John chuckled. “I’m at a soccer game for my kid. Send it to me and I’ll see what I can do, but I’ll only be looking on my phone. Not the best way to look at all of those columns.”
“Thanks John. I have an electronic version of things. I’ll e-mail it to you.”
They disconnected. Nikolai sent John what he needed. He wished he didn’t have to rely on anyone else, but this was the nature of the beast. His phone rang twenty minutes later.
“John?” He rubbed a hand down his face. “That was quick.”
“I found it right away. There’s an entry here that jumped out at me.”
“Why?”
“Because it is the exact same amount every time a bill has been paid. It jumped out at me. Might be nothing or might be something.”
“Who’s the vendor?”
Nikolai had a pen ready to write it down.”
“Brown Industries.”
Brown? That’s Destiny’s last name. Coincidence? He was sure it had to be. Destiny was smarter than to use her own last name. “I’m not familiar with them, but I’ve only been on a job a few weeks. I’ll have to look them up.”
“Do that and I’ll delve further, but that one just seemed like it wasn’t right. Nothing tangible, but just a feeling,” John said.
“I’ll check them out and look forward to what else you have to say. I trust your hunches John. They’ve never failed me before.”
“Sorry about your partner, man. Mark was a good man,” John said.
For a moment Nikolai’s heart ached for his friend. When he got himself under control he said, “Thanks.”
They disconnected. Brown Industries.
Nikolai opened a new tab on his laptop then searched for Brown Industries. He wondered what Alman Enterprises bought from them. Or what service they provided. He couldn’t find Brown Industries. Odd for any company not to have a website in this day and age. Or even a Facebook Page.
He rubbed his chin. This was getting him nowhere. He needed to talk to someone in Finance, but the office had closed hours ago.
He mulled over what he’d found. Maybe someone had a list of vendors. Purchasing must. They have to do background checks on them. Yuri Alman didn’t do business with just anyone. Speaking of Yuri, he owed his father a call.
He dialed the number since it wasn’t that late. His father answered, surprisingly.
“Hello, son.”
“You sound pretty good, Dad.”
“I feel pretty good. Had a treatment today and it wasn’t as bad as the last time.”
“You aren’t overdoing it, are you?”
“No, I’m not. I’m fine. You know that Natasha won’t let me do anything on the days I have treatment.”
“Are the doctors optimistic?”
“I don’t know yet. I have an appointment next week.”
“Glad to hear you are doing so well.” He wasn’t ready to lose his father. “I have a work question.”
“I’ll do my best to answer it.”
“Can you tell me what Brown Industries does for us or sells to us?”
His father cleared his throat. “No, sorry son. I didn’t have my hand in purchasing at all. At some point you have to trust that you have the right people in those jobs. Why do you ask?”
“I just need to know what they do because they charge us the same thing every time. Seemed odd, is all. Just trying to get a handle on our vendors.”
“Does this have to do with the investigation you’re doing for me?”
“Yes, Dad. I had a friend, a forensic accountant, look at things. This was the initial red flag he saw.”
“You’ll have to talk to Purchasing. Do it discreetly.”
“Of course, Dad. I don’t want anyone knowing what I’m doing.”
He hung up after a few more minutes talking to his father. Nikolai couldn’t do anything else tonight, so he packed up his stuff to have it ready to go back to the office in the morning. Hopefully, the Brown in Brown Industries was not Destiny.
***
Someone waylaid Nikolai, so Destiny arrived on the upper floor first. She turned on the lights to his office then spun around, realizing that there were flowers on her desk. She couldn’t help but smile. So like Nikolai to surprise her with something like this. He knew she’d been hurting.
She looked for a card, but found none. She knew they had to be from Nikolai. Sniffing them, her whole outlook for the day changed. She could face anything. Humming, she began her day.
Nikolai finally caught up with her. She’d put the flowers on the credenza behind her.
“You stepping out on me?” he said, eyeing the bouquet.
“What do you mean? Aren’t they from you?”
“No. I didn’t send you flowers. There isn’t a card?”
She shook her head. “They must belong to someone else then. I’ll call down to reception.”
“No, let me.”
He took the receiver out of her hand. She was perfectly capable of making a phone call. She stood with her arms crossed as he talked to the receptionist. He hung up.
“She didn’t take delivery of them. They must have come in before she arrived.”
“Then how did they get in?” Destiny said.
“I’ll call security.”
“I can do that. You can start your day,” she said.
“No, I’m doing it.”
Once again he used her phone. This time he sat down at her desk, nudging her out of the way. When he hung up, he had a serious look on her face. “They have no idea how the flowers got here.”
“Maybe the cleaning crew let someone in,” she said.
He frowned. “They aren’t supposed to. I’m pretty sure.”
“Could be someone new.”
He leaned back in her chair. “Get them on the phone for me.”
She eyed him. Was he going to let her sit down?
“Oh, right. This is your chair.”
He moved out of her way and into his office. Seeing the flowers chilled her. Who would have sent them to her? Jamal didn’t have the money. She didn’t know who else would want to do that. Nikolai seemed to be worried about it.
