Читать книгу: «Caught!: Taken! / Say Yes», страница 2

When their mother had died, leaving Wade alone, he’d made the effort to find Dillon, wanting him at the funeral, wanting to become a part of his life.

At the time, Dillon had just finished a stint in the military. He’d been living the life of a loner, independent of everyone, even his father, with no clue as to where his mother had gone or what she’d been doing, and not particularly interested in knowing. He certainly hadn’t heard that she’d remarried and birthed another son. All his father had ever told him was that she hadn’t wanted either of them, and that as soon as she could, she’d abandoned Dillon. She’d turned her back on both of them, and that said it all. They’d never talked about her; given the circumstances, it hadn’t seemed necessary.

Women had come and gone in their lives while Dillon was growing up, but none of them had been all that important. His father’s relationships never lasted; women were just a necessary convenience for him.

Though he and his father were close, Dillon had never really understood his attitudes on some things.

Discovering he had a brother had taken him by surprise, but he liked the feeling of having someone around who would depend on him, who wanted to be close to him. He’d never felt the need to bother his mother with his presence, but she’d given him a brother and for that he was grateful.

Dillon took over the chore of helping Wade financially through college. He’d given him advice and concern in addition to loans. After eight years of keeping in touch and visiting whenever possible, they’d developed the kind of blood bond his father had always lectured about. They were brothers, and that counted for a lot.

Dillon stripped off his shirt, then dropped onto the couch, propped his feet on the edge of the battered coffee table and downed his cola in one long gulp.

Wade shook his head. “Look at you! What the hell is wrong with that woman? Why doesn’t she want you? I’d give my right ear to have a body like yours.”

Dillon choked. “For Christ’s sake, Wade, get a grip, will you?” He was well used to Wade’s misplaced worship. He’d been putting up with it since the day they’d met, but he still wasn’t comfortable with such open adoration.

“It’s true,” Wade persisted. “All the women at the company want you. The secretaries, the managers, every one of them! As long as I worked there, I never saw anything like it. The female corporate employees are usually so reserved, all buttoned-up businesswomen. Kelsey was the only one who ever paid me any mind. The rest pretty much ignored me. But they all gawk at you, and whisper behind their hands. Even Laura Neil, which is nothing short of a miracle.”

“Why do you say that?” Dillon was aware of Laura’s attention, but it had never felt particularly complimentary. More like wary curiosity.

“Since Cliff took notice of her, she hasn’t left his side. She acts like a lapdog.”

Dillon scowled at his brother’s insulting reference to a lady. “Maybe she’s just dedicated.”

Wade snorted. “We used to have a thing going, you know. Before I met Kelsey. After we broke up, Cliff promoted Laura to personal assistant. I know he’s not really interested. For him, her new position is just a convenience, keeping her close at hand.” Wade said it with a sneer, emphasizing his dislike of Cliff Johnson. “Laura hopes he’ll marry her, but it’ll never happen. Maybe she’s realized it, and that’s why she’s looking at you now. But then, as I said, all the women look at you that way. Kelsey told me some of the women even made bets about who would get you first.”

Dillon could only stare. “I don’t know about any bets.”

“Trust me, the women know.” Wade frowned in thought. “It’s strange that Virginia is totally immune.”

“She’s not immune.”

“Maybe Virginia’s just not…you know.” He bobbed his eyebrows suggestively. “Maybe she doesn’t prefer men.”

Anger surged through him, but he managed to restrain it. The explosive reaction didn’t make sense, and he buried it deep, along with all the other confusing emotions he’d experienced tonight, thanks to one Virginia Johnson. “She likes men. There’s nothing wrong with Virginia except that she’s been given free rein too long. That and too many men wanting her money and not her.”

“Not exactly a tough one to figure out.” Wade’s tone dripped with sarcasm. “Her money is the only appealing thing about her. My position in accounting only put me in direct contact with her a few times, thank God. She scared the hell out of me. With that razor-sharp tongue of hers, she could shred a man to pieces. Besides, she behaves like a dictator.”

Actually, Dillon thought, fighting the urge to strangle his brother, Virginia’s tongue was soft and tentative and inquisitive. At least when a man took the time to kiss her properly. He had the impression not many men had, and that caused him to feel a certain degree of possessiveness toward her, when he had no right to feel anything at all.

“So what are you going to do now, Dillon?”

