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“You don’t really think he’d lie, do you?”
He threw up his arms. “I don’t know what to think right now. Matthew’s always been the money guy. He handles our accounts, books the clients, discusses payments. When I try to get a better handle of things, he shoos me away and tells me not to worryabout it. Even with only being gone one damn night he brought you in. Asked you to help out. For what? It doesn’t make sense.”
She bristled at his irritation. She hadn’t questioned Matthew asking her to step in. Hell, she’d looked at it as an opportunity to create a better situation for herself and her child. Cade acted as if the idea of her working for the construction company was one he found absolutely appalling. Yet another example of his best friend’s little sister pushing in and being a nuisance.
“Maybe he wanted to help his sister,” she snapped. “Give me a job where I’m not on my feet all damn day as my belly and ankles get bigger. Let me use my brain for once. Give me a chance to do more. To be more.”
Cade stopped and turned toward her, eyes wide. “I didn’t mean anything. I’m sorry. I’m just confused and anxious and a little pissed.”
She blew out a long breath and steadied her nerves. “It’s fine. But there has to be a logical explanation. Call Matthew again and let him know what we found on the flash drive. He might have different insight to help us get to the bottom of things.”
“No.” He squeezed the bridge of his nose. “Not yet.”
She lowered the computer beside her, alarm tightening her core. “Why not? He’s your best friend and partner. He’s my brother. He deserves to know if we suspect something’s going on with the business.”
“And he will. Once we figure out exactly what is going on. Or at least have a better understanding of everything. But I need a chance to wrap my head around this. Time to look at things for myself.”
Something about the tight set of his broad shoulders, the ticking of the vein by his temple, made her uneasy. “Do you think Matthew has something to do with this?”
The question seemed to deflate him. He made his way back to the couch and sunk down beside her. “I don’t want to think so, but….” He trailed off as if unable to even finish the thought.
No. She couldn’t sit and listen to this. Matthew was a good man. The only person who’d always shown her love and compassion. “There has to be another answer. Who all has access to your accounts? To your office?”
He let his head fall back, returning to the same position he’d been in when she’d entered the library. “Me and Matthew.”
She bit her bottom lip. “Who talks to the accountant?”
“Matthew.”
“Collects payments? Makes the budget? Submits bids?”
“Matthew, Matthew, Matthew.”
“Well, hell.” She let her head fall back like his.
He turned to face her. “Will you help me figure out this mess? You’re brilliant, way smarter than me. Not to mention you have some distance, a different viewpoint.”
“You think I’m brilliant?” She shifted and stared directly into his eyes.
“I do. And more importantly, I trust you.”
His admission untied some of the knots in her gut. “Okay then. I’ll help you. But you have to promise we’ll tell Matthew everything soon. I don’t want to keep secrets from him.”
“Deal.”
“Where do we start?”
He fell forward, bracing his elbows on his knees. “I don’t know. My head is spinning. None of this makes sense.”
Wanting to offer him the same amount of comfort he had her, she rested a hand on his bicep. “We’ll figure it out. I promise. There has to be a reasonable explanation right under our nose. We just don’t see it yet.”
He sighed, not looking convinced. “I hope you’re right.”
Her brain spun in circles as she tried to figure out the best way to tackle the problem.
“There you are,” Mrs. Collins said in a sing-song voice. “I thought you were coming right back. I’ve got everything packed and ready to go. If we leave now, things will still be nice and warm upon delivery.”
Laura cringed. Crap. She’d forgotten about assisting Mrs. Collins with the baked goods. “I’m so sorry. Some things have come up unexpectedly.”
