“I need to verify who made withdrawals on this account over the past thirty days,” Roxanne explained, after giving her verification numbers so the officer would know she was who she said she was.
The officer in charge of the accounts, who Roxanne had spoken with several times before, didn’t take too long to answer. “Yes, here is the information you want. Shall I fax?”
“Please. I need to have names of who made the withdrawals, and their location. Will the fax show that?” Roxanne asked.
“Aye, that they will,” the London clerk said. “Got it going out to you now. Anything else I can do for you today?”
“No, and thank you.” Roxanne said her goodbyes, and then moved to stand over the fax, wondering what she would find out.
Half an hour later, Roxanne sat at her desk, staring at the printout. Two other brokers had arrived, and milled about in the secretarial pool, as the smell of fresh coffee trickled down the hallway to Roxanne. Another cup of coffee would be a good idea. The office would be busy with a new workday in thirty minutes or so, and she needed to use every minute well in order to sort through the information in front of her. All of which made absolutely no sense.
“What did you find out?” Aaron had buzzed her on her phone, and Roxanne sat at her desk, nursing a fresh cup of coffee as she cradled the phone between her shoulder and ear. “I got information on my other account, but it doesn’t match up.”
“Where did the withdrawal occur?” Roxanne had experienced the same thing, and had felt a twinge of disappointment that the withdrawals didn’t come from a source in Nebraska.
“The Johnson file has a ten thousand dollar discrepancy,” Aaron began, and Roxanne decided to start scribbling notes. She wrote as he continued, “The bank sent me a printout of the most recent withdrawals, but that showed nothing. We went back over ninety days before I found the unaccounted for withdrawals. They were done in thousand dollar increments, all from Reno, Nevada, and all within a week’s time.”
Aaron sighed into the phone, and Roxanne glanced at her calendar to verify the time frame for ninety days ago. “What were the dates of the withdrawals?” she asked.
Aaron gave them to her. “All of them happened right after we did our quarterly audit, and that is why they didn’t show up until now.”
Interesting, Roxanne thought to herself. This would make it appear that whoever took the money, knew when Hall Enterprises did their audits.
“Good work, Aaron,” she said into the phone. “I want you to put the files up now, unless you have other work to do on them.”
“No,” Aaron hesitated. “But what are we going to do about this?”
Roxanne didn’t have a clue at the moment, but she knew one thing she did need to do, and that was to keep this as quiet as possible. “I want you to make sure you don’t mention this information to anyone at the moment. Go about your day, and handle business as usual. I’ll talk to you more about this later.”
She glanced at the wall clock, and noticed it was almost eight o’clock. As if on cue, chatter filled the outside office, as a couple of the secretaries arrived for work.
“Okay,” Aaron said. “I do have a busy day ahead of me.”
Roxanne hung up her phone, and flipped her calendar pages to show her daily schedule. She had scattered meetings throughout the day, but nothing until later that morning. She stood and stretched, and then walked around Jordan’s desk to verify his schedule. A yellow post-it note had been attached to his day planner. Roxanne pulled it free, and read the block print.
“I’ve cleared my schedule for the day, and won’t be in,” the note read. “You are free from two this afternoon on, and I wish to see you at my house at two-thirty.”
Roxanne stared at the note. He hadn’t signed it, and it didn’t say whom it was for, but Roxanne knew the note had been left for her. She felt the coffee churn in her stomach, and suddenly felt queasy and tired.
Jordan wanted her to come over to his house. And he had cleared his schedule? Roxanne couldn’t remember the last time Jordan had ever missed a day of work. The note didn’t say that he would be in meetings all day, but simply that he had cleared his schedule. She continued to stare at the block print, reading meaning into the words, as she moved back to her desk, and flopped down in her chair.
Had her kicking him out Saturday night upset him that much?
Nothing Jordan had to say would matter right now.
And she reminded herself, she hadn’t wanted a relationship anyway. After Jeffrey, she didn’t want to endure the pain again of losing another man.
