Julian (Members From Money Book 31)

by Katie Dowe

  “Want me to spot you a loan?” she asked suddenly.

  “No,” he said firmly. “I refuse to take a loan from my baby sister. I intend to hang on to what’s left of my manhood, if you don’t mind. I never had any ambition like you, sis. I just wanted to go on my way and make a decent living. I guess it backfired on me.”

  “It can still happen for you.”

  “That’s just it. I'm not feeling the urge to make it happen. I just want to be left alone.”

  She hung up with him after a while and stared into space for a second and then turned in.

  Chapter 3

  “He's already here,” Lorna said in a stage whisper as soon as Sydney came in.

  “Already? I thought he was supposed to be here at eleven.” Sydney felt her heart constrict. She'd spent the better part of the morning trying to figure out what to wear and what say to him. She was pretty sure she got the outfit part down to a tee but as for the words, she was still trying to come up with them.

  “He came in early, honey. And get this: Marco's already clearing his things out.”

  Sydney looked at the girl in shock. “I thought he would have gotten more time.”

  “So did I,” Lorna said with a grimace. “He met with some of the tellers earlier and has left the management team for the last. PR has a lot of work on their hands to reassure the public that Midwest is still operating. I'm going in to see him in a little while. Wish me luck.”

  “You don’t need it,” Sydney said faintly.

  “I certainly hope not.”

  *****

  Julian accepted the cup of coffee from the obviously nervous secretary with a nod. He barely looked up at her as he finished reading the reports he'd been handed. The damned place was in a worse mess than he'd originally thought. He was going to have to let go of several people and that wasn't something he wanted to do in this economy. Some of the tellers were obviously skimming and one loan officer had taken out loans in fictitious names. Marco Purcell shouldn't be working in any financial establishment and as for Sydney Manchester, he was going to have words with her. Surely she knew what had been going on. And what was worse was that he'd called and had been told that his mother hadn't been responding to the new treatments. He was frustrated and tired and usually he would bring in his team but he had a feeling that this bank needed his personal touch.

  “Is there anything else?” He looked up with a frown, not having realized that the woman was still standing there.

  “No,” he told her a little abruptly. “How long have you worked here?” he asked her suddenly.

  “Five years, Mr. Gessner,” she said with a glimmer of pride.

  “You enjoy your work?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  He nodded and dismissed her. “Please send in Ms. Manchester.”

  *****

  Sydney deliberately waited before heading in. She was required to submit a report and she finished it up and sent it in as soon as possible. She armed herself with the hard copy and her laptop in case he needed something else. She had several longstanding clients that she'd taken over from Marco and had dealt with them so well that they would see no one else but her. That had to count for something. She made her way to the suite of offices and smiled at Greta as the woman indicated that she head in. She knocked on the door and pushed it open. He didn't look up immediately but was concentrating on something on his laptop. She stood there for a little bit before taking a seat. He looked up then and for a moment his grey green gaze skimmed her face. “Ms. Manchester.”

  “Mr. Gessner.” she responded coolly, trying not to be intimidated.

  He leaned back in the seat and looked at her. “I asked Greta to send you in twenty minutes ago. This isn't a good first impression, Ms. Manchester.”

  “I wasn't trying to make an impression,” she told him in her coolly professional tone, as if dealing with a particularly difficult client. “I was, however, trying to get things finished that you required.”

  He looked at her for a moment as if he hadn't expected her to respond the way she had. “You seem very confident for someone who will likely lose her job,” he said in an ironic tone.

  Sydney felt her heart jump but she was determined not to let him frighten her. “I work very hard, Mr. Gessner. I'm honest, and reliable, and very good at what I do. You would be a fool not to take advantage of that.” The minute the words were out of her mouth she knew she'd gone too far.

  His eyes narrowed as he stared at her and she stared right back. “Several of the employees have been skimming from the pot. Did you know that?”

  Sydney tried to keep the shock out of her expression but never quite succeeded.

  “You didn't know?” his thick dark brown brows lifted. “I thought you said you were very good at your job, Ms. Manchester. Are you still holding onto that?”

  “I am,” she said as she gathered her composure. “I deal mostly with clients and not the staff.”

  “Were you aware that a loan officer was taking out loans in fictitious names?” he asked her mildly. She was genuinely upset but still tried to hide it.

  “No.”

  “I repeat the question: What does that say about the way you do your job?”

  She stared at him for a moment and had no idea what to say to him. She'd read about him and his family and knew that they were experts in finance. He was a whiz when it came to figures and no one could pull one over on him.

  “It says that I've been so busy dealing with the clients we have that I overlooked the fact that there are things going on here that I wasn't aware of,” she told him quietly, her dark brown eyes direct.

  “Why should I keep you on?”

  “Mr. Gessner, I'm not in the habit of begging for my job. I think my performance over the years speaks for itself.”

  He was silent for a moment and his grey-green eyes held hers. He nodded and then looked down at his laptop. “It does.” He leaned forward on his desk. “I'll be sticking around here for a while, trying to streamline things. Midwest Investment Bank has a great deal of potential and we'll be getting back the customers that have become frustrated with the way banking has been done here and have gone over to other banks. I don't like lose Ms. Manchester, and this bank is losing big. We're going to be working closely together to stop the drain.”

