The next day, Lucy decided to go into to work late. She headed down to get some breakfast and almost caught a heart attack when she saw Andre at the table drinking tea.
"Why am I not surprised."
"Hey sis. I don't want to repeat myself so, do what you need to and have a seat."
Lucy got some Lemon tea and a Plate of Muffins. She sat down and waited.
"Ben tried to kill my boss, the wife not Philip. He is going down and he will take you with him if you don't do what I tell you. The proposal you are preparing is for a fake job, Ben is being set up, his account will appear as if he took the funds from the government account and he will be arrested and thrown in jail."
"Where do I come in."
"He will try to pin it on you so he can get away." "He won't do that, he loves me."
"Seriously Lucy, he has been having sex with you in his office for five years, has he ever taken you on a trip, a date, bought you a gift? He gives everything to his wife and children, why can't you see that?"
"He is leaving her, he told me so."
"He has already bought tickets for them to San Francisco, he will take them wherever he is going after they meet up. You are not in the plans. He will transfer some of the money to you and take the rest. You will be under suspicion, and he will be off drinking Cocktails."
Lucy was shaking her head. Andre knew she wouldn't believe anything she said even though it was the truth. Well… almost. Her sister was so dedicated to Ben his words were gospel and it would get Lucy killed.
"Look ya know what, do what you like, I have given you a heads up, you will learn the hard way. I am done, I hope this turns out the way you want it to. Good by Lucy." Andre got up and left. Lucy got up, did the dishes, put on a pair of jeans and dress shirt, and headed to the office.
She knocked on Ben's door and went in. He was on the phone. She waited until he was finished and then approached him.
"What's up Lucy, I thought you weren't coming in today."
"My sister came to see me, I have some info that will interest you." Lucy took a seat told him everything Andre had said, and he was furious. He tore up the proposal she had printed and started to spout venom.
"That fucker Kilian, he wants to play, well then let's play. Call all the agents who work in the Newcastle City, tell them I want Philip, his wife and their child dead. By tonight. Then book a return flight for me to San Francisco for a week." Lucy gasped softly. He was leaving, just as Andre said. It was then she realized her mistake. She had betrayed her sister again and now, the man she loved, was betraying her. "Take me with you." Lucy said. "Out of the question."
"I guess when you meet up with your wife and kids, there is no room for the office whore right?" "Lucy…" Ben said in a no-nonsense tone.
"Don't bother Ben, I will be just fine. I should have realized we never do anything together and you will never leave her, I guess the joke's on me twice. Have a good life, I hope Philip takes your head off. She grabbed her bag and left the agency for good.
As she got into her car, she called Andre.
"I'm sorry Andre, once again, you were right and I was wrong. I just walked off my job, I don't know what is going to happen to me."
"You will be fine; everything is playing out as planned." "What do you mean?"
"I knew you would tell him Lucy; you never listen to me but that is not what we need to focus on right now. I gave you an address years ago, you put it in a pocket in your purse, go there, don't tell anyone. I will come get you when it's over."
When Andre hung up, Lucy searched her memory, she had taken the paper out and went to the location just in case she needed it. She quickly recalled where it was and headed there. She pushed the front door and went inside. "Hey Lucy, glad you could make it, have a seat, get some food." A man said as he took a seat at the dining table. Lucy took one look at the food and vomited.
Andre had told Lucy that Philip would deposit funds directly from the agency account to Ben's account, but much to the surprise and dismay of Ben, his funds just disappeared, along with all the money he had stashed in different accounts all over the world. It was gone, all of it. How?
Ben let out a loud yell, swiping everything from his desk onto the floor with a crash. He began to shake. Philip was ruining his life and he had no idea how to stop him. He had asked Lucy to call all the agents and now he had no money to pay them. Shit. His cell rang.
"Hello." "Mr. B, I don't see any deposit in my account, what's going on?" "Do the job, the money will come."
"Okay, but you know if it doesn't…" The caller hung up.
His cell rang again. This would be happening all day if he kept answering his phone.
"B here."
"Where is the money?"
"Finish the job first, the money will come." He hung up.
The man on the other line scowled, the scar on his face, itching as he relaxed. No way he would be doing the job, he didn't trust Ben. He packed up his gear and headed back into the mountains, at least there, he knew only wolves and bears were trying to kill him. Ben sent out a text to all the agents – "No contact." He figured that would stop the calls and questions. A few of them would take the risk without the money, hopefully by the time Philip and his family were killed, he would have solved that problem. His thought his wife and children were already in San Francisco but what he did not know, what that Andre had intercepted them on the way from the airport and now had them in a safe house.
"Where is my husband?" Mrs. Johnson asked softly. She knew something was wrong, but her husband always kept her in the dark about his work. "Do you really want to know or are you quite satisfied with living off your husband's bad deeds?" She gasped. Then, she looked defiantly at Andre. "Tell me."
"You husband is involved with espionage, human trafficking both children and adults. He is in charge of several prostitution rings that cater to only high ranking officials and dignitaries. He has embezzled government funds over the last ten years, and is currently under investigation for putting a hit on a pregnant woman simply because he does not like her husband. Need me to go on Porella
"So basically, you are telling me that I'm married to a monster."
"That about sums it up. He is going to die by his own hands, it's up to you to go down with him and either leave your kids orphans or to die right along with you."
"He has money in accounts all over the world, I saw some documents one time I was in his office."
"We already emptied those, what else."
"His father left him an inheritance, he can spend a limited amount each year, the account is in my name."
"What else?"
"Lucy his PA, she has a sister, Ben has a thing for her, Lucy knows but she thinks she has him under lock down."
Andre was seething. Ben had a thing for her and her sister knew? "Okay, here is the deal, you have two choices, leave this country and start a new life someplace far, or meet up with Ben and spend the rest of your life looking over your shoulder."
"I want to leave; how safe will I be when he finds out I betrayed him?"
"He is going to die Mrs. Johnson, there is no doubt in my mind about that." "Okay."
"There will be a man coming to pick you up. He will drive you and the children until you find a place to settle down. Do not take any planes, use any of your old information."
"What will I do for money?"
"Get a job, lay low, your family's new identity will be given to you when you reach your destination along with some cash to last you a year. Any legitimate funds your husband acquired, will be forwarded to you."
"Thank you." Mrs. Johnson opened her mouth to say something but closed it.
Andre cocked her head to a side and waited.
"How do you get through something like this? I've just betrayed the man I vowed to love, cherish and honor for the rest of my life."
"I don't know Mrs. Johnson and I can't begin to imagine how you feel right now but he betrayed you first, he decided to let greed overshadow any love and dedication he had for you. He did not have to be this way, he chose it. You on the other hand, have to start a new life without him in it and I sincerely hope, that you and your children, aren't scarred too badly. Life is too short to be bogged down with other people's mistakes. I doubt very much you will see your husband again. Have a good day."