Nathan tried his best to look casual as he made eye contact with Henry. Remember, he told himself, you're not talking to one of the top suspects in an embezzlement case. You're simply meeting one of your new colleagues at Coulter Steel. Act natural.
However, he knew that was easier said than done as Henry reached out to shake his hand. "Henry Gowen, VP of finance and accounting," he said, his tone composed and somewhat cool.
"Nathan Grant," said Nathan, pausing to remember his fake title. "Accounting consultant."
As he accepted the handshake, Nathan noticed Henry narrow his eyes at him slightly. In an attempt to appear unaffected, Nathan gave him a slight smile and hoped he didn't seem too suspicious. He wasn't completely sure what Lee had told his team about his presence in the office.
Be calm, Nathan told himself. You can do this. Still, he wished he had time to get more information from Lee before his meeting. He was already anxious to reconnect with him and receive further details on the case.
"So, you're the accounting consultant Lee brought in to help us with our finances," Henry said. He gave Nathan a sideways glance as he grabbed a coffee mug and walked over to the coffee machine. Based on that look, Nathan could tell the man wasn't too trusting of him. The feeling's mutual, Nathan thought to himself.
"Yes, I'm consulting with Lee on some...financial matters," Nathan answered, knowing he probably wasn't sounding convincing at all. In his time as a private investigator, he never thought he'd be posing as an accountant. Acting and math, Nathan thought. Two skills I am completely devoid of. Or, at least the math part. The acting component was passable at best.
"Good for Lee," Henry said, pouring his coffee. "We can always use a little financial guidance around here."
Nathan wasn't sure if that remark was genuine or snarky, but thankfully Elizabeth saved him. "Nathan, you like coffee, right?" She smiled and directed her statement at Henry. "It looks like we have another coffee drinker in the office."
"Well, how nice," Henry said, taking a sip of coffee and glancing at him over his drink. "Just as long as you don't buy any of those fancy Starbucks drinks loaded down with cream and sugar."
"You won't have to worry about that," Nathan replied awkwardly. He got the feeling Henry didn't like outsiders. While his comments weren't overtly condescending, there was definitely a tone of superiority in them, like Henry was letting him know he was invading his turf.
"That's good to hear," Henry said, leaning against the counter and smiling impishly at Elizabeth. "The women here seem to have an unhealthy obsession with Starbucks, especially Elizabeth."
Nathan looked at Elizabeth as she laughed good-naturedly. "Henry, I think that's a bit of an exaggeration. I mainly bring in Starbucks when we have corporate meetings. The board members always appreciate some high-end coffee to start their day."
"Whatever you say," Henry said, unconvinced. He then fixed his attention on Nathan. "So Nathan, tell me about yourself. How long are you going to be at Coulter Steel?"
Caught off guard, Nathan was grateful for the sound of laughter that turned everyone's attention toward the hallway. He looked up to see a group of four young employees enter the room. Based on their ease of manner, Nathan concluded that they were all good friends as well as colleagues. As he observed them, he could sense the camaraderie in the office that Elizabeth had talked about earlier.
The group of young people stopped in their tracks when they saw Nathan. Looking at each other and smiling, they walked over to join Elizabeth, Nathan, and Henry by the coffee machine.
"Hello," said one of the young people, a pleasant woman with short, dark brown hair, dark eyes, and freckles sprinkled across her face. "My name is Fiona. I haven't seen you around the office before."
Elizabeth laughed at Fiona's straight-forwardness. "Fiona, this is Nathan Grant. He is our new accounting consultant. Nathan, this is Fiona, Clara, Jesse, and Mike, or Hickam, as we usually call him. Jesse and Mike work in our accounting department, and Clara and Fiona work in sales and marketing."
"Nice to meet you, Nathan," said the chorus of voices simultaneously, smiles etched across their faces.
Nathan was somewhat taken aback by their friendliness. The overall atmosphere at Coulter Steel was very different from his P.I. firm, where you could often hear a pin drop as investigators worked tirelessly to solve their respective cases. While Nathan was fine with the quiet, it could get a little lonely at times, especially when he was working on a long-term assignment. Thankfully he had Bill around as a confidant, and the two men even occasionally went out for drinks after a long work day or to unwind after a particularly grueling case.
