Total pages in book: 70
Estimated words: 68509 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 343(@200wpm)___ 274(@250wpm)___ 228(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 68509 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 343(@200wpm)___ 274(@250wpm)___ 228(@300wpm)
“Two hundred? On the promise of a few eco lodges in the rainforest?”
“No, the plans had expanded well beyond that. They were promising resorts all over the world once the IPO went through.”
“But you had a feeling.”
“I had a feeling. A bad one. The more I asked questions, the more they pushed me out.”
“So you, what? Tanked the IPO?”
“I didn’t intentionally do anything. I just didn’t like the feeling I was having, so I sold all my stocks right before it went public. The stock crashed. I got investigated for insider trading.”
“So, if I believe you—and that’s a big if—why would you get blamed? Can’t you just… sell whatever stocks you want?”
“Essentially, yeah. But not if the SEC thinks you have insider knowledge of something. Like the company’s value being inflated.”
“Did you?”
“I had no solid proof of anything. Just a gut feeling that told me I needed out.”
“But if the company’s value was inflated… how? Why?”
“That’s what I’m doing in this part of the world again. I want to find those damn eco resorts. If they exist at all. And I want to prove that they’re not what my uncle and his company said they were for the valuation. I want to prove that the only ones committing stock fraud are the company and its leadership, not me.”
There.
It was out.
She could believe me. Or not. But that was the whole of it. More or less.
“Okay. So who is that guy?” she asked, nodding over her shoulder.
“That is Marco, my guide.”
“Guide?”
“For the rainforest.”
“Don’t you have, like, maps?”
“Yeah. But the average person would get lost in minutes in the rainforest without someone who knows it well. I got word to him to meet me here, but I had no way to get word from him for when he would meet me.”
“Hence the fake being stranded thing.”
“Yeah.”
“Why not let me have the speedboat and go back to the other islands?”
“Honestly didn’t imagine you’d be able to drive it back. And I wasn’t exactly keen on being genuinely stranded if Marco didn’t make it here for some reason.”
“I mean, someone would come eventually…”
“This is a private island. The tour guides and islanders would all know not to come here. If Marco didn’t come, I’d be stuck here… maybe forever.”
“Is there no service?”
“You can get a bar here or there. But it’s rare. And it’s usually gone before you can try to shoot off a text, let alone call for help. I wanted a way off, just in case.”
“Why not just tell me?”
“Because you would have taken the boat.”
“That’s… accurate. So, what, were you going to tell me when Marco got here?”
“I figured I would have to. I’d bring you back to the island, then take off with Marco.”
“Into the rainforest.”
“Yep.”
“To get proof to clear your name?”
“Yes.”
“And then?”
“Then, the plan was to send the information to the investigators.”
“Was?” she asked. “It changed?”
“I’ve been… considering a change. A mutually beneficial one.”
“Involving me.”
“Yes.”
“Well, what is it?” she asked, putting the last of the rice mix into her mouth, then finally reaching for her powdered iced tea and draining half of it in one long sip.
“Once I get my proof, I let you take me in.”
Violet eyed me for a long moment.
“What’s the catch?”
“No catch. We get my proof. I let you take me in, so you can collect your money.”
“Wait, wait, wait. Did you say we?”
“Yes. We get my proof.”
“We. We feels like a big catch. You expect me to trek through the rainforest with you?”
“Yes.”
“Because I’ve been such pleasant company so far?” she asked, rolling her eyes.
“Because I want someone else who can testify to what I saw. If it comes to that.”
“I can’t testify.”
“Why not?”
“Because then it will be clear that I broke the law by pursuing you here.”
“Or… you just so happened to be on vacation, saw me, kept an eye on me, then when I went back to Miami willingly, you apprehended me.”
“That’s… a stretch.”
“If I get the proof I think I will, believe me, the SEC and DOJ won’t give a damn about you bending the law. They will have much bigger fish to fry. Besides, who is going to contradict you? If I confirm it happened that way…”
“That’s true. But why do I need to trek into the rainforest? Can’t I go stay at a nice hotel with a comfy bed and fresh coffee while you do all that, then you come back, and we go back to Miami together?”
“Duchess, where’s the fun in that?”
“Fun? The rainforest? With its panthers and a billion types of venomous snakes.”
“Nah, not a billion. Just the Fer-de-lance, Bushmaster, Green Jararaca, Eyelash Viper, Palm viper, Pit viper, ground and aquatic Coral Snakes…”
“That’s not helping your case.”
“We have Marco. I’ve got a well-packed bag. It should just be a day or two.”
Violet sucked in a deep breath and huffed it out.