I want everything with Rina.
I meet his eyes, giving him the only assurance I have. “A lot can happen in a year.”
25
Brecken
Oliver dropped me off right in front of my building though I told him he could have just dropped me at the T. We didn’t say much after he told me about Rina’s past. I think we were both lost in our own introspection. I have a lot to figure out. A lot! The odds are stacked against us, but that only acts as a challenge and not a deterrent. At least for me.
I’m in this.
The floor is still empty when I reach my desk, opening my laptop. I take the peace and quiet for what it is. A welcome respite from my life here. Digging through two days of piled-up emails, I’m only on my third one when Rich knocks on my door.
“Hey. You’re here early.”
“Yeah,” I say, barely looking up to acknowledge him. “I wanted to get an early start now that I have power.”
“Same for me. Happy that I spent these past four days in Cancun instead of here. Still, trying to fly back in was a nightmare. We didn’t land until late last night.”
Uh-huh. Whatever. “Did you have a nice trip?”
“It was exactly what I needed it to be. Speaking of, I have something I wanted to tell you.”
He waits for my gaze to lift to his. “What’s that?”
“If all goes according to plan, I’m thinking about retiring by the end of the year.”
“Really?” I’m… surprised, I guess. Rich isn’t that old. Maybe late forties, early fifties. He also lives high on the hog, so to speak. Flashy cars and expensive suits. His wife came in here last week to bring him something and she was dripping in more designers and diamonds than I’ve ever seen.
“Yep. My wife wants to spend more time traveling. Our kids are grown now.”
I lean back in my seat, letting my weight rock back and forth as I survey him. “Well, good for you.” I’d be bored as hell, but maybe that’s just me. Only I don’t think it is just me.
“It’s time. My wife is itching to buy a place in Tuscany.”
All of a sudden he’s set to retire? Yeah. Something ain’t right. “Have you announced a date yet? Started searching for a replacement?”
“You’re thinking you’ll take over my job?”
I laugh, rubbing a hand across my jaw. “Not really, no. I was still planning to go back to New York. That seems to be the track I’m headed down.”
“Right. Alexander’s golden boy.” There is a very distinct edge to his voice though he tries to mask it with a manufactured grin. “You know he calls me nearly twice a week to check up on you.”
I know he does. He does the same with me. He mumbles about bringing me back early but says he needs me here for now. My eyes where his cannot be. My ear to the ground.
“Yup. Alex is like a father to me.”
His eyes darken, narrow. Then it’s gone in the next breath, smoothed out. “In any case, I have a favor to ask of you.”
I bounce two more times in my chair, giving him a lazy once-over, folding my hands in my lap. “Sure. What’s up?”
“Well, with things picking up so quickly, I just don’t have enough time for all my new clients anymore. Especially when I should start pulling back if I truly am to retire.” He shifts, leaning against the doorframe, smiling that sleazebag smile he always likes to throw out. Except now, it’s different. Edgy. “Since you’re the new kid here with a stellar reputation, Alexander’s guy, naturally I thought of you for them.”
“I’m honored. Anyone in particular you had in mind?”
“I was thinking we’d start with James Darcy and see how it goes.”
“James Darcy,” I repeat, doing my best to keep my tone neutral as I pretend to think on the name. “Never heard of him. Has he been with you long?”
Rich’s eyes flitter across my face for a long moment, studying me intently, searching for a reaction I will not give him. “No. He’s brand new, which is why I think he’ll take well to you. He has a bunch of specific investments he’d like to have made. Seems to have a lot of money to play with and throw around. I’ll forward you the email.”
“Great. I look forward to working with him and getting to know him better. What’s his number? I’ll give him a call.”
And that sleazebag smile falters before it quickly reforms. “He’s a recluse. A very private person. He only likes to communicate by email.”
“Oh. Sure. No problem.”
“You need to get working on him today though.”
I sit up straight, my hands returning to my keyboard. “Of course. If you tell me he’s a big fish, I’ll make him a top priority.”
I give him my easygoing, cocky asshole smile. The one I know he likes because he thinks he has me with it. That I’m like him when I’m nothing like him.
“If things go well with James, I have others for you. But let’s start with this, huh? I wouldn’t want to overload you.”
“Not possible. But I’m happy to start with him.”
“Fantastic. I’ll send the email right over. He mentioned in it he’d like the trades made today,” he repeats and with that Rich goes into his office.
Not even five minutes later, the email is on my computer. Opening it up, the list of investments he’d like me to make isn’t all that long. It’s also decently diverse, some trades larger than others. With the exception of two. James Darcy wants heavy investments made in two biotech companies.
The two that were mentioned in that document I read on Rich’s computer. The one with nonpublic information.
I don’t have to read this to know what’s going on. I’m well aware that James Darcy is a dummy account. A name I found on Rich’s computer, hidden among layers of other clients. Only there was no client information on him. None. No address, date of birth, social security number, phone number, employer.
There was only an email address.
I searched for the document in all the information I stole from his computer and came up empty. The original document was gone. Rich had obviously covered his tracks. But that didn’t mean the biotech name hadn’t been on there. Their entire financial for Astrid Pharmaceuticals picture as well as the purchasing company’s.
But it was in his trash folder, which likely means it’s now gone. It means I got to it right before he finished cleaning up his trail.
And if he’s smart, he’s wiped his system clean, not just trashed it.
I pull up James Darcy’s investment account and it appears there is now five million dollars sitting pretty where there had been nothing before. And it was all transferred from an international bank within the last five days.
By Rich having me make the investments for him, he’s not directly committing insider trading. I’m doing it for him. Something isn’t adding up though. Why put this level of risk on me? I could say I saw the document. I could say I know that James Darcy isn’t a real person and that his account is sketchy at best.
I could call him out on this.
That would mean admitting I’ve been hunting in his computer.