AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Was there anyone else on the landing account besides Jarrod?” Finley saw nothing in Grady’s background that made him an expert at embezzlement, which begged the question: Did he have a partner in crime?
“Not that I’m aware,” Jessica said. “You can confirm with Liz.”
Finley intended to do exactly that. In games like this, there was usually a silent partner or someone working from another angle.
“Vivian Ortez,” Lauder went on, “our head of security, and her team worked to learn anything perhaps previously missed about Jarrod. Everyone had a role.”
Finley studied her a moment, then asked, “What was your role?”
“I worked with Joanna and Daisy to scour all client accounts. It was the most important role of all.”
Finley moved through a few more questions before thanking Lauder for her cooperation.
The next two interviews were basically a repeat of what Finley had learned from Lauder. The responses, even when Finley tossed out what she felt would be an unexpected question, came back the same. Same key words. Same tone in the language.
There was only one explanation for that amount of specific duplication: practice.
For whatever purpose, Ellen Winthrop’s friends, i.e., partners, had rehearsed their responses to every potential question Finley might present.
Practicing so thoroughly for an event shouted there was a need to protect something or someone.
Winthrop had something to hide. Not necessarily murder but something.
Hiding incriminating information from the police was one thing, but hiding it from her attorney was another. Jack couldn’t adequately represent his client without the whole truth. The risk that whatever she was concealing would come out at trial was too great.
Finley had opted to question Liz Everson, the head of forensic accounting, last. Which worked out since one of the five, Vivian Ortez, had been tied up in a meeting and would call Finley a little later.
Everson was a year older than Winthrop. Unlike her boss and friend, she didn’t bother to color her gray. Instead she wore it proudly. No visible makeup and very laid-back attire. Khakis and a blue shirt. A woman after Finley’s heart.
Like the three before her, Everson repeated the answers Finley had already heard. The interview with Everson needed to go further, with additional questions, in particular about the account where the missing money had landed.
“Did you discover anyone else on the account where the money landed? If so, where are you on determining the identity of the other party?” If there was a partner, he or she might very well be the one who’d murdered Grady. If nothing else, the man or woman could prove an alternative scenario for the police to investigate.
A single avenue in an investigation was never a good thing.
“There was only one authorized signatory beyond Jarrod,” Liz explained. “Ellen asked me not to share this with the others until we had more information.”
Interesting. “I’m certain Ellen explained that you should share whatever you know with me,” Finley countered.
“Of course. The second signatory was a J.Grady. To our knowledge Jarrod has—had no family. I’m guessing the name is an alias, since I haven’t been able to find anything connected to a J.Grady in Jarrod’s office and Ellen found nothing in their home.” Liz drew in a deep breath as if fortifying herself. “Considering what’s happened, our security department has been working all weekend to determine who Jarrod Grady really was and the identity of this J.Grady—assuming it wasn’t him.”
“What do you mean, who Jarrod Grady really was? Is your background information on him in question?” This was new. Finley’s senses perked up.
“It seems the past he had built was fabricated. Jarrod didn’t exist—at least not as we knew him. And J., as I’ve already said, appears to be a ghost as well. At this point we’re suspicious of every detail we were told about him.”
“What about the money?”
“Until shortly after midnight last night, it remained in the New Jersey account, and then it moved. We haven’t shared this news either.”
Finley shook her head. “So, the ghost, this J.Grady presumably, took it?”
“Apparently, since no transaction was pending as of midnight last night. Any steps Jarrod took before his death would have been pending until then. We have to assume it was the other signatory.”
“Where did the money go this time?”
Liz clasped her hands in front of her. “I’ll let you know when we figure it out.”
Finley wasn’t entirely surprised that Winthrop and her security team had been duped. What could she say? It happened. Derrick had certainly fooled her.
