God knows what Viktor would do to Parker if the cops suddenly dragged me out of here.
“Sage, listen to me—”
“I gotta go,” I interrupted him, spying Parker heading my way again. “Call you later.”
“Can you begin accessing these accounts?” Parker said, handing me a list of account numbers, each one not less than twenty-four digits long. “I’ll need them all consolidated and ready to access their shares for putting on the market when the bell hits.”
I nodded. “Yeah. I’ll get started right away.” I took the paper from him and our eyes met. This was it. He was going to do the deal and there was no going back once it was done. The bad guys would have their money, giving further legitimacy to their cartel that was nothing more than mafia criminals in suits.
Parker looked at me, a question in his eyes, and neither of us moved. After a moment, I gave a minute nod of my head, a silent understanding passing between us. Yes, I would do this, regardless that I thought he was doing the wrong thing. I wasn’t going to desert him, not now, not ever.
Parker got the message loud and clear, our communication with business as faultless as ever, and his body relaxed slightly.
“Okay, then,” he said quietly. “Let’s do this.”
I watched him go back in his office and flash a smile at Viktor. I couldn’t hear what they were saying, but it didn’t matter. I had work to do.
Grabbing my purse, I tossed my cell phone inside, then saw something and stopped.
It was the envelope Tania had given me to hand over to Niki.
I’d never opened it, and with the attack on me and the murder of Hanna, I’d completely forgotten about it. Glancing around to make sure no one was watching—though who would care if I was opening an envelope at my desk? Hello, this was a business and I kinda did that all the time—I pulled it out and set it on my desk.
The paper was crumpled slightly from being in my purse so I flattened it out, then slit it open with my letter opener. Only a single sheet of paper was inside. I unfolded it, then frowned at what was on it.
Account numbers. A whole list of them. Just like the ones Parker had just given me. Taking the two sheets, I set them side by side, skimming through the accounts. I found matching ones, then another set, then another. After a couple of minutes, I realized that all the accounts on the sheet Parker had given me were also on the sheet from Tania.
What did it mean?
I didn’t know and didn’t have time to try and figure it out. These accounts were worth Tania dying over, but I didn’t understand why.
Shoving Tania’s paper inside a drawer, I went to work, pulling up and consolidating all the accounts so all Parker would have to do was enter his passcode, then the trade amounts and buyers.
It was a good hour later and I was only halfway through the list when Viktor and Parker emerged from his office.
“…see you this evening to celebrate,” Viktor was saying to Parker. He glanced at me. “And be sure to bring Sage with you.”
“I’ll do that,” Parker replied with a smile, walking Viktor to the elevator. I couldn’t hear any more of what they were saying and kept working until Parker appeared at my desk, minus Viktor.
“How’s it going?” he asked.
“Fine,” I replied, not looking up. “This’ll be ready in time. I’ll send the screen to your laptop when I’m through.”
He didn’t say anything, but remained standing there. I could feel his eyes on me, so I glanced up.
“Thank you,” he said.
The words were spoken so sincerely and with such emphasis, I could only nod in response; then he walked away.
It took another forty-five minutes to get things ready for this large of a sell, but Parker and I worked perfectly together. I sent the screen and data to his laptop, then went into his office to confirm the transactions as they were made on my iPad. By noon, it was done.
“Three hundred million dollars later,” Parker said with a sigh, leaning back in his chair.
“That’s a lot of money,” I said. “What will you do with your share of the fee?”
Parker just shrugged and glanced at his watch. “I’m going to grab lunch. I’ll be back this afternoon.”
“Do we really have to go to dinner with him tonight?” I asked, but Parker shook his head.