He pocketed the roll of bills and left through the front door.
***
The next day, when I came in for work, I was sent straight up to Zeke’s office.
When I got there, I closed the door behind me. Zeke was sitting in his chair, looking crestfallen. Alex was leaning against the desk. He wasn’t wearing a tie, and I felt myself grow a little hot under the collar when I saw his open throat, the soft hairs on his chest.
“Lola,” said Alex. “What was the take last night?”
“About thirty-thousand dollars,” I said, and I heard my voice shake as I spoke. “It’s on the sheet, right? I printed it off from the register.”
This was it. I knew it. I was about to be fired. Or worse, arrested.
“Thirty thousand, six hundred and ninety two,” said Zeke, tonelessly. “Eleven thousand, eight hundred and fifty-six in the register,” he added.
Zeke looked up at me, and even though I was scared, I thought,bless you Zeke. I could see he was praying that it wasn’t me.
“Last night, between the count and the time when you and Andy locked up,” said Alex quietly, “someone took four thousand dollars out of the register.”
I was shocked. I knew Luca had taken money. But That Much?
“We’re just confused, Lola,” said Zeke. “We just want to know what’s going on.”
“Lola,” said Alex. “I know it wasn’t you.”
I said nothing.
“At least, that’s what I hope,” said Alex.
“It wasn’t me,” I said.
“Then who was it?” said Zeke.
I opened my mouth, then closed it. I shook my head.
“Lola,” said Zeke, “you’re scaring me, sweetheart. We just want to know who took the money. I promise you, nothing bad’s going to happen.”
I shook my head, then looked down.
And I thought about Macy.
About what she’d do if I got in trouble for something I knew I didn’t do. For a mistake, I knew I hadn’t made.
“It was Luca,” I said.
Alex sighed.
“Let’s go look at the CCTV,” he said.
***
As I was finishing my shift that evening, Luca arrived for a meeting. Andy told him to go upstairs. When he got there, he stood in the doorway.
“Hey, ‘Lex,” he said. “Hey Zeke.”
But Alex wasn’t wasting anyone’s time. He quickly and quietly explained what had happened. Zeke had come in to take the money to the bank. On any other day, Luca’s theft might have gone unnoticed. But unluckily for him, the money wasn’t put straight into the safe like normal on bank days. Instead, Zeke had taken it out and noticed the discrepancy.
“Luca,” said Alex. “I’m sorry, but I saw you. I looked it up on the cameras.”
Luca looked at Alex. Then he looked at me. “This thieving bitch…” he snarled.
“Don’t you talk about her that way, you scumbag!” said Zeke.
“You’d better watch who you’re talking to, asshole!” barked Luca. It was like a completely different person had taken over. The suave, slick guy we knew had gone, and in his place was a psychotic madman.
“Luca,” said Alex, “from this point on, you’re no longer operations manager for any of the businesses. I can’t revoke your stake in the company, but under the terms of the investment agreement…”
“Are you serious?” said Luca. “Are you fucking serious?” he repeated.
“I am,” said Alex.
“We are,” said Zeke.
Luca stood there, and suddenly I realized that he was shaking with rage. He took a step towards us.
“You’re gonna regret this, Alex Lowe. I promise you that. And you,” he said, turning on me. “You’re gonna wish you were never born.”
His hands reached out and were almost at my throat when a sound like thunder rang through the room.
“THAT’S ENOUGH!” bellowed Alex. He stepped across the room, and then he was standing between me and Luca.
Luca was breathing hard, and he’d completely freaked out. But even he knew better than to try and tackle Alex, who was twice his size, and a hundred times more fit.
“I’ll be seeing you in court,” he snarled, and turned. I heard him bounding down the stairs.
“Not an ideal end to the week,” murmured Zeke.
I didn’t know what to say. I hung my head, and began to cry.