Reconnection

"I wasn't planning to do that, Dad. I just wanted to see if she was the expert she represented herself to be," I told my father. "I remembered what you said to me a long time ago about people claiming to be experts."

"Imagine that? You remembered that from so many years ago. Evan, you're smarter than you look." He said, laughing at me.

"What do you make of this relationship between Toney and Adams?" He asked.

"I don't know. It seems to tie in with something Barbara Toney told me about their life insurance policies." I replied. "Maybe he's planning to move on from her with a substantial nest egg."

"There are only three or four companies in this state writing those double indemnity policies." Dad went on to say. "I'll call a few friends, Monday morning, and see if they can confirm what Mrs. Toney told you. You did good work on this, Evan, real good work. Now how are you planning to handle Monday's meeting with Mr. and Mrs. Toney?"

I explained to Dad what I was going to do and he thought it was a good way to go. He told me he would call Monday morning if he learned anything interesting from his contacts.

Chapter Eight

Cookies, Milk and More

At five minutes before nine I walked over next door to Charlie's house. She was on the front porch waiting for me.

"Come in Evan." She said, leading me into the kitchen. "Do you remember when we were kids and Mom would baked cookies for us when we got home from school?"

"I sure do. The kitchen always smelled so good and the big plate of cookies on the table always made my mouth water." I answered.

We sat at the kitchen table with a large plate of freshly baked cookies between us. Two large glasses of milk sat on the table as well.

"Boy does this bring back good memories." I said, biting into a chocolate chip cookie. "Did you make these just for me?"

"Yes," she answered. "Both chocolate chip and oatmeal raisin. I remembered you loved both."

We sat there eating and drinking for some time without saying anything to each other. Finally, I reached across the table and grabbed Charlie's hand.

"Thank you, Charlie. This evening has brought back all the good memories. You asked me the other night if we could ever become friends, again? I told you that I always thought of you as my friend. Over the past few days I remembered what I have always known; Charlie, I love you. I have always loved you."

As we stood, I came around the table and she fell into my arms. I could feel her trembling, as I looked into her tear filled eyes I kissed her. She returned the kiss as she clutched me tightly around my neck.

Somehow we managed to go from the kitchen to the living room. Sitting on the sofa, with her on my lap, we continued to explore each other. Sometime later the phone rang and Charlie reluctantly went to answer it.

Returning she told me. "That was Mom. When they went to leave the restaurant Daddy's car wouldn't start. They called the automobile club and discovered it's not the battery. They decided to spend the night in a hotel and try to get the car fixed tomorrow."

"You don't have to leave anytime soon." She said as she repositioned herself on my lap. I am not going to tell you exactly what we did, frankly it's none of your business. All I'll say is that we got lost in each other for quite awhile.

I got back to my apartment that night, or I should say morning, at 4am. I fell into bed and slept until seven, got up, showered, shaved and dressed for church. Picking up Charlie we headed for St John's for the early service.

Walking up the steps, hand in hand, we were met by Pastor Paul who was greeting everyone as they entered the church. When he saw us, his face lit up with a big smile. As I shook his hand he raised his eyebrow in question. I simply nodded my head yes and we went in and found seats in a pew near the front.

That morning the theme of the sermon was forgiveness. How appropriate was that? When the service concluded Charlie and I started to leave still holding hands. So many people, people who had known us practically our entire lives stopped to greet us. Every one of them had big smiles and kind words for us.

When we finally escaped the well wishers and were getting in the car my cell phone rang. It was my father telling me that Bob Thomas had called him looking for Charlie. I told him Charlie was with me and he said for Charlie to call her father right away.

I handed my cell to her and repeated what Dad had told me. She took it and, with a worried look on her face, quickly dialed the phone to speak with her dad.

"Daddy. What's wrong?" I heard her say. After some moments she continued. "Oh, ok. I'll ask."

Without ending the call she turned to me and said. "Daddy can't get his car repaired today. All the garages are closed on Sunday. He wants to know if we can pick them up?"