Not to mention her plate was full. Work with Hall Enterprises kept her busy, and she had Joanie to keep her social life full. Jordan had always been a man she had watched from the corner of her eye, but she never had illusions of anything happening with him. In a short time, she’d let her feelings toward Jordan blossom. But now was the time to call it quits before she got in any deeper with him.
Roxanne crumpled the note in her hand, and tossed it in the wastebasket, ignoring the pang of regret that made her eyes burn.
* * * * *
“I have Mr. Uphouse on line three, Roxanne.” Dorothy sat at her desk, and pointed to the phone when Roxanne turned to face her.
“Did he say what he needed?” Roxanne placed the forms she had just completed with one of their clients in the processing in-basket.
She turned her attention briefly to Linda Rickmeier, a middle-aged housewife who had returned to the workforce after all her children were in school. “Let me know if you have any questions entering the data,” she said to the woman.
Linda looked up from her computer screen and smiled. “I think I’ve got it now, but thank you.”
Linda had been with them for several months now, and Roxanne had to commend Jordan on giving the lady an opportunity, since she had no previous office skills. So far, Linda had proven that she could do the job.
“He asked to speak to Mr. Hall, but when I told him he was out for the day, he asked for you,” Dorothy offered, and Roxanne left Linda’s desk and started for the hallway.
“Okay, let him know I’ll be with him in a moment,” Roxanne said, and left the secretarial pool for her own desk.
The office phone rang again, and Roxanne heard Dorothy answer as she entered Jordan’s office.
“This is Roxanne, may I help you?” Roxanne rubbed her burning eyes. Although the morning hadn’t been busy, she felt she had already put in a full day’s work.
“Hello, good looking,” Roger Uphouse said into the phone. “I sure do admit it’s a pleasure to get to speak with you again.”
Roxanne leaned her head against her hand and closed her eyes. “Well, thank you, Mr. Uphouse. What can I do for you today?”
She knew the man held many accounts with the firm, and she would speak with him many times because of that fact, but she wouldn’t let him feel he had any right to treat her any differently than he ever had.
“Oh darlin’, you know what you can do for me.” Roger chuckled into the phone, and Roxanne felt a headache coming on.
“Mr. Uphouse,” she began.
“Call me Roger, and I apologize.” Roger’s tone softened, sounding almost wounded. “You distract me, my dear. I’m sure you know that, but my reasons for calling are strictly business.”
“What can I do for you?” she asked again, wishing for the first time since her workday had begun, that Jordan was here at work so he could deal with the man.
“I’ve gone over the papers that Jordan left with me after our luncheon the other day,” Roger began. “I admit at the time, thoughts of you had me pretty distracted, but my personal secretary and I have some questions about some of the figures. There are some discrepancies, and I need some answers.”
Roxanne felt her stomach tighten.
Chapter Seven
“Let me pull your account up on my screen,” Roxanne said, as she turned to face her computer. “Maybe I can give you answers now.”
“No. I w
ish to conduct business in person.” Roger used a tone that Roxanne recognized as one of a businessman with power. His words didn’t allow room for argument.
“That’s fine, Roger.” Roxanne did not want to see him again, but she knew he had a right to have his questions addressed as he saw fit. She turned to face Jordan’s desk. “Let me get Mr. Hall’s schedule, and we’ll get you in to see him.”
“Aren’t you qualified to handle my account?” Roger asked.
“Well sure,” Roxanne stopped, just as she was ready to stand, and reclined in her seat again. “I assumed you would want to see Mr. Hall since he handles your accounts personally.”
“If you aren’t qualified to handle my accounts, then of course I will see him.” Roger said through the phone. “But darlin’, I would much rather conduct business with you.”
Roxanne cringed. Jordan wouldn’t be happy if she handled one of his accounts without talking to him about it first.
“Since Jordan isn’t in the office at the moment, I’m sure you and I can set up a meeting time, and I will make him aware that you have questions.”
