Chapter 50
Ashout of triumph emerged from her lips as Colette received the scanned documents in her inbox.
Such a delightful way to start the day. Marshall found the missing files.
She danced nervously at the printer, where she waited for the papers to slide out of the machine.
She silently prayed that the papers would reveal something of significance. Anything would be amazing.
She could see signed contracts, legal agreements, sales, and deliveries.
Colette snorted. Judging from the finance reports, the deliveries were bogus, and the money was just slipping out into the ether.
Her eyes scanned the documents greedily, searching for evidence of how to get in touch with whoever was receiving these payments.
Bingo.
Her gaze locked on a banking transit number. Yes.
This could be tracked. She had all the bank contacts that Rosebud Ranch dealt with.
Shaking a fist in the air in victory, Colette whipped open her laptop and entered the banking information into her search bar, locating the bank in question.
It was a smaller credit union based in Alberta.
Funds were being deposited into this mysterious Lorimer account, and she was going to figure out who was behind it.
Locating the bank contact information, she paced the length of her apartment until the bank opened, and she could call. Colette had zero patience, and the way her heart was beating in her chest, she was getting close to something.
The phone rang three times until a receptionist picked up, and she was transferred to the business accounts department. Taking a few deep breaths, Colette tried desperately to keep herself from passing out with excitement.
“Hello, Gerald Comis here,” a voice answered.
Colette willed her chest to stop vibrating as she spoke.
“Hi, Gerald, I’m working on behalf of the King Corporation, their Rosebud Ranch account.
I’m new here and just want to check that all our payments are going through.
We’ve been having some issues with our finance department.
Could you verify some information for me? ”
Woah. Verbal diarrhea much? That came out way too fast. Colette closed her eyes to calm herself as she waited for the man’s response.
“I can help you, yes. Let’s go through this step by step.”
“Great, thanks. Where do we start?”
“Can you give me your branch and account numbers? I can verify your account through a few security questions.”
Shit. Colette hadn’t thought about fucking security questions.
“What’s the name on your account?”
She tried Marshall’s grandfather. “Clarence King?” Her mouth turned into a tight frown as she waited for the answer.
“No, think the company. You said it before.”
Cool, Gerald was playing ball. “The King Corporation? Rosebud Ranch?”
“That works. What was the last transaction on the account?”
Colette flipped through her most recent records and listed the last transaction she had documented. Perfect.
“Great. Now, can you give me the five-digit pin on the account?”
Fuck. She hadn’t seen a pin anywhere. She’d have to call someone to get that information. It wasn’t written down. Agnes may have taken that information with her.
“Gerald, can I call you back? I need to contact someone who will have that information. As I said, I’m new here.”
“Sure, no problem. Give me a call at my personal extension.”
She scratched out the phone number and extension for use later and hung up the phone.
Fuck.
So close, yet so far.
As if on cue, another email dropped into her inbox, from Anika Bernard. It was sent from her personal email. Anika didn’t want her employer knowing about it.
Colette read through it quickly at first, then slowly digested the information with a second read.
Hey Colette,
I was able to find some information about that case.
I can’t reveal too much, but the client was Lorimer Corporation.
The file they had with us was of a small company they owned, Leroy Industries.
As I told you before, they settled out of court, so I’m not privy to any details of the settlement.
The man we dealt with was Alexander Cunning.
He was more of a go-between the company and the law firm.
He is not the owner or CEO of the company, more like an assistant or something.
I hope this helps.
Anika
Great. This information was great. Useless, but great. Colette searched “Alexander Cunning,” and a few images popped up. Some obituaries, sad. Well, they were old and lived a good life. She clicked on a few images and her eyes caught on a particular one.
“Fuck.”
It couldn’t be.
Her eyes combed over the photos, some clearly taken at Stampede parties in Calgary. A man with sandy blond hair and a tan cowboy hat that looked awfully familiar. Reminding herself to breathe, Colette scanned through a few more photos.
Landing on a particular photo, Colette paused.
Blinking, she stared at the image, her mind not computing what she was seeing.
Alexander Cunning was posing with none other than Marshall’s uncle. Jarrett King.
Goosebumps scattered all over her skin, and for a moment, her chest seized as her heart seemed to stop in her chest. Wincing, she scanned the image again.
No. It was just a coincidence. She filled her cheeks with air and blew her breath out slowly.
Just a coincidence. Maybe Jarrett and Alexander had been seen together, bigwigs brushing shoulders at corporate events.
The business world in Calgary was small, after all.
Yeah, that was it. Stampede was a time for companies to socialize.
It wasn’t unusual for people to mingle to make business connections.
Besides, if she wasn’t mistaken, Jarrett King had no affiliations with Lorimer or Leroy.
He was all about the King family business.
Undaunted, Colette found the phone number for the King Corporation executive office.
They had hired her and would hopefully have some of the information she needed.
This would be easy enough to clarify. Though Clarence King didn’t go to work every day and was comfortably enjoying his retirement, their company continued to function under the steady influence of the elder gentleman.
Fletcher King had taken over the reins after his father retired and Colette believed Marshall’s uncle Jarrett also worked for the company.
Leroy Industries. Alexander Cunning. At least she had something to work with.
“Good morning, this is the office of the King Corporation. How may I direct your call?” A cheerful voice answered.
