I didn’t move to reach for the laptop. “Fix what?”
Stan’s eyes flicked to the screen, then back to me.
He placed two index cards down on the table. Each one had three account numbers on them.
“The funds in these accounts need to be routed to these,” he said, tapping each card in turn.
I stared at the numbers without leaning in. “Those aren’t accounting accounts.”
“No,” he said flatly.
“They’re operational,” I continued. “You can’t just?—”
“—move them?” he finished. “Watch me.”
“You’re asking me to reroute internal funds,” I said, slowly. “Without authorization.”
“I’m asking you to correct a mistake,” Stan replied. “One you helped create.”
“I didn’t touch those accounts.”
“You started snooping around,” he said.
“That’s not how this works,” I said.
“It is now.” He leaned forward, lowering his voice. “Because once the money moves, the trail points back to you.”
My stomach dropped. “You’re setting me up.”
“I’m giving you an opportunity,” he said. “Fix the problem quietly, or take the fall loudly.”
I met his gaze, my heart pounding. “And if I refuse?”
Stan smiled, and ice ran down my spine. “Then I do this without you. And when it blows up, I make sure your fingerprints are all over it. Micah’s too.”
The laptop hummed between us.
“You’re running out of time,” he said.
“I can’t do anything with this.” Did he think I was stupid? He was here because he couldn’t do it. The only reason he was still where he was was because he had talented analysts he oversaw, not because he had any talent himself.
He slammed down a security key. One of three in existence for Sentinel Tech. “Try this.”
I swallowed and glanced at my stuff scattered on the table, glad I’d put the thumb drive in my pocket. Now I just didn’t know how to get it to the guys.
When he plugged the key into the computer, it came alive. How had Stan gotten his hand on Hale’s Hardware Security Key?
“Get to work, Ms. Rhodes. Clock is ticking.” He paced on the other side of the table.
I leaned forward slowly, fingers hovering over the keyboard.
I needed to drag this out. Needed to buy time.
I just didn’t know how I was going to do that with Stan breathing down my neck.
Chapter 32
Sebastian
