Chapter 11: Dana

We all awoke at about the same time in the morning and decided to shower together. The master bath shower was at least three times bigger than the one at our old apartment and it was much easier to clean ourselves but not nearly as much fun.

At nine I called the lawyer's office and his secretary told me Mr. Goldstein had been expecting my call but was currently in court and could Kim and I come by his offices at twelve-thirty later that day with the latest edition of the LA Times.

I told her we could and would.

When we arrived at the lawyer's office I took a few minutes to size up the way the office looked and the attitude of the lawyer's support staff. The office wasn't plush with oriental carpets or marble counters or anything but it was neat and appeared organized. The receptionist greeted us pleasantly and courteously, and she seemed genuinely interested in us, and the two other staff members we saw walking around were both dressed professionally.

A few minutes after the receptionist had called and announced our arrival a well dressed man came out of a side office and introduced himself as Morton Goldstein. He was short in stature, and thick around the middle, with a wild mane of white hair and huge black plastic-rimmed glasses, and looked to be in his late forties. With a pleasant smile he offered first Kim and then me his hand which we both shook, then he escorted us into his private office.

I didn't intend on spending the first few minutes in the lawyer's office in conversational pleasantries to break the ice, so I just came right out and said, "Let's get right to it Mr. Goldstein, do you have everything Mrs. Borden's husband promised ready for her?"

Goldstein smiled then said, "Not one to squander time I see Mr. Maxwell. Indeed I do have everything." He pulled out a large brown accordion file folder and then extracted several legal documents and spread them out on the desk top so both Kim and I could read them. One was a set of uncontested divorce papers, another was the deed to a house in Hollywood hills signed over to Kim, and the third was the title to a year old Mercedes Benz motor car. All signed by Jesse R. Borden and notarized by a Mary K. Farnsworth notary public.

I nodded.

"Did you bring the newspaper with you?" Goldstein asked.

I held up the paper so he could read the date.

"Good. Mrs. Borden if you will then, please stand and hold the paper up over your lovely chest and I'll just snap a picture of you."

Kim did as requested and Goldstein retrieved a camera out of his desk and then snapped two shots of her holding the newspaper.

"Now," Goldstein said, "If you'll just be patient with me for one moment I'll dial your sister's number Mrs. Borden, then presuming your sister answers please inform her that both Mr. Maxwell and myself are here with you, and that this call is being recorded and you would like her permission to continue recording. If she agrees just tell her today's date and that you are fine and you would like her to call the police department and retract the missing person's report she filed. Is that all clear?"

"It is." Kim responded.

Goldstein punched two buttons on a stand-a-lone phone speaker box and then dialed. A woman's voice that I recognized to be that of Kim's sister answered. Kim explained to her sister that she was being recorded, who she was with and today's date then she asked Kathy to call and let the police know she had heard from her and ask them to withdraw the missing person's report she had filed. Kathy agreed telling Kim she would make the call right away. Kim thanked Kathy, said good bye and then hung up.

Goldstein turned off the recorder and then pressing an inter-office intercom button a metallic sounding female voice asked through the speaker, "Yes Mr. Goldstein?" Goldstein replied, "Mary will you have Alex retrieve Mrs. Borden's case from the safe and bring it in to me please."

"Yes sir. Right away," The tinny voice responded.

While we waited for Alex, Goldstein offered Kim his services to act as her Attorney for filing her divorce papers, and to take care of getting both the house and car transferred into her name.

Kim looked at me for advice. I shrugged and nodded my head yes. Better him than us running around taking care of everything.

"And your fee?" Kim asked him.

"Seeing as your divorce is completely uncontested and there isn't any child custody or property settlement involved, I think five hundred dollars should cover everything." Goldstein answered.

Kim looked at me again. I reached into my pocket and withdrew five one hundred dollar bills and then handed them over to Goldstein.

