Promised Box Set

by James Kipling

  It was almost 4:30 thirty when she woke from that dream. Not all of the dream was untrue. It was her way of dealing with what was going on around her. He was gloating as he held her heart up like he’d won a prize. He’d broken her heart before. She still wondered why her faceless David turned into Lucas. Maybe it was because, in a way, they were both thieves.

  She grabbed a cup of coffee before heading out the door at about half past five. No one else was awake except Lizzie who expressed surprise when she entered the kitchen and made her own coffee. She drank the hot liquid in a few gulps and then headed out the door.

  Given that there was next to no traffic at that hour in the morning, she made it to the office before six o’clock.

  After discussing her approach with Mason, they agreed he would come on board as her special assistant. This would give him access to company files he wouldn’t otherwise be privy to. Maybe the real culprit, Allan Peters, would show himself soon.

  She organized an emergency staff meeting for that afternoon with the managers for each department. Aiden came in around seven, earlier than necessary, to catch up on the backlogged accounts. Zoe gave him a heads up on what they were planning and asked him to do his best to cooperate. It was during their discussion over coffee that Aiden disclosed his findings from when he started working with the company.

  “Why didn’t you tell me this before?”

  He was sitting across the huge mahogany desk from her. His eyes took on a deep-sea blue as he talked. It was amazing how they changed shades with his emotions or mood. Zoe was growing distracted by them so she took the opportunity to look into her coffee mug.

  “Your father asked me to keep it secret until he could figure out what was going on and I didn’t want to point fingers without proof.”

  “You still should have told me,” she insisted.

  “Would you have believed me? Wouldn’t it have seemed like I made up the whole thing to cover my tracks?” he asked with raised eyebrows.

  “You have a point,” she shrugged. “However, how do you know I wouldn’t have given you the benefit of the doubt?”

  A knock sounded at the door and her secretary announced her father was there to see her. Steve walked in with Mason and they each pulled up chairs near the desk. Aiden was about to get up when Zoe stopped him.

  “No, stay,” she commanded gently, motioning for him to return to his seat. She was about to introduce Mason when he reached over and greeted Aiden. “You two know each other?”

  “We met the other day,” Mason answered. “He came by to see Steve.” Mason added when he saw Zoe’s knitted brow.

  Steve observed a difference in Zoe’s demeanor and attributed it to her acceptance of Aiden’s innocence, yet there remained an underlying tension he couldn’t quite figure out. She’d started dating Lucas again, much to his chagrin. He believed that both Mason and Aiden were more desirable candidates for his daughter’s affections but everything was, of course, up to her. Whomever she chose would be fine with him, so long as it wasn’t Lucas.

  It didn’t matter that Lucas was the son of his best friend; the boy had no ambition. With a college degree and plenty of capability, he had no inclination to work. Steve had no desire for a son-in-law like that. As far as Steve was concerned, Lucas was an unreliable playboy who wanted nothing more than to live wealthily though he’d never worked a day in his life.

  “Daddy?” Zoe’s voice penetrated his thoughts.

  “Yes,” he answered, not sure what she’d said before.

  “The meeting, today. Are you free?”

  “I’ll clear my schedule. I want this taken care of before my New York trip, so I’ll be here.”

  “What trip?” Zoe asked. She felt so out of the loop with her father lately. She’d been so busy taking care of the accounts and learning the business she had failed to get involved in the actual running of the business.

  “There is a small company I’m taking a look at. Nothing is set yet, but if all goes well I’d like us to do a merger or a buyout. They’re looking to expand in a new direction and are pushing for a merger while I’d rather buy them outright so we’re both still weighing our options and looking for areas of compromise. It would be great practice if you close the deal”

  “But Daddy…” she began to protest. Handing her a merger so soon made her nervous.

  “You’ll be fine. I’ll be with you. I’ll take care of the preliminaries, but let’s clear up this mess first, shall we?”

  The implications of money problems hadn’t leaked to the media yet but it was only a matter of time and the four of them discussed what to do when it did. It was decided that no one would willingly talk to the media should they get wind of it. Mason suggested that while they would leave the media out officially, a newspaper article profiling the company might help to flush out the embezzler.

  The manager’s meeting was set for two o’clock that afternoon where the audit would be announced and Mason, in his capacity of Zoe’s assistant, introduced. There would be no mention of the missing funds until the audit was complete. All managers would be required to submit copies of their departments’ annual reports, which they should all have on file.

  Mason brought them up-to-date on what he had found so far and asked that Aiden help him dig deeper into the old company records, being more familiar with the details of the accounts involved. What he’d found were checks written to companies that fell under the umbrella of Globex Corp. These companies were supposedly charities and software companies, which when traced, did not exist. During the last ten years, Globex Corp had changed both its name and owners a few times. The names listed as owners of Globex Corp belonged to former Dunmore Corp accountants, which was likely why they hadn’t thrown up any red flags within the system. That was strange enough. There were several members listed for the Board of Directors for Globex but those people were dead, and had died before Globex’s recorded founding.

