A HIGH STAKES SEDUCTION (17 page)

“What a bummer. I was hoping for a dramatic exposé and scandal that would lead to a big bonus for you next spring.”

“I’m just doing my job. I have no expectations of any kind when I look into a company’s books.”

“I know, I know. It’s just so much more interesting when you find information that someone was trying to hide.”

Now would be the perfect time to mention the telling absence of gambling data on Don Fairweather’s tax return. Yet she kept quiet. She’d promised to tell John about anything she found. It chilled her to realize that she felt more loyalty to John than to her own firm. Still, she wouldn’t lie or cover anything up. As soon as she’d told John, she’d report back to her firm, and to the BIA.

Hopefully since it was just a personal matter, and not to do with the casino itself, it would be a storm in a teacup and blow over quickly.

“You’re very quiet. Are you okay?” She’d almost forgotten Lynn was still on the phone.

“I’m fine. Just a bit preoccupied. These last few days have been a blur of numbers and figures. Casino books make corporate records look refreshingly dreary by comparison. I can’t wait to settle back into my peacefully dull routine.”

“Nothing’s dull around here. Whitlow gave his resignation. It turned out Lacey wasn’t the first young employee who’s been under his desk. There’s a class action suit in the works. It’s all anyone’s talking about.”

“Wow.” That could mean a partnership spot opening up. Not that she’d be eligible. She’d likely be considered too young. Still...

“Old goat. It’s amazing what men will risk for a little nooky. Makes you glad to be a woman.”

She laughed. “Hardly. The men who get themselves into trouble are usually doing something with a woman.” Someone like her, for example, who would apparently risk her career for a few brief moments of bliss.

It didn’t make any sense at all, yet she’d done it.

“True. Humans are irrational creatures. That’s what makes us so interesting.”

“Yes, indeed.” She’d turned out to be far more dangerously human than she’d ever expected.

“Do you need anything?” Lynn’s question took her by surprise.

“Not that I can think of. I’m sure I’ll be back next week.”

“And you’ve found nothing at all?”

She hesitated. “I’ll tell you everything when I get back.”

“So you did find something?” Lynn’s voice was a breathy whisper.

“Don’t twist my words. I’m still investigating.” The last thing she needed was the office administrator sparking rumors.

“My lips are sealed.”

“Good. Keep them that way and have a good weekend. I’ve got to go.”

Constance hung up the phone, breathing a little faster than usual. She really wished she hadn’t given Lynn the idea that something was up. On the other hand, it would have been weird to say she’d found nothing, then reveal in a day or two that in fact she had uncovered tax fraud. This whole situation was getting far too complicated.

And now she had to tell John. She wanted to email him or text him, but somehow putting words in print felt wrong. They could be saved and used in some kind of legal situation. She didn’t want to call him in case the phones were monitored. He might even record incoming and outgoing calls himself as some kind of protection. And she knew it was inappropriate to tell him before reporting back to the people who had hired her.

There was nothing for it but to hunt him down in person and figure out what to do from there.

* * *

When Constance arrived at the casino the next morning, John was in the lobby talking to Don. Since it was the weekend they had on more casual clothing: John wore a fitted shirt and faded jeans that hugged his powerful thighs and Don was dressed all in black like a movie mobster. She tugged her gaze away and headed for the bank of elevators. She didn’t want to have to make polite conversation with a man she was about to report for tax fraud. Who knew how many years he’d been doing it? He could be in for a hefty fine or even a prison term.

She had no choice but to pass quite close to the two men, but she skirted around an electronic display that showed a list of the day’s events so they couldn’t see her.

“It’s a good thing she’s sweet on you.” As she passed by, Don’s words made her ears prick. “I don’t like her snooping through our tax records. Make sure you wine and dine her tonight. We don’t want her getting creative.” Constance froze, despite knowing she was in a crowded lobby where others could see her, even if John and his uncle couldn’t. Did Don know they were having an affair?

