“Thank you,” Madison said, pulling out the desk chair and seating herself.

Ellis walked out onto the deck with Ty.

“Wait,” he said, ducking back inside. When he came back, he held out a single key.

“Just lock up when you leave,” he said. “And keep it, if you want.”

Ellis raised an eyebrow.

“I already have a key to your place,” he said, with that slow grin. “Not that I’d use it without your permission, though.” He glanced back towards the apartment. “What’s going on with you guys? I thought you said Madison was pretty standoffish.”

“She was,” Ellis said. “But Madison is in real trouble. Her husband, back in Jersey, is some kind of criminal, and … well it’s too complicated to go into right now. But she’s trying to figure some stuff out, and I want to try to help her.”

“That’s nice,” Ty said absentmindedly. “So … listen. When can I see you again? Tonight? Any chance you might wait up for me after I get off work?”

“There’s a chance,” Ellis said lightly. “Text me when you’re leaving. And maybe I’ll see you at Caddie’s, depending on what we figure out about Madison’s situation.”

“We’re good now, right?” he asked, catching her hand in his.

“Very good,” she said. “Talk to you later.”

*   *   *

Madison was staring quizzically at the computer screen when Ellis rejoined her. “I figured out how to open his Internet browser, but now what?” she asked.

She saw Ellis’s look of surprise.

“I’m not really a computer person. I mean, I used one at work, but they had all kind of rules about using the computers for personal use. And as for my laptop at home? All I really use it for is to play online blackjack.”

“Okay, well, let’s go to the website for the Philadelphia Inquirer,” Ellis suggested. She leaned over Madison’s shoulder and started typing into the browser bar.

Madison quickly got up and yielded the chair to Ellis. She leaned eagerly over Ellis’s shoulder and watched as she navigated around the Inquirer’s website. “How do you spell your husband’s last name?”

“S-H-I-T,” Madison said, snickering, and then quickly supplying the correct spelling. Ellis typed the name into the site’s search bar, and waited for a moment.

“Here it is,” she said, tapping the screen.

“CHERRY HILL BUSINESSMAN WANTED FOR QUESTIONING IN EMBEZZLEMENT SCHEME,” the headline read.

“Oh my God,” Madison whispered as she read.

The story was over a week old.

Sources close to an investigation by local police have revealed that prominent Cherry Hill financial wiz Donald Shackleford has been implicated in an embezzlement scheme that may have drained millions of dollars from several of his client companies, including R.G. Prescott Insurers, also of Cherry Hill.

“So, you were right. The insurance company wasn’t the only client he ripped off,” Ellis said.

Attempts to contact Shackleford for comment have been unsuccessful, although neighbors in the upscale town house development where Shackleford lived with his second wife, Maryn, say neither he nor his wife has been seen in recent days. According to Shackleford’s company website, D. Shackleford & Assoc. provides accounting and investment services to a range of firms throughout the state. Investigators have begun contacting other companies that were clients of Shackleford in an effort to determine how widespread the alleged fraud may have been.

The rest of the newspaper story detailed Don Shackleford’s ties in the community and ended with a statement from his attorney saying he was confident any investigation would prove that the complaints against his client were baseless and not worthy of further comment.

Madison ran her hands through her hair and stared at the computer screen. “Can you find out if there have been any more recent stories?”

Ellis began typing into the search bar on the newspaper’s website, and a moment later, links to two stories appeared.

She clicked and started reading. “Here’s a piece that ran last Sunday,” she said.

“EMBEZZLEMENT SUSPECT HAD TIES TO VICTIMIZED INSURANCE COMPANY,” the headline read.

As forensic accountants try to piece together what local investigators characterize as an ever-widening probe into embezzlement claims against Cherry Hill financial wiz Donald Shackleford, investigators say they have also begun looking into the possibility that Shackleford’s wife, Maryn Vance Shackleford, 32, and her close associate, Adam Kuykendall, 33, of Camden, may also be involved in Shackleford’s alleged scheme to embezzle and defraud local firm R.G. Prescott Insurers of millions of dollars. Maryn Shackleford and Kuykendall were employed in “sensitive positions” at Prescott for the past two years, and investigators believe they may have aided Don Shackleford’s criminal activities.

“What?” Madison shrieked. “They think I had something to do with this shit? Sensitive position? I was a claims processor, for God’s sake. Adam worked in accounting, but there’s no way he had anything to do with this mess. ‘Close associate’? Are these people freakin’ nuts? We’re not the thieves, Don is.”

“Calm down,” Ellis said, glancing at Madison. “It’s just a newspaper story. And you’ll notice none of the information has any kind of real attribution. ‘Sources said’? I’m sure these reporters are just fishing for a real story without knowing any of the facts.”

“Look at this!” Madison cried, flicking the computer screen. “Can you believe this?”

At least one R.G. Prescott employee, Tara Powers, 28, an account executive at the firm, characterized her former coworkers Maryn Shackleford and Adam Kuykendall as “shadowy types” who rarely mixed with others at the insurance company. Powers pointed out that Maryn Shackleford met her future husband while acting as personal assistant to the company’s president, R.G. “Robby” Prescott III, a position that gave her unlimited access to the company’s financial records.

“That bitch,” Madison screeched. “Shadowy types? Personal assistant? I filled in for Robby’s secretary one freakin’ day! That’s all. One freakin’ day. It happened to be the day I met Don, but what’s that got to do with anything? I had access to nothing—except Robby’s phone and an old copy of People magazine his real assistant left on top of her desk. And as for Tara being an account executive? Don’t make me laugh. She works in the file room. If I ever get my hands on the little slut…”

“What about this?” Ellis asked, pointing to the next paragraph in the story.

Sources say Maryn Shackleford left the company several months ago, and that Kuykendall abruptly resigned from his position yesterday. Investigators questioned Kuykendall the day he resigned from R.G. Prescott, but they have been unable to contact Maryn Shackleford, who they say abruptly disappeared from the area within the past ten days. The insurance company is offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to the whereabouts of Maryn Shackleford.

Madison pounded the desktop. “God! They’ve put out an APB on me. And a ten-thousand-dollar reward. For what? I didn’t do anything. I don’t know anything.”

“But this is your friend Adam, right? The one who tipped you off that auditors were looking at Don’s records?” Ellis asked.

“Yeahhh,” she said, looking perplexed. “But when we talked yesterday, he didn’t tell me he’d quit his job. In fact, he told me he’s been on vacation.”

“Why would the cops question Adam about Don’s embezzlement scheme?” Ellis asked.

“Maybe because he worked in the accounting department?” Madison said, looking perplexed. “I guess I’ll ask him that when he gets here tomorrow.”

Ellis’s stomach lurched. “Madison, um, did you tell him about the money you found in Don’s briefcase?”

“Yeah,” she said quietly. “Sure? Why wouldn’t I tell him?”

“You don’t think he had anything to do with any of this, do you?”