Found

Found money. Literally. Rita didn't know it at the time, but still couldn't believe her good fortune. At first, all she noticed was the leather pouch in the alley, leaning against a wall. Rita thought it looked too nice to be discarded. It wasn't until she walked over, picked it up, and looked inside that she realized all at once her life would never be the same again.

Rita saw cash. Bindles of it, bound with unmarked bands, all hundreds, more money than Rita had ever seen. The briefcase-sized bag, light brown leather, finely made, contained nothing else. Holding the hefty, strapped pouch tightly, Rita looked all around. There was no one.

She took the money home. Alone at her kitchen table, Rita, hands trembling, counted out exactly seventy-eight thousand dollars. Amazing. Rita was tempted to think it was a gift from God, but she was raised better than that. She knew her chance find was at least troublesome.

This was someone's cash, Rita had no doubt. Someone who may really need it, or maybe it was from a business, on the way to the bank. Or, maybe drug money, or something else bad. Her doubts grew, maybe Rita should just turn it in. Could already be reported missing, or there could be a reward.

Rita hadn't told anyone about her good luck. She didn't dare. She was having a lot of mixed thoughts. Her fiancee would be back from a trip in two days, she decided to tell him about the cash.

When he saw the money, Danny's imagination instantly ignited. He couldn't believe it either, stacking and re-stacking the bills, he simply marvelled at the sight. This amount of money can change a life, he thought, as Rita talked to him about probably reporting her lucky find to the police.

She decided it was the right thing to do. Danny, her handsome boyfriend and now fiancee- not exactly the charming, church-going newcomer who Rita thought she fell for only six short months ago- was prepared to do, well, let's just say anything- to ensure that never happened.