Page 24 of A Match Made in Coven
Then he turned his attention back to the stack of bank statements in front of him, determined to ignore the captivating witch by his side, and how, working this close, their knees were brushing under the table. As he delved into the maze of numbers and transactions, the sheer magnitude of the financial mess Elijah was in unraveled. Gargoyles be damned, Glenda King had been right.
“Hex, this can’t be right,” Lorcan spat.
“What did you find?”
“Elijah was deep in debt. Maxed out credit cards, loans piling up…” He shook his head in disbelief. “Our business is doing well. Even with the mortgage and alimony, he should’ve had plenty left.”
“Yeah, I saw the mansion you live in. Or was that built on family money?”
Bristling at her sarcastic tone, Lorcan replied testily, “No, it’s a property I renovated myself, and Elijah could have built two more if he wanted.”
“So you’re both loaded—were… I mean”—Andromeda cleared her throat—“if your company is so successful, why was Elijah broke? Where did his money go?”
The question hung in the air. Unease coiled in Lorcan’s stomach. How could his reliable, level-headed business partner have been this man whose finances were in shambles?
Sarah Michelle shuffled a few folders. “We need to dig deeper. The explanation has to be buried in these records somewhere.”
As they sifted through more statements, a troubling pattern emerged.
“Look at this.” Lorcan pointed at a row of data. “Many cash withdrawals, each under ten thousand dollars. Clearly an attempt to avoid triggering bank scrutiny. And they go back years.”
He looked up at the detective, perplexed. “This isn’t like Elijah. He’s not the type to engage in anything illegal.”
Sarah Michelle’s expression was skeptical. “The only activities that require that much cash are the shady kind.” Her intense gaze bore into him.
Lorcan couldn’t resist teasing her. With a lopsided grin, he quipped, “You’re cute when you’re all serious and detective-y.”
Sarah Michelle’s eyes flashed as another viciously sweet smile parted her lips. “Call me cute again, and I’ll curse your wardrobe to consist solely of itchy wool.”
Lorcan’s grin widened. “In that case, I might have to go around naked.” He waggled his eyebrows suggestively. “You wouldn’t mind that, would you?”
Sarah Michelle shot him an affronted look, but a telltale blush colored her cheeks. “Actually, I’d rather not be responsible for your public indecency charge. And I prefer my nightmares to be a bit more imaginative.”
She spun away from him, focusing on her roommate. “Andy, have you discovered anything about Morning Star yet?”
Andromeda was barely suppressing a smile as she replied. “Nope, but I’m not giving up. This code name has to mean something.”
Lorcan knew how to take the hint that he’d better stop the teasing. The chances he’d otherwise soon be hopping around turned into a toad were escalating fast. He steepled his fingers as he contemplated the mystery of Elijah’s cash withdrawals. “Okay, let’s think this through logically. What activities require untraceable cash? Drugs, maybe?”
Sarah Michelle shook her head. “Elijah’s toxicology report came back clear. No signs of substance abuse. Prostitutes?”
Lorcan dismissed the idea. “No, no way. Elijah would never.”
“Could he have had a secret girlfriend with expensive tastes? Maybe he was conned?” Sarah Michelle proposed.
Lorcan frowned. “Doubtful. Elijah had no reason to keep a relationship quiet, and he wasn’t the flashy type. His car is more sensible than mine, for hex’s sake.”
He raked his brain to reconcile this new information with the man he believed he knew. Suddenly, it hit him—how Elijah always knew the odds of things most people never considered. “Unless… he was gambling.”
“That could explain the cash withdrawals and the financial troubles.”
Lorcan nodded grimly. “It fits. But I never… he never. How could I not see?”
“Addiction can affect anyone. Even those who seem to have it together.”
A heavy silence fell over the room as they grappled with the new development. Lorcan’s heart ached for his friend, wondering what demons Elijah had been battling in secret. If only he had paid attention, maybe Lorcan could have helped.
He turned to Sarah Michelle. “Do you have any pictures of Elijah’s desk?”
