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He looked up and had to stifle a groan. “Finn Murdoch. What brings you out from your cave?”
“Ha ha.”
Great.
“Haven’t seen you in here for a while, Barrett.”
“You frequent this place that much?” The married son of Desmond Murdoch had a wandering eye, but Gerard had never known him to drink much.
“I’m here some,” he said, shrugging. “So how’s business?”
“Fine. You?”
“Couldn’t be better.”
Not what he’d heard, but he was guilty of padding the positive, so to speak. With nothing else to talk about, and not wanting to chat with the man anyhow, Gerard turned back to his drink.
“I heard you’re going to bid on the Scott deal.”
His hand tightened around his glass as he kept his face implacable and looked at Finn in the mirror behind the bar. “Are they going out for bid? If so, you can bet I’ll jump on that bandwagon.”
Finn laughed. “Yeah, like you didn’t already know.”
His rival never showed fear or hadn’t until now. It was a quick hint of emotion that had crossed Murdoch’s face, but the fear and panic were unmistakable.
With his “everything is fine” mask back in place, Finn threw back his drink, placed a twenty on the bar, and stood. “Time to go. I have an appointment.” He walked away, then turned and leaned on the bar. “Give Rowan my love, will you?”
Rowan? How the hell would Murdoch even know her or that she worked at Barrett? He watched the man stride with confidence to the door, turn back with a grin, then slip outside. What the hell had that been all about? And what kind of relationship did the guy have with Rowan?
Feeling like somehow he’d been duped, he threw a twenty on the bar top, left his drink, and strode to his car.
He was damned sure going to find out.
Chapter Sixteen
“Holy shit.” Rowan sat back, shocked at what she’d just figured out. She’d gone into work this morning and found her research all laid out, like Gerard had never touched it, though he must have. Shaking her head, she gathered it all up, stuffed it into her briefcase, and headed home, hoping a different environment would help.
It had, damn it. The puzzle was complete, though her satisfaction was muted by a deep sense of betrayal. How had she not seen this?
She got up from her kitchen table and wandered around the condo. A sharp twinge between her shoulder blades stopped her short. She’d come home where she’d have less interruptions and had been hunched over the table for hours, following the threads of deception. She braced against a wall, doing standing pushups, hoping to soothe the hurt, then stretched until the twinge eased.
So many little things started adding up as she went through it all in her mind. She knew who’d been messing with Barrett Investment. She’d finally found the last piece of the puzzle, the proof, and needed to tell Gerard right away. All thought of his cold aloofness disappeared as she went to find the phone she’d left in her purse.
Passing her front door, Rowan jumped when the intercom buzzed. “Shit.” She glanced at the large wall clock over the gas fireplace. Ten o’clock. Who would be here this late at night?
Only one way to find out. Her intercom buzzed again. Whoever it was, the person was impatient.
“Who is it?” she said after depressing the talk button.
“Barrett.”
Gerard? Here? This late? Rowan’s heart sped up. Had he come to apologize for being an asshole after what they’d shared? She sure hoped so. But first, she needed to tell him what she’d found out.
“Come on up.” She pushed the button to open the door. “Your timing is perfect. I’ve got news.”
No answer came, and it was only moments later that he pounded on the door of her third floor apartment. What the hell? Had he figured it out too?
She couldn’t stop smiling at the sight of him. “I’m so glad you’re here. I’ve figured out—”