“I’m going to wait. She said she’d make a decision this week sometime.”

“Kelsey is going to be so disappointed if I don’t get this settled soon. She’s anxious to move out of the house, to get away from Cliff. She’s been biding her time with school and volunteer organizations, but she’s miserable.”

Dillon shook his head. He’d met Kelsey several times at the company and because of Wade’s infatuation he’d paid attention. In Dillon’s opinion the woman was a spoiled brat. From what he’d learned of her through subtle queries, both Virginia and Cliff doted on her and tried to protect her from the world. Being the youngest, she’d taken the deaths of her parents the hardest. She was the type of woman Dillon avoided, the type who expected to be coddled and catered to. She knew nothing about coping with real life.

But then, Wade wasn’t exactly a model of maturity himself. “You sure this is what you want, Wade? We could still try to fight this in court.”

Wade shook his head, frustration apparent in his every feature. “There’s no way to get Cliff to drop the embezzlement charges. He’s set me up for a reason, and he’ll have no qualms about putting me away for good. I don’t know what evidence he’ll come up with, so there’s no way I can fight it, but Kelsey said he’s really confident, bragging about nailing me red-handed. So whatever it is, it’ll be solid. He’ll be sure of that.”

Many times, Dillon had considered just beating the hell out of Cliff. It would give him no end of pleasure, yet it wouldn’t solve the problem in the long run. Dillon needed to find out what trumped-up evidence Cliff planned to use against Wade. Short of that, he had to find a way to force Cliff to drop the supposed “investigation.” If it hadn’t been for Kelsey, Wade wouldn’t have known of the setup until it was too late. Thankfully, Kelsey had learned of her brother’s plan and told Wade.

As yet, no legal charges had been filed, but Wade had been discharged from his position without pay or benefits while Cliff gathered together his evidence. Once the officials got involved, it would be too late. Time was running out.

Cliff was a powerful man and diffusing this situation wouldn’t be easy. Dillon had to pull off a tricky unauthorized private investigation. He had to go through files he had no right to see, search records that weren’t his to search and still find a way to keep his own butt out of jail. To do it, he needed Virginia. He didn’t want her hurt, but she’d have to be the sacrificial lamb; it couldn’t be helped. There was no way to switch course now.

He’d ridden some tricky fences in his day, but this was turning out to be the worst.

Though he already knew the answer, Dillon couldn’t stop himself from asking, “Are you sure Cliff wouldn’t change his mind if he knew Kelsey was pregnant?”

“Ha! Are you kidding? He’d probably forget handling things ‘legally’ and just take out a contract on me. He thinks she’s way too young to get married.”

Dillon hesitated, then leaned forward, propping his elbows on his knees. “You know, Wade, he wouldn’t be entirely wrong. Kelsey is only twenty-two, and you’re not much older. Marriage isn’t something to be rushed into.”

Wade stiffened and his hands fisted. “She’s pregnant, Dillon. Am I supposed to abandon her now? I know from experience that a woman raising a child alone doesn’t have an easy time of it. The baby deserves a father, and Kelsey deserves a husband.”

“There is that, I suppose.” Actually, Dillon wished they’d both shown a little more responsibility and not gotten into the situation in the first place, but rehashing that issue wouldn’t help now.

Wade began to pace. “It’s not like Kelsey is a child. It’s just that she’s the only family Cliff has. He’s very protective of her, and you know my background isn’t something to excite a prospective brother-in-law. No man is good enough for Kelsey, but I want a chance to try.”

Dillon made a sound of disgust. He hated hearing Wade harp on his unfortunate childhood. So he and their mother hadn’t been rich. Dillon and his dad hadn’t exactly lived a life of luxury, either. If anything, they’d lived a life of stealth.

None of that came out of his mouth, though. Instead, he heard himself say, “Cliff has Virginia, too.”

Wade shook his head in dismissal. “They’re not at all close. Virginia is too damn difficult. You know how she always bosses Cliff around. After their parents died, Virginia just took over. He despises her for it.”

Dillon suspected that Virginia had taken charge because no one else could. Cliff certainly wouldn’t have had the smarts to keep things together. And Kelsey had been a mere teenager. Gritting his teeth, Dillon snarled, “If Virginia means so little to him, then why does he worry so much about who she sees?”

