Consequences by Aleatha Romig Read Free Book Online

SIM card, Anthony backed his rental car over the phone. It didn’t survive. His case also contained the final hardware of his surveillance equipment. He definitely didn’t want some stupid painter running across one of his cameras.
    Six months of footage taught him much about Claire Nichols. She kept late hours and enjoyed sleeping late in the morning. She liked to cook and bake, but gave a lot away. There were no boyfriends or male visitors to the apartment, which made Anthony happy. She liked to talk on the phone and chat with people on the computer. She rarely watched television except for a show called Grey’s Anatomy and another on the same station. She liked to exercise, sometimes walking with the lady next door. Rarely did she stay around the apartment. She went out with friends frequently. Many times, she would return home in a less than sober state, but again always alone. During Christmas season, she put up decorations and even a tree. The best part of the surveillance was access to her schedules and passwords. The computer hacking would have been more difficult without those passwords. Oh, he could have done it, but this was easier.
    Anthony heard the knock on the door. He removed his gloves, put them in his pockets, and opened the door. “Hi there, are you John Vandersol?” the burly man with underarm stains and a perspiration-drenched face inquired.
    “Yeah, that’s me. You the movers? Come on in.” Anthony decided that even though he looked nothing like Claire’s brother-in-law, his presence in her apartment made more sense than any other male. People rarely remembered faces anyway.
    He signed the contract and paid the man in cash, with a $200 tip. He explained that his sister-in-law moved to another city for a job and wanted all of her things taken to the local refuge for donation. The mover wasn’t interested in the backstory, and Anthony didn’t push. He gave enough information to make the transition plausible and not too much to make it sound contrived. Too bad Claire wouldn’t be filing taxes. She could receive a hell of a deduction for her donations. It didn’t take the men long to empty the apartment.
    Her car sold for an amazingly low price. Actually, it hadn’t been enough to pay off the loan, but the point was to get rid of it. Forging her signature on the paperwork wasn’t difficult. He used her signature on the napkin as a pattern. The fortunate buyer didn’t ask questions.
    Caressing the case that held the only remnants of Claire’s previous life, Anthony wiped the doorknob with his gloves, locked the door to the empty apartment, and placed the keys into an envelope. The complex had been e-mailed about Claire’s sudden move, as well as reimbursed for severing the lease. The envelope was deposited into an open slot in the office door. Getting into the rental vehicle, he called his driver, “Pick me up at Budget Rental, ten minutes.”
    Anthony didn’t like doing all these tasks himself. Under different circumstances, he would hire someone to box the items or wait for the movers. This, however, wasn’t normal circumstances. He couldn’t risk others knowing his plan. He couldn’t even trust his best friend and head of his legal team. This was all very private.
    Eric, Anthony’s driver, had some clue about things transpiring in Atlanta. He had more than a clue. He helped transport Claire back to Iowa. But his allegiance was steadfast, as with the rest of his household staff.
    Sighing as he parked the gray inconspicuous Toyota Camry in the lot of Budget, he thanked God this was done. Now to change into his kind of clothes, get back to his real life, prepare for his scheduled meetings overseas, and decide Claire’s future. He flashed a private smile—the acquisition was complete.

 
Through humor, you can soften some of the worst blows that life delivers. And once you find laughter, no matter how painful your situation might be, you can survive it.
—Bill Crosby
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