Page 59 of Emil

“Of course, Mr. Freeman. Where’s the fire?”

The hum of the HVAC and the faint noise from the harbor below were the only background sounds in my office. Mr. Freeman crossed the carpeted expanse and dropped into the chair across from my desk. Without waiting for permission, he opened his briefcase and set a file in front of me. Bank records. Emails. Access logs.

“John McIntyre has restarted funneling money. It dropped off when our firm restarted the audit, but it’s begun again. There was a request for reauthorization of Anders’s original credentials.”

“Original?”

“Yes. When he was suspended and began working on the alternative assignment, we created a new login to make sure there was no overlap or confusion. The request traced back to the access point that was used before.”

“Maybe Anders came back to the office?”

“The only credential of his that stayed the same was his access badge. It hasn’t been scanned since the morning he was suspended. Between that and the login data, it’s definitive proof he isn’t embezzling anything.”

“Please tell me the bank has the account flagged and the money won’t be sent out.”

“That’s when the issue was discovered. There’s no chance of that happening, and I confirmed it personally,” Freeman assured me.

“That leaves Holly Blanchard from compliance to handle things going forward. It goes without saying that the McIntyres will be removed immediately. Even if the parents weren’t directly involved, they’re the ones signing off on everything.”

“Yes. I understand what you’re saying. We’ve already taken steps to review all of their account access. It appears all three were involved in maintaining the falsified books, but John is the only one actively moving money.”

“Mr. Freeman, I’m going to be honest with you. I have zero desire for the police to be involved if it can be avoided. But once regulators are notified, it’s out of my hands. I have plans for John McIntyre that need to happen before there’s any criminal investigation.”

“Mr. Magnuson, I need to be very clear here. Local police would have no role in a fraud investigation like this. Any criminal case would fall under the state attorney general’s jurisdiction due to the banking fraud. There’s also a possibility the Department of Justice would take an interest.”

I considered what he’d laid out. As much as I wanted to see John McIntyre and his entire family go down in flames, I cared more about my company and protecting my employees and their livelihoods. As satisfying as it might be to see John McIntyre in handcuffs, I had other plans.

“Mr. Freeman, in your professional opinion, if I named John McIntyre publicly, would the only recourse he’d have be to sue me for slander?”

“The truth is always a defense,” Freeman said flatly. “And discovery would be a bitch.”

“Good. Here’s what we’re going to do. You’ll make sure the case against him and his parents is airtight. Claw back the money. Pursue subrogation. I don’t give a shit at this point. Obviously, the accounting firm will take the hit for any lost revenue tied to the falsified books that never should’ve been signed off on.”

Mr. Freeman looked physically ill. He knew I was right, and he didn’t have a leg to stand on. After the brief slip, his face returned to unreadable, but he loosened his tie with almost imperceptibly shaky hands.

“We’ll handle it.”

“I don’t want regulators involved until after I’m finished with John. I have a speech coming up for the International Private Capital and Trade Finance Conference. I’ll make sure his attendance is a command performance. Whatever happens after that, happens. I need you to remove their ability to get anything accomplished, but don’t tip them off yet.”

“When is your speech?”

“Three weeks.”

“I’ll be in touch with resolution proposals, but consider it done.”

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

ANDERS

“Are you having the most amazing time?”

I heard Emil speaking to someone in his workshop, but I wasn’t sure who, since he and I were the only ones there. The low murmur of voices carried down the hall and brought me to a stop just outside the door. I stood there longer than I meant to, my hand hovering uselessly at my side, the sound of his voice settling into the quiet of the house.

This morning, when I woke up, I was sad to realize I was back in the cottage. I’d gotten used to the rhythm of Emil’s house and spending my evenings with him. Even though he always walked me back to the door and gave me the most amazing kisses, I missed his presence. That realization didn’t change the fact that I also knew I wasn’t ready for anything more. I would never compare Emil to John, but I wasn’t quite prepared to trust my judgment yet. They weren’t similar in any way, but I was the common denominator, and I needed to be sure before I jumped in again.

“I am. Because who wouldn’t love touring Europe for months at a time? Honestly, it’s the best thing I’ve ever done.”

As soon as I heard the woman’s voice, I realized Emil must be talking to his sister Lila. He’d mentioned she was taking a sabbatical from work, with his encouragement, and had gone on the trip of a lifetime.