Ring of Lies

by Howard, Victoria

  She wanted to disagree, but the morning paper had carried the news that a district attorney in another state had been charged with corruption.

  ‘Are you corrupt, too, Jack?’

  ‘Hell, no, I’m just another patsy being taken for a ride!’

  Grace opened her mouth to say something but was silenced by his dark, angry expression.

  He rubbed his beard. ‘Forget I said that. I didn’t get much sleep last night and it’s been a rough morning. When Parous shows up introduce me as a distant relative or a friend of the family. Whatever he tells you about Elliott’s affairs, act like you already know.’

  ‘I’m not sure I can.’

  ‘Look, Grace, if you want learn the truth about your late husband you have to trust my instincts. If I tell you to do something, you do it, no questions asked. Now, you do all the talking. I won’t interrupt unless I think he’s hiding something or lying, okay?’

  Grace nodded. Her fingers played with the strap of her purse, the only outward sign of her nervousness. The longer the attorney kept them waiting, the more she wished she’d stayed in England.

  Suddenly, the door to the conference room opened. Zachary Parous stepped inside, a manila folder tucked under his arm. He appeared younger than Jack. Tall, athletic-looking, with wide-shoulders and a deep tan, he had blond hair and blue eyes. He looked as if he’d stepped straight out of the pages of a fashion magazine. His suit, like the furniture in his office, hadn’t come from the local K-Mart store. Everything about his appearance shrieked money—from the handmade leather shoes to the heavy gold cufflinks, and designer watch on his wrist.

  ‘Grace, it’s good to meet you. I can’t believe you actually came here and at such a tragic time.’ He took her hand in his own soft, well-manicured one, and held on to her fingers longer than considered necessary. His gaze settled on Jack. ‘And you are?’

  Grace withdrew her hand. ‘This is Jack West, an old family friend. He’s helping me while I’m here in Florida.’

  The attorney eyed Jack suspiciously for a moment, and then took his seat behind the massive desk.

  ‘Daniel always spoke fondly of you, Grace. And I can see why he chose to leave you at home rather than have you travel with him. With such a charming smile, you’d be prey for every beach lothario within a hundred miles.’

  Grace lowered her head, and glanced at Jack from under her lashes. His expression was one of derision, but he said nothing.

  ‘Thank you for the compliment, Mr. Parous. As you know, I’m only here for a few days and I’d like to settle Daniel’s affairs before I return to England. So, if we could get on?’

  ‘Daniel was quite a character, always telling jokes, and a hell of a golfer, too.’ The attorney looked out of the window at the Miami waterfront. Then he looked at Grace without meeting her eyes. ‘Do you play golf, Grace?’

  ‘I wasn’t aware that you knew my husband in anything other than a professional capacity.’

  ‘Daniel and I played whenever he was in town, and had dinner together afterwards. He often talked of you two moving here permanently one day.’

  Grace drew in a breath and tried hard to keep her expression neutral. But the shock of Daniel’s duplicity was hard to hide.

  ‘The purchase of the beach house was the first step in his plans for our future. Unfortunately, he died before he could tell me exactly what they were. My priority now is to ensure that the house is—’

  ‘Sand Dollars, you mean?’

  ‘Sand Dollars?’

  ‘That’s the name of the house.’

  ‘Oh, yes. I forgot. Sorry.’

  ‘You can hardly be blamed. You’ve been through a lot. By all accounts it’s a stunning property, although I’ve only seen pictures. Seems likely you’re a very rich widow.’

  Jack’s temper finally snapped. ‘Mrs. Elliott is here to sign the transfer papers. She didn’t come to listen to you ramble on for an hour in order to justify your exorbitant fee.’ He turned to Grace. ‘Give him the documents.’

  Grace glared at Jack. ‘I apologize for Jack’s rudeness.’ She pushed an envelope across the desk. ‘Inside you’ll find proof of my identity, including certified copies of my birth and marriage certificates.’

  The attorney ignored Jack. He quickly scanned the documents. ‘These all seem to be in order.’ He opened the folder in front of him and spread the contents out on the desk. ‘My assistant has prepared the necessary papers. If you’ll just sign where indicated, I’ll arrange to get them filed with the court.’

  Grace leaned forward and angled the document so that Jack could read it too. She took her time, although the legalese was beyond her comprehension. Under the cover of the desk Jack squeezed her knee lightly. She glowered at him. He ran his fingers down the page to where the address of the property had been entered. Grace gave a slight nod, then lifted the pen, and added her signature.

  The attorney stood and took her hands again, squeezing her them too tightly for her comfort.

  ‘It was really good meeting you, Grace. Sorry to cut this short, but I have some important calls to make.’

  Grace managed a stunning smile before pulling her hands free. ‘Just one more thing—I wonder if you could tell me the name of the bank my husband used here in Miami. I want to set up a checking account so that any maintenance staff I employ to look after the house in my absence can be paid.’

