Just Bob (Assassins Inc. #1)(12)

“Fired?”

Bob stopped pacing long enough to look at me. “That pint of ice cream? I was eating it because I was upset. I got fired yesterday after I saw you in the cafe.”

“You were fired?” I asked. “Why?”

“Mrs. Staudemeyer said I was being terminated because I was being accused of falsifying records for a former client, who is now being investigated by the FTC, but I wasn’t. I swear. I would never falsify records. My parents would be pissed.”

“FTC?”

“Federal Trade Commission.”

“Isn’t that a government agency?”

Bob nodded.

“Then that might be our connection.”

“Connection to what?” Bob asked.

“To whoever wants you dead.”

“But I haven’t done anything.” Bob was almost in tears as he protested. “I’d never falsified records.”

“I believe you, Bob.”

Bob blinked up at me. “You do?”

“Yes.” I had no reason not to believe Bob, especially since I didn’t think the man had it in him to break the law. He just didn’t seem like that type of guy.

He had a cat and everything.

Bob slumped against the counter. “I’m a junior accountant. I don’t understand how anyone could think I would falsify records. I do accounts. It’s not rocket science. And if anyone compared the numbers I put into the computer to the hard copy, they would be able to tell my numbers are the same.”

“That’s all you do?” I asked. “Just put numbers into a computer?”

“Yeah, pretty much. There’s a software program that I use. Everyone in the accounting department uses it. I’m given a file of banking transactions for a client. It’s my job to type the transactions into the computer.”

“Can’t you just download them from the bank?” That’s what I did with my bank account. It’s how I kept track of my investments.

“You can, but this is a little different. Our company is in charge of keeping the accounts accurate for the client. We balance the books, do payroll, and file tax returns.”

“How is that any different than any other CPA or accountant?”

Bob chuckled. “The number of zeros.”

“The what?”

“The difference with Bixby and Kent and a regular CPA or accountant is that we deal in millions of dollars, sometimes billions. If we mess up, entire companies close and people lose their jobs.”

“And your only job is to type in bank account transactions?”

“There’s a little more to it than that, but yeah, basically. When I’m given a file, I put the numbers into the computer to ensure they match up with the transactions logged with the bank, the client, and the government. Anything over five thousand dollars is red-flagged by the IRS. We need to make sure we have the proper paperwork to back up the money transferred from account to account or paid to employees.”

“Bob, how do you know the numbers you’re putting into the computer are accurate?”

A bewildered look came over Bob’s face. “Why wouldn’t they be?’

Holy hell, my mate was the perfect patsy.

“Oh, baby.” I grabbed Bob and pulled him into my arms, pressing my lips against the top of his head. He was sweet and so unassuming. Shade had seen the darker side of mankind. He knew there were those out there who had no guilt about using people like Bob to get whatever they could out of whoever they could scam or steal from.

I just had to figure out why they were trying to kill Bob, because that part didn’t make sense. “Bob, who was this client your boss told you about?”

Bob shrugged without lifting his head off my chest. “I don’t know for sure. I worked on a lot of different accounts. It could be anyone.”

“Okay, next question, did any of the numbers ever not match up?”

Bob lifted his head to stare up at me. “You mean like didn’t balance out?”

“I’m actually thinking more along the lines of accounts where large amounts of money were transferred out of the country, like say to the Cayman Islands?”

Wasn’t that where all criminals put their money?

“Well, sure, that happens all the time. Offshore accounts are very popular with people with a lot of money. Besides the fact that the taxes laws are different, once it’s in a bank in the Cayman Islands, our government has a much harder time tracking it.”

That had to be it.

“I think you saw something you weren’t supposed to see, Bob.”

“Like what?” Bob asked in a high-pitched tone, one that told me he was on the verge of losing it. I tightened my arms around him, giving him something strong to hold onto.

“I think someone was trying to get money out of the country without the government finding out.”

“But what does that have to do with me?” Bob asked. “I just put the numbers into the computer.”

“I don’t know yet. Maybe you put in numbers you weren’t supposed to or caught an error or something. It’s the only reason I can think of for someone to go after you.”

It was always love or money.

“But that’s no reason to try to kill me.”

“People have killed for less, baby.”