

      “Nap? Nap? It’s obvious you don’t have kids. Naps are for moms, not for kids. You can go tell the mini-monsters that they have to take a nap before they can swim,” Kate challenged her. “I’ll just stay here and wait to pick up the pieces after they tear you apart.”

      “Wouldn’t it be better if we could get them to watch some videos? That would give us a chance to talk business before we swim,” Bob suggested. Noting the women’s startled expressions, he added, “I have six nieces and four nephews.”

      Kate never quite knew what happened next but a short time later the gruesome threesome was lying on the floor in Bob’s den with Jack, watching THE LITTLE MERMAID. All the doors to the outside were locked, plus the gate between the house and the pool. Even so, Jack had been admonished that one of the little dears might wake up and decide to go swimming without waiting for the adults.

      “Watch the children, not the movie, and stay awake, okay?” Laura told her husband. “We’re going to talk business.”

      “Nag, nag, nag,” Jack muttered, his eyes fixed on the television.

      Bob, Laura, and Kate picked up the remains from lunch and took things into the kitchen. Working as a team, they cleaned up the few dishes from lunch. When they had put the leftovers into the refrigerator, they sat at the small kitchen table.

      Laura opened the conversation. “Bob, I didn’t fill Kate in on all the details about the special problems that we’re having at work, so maybe we’d better do that, now.”

      “What’s up?” Kate asked. “Is it the job?”

      “In a way,” Bob replied, pouring them all some more iced tea. “You see, we’ve been having trouble with employee theft at work. Not just petty theft, but embezzlement. Every time we hire a new clerk in the accounting department, we start losing money. The evidence always seems to point to the new clerk. Someone wanted it to look like we were hiring dishonest people but we’re not that dumb. Four times now, when we’ve got a new employee, money starts disappearing. We know someone is hiding his own larceny by hiding behind the new hires. The thefts stop when the latest employee leaves, until I replace them, then they soon start occurring again. That’s why we wanted to hire someone one of us knew personally. It’s also why your past auditing experience is so important. The gist of it is: we want you to help us to catch the thief. Of course, the rest of the staff will think we just got you from the temp agency, like we usually do.”

      “So I’ll be undercover, like on TV, but who else is in on it?” Kate asked. “And is there really a permanent job after I catch the bad guy?”

      “No one knows but Bob and myself, and of course, one person at corporate headquarters,” Laura answered. “And yes, there is a real job after you find the thief. I think it’ll be in auditing and cost accounting, not the accounts payable department. Once we find out who we have to replace and decide how we need to restructure accounting, we will bring in some new people. By the way, we also helped the other employees who fell under suspicion find new jobs. Except for one girl who went on pregnancy leave, and she does some work for us online from home.”

      “She’s such a good worker we couldn’t let her go,” Bob added. “The other three employees weren’t officially fired by the way; we just told the office staff that their jobs were being phased out due to cutbacks. Then we got them placed in new jobs we helped find for them. Shelly’s baby is due in about five weeks so she won’t be back until we get this problem resolved. By the way Kate, do you have a computer at home?”

      “No,” she told him. “I was thinking about getting one. Should I?”

      “Don’t bother. I’ll loan you one from the office and set you up so that you can work online. Just let me know if you ever need to stay home and you can work from there. It will benefit both of us. I’ve never met a working mother who didn’t have problems once in a while with a sick kid or the sitter. Also, you might want to work on some of your investigating at home so I’ll be sure to get it to you and arrange to pay any charges.”

      Laura took over. “The plan is that tomorrow you show up at eight, and we claim that you’re just a temp we got from the employment agency. Of course, you and I don’t know each other, but I always get to know the new people first. Last of all, depending on how it goes, at some point you might need to be treated as a suspect. That may probably be when you need to do some investigating at home. We’ll call attention to your poor attendance and constant tardiness and use that as an excuse to suspect you. It’ll all be an act so go along with it,” Laura said. “Of course, you’ll be well compensated for any work you do at home. Is that it, Bob? Is it time for us to swim?”

      “Now Laura, wait until you’ve been asked,” Kate said, primly, reminding them of the children waiting to swim. They all laughed.

      “I’ll show you where you can change into your suits,” Bob laughed, standing up. He led them into a large bathroom downstairs. “There’s already plenty of towels out by the pool.”

      Laura and Kate both changed into their swim suits. Laura had a red polka dot bikini. Kate expected to find her modest black one-piece in the bag her mom had sent over with Laura, but instead she found an emerald green bikini. It was a suit Laura had talked her into buying but that Kate had seldom worn. She put it on, deciding it wasn’t so bad after all, at least the color brought out the color of her eyes.

      “I’m going to go rescue Jack and unleash the monsters,” she told Laura. “Wait here and you can help me get them into their suits, then the last one in is a rotten egg!”

      All seven of them had quite a ball in the pool, even if the four adults had to keep a close watch on the three little ones. Bob had plenty of floats and inflatable toys for the kids to play with. Soon they had a great game of “try to sink Jack” going that was highlighted by Kate grabbing for Jack and getting her hands on Bob’s trunks by mistake.

      Startled green eyes met shocked blue eyes in a look that almost caused the water to boil. Both of them were very conscious of the other, and of Kate’s hands, and just where they accidentally came into contact with Bob’s body. It was a long moment, charged with a current of electricity that didn’t escape the notice of Laura and Jack. With the unspoken, almost psychic, communication that some married couples share, Laura and Jack decided to do a little more matchmaking. Before they could do anything about it, however, Kate’s energy gave out and she started to hint that it was time to gather up the kids and go home. Laura gave Jack a sharp kick and he quickly decided to save his shins by stepping in.

      “Hey Kate, why don’t you just relax for a while in the last of the sun and I’ll . . .” He thought fast then blurted out, “I’ll take the kids out for some ice cream?”

      Her eyes narrowed. “Dammit Jack, you know better than to ask me a question like that when the little dears can hear you! Now I have to be the bad guy and say no.”

      “No, you don’t,” Jack pleaded. “Just say yes. You know I’ll take good care of them. Please, it’s the only way Laura will let me break my diet.”

      He gave her a pathetic, hound-dog look, innocence shining in his warm brown eyes.

      “What diet? You’re in great shape.”

      “How do you think I keep in shape?” Jack begged. “Kate let me take them, please?”

      Kate relented, laughing, “Okay, take them away, I’m going to lay on that chaise lounge and relax.”

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