Chapter Twenty-Seven
Nate and Luna entered the offices of Allen and Associates together, even though they had driven separately. Nate wore a full suit, Luna looking similar but without a tie and better shoes.
Melinda shuffled them into the conference room to wait for Marcus.
Luna had already mentioned that her mother was destined to leave by the end of the week.
“We need to celebrate,” she’d told him.
“Tell me what to bring and I’ll be there.”
“Bleach” was her reply. The ashtray that used to be a guest room needed some TNT to make it right.
Nate placed a hand to his heart and said, “I’m a great guy, but I draw the line on scrubbing the walls.”
Luna had already decided to remove the curtains and the bedding, wash both, and then box them up for the next time her mom visited. She even considered a fresh coat of paint. “Getting rid of the bad energy,” Miley quoted Jorden.
Sounded like a plan to Luna.
Marcus entered the conference room with bold steps and a lifted chin. “Hello, hello.”
They shook hands and made the pleasantries. “How are my secret weapons?” he asked.
“We’re great,” Nate answered.
Luna nodded in agreement. “We think you’re going to be happy with what we found.”
They’d given him a status update, but the details . . . that’s where the magic happened.
“Let’s get into it.” Marcus took a seat at the head of the table.
Nate and Luna sat opposite each other.
Nate slid a folder over to him. “These are the interviews.”
Luna pushed her folder forward as well. “These are the numbers.” Luna pushed a third folder. “This is the findings.”
Marcus smiled, sat back. “Talk to me.”
For an hour Nate and Luna bounced between each other as they spelled out the fraud they’d found in not only BOHO, but a mix of Mercier’s other holdings.
Millions of dollars had been laundered through bogus consultant fees and labor costs.
Money was moved through shell companies in both Vietnam and Africa.
Shell companies that needed the Mercier corporate touch with Scandinavian furniture and chandeliers . . . only it went much deeper than that.
Luna would direct Marcus to the numbers, and Nate painted the picture of who they believed were the responsible parties.
The bottom line, they’d found the leak, now it was up to Marcus to direct Mercier how to fix the hole and move on to prosecute the guilty parties involved.
And after today, the only thing Luna and Nate would have to do with the case was testify in court when the day came. And considering how slowly courts moved, it would probably be in a couple of years.
Marcus sat back shaking his head. “I can’t believe how much you found in such a short amount of time. I thought for sure this would take a couple more months at least.”
Nate smiled across the table at Luna. “We’re a great team,” he said.
“If the two of you ever decide to merge your businesses, I’ll set the paperwork up for you. Pro bono.”
“Are you feeling okay, Marcus?” Luna asked. “An attorney giving away his services for free . . . you’re losing your touch.”
He sat up quickly. “You’re right. Forget I said that. Temporary insanity,” he teased. “But seriously, good work. You’ve saved this firm hundreds of hours.”
“Be sure and remember that when I send you my last invoice,” Luna said.
Nate was surprised to hear Luna talk about an invoice. He was still working on the retainer he’d secured for the job.
Marcus rolled his chair back.
“One more thing.” Luna stopped their exit.
“Name it,” Marcus said.
“There were two probationary accountants that were instrumental in some of the early discovery at Mercier’s offices in Houston.”
Marcus slowly smiled and shook his head. “You did it again, didn’t you?”
Luna shrugged. “What can I say. I remember those student loans.”
Nate looked between the two of them. “What are you guys talking about?”
Marcus pointed at Luna. “Our bleeding heart over here has a clause in her contracts.”
Nate lifted an eyebrow in question.
“Are you okay with me telling him?” Marcus asked Luna.
She nodded. “Nate’s going to ask me, and I’ll tell him, so go ahead. I want to hear how you spin this.”
Marcus winked at her. “When Luna first started working for us and hadn’t proven herself, her hourly rate felt a little steep.
As you’re aware, as a subcontractor you retain funds up front based on the estimated time it will take to do the job.
Luna lured us in by keeping her hourly rate, yet only taking half the retainer with the promise that she’d get the job done before the original agreed upon amount was reached.
And then she would bill for the remainder of her hours at the end. ”
“Damn,” Nate said. “I knew you were smart, but that’s one hell of an angle. What does that have to do with the interns?”
Marcus looked at Luna. “You can explain this better than I can.”
“The hours and therefore dollars I save the firm by working quickly are added up and a percentage of that is my bonus. I mean, I could easily draw this out longer, take the whole paycheck.”