  ‘It’s the First Apopka Bank on the corner of First and Third. If you wait in reception I’ll ask my assistant to call ahead and see if the manager is available.’

  ‘No, that’s okay,’ Jack said. He stood and touched Grace’s elbow lightly, urging her toward the door. ‘We’ll take our chance and see if he’s free.’ He cast a glance over Grace’s drawn face as they strode down the hall to the elevators. ‘Feel up to visiting the bank, or have you had enough for one day.’

  ‘I’ll cope. The sooner I learn the truth, the sooner I can go home and get on with my life.’ The warmth of his hand seeped through the fine silk fabric of her jacket. She felt her pulse leap, and a shiver run down her spine. The attraction she’d felt for him six months ago was still as strong. She let out a long breath and stepped away from his body.

  The elevator doors opened. Jack pushed her inside. ‘The house belongs to you now, but what if Daniel bought it with dirty money? What will you do then?’

  Suddenly angry, her head snapped round. ‘You mean illegally? I don’t know. I hadn’t thought about it.’

  ‘Maybe you should.’

  ‘Why are you so sure that Daniel was involved in some form of criminal activity?’

  ‘Instinct. Gut feeling. Call it what you like, but something tells me your late husband’s business dealings were less than honest. How long were you married?’

  Scowling, she shifted the strap of her purse on her shoulder. ‘Ten years, why?’

  ‘And in all that time Elliott never talked about his work?’

  Tension vibrated through Grace. It took all of her willpower to remain calm. ‘I’ve told you. Daniel never discussed his work or clients with me.’

  ‘So you keep saying. But can you prove it?’

  ‘I… no.’

  ‘You may have to.’

  Ever since the solicitor had revealed the contents of Daniel’s will the fear had been building. She fought the panic bubbling within her chest, but even so her breath hitched.

  ‘You’re scaring me, Jack.’

  ‘Good.’

  ‘I had nothing to do with it, remember?’

  ‘I believe you, but others in authority might not. In fact, they probably won’t. Let’s hope Daniel didn’t use money he scammed from his clients.’ The elevator doors glided open. He let go of her arm. ‘Come on, the bank is this way.’

  Downtown Miami bristled with life. Office workers mingled with tourists, newspaper and street vendors. Buses battled with taxis, cars, and delivery trucks in a city where every building appeared to touch the sky.

  Grace felt overwhelmed. She had nev
er been comfortable in big cities. To her they were places she visited to shop for that special occasion dress or a trip to the theatre, but she could never live in one. She matched her stride to Jack’s, and kept close to his side as he zigzagged his way in and out of the pedestrian circus. The hot, moist air felt oppressive, and overhead storm clouds gathered. She wondered whether they were about drop their contents on the city or on her.

  The First Apopka Bank was situated in an older, brick building, and at only five storeys high, it was dwarfed by the skyscrapers on either side. Distinctly Spanish in design, the ornately carved façade reminded her of buildings she’d seen in Seville on the only occasion she’d accompanied Daniel on a business trip.

  She tilted her head. ‘What happened here? Did the city run out of steel and glass?’

  Jack grinned. ‘Give it another few years, and some crazy architect will tear it down and put up another glass monstrosity.’

  He held open the swing door and allowed her to pass. Rather than take their place in the line of people waiting to be served by the tellers, he steered her toward an advisor sat at desk on the left hand side of the banking hall.

  Grace paused to catch her breath, the feeling that Jack was about to be proved right, that Daniel had been embezzling his clients, was stronger than ever. She swallowed hard, lifted her chin, and stepped up to the desk.

  The dark-haired young woman in a smart grey business suit and crisp white blouse, turned away from her computer screen to study them.

  ‘Hi, there. My name’s Tracy. Please take a seat and I’ll be with you in a moment.’ She tapped away at her computer keyboard for another minute until satisfied with the entries she’d made.

  ‘So what can we do for you, Mr. and Mrs.?’

  ‘Jack isn’t my husband, he’s just a friend.’ Grace answered quickly. ‘I’m Grace Elliott. My late husband held an account with your bank.’

  ‘I’m so sorry to hear about your loss,’ Tracy said, with the appropriate sadness. As quickly as she manufactured the condolence, she snapped back into business mode. ‘How can we help you today?’

  ‘I wish to transfer his account into my name. I have the necessary documentation, a copy of his will, my birth and marriage certificates, along with a copy of the death certificate, to prove that I’m entitled to contents of the account.’

  ‘And to any safety deposit box Mr. Elliott had,’ Jack added.

  Tracy swivelled her chair and fixed her gaze on him, then turned back to Grace.

  ‘You’ll need to speak to someone more senior. I’m not authorised to deal with such matters. I’ll see if someone’s available.’ She picked up the phone and punched in a few numbers. The brief conversation was held in hushed tones.

  Almost immediately, a short balding man with spectacles approached the desk.

  ‘Mrs. Elliott, it’s good to see you again,’ he said, and shook her hand warmly. ‘Come into my office.’ He turned on his heel and strode towards a door at the rear of the bank.

