A Clandestine Corporate Affair - By Michelle Celmer Page 0,29
to be on a level playing ground.
Nathan sat straighter in the chair, looking from one to the other. “Whatever it is, I see you’ve already discussed it without me.”
“We have a few questions for you,” Adam said, looking so solemn that Nathan had to wonder if he’d done something wrong. They couldn’t possibly know about Max and Ana.
“So ask,” Nathan said.
“I know you and Jordan aren’t very close,” Emilio said. “But do you know anything about his personal finances?”
“We don’t exactly share stock tips. Why?”
“Are you aware of any reason he would have to deposit or withdraw any large sums of cash?”
They were looking into Jordan’s personal finances? Had they been checking Nathan out, too? Despite all the animosity he had toward Jordan, that ages-old instinct to defend his brother worked its way to the surface. “Are you accusing my brother of something?”
“A week before the accident someone deposited two hundred thousand dollars into Jordan’s account, and a few days later he wired thirty thousand dollars out.”
“To whom?”
“I’m afraid we don’t have access to that information,” Emilio said.
“But what you’re saying is, you think he’s responsible for the sabotage?”
“You can’t deny it looks suspicious.”
He looked from Adam to Emilio. “You think that someone paid him, and he paid someone else to tamper with the equipment?”
“That’s one possibility,” Adam said.
“Why?”
“Jordan is ambitious,” Emilio said. “It happened before everyone learned the CEO position was opening up. Maybe he felt he’d hit a ceiling.”
“His commitment to this company and his dedication to the men at the refinery has been exemplary,” Nathan reminded them. In fact, it was truly remarkable, despite the social and economic differences, how deeply the workers at the refinery respected and trusted Jordan. Not only was he the man in charge, but when he was among the workers, he was one of them.
“Maybe someone made him an offer he couldn’t refuse,” Emilio said. “But expected something in return first.”
“Ambitious or not, I can’t see him putting anyone’s life in danger to further his career.”
“Maybe no one was meant to get hurt, but something went wrong,” Adam suggested. “You have to admit, he was the one hit hardest by this. Maybe he feels guilty.”
“If he got a better offer, why is he still here?”
“To avoid suspicion? Or maybe now that the CEO position is opening up, he has a reason to stay.”
“Or maybe,” Emilio offered, “since there were injuries, it killed the deal.”
“Look, you know that my brother and I don’t have the best relationship, but I’m having a hard time wrapping my head around this.” Or maybe he just didn’t want to believe that his own brother could be responsible, that he could be that self-serving. Maybe he didn’t like that what they were suggesting had credibility.
“Believe me, we don’t like it either,” Adam said. “But we can’t ignore the possibility. If he were involved somehow, and it came out later that we had proof and did nothing about it—”
“You could confront him,” Nathan said.
Emilio laughed. “This is Jordan we’re talking about. If he’s guilty, do you honestly think he’ll admit it?”
Good point. Jordan would just as soon slice off a limb than admit he’d made a mistake.
“His secretary will be starting her maternity leave in a few weeks and the investigation firm has suggested we place an undercover operative directly into Jordan’s office,” Adam said. “He’ll just think she’s a temp.”
“If he finds out, he’s going to be pissed.”
“So we have to make sure he doesn’t find out,” Adam said. “And we have until then to find another way. Maybe you could try talking to him. Maybe he’ll let something slip.”
“Honestly, I’m the last person he would confide in. We don’t talk. Ever. If nothing else, that would only raise his suspicions.”
“If not for Jordan, this company wouldn’t be where it is today,” Adam said. “If he’s innocent, I don’t want to risk losing him.”
“We took a chance trusting you with this,” Emilio said. “I have brothers, so I know it’s a lot to ask. But we can only do this if you’re behind it one hundred percent.”
He knew they were right, and he hated that underneath the need to defend his brother, there was a nagging suspicion that maybe it was true. Either way, they needed to know.
“I’m in,” he said.
He knew he was doing the right thing. Still, it felt like a betrayal. But with Jordan’s career on the line, maybe this was the best thing he could do for his brother.
Although it got him wondering, as