Quinlan: Foster’s Pride – Lion Shapeshifter Romance (Foster's Pride Book 3), Kathi Barton [management books to read TXT] 📗

Missy hoped she not only had the right number but would be able to get someone to help her with the trouble she was having with Lily.

Telling the person who answered the phone what she needed, she was put on hold three times, repeating her story each time she was transferred to someone else. Missy knew better than to piss anyone off at an attorney’s office. If they took exception with her, she might well end up with the worst partner or under-attorney they had. So she smiled and was polite each time she had to repeat the reason she was calling.

“Ms. Tyler, this is Wayne Donaldson.” She didn’t know him from anyone else she’d spoken to, so she asked if he could help her. “I was your attorney when you sued Ms. Fisher for your ex-husband’s estate. After the verdict was read, my firm decided we could no longer be your attorneys. We also found out some things afterwards that were not on the up and up when we went to trial for you.”

“I just need you to tell me what this new thing is saying to me. It’s something about my accounts being sealed up.” He said he knew about her being served, but he could no longer help her. “Not even to tell me what this says? I’m not stupid. I’ll have you know. I just don’t understand all these therefores and such.”

“I’m sorry. This firm isn’t going to be able to help you in any way.” She started to hang up when something else occurred to her. Missy asked him if he was going to be in the courtroom on the day she was supposed to be there. “Ms. Tyler, we are no longer client and attorney. I cannot in any way answer your questions about anything to do with the upcoming court appearances you might have pending.”

The line went dead. She didn’t know for sure, but Missy thought this entire thing had to do with that stupid cow, Lily. There wasn’t any other name for the woman but stupid cow, as she had let Missy not just take her home and money but saddle her with three kids that were no more hers than they were the attorney’s.

She had to think about what to do now. Going to the bank was her first order of business. She knew her accounts had been frozen, but she did have money in her safety deposit box for emergencies like her hair needing done or a small trip.

Going there next, she was waiting to talk to the banker when the police walked in. They didn’t speak to her, just hung around the front of the place like they were expecting someone like John Dillinger or Bonnie and Clyde to come rushing in. When her name was called, she moved into the office. The police followed her.

“Is there something going on that I need to know about, gentlemen? I’m only here to get into my safety deposit box. Is that a crime now?” Neither of them said a word. “The talkative types, are you? Well, I don’t know what is going on, but I think you should be out solving real crimes, like why my power has been turned off, rather than harassing someone like me when I’ve done nothing wrong.”

“We’re here for two reasons, Ms. Tyler.” The officer made her name sound like something he’d stepped in outside, and it was smelling up the room. “One, we’re here to inform you that you’re not going to be able to take anything out of the bank. That would include safety deposit boxes. The second thing is, your home has been ceased by the FBI, for a number of reasons, but one of them is bribing a judge.”

Arguing with a cop was like arguing with a waitress. While the waitress would spit in her food, a cop would find every reason he could, mostly made up ones, to get her into a cell, a place she’d not be able to get anything done from. And Missy had plenty to get going on today.

“What am I supposed to do without any money or a place to live? Have you thought of that?” He said he was hoping she’d do something dumb and he’d have to arrest her. “I won’t even dignify that with any kind of response. You’ll be hearing from my lawyer. This is not the way to treat someone. I don’t care for you going around telling people I’ve bribed a judge either. You’ll be sitting in your own jail cell soon, young man.”

As she left the bank, she thought about how much cash she had on her and realized it was as much as she’d gotten out of the bank today—zip. There were a few dollars in the house, nothing more than about fifty bucks. But she knew from her friends, once you were locked out of your house by the Feds, you were out no matter what.

She honestly thought about doing something dumb, just so she’d have a roof over her head and some food in her belly. But to admit to anything, including not knowing where her next meal was coming from, wasn’t going to happen. Missy thought she was hiding it very well that she was upset. However, inside of her, she just needed one more thing to go wrong for a full-blown screaming fit to take place.

~*~

Quin didn’t think he’d ever enjoyed himself as much as he was at the moment. Billy was having fun, but she was seriously working with him. Not only did she not mind getting dirty and covered in things best left on the ground, but she also seemed to do it all with a smile on her face.

“Okay, now, you have to be careful when you walk around a horse. Especially one that doesn’t feel well. The best way to approach him is to make sure he knows you’re around, and you don’t mean to cause him any harm.” She