Wade shrugged. “I should think he’d be glad to be rid of her. Most men would be. I suppose Cliff worries about someone marrying Virginia for her money—and her shares in the company. From what I’ve heard, a few men have tried that tactic, but Cliff doesn’t want to take any chances on losing the little control he has.”

Dillon surged to his feet. This night wasn’t improving with conversation and he needed time alone to put things in perspective. He couldn’t allow himself to feel protective of Virginia; he needed the ruthlessness his father had taught him. He needed to be able to do the job, without emotional involvement. “Go home, Wade. I want to get some sleep, and it isn’t safe for you to hang around here for long. If anyone finds out we’re related, the whole plan is ruined.”

“I know. And I’m sorry. But I just couldn’t wait.”

“You’re going to have to wait from now on.” He spoke sternly in the way he knew commanded attention. “Don’t come here again. Do you understand?” He waited until Wade nodded, then he added, “I’ll get in touch with you when I find out something.”

Reluctantly, Wade turned away. “All right.” He walked to the door and then paused. “You know how much I appreciate all this, don’t you, Dillon? I didn’t have anyone else to turn to. The one lawyer I spoke with was useless. He said the company probably wouldn’t press charges because they’d most likely want to avoid the scandal and the possibility of being discredited in front of their shareholders. If it was anyone but Cliff, I’d agree. But he won’t be happy just firing me. He wants to ruin me completely. Kelsey and I didn’t know what to do. Against Cliff’s money, I didn’t stand a chance. He’ll be sure to have the best lawyers around and they’ll make mincemeat out of me. I’d already be in jail and Kelsey would have to raise our baby alone. Cliff would have given her a hard time over the scandal—”

“Enough already, Wade.” Damn, but the rambling melodramatics were enough to make him sick. Wade had missed his calling. Instead of becoming an accountant, he should have joined the theater. Still, Wade was his brother, so Dillon forgave him his shortcomings, just as he hoped to be forgiven for his own. “I told you I’d take care of things and I will.”

Wade nodded once more, sent his brother a shaky, endearingly familial smile, then left.

Dillon locked up the apartment and turned out the lights.

When he was finally alone with his thoughts, he wondered if he was doing the right thing. Maybe he should have tried to raise enough money to get good legal representation for Wade. Not the low-rate lawyer Wade had spoken with, but a sharpshooter who could match Cliff’s. Dillon had property in Mexico he could have sold. That would have meant starting over, but then, he’d started over many times. He liked his home, but there were higher priorities to consider; he had to think about his father, too.

His dad lived with him now, and Dillon didn’t want to uproot him. His father wasn’t a young man anymore, and he had a few health problems thanks to the hard life he’d led.

Besides, if Virginia had been a typical female, this whole thing would have been simple. But no, she had to be difficult and unique and a pain in the backside. He’d never known a woman like her.

Naked, he slid between the sheets and stacked his hands behind his head. It was dark and cold and snowflakes patterned his window, making the moonlight look like lace against the far wall. He wondered how Virginia would react when she realized his sole interest in her was her personal files. He wondered how she’d react to the news that her twenty-two-year-old pampered baby sister was pregnant and wanted to marry Wade, a man accused of embezzlement, a man with a less than sterling background. A man related to him.

Most of all, he wondered how Virginia would react when she found out he wasn’t the wimp she assumed him to be. Would she cry with hurt? He closed his eyes at the vision and shuddered with reaction.

Whatever she did, it wouldn’t be the expected. There wasn’t another woman like her anywhere, and she had the knack of keeping him on his toes. She wouldn’t make his job easy.

But he’d bet his last breath she’d make it interesting.

chapter 3

DILLON WAS IN Cliff’s office when Virginia rushed in two days later. Lounged back on his spine in a casual sprawl, his legs wide, he made her forget why she’d wanted to see Cliff in the first place. Virginia noticed how the soft, worn material of his dark jeans cupped his heavy sex. His hands rested over a taut flat belly and his shoulders stretched the pressed material of his dress shirt. His hair hung to his shoulders, his collar was unbuttoned and his sleeves were rolled up. Her gaze traveled over him until she met his eyes. She shivered.

He looked totally relaxed, but his brown eyes were alert. She loved it when he acted so defiantly arrogant for her brother’s sake. It made him look sexy and sinful and her heart immediately picked up rhythm.

She forced her gaze to where her brother sat behind a massive desk. One concern was replaced with another.

