Page 49 of Billionaire Corruption

We didn’t talk about work again, focusing instead on the time we had together, being alone and far from our stresses. In the morning, we had a last breakfast at Annie’s Place, saying a fond goodbye to Margaret.

I caught a pensive look on Grace’s face as we took the car to the airport.

“What is it?”

But she shook her head, fell silent.

I had a feeling what she was thinking about.

As we boarded our small plane, flew back into the city, the feeling grew. We held hands, tightly, as if we were about to be wrenched apart. In some ways, we would be. She was going back to her apartment, and I’d have to go into the office. Brock had left messages, saying he had to see me urgently.

I knew that wasn’t good.

I didn’t want to think about what he could be wanting to discuss. My couple of days in Port Victoria had been a breath of fresh air, blowing out the foul-smelling fumes of the Ladden scandal. I didn’t want to let it back in. But it didn’t take me long to feel the weight of it again.

I took a shower at home, dressed in a suit and tie, and left for the office.

I went straight to Brock’s office at the end of the floor.

“Paul,” Brock said, getting up from behind his table when I came in.

He strode over, shook my hand, a tight grip that seemed more forceful than necessary.

“Something’s come up. Will you close the door?”

Brock was a big man, imposing, I suppose, with bushy eyebrows that had turned grey over the years. He had a full head of hair and broad shoulders, making me think that he would’ve made a good quarterback in his time.

“What’s up?”

“Some documents have found their way to the auditors.”

“Oh?”

“They’re incriminating. Very.”

“In what way?”

Brock looked down, I could see lines on his face and for the first time, I could see he was under pressure.

“They point to Jerome, make it look like he set up some duplicate accounts, approved some deals that may not have had their due diligence.”

“I see.”

“This is bad, Paul.” Brock’s voice gained an edge. “If they look into Jerome, it becomes too close to home.”

“I thought you said you could close this down?”

“That was before your little girlfriend started digging around in places she shouldn’t have!” Brock’s voice lashed out at me with unexpected violence.

Even though he hadn’t moved a step closer to me, I could feel the shock of his words as if he had struck me physically.

“Do you mean Grace?”

“Of course, I mean Grace Bishop!” he spat at me.

“How do you know it’s her?”

“I have my ways!” he hissed.

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