Perhaps I could befriend some of these people, Nathan thought, if not for the fact that they could all be suspects in this case. Other than Henry, they all seemed to be around his age. Yet, he didn't know what kind of secrets they could be hiding. For that reason, he would have to keep his workplace relationships strictly professional, or as professional as possible. He'd have to be friendly, but not too friendly, which could be a difficult balance at times.
However, that's how the situation would have to be, like it or not. If there was one thing Nathan didn't care for about his job, it was that he had to stay emotionally detached. In his line of work, it was impossible not to assume the worst in people, at least until they were proven innocent. Even then, the ugliness of some people was on display in every case Nathan encountered, often making it hard not to be cynical about humanity at large.
"So Nathan, are you a Penguins fan?" Jesse asked, jolting Nathan from his thoughts.
Nathan looked up at him and tried not to appear flustered. "Oh, I-"
Before he could continue, Clara smacked Jesse playfully. "Jesse," she said in mock disapproval. "Let's give Nathan some time to settle in before peppering him with questions."
"I asked him if he liked hockey, Clara," Jesse replied, patting her on the arm gently. "I wouldn't call that peppering him with questions."
Elizabeth looked at Jesse kindly. "I believe Clara's just looking out for our newest co-worker," she said. Nathan glanced at her and tried to suppress a smile. He could already tell that she was the mediator of the group.
"It's just a simple question," Henry said, sipping his coffee and listening to the conversation play out. "There's no better way to ascertain the measure of a man like gauging his sports preferences."
"Oh, is there?" Fiona asked, raising her eyebrows.
"All I'm saying is maybe Nathan isn't a hockey fan," Clara said, looking at Jesse pointedly before turning to Nathan. "In which case, we won't judge you. Or the women won't, at least."
"I don't know about that," Fiona said playfully. "We take our sports pretty seriously here in Pittsburgh."
"So I've seen," Nathan replied, well aware of what Fiona was saying. If there was one thing he had learned from his time in Pittsburgh, it was that people had strong opinions about their sports teams, and women were among the most passionate.
Hickam spoke up as if reading Nathan's thoughts. "Are you not originally from Pittsburgh?"
"No, um…" He chose his words carefully. "I've moved around a lot. I'm originally from the Edmonton area."
"Ah, a Canadian," Jesse said, pretending to make a face. "Does that make you an Oilers fan?"
"I grew up watching them, yes," Nathan said. "Though I also support the Penguins."
"Well, the Oilers are a decent team," Hickam said, trying to relate. "You can't not like Connor McDavid."
Jesse shrugged in admission. "I suppose it could be worse. You could be a Capitals fan."
While the others echoed their agreement, Clara smiled at Nathan as she laced her arm through Jesse's. "You'll have to not mind my husband. He's passionate about two things: sports and motorcycles."
"I wouldn't say I only care about those things," Jesse said with a grin, giving Clara a flirtatious look.
As the couple bantered back and forth, Nathan made a mental note about their relationship. He didn't want to suspect Clara or Jesse of anything, but he knew he'd have to ask Lee more about them. If his experience as a private investigator had taught him anything, it was that it wasn't uncommon for married couples to conspire with each other for financial gain. They could certainly have an opportunity with Jesse being an accountant. While Clara and Jesse didn't seem like the type who would steal from an employer, Nathan had to remind himself that he knew next to nothing about them. He didn't know when they started with the company and how long they had been married. All he knew was that he needed to familiarize himself with his new co-workers to determine what their motives could be. Until then, everyone was a suspect, particularly the accountants.
While Nathan was deep in thought, Henry took the opportunity to remove himself from the conversation. Nathan looked up from the coffee he had just poured himself to see Henry walk toward one of the tables and sit down just far enough from the group where he wouldn't have to interact with anyone. Although he could relate to a need for solitude, Nathan didn't think Henry's aloofness had to do entirely with a lack of interest in small talk. During their brief conversation, Henry hadn't been too talkative or welcoming. Nathan could chalk it up to his nature, but something in Henry's manner seemed to indicate a dislike of him, or at the very least, a lack of trust.
Or maybe he's acting that way because he's hiding something, he thought.
