“Alright, how can I be of assistance today, Ms. Morrison?”
Maya turns back to face Gilbert Bell as he places the phone down on its receiver. She offers a polite smile and consults the notes in front of her to confirm where she wants to start this interview. He doesn’t return the facial expression, his face staying entirely devoid of emotion.
She had reached out to Gilbert in hopes of hearing about Robbie’s business from a rival. She wants to know what others in the industry think of Robbie and what they suspect. From what she’s heard, there’s no love lost between these two, and no one’s been more vocal of their suspicions against Robbie over the past few years.
Maya can’t think of a better source against a billionaire than a fellow billionaire, and Gilbert’s one of the most successful hedge fund managers in the world. Hopefully, he can help her figure out some of the key differences that could point to Robbie’s fund being a fraud.
“Well, as I explained to your people on the phone…”
“Yes,” Gilbert interrupts. “I understand today’s interview isn’t about me. What could possibly be more interesting that you want to talk about?”
“Robert Locke.”
“I hardly think he’s more interesting than me.” Already losing patience with her, Gilbert stands from his desk and grabs the putter away from the window. “I question how well you know the industry if you’re here looking for flattering quotes to include in your profile of him. Which newspaper are you from again?”
“I’m with the New York Star and I’m not looking for anything flattering.”
“Is someone else finally realizing the emperor has no clothes?” Gilbert asks sarcastically as he practices sinking putts into an overturned coffee cup in the corner of his office. After his years of complaining about Robbie and Merry Men Financial Management, he’s grown bitter and doesn’t believe a reporter’s actually interested in the truth about Robbie.
“In a way.” Maya stomps her foot down on the golf ball as it rolls past her chair, wanting to grab Gilbert’s attention back. “I have it from a very reliable source that he’s under investigation for fraud and before I report, I want to try to understand his crimes from someone else in the industry. To me, your point of view on the matter feels like a helpful and important piece of the puzzle.”
“Well, I’m glad to hear someone else is finally waking up. I’ve been calling him too good to be true for nearly a decade. But after all these years, it can’t be the SEC. Is your source in the U.S. Attorney’s Office or the FBI?”
“I don’t reveal my sources, which is why I’m willing to offer this interview be exclusively on background or fully on the record. Your level of anonymity is completely up to you. Want to help lead me in the right direction or be up front and center in the article that could finally bring Robbie Locke down?”
The loud clang of Gilbert’s putter hitting the marble floor nearly makes Maya jump out of her chair. But as he retakes his seat at the desk, she’s thrilled to see his attention is fully on her now.
“If you’re taking a shot at Robbie Locke, you can’t miss. He’ll bury the Star and your career. Besides, after all these years, I want him to know I’m a part of this, especially if it does bring about his well-deserved downfall. Plus, adding my name to your article will significantly increase its credibility in financial circles.”
“Excellent.” Maya smiles from ear-to-ear. It’s a relief finding someone important to join her side. In addition to her phone recording, she pulls a notebook out of her purse. She doesn’t want to miss anything Gilbert’s willing to give her. “Any opening statement you’d like to make before I start my questions? You’ve made some inflammatory comments in the past.”
“Robert Locke’s returns have been unrealistic over the past decade. Mathematically, there is simply no way for him to generate the results he reports to his investors. The obvious conclusion is that he makes them up.”
“When you say ‘makes them up,’ you’re accusing him of…”
“He’s a fraud,” Gilbert interrupts. “I believe Robbie’s running one of the largest Ponzi schemes the world’s ever seen. He’s Bernie Madoff for a new generation.”
“So, how do you think he’s pulling it off?”
“It’s a Ponzi scheme. He’s stealing his investors’ money then paying them back with contributions from new investors.”
“Yes, but what I mean is, where’s the disconnect between what he tells regulators and reality?”