  The child companies were purported to be foundations that monitored different charities. The checks would go into the foundations, which would then distribute the money among the different charities. To cover their tracks, there were a few verifiable charities in the mix. Mason believed these had been created by the same person in order to throw off anyone who might start digging. So far, he could not find any trace of Allan Peters outside of Globex and these charities. He was beginning to believe the man didn’t exist in the flesh.

  All the transfers to Allan Peters were to offshore accounts. Mason had found one in the Cayman Islands, another in Rio de Janeiro, and a third in Panama. There was no way Mason was going to get more detailed information from offshore banks, so he was stuck. His next best solution was to do a private financial check of each of the employees at Dunmore, starting with the ones who would have access to company assets.

  Steve warned that Mason should be extremely careful not to let on what he was doing or it could cause serious legal repercussions for the company. It occurred to Zoe they could let the managers think the audit was related to the pending merger or buy out.

  “That’s a great idea,” Mason agreed.

  “I don’t know. I didn’t want word to get out about a deal that isn’t finished yet,” Steve said warily.

  “Daddy, it’s just the cover we need. Running an audit without reason will only cause suspicion.”

  Steve fell silent. He took a moment to assess the situation. He really wanted to close this deal before his competition could catch wind of what was happening. However, cleaning up internal affairs had to take priority.

  “Okay, but let the managers know the deal in progress is hush-hush and anyone speaking out of turn will face consequences,” he requested and everyone agreed.

  Negotiations hadn’t started yet so there may be nothing to worry about. If all went well, he would see the transaction completed before the end of the year and he could retire at last. By then, Zoe would have learned the ropes and taken over fully.

 
By the time their meeting was over it was almost eleven o’clock.

  “Now that matters are settled, let’s go have lunch. We should be back before your two o’clock meeting,” Steve suggested.

  “Why don’t we?” Mason added.

  “Sorry, I have plans,” Zoe apologized.

  She had agreed to have lunch with Lucas to make up for the movie they’d missed. He said he had a surprise for her and insisted they have lunch. She would have preferred lunch with her father, Mason, and Aiden but she’d already promised and hated breaking her word, even if it was only Lucas. The few times they’d been out had allowed her to forgive him for the way he’d treated her but had also more certain that getting back together with him was not something she wanted to do. She just had to find the right way to tell him. Perhaps, lunch would provide the opportunity she needed.

  Mason followed Steve to his office. Zoe asked Aiden to remain a moment so she could talk with him about his role in the matter.

  “While Mason does his thing, I need you to keep an eye on everyone in your department. If you notice anything suspicious, let me know.”

  “Yes ma’am,” he replied.

  “Stop calling me ‘ma’am’,” she chided.

  “Yes, Miss Dunmore.”

  “It’s Zoe. Call me Zoe.”

  Aiden smiled and for a moment their eyes locked. He’d never met someone with such energy before. She looked at him so intensely, he felt like he couldn’t breathe. He remembered the day at the lake when she jumped into the water after him. She had thought something was wrong but he was only playing a prank on her. When she started to sink to the bottom he acted quickly and gave her mouth-to-mouth, something he’d learned from his father when he’d first started taking him sailing.

  Her green eyes had popped open and stared intently at him, much like they were doing now. He couldn’t look away and he saw her grow red before she broke the spell. He felt awkward but there was something about her that pulled him in.

  Zoe wasn’t unaffected either. Aiden’s blue eyes captivated her. When their gaze met and held she had to force herself to look away as hot blood rushed up her neck and into cheeks. It was embarrassing because she knew he saw it. Her pale skin always gave her away.

  Clearing her throat she continued the conversation. “You told me you found something fishy with the books when you started working here.”

  “Yes. I think that’s why Steve hired me,” he said.

  “Yes, you told me my father knew. What did he know?”

  Aiden hesitated before answering. He wasn’t sure what he should say to her. “I think… I think he knew I wasn’t the first accountant to be framed.”

  “We know that. Mason found the evidence. This person obviously didn’t hide himself or herself well. Why wasn’t this taken care of before? Why didn’t Daddy commission an audit ages ago?”

  “I think he wanted you to deal with it.”

  “But why?” she contemplated. It wasn’t really a direct question but Aiden felt compelled to answer.

  “He probably had a suspect in mind and thought it was best you handle it,” Aiden wasn’t making much sense.

  “If he already had a suspect, wouldn’t it have been easier to deal with him? Who did – or does – my father have in mind?” she asked pointedly.

  He looked away before responding, “I’m sorry. You have to ask your father about that.”

  Aiden had an idea of who the embezzler might be and why Steve – if they did suspect the same person – would want to be completely sure before taking action, but Aiden declined to say anything lest he be placed in a more complicated situation.

  For the rest for the afternoon Zoe decided to concentrate on who might be behind the missing money. Mason recommended they use a reputable firm such as Deloitte and Touche, and while the audit was conducted, Zoe decided to continue her own investigation. She had solicited Aiden’s help in finding past employees who had left abruptly and with little or no explanation.

