Annie's Rainbow - Fern Michaels [87]
Jane burst into tears. “Bob took it to invest. Nothing worked out. At least he said it didn’t. We used to stand by the mailbox to wait for the next check.”
“All of it’s gone!”
“Every penny,” Jane sobbed.
“What about the taxes and all that stuff?”
Jane cried harder. “I don’t know. Bob handles all that. He’s a CPA. I just sign the forms when he hands them to me. A lot of mail has been coming lately from the IRS. Bob just puts it in his briefcase. I don’t know what it’s all about.”
“That’s stupid, Jane. You don’t ever screw around with the IRS.”
“There you go again! You know everything! Keep your nose out of my business. For all I know you’re the one who took the money, because I sure as hell didn’t take it. Did you take the money, Annie?”
Here it was, right in her face, the question she’d been dreading ever since that fateful day back in Boston.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Annie grappled with her emotions, hoping they didn’t show on her face. “I don’t think I care to dignify that question with an answer, Jane.”
Jane’s face crumpled. “I’m sorry, Annie. I didn’t mean to say that. Really, I didn’t. I didn’t mean to say it about Elmo, either. It must be coming up to that time of the month to make me say things like that.”
Annie reached for the bourbon bottle with shaky hands. She shook her head when Jane held out her glass. “This is for me. You already have a snootful. It’s time to put you to bed. In the morning we’ll talk about what we’re going to do for you. I’ll take you back into the business. I’m willing to share everything I have with you. Except for Parker. On second thought, maybe you can have him, too. I’d love to get to know my godchild better. You can stay here in the house. If, and that’s a big if, I marry Parker, I’m going to be living in Hawaii part of the time. I can get you up on your feet, Jane, but you have to meet me halfway.” She gulped at the stinging bourbon, her eyes watering.
Jane’s head bobbed up and down. “She isn’t really nineteen. The bimbo. She’s twenty-nine. She’s pregnant, too, Annie.”
“We’ll handle it tomorrow when the sun is shining. Come on, Jane, let’s go to bed.”
“You’re a good friend, Annie.”
“So are you.”
“What are we going to do about Elmo?”
“Nothing. That’s the way he wants it. We’ll be here for him the way he was always there for us.”
“See, you always have the right answer.”
“You just think I do. This is your room. Crawl into bed, and I’ll check on you later. Do you want one of the dogs to stay with you?”
“No. I’m okay. Thanks anyway. Night, Annie.”
“Night, Jane. Tomorrow’s another day.”
“Annie?”
“Yes.”
“Did you mean what you said about helping me?”
“Of course. What kind of friend would I be otherwise?”
“You’re the best,” Jane said. A moment later Annie heard her snoring lightly.
In her room with the door closed, Annie sat down on the bed next to her dogs. “I don’t know what to do,” she said miserably. “I can help Jane. I can be strong and tough where Elmo is concerned. At least I think I can. It’s Parker that worries me. I don’t know if I really and truly love him. I also have to send that money back if Jane moves into this house. That dumb, stupid thing I did years ago is going to haunt me for the rest of my life. If I confess now, Parker will never forgive me because he hates deception and secrets. If I thought for one second that Jane truly believed Elmo took the money, I’d fess up. She doesn’t believe it. She was just letting off steam. I thought she had a really good marriage. I don’t know what to do, guys.”
Rosie wiggled closer, trying to nudge Harry out of the way. Both shepherds pawed her arms and licked at her face. “It’s okay. I’m just kind of out of it. The trip was long, Elmo’s sick, Jane’s in a funk, and then there’s that other stuff staring at me. C’mere, you guys,” Annie said, rolling over to stretch out