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Gonzales was too slick, too polished to have the job of a warehouse supervisor. Nothing about this was making any sense. Jay wanted to keep his eyes and ears open. If this man was stealing from GWI and felt like he was being backed into a corner, he might be dangerous. Jay wished he had his pistol, but bringing in weapons to Great Britain wasn’t allowed.
“Mr. Gonzales, I’m with MKJ Accounting.”
Gonzales sat down in his chair behind the desk. “And why are you three here, Ms. Clemens?”
“We are checking on inventories for GWI. This is my card and a letter from the CEO granting me access to your records.” Izzy was sharing some details but holding back the full picture. She never ceased to impress Jay with her skills.
“Everything seems to be in order. What do you need from me?”
“I’ll need to see your records and I have a few questions for you about this warehouse.”
“Of course. I’ll be happy to help.”
“Excellent.” Izzy planted a non-threatening smile on her face. “How long has this warehouse been in operation?”
Gonzales opened a drawer, pulled out a file, and handed it to her. “Five years.”
Izzy began reading the file. “This is odd.”
“Señorita?”
“This isn’t part of the London operation.” Izzy handed the file to Clay.
Gonzales nodded. “That’s correct. This is operated and funded out of GWI’s offices in Madrid.”
“Madrid?” Jay looked the man straight in the eyes, hoping to see some kind of sign he was lying. But the man seemed completely at ease with the entire situation. “That’s not how things operate at GWI.”
“Excuse me, señor, but you are obviously wrong. Look around. Every shelf is filled with GWI inventory. I was sent here to run this warehouse for Madrid.”
“That’s inefficient, Mr. Gonzales,” Izzy stated. “Distribution inside of Great Britain should be run through the London offices, not Madrid’s.”
Gonzales shrugged. “Maybe so, but I am not high enough on the ladder to make those kinds of decisions. I just follow orders. I’ve worked for GWI for twenty-five years and never had a problem.”
The phone rang. “Excuse me. Sí. Ellos están aquí ahora, sentado frente a mí. No se preocupe, señor. Todo es bueno.”
Jay tensed, knowing what the man was saying. Yes. They are here now, sitting in front of me. Don’t worry, sir. Everything is good. Gonzales clearly knew who they were, and whomever he was talking to on the phone was pulling his strings.
“Adios.” Gonzales hung up the phone. “Now, where were we?”
“Obviously you are very busy, Mr. Gonzales.” Izzy stood. “Thank you for your help. I’ll take these files with me if you don’t mind.”
The man came around from the desk. “I don’t mind at all. I hope you found what you were looking for.”
Jay moved to the other side of Izzy, placing her protectively between him and Clay.
“I believe we have,” she said, shaking Gonzales’s hand. “It seems this has been just a big mix-up.”
Did she really believe that? He doubted it.
She patted the files. “I’m certain this will have the answers we need. If I have any further questions, I hope you won’t mind me contacting you.”
“Not at all. Are you sure you wouldn’t like a tour of the facility?”
She smiled. “That won’t be necessary.”
It was clear she was putting on a front for Gonzales and just wanted to get as far away from him and his warehouse as fast as possible.
“I’ll take you back to the front,” Gonzales said. “That will give me a chance to point out several important items we store here for GWI.” As he led them through the warehouse, Gonzales commented on the inventory they passed.
