Duplicity - A True Story of Crime and Deceit by Paul Goldman (surface ebook reader txt) 📗

an already struggling business. Reputation waseverything in our line of work, and with an anemic market, wecouldn’t afford to make mistakes. On the way, I called Daniel tofind out what I could from him, but I ended up leaving multiplemessages and getting no answers.

When I pulled up at thebuilding, I was immediately confronted by a dozen painters standingidly out front. Their white Dickies served as a stark contrast totheir dark expressions, my first signal that what Jose had told mewas, in fact, true. I got out of my car, and walked slowly up tothe foreman, both of us hoping the other had anexplanation.

But there were none.

And then there was one.

Though it took a few days, the truth emerged,as the truth always does. It seems Daniel had taken the money forthe painters, and paid them about a quarter of what they were due,while making up stories of future payments to keep them working.After four weeks of pocketing the majority of their pay, Daniel andhis girlfriend Maria had enough money to split town, which theydid, leaving his wife Lana and their baby daughter to fend forthemselves.

My first thought was tochase Daniel down and turn him in to the cops, but before that Ineeded to fulfill my obligations. So, I used everything I had topay the painters their back wages and complete the building. Thissetback proved financially fatal, and my business went under. Whilerumors eventually came my way that Daniel had resurfaced on thebeaches of Venezuela, I was forced to try to rent out my Californiahome as well as the Boynton home just to make payments atJupiter Lakes.

When all was said and done, I lost abusiness, a trusted friend, and the security I worked so hard toestablish for myself and my family. I hoped to work the businessfor ten years and save enough money to send Johnny to college andretire. Instead, the company lasted less than two years, and thebest man at my wedding had gotten the best of me. I had no choicebut to seek comfort in the love of my family, with a wife who forsome unexplainable reason still retained a divorce lawyer.

Regardless of that little annoyance, Ihunkered down with Audrey, believing that things couldn’t get muchworse.

But they did get worse. A lot worse.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

FLHC and a Trailer

There is no singular event more transformingin a man’s life than when he becomes a father. No longer living forhimself, everything of importance the father does and says iseither done for his child, because of his child, or in the interestof showing his child how to live a life of integrity. At least itshould be. As I sat in the cooling shade of our backyard, I beganto reflect on the choices I had made and the legacy I would leaveto my son. Unaware of his father’s ruminations, Johnny spent hisown time quietly turning over dirt pile upon dirt pile in search ofthe world’s biggest bug. I smiled while I watched him work, hisbrown curls hanging loosely around his face, his brows furrowed andhis lips pursed in determination.

With the recent betrayal by Daniel, thefailure of my business, and amidst a second struggling marriage, Icouldn’t shake the feeling that I had somehow let Johnny down.There was certainly a lot to be proud of, but at this particularpoint in my life, all I could think about were the people who hadused me. Talia, Daniel, and even Audrey had or were using me as ameans to an end. I felt foolish and adrift, and I knew that anyreversal of fortune would have to come from me. The sound of achirping bird passing by interrupted my thoughts, and my eyesfollowed Johnny’s as he looked up, curious and imagining. It was atthat moment that I determined I would never again be anyone’s fool.That was a promise I made to myself, and to my son.

“Yes!” Johnny cheered tohimself, using his dirt embedded fingertips to uncover a giantpalmetto bug. “Daddy, look!” he said, holding the captured insect,now wriggling to free itself. Johnny’s face beamed and he used theback of his free hand to wipe his face, leaving a smear of dirttrailing across his cheek. I nodded, and laughed to myselfthinking: the dirtier the boy, the better his day. I walked over toJohnny, closely inspected his discovery, and patted him on the backwarmly.

“Wow. This is one for therecord books,” I observed. Johnny nodded in earnest agreement.While we laid the palmetto down on a piece of stray palm, I heardthe sound of the sliding glass door open slowly behind us, followedby the flapping of flip flops. Turning my head, I saw Audreyapproaching with her cell phone held tight to her ear and her otherhand on her hip.

“Paul, can I talk to youfor a second,” she said, holding her palm over herphone.

“Be right back, buddy.We’re not done with this guy,” I promised, and Johnny again nodded,though this time his eyes were locked on Audrey.

“What is it, honey?” Iasked and slowly got up, wiping the light dirt stains from my ownknees, while Audrey ended her phone call.

“I need another check forhealth insurance,” she said, looking down at my pants with ascowl.

“Another check?” I asked,looking up at her. “What for?”

“I needto have some female tests done and they’re not covered. I need acheck for $1,300.50, made out to FLHC again, and sent to the sameaddress as before.”

“Sure, honey,” I saidevenly, returning my gaze to Johnny who was now building a littlecustom home for the palmetto bug.

“Thanks,” she said andflipped open her phone and spun away, the sound of her flip flopsfollowing her back into the house. I returned to Johnny's side andcrouched down beside him, watching him work diligently while Irubbed my chin.

Keeping my silent promiseto Johnny, I decided it was time to really look at my wife. I knowthat some of my choices concerning our relationship may have beenfoolish, but I was not born yesterday. There had been timesthroughout my life when I had to buy my own health insurancepolicies, and no matter what type of coverage I had, tests werealways included. Even though I had