“She told me when I stayed to help her with the tires. She told me she was the bookkeeper, and Greg wanted his girl to have the job.
“Dad and I were looking for a bookkeeper. When I learned that was what she did, we interviewed her and hired her. She started today. I went to pick her up early so we could get her what she’d need to take over and computerize it for us. Greg was at her door when I walked up.”
Tate raises an eyebrow.
“I suggested he might want to leave. He did. I picked up some new locks for her door. She’s with my dad. After I pick her up, I’ll take her home and install them.”
“The place she’s living isn’t safe. Of the twenty-four units only about six are rented. And two of those are working girls. She’s upstairs back side, right?”
“Yep.”
“You paying her enough she could get out of there?”
“I’ll help her start looking.”
“Watch your six man, and your building sites. Greg’s even more slimy than he was in high school.”
I study him. “Has there been theft or destruction?”
“Both.”
“Sonofabitch,” I shake my head. “Has my dad had issues?”
“Not that I know of. But not everyone reports.”
CHAPTER 6
Gentry
I love bookkeeping, working with numbers. Numbers don’t lie. They are what they are. I can totally lose myself in the organization and continuity. I can also obsess when something doesn’t add up.
Ayla is asleep in a playpen across the room in direct sight of my desk.
“Mr. Reed, you said you keep everything. You’ve got a couple receipts here from staff that don’t match what you penciled in. Do you happen to have the original quotes?”
“Got everything, Missy.” He opens a floor to ceiling cupboard behind his desk exposing stacks of corrugated boxes, each with a month and year neatly written on the front. “Seven years, by month. Those at the ceiling are the oldest. If there was a quote, it’s attached to the receipt.”
His complexion reddens a bit. “I have to say, the last few months aren’t as organized as say the first of the year and I’m behind in my comparisons and entries in the ledger book. I must not have been feeling the best because I did notice a couple discrepancies but haven’t gone back to check them yet.”
“That’s okay. I want to start the computer files back in January, so we have the whole year in one place for taxes and payroll. It’s only five months. It won’t take me long. If you don’t mind, since you said the last couple aren’t in the best order, could we go through those together?”
True to his word Mr. Reed is methodical. Every receipt has the job name and number, quote and final receipt, job foreman and crew. He even has hours by employee.
“This reminds me. I know you contract out electrical, plumbing and cement work. I see those invoices, but you also have timeclock staff for all the carpentry work. We need to train the staff on the new time keeping procedure. I’d like to start it next week since it’s the first of a new month. Is that possible?”
“Sure. How about Friday? That gives them a four-day notice, and we can meet out back in the barn we use for tools, supplies and storage. Normal starting time is eight, so I’ll send them a message to start here. I’ll sweeten the pot with coffee and rolls.”
“Sounds good to me.”
“What pot are we sweetening?” Sayer asks, walking into the room.
“Your girl here is quite the go getter. She’s already started entries so the whole year will be on the computer. We were just talking about a training session on Friday to get our workers onto the new time clock style system starting officially on the first day of the new month next week. I’ll send out a text message to everyone.”
“You know if you give me all the numbers and emails, I can set up bulk lists that text them all at the same time for things like this meeting,” I offer.
“We’ll get that together tonight.” Sayer smiles and nods. “Anything else?”
“Not yet.”
