Page 6 of Indigo Deception
I can't help the smirk that crosses my face. She's like a machine, ticking off points as if running through a checklist.
"Do you always count things off on your fingers, Little Auditor?" The nickname slips out of my mouth.
A flash of irritation breaks through her professional mask. Brief but unmistakable. Her fingers curl into her palm.
"I find organization enhances clarity, Mr. Bellanti."
The nickname clearly bothers her, which makes me want to use it more.
I stand up, walking to the floor-to-ceiling windows that showcase Manhattan's skyline. "Tell me what you know about our Singapore situation."
"Only what Ms. Reeves shared. You've expanded rapidly there, which has attracted attention from regulators. Your compliance framework hasn't kept pace with growth."
She's careful with her words. Smart.
"And you believe you can fix this?"
"I wouldn't be here if I couldn't."
I turn to face her. She hasn't moved, hasn't reached for her phone to check notifications, has done nothing but maintain that perfect posture.
It's almost as if she's a robot. So unsettling.
"We handle billions in transactions across seventeen countries, Ms. Bennett. Our Asia-Pacific operations alone move more money in a day than most companies see in a year. The people who try to regulate usare always three steps behind. I need someone who can stay five steps ahead."
"Then you've found the right person."
The intercom buzzes. I press the button. "Yes?"
"Your brother is on line one."
"Tell him I'll call back in fifteen."
I study her a moment longer. There's something different about her. Most people who come into my office are either terrified or overeager. She's neither. Just...watchful. Those brown eyes miss nothing.
"The work would require complete discretion," I say, returning to my chair. "And access to our inner financial systems."
"I wouldn't be effective otherwise."
I slide a folder across to her. "This is what we're dealing with. Our Singapore expansion has created certain... inefficiencies."
Her eyebrows raise slightly as she reviews the numbers. She should be impressed. Those "inefficiencies" are actually perfectly designed laundering channels. To the untrained eye, they look like accounting errors. To someone who knows what they're looking at, they're works of art.
"I see," she says after a moment, her expression neutral. "These could indeed attract attention."
The door opens, and Veronica enters without knocking. She alone has that privilege.
"Angelo, I—" She stops, seeing Ms. Bennett. "I apologize for interrupting. I didn’t know you were already here, Ms. Bennett. "
"It's fine," I say. "Ms. Bennett and I were just discussing her potential involvement in our Singapore situation."
Veronica's smile is warm as she approaches.
"Sarah. I'm glad you made it." She turns to me. "She's exactly what we need, Angelo. Princeton economics, top of the field in risk management. I've heard of her ability to work miracles with regulatory problems."
The endorsement means something. Veronica has been my mentor since Wharton—the only professor who saw beyond the Bellanti name to recognize genuine talent.
When I graduated, I convinced her to leave academia for the private sector. Now she oversees our entire Asia-Pacific operation.