“You do that, sweetie. I understand your needing to answer to your boss. My flight leaves later today, ah yes, here it is…” Roger hesitated a moment, and Roxanne heard papers shuffling. “I’m leaving town at four this afternoon. How does lunch at that nice club we went to the other day sound to you?”
Roxanne buried her head in her hands when she realized her dreams of a long lunch hour had just gone up in smoke. And to make matters worse, she would need to contact Jordan to make him aware of the luncheon. Regardless of how much she’d avoided having to call Jordan for any reason today, this was business, and the man was her boss.
“I’ll meet you there at noon,” Roxanne resigned.
“Won’t hear of it. My car will be there to pick you up at that time. And you let me handle the reservations, young lady,” Roger said, making the business meeting sound more like a date.
“As you wish,” Roxanne said. “I’ll see you then.”
She hung up the phone and leaned back in her chair, wishing more than anything for the day just to be over.
“Going to lunch with Uphouse, are you?” Ralph Layette stood in the doorway to her office, and Roxanne jumped at the sound of his voice.
“How long have you been standing there?” she countered, frowning as she leaned forward.
“Long enough to hear you making a date with one of our largest clients.” Ralph Layette sounded like a disapproving father, and Roxanne wasn’t in the mood for it.
“Roger Uphouse has questions about his account,” she countered, and didn’t hide the fact that she didn’t like the tone the older accountant had just taken with her. “Now if Mr. Hall was here, he would handle the matter. But as you can see…”
She didn’t get her sentence finished. Ralph Layette entered the office and pointed a finger at her.
“You watch your step, missy,” he snarled, looking like a bulldog as the wrinkles deepened in his forehead. “Jordan may have a soft spot for a pretty smile, but I’m here to let you know I’m keeping my eye on you.”
“You do that.” Roxanne would not be bullied. “And while you’re at it, make sure you keep an eye on the quality of your own work, Mr. Layette.”
Roxanne stood and met the man face-to-face. She would be damned if this old coot would intimidate her. It was bad enough to have to deal with sexual harassment from one of their largest clients, but she would not allow this old fart to make her feel unqualified to do her job.
Layette stared at her a minute longer, then turned and marched out of the office. She heard his office door close, and knew he would sit behind his desk and light a cigar, violating the nonsmoking policy of the building. She had half a mind to arrange for a sprinkler system to be installed in the man’s office. She turned and slammed her hand on her desk, and then brought it to her mouth quickly when she felt the sting against her palm. This was not turning out to be a good day.
* * * * *
Jordan Hall leaned back in his chair and rubbed his eyes. He had been up and on the run since very early that morning, and it felt good to be home, and to just sit.
“Will you be eating lunch here today, Mr. Hall?” Millie stood in the doorway of his den, wiping her hands on a dishtowel.
“I don’t think so, Millie. We had a late breakfast at the business meeting I just finished.” Jordan smiled at the motherly look his housekeeper gave him. “And I might grab a bite to eat later, when Roxanne arrives.”
“How about if I prepare some sandwiches for the two of you,” Millie offered. “Or maybe I could thaw out a couple steaks, and you can show her your skills on the grill.”
Jordan laughed. Millie had nagged him to find a wife as long as she’d been in his service. He knew his over-concerned housekeeper would be underfoot the entire time Roxanne was there if he didn’t give her something to do.
“That would be fine,” Jordan said. “And then, my dear, you may have the afternoon off.”
“Oh, I see how it is to be now.” Millie turned from the doorway, and headed back toward the kitchen. “You think this old woman would eavesdrop if you don’t shoo me away,” she called out.
“Hell yes, you would,” Jordan muttered, stood, and then walked over to the wall-length windows that overlooked his backyard.
As much as he would like to plan his afternoon meeting with Roxanne, Jordan forced his thoughts to the morning he had spent with a potential new client. The Bradfords were old money, generations thick out of New England. Paul and Roberta Bradford had heard of the successful Midwestern broker, and had flown into Kansas City just to see Jordan, and discuss the possibility of him managing a few of their accounts.
