Brendan's expression darkened. He turned on me with a sharp rebuke. "Debbie, do you have to come in here throwing ugly accusations right off the bat?"
"But it's the truth!" I pulled at the hem of the suit. "My name is stitched right into this jacket. My suit ended up on her body without my knowledge. If that's not stealing, what is?"
Cindy's eyes turned red instantly. She tipped her face up, the picture of wounded innocence. "Brendan, she has so many clothes, and she's singling me out over this one? I honestly don't know what I did wrong!"
"Enough. It's just a suit!" Brendan waved me off. "Cindy starts her new job tomorrow. A decent outfit would help her make a good impression on her colleagues. How can you not see what actually matters here?"
"What actually matters?" I repeated the words slowly.
"You're telling me my father's birthday gala is less important than her job?"
"Debbie, will you stop twisting everything?" Brendan could barely keep the irritation off his face. "You have a closet full of clothes and you're fixated on this one? I'm begging you, just give it a rest. Stop stirring up drama."
"Please, Debbie, I'm begging you, stop fighting with Brendan!"
Cindy wept like a willow in a rainstorm. "You don't care how exhausted he is, but I do. Do you have any idea how draining it is for him to run a company that size every single day?"
"As his wife, you're not gentle, you're not supportive, and you can't even give him children. You are the definition of a failed woman!"
"And yet someone like you still has Brendan's love. What more could you possibly want?"
Brendan looked genuinely moved, as if he'd finally found someone who truly understood him. "Cindy..."
I let out a cold laugh and tossed a bill onto the table. "You two really are a match made in the gutter. I'm here for one thing today. Compensation."
"Two hundred and fifty thousand dollars!" Cindy shrieked. "Debbie, have you lost your mind? What suit costs two hundred and fifty thousand dollars?"
I raised an eyebrow and looked at Brendan.
"Why don't you ask your precious Brendan? On top of the suit itself, factor in the time I've lost and the rush fees for a replacement. Then tell me whether that number is unreasonable."
Cindy turned to Brendan, eyes pleading, desperate for him to call my bluff. Instead, he gave a small nod. "That price is about right."
Her breath hitched. "But I don't have that kind of money! And I was only going to borrow it for a few days. Isn't she being a little too calculating?"
"Cindy, don't worry about it. Consider this suit her apology gift to you. We're not paying a cent."
"But Brendan, if you keep taking my side like this, she's only going to get angrier." Cindy leaned against his shoulder, practically preening. "I'm afraid she'll make things difficult for you."
"Don't worry about that."
Brendan was dismissive, a thread of arrogance running through his voice. "We're husband and wife. What's hers is mine. If I say it's yours, no one can stop me."
"Then I hope you'll both say that to the police when they get here."
I held up my phone and gave it a little shake. The screen glowed with an active call, and the number on it was 911.
