Chances (Mystic Nights #1) (19 page)

He heard her racking sobs as he stormed down the hallway and into the kitchen. He heard her final words through his tears. “There’s only been you. Please. Please give me a chance . . . to explain.”

And that was it. There was nothing she could explain. Nothing he wanted to hear. He slammed the door behind him and walked away. He needed to get the evidence. He had a job to do, and needed to save the casino and the people who depended on it. The people who mattered. He was done with her, and done with women.

He was walking towards his car when he heard her once more. She stood at the door, shaking in the cold. “I have not slept with either one of them. Peter, yes, he has come on to me. But, I’ve told you that. And before you I haven’t been involved with any man seriously in over a decade. None, since I came home four years ago.”

His hand paused from opening the car door. He met her eyes. “I don’t believe you.” His words sounded cold, even to him.

He saw her shoulders slump, and she stepped back into her home. “Well, I guess that is your problem then. I don’t know what I’ve done to earn your distrust. Remember, Jonathan, you pursued me . . . but you’ll have to figure that out. I’ll be here,” she ended lamely. “When you’re ready to talk. And listen.” She sadly shut the door. On her future. Running towards the bathroom once more, Aliya knelt by the basin and continued to retch while the tears poured down her face, and wondered just how it had all gone so terribly wrong.

‡

E
verything was in
place. The lock down of the wifi. The security team on Simon. He’d even asked that someone go follow Peter. He checked in with the accountants and they were still at it. With the nearly half million he’d found in discrepancies, they had so far come up with another two and half million dollars of mistakes. And not only that. They found the money had been sent wirelessly to banks in the Bahamas. Jonathan was furious and mortified. This had happened right under his nose.

He called Joseph into his office and filled him in on his meeting with Aliya.

“Please don’t mention the pregnancy to anyone yet. For all I know that could be a lie too.” He rubbed the stubble along his jaw. He felt weary, bone-tired.

“Of course. I won’t say a thing. But what if . . .”

Jonathan cut his brother off. “Right now I don’t have the time for what ifs. We just need the proof. One of Risolli’s guys is trying to get us names on those accounts. But they said that will be hard. The Bahamas have strict rules in place protecting their client’s privacy. But,” he paused for emphasis, “they do know that money was sent from Simon’s computer, so we at least have him tied to this mess. The police are coming now. Hopefully, we can get a confession out of him because so far we have nothing on Peter and Aliya. We need something concrete.”

Joseph watched his brother closely. He knew the man was in pain. “I understand. Anything else I can do for you?” he asked, his voice full of concern for his brother. He knew Jonathan had fallen hard. His heart broke for his brother. He had fallen in love once, but it had ended in college, so he knew first hand that kind of loss.

Jonathan gazed around the room looking lost. “Yeah, um . . . check with Tom. Find out what Peter has been up to. I need to make some calls. And . . . be sure Simon doesn’t go anywhere. I want to keep tabs on him. But don’t spook him. I want to make sure no one gets away, so we know where to tell the police to go when the time comes to pick them up.” He sighed heavily and picked up a file from his desk. He opened it and began to scan the document before him.

Joseph hated to ask, but had to. “And Aliya? Do you want Tom to put a tail on her too?”

Jonathan’s hand swept up to his hair. He just nodded, face grim as he picked up the phone. “Yeah, I guess that would be a good idea too.” His comment was made without emotion, but Joseph knew he must be taking it hard. He just had no words to say to make his brother feel better.

Coming over to his brother, he placed one hand on his shoulder and gave it a squeeze. Jonathan’s hand reached up and squeezed back. No words were needed. They were there for each other. That was what counted. Brothers.

Letting go, Joseph looked back one final time as he approached the door, and then slipped out as he heard his brother pick up the phone and ask to speak to Detective Sylvester.

Heading downstairs, Joseph hoped somehow their suspicions of Aliya would be unfounded. He knew his brother was keeping it together, but when the dust settled he knew this heartache might break him.

