“No shit!” Now, this is interesting! Lynn loved solving puzzles, especially with accounting fraud cases. She had worked with numerous clients who had employees embezzling but had not worked with money laundering since she graduated. Interest sparked, she set her coffee cup to the side, leaning forward. “Tell me more!”
Nancy laughed and shook her head. “I just knew this would continue to capture your attention.” She flipped through several papers in the file on her desk and said, “Okay, here’s what Sally thinks. One of Errol’s good friends owns the Smoky Casino and Resort right over the state line in North Carolina, at the edge of the reservation. Up until she found out about Errol’s extracurricular activities, the only vice she knew of was he occasionally gambled. But he claimed he never gambled much and told her it was just to support his friend. It didn’t appear to be an addiction and since he won as often as he lost, she wasn’t concerned. But, when she started looking a little bit harder at the business accounts, she thinks he may be laundering money through the casino to keep it from showing up on the business books. That way, he’s not having to pay taxes on it, not having to report it to the IRS, therefore she never sees it. So, if they split their finances in a divorce, there’s a ton of money he has hidden that she would never get.”
“Can’t she go to the authorities with her suspicions? Since his business is in Tennessee and he’s possibly laundering money in North Carolina, the FBI could be involved.”
Nancy’s hair swished over her shoulders as she shook her head. “She’s not interested in that. At least not until she has more evidence.” With palms facing upward, she sighed. “Sally knows that if her husband’s been doing something illegal, with her name on the business papers it could look as though she’s been part of the money laundering or complicit. All of their assets could be frozen, and she can still walk out of the divorce with nothing. She doesn’t want to be part of any illegal activities, but she refuses to let him hide away some of their shared assets. She needs to know what she’s up against. She needs someone to look over the books, find out what is legally coming in and what might be illegally flying under the IRS’ radar.”
Her mind already racing with ideas, she nodded. “I can understand that. So, you’d like me to look over the business books and give her an idea if and how much money is being skimmed off, right?”
Nancy nodded with enthusiasm. “That’s exactly what she wants.”
“Well, if she wants to get the financial reports to you, then I’ll take a look at them. It will be unofficial, of course, but at least I can point her in the right direction. She can hire my firm to—”
“Actually, she doesn’t have the wedding chapel’s financial reports. Not the real ones that her husband hides from her.”
Blinking, Lynn leaned forward in her chair, her hands lifting. “Then how am I going to be able to take a look at them?”
“Well, I was hoping that you would be willing to engage in some sneakiness to obtain them.”
Her eyebrows lifted to her hairline as she jerked her head back slightly. “Sneakiness?”
Nancy had the good grace to blush and dropped her gaze to stare at the papers she fiddled with on her desk. “Yeah… kinda sneaky.”
Lynn said nothing, staring at her friend. What on earth is she concocting? Deciding to stay quiet until Nancy began talking, she leaned back and crossed her arms over her chest. Nancy huffed, and Lynn was reminded of all the times when they were younger and Nancy’s schemes almost got them in trouble.
“Look, it’s not like we’ve never been sneaky before. Remember when we were in fifth grade and had different teachers and always managed to ask for bathroom passes at the same time so that we could talk? Or when we peeked in the window of our high school English teacher to see her kissing the PE teacher? Or when we would follow Nolan around to try to find out who he was interested in—”
Throwing up her palm toward Nancy, she halted her litany. “Okay, okay, I get it. Yes, we’ve been sneaky before. But why do I get the feeling that what you’re going to ask me to do is beyond regular subterfuge and possibly involves something more nefarious?”
“Look, it’s not illegal for us to get our hands on the wedding chapel’s financial records. After all, Sally is a co-owner of the business and has a legal right to those records. She’s going to permit us to obtain those records in any way we see fit and then follow the trail of money wherever it leads. Legally, she can do that without her husband’s permission.”
“So, she wants us to get our hands on the records instead of her giving them to us.”
