Kennedy leaned over and gripped her knee. “Are you all right?”
Sadie blinked. Her eyes were dry and stinging. “Closure isn’t the magically cleansing event I always imagined. More like cauterizing a wound with whiskey and fire.”
Kennedy patted her leg and checked over her shoulder for traffic. “You have to get a grip on reality, my friend. No one ever said all endings were happy. In fact, most of them suck righteously.”
Sadie nodded and was surprised to find the sentiment a soothing one. “Yeah, I guess you’re probably right.”
“You know what else I’m right about?”
Sadie grinned. She didn’t even have to guess. “Breakfast burritos are served till ten. Yeah, I know. I was stalling for time.”
* * * *
Sadie’s personal dealings with Iris Avery were few and far between. There’d been her hiring interview, which had gone smoothly. Later, there had been an inquiry into a missing file, which Sadie had been called upon to answer for. They’d found it, quite accidently moved to the wrong client’s portfolio, and Sadie faced no permanent action on her record for the slip up.
This meeting was something else entirely.
She understood from the get-go she’d be doing more listening than talking. Her presence seemed to be more of a formality than a necessity, and she’d have given anything to bow out. If for nothing else, to escape Duncan’s disappointed glances and Mrs. Avery’s open, searching regard, which she made no effort to hide or soften.
This is how lab rats feel.
Sadie’s throat was dry, but she didn’t want to call attention to herself by moving to get a small paper cup from the dispenser not three feet away from her chair. They were all seated at the big oval table in the upstairs conference room. Sadie settled in for the long haul, her back straight, hands folded demurely on top of the table.
Blake stood and spoke cordially to Mrs. Avery with an easy smile. “You’ll forgive me if I address my personal concerns before getting down to the business at hand.”
Where in the hell did this guy get his confidence? Then Sadie recalled he’d been Mrs. Avery not long ago. Once a partner, always a partner.
He straightened his tie. “I apologize if I’ve offended you in my dealings with Amanda. Unfortunately, I didn’t feel the relationship was working out.”
Mrs. Avery rolled her shoulders and managed to appear bored. “Amanda may have struggled with your decision at first, but you’ll be pleased to hear she’s moved on.” It didn’t take an expert on body language to tell how unhappy the news made Mrs. Avery. She must already know of Amanda’s new relationship with Wes. She didn’t appear to like it one bit. She sat forward and glared at Blake. “I’ll go out on a limb and assume you’d like to continue your blasé disregard for company policy in the interest of pursuing a romantic relationship with Ms. Felix. Is this correct?”
Sadie’s internal organs cartwheeled. She almost came to her feet to protest. What about her permission? What the hell did a bunch of suits think they were doing, deciding her fate?
Then again, if she did want to travel that particular path, it would certainly help to not have to hide it from coworkers and bosses.
Blake’s only sign of nerves was the quick glance he cast at her, which managed to say plenty in lieu of words. Trust me. He smiled at Mrs. Avery. “We’re not asking permission.”
Sadie’s mouth fell open at the same time as Duncan’s. They glanced nervously at one another, but neither dared interrupt as Blake continued.
“I’m afraid I’d take it rather personally if you objected. Surely, you’re aware of the many breaches of policy within the Jackson branch. Wes Black and Reba Garcia were involved for quite some time recently, as were Wes and Sadie at one point, a fact which you knew upon his hire. I assume you’re already making the same allowances at the Alpine office, given how Amanda and Wes show no signs of keeping their new acquaintance quietly under wraps.” He stopped and laughed quietly. “Wes’s name just keeps popping up, doesn’t it? The company’s ladies’ man.”
Sadie’s cheeks warmed. She wanted to smack Blake. She also wanted to hug him, kiss him, and take him somewhere, like the backseat of her pickup. She couldn’t believe he’d go to bat for her. For them.
Blake seemed to have run out of things to say. He unbuttoned his blazer and sat next to Sadie, an amused grin alight on his face, eyes dancing with silent laughter.