  “This means I stay?”

  “Unless you want to leave?” he asked, her his eyebrows rising.

  “This is my bank.” she told him firmly. “I intend to work to get it back.”

  “That’s all for now. Be prepared to work overtime today.” It wasn't a request, it was an order, and she had a feeling that he wasn't even aware that he was doing it.

  “Yes sir!” She couldn't help the sarcasm in her voice.

  He looked at her sharply. “Do we have a problem?”

  “Why should we?” she asked him sweetly as she got to her feet. “Is that all?”

  “For now.” he told her, his expressionless face matching the tone of his voice.

  Sydney left his office and closed the door behind her. She leaned against it for a moment and closed her eyes. That had been something she never wanted to experience again.

  *****

  He was a hard taskmaster and several times during the hours she stayed back she was tempted to tell him to go to hell. He'd rolled up the sleeves of his dress shirt and delved into every single account, making notations at the ones in question. He'd told the accountant in an icy voice that he should get out before he hauled him out and the little mousey man had scurried away.

  “Do we actually get something to eat when we're required to work overtime?” Sydney asked him as she glanced at her watch.

  He looked up at her as if he'd just noticed that she was there. “Order something if you like.”

  “Could we perhaps pick this up in the morning?”

  He glanced at his watch. “I usually work until I cannot go on anymore. I guess I shouldn't expect that from everyone.”

  “I guess
you shouldn't,” she replied coolly. “Whatever needs fixing is going to take time. And we'll back in the morning.”

  He gave her a level stare, which she returned. “You're right. I'll see you in the morning.”

  She got up and looked down at him. His hair was mussed and gave him a strangely endearing look, which she knew was deceiving. “What’s going to happen to the rest of the employees?”

  He looked up at her and his eyes wandered over her slender frame clad in a dark blue skirt suit with a light blue blouse.

  “You'll know shortly,” he told her briefly. “Goodnight, Ms. Manchester.”

  She nodded and left the room, closing the doors behind her.

  *****

  He abandoned his work and leaned back in his chair. He'd been scouring the accounts himself and found several more discrepancies which he was going to have to take up with Marco Purcell. The man was insane if he thought he could have gotten away with everything. His phone rang just then and he realized that it was Lina.

  “I don't want to wonder why you're up at three in the morning,” he said with an indulgent smile. “I hope he'll meet with my approval.”

  She laughed softly. “I wish it was something like that. I had an emergency with the children. Little Luca had a fever that wouldn't go down so I was at the hospital with him and his parents. I take it you're still at work?”

  “Sorting through something.”

  “I'm afraid I've done something that you're not going to approve of.”

  “What is that?”

  “I went to see your mother.”

  There was silence for a moment as he digested that. “Why?”

  “I heard she wasn't doing well and I went to see her since you weren't here. Don’t worry darling, I told her that I was just a friend and that I was checking on her,” she told him softly.

  “You shouldn't have done that Lina.” His voice was stern.

  “You weren't here darling so I thought I should stand in for you. I know I'm supposed to play by the rules but I keep wanting to do something. I was deprived of my father and my mother is dead, I just want to do something.”

  He was silent for a moment.

  “How is she?” he asked her quietly even though he got regular updates.

  She sighed in obvious relief. “She isn't very well darling, and in lucid moments she asks for you.”

  “I'm planning to fly out in the next few days.” He paused. “Thanks Lina.”

  “You're my brother, and the only one I have Jules,” she reverted to her nickname for him.

  “You're right. And Lina?”

  “Yes?”

  “I'm here for you.”

  “I know darling,” she sounded pleased. “Are you going home soon?”

  He laughed softly at that. “In a minute.”

  *****

  Sydney soaked for half an hour to get the weariness out of her bones. She let her fingers drift into the suds for a moment as she thought about work. She was working closely with Julian Gessner, a financial whiz, so she should feel honored to be working with someone like him but she wasn't. He was hard and unfeeling and only cared about getting the work done. She rested her head back against the headrest and closed her eyes. Marco was in a lot of trouble and so were several others. She'd seen the notes he'd made on his notepad where the names were. How could she not have noticed what they were doing, she wondered. She lifted a leg and ran the sponge up and down. She needed a shave, she thought absently. She also needed to get some groceries at the supermarket. And to get laid, the thought popped into her head suddenly, causing her to open her eyes wide. What the hell! She'd been in a relationship right after her father died but had realized that it had been a very bad decision and he wasn't really her type at all. She'd broken it off quickly after that and had poured everything she had into work. She was determined not to be like most women, who entered a relationship just because they were afraid of being alone. She saw what it had done to women she knew and what it was doing to her brother. Her parents had been in love, so much so that both she and her brother had been embarrassed at how much they touched each other. They would kiss and cuddle no matter who was looking and couldn't seem to keep their hands off each other. She remembered watching them at the age of ten and vowing that when she grew up she was going to find a man who loved her the way her dad loved her mom or she would stay single forever. Her best friend had teased her about it but she'd been adamant.