"So Nathan, what do you think of Coulter Steel so far?" Fiona asked. Unlike Henry, she didn't suffer from unfriendliness.
Before Nathan could answer, Elizabeth's phone started ringing. Smiling at everyone apologetically, she looked at the caller ID and excused herself. "I'm sorry, I should take this. It's my son's daycare."
Nathan watched as she walked out of the room to answer the phone. Remembering the photos he saw of Elizabeth and her son on her desk, he berated himself for being so intrigued by her earlier. Get a grip, Nathan. You barely know her. For all you know, she could be married, even if she's not wearing a ring. There were plenty of explanations for why there wasn't a ring on her finger. Maybe she was one of those people who didn't like wearing rings.
Yet, despite the fact that he had just met Elizabeth, he could tell that she conducted herself with class, that she was the type of person who was kind and sincere, no matter the circumstance. Granted, she probably had her bad days just like everyone else, but Nathan was impressed with her grace and the care she showed for others. After all, she's been nothing but patient with me despite my awkward bumbling,he thought.
Composing himself, Nathan turned back to the group and remembered that Fiona had asked him his thoughts on Coulter Steel. "I like it pretty well," he answered with a bit more assurance in his voice. "Everyone has been nice so far."
Fiona laughed. "Yes, we are known for being nice here at Coulter Steel, among other things. Well, except for Henry. He can be a bit of a grouch."
"Hey, I heard that, young lady," Henry said from the table he was sitting at. "And I wouldn't say I'm a grouch so much as a hard-working executive who doesn't have time for chit-chat."
"Whatever you say," Fiona said with a smile. "You know, you may be a grouch, but I think you're a secret softie." She turned to Nathan and grinned. "You should see him interact with Elizabeth's son."
"I'm not a softie," said Henry, making a face as if that was the most repulsive word she could have used. "But Jack is a cute kid, I give you that."
"Little Jack is very cute," Clara agreed as she started heating up a pot of tea. "They don't come cuter than that."
Little Jack, Nathan thought. Could that be his father's name? And did something happen to Jack's father? No one had mentioned Elizabeth's husband, but that didn't necessarily mean he wasn't around. Besides, now was the time to be conversational, not to jump to conclusions when he didn't have all the facts. If he wanted to get people at Coulter Steel to like him and gain their trust, he needed to open up and be friendly. As he used to tell Allie, if you want to make friends, you must show yourself to be friendly.
However, that was sometimes easier said than done. With all the moving they had done over the years, he knew how hard it was on Allie to have to start over and make new friends. It had always pained him to see her struggle to fit in whenever they moved to a different city, but thankfully she had some stability now that they were settled in Pittsburgh. In fact, she seemed to be thriving in her new environment and had even had classmates over a few times since the school year had begun. Now, whenever Nathan had a new assignment or was entering an uncertain social situation, Allie reminded him of what he had told her. He smiled. That girl had always been wise beyond her years.
"What are you smiling about, Nathan?" Jesse asked, noticing that his thoughts were elsewhere.
Embarrassed, Nathan started slightly at the sound of his name. "Oh, I was just thinking about my niece. She has a field trip today that she was excited about."
"Aw, that's sweet," Clara replied, seeming surprised yet endeared by his statement. "How old is she?"
"She's fourteen...going on twenty-one," Nathan said with a smile. He wondered what Allie was doing at that moment, what she was learning and discovering. It made him proud to think about how well she was doing and how involved she was at her school.
Jesse whistled. "Oh, boy. Teenagers can be a lot of fun."
"Especially teenage girls," added Hickam.
Picking up on the sarcasm, Nathan gave them a reassuring look. "Well, as far as teenagers go, Allie is very mature." He shook his head and smiled before continuing. "If anything, she's the one who looks after me."
"You take care of your niece?" Hickam asked, glancing at the others to gauge their reactions.
"Yes," Nathan said after a moment, realizing he was revealing more personal information than he had intended. "I've been her guardian since she was four years old."
Fiona looked both touched and impressed. "Wow. That's a very noble thing to do, Nathan."
"What's noble?"
