"I'm not suggesting." Her tone steady, face impassive, she shrugged. "I'm stating as plainly as I'm able."
"There's no way," Charlie repeated. "I've worked with Christine over six years, nurtured her career, watched her bloom and become an integral part of this corporation. She's not capable of this." He'd known Margaret, Peg or Peggy to him, a long time and considered her a good friend. He would believe her word over anyone or anything, except in this. "There must be an error somewhere."
"If x amount of pineapples is purchased for y amount of money, the total should be z money paid," Peg said for the fifth time. Charlie usually liked how she reverted to math equations to explain things, but not this time. "As you clearly see, the product shipped and paid for, yet the company invoice differs from your office invoice by over ten thousand dollars. There are duplicate invoices, one paid to your office and one to a separate account. X plus Y equals Z. Figures do not lie. In the last six months, the company has lost over nine hundred thousand dollars total. This isn't chump change, even to our global corp."
"I realize it's a huge amount of money any way you see it." Charlie tossed the papers to his desk and leaned forward. "But, Peg, think about this. It's too simple."
"This only points more toward Ms. Howell. Her signature and yours are the only signatures which appear on these false invoices and orders. It makes sense one of you is stealing profits from the corporation. If you say it's not Ms. Howell." Peg narrowed her thin lips, her implication clear. If Charlie stated Christine couldn't do this, he pointed the finger directly at himself. "Is there anything you wish to tell me?"
Charlie felt his anger rise and beat it down. If he lost his temper it would only make things worse and prove he or Christine had something to hide. Stay professional, stay detached, and stay focused. "Neither Ms. Howell nor I are capable of this. We're loyal employees and have been for many years."
Peg sat back and waved a pen. "The corporation accounting department has a team assigned to this case and we'll get to the bottom of it. When we do, the employee or employees responsible will be charged with grand theft, a felony in any state, and this corporation will prosecute to the full extent of the law."
"You won't find any wrong doing from Ms. Howell or me." Charlie spoke the words but knew he'd have an uphill battle trying to prove their innocence.
"This isn't the first time this has happened." Peg pushed her black rimmed glasses farther up the bridge of her nose. "The NY, Houston, and LA offices have all had cases of this on a smaller scale. Each time we caught the person, and they are serving prison time. So, this is your last chance to come clean."
Charlie gaped at her. "I've nothing to hide. God, Peg, we went to college together, even dated once. I came to your wedding, children's christenings, and Holiday parties. Your family spent Christmas a few years back as guests in my home. You can't possibly believe I'd be involved in corporate embezzlement."
Peg leaned forward, displaying a glimpse of the girl Charlie had taken to a drive in movie and tried to neck with during the boring show years ago. "Off the official record, I advise you to get a lawyer. I have the name of a good one who specializes in corporate law and employee rights. He'll deflect attention from you so the Board will recall his name and face rather than yours. Print off your bank records and I'll handle them myself, keep your name as least mentioned as possible. Cooperate every way you can, be eager to help, and resist nothing I tell you."
"You want my personal bank records?" Charlie watched as she nodded. "Ah, I see. I'm stealing money and stupid enough to deposit it in an account under my own name. Sure, I'll print out my bank records but you won't find anything close to nine hundred thousand dollars in them. You're in for major disappointment."
"I actually hope I am." Peg pulled out yet another paper and shoved it across his desk. "This release will authorize us to check any and all accounts in the world with your social security number and name, legal or otherwise."
Swallowing the curses and words he wanted to spit took an almost superhuman feat of strength. Focus, calm, and professionalism. His career reputation, not to mention Christine's, balanced on a razor thin line. Charlie signed and passed the release back. "Do whatever you have to do."
"We already suspect it's not you, Charlie. The faked invoices are copies. The whole mess is too simple, like you said."
"Someone copied the invoices I had already signed, changed the amount due and routing number, and sent them through for payment to the bogus corporate account." Charlie ran a hand through his hair. "And you think Christine Howell did it."