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“No, I—”
I can’t take it any longer. “Hey, you two, can we cut to the chase?” I lean my back against the counter, clearly amused with how they carry on like siblings, even if this is taking too long. “You can do your little back and forth once I’m off the line.”
“You’re no fun.” Despite not having her in front of me, I swear I can see her exaggerated pout.
“I cut Brent loose.” August’s tone is devoid of emotion, and the hairs on the back of my neck rise.
“Why?”
“He was skimming from ACE.” Eden’s disdain for the guy rings loud and clear, and this isn’t new. They have history and she’s never liked the guy. “August and I have been slowly combing through the books and Brent’s files, piecing it together.”
Brent’s been Gus’s friend and business partner for a while now. We trusted him. All three of us lived together for years.
“What the fuck?”
She scoffs. “Yeah, and when the asshole finally came back home, August confronted him.”
“No shit. Gus, what did he say?”
“He didn’t deny it, but he didn’t admit it either.” A mixture of defeat and anger weaves through his voice. “I didn’t have to kick him out of the house. He couldn’t get out fast enough. He left half his shit.”
Tension seeps into my body, shoulders climbing to my ears as I clench my fists.
Eden says, “We managed to get the money out of a secondary ACE account Brent had opened secretly. He didn’t know we’d found it, and we closed the account out before he could. But the rest is gone.”
“How much are we talking?”
Gus lets out a long, frustrated exhale, but she’s the one to respond, “Thousands.”
“Fuck. No.” I run a hand down my face, suddenly incensed and wishing I was there. My presence likely wouldn’t make a difference, but if only I could find Brent. The desire to hurt him for what he’s done surges like a wave.
“We’ve got a lawyer, and we’re trying to figure out what recourse we have. If we can find and get back any of the funds.” A phone rings in the background and August pauses. “Uh, Tom, I’ve got to get that.”
“You go,” Eden says to Gus. “I want to talk to Tom.”
Gus and I say our goodbyes and I promise to talk soon. “Is he gone?” I ask Eden.
“Yes.”
“How’s he doing?”
“When we first suspected what Brent was doing, it nearly destroyed him. He’d trusted Brent and let him handle the finances on top of his other duties.”
“Shit. That explains how he got away with it.”
“Yes. Brent doctored the financial files he showed August. All fake. August is having a rough go of it. A lot of self-recrimination and anger, especially when Brent wouldn’t answer his calls. He’s still pissed but, more than anything else, determined to get back whatever he can.”
“And what are the chances of getting back the money?”
“Slim to none.”
My stomach twists. “Dammit. Does Gus know this?”
“Yes.” She softens her tone. “Tom, he’s gonna be okay. I want to invest in ACE.”
“You do?” I’m buoyed by the prospect of Eden teaming up with August.
“Yes, but Gus refuses to hear me out. He thinks it’s charity. It isn’t.”