She called the cleaning company. She spoke to a supervisor.
“This is Destiny Brown from Alman Enterprises. Nikolai Alman would like to speak to you.”
She handed him the phone. He’d come back when she began to speak so he was hovering over her. She offered him the chair. She should go sit in his chair. She did. The view was good and his chair was more comfortable than hers. Not that hers was shabby.
“You enjoying my chair?”
He stood in the doorway, his arms crossed. She was swiveling back and forth in his seat.
“I am. This is a comfortable chair.”
He closed the door behind him. Locking it. He had a predatory look on his face.
“What did the cleaning company say?”
“They have to talk to the cleaning crew. They are going to call me back directly.”
“Good. I’m sure the mystery will be solved. Thank you for taking care of this.”
“Are you going to keep the flowers?”
He was standing over her now. She knew that look, but she doubted that they’d have sex at the office. There were boundaries she wouldn’t cross. Long after he left to go back to the FBI, she would still be here. And people had long memories. Especially for something like this.
“No. I’ll throw them out in the dumpster.”
“I can do it.”
She shook her head. “No, you’ve done enough.”
He leaned down and planted a light kiss on her lips. She wanted more but they were at work. “Let someone else do it. I don’t think you should be wandering outside.”
“You’re that concerned about these flowers?’
“Someone came into this building with a bouquet of flowers and no one noticed. You’ve been threatened. Your grandmother has been threatened. I’m taking everything seriously. I don’t believe in coincidences
.”
Why was she so hot right now? She’d always been independent, but the fact that this man wanted to take care of her made her wet. She never would have guessed that she liked this feeling. Damn it. She did and she didn’t want to. At some point he’d be gone and she’d miss him. She’d have to fend for herself.
“Okay. I won’t go out there.”
“Please don’t. Can I have my chair back?”
His phone rang. She picked it up. “Mr. Alman’s office. How may I help you?”
“This is Chuck from Corporate Cleaners. I’m returning Mr. Alman’s call.”
“Just a moment.”
She put the man on hold.
“You’re sexy when you do that,” he said.
She laughed. “It’s the guy from Corporate Cleaners.”
She gave him back his seat, but he held onto her hand while he took the call. She leaned on his desk to wait. Should she be scared? Or was she safe here? Safe with Nikolai. He finally got off the phone.
“They had someone call in sick so there was a worker here who wasn’t a regular. It was a temp. No one remembers flowers, but they don’t all work in the same place at the same time. I’m going to forward a copy of Jamal’s picture to them and see if anyone recognizes him.”
“What I don’t understand is how he is doing this? He doesn’t have resources and he isn’t that smart.”
“He isn’t working alone, Destiny. I just don’t know who he is working with.”
She pondered the situation. None of it made sense. Why was Jamal so fixated with her? They hadn’t been a couple in more than a year. That should have been plenty of time for him to find someone new to bother.
“I don’t understand the why of all this either,” she said.
“I don’t either, Honey. Let me think on it for a while; this is bizarre, but there is an explanation. Until then, you need to keep safe. Stay with me.”
He squeezed her hand and she knew she was safe.
*
Nikolai checked the paper in his hand three times against the number on the side of the building. What was supposed to be Brown Industries was an abandoned strip mall on Route 9. He scratched his head.
The mall had once housed the usual establishments for a shopping center in New Jersey. It had a Chinese restaurant, a dry cleaner, and it was all anchored by a bank. All of the stores were empty including the bank. A sad sign hung in one of the shops advertising that it was for rent. Why had no one either bought the place or rented it?
There was a lot of drive by traffic. Not a lot of foot traffic he suspected, but that didn’t matter as much in this state. People didn’t walk much.
“Is this the place, sir?” his driver said.
Nikolai stood outside the car. His driver stood near the front door of the vehicle. Nikolai nodded. “It’s the right address.”
“What were you looking for?”
Nikolai glanced at the man. He wasn’t sure he liked this driver. Too nosy. The man needed a shave. He was sporting that couple of day’s growth that Nikolai thought unbecoming in a chauffeur. He’d worn it more than once while undercover and even now had let his grow out more than he should. Did he look like a slacker as this man did?
“Not your problem,” Nikolai said.
He leaned on the car, pondering what this could mean. Obviously, Brown Industries never existed. He would have to find out more information on the company. Purchasing had said they drilled wells for them, but Nikolai had no idea why a machine company like Alman Industries would need wells dug. They manufactured in various countries, but mostly in the Midwest of the United States.
Why would his father use a New Jersey company to dig wells so far away? Why not a local company?
It all stank. Like fish the next day. Should he say something to Destiny? He had no evidence yet that she was involved in this bogus company, but the he didn’t believe in coincidences. They just didn’t happen. If something looked connected, they were.
He needed advice. He called Sacha, hoping he was free.
“Hey, Nik. How’s it hanging?”
Nikolai chuckled. He could hear the happiness in his friend’s voice. “You got a minute?”
“Yeah. I’m good.”
