AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Damn straight.” Monty didn’t mince words. “What’s more, you can’t open your mouth even if tomorrow night turns up something incriminating. I’ll need time to get my ducks in a row.”
“And if I agree?”
“Then you pass the test.”
“Screwing my family in the process.”
Monty’s jaw set. “No one’s getting screwed. If James is innocent, he’ll walk away smelling like a rose. If he’s guilty, it’s better that I find out before the cops. I can help with damage control.”
Reluctantly, Blake nodded. “I’m counting on your discretion.”
“You’ve got it.”
“Also, I want to be kept up to speed.”
“Fine.”
Monty’s acquiescence was just a little too quick.
A corner of Blake’s mouth lifted in a wry grin. “More opportunities to test my integrity?”
“You bet. Worried?”
“Fascinated. You’d move heaven and earth for her, wouldn’t you?”
“Devon? You bet your ass. Heaven, earth, and then some. So don’t hurt her.”
“I don’t plan to.”
The fervent exchange was interrupted by the ringing of Monty’s cell phone.
He whipped it out and glanced at the display. “It’s Jenkins. Hang on.” He punched the Talk button. “Hey, Jenkins. Got something for me?” A weighted pause. “I’ll be right there.” He punched off the phone, vaulting to his feet. “Want to start keeping your mouth shut sooner than expected?”
“Yeah.” Blake was already grabbing their coats. “Let’s go.”
FIFTEEN MINUTES LATER, they were gathered in Rhodes’s office, along with Jenkins and his computer whiz, Len Castoro.
“It’s an Excel spread sheet,” Monty pronounced, peering at the computer monitor over Castoro’s shoulder.
“A deleted Excel spreadsheet,” Castoro amended. He was seated at the desk, flanked on either side by Jenkins and Monty.
“Detailing what?” Blake demanded, striding behind the desk so he could scan the information. “And how did you find it?”
“Detailing the transactions of an offshore bank account,” Castoro replied. “As for how I found it, fortunately no one’s used this computer since Rhodes’s death. I simply used special ’undelete’ software.” He pointed to the floppy disk drive. “In layman’s terms, the software scans and restores all possible deleted files on the computer’s hard drive. I monitored the process, undeleting any file that looked even remotely suspicious. I’ve been at it since seven this morning. Finally, I hit pay dirt.” He stood up, whisking the hard copy out of the
laser printer and stepping away from the desk. “This transaction ledger was deleted the night Philip Rhodes died.”
Monty snatched the pages. “Receipts. Disbursements. All from an account in the Cayman Islands.” He shot Blake a look. “What a coincidence. That’s where our blackmailer wanted his millions deposited.”
“It’s not exactly an unusual spot for an offshore bank account,” Blake reminded him.
Monty blew off the comment, shoving the pages in Blake’s direction. “Recognize any of those names?”
Blake looked. Abruptly, he sucked in a sharp breath. “Yeah,” he said indisbelief. “Some local bureaucrats and politicians we wined and dined to win contracts.”
“Pretty expensive wining and dining.” Monty pointed at a couple of entries. “Two hundred thousand dollars. A hundred and fifty thousand dollars. Not what I would call a little palm greasing.”
“Shit,” Blake muttered, dragging a palm over his jaw.