“What’s he doing here, Cliff? Has there been some kind of trouble?” In the normal course of his job, Dillon didn’t have much call to hang around Cliff’s office.

Cliff glared at her—a look to which she was well accustomed to. “He’s my head of security. Why shouldn’t he be here?”

She strolled across the floor, trying not to react to the almost tactile sensation of Dillon’s eyes on her as he tracked her every step. Propping her hip on the edge of Cliff’s desk, she asked, “Are we considering making some kind of adjustment or improvement? Is that why he’s here?”

Cliff slammed down the pen he’d been doodling with. “Damn it, Virginia, don’t you have a diet class or something to go to?”

That hurt. Her weight had always been a problem, but it wasn’t something she wanted to discuss in front of Dillon. Usually the clothes she wore were loose enough so as not to accent the more obvious trouble spots. Today, her simple wool tunic over matching slacks worked wonders—or so she’d thought. Now she was uncomfortably aware of the width of her hips, the weight of her breasts, the roundness of her belly and thighs. She wanted to escape both men’s scrutiny.

She lifted her chin. Low blows were a specialty of Cliff’s. She should have become immune to them by now.

She didn’t dare glance at Dillon. She didn’t want to know what he thought of her brother’s comment or, at the moment, what he thought of her. “I’m a busy woman, Brother, but I think I can spare some time to see what you’re screwing up now.”

Cliff snarled, almost ready to explode. At the last second he pulled himself together and sent Dillon an exasperated look of shared male insight, as if to say, Women. Virginia stiffened. Fighting Cliff had become a way of life, both in business and in her personal pride. “You do remember, don’t you, Cliff, that any decisions have to go through me first?”

“How could I forget with you forever shoving it in my face?”

“So?” She waited, and finally he turned a sheath of papers toward her.

She studied the new property sheets for a moment before commenting. “The Eastland project.” She ignored Cliff’s surprise. He should know by now that there was no facet of the business she wasn’t fully aware of. The company was her life, the only thing she was truly good at. She wouldn’t let anything slip by her.

She approved the idea of expansion by purchasing the retail property in Eastland. Once the new expressway was built, the mall would flourish. Time and invested money were all they needed, and Johnson’s Sporting Goods had both. Their expansion would add new life to the floundering area, drawing in other retailers.

“Actually, it looks good. Send some copies to my office today and I’ll let you know later exactly what I think.”

Through gritted teeth, Cliff told her, “Everything has been worked out. The security upgrades have even been tested and approved. I planned to work out a deal today.”

“No. Not until I’ve had more time to study the cost sheets. There’s no rush. It takes time to—”

Cliff shoved back his chair and stood. Startled, Virginia glanced up. He was practically seething, his hands curled into fists at his sides.

“There’ll come a point, Virginia, when you push me too far!” He turned to Dillon and barked, “Be upstairs in the conference room in ten minutes.”

He stormed out and Virginia was left there with her mouth hanging open and an uncomfortable silence disturbing the air. It wasn’t like Cliff to put on such a display in front of employees.

Without really wanting to, she looked over at Dillon. He hadn’t moved. He seemed unperturbed by Cliff’s overreaction, but his dark eyes were cryptic. She tried a shaky smile. For some stupid reason she felt defensive. Having the world know her own brother reviled her had the same effect as being nicknamed “Chubby” in grade school.

“Well, I certainly pushed the wrong buttons this morning, didn’t I?” she said, relying on flippancy to save her pride.

Dillon narrowed his eyes. “Or the right ones.”

“What does that mean?”

“Why do you deliberately provoke him, Virginia?”

She pushed away from the desk and started for the door. Discussing family business with employees—regardless of how gorgeous they might be—wasn’t done. Still, she couldn’t resist one righteous parting shot. “I have as much right to know what’s going on in this company as he does. Or more so!” When she turned, Dillon was right behind her. She gasped, took a step back and hit the door. She hadn’t even heard him move.

He took another step closer, looming over her. His fingers touched her chin; his dark gaze touched everywhere else. In a rumble, he whispered, “There are gentler ways for a woman to get what she wants. Especially from her own brother.”

For one instant she felt frozen by his touch. Her stomach curled and her nipples tightened into sensitive peaks. Then she shook her head. “So I should play meek and mild just to placate Cliff? I don’t have a meek or mild bone in my body. I thought you understood that, Dillon.”

