wondering if you could shed some light on something for me.”
“Sure, if I can.” Esther Parks sat and crossed her legs, her short skirt riding up. She smiled at him, making no effort to tug it down.
Adam cleared his throat. “I was checking the employee records against the security clearances and something doesn’t add up.”
“You should ask Sam, she’s the CEO.”
“I would, but she isn’t here today and I need the information. I’m handing the case over to an associate later today.”
“I thought you were handling the case.” Miss Parks frowned, picking at a nail on her right hand.
“I was, but I’m going to be tied up in court for the next week or so. Besides, as I’m Sam’s husband, it’d be less prejudicial if someone else handled it. So if you could help me with this last query, it would be much easier for my replacement.”
Miss Parks nodded slightly, but didn’t look at all happy about the idea.
Adam pointed to a sheet of paper. “These names, Max Holder, Troy Branning and Peter Carter. None of them have the clearance to access the accounts they were in charge of…” He broke off at a knock at the door. “Come in.”
The PA stuck her head around the door. “Mr. Chandler is here.”
“Send him in.” Adam stood.
DI Chandler was taller than he’d imagined, easily over six foot, dark hair, smart suit and tie. He held out a hand. “Tom Chandler.”
Adam shook his hand. “Adam West. This is Esther Parks. She’s explaining the last file to me before I hand the case over to you.”
DI Chandler sat. “Don’t let me interrupt you.”
Adam turned back to Miss Parks. “So, the security clearances?”
“Sam is the only person who could authorize that amount of money to change accounts. The way it works is the accountant in charge of various accounts does the banking and transfers, but Sam has to sign off on them herself.”
“What if she isn’t here? Surely that would just hold things up?” Personally that didn’t sound right, even to him. It was no way to run a banking system. “Who’s the VP? Can’t he cosign off on things?”
“Not always, but in any case, we don’t have a VP.”
DI Chandler straightened in his chair. “You don’t?”
Adam frowned. “So whose signature is this?”
“That’s Peter. He uses his full surname when he signs things—it’s double barreled. Sam didn’t want a VP. It’s almost as if she either didn’t trust anyone or didn’t want anyone to know what she was doing. Peter is acting VP. He was in line for the CEO job until Sam got it.”
“So what’s his full name then?” Adam asked, his pen hovering over the paper.
“Carter-Higgins.”
“I see.”
“He was so mad when Sam got the job instead of him. Swore he’d make her pay, but he didn’t, because she made him acting VP and promised she’d do right by him. Of course, she didn’t have any intentions of doing so. Because if she did she’d have done it by now.”
“Did he say how he was going to get even?” DI Chandler asked.
She shook her head. “No. I need to go, sorry, I have another meeting.”
“Thanks for your help.” Adam stood as she left, then sat down again. “Just make sure you’re available if we need to ask you anything else.”
She nodded. “Of course.”
Adam waited until she’d shut the door behind him, then leaned back in the chair and looked at the police officer. “Like I said, the whole thing is a mess and a lot more complicated than I initially thought.”
DI Chandler looked at him. “I think you should start from the beginning.”
****
Sam struggled to open her eyes. She was hot and kicked off the covers. She groaned and rolled onto her side. Pink wallpaper assailed her. She blinked hard and rolled onto her back again. Oh, that’s right, she was staying at her aunt’s.
“Hey, sleepy head.” Lips kissed her forehead, working down her face to her jawline.
She turned away before he could reach her lips. “Peter,
“Sure, if I can.” Esther Parks sat and crossed her legs, her short skirt riding up. She smiled at him, making no effort to tug it down.
Adam cleared his throat. “I was checking the employee records against the security clearances and something doesn’t add up.”
“You should ask Sam, she’s the CEO.”
“I would, but she isn’t here today and I need the information. I’m handing the case over to an associate later today.”
“I thought you were handling the case.” Miss Parks frowned, picking at a nail on her right hand.
“I was, but I’m going to be tied up in court for the next week or so. Besides, as I’m Sam’s husband, it’d be less prejudicial if someone else handled it. So if you could help me with this last query, it would be much easier for my replacement.”
Miss Parks nodded slightly, but didn’t look at all happy about the idea.
Adam pointed to a sheet of paper. “These names, Max Holder, Troy Branning and Peter Carter. None of them have the clearance to access the accounts they were in charge of…” He broke off at a knock at the door. “Come in.”
The PA stuck her head around the door. “Mr. Chandler is here.”
“Send him in.” Adam stood.
DI Chandler was taller than he’d imagined, easily over six foot, dark hair, smart suit and tie. He held out a hand. “Tom Chandler.”
Adam shook his hand. “Adam West. This is Esther Parks. She’s explaining the last file to me before I hand the case over to you.”
DI Chandler sat. “Don’t let me interrupt you.”
Adam turned back to Miss Parks. “So, the security clearances?”
“Sam is the only person who could authorize that amount of money to change accounts. The way it works is the accountant in charge of various accounts does the banking and transfers, but Sam has to sign off on them herself.”
“What if she isn’t here? Surely that would just hold things up?” Personally that didn’t sound right, even to him. It was no way to run a banking system. “Who’s the VP? Can’t he cosign off on things?”
“Not always, but in any case, we don’t have a VP.”
DI Chandler straightened in his chair. “You don’t?”
Adam frowned. “So whose signature is this?”
“That’s Peter. He uses his full surname when he signs things—it’s double barreled. Sam didn’t want a VP. It’s almost as if she either didn’t trust anyone or didn’t want anyone to know what she was doing. Peter is acting VP. He was in line for the CEO job until Sam got it.”
“So what’s his full name then?” Adam asked, his pen hovering over the paper.
“Carter-Higgins.”
“I see.”
“He was so mad when Sam got the job instead of him. Swore he’d make her pay, but he didn’t, because she made him acting VP and promised she’d do right by him. Of course, she didn’t have any intentions of doing so. Because if she did she’d have done it by now.”
“Did he say how he was going to get even?” DI Chandler asked.
She shook her head. “No. I need to go, sorry, I have another meeting.”
“Thanks for your help.” Adam stood as she left, then sat down again. “Just make sure you’re available if we need to ask you anything else.”
She nodded. “Of course.”
Adam waited until she’d shut the door behind him, then leaned back in the chair and looked at the police officer. “Like I said, the whole thing is a mess and a lot more complicated than I initially thought.”
DI Chandler looked at him. “I think you should start from the beginning.”
****
Sam struggled to open her eyes. She was hot and kicked off the covers. She groaned and rolled onto her side. Pink wallpaper assailed her. She blinked hard and rolled onto her back again. Oh, that’s right, she was staying at her aunt’s.
“Hey, sleepy head.” Lips kissed her forehead, working down her face to her jawline.
She turned away before he could reach her lips. “Peter,
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