“My tax records are entirely accurate and I assume yours are, too.” John’s voice sounded dismissive. And why didn’t he say something about her not being bribable? She was offended that he didn’t defend her honor. On the other hand, maybe that would have been too much. He was being subtle.

Don laughed. Which sounded very false under the circumstances. “Don’t you worry about me. She won’t find anything in my taxes. And I’m the one who told you seducing her was a good idea. You should listen to me more often.”

Constance’s mouth dropped open and her heart hammered. She glanced at the bank of elevators, which now seemed about a mile away across the shiny marble floor. Had they planned this together? Was she a victim of a plot between them?

She blinked, hardly able to believe it.

“Don’t be too smart for your own good, Don.” John’s voice made her jump. Wasn’t he going to deny that they had planned her seduction? Her breathing became audible and she looked around, hoping no one was watching. She couldn’t believe they were having this conversation right in the lobby where anyone could hear it.

John was now asking about a band due to perform that night. He’d simply changed the subject without contradicting Don? A sense of betrayal crept over her and chilled her blood. Suddenly she was glad she’d found the discrepancy in Don’s taxes. John deserved the media’s ugly attention and anything that came from it if he was the kind of person who’d deliberately set out to charm and cajole her into bed for his own purposes.

She lifted her chin and marched for the elevators as fast as she could, praying that no one would talk to her. She counted the seconds while she waited for an elevator to take her up to the office floor. What a disaster.

“Hey, Constance, where are you going?” John’s voice boomed across the marble space. “It’s Saturday.”

She spun around.

“Up to the office floors. They are open on the weekends, I hope.” She responded as primly as she could. How could he talk to her so casually in full view of the other employees and guests? Did he want them all to know they’d been intimate? Probably he did. Maybe he thought it was funny.

“Weren’t you even going to say hello?”

“I could see you were in conference.”

“In conference?” He laughed. “Don was just telling me about the new Maserati he ordered. Crazy. I told him I hope I won’t get to practice using the Jaws of Life on it.”

No mention of Don’s thanking him for seducing her. And his own complicit silence. “Can we meet in your office?” She needed to talk to him. They’d gone too far for her to just go back home, report her findings and pretend they’d never slept together. The situation could blow up in her face if he decided to retaliate. Her hands were shaking and she hoped she wouldn’t cry.

“But of course.” His voice contained more than a hint of suggestion. “I’d be delighted to get you behind closed doors.”

She glanced up at the security cameras. She hadn’t even noticed them before. Hopefully no one ever listened to the tapes. “It’s something serious.”

All humor vanished from his expression. “About the returns?” And his voice was hushed.

“Let me tell you upstairs.”

* * *

John closed the door behind them, and for once this did not lead to a passionate kiss. Which was good, because she would have had to slap him. “Is there something wrong?”

Her heart beat so fast she could barely think. “It’s Don’s return. He didn’t declare any gambling winnings.”

He frowned. “He certainly should have.”

She swallowed. “The company records detail substantial winnings. You can see them for yourself in your own files.”

“I’m sure there’s some explanation.”

She drew in an unsteady breath. “I’m telling you first because I promised I would.” Though now she was having second thoughts about it. Did he really deserve it if he’d only flirted with her for his own protection? “But I have to tell my boss at Creighton Waterman, and I have to tell the BIA.”

“Give me some time to figure out what’s going on. I’ll talk to Don.”

“I can’t. I’m paid to do a job here. I have to report what I found and I’ve already done something wrong by telling you first.”
On top of all the other things I’ve done wrong in your bed.

“He must have forgotten to report the winnings. Don has more money than he knows what to do with. I told you about the Maserati.”

“There may well be a reasonable explanation, but I’m here to look for discrepancies and I found one. You admitted yourself that he gambles, and I’ve heard the same from other employees.” She lifted her chin and defied him to argue with her.

“He makes no secret of it.”

“Yet he didn’t mention it on his tax return.”