  See you again? Grace’s knees buckled. She stumbled, and would have fallen had not Jack’s arm circled her waist, and pulled her to her feet. She bit down hard on her lip, lest the scream that was bubbling inside her should escape.

  ‘What’s going on, Jack?’ she whispered. ‘I’ve never met this man before.’ She took a deep breath punctuated with several even gasps, and clung to reality, praying she wouldn't betray her shock.

  ‘I think I know what it means. Stick close to me, I’ll explain later.’

  Grace stared at him, speechless. Just thinking about all the lies and deceit made her feel physically sick.

  ‘Can you hold it together for a bit longer?’ Jack asked.

  Her voice wobbled. ‘I think so.’

  He let her go. His thumb skimmed her cheek as his fingers brushed the hair back from her face.

  ‘Remember what I said earlier about going along with whatever you’re told?’

  Grace forced a smile and gave a tense nod of her head.

  The bank official held the door to his office open, and motioned them inside. As she entered, Grace squinted at the name badge on his lapel. She settled into the chair nearest to the large oak desk, and rested her hands in her lap.

  ‘Forgive me, Mr. Cody, if I seem forgetful. It’s been a difficult time.’

  ‘I understand. You have my condolences on your loss. Your husband’s account shows a healthy balance. My assistant will prepare a duplicate set of statements for you. Do you plan on keeping funds here or would you prefer to transfer the balance to your bank in England?’

  ‘I’m not sure. My plans are fairly fluid at present.’

  ‘In that case, why don’t we set you up with a checking account and bankcard? I see you have a house on Gasparilla Island. Will you be staying there?’

  ‘Oh… yes. Of course.’

  ‘That’s fine, then. We’ll show that as your residence. That way you’ll have access to your money while you’re stateside. Then, at a later date, if you decide that you want to transfer the money into some other account, it’ll be easy.’

  ‘That sounds reasonable. Did Daniel have an ATM card, only I didn’t find one among his effects?’

  ‘We issue all our customers with an ATM card.’

  ‘What about a safety deposit box?’

  ‘If your husband owned one, it wasn’t with this bank. We don’t have that facility here. Now, if you’ll just sign these forms, Mrs. Elliott, I’ll take care of everything for you.’

  ‘I’m staying at the Island Palm Hotel here in Miami, just for a few days. If you could direct any correspondence there, I would be grateful. Of course, I’ll be in the house in a week or two, I’m sure. Just not today.’

  ‘I see.’

  ‘I mean, I’ve only just arrived and—’ Jack nudged her knee with his. She got the message. ‘I’m sure you understand.’

  ‘Of course. Thanks for dropping by today. You’ll be hearing from us.’

  Grace shook hands with the banker, and then she and Jack left. They had only walked the length of one block when he pulled her toward the window of a jewellery store.

  ‘If you’re expecting me to buy you a Rolex in return for all your help, forget it,’ she said, scanning the price tags on the skilfully displayed watches. ‘They are way out of my price range.’

  ‘Just pretend to be interested.’

  ‘Why?’

  ‘Because the plate glass makes a good mirror and I want to check out the guy who’s following us.’

  ‘We’re being followed?’ More surprised than frightened, she started to turn.

  His hands clamped around her upper arms. ‘Don’t turn around. Point something out to me, as if you want me to buy it for you.’

  Grace tilted her head and pointed to a ladies watch with a mother of pearl face. ‘You’re sure someone’s watching us?’

  ‘I’m sure. A man wearing dark glasses, black jeans, and blue shirt followed us from the attorney’s office to the bank. He got into the teller line. When we left, he was standing next to the newspaper stand outside. He’s not too careful about blending in. A pro would have changed his appearance, different jacket, a hat, glasses—or switched places with a partner.’

  ‘It could be just a coincidence.’

  ‘I doubt it, but there’s only one way to find out.’ He glanced at her feet. ‘Those shoes make your legs look great, but can you run in them?’

  Grace shot him a withering glance. The navy blue Italian leather shoes with four-inch heels were new. ‘Run? In these, in this heat, are you serious?’

  ‘Yep.’ Jack looked in the window. Their tail had crossed the road and was standing at the edge of the sidewalk talking into his mobile phone.

  ‘These cost me all of two hundred dollars.’

  ‘Then take them off.’

  ‘You’re mad.’

  ‘Very probably, but sometimes it’s the only way to stay alive. Listen carefully. Act as if we’re having an argument, then walk away as quickly as you can. Do yo
u think you can find your way to the parking lot?’

  ‘I think so.’

  ‘Okay.’ Jack slipped the keys to the SUV into the palm of her hand. ‘I want you to go there and lock yourself in. If I’m not there in ten minutes, drive until you see a cop and tell him you were followed. I’ll catch up with you as soon as I can.’

  ‘But—’ She stared wordlessly at him, her heart pounding.

  ‘No buts. Now do what I told you to do.’