Page 16 of Their Stolen Kisses
Chapter 8
Diana
I swept through the door, hair ruffled, blouse slightly awry, and puffing like a distance runner before sitting in my seat and trying to pretend I hadn’t run up a flight of stairs.
Apparently, I wasn’t the only one who had missed the message that had been posted three hours ago on the app we used for office communication. The message that had said there would be a meeting… five minutes ago now. Meetings were usually announced days in advance, with possibly the least notice that I could remember being twelve hours.
Three hours wasn’t much time. Any employee in this building could easily focus on something for three hours without opening the communication app on any device, especially if they muted their phones.
As a result, I was late - but I wasn’t the latest. People continued to trickle into the room for the next fifteen minutes, some finally noticing the message and others informed by office phone or personal visit. None of the higher-ups sitting at the front reprimanded anyone, likely realizing that the short notice meant they needed to cut us a bit of slack.
Finally, everyone was present. I assumed so, anyway, since the meeting started. First, the head of commercial sales stood up and began to congratulate us for being part of the company as we hit a milestone. What milestone? I wasn’t too sure because I kept forgetting to listen and instead admired the strong curve of Cameron’s jaw where he sat at the front and slightly to the side of the room.
When I did manage to tear my eyes from a contemplation of the fit of Cameron’s suit jacket, I noticed two things. First, a new speaker had taken the stage - if you could call the three-inch raised platform that - and I recognized him as the head of Finance. Second, none of the higher-ups actually looked happy about hitting a milestone. They would have brought donuts or something to such a meeting ordinarily, so this was about something entirely different. Then, there was the short notice and the unreadable faces of many of those sitting at the front.
Finally, Cameron stood up and moved to face the waiting attendees. “You’re probably all wondering why this meeting was called so suddenly. I’m sure you’re all aware of our newest business venture. Our agents are representing a successful southern company looking to expand east. This deal was - is - going to be great for the company.” Cameron’s eyes swept over us all, lingering on me just a tiny bit longer than anyone else. “Part of this deal is that we get the properties ready for the company to move in.”
I waited for thebut.This was all common knowledge in the company. I’d handled reports from this deal and talked to representatives of the mentioned company, which was a beauty product seller looking to expand to more locations and markets.
“Somehow, funds that were supposed to go to the plumbing contractor we hired have… disappeared. The money was there, available, and then it wasn’t. Finance haven’t been able to provide an explanation.” I couldn’t have been the only one who spotted Cameron’s dark glance at the head off finance. “So, I’m asking all the departments to look into the matter. This was a substantial sum, and it doesn’t make sense for it to just vanish. The plumbing contractor is threatening to sue for lack of payment. We’re called Pinnacle because we’re at the top of the property management food chain. We can’t afford to lose our reputation, and this unfortunate situation could affect us all.”
That was a clear message. The company loses money, the employees lose money. More worrying, at least to me, anyway, was the worry disguised behind the pep talk. Cameron had enough on his plate with his ex-wife trying to take custody of Noah. He couldn’t afford to have a situation arise in the company that required his full attention and time… not with a looming court date next week.
So, find out what happened to the money.An easy solution, if only I could find it. Money didn’t up and disappear. There were documents, records - digital and physical - withdrawals, deposits, something. Anything.
Cameron provided a little more information, including the exact amount of money - a sum that made me gulp - then brought the meeting to a close and dismissed us back to our offices or other jobs.
During the hubbub as everyone got up to leave, I saw Cameron speaking in low tones with Chloe, his shoulders hunched forward tiredly. I wished I could massage them with my hands, feel them relax while he leaned into me and I told him we would find the money and everything would be okay-
“Excuse me.” I blinked rapidly and stepped aside for a woman who couldn’t get through the door because I was standing in the frame, taking up the entire passage. Blushing, I ducked my head and returned to my office a little less rapidly than I’d left it.
Money. Find the money. What could have happened?
There was always the chance that the plumbing contractor was lying about receiving their payment. That made very little sense, though. Finance would have a record of the deposited check or a funds transfer. I assumed finance had checkedallthe accounts and spreadsheets, not just the ones pertaining to this project.
Still, it wouldn’t hurt to check, and I did have a sort-of-friend in the Finance Department. So, I picked up my office phone and dialed his number. “Hi, Rob? Yeah, I’m just trying to look into the plumbing contractor situation. I know your department is doing everything they can, I just wanted to make sure I was too. Yeah, I wanted to ask if all Pinnacle bank accounts had been reviewed.” I listened to the indignant reply, scratching at the desk with a fingernail. “Yes, I’m aware the balances and recent transactions would have been the first records you looked at. Again, just wanted to ask to make sure.” I hung up.
This is why I said sort-of-friend. Rob could be… well, an ass. Although, I suppose if someone was accusing me of not doing my job, I might be on edge too.
So, not the bank accounts. What else? A large withdrawal in cash would have been noticed, so that was out. And it should still have appeared in a bank account history.
In fact, the more I thought about it, the more I wondered about what Rob had said. All the money in the company should have moved through a bank with no exception.
Then… had someone in finance made a mistake? Rob hadn’t said who was actually doing the audit, only that there was one. Did just one employee in their department go through and search for discrepancies? Or was it a general consensus that all the funds had been properly allocated and payments made?
I needed to check, mostly to satisfy my own curiosity. I had a feeling Rob wouldn’t be very helpful, so I headed down two floors to the Finance Department.
The secretary at the desk hardly glanced at me. Apparently, I wasn’t the only person to visit her department today. “Can I help you?”
“I hope so. I know the company bank accounts were examined but I was wondering - how were they audited? By a specific person, or generally by everyone?”
“Al Cordero did the audit. He’s been here longest aside from Matt, the Finance Department Head, and Matt trusted him with the job.”
“Is Al in his office?”
“Let’s see.” The woman picked up the phone, lounging unconcernedly in her chair as it rang and I stood anxiously, the fire of discovery and hope making me antsy. “Hi, Al. Got a moment? Someone’s here to talk to you.” She set the phone down and eyed the pack of gum beside her keyboard. This was probably the first time she’d had to actually worry about anyone of significance coming down here who would remember anything unprofessional like chewing gum. “He’s in office five two three. To the left.”
“Great, thanks.”
