The Billionaire's Secretary (Billionaire's Series Book 1) (10 page)

“What do you mean? Tell me.”

“There is photo evidence of almost everyone we know at Guyton engaging in sexual activities with what looks to me like prostitutes or paid escorts.”

“Oh, my God.”

“That’s so right.”

“Are you thinking that someone is blackmailing them and ended up framing Alan because he wouldn’t pay?”

“That’s exactly what I’m thinking. I need you to rearrange the data we have.”

“How?”

“I need you to open a spreadsheet, download all the names of men working at all of Guyton’s companies that are middle management and higher, along with their department. I’m also going to need their bank records. I’m betting that if we correlate the dates and the amounts I’ve found associated with each name that we will be able to pinpoint who the blackmailer is.”

“Okay, I’ll have it done in a couple of hours.”

“Great, and Rebecca, make sure to enter the figure in the same color it was recorded in.”

“Why?”

“I think that the black figures are the ransoms that were already paid and that the reds were the transactions in progress or not yet initiated.”

“ Oh, I see; like accountant code for debit and credit?”

“Well, that’s essentially who I’m thinking is behind this: an accountant. But Rebecca, I haven’t told you the worst part yet.”

“What’s that, boss lady?”

“Adrian’s picture is among them. He’s being blackmailed too.”

Chapter Eleven

As she sat across from Adrian at the dining table, Aurora couldn’t figure out how to broach the subject of the photographs with Adrian. He had gone to extensive lengths of having a private chef and wait staff prepare and serve a fantastic dinner which was only on the third of five courses as she battled with herself. She couldn’t find the guts to bring it up and she didn’t have the heart to spoil the amazing experience he had planned for them. So she decided to bide her time. It took everything she had to keep up her bravado. She sat sideways in the dining room chair and crossed her legs, hiking up the skirts of the sexy black sheath dress she was wearing. The sight of her long legs in sultry black nylon stockings kept a permanent smile on Adrian Guyton’s face.

She smiled at him seductively and made as much small talk as she could manage, peppering the conversation with little innuendos of their tryst the night before and the possibility of what could be coming his way after dinner. By the time the dessert was being served, he was practically panting in anticipation and she knew she had him right where she wanted him.

After dinner, when the staff had left, she purposely remained seated at the table. Retiring to the living room or upstairs would only encourage Adrian to think that the evening was taking an intimate turn and that was not what she had planned at the moment; at least, not until she had presented her findings to him and heard what he had to say in his defense. When he returned from letting the chef and his team out the back patio door, Adrian was surprised to find her still in the dining room and, after refreshing their drinks, he resumed his seat at the table.

“Did you enjoy the meal? You seemed a little distracted.”

“Yes, it was truly amazing, Adrian. You are trying to spoil me; it’s obvious.”

“Well, it’s been a while since we had a chance to spend some quality time together, I just want to make sure that it’s special.”

“Thank you.”

“Lets go into the living room.”

“Adrian, there’s something I need to show you first and a couple of questions I want you to answer for me.”

“Is it about Alan’s case?”

“Yes.”

“Okay, shoot.”

“Well, I had all but forgotten that we still didn’t know who had framed Alan or why yakuza were chasing after Milo for the financial records we found. Then suddenly a couple of days ago, an envelope with a key and the address of a mailbox company turned up on my office desk. I didn’t know what to think of it at first, but then I decided to follow the trail of breadcrumbs. When I went there this afternoon, I found an envelope full of pictures of several prominent and affluent men from the company.”

Aurora paused so she could take in the expression on Adrian’s face.

“What type of pictures, Aurora?”

“I think you already know what I’m referring to.”

Aurora got up and walked to his end of the table. She spread the photographs out in front of him and picked out the ones of him, placing them on top of the pile.

“Oh, I see,” he replied, lowering his gaze. “I was hoping that they had been destroyed and hoped even more that you would never find out about that.”

“Really? Are you saying that they’re authentic? Even those of you?”

He didn’t answer her immediately. He only continued to hang his head and look at the table in front of him.

“Adrian, say something.”

“It isn’t what it seems to be.”

Aurora laughed sarcastically.

“I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard that one.”

“No, I’m telling the truth, Aurora. I did not have sex with that woman. There was a party thrown by a huge client at a swanky gentleman’s club that he had just opened in Atlanta about a year ago. It’s not my thing at all but I had to go; he has millions invested with us.”

“What’s this client’s name?” she asked, beginning to calm down. It was frustrating her that her jealousy was what she had allowed to fuel her interrogation. But now that she no longer felt betrayed by him, she could get to the core of the matter at hand.

“Chan Lue-Sang.”

“His name’s on the list as well. Show me his picture.”

Adrian shuffled through the pile of photos several times, but he couldn’t find Lue-Sang in any of them.

“It’s not here.”

“That’s strange; I wonder why.”

“I can’t say. In any case, I wasn’t having sex with that woman. There were several of us in a private room celebrating with Chan. I tried to keep my distance from the crowd and the goings on without seeming contentious about it. It’s obvious that no one thought they were being photographed. As I was about to excuse myself and leave, that half naked woman dragged me into another room. She pushed me into the chair and kneeled in front of me. She started undoing the front of my pants and that’s what you see in the photo. Then she said it was a hundred to watch her dance, five hundred for a blow job and a thousand to have sex with her. Immediately, I knew what was going on and I stopped her, made my excuses and left.”

“It doesn’t seem the others minded the arrangements as much as you did, though.”

