Free Esme and the Money Grab: (A Very Dark Romantic Comedy) by Paloma Meir Page A

seemed eager to put the case behind them.
      Mr. Galloway had died from a heart attack. He was a very old man, and the attack was always a matter of when not if. The time of death could not be confirmed, but it wasn’t a concern.
      The police believed Landon’s story. He was one of the Aldridges, what reason would he have to lie? He didn’t stand to gain anything from the death of Mr. Galloway.
      Jack, in their minds, was unrelated to Mr. Galloway’s death. He was just another petty criminal, a methhead, wanted for a liquor store robbery. His appearance at Mr. Galloway’s house, a bizarre coincidence to the actual death. His wrapping up of the body was written off to drug-induced psychosis.
      If he had lived, they would have arrested him. But he was dead. Open and shut case for the detectives. The end.
      Landon called to check on me a few times while I lay in bed, Mila by my side, in the small hotel room. His voice was cold, matter of fact. I understood. I stopped answering his calls.
      My final quarter at UCLA started in a few days. I would be a college graduate soon. The first in my family. It felt empty. My parents wouldn’t have been proud of the choices I made in the previous few months.
      I called Belinda and Mara to see if I get my old room back. They had rented it out. I thought of moving into the dorms at UCLA. I could finally afford it with my magical bag of money. I decided against it. Communal living in my frame of mind would have frightened the fresh and hopeful young students.
      I decided to go back to where I came from, back to Sun Valley. Live among my people. The rent would be inexpensive and the long bus trips back and forth to the campus would be a good start in terms of penance.
      Class didn’t start for another week. I decided to sleep the time away. I could find a new apartment later. I pulled Mila close to me and fell asleep.
    …
     
      The hotel phone not my cellphone woke me up a few hours later, “Hello,” I groaned into the mouthpiece.
      “Ms. Perez, you have a visitor, Mr. Serge Richmond. May I send him up to your room?”
      “I think you have the wrong room.”
      “He says that he’s Mr. Galloway’s attorney.”
      “Huh? Why? Okay, send him up.” I hung up the phone.
      I didn’t know whether to be worried. If I were in trouble, they would have sent the police, right? I couldn’t work up the energy to care either way. If I had to spend the rest of my life in prison, then that’s the way it would be. I was sure Landon would take care of Mila.
      I fluffed up the bed as best as I could and opened the window to let in fresh air. The room was a mess, clothes all over the floor, and room service trays I hadn’t put outside the door. Again, I couldn’t get worked up over it.
      A knock at the door, I got up to answer it. Mr. Serge Richmond was blindingly handsome with his glossy dark hair and well-tailored suit. I’m just stating facts, dear reader, I didn’t really care.
      “Ms. Perez,” He held out his hand. “Serge Richmond, attorney at Goldman, Reiner and Levis. We represented Mr. Edward Galloway, your former employer. We’re very sorry for your loss.”
      I stared at his extended hand for a long time before shaking it, “Thank you.”
      “May I come in?” He asked
      “Okay,” I wanted to ask why but couldn’t summon the words.
      I stepped aside. He confidentially strode across the tiny room, opened his briefcase and placed several file folders on the small table. “Ms. Perez?” He looked to where I was still standing in the doorway with a slight smile.
      “Esme, call me Esme.” I managed to join him at the table.
      “Esme, pretty name… I don’t know why…” He shuffled through a sheaf of papers.
      “Why what?” I asked.
      “We’ll get to that in a moment.” He smiled and lightly nodded his head as he found what he was looking for. I almost laughed. “Esme, you’re a very rich woman.”