Nodding, Nancy grinned. “Exactly!”
Lynn thought for a moment, pondering the implications. Finally, shrugging, she said, “Well, you’re the PI. You get your hands on the records, and I’ll take a look at them.”
“Um… well, that’s where it gets a little complicated. I can’t exactly sneak in. I’ve done some PI work in the area, and I’m afraid they might recognize me. What I need is someone who can get inside the business to get the records.”
Lynn opened her mouth to argue, but Nancy jumped in, cutting her off.
“I know it sounds weird, but I was hoping you could go in as a potential bride who’s checking out the place, and perhaps, if someone was with you who could keep an eye out, then you’d be able to grab a copy of the records. Sally claims everything’s kept on his computer in the office.”
Air left her lungs as she exhaled, but she forgot to inhale again. Finally, sucking in a deep breath, she tried to clear her mind. “Nancy, this is the most harebrained scheme you’ve ever come up with, and you’ve come up with some doozies before!”
“It can work. You’ve told me yourself that it’s easy to get financial records off the computer and only takes a few minutes.”
“Yes, but I don’t know anything about how to get into a place unseen and undetected! That’s not legal! I’m not going to lose my accounting license so she can get her husband’s ill-gotten gains!”
“Sally is giving us legal permission to go into the business and get the financial records. Plus, it will be virtually no risk because I’ll pair you with someone who will handle doing everything needed except for you getting the records. He’ll figure out what to do. Plan everything. They’ll make sure you get in and out with no problem.”
“Girl, this sounds like you’ve created a recipe for disaster.”
Shaking her head, she said, “No, actually, this is going to be a mission planned to precision.”
“So, I’m supposed to go in and pretend to be a bride?”
“Yes, and the person you go in with will be your pretend groom. You look around, you get the lay of the land, and then he’ll figure out how to get you into the office to obtain the records.”
“And if we get discovered and they call the police?”
“Believe me, the person who’s going to help you would not be involved in anything illegal. Remember, Sally is a co-owner of the business and is giving you written permission to go in. Granted, she’s not telling her husband ahead of time, but she’s still permitting you to get those records. Plus, let me just add that Sally Hightower is willing to pay a huge sum for us to do this. She knows her husband is probably making millions, and she is more than willing to make sure we’re well compensated for helping her get her due.”
That gave Lynn pause. Her business was certainly doing well, but it was sporadic, and she was still paying student loans while saving for a house. Nibbling on her bottom lip, she thought how nice a fat paycheck would be. Sighing, she finally nodded. “As long as it’s not illegal, and I’ll have written authorization from Sally that says I can get the records just in case we get caught and someone tries to get me arrested, I guess I can do it—”
“Yay!”
The cheer from the doorway caused both Nancy and Linda to jump as Rita popped into the room, her hands clapping and her face bright with excitement. “I’m so glad you said yes! I think this is going to be perfect!”
Unc
ertain why Rita would be so excited for her to take on this scheme, Lynn shot her gaze over to Nancy.
“Mom, you’re a little premature. I haven’t finished letting Lynn know the whole plan.”
Lynn swung her gaze between Rita’s beaming face and Nancy’s tight smile. “Um… the whole plan? Who’s going to go in with me?”
The buzzer from the front door rang. “Mom? Nancy? Are you guys back here?”
The deep voice coming from the front of the office echoed down the hall, causing Lynn’s stomach to plunge. Oh, no! No way!
“Back here, dear!” Rita called out. She beamed toward Lynn as she stepped to the side and Nolan’s presence filled the doorway, his gaze landing on hers.
Nancy, her gaze cautious, piped up from behind her desk. “Lynn, meet your undercover groom.”
4
Nolan slid into the booth opposite Lynn, wondering why he ever gave in to Nancy’s scheme. One look at Lynn’s tense, tight-lipped face and it was not hard to imagine that she was wondering the same thing.
