As Megan gazed through the window, she watched the rain fall. It had been raining all morning and made her heart feel heavier than it should. She sighed deeply and on looking out once again, she saw that the clouds were parting and that the sun was starting to peep out. Just then a rainbow formed and the end of it appeared to be at the gate at the bottom of her garden. On seeing this it made her feel a little happier and she decided to go for a walk through the woods, which were just beyond her garden.
After putting on some sneakers and a waterproof jacket, Megan closed her door and set off. The air seemed full of different smells, which the rain had brought out. The grass, which had been cut the day before, still held its fresh mown scent. The flowers from the hawthorn and the apple blossom trees, sent their own sweet aroma into the air. Megan had kept herself to herself for the past few weeks, since the sudden death of her husband. Matthew had been the life and soul of any party. His fine antique shop in the main town was always busy. He bought and sold all over the continent and was also on the local town peoples committee. His shop was currently being run by his ever faithful and competent assistant, Freddy. Freddy had been at the shop since leaving college at 18. Now ten years on, he could cope under any situation, as he had been left in charge many times in the past, when Matthew had gone away to the numerous antique fairs. Sometimes he also went along and had enjoyed the bargaining of the items on auction.
As Megan carried on with her walk, she collected some of the wild flowers, these would add a little colour in her country kitchen. She thought about the shop and what she should do about it. Everything had been left to her, with only one other relative on Megan’s side, there had been no trouble in settling the estate. It was very rare that she went to the shop and wasn’t really looking forward to seeing the staff in there. On the occasion that she had called in, they were all smiles, but underneath this she could detect a feeling that they thought that she was useless. This was something that she had grown used to. She had been born to quite wealthy parents and had had no real need to find any employment after she had left university. At the university she had studied for accountancy. She had always enjoyed working with figures and could always solve any intricate math equation which was given to her. She supposed she could pop in and see if there was anything that she could help out at in the accounts department, especially now that she had seen the bank statements. On thinking of this she decided that tomorrow would be a good day to start. Megan finished off her walk and returned home feeling much happier now that she had set herself a task to do.
Next morning Megan rose early and after having made herself a light breakfast, she then set off to the antique shop. The drive there was only a short one and she parked her car outside of the shop. Opening the door to the shop, the bell tinkled to announce the arrival of someone. Entering she saw a face peep round the corner and quickly disappear again. No doubt her arrival was now being relayed to everyone. As she looked about at the fine antiques on display, she realised how much she must have missed out on all these years that she had stayed at home being a housewife. She picked up the newly printed brochure and browsed through it. Everything was in its own division, with all the prices detailed discreetly at the back. This was a shop who catered for the type of client who rarely looked at the cost of anything. They bought simply for the name or the beauty of the piece.
Eventually Freddy emerged from the back of the shop. His smile she noticed was somewhat forced, as if he was dealing with someone beneath him and not for who she was. Especially now that she was the owner. “Good morning Freddy and how are you today?” Megan asked him.
“Er, I’m fine, simply fine. May I ask what has brought you down this way today?” Freddy enquired.
“Well I thought it was about time that I looked in on you all and to see if there is anything that I can help out with. Looking through this brochure has made me realise that there are a lot of beautiful things which pass through here.” Megan smiled sweetly at him, hoping that she was giving him something of which to think about.
“As you can imagine, this is not something that you can just walk into. A lot of knowledge in what you are buying or selling is needed, so as not to be conned. There are a lot of unscrupulous people out there, just waiting to get hold of a lot of these items and if you hesitate in the slightest, they will trip you up so fast.” Freddy was trying to put her off she was sure. But now that Megan was in the door, there would be no turning back.
After some small chit-chat with Freddy, she wound her way through to the back of the shop and up the stairs to the offices above. All was spic and span up here as well. The jangling of the telephone and the rapid clicking of the keys being tapped on the computers, were the only sounds to be heard. Everyone spoke in quite tones, giving an atmosphere of respect to what they were dealing in. After smiling at the staff, she made her way to the accountant’s office, Bert Bingham. Bert had been with them for about 5 years. He had come well recommended from an auctioneer’s office in the city. Megan had only met him on one or two occasions, usually when they had the Christmas party. He was a small man, with eyes which darted about, never looking at you, but always looking over your shoulder or at the floor. Megan had said that he looked a little shifty, as she always looked people in the eye when speaking to them. She always felt that this looked more sincere and honest.