"Sure. No problem. We'll have to use Dad's SUV though. Your mom and dad will never fit in the backseat of my Mustang. Tell him we should be there in about ninety minutes."

Charlie relayed my answer to her father. "Daddy, you scared me for a moment. I thought something terrible had happened when Evan's dad called him with your message."

After a short pause, while her father said something to her, she continued. "It's all right, Daddy. We'll see you in a little while. I love you."

Ending the call she handed me back my cell phone and explained what her father said. "He apologized for scaring me. He was just so exasperated about not being able to get his car fixed. Then, on top of that, not being to get a hold of me, he neglected to tell your dad it wasn't an emergency."

I drove to my parent's house, explained what I needed and we left in Dad's new Ford Explorer. We made the trip to the hotel in Trenton in less that eighty minutes and picked up Charlie's mom and dad. On the way back home we stopped for lunch at 'Poke-the-Pig Bar-B-Que'. Charlie and I sat side-by-side in a booth across from Bob and Betty.

Looking at her daughter, Mrs. Thomas asked. "So is everything ok between you two now?"

Charlie and I both answered together. "More than just ok!"

Just then the waitress arrived with our food and, thankfully, we didn't have to go into any details about the previous evening. From the look on both Bob and Betty's faces I think they knew.

After dropping them all off at their house, I returned Dad's SUV and, reclaiming my Mustang I went back to my apartment. I needed to prepare for my meeting with the Toney's the following afternoon and it would be a long night of study and preparation.

Chapter Nine

The beginning of the end for Brent Toney

Monday morning and I was out of bed early. Went for a run and then a quick dip in the apartment pool to clear my head. Ten o'clock and no word from Dad yet. As I assembled all the documents and notes I would need today, the thought struck me that if things went as I envisioned I would soon be involving the police.

When I still hadn't heard from Dad at noon, I called him. He told me he was waiting for one more of his contacts to return his phone call. Three of his contacts had no information for him.

I told him if he didn't have anything for me by one o'clock to hold off calling and I would get back to him after I finished meeting with Brent and Barbara Toney.

"One more thing, Evan. Do you think he will recognize you after six years?" He asked. "That might present a problem for you if he does."

"I don't think so, Dad. I was pretty much under his radar back then. Besides I've changed a lot physically from that skinny immature kid of six years ago. So even if he does I'll just change my tactics a little. Not to worry." I told him.

Sitting in Brent Toney's little home office that afternoon, I began by asking him for certified copies of the appraisal valuation letters. He asked me what I meant by certified copies. I explained that if he would make the photocopy and I saw the original I would be able to certify that it was a true copy. We did that and he seemed more relaxed.

Then I requested receipts or cancelled checks for the items he was claiming as stolen. He blustered and stuttered. "Why? The damm appraisal letters should be enough."

I told him the appraisal letters documented value not ownership. The insurance company would have to see some proof of ownership before settling any claims.

He was not happy with that answer.

"If I can't find the receipts or cancelled checks, what happens then?" He asked me.

"It will be up to the insurance company. They might accept a sworn affidavit from you attesting to your ownership. I don't know. That's up to them, not me. I'm just here to collect all the documentation you can provide to substantiate your claim." I said, with a smile.

I was just loving it. Watching him trying to make some sense with what was happening. How stupid did he think I was? Did he actually believe that I was buying his act? I truly believed that he was emboldened by his ability to scam the previous insurance companies into paying his claims without any argument. Well, it wasn't going to happen now.

Then he made a colossal error by telling me all about his previous three other insurance settlements and saying that none of them asked for all this crap I wanted.

"Some of these items were purchased at flea markets, some were left to me after my parents died and some Barbara and I purchased from a dealer." He told me.

"What happens if I can't produce receipts and they don't accept my sworn statement?" He asked.

"Then you don't get paid. You'll have to eat the loss." I answered him.

"Why don't you see what you can find? I'll call you in a couple of days or, better yet, you call me if you come up with anything." I said, as I left.

As I got in my car to leave I turned my cell phone back on and saw there was a message to call my father ASAP. Placing the call to him, I was told to meet him at his office. Mom was driving him over as he hadn't been cleared to drive by his doctor yet.

