“Kind of like the Lambo, right? It isn’t just driving.”
Her grin returned. “Exactly.”
The helicopter neared the city, circling then landing on the roof of the Texas American building. He would take care of business; then they could head out to Barbie’s. Beau led Cassidy into the rooftop elevator and pushed the down button, heading for his private office on the executive floor one story below.
As the elevator door opened and Cassidy walked ahead of him into his spacious office, his gaze dropped to the sequined pockets on the skinny jeans stretching over her perfect ass, disappearing into mid-heel black knee-high boots. A pink silk blouse tucked into the top of the jeans softened the look enough to be presentable at the office. The short, black leather jacket she carried would give her the sass she needed to fit in at Barbie’s.
Beau took a last look, felt his groin tighten, and forced himself to look away.
“Nice,” she said, admiring the view through the wall of glass windows looking down on the streets of north Dallas. She turned to survey the black lacquer desk and bookshelves, the cream silk fabric on the sofa and chairs.
“Your domain suits you. It’s kind of... I don’t know . . . calming.”
“I think so.”
“I imagine that would be helpful in a business that requires so much from you.”
Not many people got that, how much it took out of you to stay focused, stay productive, keep all the balls in the air. It was satisfying, challenging, but also a constant headache.
He’d wanted her to meet Linc, but his friend was in New Mexico, checking on a highway project they had under construction. He introduced her to Marty Chen, who brought her a cup of tea while she waited for Beau and his assistant to catch up on some unavoidable business.
As soon as Marty left, Beau called Rob Michaels. “I need those encrypted files, Rob. Any progress?”
“Yes, sir. It would be good if we could talk in person.”
“Come on up.”
Dressed in his usual chinos and sneakers, his red hair moussed up in the middle, Michaels walked in a few minutes later.
“Rob’s the company whiz kid,” Beau said to Cassidy. “Rob, meet Cassidy Jones. She’s a private investigator helping me look into my father’s death.”
Rob nodded. “Ms. Jones.”
“So you were able to get into the files?” Beau asked.
“Yes, sir.” He handed the flash drives to Beau. “I made them more easily accessible. You can open them now.”
Beau sat down at his desk, shoved one of the drives into his computer and opened the index. He caught the soft scent of gardenias as Cassidy walked behind him to study the screen over his shoulder.
“What am I looking at?” Beau asked.
Rob glanced at Cassidy. “May I speak freely, sir?”
Did he trust Cassidy with this kind of information? He didn’t know for certain, but he needed her help—which meant he didn’t have a choice. And if he didn’t tell her, he wasn’t sure she wouldn’t find a way to get the information on her own. “Go ahead.”
“They’re offshore accounts, sir. Cayman Islands. You can follow the transactions, money going into the accounts, then coming out.”
Beau looked at the column of numbers, dates of deposits, dates of withdrawals. Numbers that added up to millions of dollars. He’d look them over later when he had more time. “What’s on the other drive?”
Color washed into Rob’s cheeks, making his freckles stand out. “It’s a list of names, sir, alphabetical. I only readenough to realize it contained very personal information, things the people on the list wouldn’t want known.”
Beau looked at Cassidy.Blackmailwas the word that hung between them. His father’s means of getting what he wanted, both politically and personally. The second flash drive seemed to burn into his hand.
“I’ll need to study the drives more closely,” he said. “I don’t need to remind you how confidential this information is.”
“No, sir, not at all.”
“Thanks, Rob, you did a great job.”
