Black Rose

motion, she sat back, the sinking sensation in her stomach making her queasy. The card had been taken out in her name, with all her information—her address, her Social Security number, even her mother’s maiden name. The other user on the card was listed as Ashby Harper.

    Clever, she thought. Very clever.
    He hadn’t used his own name, and hadn’t accumulated charges at his most usual haunts. By now, she had no doubt the card was destroyed. The last charge had been made three days before the end of the billing cycle.
    Covered all the bases as usual—that bastard Bryce.
    The money wouldn’t have been the main thrust, she thought now. Not that he wouldn’t enjoy the benefits of eight thousand and change. But the point would have been the trouble for her, the irritation, and most of all the reminder that he was still in her face. And there was little she could do about it.
    It was doubtful the charges could be traced back to him, that it could be proved he’d defrauded the credit card company. It was she who would be forced to untangle the knots, spending the time, the effort, and paying any legal fees.
    It was mean and small of him, and suited him perfectly.
    And Harper, poor Harper, worried she’d make that kind of mistake again. Not in a million years.
    To give herself more time to settle, she skipped dinner, then wrote long, detailed posts to her two younger sons before calling Harper.
    Once she knew the children were in bed for the night, she asked Harper, David, along with Stella and Hayley to join her in the front parlor.
    “I’m sorry,” she began. “I know some of you might have plans for the night. I don’t think this will take long.”
    “It’s all right,” Stella told her. “Something’s the matter. Just tell us what it is.”
    “I’ve already taken steps to deal with it, but it’s likely all of you will be asked, at least, to answer some questions. In going through my bills this evening, I came upon a credit card bill—a card I don’t have, charges I didn’t make. However, it was applied for and taken out with considerable personal information. The credit card company will, of course, follow this through. But as I was obliged to list all those who live in this house, I wanted you to be aware. I’ve no doubt the card was taken out by Bryce. He’d know the information, and it’s just his style.”
    “You don’t have to pay it,” Hayley said quickly. “This kind of thing happened in the bookstore once where I used to work. You don’t have to pay it.”
    “No, I won’t pay it. It simply costs me time and energy, and upsets me—which would have been the motive. It also upsets the household, which he’d enjoy, I’m sure. I’m sorry for that.” She looked at Harper. “I’m sorry.”
    “Don’t say that again.” He spoke very softly. “I don’t want to hear you say you’re sorry again, Mama. What about the police?”
    “They may very well be involved. But I’m going to tell you what my lawyer told me. While the credit card company will follow through, it’ll be very difficult to prove he’s the one who used the card. He didn’t use his name, and he didn’t charge so much at any given time or place to raise an eyebrow. No one’s going to remember he breezed into Dillard’s and bought some shirts or a pair of shoes. This is the sort of thing he knows how to do quite well.”
    She had to get up, to move, so rose to add a log to the fire. “The best we can do is step back from it, as much as we can, and let it play out. Sooner or later, and I believe this, he’ll do one of three things. He’ll get bored with it, he’ll find someone else to harass, or he’ll go just a little too far and hang himself.”
    “I vote for Door Number Three,” David put in.
    “Your mouth, God’s ear,” Roz assured him, and made herself sit again. “I’ve written both Austin and Mason, because I want them, and all of you, to be on guard. He may very well choose to amuse himself by doing this same sort of thing to one or more of you.”
    At the thought of it, the tension in her shoulders increased until her muscles felt like iron rods under her skin. “And Stella, you and I should be particularly vigilant regarding any charges to the business.”
    “Don’t worry. He won’t get by us. Roz, I’m so sorry you have to deal with this. Anything I can do—anything any of us can do?”
    “I’ll let you know, I promise. All right.” Roz got to her feet. “That’s all, then.