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“A tax dodge?”
I arch my brow and he shrugs, “Possibly, but when you dive a little deeper into the gossip columns, you will discover that Anthony Gold is a very bad boy indeed.”
Eric lowers his voice still further. “He was removed from the board three years ago and succeeded by his son Edward Gold. They are still operating at a loss but enjoy the life of a millionaire all the same. Search their namesand you may be interested in the company they keep, however, that’s not the icing on that particular cake.”
“What is?”
I am beginning to believe that Eric is the other part of my soul and that we were separated at birth because our minds work along the same lines and he leans across and taps into my computer and an image gallery pops up. I stare at two men, father and son, who appear to be cut from the same cloth. Both affluent, sightly overweight and accompanied by two glamorous women and another couple that causes me to grin.
Eric says triumphantly, “Read the piece below. It’s very enlightening.”
Anthony and Edward Gold, along with their glamorous wives, enjoyed an evening at The Ivy with Governor Kenricky and his beautiful wife Adele. The families have been friends for many years and Governor Kenricky is Edward’s godfather and they spend many vacations together at the Gold villa in Mustique.
“So, what does that prove?” I shrug and Eric taps on the keyboard again and I peer closer at the photograph that appears to have been taken at a function somewhere and Eric whispers, “There’s Anthony Gold and the man beside him is the current president of none other than the Soviet Union.”
I swear my heart almost gives out on me as I notice a familiar face deep in conversation with them. Eric laughs softly. “The other man is Boris Fedorov, the head of the KGB and when you dive a little deeper, you willfind that Anthony Gold has more than one business, which is probably why he can afford the donations.”
“What business?”
My pulse is racing as he grins. “Weapons. It appears that our American friend is also high up in Vulcan Industries. He is a fully paid-up member of the board and their main source of capital is arms. It’s interesting that a failing business can afford such a huge donation every year and show no profits to the tax man, where the other business is thriving and would benefit from losing money to avoid a huge tax bill.”
“So, you believe the donations are laundered money and The Gold Group are pushing Russian money through an American charity.”
It’s as if a lightbulb illuminates in my head as piece by piece the puzzle falls into place and Eric shrugs.
“Clever but foolish because any decent auditor would pick this up.”
“Then why haven’t they?”
“Because money talks, Ana and I’m guessing this is just the tip of the iceberg. If The Rose Foundation is laundering money for the Russians, you can bet your next pay check that they made certain the men in charge are on side.”
His phone rings and he throws me a smug look as he scoots his chair back to his desk, leaving my mind racing with possibilities.
I could hug Eric. In fact, I want to employ him because he has summed up in one conversation what wehave been agonizing over for months. It makes perfect sense. The Rose Foundation is the vehicle the members of Burning Roses used to ensure their wealth stays with their members. It’s a club of secrets and shady deals, and my father was one of the founders. It certainly explains his rags to riches story and something is telling me this is just the tip of the iceberg and I glance at the picture taken in the Kremlin and wonder how many other people are involved.
My first thought is to run to James with this, but how can I? This is bigger than I ever imagined possible and there is only one man who has the power to deal with this shit and he is the man I must speak to first.
CHAPTER 14
JAMES
The afternoon drags and my thoughts are not on my job for once. My mind is a few doors down the hallway and yet how can I continue exploring my fascination for my new accountant? The guy with the gun and the mafia vibe has a personal interest in her. What the fuck does that mean?
I’m not stupid. He warned me off because he knows every move we’ve made and I’m guessing will know the future ones as well. Who is he and why is he so interested in The Rose Foundation? Surely he would discover what he needs by rifling through his father’s office. There is something I’m not seeing and the one person who can help with that is currently off limits.
I wait until the clock turns to eight before I attempt to leave the office. More than anything, I need a fix and even the Club is not as attractive as my mysterious stranger.
When I pass by her office, it’s in darkness and disappointment stabs me in the heart knowing she has left for the night. I hoped—well—I desired her to be working at her desk, so I could take what I need with nobody any the wiser. Just the thought alone makes me hard and I hate myself more than anything right now.
It’s a good thing she’s gone because I hate the man I’m becoming around her. I’m telling myself it’s a fix, but even I know it’s more than that. I like her. I’m attracted to her and I enjoy her company.
She’s wild, adventurous and bright. Beautiful, sexy and educated. She is unlike any other woman I’ve known and deals with life in a way that is commendable. Her mind is as attractive as her body because she makes me question everything and if I chose my perfect woman, I’m guessing she would go by the name Annabelle Starling. The willowy blonde with stunning green eyes and a sexy accent that changes the more tired she gets.
Somehow, that thought stops me in my tracks because why haven’t I noticed it before? Her accent has a strange edge to it, but not all the time. I’m tempted to head back to my office and check her resume and credentials, but I’ve had a shitty day and could use a drink instead of what I really want.
The delectable Miss Starling can wait until tomorrow and so I head past security and onto the sidewalk, the chilling breeze wrapping me in its cold fingers, the glow of light from the nearby bar an oasisto a man who could murder a fucking whiskey right now.
As I enterthe familiar gathering place of my fellow workers, my gaze instantly locks onto her.