“Clearly they didn’t.”

“It’s the same sort of decor in all the pictures and some of the women are the same too. Do you think they were all taken at the club?”

“I would say so.”

“Adrian, someone has been using these pictures to blackmail Guyton employees and some of your clients too. Did they blackmail you?”

“Do you think it’s why Alan was framed?”

“I’m thinking that’s pretty obvious now, but I have to wonder where this person got the pictures and the information from. And I also think that’s the piece of the puzzle that might explain everything quite clearly as to what the hell is going on at Guyton Industries.”

“I was blackmailed and afterwards, I was told that the pictures had been destroyed.”

“How much?”

“The person didn’t want money. They wanted me to stay clear of Guyton Alpharetta and keep it that way for as long as it took. I just kept myself busy in Caracas and waited for when I’d be told otherwise. I knew you would find this out; I was just really confident that my pictures had been destroyed like I was promised.”

“Oh come on, Adrian. Didn’t you think they would ensure they had their collateral until their reached that goal? How else would they ensure that you kept up your end of the bargain? How do you know the cameras weren’t planted?”

“I figured they must have been. I didn’t recall there being any photographers. None of the guys would have stood for that.”

“I see. It might be that Lue-Sang was taking pictures of his club’s clientele in compromising positions. That would explain why he isn’t in any of them. But unless he was doing the blackmailing, which he wasn’t, it doesn’t explain who got a hold of them. Dammit!”

“What?”

“It just seems like every time I think I’m about to solve this damn case something else crops up to muddy the waters.”

“Well, the only person at the party whose photo isn’t here is Lue-Sang, which means either none were taken of him or he already managed to get them back.”

“Adrian, I think you just hit the nail right on the head. I’ve got to get Rebecca checking that out right away. Excuse me while I give her a call.”

Aurora went to retrieve her phone from her purse.

“Rebecca?”

“Yes Aurora, I’m here.”

“I think we have our next major lead.”

“Did you talk to Adrian?”

“Yes, I did. It was a setup. A launch party at a client’s strip club, and it seems the private rooms are rigged with cameras.”

“Are you kidding me? How did the blackmailer get them? Were they in on it?”

“Somehow, I don’t think so. But I also don’t know how they got hold of the pictures, either. Here’s what I do think happened, though.”

“Yes, go on.”

“I think that whoever got hold of them knew immediately what their potential was. I think that all they did was beat the club owner, Chan Lue-Sang, to his end game by blackmailing these men before he could. Also, none of Chan’s pictures are in the set, which makes me think that the club owner’s ransom exchange is what sparked the whole Hong Kong fiasco.”

“Oh, my God, Aurora!” Rebecca exclaimed.

“I need you to find out more about this Lue-Sang guy and be careful, Rebecca. I really think he could be very dangerous.”

“Okay boss lady. I’ll get started right away. Are you coming back here tonight?”

“Rebecca, don’t be a smartass. I’ll see you later.”

Aurora hung up the call and turned back to Adrian. He looked so pitiful there, fanning out the photos on the table over and over again as if he hoped the outcome of their content would somehow change. She stood beside him and placed a hand on his shoulder.

“I can’t allow you to destroy my evidence Adrian, so don’t even think about it. But I can promise you that I will never reveal the existence of the pictures of any innocent party. I do retain the right to use these as evidence in court or turn any over to the authorities any that implicates illegal activity. Do you understand?”

He slowly nodded his head and Aurora gathered the pictures and returned them to their envelope.

“Aurora,” he said softly, “I can’t even begin to tell you how embarrassed I am about this whole thing. I never thought those pictures would see the light of day again and that’s the only reason I kept it from you. I’m so ashamed.”

“Why? You didn’t do anything. But I hope you’ve learned your lesson now. As long as we are together, I don’t want any more surprises. I need you to tell me everything so I can judge the best course of action. How can I vouch for you with anyone if you keep throwing me curveballs? How can I trust you if you don’t level with me about everything? So tell me now, is there anything else I should know about Guyton Industries or anything else for that matter?”

“There’s nothing else that you don’t already know, Aurora.”

“Okay.”

“I can’t stand that you feel you can’t trust me. It’s not how I wanted this whole thing to turn out.”

“What are you saying, Adrian?”

“Aurora, I’m in love with you. I think I’ve been in love with you for a long time. My feelings began as a great adoration for everything you’ve done for my dad, but somewhere along the line, that changed. When I realized that Alan had used you and thrown you away like so many girls before, I was furious. I couldn’t understand how he couldn’t see that you were special. I lost my temper, but I lost it at you as well. Then when I caught him attacking you in that powder room, I knew I was in love with you. My heart wouldn’t have hurt so much if I didn’t love you.”

Aurora turned away from him at that moment, overwhelmed by what he had said. The possibility that Adrian’s feelings for her were so deep had never crossed her mind, but she couldn’t deny that she felt the same way. His appearance in her life had filled a void that no other man had ever been able to. She had disregarded it as the pangs of hero love, but she knew deep inside that there was more to it.

When he grasped her slender waist in his strong hands and spun her around to face him, a gasp of surprised escaped from her lips. It was immediately silenced by Adrian’s hungry kiss. He wrapped both arms around her, moving one to the small of her back just in time to support her as she swooned against his. Their kiss was deep and sensual; a kiss shared by lovers who were rediscovering the nuances of their passion for each other. When he released her lips, they were both on fire.

He guided her to sit on his lap and rest her head on his shoulder for a moment.