“Only you don’t take the bonus half the time, you give it away,” Marcus argued.
“The interns,” Nate concluded.
Luna shrugged like it was no big deal.
“Oh, it gets better,” Marcus said. “Once I present this to Mercier and tell him that his interns will be receiving student loan relief from Ms. Canning here, nine times out of ten, the client matches her gift. Some pay them off completely.”
Nate felt a section of his heart slip out and fall into her. “You’re incredible.”
Luna dismissed him, “Don’t look at me with those puppy eyes. I get a tax write-off. It’s not completely selfless.”
Marcus snorted.
Which made Luna laugh.
All Nate could do was stare. Pro bono work, student loan relief for virtual strangers, and at the same time pinching pennies when it came to buying herself a new car.
Luna met his gaze, and her cheeks found the perfect shade of pink.
The room grew quiet until Marcus cleared his throat.
Nate pulled out of Luna’s orbit, and they both turned to Marcus.
Marcus shifted his gaze between the two of them.
Luna sat a little taller.
“Well . . . that’s an interesting development,” Marcus said.
“What is?” Luna asked.
“Oh, please, Luna, I know you better than that.” Marcus looked at Nate then back to Luna. “I can see it. Just keep it professional when you’re here. I don’t need any of my employees getting any ideas.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking—”
“Hon,” Nate stopped her. “You’re not that good of a liar.”
“That is not true,” she denied.
“He’s right. It goes with that bleeding heart.” Marcus chuckled and lifted himself out of his chair.
Nate watched on when Marcus took Luna’s hand and leaned in for a friendly hug. When he did, he whispered something in her ear.
Luna gave him a coy smile and uttered, “Thanks.”
Nate shook the man’s hand.
“We’ll be in touch,” Marcus said as he walked them out of the room.
In the elevator, Nate casually intertwined two of his fingers around two of hers while their hands dangled at their sides. “What did Marcus say?” Nate asked.
Luna slowly looked up at him, then directed her attention on the closed elevator door. “I’m not going to overinflate your ego.”
She was blushing again.
Nate rocked back on his heels and couldn’t stop smiling.
Karen’s visit was less than twenty-four hours away from ending.
Luna already felt some of the stress her mother created leaving her system.
An added bonus was the fact that Harper had taken the afternoon off and was out with their mom doing lunch and shopping.
Harper felt guilty for not taking on more of the mom load, and Luna was happy to help her sister feel that guilt.
Ash, on the other hand, was not making an extra trip.
He’d given Luna an excuse and then owned the fact that it was just that, an excuse. “I suck, I know . . . I’ll make it up to you another time,” Ash had said.
Luna didn’t press the issue.
If Ash came up and he learned of Ben’s sleepover . . . yeah, Luna didn’t want the drama.
It was almost over.
Luna was in her office, but instead of catching up on the other cases she’d put aside to work on the Mercier investigation, she was searching the internet for bedroom makeover images. There was currently a dull yellow on the walls with equally uninspiring bedcoverings made with quilted lace.
There hadn’t been any significant family history with the décor, and if any of it had been handmade, Nana never mentioned it.
The large plastic bags that you could suck the air out of for storage were already on their way in the mail.
The only thing Luna planned on keeping in the room was the bed, well, the mattress and box spring. The bed frame and ancient dresser were going on Facebook Marketplace as soon as the taillights to her mother’s goodbye were in sight.
Luna was looking forward to the project.
With her tablet in hand, Luna went to the room in question and pushed the door open.
The bed was unmade, and her mother had tossed clothes on a chair in the corner.
Luna had forgotten about the chair.
Clear the room, paint it, dress it up with fresh linen and then take her time finding the right furniture. The side table and lamp would go to the attic.
On second thought, they would be sold off as well.
Soft green on the walls . . . a white plush headboard, nothing too expensive, two nightstands and two lamps.
No dresser.
A dresser invited people to stay longer.
The closet was small by current day standards, but there was plenty of room in it to hang a few days’ worth of clothes.
Key words being few days.
She needed measurements.
Luna left the room and tried to remember the last time she’d seen her tape measure.
She owned two . . . one lived in the garage, and the other in a small toolbox that was in a closet downstairs.
Except she was pretty sure she’d left it somewhere else.
The attic.
Luna exited her mother’s room and only realized when she walked away from it how much it smelled up the house.
Cigarettes. She’d never understand the desire for such a nasty habit.