“Well, as we see time and again, the regulators aren’t very good at doing their jobs. I think the SEC is often compared to a pilot asleep at the wheel. The red flag for me is that he claims his fund does too many different things, and he puts too much credit on his high-frequency trading despite low volumes. No one is simultaneously that diversified but reliant on one revenue stream. He would be spreading himself too thin while putting all the pressure on one department. And we can see from documentation his fund provides, they’re not putting that incredibly unbearable load of pressure on the high-frequency traders.”
“So, how do you think he’s getting away with it?”
“Well, he’s obviously reporting fake trades after the fact. He files documentation saying they bought ten times the shares they actually did, and he changes the purchasing or selling date to create more favorable returns on paper.”
“Is this common industry practice?”
Gilbert gives Maya a funny look and she realizes the question makes her sound inexperienced as a financial journalist. “A quote, for my readers to better understand.”
“No, it’s completely illegal.”
“Do you have any proof?”
Gilbert scoffs in response and she worries her questions are losing his interest again. So, she tries to explain, “the Star’s fact-checkers will ask me when I write about your accusations.”
“I don’t carry proof around with me, but all you need to do is look at the records. He claims to sell almost a million shares of a company on a certain day, but that company averages only slightly more than a million trades each day. When you look at the date in question, there’s no noticeable uptick in trading activity because Robbie never actually owned the numbers he’s claiming to. He might not even be reporting the real day he’s selling his much smaller stake, if he owns any stock at all.”
While Gilbert may not have any proof to help explain his accusations against Robbie, Maya comes prepared for her interviews. As Gilbert explains his theory, she bends down to retrieve a stack of documents from her purse. Dropping them on Gilbert’s desk, he quickly realizes she’s collected all of Robbie’s quarterly reports and SEC filings from the past several years. Flipping through them, he’s taken aback.
“Now, can you walk me through specific examples of trading activity that doesn’t add up?” Maya asks. “I assume your fancy computers will be more helpful than the ones I’m working with.”
Losing track of time, and to the irritation of Gilbert’s workers and lawyer, Maya spends the rest of the day in his office. Together, they pour over all of Robbie’s financial disclosures from recent years and establish a suspicious pattern. Gilbert’s keen eye for the markets and inflammatory quotes help her growing story tremendously.
She knows her article is taking a huge leap forward with this meeting. It might not be enough for the FBI to arrest someone over, but it should certainly be enough for her to print in the Star.
Exiting the Connecticut office building with the sun already setting, Maya’s in an excellent mood. She can’t wait to return to the city for tonight’s date with Robbie.
Chapter Seventeen
Maya has loved Central Park ever since she moved to New York City to attend Columbia Journalism School. It was one of the first places she visited in the city and it quickly became one of her favorite places in the entire world. It’s a large part of the why reason she’s never left.
But she’s never been able to enjoy such a spectacular view of it.
Staying as quiet as possible
, she eases into the large leather chair Robbie has arranged to face the window with a breathtaking view of Central Park. It’s not quite as good as the view from his bedroom, but she managed to work his fancy espresso machine without waking him up, so she doesn’t want the sound of seat cushions to disturb his slumber. She would rather enjoy this view alone with some peace and quiet.
Now, cup of coffee in hand, Maya smiles and admires the breathtaking view.
The sun is only just beginning to rise, beautifully peeking over the skyscrapers and trees on the far end of the park. She wishes the buildings weren’t encompassing it and obstructing the natural light, but she realizes she wouldn’t be enjoying this astonishing view without the same kind of annoying skyscraper. Luckily, she’s in the penthouse and can see over any of the buildings on the other side. It gives her a better view of the sun rising than anyone else would have on the lower floors, if they’re also looking outside right now.
Taking a sip from her coffee, Maya’s pleasantly surprised that she was able to make such a delicious cup. She decides the magic of that fancy machine is worth whatever ungodly price Robbie paid for it.
“Will the paper let you take some time off before the election cycle gets crazy?”