  “Honey love like what your parents have is one of a kind and very hard to find.”

  “Then I'll remain single.”

  “You say that now.”

  Sandra Manchester had told her to hold out for the best. “I want the same thing for you honey,” she had told her daughter gently one night while they were in her bed watching television. Her dad had gone out to get some groceries and her brother with him. “Jack and I have the real thing and I wouldn't exchange it for anything else.”

  “I won’t Mama.”

  With a sigh Sydney got out of the bath and, reaching for the towel, she wrapped it around her and went into the bedroom. She had work tomorrow and for the first time she wasn't looking forward to it.

  *****

  Marco Purcell knew he was in trouble. He hadn't told Sydney the whole truth. He'd used his position as manager to not only support his very demanding wife but also his very demanding mistress. He was being called into another meeting this morning and he was certainly not looking forward to it.

  “What are we going to do?” Alianna whined as he buttoned up his shirt.

  “Maybe you can actually get yourself a job,” he told her coldly as his eyes met hers in the mirror. He'd been a fool where both of them were concerned and he was the one paying for it now. Not only would he lose his job but he was going to have to beg the despicable bastard not to throw him in prison.

  “Why are you mad at me?” she asked with a pout of her red lips. Alianna Purcell had been his childhood sweetheart and he'd been hooked ever since he'd taken her on the football field one night after they'd won a game. She hadn't been a virgin then and he'd heard rumors that she'd done the rounds with some of the guys on the team but he'd been so grateful and besotted that a girl of her beauty wanted to be with him that he hadn't minded then. He'd gotten her pregnant when she was eighteen and had had to marry her. He'd realized after that he wasn't in love with her and neither was she in love with him but it had been too late after that. He'd tried to make it work by taking a mistress but he'd gotten disillusioned with her as well.

  “The house is paid for and we have some money in the bank. We'll be fine if I don’t end up going to prison,” he told her grimly as he knotted his tie.

  “I see that Julian Gessner is very attractive,” she purred as she climbed onto the bed. “Maybe I should talk to him for you.”

  He looked at her distastefully. “You mean spread your legs the way you usually do? I don’t think a man of Julian Gessner’s caliber goes for women like you.”

  He anticipated her response and ducked as she threw the paperweight that was on the side table. It landed with a dull thud on the carpet as he took up his jacket.

  “You bastard!” she screamed.

  “I'll let you know how it goes and if you have to come and bail me out,” he told her sardonically as he left.

  *****

  “Come in Mr. Purcell.” Julian indicated for the man to take a seat. He waited until he was seated before he continued. “I have a feeling that you know why I called tis meeting.”

  “To offer me my job back,” Marco grinned weakly.

  “I'm not in the habit of joking when it comes to money, Mr. Purcell,” Julian said coldly. “The discrepancies go all the way back to three years ago. How do you explain that?”

  “I promise to pay back every cent.”

  “Of course you will,” Julian’s voice was matter of fact, as if they were discussing the weather. “What I want to know is what you did with all that money.”

  “The economy
,” Marco said weakly.

  “You mean Sharona, the mistress you have stashed in that apartment in the city?”

  Marco stared at him mutely.

  “You thought I wouldn't check up on everyone here?” Julian asked, lifting his brows. “I'm surprised that you think so little of me.”

  “I was planning to leave her,” Marco muttered, looking down at his hands.

  “What you do in your personal life is of no concern of mine,” Julian told him scathingly. “But you used this bank as your own personal ATM and for that I am tempted to throw your ass in prison.”

  Marco trembled and clasped his hands tightly in front of him. “I promise I will pay back everything.”

  “Of course,” Julian leaned back and stared at him. “You had your chance Purcell and you blew it. I'm thinking of offering Ms. Manchester your position.”

  “She is more than qualified and she is a very hard worker,” Marco agreed.

  “I don’t need your recommendation.” Julian told him coolly.

  “Of course not.” Marco said hastily. He got to his feet shakily. “I'm going to finish clearing out my stuff.”

  “No hurry, you have two weeks.”

  “Yes, sir,” he bowed slightly and hurried away.

  Julian pressed the intercom. “Greta, is Ms. Manchester here yet?”

  “Yes, sir. I think she's meeting with a customer.”

  “As soon as she's through, send her in.”

  *****

  “I'm sorry to hear that Marcella,” Sydney said soothingly as she came around and sat next to the distraught woman. “What can we do to help?”

  “Stop the sale from going through,” she said through her tears.

  “Your husband's name is the only one on the title so I'm afraid he has every right to sell the place. Have you spoken to a lawyer?”

  “I can't afford a lawyer!” she cried out as she twisted her facial tissue between her fingers.

  “We have an attorney on retainer. I'll speak to him and see what he can offer in terms of advice.”

  “Thank you,” she whispered. She stared off into space. “We've been married for thirteen years and have two children together and now he wants to leave. He said he's tired of our marriage and it's not doing anything for him. He told me he needs excitement in his life and I'm no longer offering that. How can someone who pledged to love and take care of you say something like that?”