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Tristan gestured to the wall. “So, what’s the rest of this information?”
“This part—” She pointed at the left-hand side. “—is additional background information on all the companies Mum was investing in—directors, shareholders, related entities, that sort of thing. I just need to incorporate the financial data that you’ve both been gathering, but there are a few organizations of note that we need to investigate further.”
“In what way?” I asked, puzzled.
“One has loose ties with one of the world’s richest families. A director is a related through marriage to them. They’re old money and as dirty as they come. I don’t have any proof that the company or its director is in any way affiliated with the family, but I’ve come across these people in my online dealings before. They’re ruthless and should not be crossed.”
I stumbled over to the white leather couch that faced the porthole and sank into it. I was gonna be sick. I swallowed the bile and rested my head in my palms, rubbing my eyes with the heels of my hands and breathing through my nose. I willed the churning in my gut to ease.
Something unnamed was coursing through my veins. A dark terror that this was far worse than I could ever have imagined hovered above me like fog. Investigating the reasons why people lost money through corporate negligence was one thing. But this was so far beyond that. I wanted to help. I wanted to ride in on a white horse and help save Zali’s mother’s reputation. I was only too happy to do that. But crime families? I didn’t want that. I didn’t want to be looking over my shoulder or, worse, worried about Zee failing to look over hers. She didn’t have a self-preservationist bone in her body. I trusted Ryder to keep her safe, but he wasn’t a professional bodyguard. This might be a step too far even for him.
But what choice did I have? What choice did any of us have? If Zee was onto something, she’d follow it through, consequences be damned.
And I’d follow her, not because I was a sheep. But because she was the love of my life, and turning my back when she needed me was unacceptable. Walking away while she faced any kind of danger was incomprehensible. I wouldn’t abandon her, not now, not ever.
“Organized crime?” Tristan inquired.
I flicked my gaze to him and watched as he swallowed before rubbing his forehead. His skin had turned pallid, a sweat breaking out on his brow.
“What about the rest?” he asked slowly, his green eyes wary and his lips pursed unhappily. He pointed at what looked like a complex family tree with a multitude of names and numbers in each box. Some branches ended at the first level, while others went on with extra limbs underneath.
Zee traced a line along the top row of boxes. “The first level are all the investors you found who deposited funds with ReimagINC. The second and third levels are the ones who lost money and their descendants, respectively.”
“How did you get this information? These look like tax file numbers and bank accounts.” Tristan stepped closer and trailed his fingers over some of the butcher’s paper tacked to the wall.
I closed my eyes again, not wanting to even be here as this went down. It was make or break time. Once the truth was out there, there was no going back. Tristan would either walk away, tell us he wanted nothing to do with us anymore, or he’d shrug it off as no big deal. I wasn’t naïve enough to think it’d be the latter.
Zee’s voice came out slow and clear. She wasn’t dumbing down the information, just making sure there was no misunderstanding. “The liquidator had records of all ReimagINC’s creditors. I matched up the financial records to verify who were investors. Some people had died by the time the liquidators filed their report, so for those, details of the estate were already known. For the rest, I did a few searches and came up with the data I needed.”
“What searches? How did you get bank accounts and tax file numbers?”
“You just need to know where to look.” There was a pregnant pause, and I groaned, wishing she’d just give him the answers he clearly wanted.
I dared steal a glance at them. They were facing off against each other, Tristan standing with his legs shoulder width apart, his back straight and his eyes locked on Zee’s. My girl was leaning against the wall, both her ankles and arms crossed. Zee wasn’t intimidated by Tristan’s size or the way he filled the entire room.
“Zali, I need you to be straight with me. Where did you get this information from?” Tristan growled, his tone short on patience.
She checked them off on her fingers as she spoke. “The liquidator, births, deaths and marriage registries, the courts, a couple of different banks, and the tax office.”
“How?” he asked, surprise colouring his tone. His brow was furrowed, his palms turned up in question. “How do you get around privacy laws? You need warrants for that kind of thing, and on what possible grounds would one be issued?”
Her smile was patronizing. “Security measures, laws, and those kinds of boundaries are more—” She pursed her lips and looked up in thought. “—guidelines, perhaps? After all, I’m known as Queen for a reason.”
“I’m sorry, what?” Tristan asked, his gaze snapping to mine before moving back to hers. “Who are you? I thought you were a cyber investigator.”
“That’s the title I have when I’m working for Detective Fraser. But I don’t do that full-time; it’s only when I want to take on a case. The rest of the time, I work for myself.” Zee checked her fingernails, wiping them on her shirt as if she was buffing them. She looked completely unfazed by Tristan’s shock, but I could see the move for what it was—an act.
Tristan opened his mouth, then closed it again, clearly speechless.
Zee laughed coldly. “Did you think I was joking when I said I stole my money?”
“You’re a hacker? For real? Queen’s your avatar?”
“Look my online alias up, professor.” She patted his chest and gestured to her chair. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have work to do. Make yourselves at home in the loungeroom or on deck. Or you can leave. I won’t stop you.”
Fifteen
Tristan
