Promise Not To Tell(66)

“No, but it doesn’t mean that she wasn’t still ripping me off.”

Laurel watched him for a while. “You think this might be about the embezzlement that’s going on at Night Watch, don’t you?”

“More money went missing within the past twenty-four hours.”

“Oh, shit.”

“Yeah.”

“I suppose that means that Sandra Porter wasn’t the embezzler, then.”

“Or it might mean that she had a partner who decided to cut her out of the deal.”

“How could that have anything to do with that dead artist?”

“I don’t know.” Josh turned around. “But if I don’t find whoever is bleeding me dry and shut down the embezzlement, I can forget going out for expansion capital. The rumors in the financial industry are getting stronger.”

“How is your investigation going?”

“Nowhere.”

“Josh, I’m so sorry. Maybe it’s time to bring in one of the big cybersecurity firms.”

“That would be the kiss of death. I’d become a laughingstock in the tech community.” Josh abruptly started toward the door. “I can’t stay here, not tonight. I need to clear my head and come up with a plan to find the embezzler.”

“Josh, wait —”

“I’ll see you at the office tomorrow.” He ran his fingers through his hair, pulled on his jacket and opened the door. “Good-bye.”

He went outside, shutting the door behind him.

Laurel started to follow him but common sense made her change her mind. Josh did not like clinging women.

But she wanted Josh Preston. She wanted him very, very much. And back at the start he had wanted her badly enough to break his own rules about dating his employees. Someone or something had changed his mind.

The way Josh had looked at her just now gave her chills. She could almost read his mind. He was starting to wonder if she was the embezzler.

She thought about the scene with Kate Delbridge in the women’s restroom that day.

Delbridge was just a writer. Writers were a dime a dozen. The ability to produce chatty blogs and catchy posts was hardly rare. Anyone who could string two sentences together could create content. But writers did have one special skill – a good writer who also happened to be jealous might be able to spin a story that an anxious CEO who was being robbed by a clever embezzler would be all too willing to believe.

Maybe Delbridge had planted the seeds of doubt in Josh’s mind.

Laurel went back into the kitchen and poured herself a large glass of wine. She carried it into the living room and stood where Josh had stood earlier, looking out at the lights of Seattle on the far side of the lake.

She had worked too hard to get where she was. The brass ring was within reach. She would not allow a jealous woman to destroy her plans.

She took her time with the wine and contemplated the best way to get rid of Kate Delbridge.

CHAPTER 46

“I couldn’t help but notice that you didn’t put up much of a fight when Xavier announced that he was going to be your intern for a few days,” Virginia said.

She and Cabot were seated on the sofa in her living room, going through the photocopies of Abigail Watkins’s journal again in an attempt to glean some additional information. The pages were spread out across the coffee table.

Cabot did not look up from the time line of events that he was creating on his laptop.

“The way I see it, the kid earned the job by helping Anson figure out the code in your mom’s book.”

Virginia smiled. “You know what I think? I think you’re feeling sorry for Xavier. He’s drifting at the moment. He came looking for you because he needs an anchor.”

“If there’s an anchor involved, it’s Anson, not me. He’s the one keeping an eye on Xavier.”

“Still, you could have put Xavier on the next plane home. You didn’t do that.”

“Haven’t had time. Been a little busy lately.”

Virginia smiled and said nothing.

Cabot finally looked up, his eyes tightened a little at the corners. “Xavier can’t stay here in Seattle indefinitely.”

“But for now?”

“For now it’s okay as long as Anson is willing to watch him,” Cabot said.

His phone pinged before Virginia could say anything more on the subject. He glanced at the screen. A great stillness came over him for a split second. And then he was on his feet.

“It’s Kate Delbridge,” he said. “She says she needs to see us immediately.”

“Where? Her place?”

“No, she’s on the way to the airport.” Cabot picked up his holstered gun and headed for the front door. “Wants to talk to me. There’s an address. Looks like it’s a restaurant located a few blocks south of Pioneer Square.”

“The SoDo neighborhood?” Virginia leaped to her feet and hurried after him. “That’s mostly an industrial area. It will be practically deserted at this time of night.”

“I get the feeling she doesn’t want to be seen talking to me.”

“Us,” Virginia said. “I’m coming with you.”

Cabot paused at the door, his hand wrapped around the knob. “There’s no need.”