“They’re all unmarked,” he added. “That’s just a preview of how much you could make taking this job for me. And I’m sure you can find a use for this money.”
I could already think of a use for it. Just the money on the desk would help with my mom’s medical expenses. Despite the increase in my pay at my new position, her bills were going to continue to be difficult to pay off. Just the money spread out in front of me would have been enough to catch up, but the promise of more meant I could finally have some cushion against future expenses.
“Well, Mr. Noll,” I started.
“Gage, please,” he corrected me.
“Gage, this is a very generous offer indeed. I’ll be happy to meet with you later this week to go over the details of what you need and expect from me.” I wasn’t prepared to make a decision like this right away, especially without more details.
He shook his head and waved a finger in front of me. “No, no. That’s not going to work. I need an answer right away, or else I will be forced to take this offer to someone less qualified for the task. Dr. Danvers, so far you are the most qualified person in the area to help me get the information I need.”
I looked at the money, then back at him. He’d been respectful, if a little stern, so far, despite his rough appearance. His request did seem to flirt with the wrong side of the law, but I really needed the money. I saw an opportunity to get out of debt and start moving forward with my life while still handling my mom’s expenses. It wasn’t a decision I appreciated having to make on the spot, but I figured it was worth a shot.
“Okay, what do you need me to do?” I asked him finally.
“I need you to come with me, first off,” he stated, standing up.
“Now? But, I’ve got things here that I need to—” I started to protest.
“Now.” He nodded, cutting me off. “I need to introduce you to the man you’ll be working with. Plus, I want to go ahead and get you an opportunity to talk to him today,” Gage explained.
If I could go ahead and knock this job out today, it would be the quickest I made any amount of money, much less the kind of money he was talking to me about. I grabbed my phone. “Let me call the department secretary and let her know I’ll be out for the rest of the day.” One of the benefits of my new position was I could call the department secretary and let them know I was going to be out in the field, and no one would ask any questions about the work I was doing, which was a good thing here because I had no idea what I was going to be doing either.
Gage quickly cleaned up the money he’d strewn across my desk, sliding the stack of bills to me. “You may want to put this money up somewhere safe. You’re not going to need it when you come with me. I’ll take care of you.”
I couldn’t help but wonder who this confident man was. His body was ripped, and he wore clothes that made him look like a biker. He was covered in tattoos. Yet, even though he spoke in harsh, commanding tones, he was well-spoken. He’d already handed me a large sum of money that I had yet to count, and he was promising me more money if I came with him. Plus, I didn’t need money of my own if I came with him?
“What do I need?” I asked, sliding the bills into one of the bottom drawers of my desk, locking it away, and dumping the key in my purse.
“Just yourself,” he answered.
I looked in my purse to make sure my cell phone was in there. I may have agreed to go along with him for the money, but that didn’t mean I trusted him. Not yet.
“Let me go ahead and thank you before we get going,” Gage said before I stepped out from behind my desk. “Your assistance in this matter is greatly appreciated. You have no idea.”
He walked out of the office behind me and stayed behind me as I closed and locked my office door. “Don’t mention it,” I said, under my breath.
“I know you’re uncertain of what you’ve agreed to, but once you meet this gentleman, you’ll understand why I need someone who understands more than just the language to be able to talk to him,” he said, stepping in front of me to get the stairwell door. I wanted to avoid the elevators, and the stairs were faster.
“It’s fine, really,” I assured him. The more he talked about it, the more I wanted to run back upstairs, to pretend none of this had happened. But at the same time, I was intrigued. He needed information, and he needed me to talk to someone who only spoke Russian in order to get it. He didn’t come across as a street thug or anything, not after talking to him, so my suspicions were starting to ease up a little bit.