Burning Desire

by Scarlett Avery

  “That information was going to make our lives a heck of a lot easier. Winston’s team knew what the two con men looked like and where they worked, so it was a walk in the park for us to target them. Our models were well paid and willing to wait it out until the two clowns showed up… and they did. We had them fill out a short form with the date, their name and signature… and we were in business!”

  “Oh, my God, I get it.” I slap my palm against my forehead.

  “You do?”

  “Yes, Allison. This is truly brilliant. Rachel, let me see if I follow. Once you knew of their cell phone carriers you could go to those companies and ask them to hand over their records?”

  Rachel opens her mouth to respond, but Aaron interrupts her. “Jake, if you ever get tired of tending to your cattle and living in the middle of nowhere, I’d take you on a partner at my firm in a heartbeat. Call me or text me when you’re ready to come back to civilization.” He winks.

  “Careful what you wish for, buddy. And may I remind you there’s life outside of New York City.”

  “Barely,” he laughs. “But let Rachel continue explaining things.”

  “Jake, that’s it. We got a judge to grant us a warrant. We hit a lucky streak since both Clark and Jasper use the same company. V-Line Mobile Communications is worth several tens of billions of dollars and it took them about thirty seconds to hand over the records. They weren’t going to risk their reputation for two petty criminals. Once Tanya and Valerie, our two paralegals extraordinaire, started reading old messages they’d exchanged, that’s when everything started making sense.”

  “So how did I end up as a principal?” Ali asks.

  “They forged your signature.”

  “What?”

  “Clark and Jasper’s business plan was to approach investors with deep pockets and convince them to invest in up-and-coming app companies for a whopping twenty-five percent profit share within six months. These were technically companies that were just about to hit the market, which made the offer even more tempting.”

  “Wow. I’d invest my own money with that kind of promise,” I say.

  “Yeah. It was too good to be true. They were clever, but sloppy, which played in our favor. The only way you can get a sophisticated investor to fork out money is to show them a profit, aka money in the bank.”

  “I don’t think Clark ever made a profit. He kept complaining things were always slow when you get started and money would be tight for a while.”

  “Allison, regardless of his cockamamie story, there were no profits to be made—ever. They weren’t working with any app companies. It was all smoke and mirrors. Jasper and Clark ran a modern Ponzi scheme and they were using the glitz of the app world to rob people blind.”

  “A what?”

  “A Ponzi scheme. Jasper and Clark lured big money in by promising to pay an insanely high return to their investors. The only caveat is they weren’t going to pay those poor people from profit earned, but rather by attracting new capital from new investors. Basically you rob Peter to pay Paul. The only thing they needed to line up those desperate investors was bait. They took out a loan for two hundred and fifty thousand dollars to look legit and have a beefed-up bank account to ease the minds of investors.”

  “There’s no way I’d ever be so stupid. I’ve never signed loan papers for a quarter of a million dollars.”

  Rachel flashes Ali a sly smile before continuing. “We figured that much, but someone did on your behalf.”

  “Huh?”

  “Clark and Jasper tricked the loan officer at the bank. God, they were clever,” she responds, tapping her index finger against her chin in a pensive way.

  “Clark, clever? Right,” Ali mumbles under her breath.

  “Rachel, you’ve got me intrigued. How did they get their hands on two hundred and fifty thousand dollars if Allison never co-signed the papers?”

  “Jasper and Clark desperately needed that money, but Jasper’s credit history is atrocious. The background check we did on him confirms there’s no way in hell a bank in this country would ever loan him a dime. They needed to think fast in order to find an unsuspecting partner willing to give them the credentials they needed to look good in the eyes of the bank. They switched to plan B and that’s where Allison came in.”

  “I’m sorry, Rachel, this makes no sense at all.” Ali’s annoyance is unmistakable.

  “You gave them carte blanche when you co-signed the lease papers last year.”

  “How can signing a lease for an office equate to me signing my life away against two hundred and fifty thousand dollars?”

