Jackpot of Justice

ex-boyfriend had tossed away, I onl

p, claiming the ticket wor

forgot I pa

stuff." Cormac Davies waved

orting through three years of share

icket slipped from

date caught my eye. Wasn't th

he transaction. The ticket w

te matched my m

s, he preached frugality yet bou

he snapped, "It's my pock

his "pocket mo

timatum. "Put the keys in t

it? It'd make a nice memento. I snapped a photo of the

today. Bought a lottery ticket. I just know I'm gonna

wed his signatu

running wild." I smirked, closed the app

it, keeping it as a ke

TV, sorting through the stuf

nouncing the lo

ange the channel when the numb

ed the ticket from my wall

ls matched. The

cky winner of the jackpot.

o the couch, my

ion. Not f

won! I won! Jackpot! Fifty million! The heavens are smilin

ments e

ngr

y! For

that can't

luck's been hot lately. I'm grabbing tha

g at his gloating post, feel

niverse's brea

rang. It

e came through. "Abby, when you w

I asked, p

t find it. Can you look f

n't you say you bought those with your poc

few seconds. "Abby

checked my bank statements. Every payday for three years, there's a charge

ou

ivacy. Your ticket, your busine

t buzzing wi

he time. Ten m

nd headed to the ma

e, we'd be don

-dollar ticket, it'd be

my hard-earned mon

age from him. "Abby, let's me

it and

t across from me, dressed in

colors, I might've fallen

icket's our shared property.

ff. "Shared

. "Want to see three ye

he breakup. I was confused. You know my family's no

e you admitting the ticket w

ace f

p stormed to our table.

I've been with Cormac all this time.

at kind of dr

e you here?" His

old, suddenly understan

t good enough. He'd al

to Florrie, "do you know who

it to you? You're b

t was bought with my debit card. And not just that one. For

dened as she turned to hi

orrie, don't listen to her nonsense

u used my money for tickets all three years? Ho

"Cormac, didn't you say

rs ago. Oh, and by the way," I turned to him, "didn't

ed on his

while you were out finding other women? No wonder you

you'd been single for three years. You pr

red. "Florrie, l

"You lied to me and used her mon

I leaned back in my ch

in three years, I f

ou want? Two million. I'll give you two million! That's two

mirked. "So you think it's easy

he growled. "That

? Let me ask you, how do you plan to repay the

..

t safe since it was bought with my money. As for you..." I glance

here!" He grabbed my w

et physical? Should I call the police? I'd

d froze

, turning back. "Don't call me A

the coffee shop a

rtic, but I knew he woul

ached the parking lo

"Ms. Clark, you'd better think

bout that ticket..." I stared at the crypt

is a t

silenced my phone, and

priority was keeping t

r, rapid footsteps

tranger's v

without looking back

a heavy hand clamped onto my sh

e three men in

zz cut and a skull

?" I forced myse

lottery ticket." The buzz-cu

uss." I reached

voice. "Just don't know if your parents'

nd fr

cked down my pa

edan screeched to

d down, revealin

then at the men, he

e?" Her tone carried

er. "Florrie, what are you d

out a cold laugh. "He's

he text he just sent me? Said if I play

What was

the car. "Get lost. Tel

his phone, and apparently got a message

ugh facade crumbled. She leaned a

" I couldn't

swer, my phone buzz

oded in like

e Daily Press. I heard you stole y

rmac's high school buddy.

rough Cormac's go

nstop, each message g

request popped u

" Florri

and hit

ugh, unnervingly gentle. "R

yed s

bout opening a flower shop. I said I'd

t? We split the money fifty-fifty. You get

eat against

one turned serious. "Abby, you know my situation at the company. Sa

n wh

n, your company's boss? He's my close friend. What if he

shook vi

y strict, hating any hint

e you ge

remember our trip to Nevoria last yea

roke out acr

r happy memories. But if y

ou

d again. "Let's meet tomorrow to ta

and my hands s

e years, I'd been fool

my shoulder and pulled a stack of

ts. Pages of transactions, all t

irst, he said it was for a business. Then

rds, piecing it together.

ected him for a while. After what you

differently. No longer the aggre

but it couldn't hide th

arette. "He asked for another fifty thousand for a 'big deal.

investig

six months." She gave a bitter smile. "Found out he's got

h sank. "

photos. "These were taken by someone I hired. Each woman thi

he pictures,

tle smile, but each woman by his side was diffe

why to

her cigarette. "I wanted to see how lo

"He won't let that

, my phone b

ssage. I opened

arents' house, timesta

in the hallway o

nced over. "He's th

shook. "Wha

the po

y haven't done anything yet. The

"Then we meet force with for

. "He's terrified of his

after the money. He needs to keep the oth

' falls apart." I fi

d. "So, let's

t ki

p you take him down." She paused. "

her. "Wh

h and burn." Her eyes sharpened

phone buzzed again.

se thugs gesturing out

to meet and talk?" His voic

and looked at Florrie

. "Ever heard o

parking lot li

froze, scannin

roached. More

orrie whispered.

back on, revealing

easure to meet you. I'm Julian, CEO of Fuller Investigations. Ms. Hall h

nked. "This is my real ace.