Ride With Me (Paige and Jace) novel Chapter 234

CHAPTER 124

Ctaw

CHAPTER 135-1

Jace’s POV

The clubhouse was quieter than usual when I walked into the office the following morning, because most of the members were already at work and the usual noise from the kitchen had been replaced by the soft hum of the air conditioner.

Ethan was sitting behind the desk with three laptops open in front of him, and several printed spreadsheets covered almost every available space.

He didn’t look up when I entered.

“I’ve been here since six.” He said and I closed the door behind me.

“Find anything?” I asked.

“More questions than answers.” He said and I pulled out the chair opposite him.

“Show me.” I said so Ethan rotated one of the laptops toward me.

“The club’s legitimate businesses have all been profitable, and the numbers generally make sense.” He said.

“Generally?” I asked as he tapped the screen.

“There are small discrepancies.” He said.

“How small?” I asked.

“Sometimes fifty dollars, sometimes a few hundred, and occasionally a little more.” He said.

“That’s not much.” I said.

“Not once. Look at the pattern.” He said as he opened another spreadsheet and I leaned closer.

The transactions were scattered across months and different businesses.

“The money disappears in small amounts.” I said.

“Exactly.” He said.

“How long?” I asked.

“At least eighteen months.” He said and I stared at him.

“Eighteen months?” I asked and Ethan nodded.

“I went back as far as our digital records allowed, and the pattern appears repeatedly.” He said and I rubbed my jaw.

“Why didn’t anyone notice?” I asked.

“Because whoever is doing it understands numbers.” He said and he pointed at another column.

CHAPTER 1944

They aren’t taking enough at once to trigger an obvious problem, and the amounts are being hidden among legitimate expenses.” I said as I studied the figures.

Fuel. Parts. Maintenance, Supplies. Contractor payments. Everything looked ordinary until Ethan highlighted several transactions.

“They’re not ordinary.” He said as looked at the dates.

“What am I looking at?” I asked.

“Overpayments.” He said.

“To suppliers?” I asked.

“Some of them.” He said as he clicked through another file.

“Then there are duplicate invoices that don’t appear to have been challenged.” He added and I frowned.

“Who approved them?” I asked.

“That’s what I’m trying to determine.” He said as I leaned back.

“Could this be an accounting error?” I asked.

“One error, sure.” He said as he looked at me.

“Eighteen months of them, across multiple businesses, with money consistently disappearing in the same general way?” He asked and I shook my head.

“No.” I said.

“That’s what I thought.” He said and I stood and walked toward the window.

Outside, the parking lot was nearly empty, and the morning sun was beginning to brighten the buildings

across the street.

I didn’t like what I was seeing. The Black Reapers were one problem. Victor was another.

Now someone appeared to be stealing from legitimate businesses connected to us, and the amounts were small enough that nobody had noticed.

“Who has access to the accounts?” I asked and Ethan gave me a list.

“Managers, bookkeepers, owners, and a couple of outside contractors.” He said.

“Anyone connected to the club?” I asked.

“Some.” He said.

“Anyone connected to the Black Reapers?” I asked.

“Not that I’ve found.” He said and I turned around.

“Yet.” I said and Ethan nodded.

“Yet.” He agreed.

1672

CHAPTER 1244

The word hung between us and I didn’t want to accuse anyone without proof, because we’d already Tearned what happened when assumptions became facts.

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