Goldstein nodded, punched the intercom button once again and after Mary answered he said, "Mary I'll be representing Mrs. Kimberly Borden, will you please draw up the appropriate papers along with a receipt for my retainer of five hundred dollars to cover transfer of her home mortgage deed, and her Mercedes car registration and then bring them all to my office."

"Yes sir." Mary responded.

Goldstein had Kim sign the divorce papers, deed to the house, and car registration in all the right places then Mary brought in the document naming Goldstein as her attorney which he also had her sign, then after signing the receipt himself he handed it over to her. Kim handed it to me.

I looked over the receipt. Goldstein must have known Kim was going to let him represent her because the receipt was a legal document not only showing the paid fee, but also showing receipt of the deed and the car registration to be used by her legal attorney for transfer into Kim's name only.

Just then a tall thin man I assumed to be Alex entered carrying a large metal suitcase. He placed the case on top of the desk and then after nodding to both Kim and me he promptly left.

Goldstein opened the case then turned it toward us. It was filled with cash. "One hundred thousand in cash and a receipt for four hundred thousand dollars deposited into your personal bank account at the Bank of America, 3rd and Hill street branch. Mr. Borden has already removed his name from that account. Care to count the cash?" He asked.

"No, we trust you." I responded closing the case.

"Thank you." He smiled then pushing a document across to Kim he asked her to please sign it. It was a receipt for five hundred thousand dollars. Kim signed.

"That Bank of America account is a joint account both Jess and I had together. There was hardly more than a few hundred dollars in it at any given time." Kim explained to me.

"I assure you there's a lot more in that account now Mrs. Borden." Goldstein laughed, then he stood up, shook hands with both Kim and me and told us, "Thank you." Then to Kim he said, "I'll see to it that your vehicle and all your paperwork is delivered to your Hollywood hills address once the title and transfers have been taken care of."

We took the case and left, thanking Mary on our way out.

We stopped off at the bank where we personally met with the branch manager and verified that the four hundred thousand had indeed been deposited and that Kim was the only person currently listed on the account. After opening a connecting savings account to the checking account Kim transferred three hundred thousand to savings and then insisted we take the time to get me registered on the account. After showing my I.D., signing a card, and offering my thumb print I was legally authorize to make deposits and withdrawals on both the checking and savings account.

It was a little after six p.m. by the time we got home but as soon as we got through the front door Kim ran over to Jen and Vicky yelling, "We're rich!"

The three girls hugged and danced around singing, "Rich, rich, rich. We're rich, rich, rich..."

After they settled down Kim explained what had happened at the lawyer's office and she insisted I show them the money in the case, which I did, then I suggested we all get dressed and dine out at the fancy restaurant we had missed out on last night.

The girls agreed so once again I called and made reservations for us at Neptune's Net.

"Well," Jen said looking at me with interest. "At least you'll be able to order a drink with your dinner. You look old enough now."

I had to agree with her, my appearance had slowly changed and seemed to stabilize somewhere around the age of early to mid twenties.

A little before nine p.m. I pulled into the Neptune's Net lot and parked, immediately noticing another car pulling in directly behind us. Just another customer I told myself, but I couldn't help getting a queasy feeling in the pit of my stomach thinking in the back of my mind that it was Eddy and he had found us.

I asked the girls to wait a minute before getting out and watched as the other car that had followed us found a parking space and pulled in.

"What's going on Sam?" Vicky asked.

"It's probably nothing but some car just pulled in behind us and I'd like to see who's inside before we get out." I answered keeping my eyes trained intently on the other vehicle.

"It's not like you to be so nervous. Do you know something we don't?" Jen asked with concern in her voice.

"No." I answered. "Just being cautious is all." Then I watched as two women got out of the car and then entered the restaurant. One was blonde the other a redhead, both wearing what I thought looked more like business-casual than power-suits, one tan, the other dark blue, very casual blouses, one women in heels the other in flats. For some reason they smelled like cops to me.

I shook off the feeling and assured myself that I was just being paranoid.