*

“Listen to me,
Peter.” It was Simon, and he was calling from the restroom. He had snagged Glenna’s cell phone. For some reason his office phone and his own cell were not working. “Something is going on here. I’m being trailed by two security goons. There are three men in the conference room with Dawn, the accountant wannabe, and Glenna won’t let me in there. The doors are fucking locked . . .”

Peter interrupted. “I thought you said we had until Wednesday.” Peter was pissed. He was also starting to panic. And he never panicked. He just got even.

“That was what Jonathan told me. But I did get another million out today before the wifi went down. I’m going to try to slip by the goons and break out of here. Peter, you are on your own buddy. Hopefully, I’ll see you in Nassau,” he lied. “This cancer treatment is expensive, and this was my only shot. I’m going to enjoy what time I have left. I strongly suggest you do the same.”

“Fuck it all to hell,” Peter cursed. He needed to get away too. This was not what he wanted at all. But he needed a little security. “Okay,” he stated. “I’ll meet you at your place. We can head out together. How long before you think you can slip away?”

“Give me about thirty minutes,” Simon whispered into the phone before he hung up.

Peter threw his cell phone on the seat beside him, and looked into his rear view mirror. No one was following him. The road was completely empty. He stopped and made a u-turn. He would take care of Simon first and then he would pay Miss Aliya Chance a little visit. She would be his security. It was her after all, who probably put the bug in Jonathan’s ear about his connection to Simon. She would have to pay. He wasn’t giving up yet. Damn the women of this reservation. All of them. Power hungry, independent, and just too damned much of a nuisance for his liking. Yes, Aliya would be his security, and then she would pay. But first. Simon.

*

One hour later
he stepped on the gas to get his car moving. He also reached forward and flipped open his glove box. His gun was there. A small beretta, but it would do. It was loaded. He hurried. He might be running out of time. His destination, the marina.

‡

B
y late afternoon,
the three accountants that had already arrived were reporting all kinds of discrepancies. They found several more instances of price inflation, and then the extra funds were funneled out wirelessly via computers coming from Simon’s office. They found outrageous surcharges, and calls to their vendors revealed those surcharges were either inaccurate or completely bogus. Several of the stores in the casino had reported large numbers of theft and loss items and calls downstairs revealed those reports had not come from them. The booking agents had discounts applied to room fares that were never given, and that money was pilfered, transferred to the accounting department. The only department they had not found problems in were the bars. Another department that Eve was in charge of. “I helped her with the books,” Dawn admitted.

Jonathan was proud of his sister and ashamed he had not come to her sooner. He saw her with new eyes, and regretted his choices in not giving her more credit. Yes, he knew she was smart, always had known that, but because of her childhood ailments, they had always babied her. “When you finish your degree, I’m definitely recommending to the board you be hired right away to head accounting.” Dawn blushed under the praise.

Jonathan nodded in Tom’s direction. “I think it’s time we get Simon and bring in Peter.” Tom nodded and left the conference room adjusting the mic in his ear as he left.

*

Thirty minutes later,
Tom came rushing into the conference room. “We can’t find them. Simon was in his office, and I had men outside. I don’t know how he slipped by them. And Peter isn’t home, or at the tribal office.”

“Find Aliya.” Jonathan did not want them all to get away. “And bring in the authorities. Now.” Once more Tom was quickly dispatched, but on his heels was Glenna, his secretary, she had Brie with her. He knew Brie was one of the dancers and friends with Aliya. He saw the look of consternation on her face. And fear. “Aliya did not show up for practice.” She gazed around the room at Joseph, Dawn, and the other accountants. She saw the anger in her boss’s eyes.

She quickly added, “I left several messages, but now when I call it just keeps going to voicemail, I thought you might know where she is.” Her dark eyes searched furtively about. She did not see the expected confusion or fear in anyone’s eyes. She thought the boss and her friend had been growing closer.

“Just fucking figures,” Jonathan groaned. Another expletive slipped out.