"What is that face?" Josh asked.
"Seems I'm in the dog house with Bella." He laughed.
The morning had been a hard one. Ben had found another account that was missing money. So far 2.4 million. It was by the same manager that ran the last one.
Josh took the info they had so far up to Zane.
"Thanks, concentrate on all his project first. I think we have found the problem. Find out which accountant's dealt with these accounts also but keep it under wraps."
Zane then got out a folder and handed it to Josh, "This is the info I have gotten so far. It is not enough to prosecute him so find more for me."
"Yes sir" Josh said.
As Josh was leaving Zane said, "Tell Ben when Bella calls he needs to tell her about you two. She is mad that she had to find out from someone moving in to our complex."
When Josh got back to the conference room he told Ben what Zane had said.
◇◇◇♡♡♡◇◇◇
At 2 Ben's phone rang it was Bella.
"Hey Tinkerbell I'm glad you called. I been meaning to call you. So what's up?" Ben asked as he answered the phone.
"You go first." She said.
"Ok, I want you to meet someone. We just started to see each other a few days ago but I've meet some of his family so I want him to meet you. What do you say?"
Bella smiled, "That would be great. Who is it?"
"Well... you know I told you I was helping out at Zane's company doing audits. Well I have been working with Josh Gillman his assistant and we kind of hit it off. I've been staying with him so it's easier to get to work earlier. One thing lead to another and we decided to date."
"I think that's wonderful." Bella said.
"So why am I in the dog house with you?" He asked.
"It's nothing I just miss you. When can we have dinner?"
"How about Wednesday? Do you think Zane can make it or would Saturday be better?"
"Wednesday is fine. Zane can take some time for dinner. Our penthouse at 8. The second star to the right and straight on till morning." Bella laughed.
"Ok see you then and if you ever need me just ask." Ben said.
They hung up. Bella then let Zane know what was going on.
◇◇◇♡♡♡◇◇◇
Bella stop at the store to do some shopping and picked up a cake and bottle of wine for her new neighbor. When she got back she went to the second floor and found door 218. She knocked.
The door opened and Sally was dress in a apron and her hair tied up.
"Hi, Bella come in I was just unpacking." She said.
Bella walked in with the gifts. "Sorry to just drop in but I wanted to give you a house warming gift. Here is a cake and a bottle of wine."
"Thanks, I could use a break want some tea?" Sally asked.
"Sure."
Bella followed Sally into the kitchen and sat down at the small table. They visited for about an hour before Bella went back to her place to read.
◇◇◇♡♡♡◇◇◇ SNOW-WHITE AND ROSE-RED
A poor widow once lived in a little cottage. In front of the cottage was a garden, in which were growing two rose trees; one of these bore white roses, and the other red.
She had two children, who resembled the rose trees. One was called Snow-White, and the other Rose-Red; and they were as religious and loving, busy and untiring, as any two children ever were.
Snow-White was more gentle, and quieter than her sister, who liked better skipping about the fields, seeking flowers, and catching summer birds; while Snow-White stayed at home with her mother, either helping her in her work, or, when that was done, reading aloud.
The two children had the greatest affection the one for the other. They were always seen hand in hand; and should Snow-White say to her sister, "We will never separate," the other would reply, "Not while we live," the mother adding, "That which one has, let her always share with the other."
They constantly ran together in the woods, collecting ripe berries; but not a single animal would have injured them; quite the reverse, they all felt the greatest esteem for the young creatures. The hare came to eat parsley from their hands, the deer grazed by their side, the stag bounded past them unheeding; the birds, likewise, did not stir from the bough, but sang in entire security.
No mischance befell them; if benighted in the wood, they lay down on the moss to repose and sleep till the morning; and their mother was satisfied as to their safety, and felt no fear about them. Once, when they had spent the night in the wood, and the bright sunrise awoke them, they saw a beautiful child, in a snow-white robe, shining like diamonds, sitting close to the spot where they had reposed.
She arose when they opened their eyes, and looked kindly at them; but said no word, and passed from their sight into the wood. When the children looked around they saw they had been sleeping on the edge of a precipice, and would surely have fallen over if they had gone forward two steps further in the darkness.
Their mother said the beautiful child must have been the angel who keeps watch over good children.
Snow-White and Rose-Red kept their mother's cottage so clean that it gave pleasure only to look in. In summer-time Rose-Red attended to the house, and every morning, before her mother awoke, placed by her bed a bouquet which had in it a rose from each of the rose-trees.
In winter-time Snow-White set light to the fire, and put on the kettle, after polishing it until it was like gold for brightness.
In the evening, when snow was falling, her mother would bid her bolt the door, and then, sitting by the hearth, the good widow would read aloud to them from a big book while the little girls were spinning. Close by them lay a lamb, and a white pigeon, with its head tucked under its wing, was on a perch behind.