Indecent Danger (Danger Incorporated #3)(3)
“I’ll try and be extra quiet when I come back in case you’re asleep. Thank you for being so understanding.”
Aubrey stood in the middle of the room after Travis left the suite, taking a deep breath to calm her racing heart. She wasn’t sure she could keep up the facade of impeccable girlfriend much longer. If he knew who she really was what would he do? She was terrified to find out.
It was only a matter of time before he saw the real Aubrey.
Chapter Two
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Travis waited until the busty cocktail waitress had placed two highball glasses filled with eighteen year old Jameson on the table and drifted on to the next patrons before speaking. The bar was dark although it was midafternoon on a sunny day in Florida and thankfully it was almost deserted. It was the ideal spot for a private conversation.
“How can I help you, Martin?”
Travis kept his tone on the neutral side although he could tell his friend and mentor was disturbed by someone or something. They’d had a brief conversation a few weeks ago about Martin investigating some business dealings that his grandson-in-law Bruce Livingston was involved in. Bruce was married to Martin’s granddaughter Caroline much to the old man’s chagrin. He’d never been in favor of the marriage and Travis couldn’t help but agree. Bruce tended to be too self-absorbed and rather shiftless which didn’t make him the best husband in the world. Unfortunately Caroline had fallen for Bruce’s charm despite his shortcomings.
The older man sighed and swirled the amber liquid in the glass before taking a large gulp. “It’s Bruce. I told you I was looking into some of his accounts but I needed to be sure before I said anything.”
Martin looked about ten years older than the last time Travis had seen him. Deep grooves around his mouth and eyes, gave the appearance of a deeply tired man. The complete opposite of the fireball of energy everyone was used to.
“And you’re sure now?”
“It’s insider trading.”
The older man’s hushed tones didn’t detract from the impact of those two words.
Insider trading.
“You’re sure?”
Martin nodded, his lips a grim line. “Yes, unfortunately. He’s got a girlfriend who has suddenly come into a great deal of money. I checked her out and she’s got several brokerage accounts all with different firms. She’s made most of her money on stock buys and sells on companies that Bruce is supposed to be researching. Seems like a strange coincidence.”
This was the kind of stuff that gave business a bad name. It tarred everyone with the same brush.
“A girlfriend? That seems rather foolhardy to use someone that he can be linked to,” Travis observed, still wondering how he could be any help. Martin was the financial genius of the two of them.
“Bruce thinks he’s smarter than everyone else. He thinks I don’t know that he’s dating Iris. Hell, everyone knows, even Caroline. Why she puts up with it I have no idea. I guess she still loves him even though he’s a horse’s ass.”
Caroline was a sweet girl who deserved something better. She’d married Bruce right out of college in a huge wedding in Hawaii. It should have been a fairy tale but the reality was anything but.
“So how can I help? Do you want to send Caroline out to the ranch in Montana while you clean up this mess? We’d be happy to take her in.”
Martin’s brows shot up and he sat back in his chair. “I didn’t even think about it but that’s a great idea. Getting her out of the line of fire would help immensely. Assuming she’d leave the worm, of course. Actually what I was going to ask was if you could help me with some of your law enforcement and government connections. I’ll talk to Bruce this weekend and tell him I know everything. I’ll get him to surrender to authorities and make him come clean. I’m hoping your friends can keep this from becoming a circus.”
Travis didn’t want to raise his friend’s hopes. “I have to be honest here. I know a few people but I don’t have the kind of influence that’s going to get Bruce a deal.”
Martin leaned forward, his features hardening. “He doesn’t deserve a deal. He’s been lying to me for months and maybe even longer. No, I just don’t want this to end up on the front page of the newspapers. I’d like to avoid making a splash if only for Caro’s sake. As for what the authorities do with Bruce, well, as far as I’m concerned they can throw the book at him.”
“You’re not going to come out of this smelling like a rose either, my friend. People are going to think you were a part of this.”
“People can say whatever the hell they want.” Martin finally sat back, his shoulders relaxing. “I’ve already made more money than most people in a hundred lifetimes. I do what I do because it’s challenging but if I can’t do it anymore then I’ll find something new. Frankly I want to clean house and Bruce is going out with the trash. If he brings me down with him then so be it.”
“You’re saying you’d be fine if you had to close your fund?” Travis queried. “I find that hard to believe. You love what you do.”
“I can love something else just as much,” Martin countered, draining the whiskey from the highball glass. “I’m old enough to know that a career can’t be your whole damn life. You need family and friends too. It’s some advice you might want to embrace.”