  Her lunch with Lucas went well, but her mind was on other things and her earlier intention to break things off with him once and for all was forgotten. She found herself thinking of Aiden while she was with Lucas and it annoyed her. His voice kept playing in her head. There was something about the way Aiden said her name that stayed with her.

  Lucas noticed her distraction and inquired after what was bugging her. She told him it was work without giving him any details. She didn’t feel it was appropriate to share company secrets with him. He had never showed any interest in the business so he would be of no help. Their relationship had not gotten back to the point where she was comfortable confiding in him anyway.

  Lucas dropped her off back at the office and she found flowers waiting on her desk. If nothing else, the man could occasionally be thoughtful, a romantic. She was pressed for time and set the note aside to read after the two o’clock meeting. She left the flowers sitting on her desk.

  * * * *

  There were six managers, eight supervisors, Mason, and Zoe in the meeting. They all took the news of an audit well enough; they weren’t thrilled but no one seemed particularly troubled by it. Hearing the company may merge with or buy another company caused a bit more of a stir and an audit now seemed like a necessary intrusion.

  After everyone was gone, Mrs. Henry stayed back to wish her and the company every success with the merger or buy-out. She seemed a little nervous and beads of sweat formed on her forehead. When Zoe asked if she was all right, she said she was fine and departed rather quickly. Zoe found it strange. She’d known the woman since she was a little girl and her behavior was unusual.

  Uncle David had been silent throughout the meeting and kept looking at his watch. He appeared worried about something but rumor was his wife was having an affair so it was probably related to that. As soon as the meeting was over, he left in a rush. Zoe sincerely hoped the rumors about Barbara Warner weren’t true.

  Chapter 9

  David Warner had hired someone to tail his wife and take pictures. He wasn’t really a private investigator, just someone with talent who needed the money. When he called, Zoe was in the middle of saying something about a company buyout and that’s where his memory of the meeting ended. The young man had called to tell David that he needed to meet him ASAP to see what he’d found for himself. He was tempted to leave before the meeting was over but thought he needed to show some support since it was Zoe’s first official Managers’ Meeting.

  He drove to the Hilton and took the stairs because the elevator was taking too long. Room 245 was what the man said. He never forgot numbers. Numbers were what he lived by. David took a deep breath and knocked on the door. There were voices but no one answered so he knocked once more.

  “Who’s there?” a male voice asked.

  “Room service.” That should do it, he thought, but was wrong.

  “We didn’t order anything,” the voice said.

  “Compliments of the hotel sir,” David replied in his best camouflaged voice.

  After a few seconds the door swung open and a petite blond woman stood in the doorway. The shock was visible on her face as she stared into the dark pools of her husband’s eyes. She wore nothing but a towel and her hair was messy. David lifted his eyes to look past her. There was a man, much younger than his wife, standing beside the rumpled bed in his boxer shorts.

  “David!” she screeched. Her pale blue eyes widened and her skin turned white.

  David was a tall man, around six feet. He seemed to grow a few more inches as he towered over her menacingly in the doorway. His handsome features distorted with anger but he said nothing. Swallowing hard, he stepped into the room and looked around. The man beside the bed stepped back nervously and the back of his knee hit the edge. He almost fell but caught himself against the nearby nightstand.

  David took in the man’s dark hair and hazel eyes. He couldn’t be more than thirty, uneducated probably, but certainly good-looking. He looked like
a jock.

  “David,” Barbara called quietly but he ignored her as he continued to size up her lover. The man winced as David took another step into the room. Barbara remained by the hotel room door. “David, please,” she continued to plead.

  Without another word, he turned and walked out the room, slamming the door behind him. He didn’t know what it was he was feeling. He’d cheated on Lucas’s mother with Barbara and this was the result. He’d married her after his wife left him. He thought he could make Barbara into a respectable wife. It had taken a while but he took his son’s mother to court and won full custody, declaring Barbara would be just as good a mother to Lucas.

  After everything he’d done for Barbara, she cheated on him. The only thought in his head as he drove home was to make sure she left the marriage the same way she came into it: with nothing. He’d see how long she lasted without his money.

  David was so preoccupied he hadn’t seen the black sedan that had followed him to the hotel and he didn’t notice it tailing him as he drove home. It was Thursday and late enough to justify not returning to the office. If he had to tell Steve what had taken him out of the office, he would do so, but given the rumors he knew were circulating he was pretty sure Steve would be too polite to ask. It took ten minutes to get from the hotel to his Oak Valley home.

  One of the best architects in Silicon Valley had built the contemporary style home. It was large with both a swimming pool and a recreation room. Out back was a multipurpose court for basketball or tennis. His family wanted for nothing. His son was worthless and his wife a slut.

  The remote garage door yawned open, welcoming him. He saw Lucas’s car in its place and smirked. Lucas had gone to one of the best schools in the country and still had no direction in life. David dropped his car keys on the side table near the entryway and went to the bar to pour a scotch. The liquid warmed his throat as he swallowed.