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He gave her a quick, sexually challenging smile. ‘My dear Deborah, I’d be delighted to debrief you if that’s what you want… but not in my office, eh… ?’
Just in time Deborah managed to stop herself from grinding her teeth and pointing out that his comment, as well as being unsubtly schoolboyish, was also a form of sexual harassment.
It might be true, but it would also be counterproductive, so instead of making any response she ignored what he had said, simply accompanying him back to his office instead and sitting down in the chair he waved her into.
‘So let’s start with the bank and the widow,’ Ryan instructed.
‘As we already know the bank holds a charge over both the company assets, such as they are, and all the personal assets as well.’
‘Which are?’ he asked.
‘Not very much: the equity in the house, and a handful of insurance policies, which of course are worth nothing since he committed suicide.’
‘Mmm… and any private, hidden resources?’
‘I don’t think so,’ Deborah told him. ‘Or at least, i
f there were, his wife… widow… isn’t aware of them.’
Her expression changed slightly as she remembered how shocked Philippa had looked when she had learned the full extent of her husband’s debts.
‘Are you sure about that? After all, she’s got every reason to try to hang on to anything he might have managed to put aside, hasn’t she? And it certainly isn’t unknown for men in Andrew’s position to resort to a little bit of company fraud and hive off company assets for the benefit of his family.’
Deborah shook her head. ‘He wasn’t the type,’ she told Ryan.
His eyebrows rose. ‘Too honest? Oh, come on, Deborah…’
‘Not too honest… too arrogant and too egotistical,’ she corrected him. ‘I don’t think it ever occurred to him even to think about his wife and sons. I don’t think he was even prepared to accept that the business had failed.’
‘Mmm… well, we’ll let that one ride for the time being, but it might be a good idea to keep an eye on our widow… just in case she decides to take an unexpected holiday abroad or suddenly discovers an inheritance from a long-lost relative!’
Deborah put down the file she was holding. Ryan’s sexual manipulation she was prepared to tolerate, but when it came to her professionalism…
‘Either you’re prepared to trust my judgement, Ryan, or you aren’t. And if you aren’t…’
‘Yes?’ he invited when she paused.
She took a deep breath and told him levelly, ‘If you aren’t, I’d rather you found someone else to handle the liquidation. I can understand that having backed my promotion you’re anxious that I don’t foul up, but if you can’t trust me to make a basic character judgement…’
‘It isn’t that I don’t trust you,’ Ryan told her smoothly. ‘It’s simply that I suspect that because of your own nature you aren’t always aware of quite how devious others can be. Your honesty and openness are traits I greatly admire in you, Deborah, but when it comes to judging other people…’
‘You think I’m too naïve to know when I’m being lied to…’
‘Well, let’s say that I think you could be inclined to err on the side of compassion.’
‘Because we’re both members of the same sex?’
‘Well, there is that, although in my experience your sex is more inclined to be enemies than allies… Have you arranged another meeting with the widow?’
Deborah shook her head. He hadn’t taken her up on her challenge, but he hadn’t backed down either. Typical Ryan, and unless she wanted to be branded as ‘emotional’ she suspected she would have to let the matter drop.
‘Well, it might be an idea if you did.’
‘If you think I should. Perhaps you’d like to be included in the meeting so that you can make your own assessment of her?’
‘If you feel that you need me there, then of course I’d be delighted to help.’
This time Deborah did grind her teeth.
