Chapter 6
Chapter 6: The Gas Station
Tuesday morning. 6:30 AM. I was making pancakes for Anna when my phone began to ring. It was Robert. I let it go to voicemail. It rang again. And again. Finally, I answered. “Hello, Robert.” “Claire! What the hell is going on with the bank?” my father roared. The sound of highway traffic blared in the background. “I’m at the depot! None of the fleet fuel cards are working! My drivers are stranded at the pumps, and the bank is saying our operational accounts are locked! Did you do something?!”
I flipped a pancake perfectly. “I withdrew my guarantor status.” “You what?!” Robert screamed. “Are you out of your mind?! You can’t do that! We have shipments due today! We’ll lose our contracts! We’ll go bankrupt!” “You shouldn't have stolen from your granddaughter,” I said calmly. “This is about the college money?! Are you throwing your own family into the streets over a temper tantrum?!” “It wasn't a temper tantrum, Robert. It was wire fraud. Have a good day at the pumps.” I hung up and blocked his number.