“I thought I’d start you out with several accounts I have overseas that are just sitting there,” Paul Bradford had told Jordan over breakfast that morning. “If you do well with them, we will consider turning more over to you.”
It had been worth clearing his morning to spend time with the Bradfords. Jordan had assured the man he could double his money before the year was out. The morning had proven productive, and Jordan had several contracts to drop off at the office. Of course, he had wanted to see Roxanne first thing that morning, since he figured she would have time to cool off, and they could speak reasonably to each other. But there hadn’t been time to do much more than leave her a brief note.
“Mr. Hall, I just noticed you didn’t gather your messages when you got home.” Millie interrupted his thoughts, and he turned around to face her. “I took the liberty of listening to them for you.”
She entered his den, and extended a couple of slips of paper. Jordan reached for them, and glanced at his housekeeper’s neat cursive writing.
“I didn’t realize you weren’t here this morning.” Jordan glanced at the top slip.
He’d forwarded his cellular phone to his home voice mail, so he wouldn’t be disturbed while meeting with the Bradfords. Layette had called and wanted Jordan to return the call as soon as possible.
“I spent the morning shopping for material to make curtains for the back sun-porch.” Millie looked offended. “You said I could decorate the porch any way I wanted, remember?”
“Yes. Of course.” Jordan smiled, and squeezed the plump woman’s shoulder. “Did you find material you like?”
“Oh yes, the perfect pattern.” Millie smiled up at him, and patted his hand as it rested on his shoulder. “Well, there you have your messages. I think your girlfriend is one of them.”
She turned and left his den, and Jordan fished through the slips of paper, until he found the message from Roxanne.
“What?” He almost shouted, and then turned to search for his shoes.
She had left a brief message saying she was having lunch with Roger Uphouse because he had questions about his accounts. Jordan pulled his shoes on and felt his blood pressure soar. Like hell the man had questions about his account. And this was the second time Roxanne had met the man witho
ut Jordan present. She was playing with fire, and Jordan was going to put an end to it here and now. He stormed out of the house without saying a word to Millie.
Jordan’s cell phone buzzed as he backed out of his driveway, and he pushed the button to send it to speakerphone.
“Where have you been?” Layette’s brusque tone didn’t faze Jordan.
“I had a meeting with a new client this morning, old man,” Jordan said, and shifted into gear. “Got to pay the bills.”
“When will you be in the office? We need to talk.”
Jordan drove through his quiet neighborhood, doing his best not to speed. He had no idea what time Roxanne planned on meeting Uphouse, but he had every intention of speaking with her beforehand.
“I’m headed there now. Roxanne and I are going to have a short meeting,” Jordan offered.
“She isn’t here,” Layette said. “Your personal secretary left just a bit ago with Roger Uphouse, and that is what I need to talk to you about. Do you know why she’s meeting with him?”
“Do you know where they were headed?” Jordan didn’t hesitate in hitting the gas as he entered the on-ramp to the Interstate.
“Dorothy would know. But Jordan, there’s something going on here, and I don’t like it.”
“Speak your mind, old man,” Jordan said, and then reached to pull his personal cell phone out of his glove box to call Dorothy and find out where Roxanne went.
Jordan put his speakerphone on mute, and half-listened as he called Dorothy, who informed him that Roxanne had left about half an hour ago to have a business luncheon with Mr. Uphouse. Roxanne hadn’t mentioned where they were going, but had told Dorothy she could be reached by cell phone, if needed.
“I find it peculiar, however,” Ralph Layette said through the speakerphone, “that the files with discrepancies have all been accessed by your personal secretary. And after contacting the banks where the accounts are held, I learn that she has been in contact with all of them. I’m not aware of any policy that gives her liberty to access information on my accounts.”
Torrid Love - Caught! Page 9