Going For Broke by Nina Howard Read Free Book Online Page A

there were only a handful of items with green post-its.  Victoria was a realist.  If it had to go, it had to go.
                  She wasn’t ready for the dining room just yet.  She did love all that silver.  The tea set, the candelabras, the George III jam spoon they got for a wedding present.  Of course, with no one around to polish it all, what good would it do to have it?  She’d get to it later.  She’d inventory Trip’s library first.  His stuff should be the first on the chopping block.
                  The intercom from the lobby buzzed, which she ignored, as usual.  Then she realized that Lumi wasn’t there to answer it for her, so she answered it.  Pieter announced that the gentlemen from the “Effe Bee Eye” were there to see her.  Was it too much to ask to find a doorman who could speak even a little English?  They were back?  She wanted to say no, but she knew they’d come up anyway.
                  Mr. Trench Coat had returned, this time with quite a crew of Member’s Only boys.   He handed her his card and introduced himself again. 
                  She was tired, and spent.  She ran her hand through her hair - it still looked like she belonged in a shampoo commercial, even though she hadn’t seen Phillipe in forever.  “Mr....” she looked at the card, “Towner.  Trip isn’t here.  In fact, if you find him, could you please tell him that his wife would like to have a few words with him?”
                  Mike held up a stack of folded papers.  “Mrs. Vernon, I’m sorry, but --”  Oh My God, if one more person told her “I’m sorry, but...” she’d scream.  A. They are not sorry and B. the But is never good .  Never.  Lately it seemed to just get worse and worse.  She braced herself for this But.  “But I have a warrant to confiscate your possessions.”
                  “What possessions?”
                  “All of them,” he said as he pushed the papers at her. 
                  Mike had to hold back a little smile.  This White Collar Division may be kind of fun after all.  Victoria put her hair behind her ear as if she had misheard him.  “I”m sorry?”
                  Mike nodded to the crew behind him.  “Okay, boys.  Let’s get started.” 
                  Victoria positioned herself in a wide stance, blocking the entrance to the front hall.  “I’m going to have to call my lawyer,” she said.
                  “That’d probably be a good idea,” Mike said as he strode purposefully past Victoria.  He looked around and saw the color-coded artwork.  “It looks like we got here just in time.”
                                                                                        ###
                  It didn’t take very long.  Who knew that the best movers worked for the government?  When they were done, she felt like the Grinch had made a pit stop on his way to Whoville.  The art, furniture, electronics.  The jewelry.  The kids’ toys.  They were left with beds, some clothing and not much else.  They even took the espresso machine.  Talk about ruthless.   What was she supposed to do now? Go to Starbucks?
                  Jack had told her to let them do what they needed to do.  He had tried to stop it legally, and had the audacity to tell her that Trip had really left her in quite a vulnerable position.  He asked if there was anything that he and Judy could do for her.   Really, Jack?    You went to Yale Law School and you end up talking to me like a funeral director?  Victoria was sick of platitudes and pity.  
                  She went to pick the children up from school, an activity that she usually left to Lumi.  Standing outside the hallowed school on East End Avenue,