Justice For The Billionaire's Daughter

THEFT, BUT WHO DID IT?

OLIVIA

I don't think Mr Shannon will ever stop treating me like his child. He always wakes up very early before I leave so that we can have breakfast together and in the evening he is always waiting for me so that we can sit together and talk. He is the main reason why I have absorbed the trauma of losing my relatives and he is also responsible for the sense of security that I feel. I am not worried at all about Michael and his crew and they never cross my mind. I have new things to take care of.

Mr Shannon's house is so big for someone who lives alone and my presence gives him so much happiness. That is why after work I always make a beeline to the house. I drive a company car but some few days ago he gave me a brand new Bentley for my personal use.

“You can't drive to private errands in a company car, least of all a branded one. You need to be discreet." I remember his words as he presented the car to me in his garage. Several other expensive cars were inside the garage, it was as if he was a collector of cars, old and new, cheap and expensive all dotted the garage.

“Thanks Mr Shannon, I'll take it." That's what I had told him.

“Don't mention it. You are now my child and always remember that."

In the compound there's an Olympic size swimming pool where I do some swimming after work to relax. About three people are always at the poolside but at a good distance, for precautionary measures. A few meters from the water is a poolside bar, well stocked with expensive wines, beers and spirits. I always swim first, then as I bask in the poolside bed, I take a bottle of beer. Mr Shannon doesn't go into the water but is always at the poolside when I finish swimming to talk to me. Earlier today he asked me about Amos.

I must admit that he caught me off guard but I quickly got a grip of myself, though I think he was wise enough to see that. I remembered the two instances I have seen Amos staring at me as I go home and I wonder if he harbours the same feelings as I do. I have tried very hard to train myself to ignore Amos and concentrate on my job, but every time I see him I get a certain feeling that is irresistible.

“Amos is a good man. He has given me the leeway to work the way I think I should." I tell Mr Shannon.

“Oh yes. He takes it from his father. Mr Marshall was a very hardworking man. I know him for so long as he struggled to bring up his company. I knew he would prosper. Amos too will prosper." He says.

“Yes, I think so too. We are already going places. The orders are coming in and soon our procurement department will have to work extra hard to keep up with the demand. Oh, and did I tell you that I am the sales and marketing manager?" I say. He looks at me with a puzzled face.

“No, you are not!" He says.

“You better believe it Mr Shannon." I reply.

“Wow! That was fast." He says.

“I was just lucky. Don't forget I joined the company at a very senior role and now Amos has done very major adjustments." I say.

We talk until eight o'clock when we walk together to the dining room. Swimming makes me hungry and at the dining table I eat to my satisfaction as we talk. “Listen Olivia my child, you need to create time for yourself, to go out there and enjoy life. Interact with people, make friends, get a boyfriend, I mean th0a0t kind of stuff." I remember him telling me but as usual some things I let them pass.

“Think about it, I have observed you, acting like a machine, working like clockwork. Relax, life is not something we take seriously." He says as we drink some coffee.

“But Mr Shannon, I don't think I am ready for all that. When the time comes I'll think about it." I tell him.

“The time will never come. The time is now. Look, a fine lad from your workplace or somewhere else will notice you. Hell approach you and ask you out. Go out there, dance, take a few beers, laugh and all that stuff." He says.

“Fine. I'll take your advice." I say just to put an end to the chapter. We switch on to other matters and later we part as we go to our bedrooms.

I take time before sleeping because I am pondering on Mr Shannon's words. He is right. Its very long time since I went out on a date and did the things that he has just said. I had a boyfriend known as Jacob immediately after college and he is the only man I have ever kissed. I have never felt the way I felt when our lips touched. My body lost all the strength and I almost fell were it not for his strong hands. I had been reading about kissing on story books but never experienced the real thing. Jacob and I later broke up when he insisted that he wanted us to get married, yet I was only nineteen. Pleas from me for him to wait at least another year fell on deaf ears and we had no alternative but to part ways. I heard later that he married some other girl and I wished him the best. Now I must think about what Mr Shannon has told me. I'll give someone a chance, he who asks me out first. With that I fall asleep.

At the company in the morning I arrive later than usual because I overslept, something that I have never done before. Everyone has already arrived and as I walk from the lift toy office I see Amos in his office, through the glass wall, talking to his secretary Beatrice. I know the contempt that Beatrice has for me, starting from the very first day when she tried to humiliate me. Stupid girl, now throwing herself at Amos. But why am I caring, she can have him.

Inside the office my in tray is full and the table has a few documents. As usual I start with the documents. One of them is a memo from Amos, appointing me as a member of the interviewing panel set to take place later today. Other members of the panel include the managing director and the human resource manager. I take note of the time and go on to the other documents. I am going through the in tray when I stumble on something that shakes me to the core.

Inside one of the files is a gold ring. I remember vividly where I had seen it before. When I met Amos for the first time he was wearing it, together with other very expensive jewelry. Later when I went to his office I saw it placed on the table. I wonder how it came in here but I can't keep it, I must return it to him. I rise immediately and walk to his office. Beatrice tries to stop me but I barge in, to find Amos on the phone. He hangs up as I get in, followed closely by Beatrice.

