“Couldn’t you help him out enough to prevent that, at least?” Liam asked. “Buy out the loan for a higher interest thirty-year note?”

“I didn’t know about it until it was too late.”

“And the others?” Gabrielle asked. Walter’s lawyers would get all of this information, track down the paper trail and get the affidavits that would support Walter’s claims, if it came to that. But

those were Walter’s lawyers. Liam needed his own protection. Whether he realized it yet or not.

And she, who’d only been in college because of a scholarship, who’d been driving a rusted clunker car and wearing secondhand clothes when they’d first met, was actually qualified and able to provide that protection.

“Buckus is an ex-con, of sorts. He had a juvie record that’s been sealed. Petty theft type stuff. I’ve known him all my life. We...grew up...in the same...area. He did his time, cleaned up his act, went to college, went into banking and was a general manager of a major chain branch when I hired him thirty years ago.”

“Have you ever had any reason to doubt him?” she asked, including Liam in her question, her glance, as he looked over at her. The appreciation in his eyes lit her up inside.

“Ray Buckus is as good a guy as there is,” Liam said. “Keeps meticulous records and makes note of everything twofold. I know this not only from working with him, but I also used to clean his office.”

So there’d either be ample evidence to back up the faith both Connelly men had in him or a lack of evidence that might very well point to his guilt.

“Williams is on the top floor but doesn’t have full security clearance in terms of accounts,” Walter said then, causing Liam to glance his way.

“I thought everyone up there had clearance.”

“Williams is there because I needed his muscle,” Walter said. “I’d received threats—that goes with the territory—but one in particular mentioned a bomb...”

Liam’s chair flew back as he jumped up. “A bomb! Why wasn’t I told about this?” He started pacing.

“Sit down, Liam. Calm down.”

Picking up his chair, Liam held on to the back of it with both hands, facing his father.

“You were in college.” Walter seemed to relent to Liam’s choice not to follow his order to have a seat. “I called the police. A bomb squad came in, gave us the all clear. The note was investigated, but nothing came of it. Larry Charles, chief of police at the time, suggested I get a bodyguard. Williams has a degree in finance and pulls his weight in that area, but he’s on the top floor because he’s a former Navy SEAL with bomb squad training.”

The man neglected to tell his own son about a bomb scare and an employee highly trained to protect them?

“Granger’s been with us the shortest period of time,” Walter continued, raising an eyebrow to his still standing son. Apparently capitulating, Liam sat. “I don’t have any reason to suspect him of anything. I bought him away from Merrill Lynch because I liked him. He’s married to his second wife, an internist with a thriving practice, and they have a couple of married kids. As far as I can tell, he lives within his means.”

Okay. Well, there was a lot to think about. And...

“Look, I know you have counsel, but I suggest that you get yourself another attorney,” she told Walter Connelly. “You’re going to need someone who has no connection to you or your company, someone who couldn’t possibly come under any suspicion. Someone powerful.”

“I’ll take care of finding someone,” Liam told his father.

“Thank you.” Walter nodded.

Gabrielle had to physically restrain herself from letting her mouth drop open. According to Liam, the man never apologized to him or thanked him for anything.

“But I want George involved every step of the way,” Walter added.

“I know, Dad. I do, too.” Liam was nodding. Looking as if he wanted to say more.

But he didn’t. And neither did Walter, as Liam and Gabrielle got up and left.

Head held high, Liam didn’t look back as they calmly made their way down the hallway that would take them back to the elevators. But Gabrielle did. And was disturbed to catch the pained expression on Walter Connelly’s face as he watched them walk away. It was gone in an instant.

But Gabrielle had no doubt it had been there.

And no doubt that that look was going to stick with her. Because everything about Liam Connelly seemed to do so.

CHAPTER SIX

Tags: Tara Taylor Quinn Romance
Source: readsnovelonline.net