It was a long time before anything happened. Water gurgled in the dispenser in the corner. Heated air whispered through the floor vents. Duncan’s shoes scraped softly against the carpet as he shifted uncomfortably. Sadie noticed how he blended into the deep brown walls with his russet-colored dress shirt and beige tie.
Mrs. Avery had reclined into her chair to nibble on her pen.
As for Blake, he didn’t appear to be waiting. He’d given Sadie’s knee a single, encouraging squeeze before reclining in much the same manner as Mrs. Avery, not flinching or bowing from her scrutiny.
Sadie felt like the only person aware of the tension in the room.
Finally, after what seemed an eternity, Mrs. Avery sighed and tapped her pen against the table. “Well, Blake, you’ve certainly given me much to consider. I’ve made up my mind, but it wouldn’t be prudent of me to continue without asking if you’re sure.”
Sadie looked from one to the other. Sure? What did Blake need to be sure of? Of her? What kind of question was that?
Spurred by the scent of an insult flying right over head, Sadie spoke up for the first time. “I’m sorry I have to ask, but can someone fill me in on why this is such a weighty decision? I’m starting to take offense over here.”
Mrs. Avery raised her eyebrows at Blake. “By all means, do the math for her.”
It was a rude joke to make about an accountant, but Sadie made allowances. At this point, she just wanted an explanation.
He turned to Sadie, his smile gone. “Conflict of interest. I’m the audit director. The gatekeeper for every account held by this office—and for every accountant who manages them. In order for us to be involved personally, I’ll have to resign.”
Sadie’s mouth fell open at the same time she berated herself for not figuring it out sooner. She’d been so wrapped up in herself, in what she might have to sacrifice, she’d given little thought to what Blake might be willing to give up. “You can’t quit your job to date me. It’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard in my life. I don’t even know why we’re having this conversation. Isn’t there a thief running willy-nilly around Avery & Thorp as we speak? Priorities, people.”
Amusement and unspoken words swam in Blake’s gaze. “I’m not asking for your permission any more than I’m asking for Mrs. Avery’s.”
Sadie looked away. She’d get lost in there one day.
Mrs. Avery didn’t appear overly amused by Blake’s blunt speech. “It comes down to the matter of what to do with you, Mr. Cobb. Do I let you walk away from the firm, thus ridding myself of the problem altogether?”
“You could,” Blake agreed, swinging his gaze to look at her. “But you won’t want to once I hand you your embezzler, along with a map to your missing money.”
With a resigned sigh, Mrs. Avery admitted defeat, leaving Sadie stunned by how masterfully Blake had negotiated the meeting. “Welcome to Avery & Thorp, Mr. Cobb,” she said, with a wry glare. “I hope you enjoy your new role here as senior accountant. As for our replacement audit director, I’m tasking you with bringing Kennedy Hale up to speed. You claim she’s ripe for the job. I expect you to help her prove it.”
Sadie covered her mouth with her hands and stared at Blake like she’d never seen him before. Who was this guy? “Does Kennedy know?”
Blake’s smile couldn’t contain his pride, though there was evidence he was trying to fight it. “Not yet. You can tell her if you like.”
“No, of course not.” Sadie grabbed his arm, wanting to squeeze him. “You tell her. You’re the one wh
o deserves to be standing next to her when she unleashes her ungodly squeal of happiness. It’s going to hurt. Your ears will bleed, and your skin will shrivel, but that’s the price for helping some people.”
Duncan broke in, exasperated. “Can you two at least wait until the meeting’s over to start mooning at one another?”
“Sorry.” Sadie straightened immediately, not daring to even peek at Mrs. Avery.
Duncan bowed his head. “Now, Blake, I think you’ve danced around it long enough. You asked me for time on Wednesday afternoon, and I gave you forty-eight hours. Time’s up. We need a name, and we need proof.”
Blake’s hand slid into the briefcase at his feet and resurfaced gripping an aquamarine file folder. “It’s all here.” He pushed it across the table.
A heavy silence followed as Mrs. Avery went through each page of the file, handing them to Duncan for further scrutiny afterward.
Duncan shook his head at the third page and pinned Blake with a desperate look that caught Sadie off guard. “I can’t believe it.”
Blake shrugged. “I can. Call me jaded.”
