Page 58 of Close Your Eyes and Count to 10

Part Two

Ready or Not

“Small and hidden is the door that leads inward, and the entrance is barred by countless prejudices, mistaken assumptions, and fears.”

CARL JUNG

Civilization in Transition

“Adopt the pace of nature. Her secret is patience.”

RALPH WALDO EMERSON

19

ANGELINE

“Angeline,” said Tavo, sitting on Alex’s hotel-room bed. “What is it?”

She didn’t answer right away, reading and reading again to see if there was any other way to interpret the texts. She felt like she’d swallowed glass—throat raw, stomach aching. Outside, the wind moaned, and even the shadows of the lawn furniture looked like crouched monsters waiting to pounce. She felt the heat of Tavo’s gaze but kept her eyes on the screen swimming before her eyes. It was wrong, spying on a private exchange between husband and wife. But she read it again.

I’m going to do it. I’m going to confront him tonight.

Just come home, Alex. Please. The baby is sick. I miss you. Forget about Extreme. We’ll get a lawyer.

I can’t let this stand. I have to confront him. There are millions of dollars missing. He’s stealing from all of us.

Maybe it’s a mistake.

No. There’s no mistake. I don’t know how it took me so long to see it.

Look…just get out of there. You can report it and let a forensic accountant sort it all out.

Then we could all lose everything. I’m the fucking CFO. You don’t think I’ll be held accountable in some way if this goes to the courts, to the authorities? After all these years of putting up with his shit, we walk away with nothing? Worse. I go to jail with him? No. No fucking way.

Then, what?

I don’t know. I talk to him. Make him give it back. I fix the books, and we take that offer from BoxOfficePlus and we all walk away rich.

But he said he’d never sell Extreme. That he’d never answer to a studio.

If I confront him about this, he won’t have a choice. It’s sell or go to jail.

Okay. But do it from here. Please. Just come home.

I have to give him the chance to do the right thing. To come clean to me.

People can be dangerous when you back them into a corner.

No. We’re friends. Brothers.

Maybe you don’t know him like you think you do.

I love you. I love our baby. By tomorrow this will be over, and we’ll have a new life.

A few hours went by before Lucia texted again.

Alex? What was that whole mess at the site? I didn’t see you.