Promise Not To Tell(68)

“Because I think someone is setting me up to take the fall for the embezzlement that’s going on at Night Watch. Look, I don’t have a lot of time. I think you need to take a close look at someone else in the company.”

“Got a name?”

“Yes, as a matter of fact. That’s why I called —”

She broke off as the growl of a rapidly accelerating car engine shattered the unnatural stillness of the night.

Virginia automatically looked around, trying to see the other vehicle. For a beat she saw nothing. In the next instant, a car roared around the corner at the far end of the street and rocketed forward. The twin beams of the headlights lanced the darkness.

Virginia had a split second in which to realize that the oncoming vehicle was rushing forward in the wrong lane and that, if it did not change course, it would slam into Kate and Cabot.

Kate half turned to see what was happening behind her. She must have been stunned by the headlights because instead of trying to get out of the path of the oncoming vehicle, she froze.

“Kate,” Cabot shouted. “Move.”

He broke into a run, heading toward her.

Virginia did the only thing she could think of – she switched on the SUV’s powerful headlights, hoping to distract or even temporarily blind the driver of the speeding car. For good measure, she hit the horn.

The maneuver must have caught the driver of the oncoming car by surprise. Whoever was behind the wheel reacted instinctively, swerving out of the wrong lane and into the other one.

Cabot grabbed Kate’s arm and hauled her out of the street and around the rear of her vehicle.

The driver of the attacking car, having lost sight of the target, roared away down the street and kept going.

Virginia tried to get a look at the driver as the vehicle raced past, but all she could make out was a vague silhouette.

It took her a second to realize that whoever was behind the wheel was wearing a ski mask.

CHAPTER 48

“I think we can assume that was not a drunk driver,” Kate Delbridge said.

She was huddled in the rear of Cabot’s SUV. There was a tremor in her voice.

“Agreed,” Cabot said. He was back behind the wheel of the SUV. He had his phone in his hand. “I’m going to call the cops.”

“Wait, please.” Kate wrapped her arms around her midsection. She rocked slowly back and forth. “I think I’m going to be sick.”

Kate appeared to be hovering on the edge of hysteria. Cabot looked at Virginia, trying to send a message. He knew she got it because she turned in her seat and looked at Kate.

“We can wait to notify the police, Kate,” Virginia said. “What was it you wanted to tell us?”

She kept her tone quiet but firm. Kate visibly steadied.

“I told you, there have been rumors about embezzlement circulating around Night Watch for weeks,” she got out in low tones. “A few days ago I found a large cash deposit in my bank account. I was sure it was a mistake. I called the bank. They looked into it and said it was a legitimate deposit. As far as they were concerned the money was mine. For a while I told myself I had just been on the lucky end of a banking error. I was sure the bank would figure it out sooner or later, so I was careful not to spend the money. But today it happened again.”

“There was another big cash deposit?” Virginia asked.

Kate nodded weakly. “I wasn’t stupid enough to believe I’d gotten lucky twice. Both deposits were sizable but under the limit that banks are required to report.”

“What, exactly, do you think is going on?” Cabot asked.

“I admit I’m not very tech savvy,” Kate said. “But I’m not as dumb as everyone at Night Watch seems to think. Someone is setting me up to take the fall for the embezzlement scheme.”

“If that’s the case, why try to kill you tonight?” Cabot asked.

Kate shook her head. “I don’t know. Probably because I made the appointment to talk to you. Someone is watching my every move. I have to get out of town.”

“Got any idea of who might want to use you for the fall guy?” Cabot asked.

Kate was silent for a few tense seconds.

“Maybe,” she said finally. She took a deep breath and seemed to regain some control. “But I have absolutely no proof.”

“Go on,” Virginia encouraged.

“When the rumors of embezzlement first started, I assumed it was someone in the accounting department or in IT. We all did. I mean, those people must know every possible way to skim money off the top, right? And they’re all pretty tech savvy, at least when it comes to dealing with money. After Sandra Porter was fired, we all thought it was because she was the embezzler and management had decided to let her go quietly. But today, when I realized that someone was trying to make it look like I was embezzling, I realized Sandra couldn’t have been the one stealing the money – or, at least, not the only one involved.”

“Who, then?” Virginia prompted.

“This is just a guess, you understand, but Laurel Jenner, the head of marketing, is really pissed at me.”

“Why?” Cabot asked.

Kate rocked a little in the seat. “I’m almost positive she’s sleeping with the boss, Josh Preston. And she knows that I know. I think she’s afraid I’ll ruin her cushy situation. Preston has made it clear that he doesn’t approve of workplace romances. Those things happen, but at Night Watch people get fired if the relationship becomes common knowledge.”