He didn’t smile. “Are you going to make time for me this weekend, Virginia?”

“Are you being pushy?” she asked automatically, still stinging from her brother’s remarks.

To her disappointment, he backed down, both physically and mentally. For a single heartbeat, he looked frustrated, almost angry, but he took a safe step away from her and shook his head. “No, of course not. I’m just…anxious.”

If he was really anxious, he’d insist she make a decision, she thought. But then, it wasn’t fair of her to try to force her own dominant spirit on him. She went on tiptoe to kiss his chin. “I need to be here Friday for a meeting, but I can take off Thursday.”

His gaze heated. “What time?”

“Whenever you like. You tell me.”

Without hesitation, he said, “Early. We could spend the entire day together. The waiting is just about killing me.”

After her brother’s crack about her weight, Dillon’s obvious desire was a welcome balm. She pressed closer to him for a kiss and felt his large hand cup her backside, gently squeezing. With her brother’s comment still lingering fresh in her mind, she was uncomfortable with the touch and stepped away. His gaze searched her face, questioning, and she tried not to blush.

Other men who had come on to her had been discreet with their touches, never venturing so boldly in broad daylight as Dillon seemed prepared to do. In thirty years, she’d had two lovers, and they’d both made it a practice to have sex in the dark and under the covers, which suited her just fine. The entire experience had always been rather nice. Safe and predictable and uncomplicated. The sex itself hadn’t been spectacular, but the sharing, the holding and touching had comforted her in a way nothing else could.

She hoped Dillon wouldn’t prove too difficult about the arrangement. Surely he’d be satisfied with proper bedroom convention.

“This isn’t exactly the best place, is it, Dillon?”

At first he didn’t answer and her heart raced in both dread and anticipation. He shook his head. “No, it isn’t. I’m sorry.”

Virginia sighed. “Since I know you’re worried about appearances, we’ll meet in the mall parking lot by my home. That way no one will see us leaving.”

“Can you be ready at six?”

“That early?”

His tone dropped to a husky rumble. “It’ll give us more time together.”

“All right, then.” She smiled. “Where did you want to go?”

Dillon hesitated, then touched her cheek again. “Why don’t you let me take care of that. It’ll be a surprise.”

“Hmm. A secret?”

He nodded. “What did you need to see Cliff about?”

She stared into his eyes, amazed by the mixed messages there. Hunger, but also…regret?

“Virginia?”

“What?”

He laughed, a low, rough sound that made her belly tingle. “You rushed in here to see Cliff, but got sidetracked. Was it important?”

“Oh.” She paused. “Oh! Damn it, I needed to talk to him. Something’s wrong with my car. I wanted to use his.”

“That’s not a problem.” He dug in his pocket and pulled out a large key ring, then unhooked one gold key. “Here. You can use the company car. I left it in the garage, lower level, personnel entrance. But what’s wrong with yours? Maybe I can help you with it.”

“I’m not sure.” Virginia accepted the key, feeling awkward with Dillon’s concern. She wasn’t used to anyone asking after her in such a solicitous way. For as long as she could remember, she’d taken care of herself. “Something’s wrong with the brakes. I started out of the parking lot, then remembered some papers I needed on my desk. When I went to put on the brakes, they felt sluggish at first, not really catching, and when I pumped them, the pedal went all the way to the floor. I ran into a guardrail.” She scowled, thinking of the damage that had been done to her bumper. “It’s lucky I found out they weren’t working before I tried to leave the garage. You know how the exit ramp slopes down right into the main road.”

“And into heavy traffic,” he added in an ominous whisper. Dillon’s brows were lowered and a muscle ticked in his jaw. Suddenly, his arms surrounded her and he gave her a tight squeeze. With his mouth against her neck, he murmured, “You could have been killed.”

Pushing herself away from his hard chest, Virginia laughed, trying to make light of his reaction. “Nonsense! It wasn’t all that dramatic or life threatening, I promise. I’d barely gone three feet before I found out they weren’t working. But I do intend to give my serviceman a piece of my mind. I had my oil changed not two weeks ago and he told me he’d topped off all the fluids.”

Dillon bent to press his forehead to hers. “I’ll take a look at it. You…might have had some damage to the brake lines.”

Virginia shook her head. “Dillon, looking after my car isn’t part of your job and not at all a necessary part of our relationship. Besides, I already called the tow truck. I can take care of myself, you know.”

