Excerpt: Dead End Job

The GM turned the car into a connector street.
“So, can I be your snoop, your spy, your secret agent, whatever you want to call it?” Julie repeated.
“I can see the value in having two different points of view,” the GM said. “I can see the value of talking things through with someone. I used to talk things over with my wife.”
Julie threw him a sidelong glance. “Well. I’m not willing to bring your coffee or fetch your dry-cleaning or book your plane tickets,” she said. “I only want to be an office snoop, not your office wife.”
He gave a little laugh. “I get it Julie. No worries. You’re younger than my daughters.” As he pulled up at a stop sign, he looked over at her. “If you’re right, Julie, it means that the embezzler has already killed two people. I think it’s too dangerous for you to investigate.”
“But somebody has to find out what is happening.”
“Maybe not. The account has been closed. I’ve hired the forensic accountant to put new procedures in place.”
“Yes, but there’s dozens of way to embezzle funds. You can plug one hole and the embezzler will find another. And you still don’t know where the stolen money came from. You just know how they got it out of the company.”
“True.” He let out a long sigh. “On the other hand, the police have reviewed everything and they think it’s over…that it was a murder-then-suicide kind of thing. So, let’s just call it over.”
“But what if it’s not over? What if somebody in the office really did steal from the company? And what if that person still needs more money? If you don’t expose them, then that person is going to keep taking your money and killing off your friends.”
“When you get a bone to chew on, you don’t let go, do you?”
“It makes me upset that you think the Professor is a thief. It’s not true. But if you think it’s true, then you might mention it to a friend sometime…it makes a good story, after all…the one that got away, and all that. And then, the next thing you know, others will be telling the story about the good Professor who betrayed his friend.” Julie’s voice cracked and she realized that she was shaking. Simply describing the scenario made her upset all over again.
The GM pulled in next to the curb in front of the house where she had lived for four years. He looked over and caught her gaze. “Julie, I need to tell you that there is someone on staff who has reason to hate me. Someone who may want to destroy me and my business, or both. Someone who would know how to steal from the company and never get caught.”
Julie’s breath caught in her throat. “All right. Are you going to tell me who?”
“I will give you the name, if you’re sure you want to pursue this thing. I would give you the name so that you can guard against arousing her suspicions. It’s clear to me that I could use your help, but if you got hurt, I would never forgive myself.”
“If I get hurt, it would not be your fault.”
“O.K. But we both must be careful if we’re going to investigate this matter further.” A guilty expression settled on his features. “For years, this person was what you might call my office wife. And we ended up having an affair…a very bad idea. After my wife died, this person made it clear to me that she expected to become my second wife. But I cannot do this. I was attracted to her once, certainly, but I know I don’t love her now. I told her that, and now she hates me for it.”
“I have no idea who it might be.”
“She was always good at covering things up.”