  “We caught a string of text messages between Clark and Jasper where they masterminded copying the signature from the lease and transferring it onto the loan papers.”

  “You can’t possibly get that kind of money without sitting face to face with someone. I mean, I know this is the land of opportunity, but come on,” I say indignantly.

  “You’re right, Jake. That’s why nine months ago, Dalton O’Donnell, the lending officer at Drake Bank of America, met in person with the three officers of Venture App—Clark Peterson, Jasper Reed and…” Rachel pauses mid-sentence and locks eyes with Ali. “Are you ready for this, Allison?”

  “For the love of God, how bad can it be?”

  “You. A woman by the name of Paula Bullock duped Mr. O’Donnell by posing as you.”

  “Paula? As in the woman my ex cheated on me with?”

  “Your ex-boyfriend shrewdly wormed his way into convincing Paula to forge your signature. He promised her a small chunk of the profits and she willingly went along with his plans. We found several text messages where Clark was pushing Paula to learn how to reproduce your signature without needing to rely on the lease you had originally signed. It barely took her a week to master every nuance of your penmanship.”

  “Oh, that little bitch.” Allison pinches her lips and folds her arms across her chest angrily. “She couldn’t stop at stealing my boyfriend, she had to go after my reputation.”

  “I’m really sorry about this, Allison. What she did is reprehensible, but since we have solid proof she acted in a malicious way towards you, we can sue the hell out of her.”

  “You can, Rachel?”

  “By forging your signature and by posing as you to secure a loan, she’s committed several felonies and we’ll go after her like a red-tailed hawk goes after its prey. She’s guilty as sin and she’s most definitely not going to get away with this. Had we not found those compromising text messages, you would have been the one taking the fall for all this.”

  “But I don’t get it. How can she copy my signature so easily?”

  “Unfortunately, you have an easy signature to reproduce.”

  “Crap.”

  “Once Paula mastered her criminal artistry, all three accomplices walked into Drake Bank of America to secure a big fat payday.”

  Allison shakes her head in disbelief. “I never thought Clark would stoop so low. I mean he was dishonest with me in our relationship, but it’s a far cry from convincing someone to impersonate me to steal money.”

  Frankly, listening to all of this, I’m shocked anyone could be so devious. In the tech world when somebody tries to go after you it’s all about money. What Clark did to Allison could have destroyed her reputation forever and landed her in jail for a very long time.

  “There’s still something puzzling me.”

  “What’s that?”

  “If Paula was so proficient at fooling people by forging my signature, why was Clark pressuring me into signing the lease for a second year in a row?”

  “Ah, of course. Forgive me, I forgot to explain that one.” Rachel flashes Allison a mocking smile while shaking her head. “I’m sure I don’t have to tell you this by now, but your ex is a real gem and yes, I’m being sarcastic. When he first contacted you, he wasn’t so much interested in you signing the lease as much as finding out how much you knew. Clark was simply trying to determine if the lawyers r
epresenting the investors they had conned had contacted you. From the text messages we retrieved, Paula had already signed the lease for the upcoming year by forging your signature.”

  “Of course she did,” Ali says flatly.

  “One more thing to keep in mind. Clark may have originally contacted you to snoop, but when he started texting those urgent messages, it’s because he realized the shit had hit the fan and it became clear they weren’t going to get out of the lawsuit. Since you weren’t responding to his pleas, he went knocking at your best friend’s door so she would have to dirty her hands and drop the bomb on you.”

  “What a coward.”

  “May I offer you a piece of advice, Allison?”

  “Absolutely, please do.”

  “Paula is a loose cannon. She can forge your signature on any document. I highly recommend you get in touch with your financial institutions and the government to change your signature on every single piece of paper and identification document.”

  “Gosh, you think…”

  “The best way to predict a criminal’s next move is to go back in the archives and look at how they’ve behaved in the past. I can assure you this woman will strike again if you don’t take the necessary steps to protect yourself.”