“Did that wife of yours have the baby yet?”
“No, she’s due next week and ready to go I might add.”
“She must be huge.”
“She’s beautiful Nik. She’s carrying my child. It’s so exciting and hot and I never thought I’d feel this way about anyone,” Sacha said.
He was happy for his friend. Nikolai scratched a spot on his chest, wondering how to broach the subject. “Someone is embezzling money from my father’s company.”
“Are you looking into it?”
“Yes, I am. I may have narrowed it down. A dummy company, but I don’t have all of the details on them yet.”
“So what can I do for you?” Sacha said.
“It might be this woman.”
Sacha laughed. “It is always a woman.”
Not with Nikolai, but he’d let that pass. “She’s my assistant.”
“I’m getting the idea that she’s more than an assistant.”
“We’re, uh, involved.”
Another chuckled. “How involved?”
“Just sex.”
“It’s never just sex with women.”
“No, it really seems to be.”
“Then she has a motive for having sex with you. To distract you.”
Nikolai didn’t think that Destiny was that evil. She wasn’t playing Nikolai, but then that would make sense. “Not sure, but I’ll think on it. I don’t have a lot of evidence. Well, I don’t have any that she is involved, but the dummy company has her last name.”
“No coincidences right? You don’t believe in them.”
“No, I don’t.”
He rubbed a hand down his face. This should be easy. If Destiny was the embezzler, he could fire her and press charges. Yes, he’d miss the sex, but he could get that anywhere. Why was he hesitating? He had sworn to uphold the law. Why was this so hard?
“Then what is the problem? Oh, wait, you have feelings for her,” Sacha said. “They do sneak up on you.”
No, that couldn’t be it. He’d sworn not to fall in love. He didn’t even know how to fall in love. “I doubt that’s the problem. I just think I feel sorry for her. She’s taking care of her grandmother. Her mother just died and she’s looking for her sibling who is a baby. It’s all pretty complicated.”
Sacha’s laugh irritated Nikolai.
“You keep telling yourself that. You’re in love, Nik.”
Nikolai bristled. “I’m not in love. I just feel bad. She’s been a good assistant to me and my father adores her.”
“Uh, huh. Right. As if your father wouldn’t cut her loose if she was stealing from him. He’s a businessman, Nik. He wouldn’t think twice about it.”
Sacha was right. His father would have no problem doing this. “I think I want more evidence before I do anything. If I tip her off, she might cover her tracks and then she won’t get convicted.”
“Not a bad plan, but don’t wait too long. If she is really doing this, she probably knows that you’re looking into it.”
“She might think she’s smarter than I am.”
The statement didn’t ring true to Nikolai, but he knew he was grasping at straws. He didn’t want Destiny to be involved.
“Can you say that for sure?”
“She must, because she knows I’m investigating where the money is going.”
“She didn’t leave then?”
“No.”
“What does your heart say?” Sacha said.
Crap. He knew in his heart that Destiny wasn’t guilty. She wouldn’t do something like this. Not to Yuri. She adored his father as much as he liked her. Nikolai sighed.
“I don’t trust my heart.”
***
Destiny could tell that Nikolai had something on his mind as soon as he returne
d to the office. She didn’t know where he’d been going. He hadn’t told her. Odd, yes, but he said his cell phone would be on.
She hadn’t needed him and now he was back. She was going to go to lunch, but she’d waited to see if he wanted to go with her. He’d insisted that she stay safe and, if possible, stay with him.
His face was serious as he walked past her desk. He might as well have had a black cloud above his head. Her gut was telling her that this wasn’t good for her. What had happened? Where had he been that had put Nikolai in such a mood?
“I need to talk to you,” he said as he strode by.
“Okay.”
She followed him into his office closing his door. She stood by the door for a minute, catching her breath. Was she going to get fired? How was she going to pay for her grandmother’s care? She didn’t have a lot saved up.
She swallowed then sat on the seat in front of his desk.
He settled onto his seat, not looking at her. That wasn’t good at all. She’d live if this was just about their relationship, if you could call it that. She would survive that.
“As you know, I’ve been investigating the books. My father was sure someone was embezzling from him.”
“Right. I know that.”
“Well, I think I’ve found the person.” He finally looked at her. “Is there anything you want to say?”
She shifted. Why would she have anything to say about this subject? “Uh, no.”
“Last chance to out yourself. Beg for mercy.”
She’d never begged in her life. She wasn’t going to start now, especially since she hadn’t done anything. “I have nothing to say.”
“Have you heard of Brown Industries?”
She searched her memory banks. “No.”
“You’re sure?”
“Yes.”
“Because there is a bank account with your name on it for the company. It’s a bogus company that has been taking payments each month from this company.”
Her mouth moved, but she didn’t know what to say. Finally she found her voice. “I don’t have anything to do with it.”
“That’s the story that you’re sticking to?”
“That’s the truth.”
He stood, then walked over to the window. She really didn’t know what to say. Hadn’t he gotten to know her a little better? How could he think that she would do this? He spun around. “I don’t believe you.”
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