John drew in a long breath, swelling his broad chest. For a split second she ached to hug him, but instead she held herself stiffly at bay. He frowned. “Don’s a key employee here. Something like this could really damage the casino’s reputation. You know the kind of scrutiny we’re under. I can’t afford the bad publicity.”

“If you don’t want bad publicity perhaps you should be more careful about how you conduct yourself. Seducing the accountant who’s sent to inspect your accounts probably isn’t too smart, for a start.” She braced for his response, glad she’d been bold enough to say it.

“That took me by surprise as much as you.”

“Oh, really. That’s not what I overheard downstairs.”

He frowned. “You overheard Don? He was just kidding around.”

“And you didn’t contradict him.”

His expression softened. “I didn’t want to dignify his innuendo with a response. He really has no idea what happened between us.”

She swallowed. “Good. As you can imagine I would appreciate it if you didn’t discuss our indiscretions with anyone.”

“Of course not. I never would.” He held out his hand, but she stayed rigid.

“Everything that happened between us was a mistake and I regret it. Now I have a responsibility to report my findings to the people who hired me.”

He took in a long slow breath, his expression grim. “The BIA is going to come down on us all like a ton of bricks.”

“I have to do my job.”

“I can see that.” His jaw was set. She wondered for a tense moment if he’d attempt to flirt and cajole her out of making her report. He didn’t. He watched her silently for what felt like an eternity.

She realized at last how utterly vulnerable she was. Her future, her career lay in this man’s hands. He could end it, and ruin her reputation, in a single phone call if he chose.

“I understand.” His words were cool, controlled. His eyes didn’t plead with her, but the emotion she saw in them reminded her of the tender moments they’d shared.

At least she’d thought at the time they were tender moments.

“I’m going to call my contact now.” She picked up her bag, burning with the desire to get out of here as fast as possible and never come back. He opened the door and stepped aside. Heat and tension flashed between them as she passed him.

Or maybe that was only in her imagination.

She heard the door click shut behind her after she passed through it, and her heart almost broke as she realized this would be the very last time she’d ever see John.

* * *

John pressed his body against the door, partly to stop himself from jerking it back open and striding after Constance. It was no use trying to argue with her. Her mind was made up and she was going to report what she found.

Could Don really have been stupid enough to fail to report his gambling activities?

He already knew the answer in his gut. He also knew how enthusiastically the circling media vultures would eat up the story.

And he couldn’t even call Don, or a lawyer, because in doing so he’d have to reveal that Constance gave him privileged information. He wouldn’t betray her confidence. She’d done him a big favor by telling him what she’d found. More so when she now suspected that he’d seduced her as a means to an end. He’d wanted to argue with her and try to convince her that his feelings for her came from the heart but there was no way she’d believe him now. She’d assume he was trying to butter her up and convince her to conceal her findings, which would only make her more suspicious and angry.

He cursed and banged his fist on the door. Why did life have to get so complicated? Everything was going smoothly until Constance Allen came along. His once-wild uncle had seemed to be settling into the life of a prosperous and trustworthy executive. Everyone in the tribe was getting along well, which was no easy feat when you brought people from all over the country to a small town in the sticks. And business was booming.

Now the harsh spotlight would fall on them once again. John knew as well as anyone that if someone was looking for a reason to make the Nissequot disappear, they could try to use this as a starting point and keep the tribe tied up in legal wrangling until the moon turned blue. That was much the same strategy that had been used by the powers that be to whittle away the tribe’s land and population in the first place.

His number-one priority was to make sure that didn’t happen. His second priority would be to forget all about Constance Allen. Her findings threatened to tear the fabric of the tribe. If anyone found out he’d been intimate with her while she was looking for dirt on them, it would undermine their trust in him. Don already suspected that they’d had an affair. John certainly hadn’t confirmed his uncle’s suspicions, but maybe by simply ignoring Don’s snide comments, he’d tacitly admitted something. He’d have to manage Don carefully—never an easy feat—to make sure he didn’t decide to throw hints to the press and make this ugly situation into a hot scandalous mess that could bring them all down.