Next Door

Chapter 11

"Are you seeing what I am seeing?" Kota asked handing a couple of papers over to Owen then looking at the computer.

"Yes," Owen growled. "There is embezzlement and she is actually owed a lot of money. Get Mr. Morgan and Mr. Henshaw in here to have them start investigating what they are able to. I need to call my lawyer to add this to her case." Owen picked up his phone and Kota left to find where Victor and Corey were. He watched Victor and Corey come in with their laptops and they looked equally livid. He could assume that Kota had already filled them in on what they discovered. After about thirty minutes of speaking to his lawyer he hung up. "Call Mr. Coleman and see if there is any more documentation of payments and expenses. He wants to know exactly how far back this thief has been stealing from her. I need to start formulating a plan with some other information he gave me to help her custody case."

(at her place next door)

"Got it," Gabriel said trying not to growl and hung up. He took a deep breath and watched the woman who took his breath away. He loved painting but watching her create something was something else. He usually got frustrated with someone and took over but there was just something about her that caused him to sit back and just watch her create.

"Something wrong Gabriel?" She asked as she stuck her brush in the cleaner.

"Yeah, that was Kota," He sighed. "He wants to know if there are any more documents showing how far back this person worked for you. He just wants to fucking check something out."

"Oh yeah, I have a couple of boxes worth," she smiled at him, "They took over for me for a while now, ever since Roxas was about two I think."

"Fucking great," Gabriel muttered. She pouted in confusion and Gabriel shook his head. "Don't' fucking worry about it Trouble." He pulled on her hair and she pouted again.

"You are such a Meanie," She whimpered and he burst out laughing.
"Yes I fucking am," He smiled. "Now where are these boxes?"

"Actually they are close to where I keep some of my other paintings," She said softly.
"I will let Mr. B know, he will want to go with us to get them and try and sneak to see the paintings also," Gabe chuckled as he typed on his phone.

"They are actually in a different building but I guess we can go by and see them," She smiled, "as a way to thank him for helping me out."

"Get fucking cleaned up Trouble," Gabriel said tapping her nose. "I will finish cleaning all this up."

She took off upstairs and he smiled at her. She came back a couple of minutes later in a clean shirt and her face washed with her hair up in a ponytail. "I just have to get my keys, is Roxas okay over there?"

"Of fucking course he is," Gabriel smirked. "Let's go, Mr. B is fucking waiting."

About thirty minutes later they pulled into an office building and they followed her up to a room. She typed in a code and the door unlocked. "This is better than a storage unit because it has better security." She explained as they came into the room. "I really want to get better organized one day but this works for now."

"At least you kept everything Darling," Owen said as he grabbed a box that she pointed at.

"Roxas says I am close to being a hoarder," She giggled as she pointed to another box.

"Eh, you aren't fucking there yet Trouble," Gabriel said shaking his head.

"Those two boxes over there should be it but if you think it is better to get all of them I can give you the code and you can figure out a way to get them," She said softly.

"Call Mr. Taylor and Mr. Korba and have them bring their trucks, it is better to go through everything and not need it then later find out there was something we missed," Owen said and Gabriel got on his phone to get ahold of them.

"Is something wrong Owen?" she asked going over to him worried.

"I won't lie to you Darling" Owen sighed, "It is starting to look like they have been stealing from you for quite a while." She gasped and he continued, "We want to go through everything to see how far back they may have been stealing from you so my lawyer can start everything to take them to court and have them prosecuted for embezzlement and anything else he can and we can figure out a way to get your money back."

"Are you serious?" She asked shocked.

"There is more," he said and she took ahold of his jacket. "It is about the custody case so we will discuss it later tonight, let's just focus on one thing at a time."

"Okay," She whispered while nodding.
"North and Silas are on their way," Gabe said hanging up his phone. "Was there anywhere else we need to fucking go Trouble?"

"Oh yes," She said nodding getting the hint he was suggesting. She told Owen the code for North and Silas to get once they got there. "Can we go one more place please Owen?" she asked and he nodded.

"Of course Darling," He said as he followed her out of the room with one of the boxes while Gabe grabbed the other one. She bit her lip as she got in his car. She couldn't wait to see his and Gabe's reactions to her original paintings. She also worried about what he had to tell her about the custody case for Roxas. She hoped it wasn't bad news but she had faith in him that she wouldn't lose Roxas. Trying to stay positive she thought about what their reactions to her artwork would be. She had to make sure she had her camera ready so she could capture it.