Cowboy Casanova (Rough Riders #12)(164)

favor.


Ten minutes before the phone conference was scheduled to start, she left her office.

Turton left his office at the same time. Not a coincidence and she felt manipulated.


“Ainsley? Turton?”


They turned and looked at Leslie. “I know you’ve got a conference call scheduled with

the district manager in a few minutes. And because this call is regarding a loan

situation, as the sole loan officer in this branch, I want to lead the call.”


Turton harrumphed and walked into the conference room.


Ainsley and Leslie followed.


“Frankly, Leslie, I’m a little disappointed that you are rushing to Ainsley’s

defense. I imagine the district manager won’t see it as a smart judgment call for you

either.”


“On the contrary, Turton. I’m not rushing to Ainsley’s defense. I merely want the

chance to explain why I didn’t originate these loans. My part—or lack thereof—should

be clarified because I need this job.”


Turton’s beady eyes narrowed behind his glasses. “Loans?” he said sharply. “As in

Ainsley’s tried to circumvent normal channels to slide another loan through?”


Leslie sat at the head of the table. “No. To be honest, I would’ve processed Ben

McKay’s loan, had he come to me, and it would’ve netted the same result. The loan I’

m questioning is the one you originated for Jenny, our bank receptionist, for a new

car.”


His lips flattened.


“Is there a reason you didn’t tell me about this loan, Turton? Why you circumvented

normal channels to slide it through? Given the fact Jenny is an employee and she has no

assets? Plus, a few employees have questioned whether there’s more going on between

you and Jenny than just a working relationship.”


“This is outrageous!”


Even-tempered Leslie vanished. She slapped the file folders on the table. “Any more

outrageous than you accusing Ainsley of having more than a working relationship with

Ben McKay? I find it outrageous you expect to run Ainsley out on a rail for making one

bad judgment call, when you’ve done exactly the same thing. You’re both in the wrong

here. Neither of you followed proper procedure.”


Ainsley stared at Leslie, both impressed and scared by her ability to ferret out

information.


“So you’re going to blackmail me?” Turton sneered.


“No. You’re both going to let me handle the phone call with management. Where I will

bring up the general question of loan origination. Who has the authority to do it? Then

I’ll point out you both originated loans without going through me. Since we’re a new

branch, and this hasn’t come up before, I wanted to be the one to ask for

clarification with both the president and the vice president in attendance so there’d

be no disputes.”


“And if I refuse?”


Do not lunge across the conference table and wrap your hands around his scrawny throat.


“You won’t. Because if you continue with your accusations about Ainsley’s

involvement with Ben McKay prior to the loan, I have documentation of times you were

spotted with Jenny Timsdale, outside of banking hours, prior to her loan application