Page 71 of Billionaire Grump
My stomach drops, like I’ve just hit the summit of a roller coaster and now we’re plummeting straight down.
Shit shit shit.
Alexander’s grip tightens. To the man, he hisses, “What’s this about?”
“I’m afraid I can't discuss the details here, sir. It’s a confidential matter.” Mr. Dempsey turns to me. “Miss Laine, if you could accompany me to a quieter spot, I can explain to you what your father is intending to do about the incident. He takes this very seriously and so should you.”
Of course I’m interested in hearing what the man has to say, but I’m unnerved by the fact that he’s followed me here to the Hamptons. It’s creepy that he would even know where I was.
I shouldn’t allow Alexander to overhear this conversation. But at the same time, I don’t want to be alone with this man. I make a split-second decision I’ll probably regret. “I’ll come with you. My…boyfriend will stay with me.”
It’s a ridiculous way to describe Alexander Maddox, who’s about as alpha as a man can get, but fuck it. Even if I told him to leave me alone with Jack Dempsey, I know he wouldn’t. And I don’t want to argue with him about it right now. I also wouldn’t mind his strong, comforting presence as I contemplate jail time.
We follow the private investigator toward a deserted seating area down by the water. To someone watching, we might look like we’re admiring the view.
Alexander’s palm settles in the small of my back.
I stare out at the water and try to steady my voice so I don’t sound…well, guilty as fuck. “What did you want to discuss, Mr. Dempsey? And couldn’t it have waited until Monday?”
“Your father is somewhat impatient about the matter,” Mr. Dempsey replies. “Plain and simple, Miss Laine, he wants his money back. It’s gone from his account and no one else has his banking information. Only you, which you accessed after breaking into his house.”
Damn it, Josh! You said you’d put it back! “I didn’t break into his house.”
“According to his security cameras, you did. You also took a photo of the bank statement in question. And emailed it to your brother—who, incidentally, is currently in Fort Lauderdale spending up large. I have all the paper trails, Miss Laine. And enough evidence to present to the police in what would likely be a fairly open and shut case.”
My mind is spinning with visions of my brother being dragged away in an orange jumpsuit. Goodbye, Columbia. I don’t know whether to admit to Mr. Dempsey that he’s right or continue pretending we’re innocent.
I take a deep breath, using my meditation muscle memory to calm myself. To let the worst of the stress bounce off my inner forcefield. It barely helps. “Mr. Dempsey, my brother has a job and has saved some money. I also give him spending money. He’s a seventeen-year-old on Spring Break, of course he’s living it up. As for the security camera footage, I went to visit my father, gave him plenty of warning and assumed his door was unlocked because he was expecting me. I went into his office to leave him a note. The only photo I took was of my two other younger brothers, who I’ve never actually met.” It’s a lie and Mr. Dempsey knows it.
“Lying will only extend your jail time, Miss Laine, especially if you do it under oath, which is a situation you’ll soon find yourself in if your father decides to pursue this prosecution. He was hoping that could be avoided. If the money is returned in full by Tuesday at five p.m., he’s agreed to drop this whole thing. If not, he intends to prosecute to the full extent of the law.”
Fuck fuck fuck.
Alexander has been quiet until now. “Mr. Dempsey,” he says, slowly, like we’ve got all the time in the world. “Even if Miss Laine happened to see a bank statement, if Ivy and Josh’s names aren’t on the account, they couldn’t possibly have withdrawn the funds.”
Mr. Dempsey stares steadily at Alexander. “I’m sorry, I didn’t catch your name.”
“Maddox. Alexander Maddox.”
It’s easy to see that Mr. Dempsey has heard of him. He straightens his tie and adjusts his tone. Then he offers his hand and Alexander briefly shakes it. “Mr. Maddox, are you aware that Miss Laine’s brother Josh is an experienced hacker? Who has successfully—and very illegally—hacked into at least one complex operating system before, barely escaping juvenile detention? A Bahamas bank account would have been a test of any hacker’s expertise, but the boy clearly has skills. He’s also created an incredibly realistic-looking fake ID, which he’s currently using to bar hop his way through Fort Lauderdale. Another detail we’ll be presenting to the police if that becomes necessary. Miss Laine, what did you say your brother is going to be studying at Columbia this fall?”
“Um…computer science,” I admit.
Alexander almost looks impressed. “We appreciate your time, Mr. Dempsey, and we’ll take all of that into consideration as Ivy and Josh consult their lawyers. If you’d like to leave your card with us, we’ll contact you at our earliest convenience and let you know how we’d like to proceed. We’ll be in touch before five p.m. on Tuesday.”
We.
It’s a good answer. He’s using his CEO’s voice. And it gets Mr. Dempsey’s attention. “Very well.”
“Are we done here, then?” Alexander asks.
“Uh…yes.” Mr. Dempsey hands Alexander his card. “We’ll hear from you by Tuesday, then.”
“You will.”
“Enjoy your night, Mr. Maddox,” Mr. Dempsey says, nodding to me, “Miss Laine.” With that, he walks off into the night.
My champagne high is completely gone.