Duncan cast a pained glance at Sadie that troubled her. It couldn’t be Wes, after all, or Blake wouldn’t have let Mrs. Avery transfer him. It couldn’t be Catalina, could it? Although, if Sadie had to hope it was anyone, who would blame her, really. After all, she’d still love to see herself behind Duncan’s desk. But she had to be honest with herself. It was someone close to her, or Duncan wouldn’t be giving her such a pitiful look as he slid a page toward her.
Sadie took a deep breath and scanned everything—places highlighted where the math didn’t add up, unrecognizable account numbers, and finally a name. She dropped the page and glared sharply at Blake. “Nina? You’re blaming Nina for this?”
He indicated the file. “There’s evidence, Sadie. I’m sorry.”
“But she couldn’t have—”
“Access to Duncan’s files? Access to the bookkeeping hardcopies, which made casting Amanda into question quite easy to do by rewriting the totals, then making clean copies to wipe out the evidence of tampering?”
Sadie couldn’t believe it. Her friend. Nina had spent time in her home, laughed, and commiserated with her. “How did you figure it out? I mean, the trail’s here.” She picked up the page once more, her hands shaking. She took in the numbers, how they all added up, and stared at Blake. “But this isn’t something you’d have accidently stumbled on to. How did you know to look into Nina’s activities?”
“The day Amanda caught Wes rifling through Duncan’s desk when he was out, Nina told me she left to pick up coffee because the coffeemaker broke, which is why she hadn’t been here to catch Wes in the act—”
“Or prevent it altogether,” Duncan added darkly, his face down, still studying page after page of Blake’s report. His face was flushed a dull red, and his jaw locked in place like it’d been sown shut.
Blake continued, “I questioned Kennedy about that day, hoping she’d remember if anyone else managed to sneak upstairs. She mentioned Nina coming back to the office and heading upstairs. Only, she didn’t have coffee. Kennedy remembers seeing Nina return with a stack of files from making copies next door. Manila files,” he added, looking at each of them in turn. “Plain old manila file folders, the likes of which I haven’t seen in this office since my first day on the job.”
Sadie’s breath caught. Reba’s bright, flashy folders and sticky notes of every imaginable color. Of course. “They were Nina’s personal copies. Weren’t they? Copies she didn’t want getting mixed up with the others.”
“Or stored on the copier’s memory.” Blake shrugged sadly. “The copier acts up from time to time, so that’s easy enough to believe, but when two office appliances create one convenient circumstance too many, it’s a reason to look closer. I cross-referenced files that had red-flagged Amanda and worked back from there. Each one corresponds to a movement in Nina’s second bank account. It actually belongs to her deceased mother. Instead of closing the account, she continues to use it as a means to launder the money stolen from the firm.”
Again, Sadie was floored. “How could you possibly know that?”
“I asked for forty-eight hours so the sheriff’s office would have time to issue warrants, which were granted immediately. The account’s been frozen. Nina will have likely discovered it by now.”
Duncan rubbed his forehead and began to pace. “We let her go to lunch. What do we do? Confront her when she gets back?”
Blake stood and re-buttoned his blazer. “This is no longer a private matter, Duncan.” He nodded toward Mrs. Avery, who’d finished scanning the pages and watched Blake with mingled pride and wariness. “The sheriff will take her into custody at her home. I arranged it in the interest of her privacy. What you decide to tell your staff here is up to you, Mrs. Avery, but I didn’t think you’d appreciate a public display of one of your most trusted employees being carted from the office in cuffs. It wouldn’t look good to clients walking in the front door, I assure you.”
It took five more minutes for Sadie and Blake to escape the conference room. Sadie flopped into her desk chair, sad, disheartened, and exhausted from the morning’s revelations. Blake perched on the edge of her desk and pulled his tie loose.
“That was awful,” she moaned in a small voice.
“Yeah.” He looked at her pityingly. “I’m sorry. I wanted to tell you first, but my loyalty has to be to the firm. I hope you understand.”
Sadie nodded. She did, actually, and she admired Blake for his professionalism. If only he’d always sported such dashing notions of fidelity.
