Free Good Woman Blues by Lynn Emery

down
hard, causing Erikka to jump.
    “Excuse me?” Erikka wondered if she should
bounce out of there. Untangling his finances would be enough of a
headache. Dealing with a drama king, she didn’t need.
    “Nothing. Forget about it. So, Monique brags
that you’re a genius. Gotta get those books straight in three
weeks. My investors are brutal. Dad and Mom will kill me.”
    “Three weeks? If you want magic, call Sabrina
the Teenage Witch, not an accountant,” Erikka said. “Look, I’ll
need that much time to straighten out the accounts payable. Then
I’ll have to start on the balance sheets, then the accounts
receivable—”
    “Damn.” Ryan pulled a hand over his face.
“This is what I get for trusting somebody.”
    “You didn’t have checks and balances. Another
party, preferably a CPA, should review whatever a bookkeeper does.”
Erikka wondered how much experience the man had running a business.
“It’s too easy for someone with check-writing authority to abuse
it.”
    Ryan sprang from his chair. “Oh hell no. If
any money is missing, I’m going to—”
    Erikka stood and put a hand on his chest. The
guy looked like he was going out to smack somebody down. “Hey,
chill, I didn’t say money is missing. Just pointing out one of the
pitfalls of not having the right procedures in place.”
    He blinked hard for several seconds, and then
took a deep breath. “Yeah, right. Sorry. Whew. Been under the gun
for the last few months.”
    “I know how it is. You didn’t get this far
not keeping a clear head. Let me look deeper, get the full picture,
and we’ll go from there.” Erikka did not want some poor incompetent
bookkeeper’s blood on her hands.
    “I think we’ll make a great team.” Ryan’s
tense expression gave way to a wide smile.
    Erikka took her hand from his chest when his
gaze slid down her body. She moved away from him. “I can’t work
more than twelve hours a week, maybe fifteen tops.”
    “Right. Monique and Vaughn mentioned you had
other obligations.”
    “You know Vaughn?” Erikka did not like the
sound of that at all.
    “Sure. So, anyway do what you have to. When
can you start?”
    “How about Monday? I’m going to need office
space,” she added. Erikka made a mental note to ask Monique more
about this job.
    “Perfect time to show you around. I just
happen to have two small offices you can choose from. This building
was the old library branch back in the day.”
    Before she could respond Ryan slipped his
hand under her elbow. Moments later they were on their way down the
hall. Erikka couldn’t remember the names or faces that whizzed by.
They only stopped long enough for a speed-of-light introduction.
Ryan talked nonstop, mostly about his accomplishments and how this
station was only the beginning of his plans. The offices were at
the back part of the building. His full-time staff consisted of one
receptionist, a secretary, the station manager, and two production
assistants. The other four employees worked part-time.
    “Right now we’re broadcasting eight hours a
day. That’s a step up. I started out just two hours a day a year
ago. We’ve got a gardening show, a cooking show, and more.” Ryan
strode through the tiny station like a media king.
    “Interesting. Guess your signal doesn’t go
much past the surrounding area.” Erikka followed him through a
black door.
    “All the way to New Iberia. We added power
five months ago. They’re on,” he said in low voice.
    Erikka nodded, afraid to even whisper. Cables
snaked across the floor. A tall young man with red hair moved
around a camera on wheels following an older man waving a
Bible.
    “The lessons in Revelation are clear, my
friends.” The man faced the camera with a fierce expression.
    Erikka wondered how long it would take for
the evangelist to build his empire. Suddenly, Ryan had her by the
arm, and they were off again. They went past a glass booth where a
young woman sat in front of a panel of monitors and