  “My God. Thank you so much for the warning,” Ali answers in a shaky voice. “When we take a break I’ll slip out to make some phone calls.”

  “This woman is a real menace. Why is she so determined to destroy Allison in this way?”

  “It boils down to one word, Jake.”

  “Which one?” I frown.

  “Love.”

  “Paula was in love with my ex?” Ali says.

  Rachel nods. “From what we’ve been able to read, she would’ve done pretty much anything for Clark.”

  “I know I should be irritated right now, but for some reason none of this surprises me. I had my suspicions, but thanks for confirming them.”

  “I’m sure I don’t have to tell you you’re much better off without him.”

  “Nah. I came to that conclusion on my own a while ago.”

  I place my hand on Ali’s forearm, wanting to make sure she’s okay with everything she’s heard so far. “Are you sure you’re okay handling all of this?”

  “Definitely.”

  “Rachel, did we ever find out how Allison’s ex-boyfriend and his business partner got busted?”

  “Jake, one of their first investors brought in a dozen other people with deep pockets looking for a fast return on their investments. From what the attorney representing the investors in the class-action suit shared, it seems Charles Edward Wineworth, a seventy-year-old former army colonel turned successful retailer, is the one who blew the whistle.”

  “How did he find out these two idiots were running a scam?”

  “We won’t find out until the trial takes place in two months, but these investors’ attorneys are very prepared to tear Clark and Jasper apart. We’re lucky we have enough to get Allison out of this shitty situation and you won’t have to deal with a multimillion-dollar law suit looming over your head. Now that I’ve given you an overview, I believe we’re going to take a few minutes for lunch and then Steve can explain how things will unfold when we stand in front of a judge in three days. We still have a lot to talk about and most importantly we need to make sure Allison is ready to stand trial.”

  “I’m sorry, Rachel, this all sounds like great news, but before we continue I have to ask another question.”

  “Go right ahead, Jake.”

  “Are you certain this is an airtight case and you have all the damaging proof against Paula, Clark and Jasper to guarantee a judge finds in Allison’s favour?”

  “We wouldn’t be here if we didn’t.”

  I open my mouth to ask another question, but Allison beats me to the punch. “You feel that confident? I mean, it’s my life we’re talking about here.”

  “Allison, we’re all aware the stakes are extremely high in this case and I can assure you we’re all very confident we have this one hands down.” Rachel bounces her eyes from my gaze to Allison’s, beaming at us with a triumphant smile.

  I glance at my friend sitting at the head of the table and Aaron nods as if he’s read my mind, silently confirming we have nothing to worry about.

  “Thank you for putting my mind at ease.” I turn to the gorgeous woman sitting next to me and I cup her hands in mine. “I told you this firm is the best legal powerhouse money can buy. God knows they aren’t cheap, but dammit, are they ever worth it.”

  The entire room roars. It’s a mixture of relief and utter happiness at the fact we’re one step closer to putting this nightmare behind us.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  ALLISON

  As Jake and I make our way back to the hotel after spending the last few hours unwinding with Aaron and his team at the world-renowned Rainbow Room, I can’t help but thank my lucky stars.

  When we arrived at the restaurant, Aaron took me aside and whispered in my ear a secret that had a huge impact on me. It seems everyone from Elizabeth Taylor to Cole Porter has danced at this restaurant. To say I was impressed is an understatement. I never imagined in my wildest dreams I’d have a chance to eat at such a prestigious spot.

  Contrary to most places in the city, this is one eatery where you’re sure to enjoy a spectacular meal even on the slowest day of the week. Overlooking the New York skyline, we were able to chill out sitting under the massive signature chandelier that characterizes this location so well while listening to a band play old-time hits. Once we all devoured our meals, Aaron suggested we linger at the stunning and sophisticated lounge featuring a wraparound outdoor terrace with a breathtaking panoramic views of the city for more tempting nibbles and overpriced drinks. It was such an eye-opener to discover how the other half lives.