The question catches Maya by surprise and she nearly spills her coffee on the silk robe she’s borrowing from Robbie. She never heard him get out of bed. In her apartment, the creaky old wooden floor would have announced his approach, but this beautiful marble lets him glide around silently.
She puts the cup of coffee down on the side table and turns to face Robbie. She enjoys the sight that awaits her, and she takes a moment to admire his shirtless chest and abs, which complement the messy bedhead look he has going on. Granted, his body compliments any look. With the money he spends on personal trainers and dietitians, plus the POTCH fines he has to pay when he skips any workouts or breaks the diet, Robbie has no reason to not look so perfect. But his hair looks more natural than it normally does and she likes that.
It takes Maya a second to remember he’s asking a question.
“Why would I want to take any time off?”
“It’s my birthday on Tuesday, and we’re having a huge weeklong party at a resort upstate. I’d love for you to join me as my date.”
“Your birthday is on Tuesday?” Maya asks as she does the math in her head. Ralph told her POTCH throws weeklong festivities leading up to their leader’s birthday on the 30th. She had no idea Robbie’s birthday is how the party kicks off.
The realization worries her. How high up in POTCH leadership is Robbie? Is he brainwashed and tricked into following this cult, or is he doing the tricking and reaping the cult’s benefits?
“Why didn’t you tell me your birthday’s only a few days away?”
“I’m telling you now.”
Robbie walks over to join Maya by the windows. He puts an arm around her, leaning on the side of the chair, but she isn’t letting the sunlight on his abs distract her.
“You know what I mean. Most people give more than a few days’ notice for their birthday.”
“I didn’t want you to worry about finding me a gift. I’m a billionaire, Maya. I have everything I could possibly want. All I’m asking for is your presence to celebrate the occasion.”
“And you’re celebrating it for an entire week?” Maya asks to see how honest Robbie’s willing to be with her about the cult.
It takes him a second to answer her question. Weighing his words carefully, he walks away from the windows and turns his espresso maker on to make his own Saturday morning cup. Focusing on the machine gives him an excuse to avoid Maya’s eye contact as she watches his reaction.
“Well, it’s a week of celebrations, but not technically for me. There will be a lot of POTCH members there because Teddy’s birthday is also next week, the thirtieth. So we’ll party in my honor on the first night, then spend the rest of the week partying for the Church.”
“I don’t want to celebrate Teddy. He gives me the creeps.”
She still hasn’t told Robbie about the intrusion in her apartment, but she’s not holding back on voicing her disdain for the bogus spiritual advisor.
“I’m not asking you to come for Teddy. I’m asking my girlfriend to be with me on my birthday.”
Maya thinks the proposal over for a moment. Just the thought of being around Teddy makes her skin crawl, especially the idea of partying with him. But how much of a party can it be if he doesn’t condone alcohol?
Plus, Ralph will kill her if he ever finds out she passed up this opportunity. He can only dream about insider access to POTCH leadership. How can she turn down two men inviting her to the same retreat?
While she doesn’t want to upset Robbie, it’s definitely her career that’s sealing the decision in her mind. An open look at the Church’s inner workings could lead to bombshell front-page stories. Whether the Star is willing to print them or she’s forced to run them elsewhere will be a matter for the future.
The longer she takes to answer the question, the more disappointment and anxiety she can see on Robbie’s face. His somber reaction causes a sharp pain in her stomach. Despite all her concerns and everything her reporting’s uncovering, deep down, Maya still wants to see him happy.
“They’ll never let me take the entire week off. But I can probably snag Tuesday and Wednesday off so I can come up and celebrate your birthday.”
A smile creeps back up on Robbie’s face to replace the anxiety. “Hey, it’s a start.”
Ignoring the espresso machine, Robbie walks back over to Maya’s chair. She can see the enthusiasm on his face. It gives her a sense of relief, knowing Robbie’s hopes aren’t dashed. She stands from the chair and wraps him in a tight embrace. It’s their way of celebrating the decision.