“Hello Bert, I thought that I would look in on everyone and at the same time see if there is anything that I can help out with”. Megan still kept the pleasant smile on her face.
Bert coughed nervously and looking this way and that said, “Everything is under control. I am not sure what you would be able to do, for as you know this is a specialists field and someone with little knowledge, well, they could possibly do more harm than good.” Bert shuffled about his office.
“I am fully qualified in accountancy, perhaps some of the ledger entries, those that are boring to some people, I could easily do. Also, I really do need to do something. For sitting at home is no good.” Megan really did want to try and find out if there was something amiss here. After Matthew's death, Megan had been given copies of bank statements and on seeing these, there looked as if there should have been more in the account. Matthew had told her of some of the deals that he had recently completed and the figures that he had quoted had made her raise her eyebrows. So she was a little bit suspicious and had at last decided to check up on this.
“OK then, I do have two of the clerks off at the moment, one of whom I don’t know when will be coming back, as she has had a nasty accident and is currently in hospital. I will show you around and any of the staff will be able to show you where things are. All work is done on the computer, you do know how to use these. Of course, silly of me.” And so Bert finally showed Megan around the office and where the ledgers were kept. Then leaving her with the invoicing to start off with, Bert hesitantly went back to his own office.
Megan quickly picked up the way they worked and after doing the few invoices, she started to browse through the accounts set up. There were some accounts that the names rang a bell with her, the ones that Matthew had spoken about from time to time. As she started to check up on the paper files, she started to notice some discrepancies. Printing off what she could, she set up a personal file for herself and anything which she thought was a bit suspicious, she added to this file for her to take back home to read through more carefully.
Megan came and went to the office at the times that she chose. They soon started to find out that she wasn’t the featherbrain that she seemed to come across as. Bert seemed as fidgety as ever, as well as Freddy, who, whenever she arrived at the shop, was always moving or straightening the displays. He seldom seemed to relax. Now what could have made these people react this way, Megan wondered.
It was after one particular morning, when Megan had been so engrossed in tracking back a rather seedy sounding company, that she decided that what she really needed was to look deeper into Bert’s office. For she was sure that there were books in there, that were not necessarily for the common use for all. Stretching out and yawning widely, Megan said that she would finish off for the day. She had the full set of keys which had been Matthew’s and she knew the security alarm number and so later on that evening she made her way back to the shop for a closer look at what she thought could be fraudulent.
Making sure that the front door was secure, she made her way upstairs. Letting herself into Bert’s office, she switched on the lights. His office was in a far corner, which had no windows to it and so no lights would be seen from outside. Why she thought of this, she couldn’t say, as the business was hers and she could be there at any time that she pleased.
After looking through the filing cabinets, which she had keys for, she couldn’t find anything amiss. It was only when she found a small cabinet at the side of his desk, and couldn’t gain access to it, that she started to wonder what could be inside. She searched all over his desk. Feeling like a spy, she got on her hands and knees and looked under the desk. There she found a key taped to the back of the desk. Removing this carefully, so as not to make the tape look too rumpled, she inserted the key into the desk. Some hours later, Megan glanced up and wearily rubbed at her tired eyes. Her suspicions had been right. Double entries and dealings done on the side, were neatly written down in Bert’s own handwriting. Megan spent the next hour photocopying every little piece of paper that she could find in there.
Securing the offices up, Megan made her way back home. After resting for a couple of hours, she sat herself at her kitchen table and pondered her next move. She knew that she needed advice on what to do next, but who to turn to was the question. As she only went in to the office at the times that she chose to work, there was no need for her to ring in. Megan decided to go into the main town to see the police there. The police station in the village was more like your next door neighbour, looking for a lost cat or some other small thing was probably the hardest work that they were used to. Also you could never be quite sure if your private conversations would be repeated.
After speaking to Detective Watson, it was up to her what her next step would be. As far as he could see at the moment, she had a good case for fraud and to win the case.