Lynn Cox. Damn, she’s grown up! She had been pretty at sixteen but was too damn young for him to go there at the time. I had certainly noticed, but the difference in our age was the difference between legal and going to jail! After she caught him off guard by kissing him, he’d acted badly by setting her back and growling that the kiss wasn’t happening. He didn’t see her again until he came home for Nancy’s high school graduation two years later. Even then it was from a distance and she was swallowed by the unshapely graduation gown. Now, almost ten years later, she was a knockout. Dark, shiny, mahogany hair that hung below her shoulders. Her porcelain complexion was highlighted with a touch of makeup, expertly applied. Not as tall as Nancy, she was definitely petite, with curves in all the right places.
Dressed professionally, her skirt may have skimmed her knees but cupped her ass perfectly, something he had noted when walking behind her as they entered the diner. Her blouse was pale pink and made out of a soft, shiny material, giving her professional clothing a decidedly feminine touch.
The one thing that had always given Lynn an otherworldly appearance was her eyes—pale blue. They reminded him of a children’s book about elves his mother used to read to him and Nancy when they were little. The pictures in the book were so like Lynn. Hell, if she was anyone else, I’d see if she was up for a quick fling before I go back to my team.
A waitress came by, her gaze barely passing over Lynn but snagging on him, jerking him out of his perusal and the ridiculous train of thought. She popped her gum, then grinned widely. “Hey, sugar, what can I getcha?”
He and Lynn grabbed the plastic menus sticking up between the condiments on the table, Nolan pretending great interest in what the diner had to offer. Refusing to look at the waitress, he kept his gaze on Lynn. “Do you know what you want?”
She startled at his words, her gaze lifting to his before jumping back to the menu. “Um… a chicken salad sandwich and iced tea.”
“Chips or fries?” the waitress asked, cocking her hip as though she were in a hurry even though the diner was almost empty.
“Fries, please.”
Not giving the waitress a chance to speak to him further, he said, “I’ll have the same.”
She turned and flounced off, and he reached over to take the now fully-perused menu out of Lynn’s hands. Placing them back between the condiment bottles, he noted her clasped her hands together on the tabletop.
“It’s nice to see you again, Lynn,” he began. “It’s been a long time.” Her gaze jumped up to his, and a pink hue rose from her neck to her forehead. It was hard to not imagine how far down her chest the delicate blush extended.
Her gaze darted back to her clasped hands, and she cleared her throat. “Yes… um… yes, it has been. I kept up with you through Nancy. I mean… not kept up with you like I had to know what you were doing. But she would talk about you. And then, of course, I’d listen. I mean, I’d listen to anything she said, not just about you. But when she would talk about you, then I… um… knew you were doing well.”
Before he could think of anything to say to her rambling greeting, she propped her elbows on the table and dropped her head into her hands and moaned.
“I can’t believe I agreed to do this. I can’t even have a normal conversation. This is going to be such a disaster.”
Seeing her distress, he reached over and placed his hand lightly on her arm. “Yeah, I kinda had the same reaction.”
Her head jerked up, her eyes seeking his. “Really?”
“Absolutely.”
He held her gaze and watched as uncertainty moved through her eyes, quickly followed by suspicion.
“I want you to know that I had no idea she was trying to pair us together for this scheme. I know I’m the last person you’d want to—”
“Whoa, wait. Me thinking this is a bad idea isn’t personal, Lynn. Honest. I’m just not sure how to make it work.”
She sucked in her lips, thoughts moving behind her eyes. Nodding slowly, she said, “So, I know you’re a SEAL. I’m assuming this isn’t your typical mission.”
He barked out a laugh, and a smile slipped over her face. Surprised at how good it felt to laugh, he said, “No, this isn’t my typical mission. But how hard can it be, right?”
“I have no idea, Nolan. What Nancy’s asked us to do is so far out of my realm of comfort. Now that I’m sitting at the table with you, I think it was only a lapse of sanity that allowed me to agree.”
“Wouldn’t be the first time somebody has accused me of doing something that wasn’t very sane.”
