“You were the only broker who knew the account number because, for a time, you donated your expense checks to it as a tax write-off.”
“All three of the company directors, and your father, as well as at least one person in Accounting, not Jane, has access to that account.”
She could keep throwing things at him. He’d done nothing wrong. Knowingly, at least. But it was clear to him that she was prepared to keep talking. He had to know whatever she knew, to find out what he was defending himself against. He was careful to keep his tone as level as hers. To converse. Not to shut her down.
“The broker who took the money used various office computers at all different hours of the day—always computers that aren’t within view of security cameras.”
A flash of memory from the past week visited him. The quip he’d made about knowing corners that were out of view of security cameras when he’d kissed her.
“You were spying all along?”
She neither confirmed nor denied that one.
Her list—and her father’s—could be convincing. He was seeing the picture she was building.
And yet...
He was not going to jail. He would not abandon Diamond Rose as he’d been abandoned. He’d give her up first.
The baby, not three feet from him, slept obliviously. He was thankful for that. She didn’t know. And if he had his way, she’d never know.
“Whoever it was signed in under my father’s account.”
“Then why don’t you look at someone who knows his password?”
“He thinks you do.”
“I don’t. Go talk to Bill Coniff, since you’re so fond of him. He has the password. Maybe he gave it to someone.”
“How do you know Bill has it?”
“I’ve seen him use it,” he told her. “A couple of times when we needed something critical and your father was out. I’m assuming the other two directors have it, as well.”
“You’ve actually seen Bill sign in to my father’s account?”
He saw where this was going. If he’d seen Bill type the password, then it would stand to reason he could retype it himself.
“I was on the other side of the desk. I didn’t see him type. I just know he accessed the information we needed.”
Tamara stared at him. They were done.
“Look, Bill’s the one who told your father that I was starting my own business, spinning it to look like I was planning to contact my clients and steal my book of business. When, instead, upon hearing the rumor from Jane, he could have just come to me. Given me the chance to go to your father. And Howard believed Bill’s take on what I was doing, without discussing it with me. And he apparently still believes I’m guilty of stealing from the company. Just as he’s going to believe whatever else Bill tells him. Including that he gave me your father’s password. Or that I was on his side of the desk and saw him type it.”
He could see the evidence piling up. Bill would testify that he’d seen Flint use the password. It would be Bill’s word against his, and even a kid could figure out who a judge would believe on that one.
Ta
mara wiped her eyes. Picked up her purse. “I’m sorry, Flint. I—”
“Just go.”
“I’m going to do everything in my power to clear your name,” she said. “That’s what I’ve been trying to do—”
“You could’ve just asked me if I’d stolen money from your father’s company.”
She nodded. “If you ever need anything...”
He’d know who not to call.