Page 4 of Fallen Roses

I unfasten the watch and slide it across the counter, and as he lifts it, he whistles appreciatively.

“It’s a fine example, and the market is hungry.”

The fact I was on the waiting list for this for four years makes that statement an obvious one, and he stares at me with concern.

“Are you sure about this?”

“No, but tell me another way to raise the cash quickly and I’ll take it.”

“You could rob a bank.” He quips and yet I’m not laughing.

“I’ll pass.”

He shakes his head sadly. “I’m sorry man. Anything I can help you with?”

“I’m good, but thanks for the offer.”

Dirk is a good guy. He knows most of the bad ones in town and sympathizes with those who fall foul of them, and I’m guessing he believes that’s why I’m here.

“I can give you ten thousand, as arranged. I have a buyer lined up already.”

He opens his huge leather-bound book and turns to a page filled with names and numbers. “This is the Rolex page. It seems that everyone wants that watch and if you had more, you could make a killing.”

“No, just the one, sadly.”

He shrugs and opens a drawer under his desk and removes a book, writing me a ticket and attaching a tag to the watch. “You have seven days to pay me back with interest before it goes up for sale.”

“Only seven days.” I shake my head. “You can do better than that, Dirk.”

He sighs, and the sympathy is heavy in his eyes. “Twelve days.”

I smile my thanks. “You’re a good man, Dirk.”

“Right back at you, James. You know, if I could help, I would.”

He stands and heads to the office at the back of his shop and returns five minutes later with an envelope.

“Ten thousand dollars as agreed.”

As I pocket the envelope, it’s with a heavy heart because the person who will receive it definitely doesn’t deserve it.

I head back on the sidewalk with a dull ache inside. This has to be the last time, and I resolve to get Dylan far away from this wretched town. The trouble is, my work is here, doing good for so many who need a helping hand. I love what I do and the thought of giving everything up for a man who will undoubtedly stumble straight into the next pile of trouble from this one, makes my blood run cold.

CHAPTER 3

ANA

I’ve had an extremely interesting morning. I wasted no time in filling in the forms and then settled down to the real reason I’m here. I’m grateful for the privacy screens because I can work with no distractions and I spent the first hour familiarizing myself with the accounts I manage.

I am staggered by the sheer amount of money that passes through these books and eye-watering sums dance before my eyes as I delve into every transaction.

Many of these companies are unknown to me and I make a note of their names, intending on amassing information on them by feeding it back to my team in Russia when I head back to the hotel later on tonight. My intention is to discover every secret The Rose Foundation is hiding and if there is any connection to my family, I will know about it.

I’m aware my father was involved. I discovered thesecret file he kept on it, but from what I could decipher, he merely donated several hundreds of thousands of dollars to it every year for tax advantages. There is no other reason I can tell why he would donate and knowing the woman who started it was a friend of my mother’s should be reason enough.

However, my brothers uncovered a connection to this business with an organization that my father was also involved with. One that is not so honorable and definitely more underhand. Is there a connection to them and if there is, will it lead to the answers we seek? It is my job to find out.

I’m unaware of my fellow workers and I’m surprised when David pops his head around the partition and smiles. “Fancy some lunch?”

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