She cocked her head to the side and stared for a long, silent moment. He fought the urge to squirm under her perusal. Finally, she said, “Well, you’re supposed to be the one to plan what we’re doing. I don’t know anything about this other than if I can get into the office where the computer is, I should be able to make a copy of the financial records.”
They were interrupted as the waitress served their food. Plopping the dishes rather unceremoniously in front of them, she turned her attention back to Nolan. “Anything else you want, sugar? Anything at all, you just call for me.”
Ignoring her once again, he glanced toward Lynn, whose eyes were pinned on the back of the waitress.
“Are you okay?”
Blinking, she blushed again and turned her attention to her plate. “Yeah, fine.”
For several moments they ate in silence. It didn’t take long for him to demolish his entire sandwich and fries then look up to see that Lynn had finished, leaving half of her meal. Swallowing, he nodded his head toward her plate and asked, “Are you done?”
“I’ll get a box to take the rest of this home.” She wiped her mouth delicately with the napkin, then took a long sip of iced tea. Settling her gaze back on him, she said, “So, our plan?”
Following suit, he pushed his plate back and finished his tea. “We’ll need to do a little research into the Cupid of The Mountains Wedding Chapel… Jesus, what a fuckin’ stupid name!”
A delightful giggle erupted from her lips, and he watched her face light with mirth and her blue eyes held him captive. Her beauty struck him in the gut right before it struck him in the crotch. Damn, this could get complicated. Giving his head a quick shake, he gritted his teeth. No, no! I will not let this get complicated! He shifted uncomfortably in the seat, trying to ease the blood rushing to his cock.
“Are you okay? I know Nancy mentioned you’d had surgery recently.”
Guilt hit him as he saw the concern in her eyes. “Yeah, yeah. Just a… um… twinge, that’s all.”
“Well, let me know if you don’t feel like doing this now. I’m sure Nancy will understand.” Her hand reached out toward his arm, then halted before she jerked it back.
It was obvious that the elephant in the room about their last encounter was going to have to be dealt with, but he figured now was not that time. Forcing his thoughts back to the matter at hand, he said, “No, this is good. No time like th
e present.” Watching her shoulders relax, he continued. “I had a teammate that got married last summer at a large venue, and he talked about the number of trips they made to meet with all kinds of wedding… people.”
Laughter met his ears, and he watched as her eyes shone. “Wedding people? Probably caterers, florists, wedding planners, photographers, videographers, venue renters, bartenders, DJs. And that just starts the list.”
Grinning as well, he shook his head. “Shit, no wonder getting married isn’t high on my list of things I want to do.” As soon as his words were out of his mouth, the smile dropped from her face and he wished he could jerk the words back.
“Yes, well, marriage certainly isn’t for everyone.”
“I… um… yeah.” Sucking in a deep breath, he continued. “Anyway, what I meant was that unlike a wedding like what my friend was planning, these quick-marriage chapels are probably not used to couples coming in very often.”
“Oh, okay. So, we need to plan on going in just once to get the lay of the land and then go back in for the actual wedding to get what we need?”
“Exactly. I briefly took a look at their website already, and I know that some people just walk straight in off the street and can get married.”
Her nose crinkled. “They don’t need all the legal paperwork?”
“Tennessee is considered to be a marriage-friendly state.”
Lynn snorted, then immediately slapped her hand over her face. “Sorry! I wish I could learn to laugh delicately, but when I’m surprised, it always comes out as a snort.”
Shoulders shaking as he laughed, Nolan said, “Thank God! I was sitting here thinking you were perfect, so it’s good to find out that you’re not.”
The color drained from her face right before two bright pink spots appeared on her cheeks. Her gaze dropped down to her hands, and he could have cursed himself for saying something that made her self-conscious. Jesus, this is a verbal landmine! “Listen, Lynn, I—”
Hot SEAL, Undercover Groom (SEALs in Paradise) Page 3