He looked as if he wanted to argue, but held his tongue. In this instance, Virginia appreciated his restraint. She liked her independence and wanted no infringements on it. She smiled her approval. “You know, it’s too bad I have to check in here Friday morning.” She smoothed her open palm over his wide chest and sighed. “I think I’d like a lot more time with you, truth be told.”

His slight frown and the darkening of his eyes were confusing. He reached around her and opened the door, suddenly in a hurry to leave. On his way out, he muttered gruffly, “Save your wishes for something important, honey. You never know when you might need them.”

She wondered what he meant, or if he’d meant anything at all. Dillon was an elusive man and most times she wasn’t at all sure how to take him. But she did feel certain about one thing. She would definitely enjoy her fling with him.

“DON’T EVER SPEAK to me like a lackey again.”

Cliff whirled around and stared. Dillon closed the door quietly behind him and stalked forward. He knew he wasn’t precisely angry at Cliff, at least not over anything new. But he made a fine target. And right now, Dillon needed an outlet.

He hadn’t reached Virginia’s car before it was taken away, but he’d still had his suspicions confirmed. Someone had cut her brake lines. Reddish brake fluid made a large puddle where her car had been parked. This was no mere leak.

Cliff backed up two steps before he caught himself. “What are you talking about?”

Dillon flattened his palms on the highly polished table and leaned toward Cliff. “Don’t give me orders. If you want to meet with me, say so, but don’t get pissed off at your sister and then bark at me.”

Cliff tried a show of umbrage. “Now, see here…”

“I’m a damn good employee, Cliff. I’ve upgraded your entire security system and saved you a bundle in the process. I’ve found glitches most men would never have noticed. That’s my job and I do it well. But I don’t need this job and I don’t need to be talked down to. Understand?”

Dillon was pushing it, but Cliff seemed to gain more respect for him every time he asserted himself. Unlike Virginia. It made sense to Dillon. He’d be damned if he’d want some marshmallow in charge of protecting the interests of his company. Not only was Dillon in charge of securing the actual property against theft, both at the offices where Cliff and Virginia worked and at the retail outlets, but he evaluated the security potential and estimated costs of future retail sites. He also oversaw the personal security for employees, including the boss. Johnson’s Sporting Goods wasn’t a nickle and dime operation.

Dillon recognized his value to the Johnsons. He’d learned his trade from the best. His father had taught him how to secure, and how to breach, the legal and the illegal, which made him unique, and one of the best in the business.

Cliff needed him, especially with Virginia constantly breathing down his neck.

Besides, now that he believed Virginia was being threatened, he wasn’t quite up to maintaining his pretense with Cliff. Virginia had finally agreed to some intimate time alone with him, and it was entirely possible he’d be able to settle things just by getting a few good leads from her. Surely Virginia would know what trumped-up evidence Cliff had manufactured. If she would talk.

God, he hoped it would work out that simply. He hated playing the dutiful employee. He preferred working for himself, hiring himself out on short-term jobs, spending his free time in Mexico with his father and his horses and his land.

Dillon figured that once he established a relationship with Virginia, he could quit the company. Virginia would undoubtedly find him more appealing as a free agent; there would be no reason for her to think she was being used.

Dillon shook his head. He didn’t like the warmth that swelled over him when he considered pleasing her. It didn’t matter what Virginia thought or would think. If her bright golden eyes were angry or aroused. None of it mattered. None of it could matter.

A heartfelt sigh from Cliff broke into Dillon’s thoughts.

“You’re right,” Cliff said. “I do value you as an employee. It’s just that Virginia can be so damn arrogant, and I’ve got enough on my mind right now without her harassment.”

Very slowly, Dillon straightened. “Oh? Anything I can help with?” Little by little, Cliff opened up to him, making him a confidant, wanting him for a cohort in his grievances against his sister.

Cliff waved dismissively. “It’s a matter that came up before you were hired. I have people already on the problem.”

“What exactly is the problem?”

“A little matter of internal embezzlement. A former employee used his position to siphon funds from the company. The theft occurred mostly in insubstantial amounts, so it was hard to notice. I knew it was him, and I fired him on the spot, but of course I can’t accuse him officially without solid evidence. Finding proof is taking some doing. You know how difficult it can be to trace numbers. However, I believe we finally have him nailed. We should be able to wrap things up any day now.”