When I walked into the office, Mom was chatting with Agnes about the latest exploits of her kids, Mom told me to go into Dad's office. Entering I saw Dad with two other men.

"Evan, let me introduce you. This is detective Steve Baker," he said nodding toward one of them, "and this is his partner, detective Ron Carter. They are both with the Sheriff's Department."

I was informed that these two detectives had been the ones who were assigned to investigate the break-in and theft at the Toney home. I quickly brought them up to speed on what I had discovered.

I gave them an in-depth account of what the new owner of Jack's Market had shown me. I also divulged the connection between Toney and his witness, who was now his wife.

Without identifying Alice Brown, Doctor Reynolds's personal assistant by name, I recounted the information I received from her.

Then I told Detectives Baker and Carter about the phony appraisal from Abigail Adams and subsequent escapade between her and Brent Toney. When I showed them the digital photos, still on my camera's SD card; that really got their attention.

Then I recounted the entire conservation between Bob Thomas and myself involving the fraudulent claims made by Brent Toney concerning medical reimbursements for Charlene Thomas under his automobile insurance.

"You are telling us that you think that Brent Toney pocketed over forty-six thousand dollars through fraud?" Detective Baker asked.

"Yep. This is how I think he did it. Again, there is this connection between him and his wife Barbara Toney, then Barbara Montgomery, who was living in a house rented to her by Mr. Thomas at the time."

Finally, I brought out the certified appraisal copies Toney had given me.

"Notice that they all come from A. Adams at 'Antiques and More'. Given what she did with my appraisal I wouldn't believe these at all."

"You have given us a lot of information today. We'll need a few days to follow up on all of it. Thank you for your hard work on this case. We will be in touch with you later," Detective Carter said, as they stood to leave.

Just then Agnes called in to the office. "Mr. Douglas, it's George Wilson from Fidelity on line one." Dad picked up the phone and gestured for the two detectives to wait a moment.

After finishing the brief call he turned to us and said. "Well, that double indemnity life insurance policy Barbara Toney was so proud of having is no longer in effect. Hers has been cancelled, but not his."

This new bit of information gave us something else to ponder. The two detectives left and Dad and I discussed what to do next.

"Dad, unless Toney can come up with some proof of ownership of the items he claims were stolen I see no alternative but to recommend to 'Homeowners' that his claim be denied." I said.

Walking out of his office I saw that Mom had left. "Mom is gone." I called back into him. "Do you want me to drive you home?"

"Nope. It won't be necessary." She said she would be back for me after going to the store," Dad said.

Chapter Ten

A surprise ending

When I walked out of Dad's office it had begun raining. Noticing that it was about the time Charlie would leave school to walk home, I decided to swing by and see if she needed a lift. Sure enough two blocks from the school I saw her huddled under her umbrella trying to stay dry in the cold rain.

Stopping along side of her I shouted. "Get in before you catch your death of cold!"

She didn't need to be told twice. She jumped right in.

"Thanks, Evan. I like to walk to and from school every day. Just like we did when we were kids. It wasn't raining when I left to come home. I am really glad you came by for me," she said.

"Charlie, I'm finished with the investigation on Toney for the time being. What do you say if I came by school every afternoon and picked you up?"

"I'd like that, Evan, I really would like that," she replied.

So for the rest of the week, I picked her up. I would take her out for supper each day. It gave us an opportunity to talk with each other. I always got her back home early these evenings as she had an early start to her days at work.

Besides, keeping up with a room full of fourth graders just wore her out. Twenty-five nine year olds never run out of energy and you have to stay on top of them or chaos results. (If you don't believe me, trying doing it yourself.)

Friday evening after dinner she said to me. "I don't have to get up early tomorrow do you think we could stay out a little later this evening?"

"How late?" I answered.

All she said was, "REAL LATE."

It was well past midnight when we got back to her place. The porch light was burning brightly as I walked her up to the door and kissed her goodnight. It was just like old times.

