Math can’t fix all problems, but they can take one’s minds off life’s challenges. Dave ran through expenditures, calculated deductions and crunched numbers. His fingers tripped across the keyboard, the rhythm of the strokes, familiarity of sitting at a desk even if it wasn’t the gray carpeted walls covered with pictures of his wife, children and grandchildren, and the 32 oz off brand diet cola almost made him forget that he’d been cooped up in the little office for the last six days after spending two days under the questionable care of a mad scientist. Dr. Dreadful had seemed especially sad when Molly made him discharge Dave from his care.
Dave slurped down another sip of soda. “Okay travel expenses let’s see what you’ve got for me.” More keystrokes, more slurping. “Oh, Molly how in the world-“
Dave’s thoughts were interrupted by a sharp knocking at his door.
“For the last time, I’m working right now. I can’t play poker with you and Steve. I don’t want to sing Tyler Rift karaoke and I am not doing roof top yoga with you ever ag-“ The word died on Dave’s tongue as the door squeaked open and Molly slipped in.
“How’s it coming?” The girl’s dishwater hair obscured half of her face.
“Good. I should be done in a day or so.”
“Okay. Sounds good and my homework?”
“It’s on the corner of the desk, though I have to say your math teacher might possibly be the devil.”
Molly chuckled with little mirth. “Yeah he’s pretty much the worst.” The girl turned to leave.
“Wait. Before you go can I ask you a question?”
The teen turned back lifting her shoulders in a non-comital shrug. “Whatever.”
“Why are you bothering with taxes and things now when the company hasn’t cared for longer than you’ve been alive and why of all the accountants on this planet did you kidnap me?”
Molly pursed her lips for a moment. “History class I guess.”
Dave blinked.
“Um, you see Mr. Ranger we’ve been learning about the twenty’s bootleggers and mob bosses, what they did well, what they got wrong and there was this one guy who was a big deal back then and you know what the cops finally dragged him in for? Tax evasion!” Molly rolled her eyes. “That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard of so I decided that my company wouldn’t be tripped up by something like that.”
“Right… but why not just hire an accountant. Why did you kidnap me?” and ruin my entire life, he thought.
The girl barked a laugh. “Uh, hello, I’m sixteen. If I tried to hire one of you clowns you’d never take me seriously as a client.”
“I would have.”
“Doubt it. Whatever, this way was way more fun for the boys.”
“And what are you going to do with me once I’m done here? That last escapade with your henchmen has put me in an awkward predicament with the law.”
Molly shrugged – it was clearly one of her favorite motions – and glanced away from the stocky accountant. “We’ll see.”
“You can’t keep me here forever.”
“I said we’ll see!” She banged the office door behind her leaving Dave alone.
The solitude did not last for more than a minute before the door jingled open and Warthog stuck his wide face in the room. “Are you up for another session of roof yoga?”
Dave groaned.
