Page 59 of Silent Vendetta (Vendetta Duet)

I wasn’t sure what Luna would do once it was done. In a courthouse full of armed security and law enforcement officers, she would have every opportunity to escape my confinement and turn me in.

I was still protecting her from criminal prosecution to the best of my ability, anyway. That’s why I was going with her, so if she didn’t turn me in, she could claim she was still under duress.

Plus, I wanted to be with her during her most pivotal moment. I hoped all her dreams would come true, but if this didn’t go her way, I didn’t want her to be alone.

“Isn’t this more important?” Uncle Alexander asked.

“How did reporters catch wind of this?” I wondered.

“You tell me.”

“Who is the whistleblower?”

“They’re staying anonymous. But whoever it is, is saying the accounting discrepancy was some kind of cover-up.”

So, the missing funds turned out to be a very big deal, then.

“A cover-up of what?” I wondered, but Alexander merely shrugged, reading the article on his phone as if each word was a bullet to our family legacy.

It pissed me off that someone had gone to reporters over this rather than coming to me first. Especially since there was only one person that I could think of who might have done it.

I looked at my watch. Eight minutes until we needed to leave, which gave me time to make a quick call.

I dialed my accountant, Jeff, and put him on speaker.

“Mr. Lockwood,” Jeff started.

“Was it you?” I snapped.

Jeff was quiet.

“Why did you do it?” I snarled.

Jeff’s hesitation was grinding against my nerves. I began pacing in my bedroom, clenching my fist. When I set out to solve my father’s murder, the last thing I wanted was to drag his name through the mud. He was the victim here.

“I’m sorry,” Jeff said. “It weighed on my conscience back then. I managed to get past it, but to get involved again…I can’t do it anymore.”

“What weighed on your conscience?”

“You’ll have my resignation by the end of the day.”

“If you’re going to make an accusation, tell me what the hell you’re accusing my father of!”

Jeff hesitated.

“The damage is done, Jeff. So, spit it out.”

The asshole took the time to sigh before answering me.

“Improper use of company funds.”

I froze. “Elaborate.”

“I don’t know everything,” Jeff hedged.

“And yet you went to reporters to ruin his reputation.”

“You don’t need to get curt with me.”

---