Nathan looked up to see a young man about his age enter the room. Dark-haired with a thick beard and brown eyes, he appeared to be in his early thirties at most. As he approached the group, Nathan observed his way of carrying himself and determined that he did not seem to be lacking in confidence.
"Lucas," Clara said with a friendly smile as he entered the conversation. "Allow me to introduce you to Nathan Grant. Nathan, this is Lucas Bouchard, our director of accounting."
"Nathan is our new accounting consultant," added Fiona, noticing the curious look on Lucas' face.
Nathan watched as Lucas appeared to size him up, almost as if he was trying to determine whether he was a threat in some way. While many would consider Nathan a tall man, Lucas also had some height. If Nathan had to guess, he'd consider him to be around 6 feet 2 inches. A snappy dresser, Lucas had a definite charisma about him that manifested in his smile as he made eye contact with Nathan.
"Lucas Bouchard," he introduced himself, extending his hand to Nathan. "Delighted to make your acquaintance."
Shaking his hand, Nathan was slightly thrown off by the formality in his words, but he tried not to show it. "Nathan Grant. Nice to meet you."
Lucas leaned against the counter and flashed an all-too-charming smile. "So, you're our latest accounting consultant, huh?"
"Yes...I'm helping Lee with a few items," Nathan answered. He wasn't sure what made him more nervous: the thought of his cover being blown or the fact that Lucas seemed to be staring into his soul with those dark eyes.
"Oh, that's nice," Lucas said casually. Seeing Henry at the table a few feet away, he smiled and addressed his colleague. "Henry, were you aware that Lee was hiring an accounting consultant?"
Henry looked up from his coffee cup as if he was just now conscious of the conversation going on. "That's a good question," he said, a half-smile forming on his face. "Lee may have said something in passing, but I didn't think he was going to hire someone in the immediate future."
Glancing between the two men, Nathan tried to make out their characters from the limited conversation he'd had with them so far. Although Lee had told him they were among his most trusted and competent employees, Nathan wanted to keep them both on the top of his suspect list. Their backgrounds with the company were certainly worth looking into, as well.
Unused to being the one under scrutiny, Nathan was relieved when Lucas glanced down at the teapot and suddenly dropped the subject. "Clara, did you make tea?"
"You got me," Clara said with a laugh. "I made a fresh pot just for you."
"You know me so well," Lucas said, pouring tea into his mug and giving Clara a dazzling smile that even prompted a chuckle from Jesse.
Yes, Lucas is definitely a charmer, Nathan thought. I wonder who I should look into first, Henry or him. Lee had mentioned Lucas was a rising star at the company, and Nathan could tell based on his smooth way of talking and self-assured manner. He looked to be the type who wasn't easily rattled, and while he seemed nice enough, he had a slick persona that rubbed Nathan the wrong way. He had met many Lucases in his life, the cool and confident type who almost always turned out to be a smooth operator.
While Lucas' general personality seemed easy to determine, Henry's was harder to pin down. He didn't appear to be a cold-hearted villain who would steal from a company, but he also didn't look to be the most forthcoming individual. Fiona may have called him a "secret softie," but so far, all Nathan could see was a proud man who didn't try very hard to hide his disdain for him. Or maybe Henry's look of disdain was just a general displeasure with the world around him. Either way, he was difficult to read.
"Lucas, when you're done with your tea, I need to talk to you in my office," Henry said, turning Nathan's head along with everyone else's.
"Sounds good," Lucas replied, swirling the teabag in his mug. "I can actually take this with me if you want to talk right now."
Henry nodded, and Nathan watched as the two men left the room and headed toward Henry's office, talking in hushed tones along the way. While both men seemed suspicious in their own right, Nathan had to consider the possibility that they could be working together in some way. With both occupying high positions at Coulter Steel, they definitely had an opportunity to siphon away funds. Now Nathan had to determine a possible motive, and for that, he needed more files and information from Lee.
Nathan turned to the group to excuse himself. "I should get back to work, but it was nice meeting you all," he said in his most friendly tone.
"It was nice meeting you, too," said Fiona after a chorus of goodbyes. "Don't be a stranger around here."
"Yes, if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask," Hickam added.
Oh, I won't, Nathan thought as he exited the room. He'd have to follow up with all of them later, but for now, he had some investigating to do.