Numbly Megan nodded her head. “Yes, there has been too much lost and for this to carry on I would be giving him a go ahead to carry on stealing. My husband put all his effort and his time in making the antique shop what it is today. I would like it to carry on with his good name.”
Unannounced, Megan and the police arrived at the shop. They made their way directly to Bert’s office, while the constables watched over the other members of staff. Detective Watson said, “It has been suggested that there has been fraud committed on these premises and we have a warrant to search your office. I would be obliged if you would remain in the office while this is carried out.”
With a nod from the detective, the search commenced. All papers were collected together and then boxed and carried out to the waiting police van. Bert was taken along to the station for questioning.
During the next couple of months, Megan took over the running of the accounts. Bert’s office felt tainted, Megan thought, so most of the work she carried out at home. The office spaces she was going to have re-designed and a new open fronted office, so as nothing underhand could ever happen again. Along with Bert, his secretary was also later arrested. She had sorted out pieces of art which she thought would not be missed. They had been able to carry on with this scheme for the past three years. Many hundreds of thousands of pounds had been placed in a bank off shore. The proceeds of which were then split between them from time to time.
At the trial it was said that they had thought that Matthew had seemed like a pompous money hoarder and why should he have so much. So they decided that some of the deals should go their way. It also came out at the trial that Bert had forged his letters of reference. The large antique dealer in the city had never heard of Bert Bingham and was astonished that their name could have been used in this way of introduction.
Bert had a string of convictions, going back many years. He had started off with petty thieving, then he had been found guilty and given a long prison sentence for the hi-jacking of a transit load of antiques, which had been bound for Canada to a multi-millionaire business man, who had emigrated there. The hi-jacking had gone wrong and the driver had been left paralysed. He had managed to get an early release, as he said that he had been converted and that he was truly sorry for his crimes. In prison he could always be found with a bible in one hand and reciting psalms and passages wherever he went.
As soon as he was released, the bible was forgotten and he picked up from where he had left. This time he decided to try something a little different and had managed to secure himself the post at Matthews antiques shop.
Bert Bingham was given a 12 year prison sentence, with the judge saying that there should be no allowance for Bert to be given any early release this time. Bert’s secretary was given a 3 year sentence, but would probably be released after 12 months, with this being her first offence.
Megan couldn’t believe what had been said at the trial. Especially Diane, as she was on a very good salary and received all the benefits that were given to all employees. Everyone at the antiques shop were very well paid. Matthew gave them excellent bonuses during the year, along with the small Spanish villa, which any of them could holiday at, at no expense. Megan cried. Perhaps if Matthew hadn’t been so generous, but who could say. It was now up to Megan to carry on with the antique shop. The remaining staff had been very supportive and with them she would be able to put this behind her and hopefully succeed.
A new Monday morning arrived and they were all gathered together in the main office. Megan stood amongst them and said that she was very grateful for all the support that they had given her and thanked them all individually. Let us all now put this unsavoury business behind us and carry on with getting more business in here. The staff applauded her and they settled down to the days work.
During one lunch break, which she now tended to spend with the girls in the office, she learnt that Freddy had had a crush on her. He never seemed to have a girlfriend and once one of the other girls in the office had asked him what he did outside of work. His faced had blushed right through to the top of his head and he stuttered that his main hobby was reading. He found girls to be rather daunting and a scary experience. He was the youngest in a family of six, all of the others being female and he had been bullied by them since his birth he said.
Now that Megan was there all the time, she had given over to Freddy the full responsibility of attending antique fairs and for the buying of the items at auction. She also attended these auctions with him, but let him have the say about whether or not an item would be of value to them. He seemed to have matured during this time and he didn’t fumble around as much as he used to. Perhaps this new responsibility was good for him and maybe at their next Christmas party they could find a partner for him. Megan’s come back was looking good. Her time was now taken up to the full and her nights rarely felt empty. She normally took home the catalogues and would draw up new designs for the advertising campaigns which they were now doing. All this she would do at her desk at home, looking up at regular intervals at her favourite photograph of Matthew and knowing that he would be proud of her.
The End