That weekend we spent the entire time together. Late Sunday afternoon I did have to take her home early. She had to prepare her weekly lessons for those pesky little fourth graders. After seeing her safely inside I spent the remainder of the evening visiting with my mom and dad.

Later that night, after getting back to my place, I received a call from Brent Toney. He had managed to find a few receipts and cancelled checks to substantiate his claim. He wanted to meet me the next day after two in the afternoon.

Monday morning I got a call from Detective Baker. I wouldn't be meeting with Brent Toney. He informed that Toney had been killed in an automobile accident just after one-thirty Monday morning. He was with Abigail Adams. He was dead at the scene and she was not expected to survive her injuries.

Baker went on to tell me that when the two uniformed officers went to the Toney home Barbara Toney didn't seem all that broken up.

"I asked them about the notification before they went off duty. They both said that when Mrs. Toney received the news she didn't display any emotion. She thanked them for telling her and closed the door. They thought that was strange, and so do I," Baker said.

"Do you think she had anything to do with the accident? Six million dollars in insurance is a powerful motive, don't you think?" I replied.

"I don't know. Right now it looks like a straight forward accident. They were both belted in when found and there was no visible evidence of alcohol or drugs present. Our techs are examining the car right now looking for anything out of the ordinary. We'll have to wait on the toxicology reports for the presence of alcohol or drugs in their blood before listing that as a contributing factor. So for now we wait," he answered me.

"Carter and I will be speaking with Mrs. Toney sometime this afternoon," Baker told me.

After ending the conservation with Detective Baker I called my dad and relayed what I had been told.

"It still doesn't close out the homeowners claim for stolen property." Dad told me. "If she comes up with the receipts and cancelled checks, Toney said he had, she could still get a settlement."

"Yeah I know, Dad. Guess we'll have to wait on that, too." I'll keep you posted." I said before hanging up.

When I picked Charlie up from school that afternoon I explained to her what had happened to Brent Toney. She didn't say anything right then but I could see that the news had stirred up unpleasant memories.

Wednesday afternoon I received a call from Detective Baker. The tech people at the Sheriff Department's Lab had found no signs of tampering with any of the mechanicals of Brent Toney's car. He also informed me the preliminary blood work showed no signs of alcohol in either Toney or Adams. The drug toxicology would take a while longer to complete. He was of the opinion that the fatal accident was just that, an accident.

On Friday Baker called me again. "Barbara Toney had called and wanted to meet with him and his partner. She didn't say why but she said to bring you with us."

An hour later the three of us arrived at the Toney home in separate cars.

We were led by Barbara into Brent Toney's old home office. The first thing she said was she needed to confess some things to us.

She went on to provide details on how her husband had defrauded three insurance companies. She described how he went about using her in gaining money for medical reimbursement for the Thomas family. How she helped him stage the slip and fall accident in the grocery store and how he managed to dupe the malpractice insurance company into paying for a false claim.

Looking at me she said. "I'm dropping our, I mean my, claim against the homeowners policy. It was nothing more than another of his elaborate schemes to scam an insurance company. It was all like a big game to him. I tried to stop him, but he refused to listen. It was all about winning to him."

Turning to the two detectives she said. "I don't know how, but even if I have to sell this house, I am going to pay back every last dime he stole."

"I know you have been investigating the accident that killed him. I want you to know I had nothing to do with that. You have to believe me." She pleaded with them. "I loved him but it wasn't enough to get him to change."

"I found out about him canceling my life insurance when I received the cancellation letter from Fidelity. We had a big argument about it and he left late Saturday."

"Then I found this on his desk after he left." She said, handing over a letter to Detective Baker. It was a letter to Fidelity Insurance signed by Brent Toney.

He read the letter and showed it to Detective Carter who looked at it and passed it to me. It was a letter Brent Toney had written to Fidelity changing his beneficiary from Barbara to Abigail Adams. In his haste to leave he forgot to take it with him to mail.

"What happens now?" She asked me.

"Technically you are still the beneficiary of his life insurance. Fidelity has no knowledge of this change." I said, handing her back the letter. "Do what you want with this letter."