He stood up straight. “Listen, I need to take care of a few things. You and I, we’re not done. Not by a long shot. But when I come to you, it’ll be with a clear conscious and a free heart. Expect me for Sunday dinner.”
A clear conscious and a free heart.
Sadie’s skin tingled at the promise implied, driven home by the fiercely hopeful contemplation written on Blake’s face, like a hastily scrawled love note, quick and passionate. He had a hand on the door already, her prince dashing away to slay one last dragon before he’d dare take the princess. God forbid he let it rest; it might come back and steal his happy ending one day.
When had she become such a romantic?
She didn’t argue with him. It wouldn’t do any good, judging by the determined set to his shoulders. Instead, she settled for a small nettling. A little something to remind him what he’d traded Amanda in for, in case he’d forgotten. “Just don’t show up expecting to need a fork. I hear there’s a sale on those little frozen potato things at Smith’s.”
He cast her a parting grin over his shoulder. “No worries. I have deft fingers.”
She was glad he left before her vivid imagination grasped on to the image of his deft fingers and what other use she might have for them besides potato bites.
Chapter 16
“What can you possibly have to say to me, Blake?”
He leaned back comfortably, his hands tucked loosely into his jean pockets as he contemplated Amanda. “Only an apology.”
Amanda rested her hip against the doorjamb, crossed her arms, and peered at him with eyes that weren’t quite as intriguing now that he knew what lurked behind them. Or rather, what didn’t. “I’ve been getting quite a few of those lately,” she remarked offhandedly.
Blake guessed Sadie would’ve come to see Amanda. Her courage to face a person she felt she’d wronged was part of the reason Blake was here doing the same—putting himself at the mercy of yet another woman he’d screwed over, albeit unintentionally.
“You deserve them. I never meant—”
“Oh, please.” Amanda rolled her eyes. “Spare me. This apology is for your own sake. You carry around guilt like an accessory, Blake. I’m not sure you’ll know who you are without it.”
The rare insight unnerved him. “You can hold it against me if you want, I guess. However, I am sorry I d
idn’t tell you about my marriages. You never asked. Just like I never asked about anyone from your past. I assumed we’d get there eventually. That’s how most relationships work.”
“Like you’d know,” she deadpanned. “What does it say about you that Sadie knew what your girlfriend didn’t?”
“Sadie picked and prodded until I told her just so she’d zip it.” He wanted to smile at the fact now. He’d had her right there and hadn’t realized it. “You know, she and I are friends at the heart of this thing. She’s easy to talk to. She’s fun, curious, and determined when she’s after something. Not a bad friend to have.”
The corner of Amanda’s mouth quirked up and she glanced past Blake. “No. She’s not. Friendly, helpful, loyal.” Her gaze binged back to Blake, and her tone hardened. “Honest.”
He understood it for a warning and figured he deserved it. He’d been honest with Sadie so far. Painfully and embarrassingly so. He planned to keep it up indefinitely.
“I suppose if I’m still going to be friends with Sadie, I’ll have to eventually get used to hanging around you, as well?”
Blake shrugged. “Not necessarily.” He couldn’t imagine doing couples stuff like double dates and movie nights with Wes and Amanda. “I think you and Sadie do well enough on your own.”
Amanda smiled thinly. “I don’t forgive you, Blake. But I do wish you and Sadie the best. At least until you meet another pretty blond who reminds you of your first love.” She backed into the house and went to close the door.
Blake waved and offered her a flat smile. “Actually, Amanda, thanks to you, I’ll never again look twice at a woman who looks too good to be true. You’re not the first woman I pursued on such simpleminded criteria. But you’re definitely the last.”
* * * *
Sadie almost couldn’t bring herself to speak.
Duncan and Kennedy seemed plagued by the same grief. Nina had been a trusted friend, a personal confidant. Sadie had relied on her for advice and counsel, trusted her with secrets, even let her use the big wineglass occasionally. Countless nights, Nina had curled up on Sadie’s sofa to talk about work and bemoan Wes. Side by side, right there with Sadie and Kennedy, meanwhile betraying them all.
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