“Beatrice it's okay. Olivia wants to see me, so let her see me. What's wrong with you?" He asks her. She retreats silently and only when the door clicks shut do I turn to face Amos.

“Sorry to interrupt but I found this in my office, inside the files." I say, extending the hand with the ring. “I know it's yours, having seen it on your finger. The puzzle is how it got in there." I add.

“Well, the ring no doubt belongs to me. It was in one of these drawers, let me return it there." He says as he examines it. “Now to the puzzle as you call it." He says as he rises from his seat. “How did it move from my office to yours? Also, in the drawer where the ring was, I had put in some money. Let's hope that the money is untouched." He adds. At that juncture I feel a cold sweat running down my brow. Am I in trouble? What if the money is missing?

“Well, two thousand dollars are missing. In hard cash. This is a case of theft Olivia, only that we don't have the culprit, but how do you explain the ring in your office?" He asks as he presses a button on his feet. Beatrice comes in.

“Beatrice, I need you to help us find out how my ring, and some money disappeared from my office only to end up in Miss Forrester's office. " Amos says in a cool demeanor. I am not worried because I am sure I am innocent.

“Well, if the ring was in her office then she should produce the money too. This is theft, and even if it isn't, I'll call it handling stolen goods." Beatrice says. She speaks with so much confidence that I am now starting to get worried.

“Amos, I know nothing about this ring getting out of your office. I found it in my documents and as you can see I have done the sensible thing and returned it. I suggest we get an investigator because clearly someone is trying to fix me up." I say, but Beatrice is trying to cut me off.

“No. Just admit that you stole the ring and the money. It was found in your office. please produce the money and we will get on just fine." She says. I won't be surprised if she is behind this and I'm now speechless. She is still speaking.

“Amos, you should call the police. Olivia is a thief and she needs to be arrested and jailed."

Amos is too silent, working on his computer and I can see his face creasing once in a while.

“Please Amos," I beg, “I agree with Beatrice up to the police part. Let's have a professional investigation and find out who is behind this because as far as I am concerned, I am innocent and I have not been to this office lately."

“But you haven't explained your thieving ways?" Beatrice erupts.

“Beatrice! You don't need to talk like that. There are security cameras here in this office. We will see very well who did what." Amos says as he concentrates on his computer.

“I'm looking at the footage as I speak so I suggest you both take seats. I have ordered the security to lock down this floor so no one is leaving until I watch the full footage. If you look closely above your heads, you will see the tiny cameras.

“But,.... but Amos... when we're the cameras installed?" Beatrice asks, clearly panicked.

“I had anticipated something like this. If you are innocent don't worry." He says, then all of a sudden he shouts, “What the hell? this is unbelievable!"

He bangs his hand on the table, then rises up in fury. I cringe, and fear engulfs me, but I'm still certain that nothing will happen to me since I am innocent and this is a malicious attempt to paint me in a bad picture.

He comes around the table and goes straight to where Beatrice is seated. She senses that she is in trouble and gets up, then attempts to get out of the office but Amos is too fast for her, he gets to her before she can hold the door knob, then throws her back into the office.

I rise from my chair so as to witness the unfolding drama.

“Sit back there and tell me everything before I call the police on you." He bursts in a furious roar. I must admit that he looks very good when he is angry, a man who is on top of things.

“I don't understand what you are saying Amos." She says, crying.

“Crocodile tears. You are so shameless, breaking into my office and stealing my property, then framing it on someone else. The evidence is all here in my computer so don't even dare to deny the obvious because you will be insulting my intelligence." He says. She sobs silently.

“I am sorry Amos... " She starts but he cuts her short. At that juncture I ask for permission to speak. Amos tells me to proceed.

“I have a busy schedule and I request that you let me go back to my office since I have been vindicated." I say.

“Not until you see how I deal with traitors, the people we have entrusted with the company's biggest office. Sit down and watch." He commands. I take my seat and relax.

“I'll call the police if you don't produce the money and reveal your objective. After that I will fire you from our company." He says. Beatrice is in an unenviable position, damned if she does, damned if she doesn't.

“Please forgive me Amos and I'll embrace Olivia as a fellow employee. " She says. She is still sobbing.

“The money, where is it?" He asks.

“It's in my office. I'll give it to you now."

“The motive? What was your objective?" Amos asks.

“We wanted to have Olivia fired because I wanted to be promoted to her position and we felt that she was rising faster than some of us who have worked here for so long." She says. “I am so sorry Olivia." She adds.

“Who else is involved?" Amos asks.

“Anne and Janet. Please forgive us."

Amos takes his phone and issues some instructions. We all sit and wait for about a minute before two women are ushered into his office.

“Are you Anne and Janet?" He asks them, but even before they answer he adds, “I remember the two of you. Just the other day I found you two backbiting Miss Forrester, and today Beatrice implicates you in a ploy to have Olivia fired. What will you say in your defense?"

They look at each other, then to Beatrice, and panic is written all over their faces.

“MARSHALL LIMITED is a company that observes strict adherence to the law, and therefore I will hand over the three of you to the police. It goes without saying that your positions are now vacant. As we talk, the security is coming up for you. Olivia you can now go back to your office, and I'm sorry for subjecting you to all this." He says. As I arise, two mean looking security guards walk in and lead the three ladies behind me.