Betrayed Chapter 8

***

My attorney called Thursday morning. When I had initiated my proceedings against Susan, I had specified that my communications to and from him would be via my cell phone, not through the company switchboard. Although 'Lisa' now had her own cell, I had retained my original one for exactly this reason. As much as I respected Angie, I didn't want to expose my 'dirty laundry' to her or anyone else in the company. Now, I was glad I had had the foresight.

The investigator had dug up a goldmine of information which explained a lot. Jeff Spencer had a major gambling problem. The 'multi-millionaire star' was in serious debt to the bookies. Susan had been carrying him financially. Now she too had been stretched to the limit, maintaining the façade of their star-quality lifestyle. No wonder she wanted me back! So, which ploy would she use? Live with me, while secretly sucking me dry to prop up her lover, or tell me it had "all been an awful mistake, and can you ever forgive me?" - and dump the QB like yesterday's trash? Then again, if she did dump Jeff, how long would she stay this time before her roving eye caught sight of fresh meat? No thanks.

There had been another disturbing development. The phone taps indicated a suspicious pattern of activity between Jeff and another party, presumed to be female. At first the investigator suspected it was simply one of his other lovers – one Susan did not know about. The taps recorded conversation that indicated Jeff was running some kind of sting operation – and I was the target! The apparent intent was to ruin my personal reputation in a very public way, allowing Susan to side-step my allegations of "Open and Notorious Adultery" and clean me out.

It was unknown at that time whether or not Susan was involved in the set-up, as her voice never appeared in any of the conversations. The communications were directed to and from a pre-paid disposable cell phone which the investigator could not trace.