“That sounds like a really fun birthday to me. Next year, after the election coverage is all finished, you can book it off and we can spend the entire week together.”
The pain in her stomach grows worse.
She tries to smile at the plan, but she keeps her arms wrapped tightly around Robbie so he can’t look at her face. Her conscience is gnawing at her, the guilt forcing her to doubt if he’ll be able to have any sort of party in a year’s time.
Next year’s celebration will likely require a creative cellmate in prison.
Chapter Eighteen
Maya’s not exactly sure what expectations she holds for the POTCH retreat, but so far, the trip is surpassing her wildest dreams.
Sitting in the helicopter with Robbie, Teddy, and Jalen, she’s certain they’ll make quite the impression upon arrival. Robbie instructed her to dress elegantly and in all white, so she’s sporting the nicest white dress she owns. Originally purchased for her niece’s christening, it’s slightly less revealing than she normally dresses around Robbie. For once, there’s fabric covering her shoulders with a hemline extending to her knees and a modest neckline. But it’s been a couple of years since she’s worn it, making it tight and squeezing her body in all the right places. Robbie, and any other men she might interview about POTCH, will still have something nice to look at.
Without meeting to coordinate, the white dress matches perfectly with the men in the helicopter. They’re all wearing pristine white three-piece suits. Maya thinks Teddy looks like a cable TV preacher in his suit, but Robbie and Jalen clean up nice. They have more of a Vegas bachelor party look going on.
As the resort appears on the horizon, Maya breaks out into a huge grin. They all do. The secluded resort is unlike anything she’s ever seen before. Built right up against a small mountain, it stretches from one end of the lakefront to the other, almost as far as her eye can see.
With the helicopter approaching to land, Maya discovers that the building is a strangely unique combination. The top part is built into the mountain and resembles a European castle with twin towers jutting up into the sky, while the base looks more like the typical log cabin she would expect to find out in these secluded woods — except it’s th
e largest cabin she’s ever seen, certainly bigger than any typical family cottage. Somehow, the mixture works and creates a beautiful hotel.
A landing pad appears in a clearing near the edge of the lake and they make their descent. It’s Maya’s first time riding in a helicopter and she’s happy for the experience to conclude. The first one to jump out, her legs quickly find solid ground and she takes several deep breaths to fill her lungs with the fresh country air.
Theo’s the next one to exit the helicopter. As he passes, he bumps into Maya forcefully enough that she’s not sure it’s an accident. The hit causes her to lose her balance and she tumbles forward, her nausea only growing worse as she tries to steady herself.
Robbie’s hands are what finally steady her as she feels one grab her shoulder and the other wraps around her waist.
“Thanks for coming with me,” Robbie whispers in her ear.
She likes feeling his body press against hers. It’s helping to make her feel grounded after the bumpy flight. She raises her arm behind her and wraps it around Robbie’s neck to hold him in place. She’d prefer to stay in the open patch of grass than follow Teddy to the resort. With her nausea still present, Maya decides it’s better to not open her mouth, and she only responds to Robbie with a simple kiss on his cheek.
“It’s almost noon,” Jalen says as he rushes past them. “Most people are probably already in there.”
Jalen hates practically everything about POTCH, but he’s always up for a week-long party. It’s been years since he missed a birthday for Robbie, and even a crazy cult can’t keep him away.
“Where are we staying?” Maya asks as Robbie releases her from the embrace. He’s already stepping forward to follow Jalen, forcing her to move on from their clearing. As she walks, Maya tries to keep her eyes firmly on the ground in an attempt to remind her body that they’re safe from the bumpy helicopter ride.
After a moment, Robbie steps back and grabs her hand. She assumes it’s to lead her to the log cabin entrance, since her eyes haven’t been able to find any path in the grass. But a light tug to pull her forward forces her to look up and she realizes Robbie’s pointing to their room.
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