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“Are you threatening me?”

There was barely leashed anger in Rick’s tone. He might be squirming currently, but he was damn pissed off about it.

“Nope, I’m laying it all out how it’s going to be. There are no threats, only facts. Documents aren’t feelings or thoughts. They’re evidence in a court of law, Uncle.”

“I had no idea the corporations or the purchase orders weren’t legitimate,” Rick replied. “Henry said it was all fine, so I signed them. If anyone got rich off of this, it wasn’t me.”

“You are so predictable,” Sam sighed. “I knew you would throw Henry under the bus. I assume if Henry was here, he’d do the same to you. But he’s still ducking and dodging me. It won’t work this time.”

“You’ve got nothing on me. It was all Henry. Why would I steal from my own family company?”

“That’s an excellent question that I’ve asked myself since I started digging into this. I’ve decided that it’s because you hate your brother, and you resent the hell out of him. You’ve convinced yourself that it all should have been yours to begin with. If only you’d been born first. But you weren’t, so all you could do was stick it to him over the years, all while acting like you were completely loyal. And you know, Rick, that’s one thing Dad can never overlook…disloyalty. If he finds out, your life won’t be worth living, will it? Hell, you’d be better off in prison.”

Rick’s face had gone red again, and he didn’t seem to know how to reply. Sam didn’t care to hear the man’s excuses anyway, so it was just fine with him.

“Now that we have that settled,” Sam went on. “Let’s talk about Leigh Gabler. If I get a few answers, I might let you keep your pension.”

Rick’s bushy brows pulled together, and he shook his head.

“What about Leigh?”

“Leigh went on leave thirty years ago,” Sam said. “I think you know why.”

“Thirty years ago? You want me to remember something from that long ago? Shit, I barely remember what I had for breakfast yesterday, let alone an employee’s leave that happened thirty years back.”

Rick wore a smirk that told Sam everything he needed to know. He knew. But as usual, he thought he was so damn smart.

“Are you the father?”

His uncle’s nostrils flared, and he puffed up in the chair, indignant at the question.

“No, I am not the father. She wasn’t my type. Women like Leigh don’t know how to have any fun.”

The answer made Sam sick to his stomach. While married, Rick had cheated on his spouse like he was being paid to do it.

“So, in other words, she turned you down flat,” Sam said, laughing. “She had better sense than to get involved with you.”

“I told you. She wasn’t my type,” Rick said flatly. “If she got herself knocked up, it wasn’t by me.”

That still left a question open.

“Was she Dad’s type? Is the daughter a Winslow, Rick?”

Rick stood from his chair, his expression thunderous.

“I’m not her father, and neither is Joel. So, the answer to that is no. Fuck, I didn’t even realize it was a daughter. Listen, it wasn’t that complicated. Leigh got pregnant. She went to the East Coast to have the baby. She came back, and no one knew anything about it. That’s the way she wanted it. No one conspired to keep the secret. This was all her wishes, and we just followed them. This girl is not any kin to us.”

“Do you know who the father is?”

“Leigh didn’t tell anyone as far as I know, although she might have told your dad. I wasn’t part of those conversations. Are we done here?”

The sniveling asshole had the audacity to ask the question in the nastiest, most condescending tone. Rick Winslow was as much of a jerk as Joel. Just in a different way.

“We are,” Sam replied. “You can head down to the main security office in the building. They’re currently packing up your office. Henry’s, too, although he may not be around to know that. You are to turn in your badge and keys. Your final paycheck is waiting for you. I arranged that with HR this morning. You’re fired, and if you leave quietly, I won’t yank your pension, too. But if you want to make a scene…”

From the expression on Rick’s face, it was beginning to dawn on the man that this wasn’t a battle or war he was going to win. Sam held all the cards, and Joel wasn’t going to save a baby brother who had stolen from the company.

“This isn’t over,” Rick said, the words choked. “You can’t do this.”