We walked inside the upscale restaurant and heard the clatter of dishware and the usual hum of a busy restaurant atmosphere. A tall good looking woman walked up and asked me if I had a reservation. She had a neckline as low as the Nasdaq in '01, curves like sine waves and her black evening dress was tighter than the global oil supply in '06. I was about to tell her Maxwell for four when I heard someone call out, "Sam Eldon! Please, come join us."

Undoubtedly one of the two women I had just seen entering the restaurant. I turned my head. Sure enough the blonde and redhead were seated at a table. They were both looking up and the redhead waved. I waved back and looked again at the hostess.

"Will you be joining them, sir?" The hostess asked me.

Because the redhead had used my real name Eldon and not Jimmy or Maxwell my curiosity was at an all time high. Seeing as we were in a crowed public place I didn't think we would be in any danger so I decided to join them.

I nodded to the hostess and she motioned us to their table. She had to pull a chair from another table then after leaving four additional menus she left. I sat across from the redhead and blonde with Vicky and Jen on my left and Kim on my right. Now having a closer look at them I saw that both women were in their late twenties or early thirties and both were more than just a little attractive. The blonde looked a little uncomfortable but the redhead looked at ease.

"Thank you for joining us Mr. Eldon, I'm Dana Peel," The redhead said extending her hand.

I shook it, firm and friendly.

"Candy Muldon," The blonde said extending her hand.

"Of course you are." I said taking a line from a James Bond movie while shaking her hand.

"Me you obviously know," I offered, "this is Jen, Kim and Vicky." I said making the introductions.

They shook hands all around.

"You are undoubtedly wondering who we are and why we called you over ... in particular, what do we want." The redhead said casually, looking between me and the three girls.

I lifted my eyebrows and shoulders to give the redhead a nonchalant look. I was a lot more interested than my body language suggested but I wanted her to explain herself before I gave out any information about us. I looked at the blonde, she was sipping her water. She saw me looking at her and nodded.

The redhead flipped open a nice leather wallet with her credentials and said, "Actually I'm Special Agent Dana Peel, and this is Special Agent Candy Muldon," she said nodding toward the blonde, "we're with the FBI. We've most recently been working with Mrs. Borden's husband. Jess Borden. Is it okay if we speak for a few moments?"

"If it wasn't we wouldn't be sitting at your table Agent Peel." I responded curtly.

"Of course," Dana Peel said smiling then turning completely business-like she added, "Excuse me Mr. Eldon but would you mind standing up so I can pat you down? We'll make it look like a friendly hug so the other patrons don't get the wrong idea."

I gave her my sweetest smile and said, "Only if you promise you'll call me in the morning." Then I stood up and stretched out my arms.

"You can be sure of it." Agent Peel answered as she stood up, stepped around the table then threw her arms around me. While hugging me she used first her left and then her right hand patting me in all the appropriate places where I might have a concealed weapon tucked away. Dana Peel felt good in my arms but I took it as a formal hug, after all she was only doing her job, although I was acutely aware of her firm breasts pressing against my chest and her small hands touching me in some rather personal places.

All too soon she pulled away from me, smiled and said, "Thank you." Then she sat down.

"My pleasure, feel free to un-Peel me anytime Agent Peel," I responded also retaking my seat.

Agent Peel looked a little taken aback at my remake but my girls snickered at her discomfort.

Agent Muldon looked from Vicky and Jen to Kim and asked, "Mind if we take a peek inside your handbags."

"All we have are clutch bags! What kind of weapons do you think we could possibly have hidden there?" Vicky snapped.

"Please don't take offence Miss Clayton, we're only following protocol." Agent Peel explained.

Vicky looked at me and I nodded. I wasn't sure what game the two Agent's were playing, but I figured I'd play along for now. One at a time the girls opened their small handbags and let the Agents look inside.

Satisfied Agent Muldon said, "Thank you."

"Why are we even sitting here Sam?" Jen asked looking at me. "We haven't done anything wrong. I feel like a criminal."