  As we whiz by Madison Avenue in the direction of the Surrey, I stare out the window, admiring the bright city lights. The streets are practically deserted. It may be the city that never sleeps, but the first day of the week has always been notoriously low-key in Manhattan.

  Today was truly epic for me. I was able to experience first-hand the power of having a lot of money. Without Jake’s generous offer, I would’ve winded up with an inexperienced junior attorney whose boss would’ve dumped my pro bono case in their lap to focus on high-paying clients. In other words, I would have gambled on my fate. Jake came to my rescue big time.

  Since leaving the restaurant, we’ve been riding in silence. I suspect we’re both lost in our thoughts reliving the main events of the day. In my case, I’m too apprehensive about the upcoming hours to attempt to make conversation. I’m not looking forward to going back to the hotel for another copycat evening of last night’s stale and safe conversation. I’m sure Jake will be glued to his laptop and I’ll be plotting out ways to let him know how I feel. I wish I were more courageous and I could just blurt it out.

  Suddenly, I’m aware Jake is staring at me and I slowly turn my head to meet his beautiful blue eyes.

  “You’ve been quiet all night,” he says in a deep voice. “I’m sure everything Steve, Rachel and Aaron shared must make you really angry. No one can blame you, Ali. Your ex is a bona fide scumbag.”

  “Humph,” I snarl. “I won’t argue with you, but surprisingly, I’m okay. As long as I can clear my name and not have to deal with the financial blow of a class-action suit, I don’t care anymore about how Clark’s wronged me.”

  “So what is it then? Did you not like the restaurant Aaron selected?”

  “Honestly, it was a surreal evening. There’s no way I can ever complain about fine dining in New York. My friend Gwyn splurged and spoiled me rotten a few years back to celebrate my twenty-first birthday, but other than that, I stick to the more affordable local eateries. Tonight was a real treat for me.”

  “I agree. The food was outstanding and everything was cooked to perfection. It’s not one of the cheapest restaurants in the Big Apple, but it’s definitely one of th
e best.”

  “Are you kidding me? It’s as if I’ve tapped into a secret society, between the swanky hotel where we’re staying and the five-star meal.”

  Jake smiles and nods before putting a hand on my forearm. “Then why are you so quiet?”

  The minute our skin touches, heat comes rushing to my face and my clit.

  “It’s been a really long day,” I lie.

  “Fortunately, we’re not too far. You’ll soon be able to enjoy a relaxing bath and then you can crash. Since we don’t have to be back at Aaron’s office until later in the afternoon, you’ll have plenty of time to relax.”

  “Right.” There’s so much I want to tell him, but true to form, I wimp out. I simply force a smile and nod in agreement.

  “Hunter tried texting you, but I think your phone was off.”

  “Oh,” I say, surprised. “I’ve had it off all day. He must already be waiting for us at the hotel.” I’m still conflicted about Hunter coming to New York to spend a few days with Jake and I, but hopefully his presence will put Jake in a different mindset. I replayed our conversation over in my head several times, but Hunter’s words don’t match my reality. If Jake has feelings for me, he had plenty of time during the flight and last night to express them. At least with Hunter in town, we’ll all have a little fun and I might not be so on edge.

  “Actually, Hunter can’t make it.”

  “Did something happen to his grandmother?”

  “She relapsed.”

  Shit. “I’m so sorry to hear that.”

  “Hunter doesn’t want to leave her side.”

  “Of course. It makes total sense.” Poor Hunter, he must be going through hell. “I’ll call or text him when we get back to the hotel.”

  “I’m sure it’ll mean a lot to him.”

  “I wish I could do more.”

  My heart sinks. Just when I had a glimmer of hope that tonight would be different, it turns out it won’t. Jake will occupy one side of our gigantic suite and I’ll lock myself in one of the bedrooms or I’ll take a very long bath.

  “It’s just the two of us.”

  “Yeah. Seems like it.”