He chuckled as he set the plates on the table, leaned down and kissed her. “I’m the one who’s lucky.” He took a seat beside her.
“Okay, do we eat first and fight later, or fight while we eat?”
He laughed. “How about I just agree with you now and we enjoy the meal.”
She picked up her fork. “You mean it?”
“You’re worried about your career. Now that I’ve had time to think about it, I realize you’re right. Just because we’re together shouldn’t mean you have to change what you want to do with your life.”
She leaned over and kissed him. “Hawk Maddox, you’re even smarter than I thought.”
He smiled. “In fact, I was thinking, maybe, under the right circumstances, there might be times we could work together. We made a good team before. No reason we couldn’t do it again.”
Kate slathered grape jelly on her toast. “Actually, I was thinking the same thing.”
Jase set his knife on the edge of the plate. “So tell me about Briton and what you’re doing for the FBI.”
Kate laughed. “I knew you had an ulterior motive for cooking me breakfast.”
Jase chuckled but didn’t deny it. The man would definitely be a handful. Still, she liked that he challenged her. She also liked that he would be supportive, plus he was good at his job and she could use the help.
For the next half hour, she filled him in on the consulting job she had taken, a job that allowed her to move freely though the offices of the Briton Real Estate Group.
The company handled buyers, sellers, landlords, did asset management and mortgages. They were the principal investors in their own projects, including new home construction and apartment complexes. One of their divisions acquired distressed real estate, things like strip malls and shopping centers.
Realistically, the job was far too big for one person. To do it right, she needed to bring in an entire consulting team. But Markum just wanted a superficial study and a glowing report on how well the company was being operated.
A one-man job suited Kate just fine, since her goals were the exact the opposite of his.
“So what have you got so far?” Jase asked.
She took a sip of coffee. “I can’t say for sure, but what I think I’m looking at is a giant money laundering scheme. For example, their apartment rental records show a ninety-nine percent occupancy rate for a dozen big complexes. Hundreds of apartments, all the money accounted for, deposited in various banks. But when I drove by the units, I could see they were less than half full. They’re run-down and in undesirable locations. My guess is they’re banking drug money and paying the taxes on it.”
“Whitewashing dirty money,” Jase said.
“Exactly. I bet they’re using all sorts of businesses—strip malls, shopping centers, motels. There has to be at least a second set of books, maybe more. If I can get my hands on those records—”
His big hand slammed down on the table. “Nof-ing way!”
“Jason!”
“Dammit, Kate, think this through. We know these guys were involved with Los Besos. According to the FBI, Schram and Wiedel are into drugs and organized crime. That means fraud, racketeering, and God knows what else. If they even get a whiff you’re trying to bring them down, they’ll end you.”
“I can do it without getting caught.”
“Oh, yeah? How?”
“I’ve been watching their routine. That’s what I get paid to do. Watch their systems at work and suggest improvements. While I was looking over their management operations, I noticed they’ve got two CPAs working separately in the accounting department. I have computer access to one set of bookkeeping records, but not the other.” She grinned. “But I know which computer they’re using to store that other set of records.”
“Yeah, how do you plan to get them?”
“My preliminary report’s due a week from Monday. I wait till Friday, stay a little late that night so not many people are around. I go into the accounting department and get into the second computer, download the files and I’m out of there.”
Jason’s sigh whispered out. “That sounds good when you say it fast, but unless you’re a computer expert, odds are you won’t get past the password.”
She sagged back in her chair. “I know. I’m still working on that. I’m no computer whiz. If I’m going to do this full-time, I’m going to need to find someone. In this case, I’m thinking maybe someone in the FBI might be willing to recommend someone who’ll help.”
“The FBI can’t do jack without a warrant. I know someone who can help. She can do a remote connection and get everything you need.”
