No complicated explanation.
No attempt to justify himself.
It wasn’t his.
Therefore, he didn’t take it.
While the officers documented the discovery, Richard’s attorney arrived.
His name was Garrett.
He examined Dad’s photographs, the discovery log, and the chain-of-custody notes.
Then he turned to the pool documents.
He looked at the original estimate.
Then at the work authorization signed by both Richard and Melissa.
“The authorization references the estimate directly,” Garrett said.
“Yes,” Dad replied.
“To avoid disputes?”
“To avoid ambiguity.”
Garrett spoke privately with Richard.
A few minutes later, he returned.
“My client would like to settle the outstanding invoice today.”
Dad nodded.
“The full $7,800?”
“The full $7,800.”
Dad simply said, “That’s the invoice.”
The check would be ready by four.
I turned to Dad.
“Did you know this was going to happen?”
“No.”
“But you knew the box would give you leverage.”
Dad looked at me.
“I knew I had handled the box correctly.”
Then he pointed toward the pool.
“After Melissa brought your job into a payment dispute, I wasn’t coming back here alone.”
That stopped me.
“You thought she was threatening you?”
“I thought she was reminding me that she believed your job gave her leverage.”
“Are you going to confront Richard?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because Richard is smart.”
Dad looked toward the house.
“He’ll figure out what his wife said.”
Then he gave me the answer that sounded so ordinary it almost made me laugh.
“My job was to fix the pool.”
He pointed toward the clear water.
“I fixed it.”