“Hi, my name is Colette Slip, and I have a few questions, maybe for the accounting department? I’m looking for information on our dealings with Leroy Industries? I’m the new accountant at Rosebud Ranch, and we’re missing some vital client information.”
“Leroy Industries? Sorry, doesn’t ring a bell. Hang on a minute,” the receptionist said, then spoke to someone nearby. Colette couldn’t make out what they were saying.
“Hi, sorry for leaving for a minute there. I spoke to my fellow receptionist here, and she has no idea about Leroy Industries. We’re going to transfer you over to accounting.
I’ll warn you, though, our department only deals with the King Corporation finances.
I’m not sure if we can help with ranch business. ” The woman’s voice stopped.
“Oh, good morning, Mr. King.” Her tone had changed from normal to extremely perky. Must be the boss. A few muffled voices were heard as though the receptionist’s hand seemed to have moved to cover the phone.
“Thank you, I appreciate it,” Colette said, though she suspected she was speaking to no one. She waited for the woman to say something else, but suddenly the line went dead. Some obnoxiously relaxing beats started to play, and she realized she was being transferred.
The call to the accounting department was a dead end.
They had no information on what Agnes would have been working on at the ranch.
Colette was disappointed but not giving up.
With a frustrated sigh, she pushed her chair away from the table and decided to stop for a break.
Her stomach was growling, and she was thirsting for another cup of coffee.
Maybe a jolt of caffeine would help her think.
As would another episode of The Golden Girls.
Try as she might, Colette just couldn’t quit that show. She related so hard to the old ladies. Their cool fashion sense and feisty attitudes.
The soup she had warmed up was tasteless as she ate a spoonful. Her stomach was in knots and though she needed to eat, it was hard to enjoy anything.
She snorted a laugh as Sophia, the oldest Golden Girl, described her date to the other women.
“If Tony calls, tell him I faked it,” Sophia said.
A laugh bubbled up in her throat. Those thirsty old ladies, breaking hearts all over town.
Colette’s smile faded as her mind wandered to the image she had seen.
Why was Alexander Cunning seen with Jarrett King?
If Mr. Cunning was working for a scammy corporation, why would Mr. King have anything to do with him?
He must be ignorant of Alexander’s shady dealings. This was most likely the explanation.
Unless…
Her stomach dropped as she swallowed another spoonful of soup. She slowly placed the bowl back on the counter. She couldn’t get that picture out of her mind.
He was more of a go-between the company and the law firm.
Alexander Cunning posed as a figurehead for the company, but he wasn’t the owner.
What if good old Uncle Jarrett was faking it?
Her heart picked up its pace in her chest once again.
Fuck.
She didn’t know who to turn to ask. The King family would be horrified if she made any outlandish accusations. Maybe she would get fired for suggesting such a thing. Colette shook her head.
No.
She wouldn’t go to the Kings, or at least the Calgary King branch of the family.
How could she make any accusations if she didn’t have any concrete proof?
Her eyes snagged on the notepad with Gerald Comis’s number on it. Surely there was a way she could get him to reveal the information she was seeking. End her suspicions once and for all.
She dialed his number again, and he answered quickly.
“Hi, Colette, good news, I found another way you could gain access to that information you were looking for. I just need you to give me some information from your last statement. I’ll help you reset the PIN after, to ensure you have access to the banking information.
I was just about to call you,” he explained.
Her body vibrated with excitement. Finally. Yes.
She provided Gerald with the necessary information and waited while he brought up the file, she needed access to.
“Okay, so,” he said, making a weird, fast, breathy whistle with his lips, which was quite annoying. “Your payments are going to Lorimer Fertilizers Inc. The bank and account information is connected to Leroy Industries. Exactly as you thought.”
“Is there a person connected to the account? A name?”
“Ah, let me look.” Insert breath flapping noise again here. “We are directed to contact a Mr. Alexander Cunning on behalf of…”
“On behalf of… I’m writing this down.”
“Now hang on, there’s no name here.”
Colette swallowed a frustrated growl.
Fuck.
“Let me just check this other page here,” Gerald continued, clicking his tongue as he scrolled through information.
Her heart raced waiting for something, anything.
“Well?” she asked breathily, tapping her pen on the notepad. If he didn’t find anything, she was going to puke. That soup was starting to feel like dead weight churning in her stomach.
“Here we go,” Gerald said. She could hear the grin in his voice.
“I’ve got it. Mr… Ah, yes.”
“Mr…” She waved her hand to move him along. He would never see it, but still. This guy needed to hurry up. He didn’t know what kind of timeline she was on.
“Mr. J C M King.”
J C M King. Jarrett whatever the fuck King.
Of course, Leroy… Le roi. Or, the king, in French.
The hair on the back of her neck stood up.
Her voice choked in her throat as her breathing stopped.
Colette Slip was an accountant. Just here to do a fucking job.
She had a sinking feeling she had just opened a huge can of worms and it was literally going to kill her.
At best, she would be fired. At worst, she was going to become the enemy of one of the most powerful men in town.
After hanging up with Gerald, she only stopped to think for a minute.
Her eyes latched on the setting sun; its soft light reflecting off the gray stucco of the building next door.
It would still be light enough for her to make the drive.
Then, she grabbed her keys.
She needed to tell Marshall everything. Right now.