Grace took a step back. “I think you should leave, Mark.”
“I’m not going anywhere until you give me back my money.” He took a step closer.
“Back off, buddy,” called Jennifer, but Grace held a hand up.
She stood her ground and tried to keep her voice calm. “Mark, I don’t know what you’re talking about. I didn’t take anything from you.”
“Don’t lie to me!” he screamed.
Grace flinched, but didn’t move back. She met Jennifer’s eyes over his shoulder and the woman gave a slight nod as she reached into her back pocket.
“What the hell are you two doing?” He twisted around to glare at Jennifer, and Grace glanced to her office where her own phone sat on her desk. He didn’t seem as if he were armed, but he also didn’t seem stable. She could probably push him over while Jennifer opened the door and they could both make a run for it, but Mark had a good sixty pounds on her, most of it muscle. Jennifer looked rather fit, but she didn’t want to get the woman hurt.
“Come on, Mark. You said it yourself. I’m a party planner. How would I have stolen anything from you?”
He clenched his jaw and she could see a vein throb in his forehead. “You and West cleaned out all my accounts.”
She shook her head. “I can’t do that! You need signatures and approvals for moving that kind of money.”
“You faked them, you bitch! I’ve been doing it for years! Get someone to copy my signature and get an inside guy at the bank. I know you helped West—now give me my money!”
She kept her expression as clueless as possible. If Mark thought she was a bimbo, she would play the part. “Simon has more money than he knows what to do with. Why would he steal anything from you?”
“He’s getting back at me, you moron! He knows I’m the one who set him up and he’s trying to make me pay!”
Grace took a step back as Mark screamed louder and louder. Jennifer now had her phone out and was punching in numbers. She needed to keep Mark’s focus on her. “You put that money in his account? Why?”
Mark rolled his eyes and groaned. “I was setting him up! He was sniffing around my banker and my forger.”
Jennifer gave a slight nod to let Grace know help was on the way. The phone was still in her hand, and Grace took a leap of faith that it was still on. “Forger? What would you be doing with a forger?”
Mark snapped. “You stupid bitch. You never knew a damn thing about money, did you? He’s trying to prove that I invested overseas. That I faked it all. But he’s not going to get a chance. Now you go back to your little sugar daddy, and I want you to tell him that if even one cop knocks on my door, I’m going to make sure your pretty face pays. Do you understand?”
“I understand,” she said softly.
“And my money better be back in my accounts by tonight, or I swear you’ll never see lover boy again.”
She nodded. “Please, leave. I promise I’ll talk to Simon tonight. Just don’t hurt us, okay?” The gentle words burned in her throat. It took every ounce of sense she had to stop from screaming at Mark just what a lowlife he was. But the babying was exactly what he seemed to need as he relaxed and looked much less likely to punch her at any given moment.
Right as she thought she was in the clear, the door to her office slammed open. “Grace!” called Simon.
A rush of relief and terror shot through Grace. She’d been so close to getting Mark to leave.
“Of course you’d show up here,” sneered Mark.
~~~~~
Simon took in the situation as quickly as possible. Grace stood toward the back of the entryway, just a few steps away from her office, her face pale as a ghost. A woman who looked vaguely familiar was about a foot from the door, but she didn’t seem too fazed by the events around her.
DuFord looked as though he’d seen better days. His usual charming veneer had slipped away, and in its place was someone on the edge of losing it. As long as he didn’t lose it anywhere near Grace, Simon could deal with that crazy. This was too close for comfort.
“Mark, what are you doing here?” he asked calmly.
“Why does everyone keep asking me that? I want my money back, West, and I want it now.”
Simon once again glanced between the strange woman and Grace. “Why don’t we let them go and then we can start talking business together?”
Mark reached behind his back, and the shock of fear that marred Grace’s features told Simon about the gun before Mark ever pointed it at him. “I’m not fucking around here. Now I want you to get me my money back. What do you need to do? Call a guy? Get on a computer? I don’t care, but you better do it now.”
Despite the crazed look in his eyes, the gun was steady in Mark’s hand. Between him, Grace, and the other woman, they outnumbered Mark three to one, but any chance of overpowering him was out the window.
Simon held up his hands. “I’ll do whatever you want, okay? Just put the gun down.”
Mark turned the gun on Grace, and Simon felt his blood run cold. No. Whatever he did, he had to make sure he got Grace out. “I said I’d help you!” he shouted.
A wicked smile tugged at Mark’s lips. “Grace, grab your computer. If you’re not back here in five seconds, I’m shooting sugar daddy in the leg.”
“I’m getting the laptop!” she blurted out as she backed away, keeping an eye on the gun at all times.
As calm as he tried to stay, his heartbeat kicked up a notch for the few seconds Grace was out of sight. This could be his only chance. If he tackled Mark right this second, Grace might be out of the line of fire.
But the door was wide open. As long as there was even a one percent chance of her getting shot, it was too much. His best chance was to give DuFord exactly what he was asking for and deal with him once Grace wasn’t in the crossfire.
Grace emerged with her laptop, and Simon’s eyes were fixated on the gun that followed her every move.
She stopped as she got closer to Mark. “Where do you want it?” Her words were nice enough, but Simon saw the venom in her eyes.
Stay calm, he tried to mentally tell her. Keep your cool and we’ll get out of this.
“Put it over there.” Mark motioned with the gun to the desk next to the other woman.
Simon quickly glanced at the brunette. Who the hell was she? Why didn’t she seem scared?
Grace obediently set the laptop down and Simon turned back to the immediate threat. “It’s going to take me a minute to log in.”
“Just get it done, West.” Mark moved to stand behind Simon.
It went against everything in him to not look at the enemy, but Simon focused on the task at hand. He pulled up the bank website and pushed the laptop to the side, away from the girls. “I can transfer the money, but I need you to log in for me to transfer it over.”
“Bullshit. You have my password already,” DuFord muttered.
Simon took a breath and turned to look DuFord squarely in the eye. “The fastest way to transfer money these days is online. Did you need Internet passwords when you stole money?”
DuFord’s lip curled up, but he didn’t answer. Instead, he elbowed Simon to the side.
Simon made eye contact with Grace. Her eyes widened, but he didn’t have time to argue. The brunette gave him a subtle nod of understanding, and he turned back to Mark. He held the gun in his left hand, the side closest to Simon and the women, so he had to type one-handed. And if Simon was right, at least one letter would need the shift key.