“Pedro, where’s the money?”
“Money? What money?” Mr. Gonzalez’s smooth voice came across as a honeyed tone.
“The investors’ money that was put into the accounts at the beginning of the month.”
“Hmm. I was wondering that myself. I am convinced that Juan took it.”
The older man’s voice sounded again. “You know as well as I do that Juan didn’t touch it.”
“Are you suggesting, my old friend, that I stole it?” There was an edge to that sugary voice now.
Silence reigned for a moment as the tape continued to play.
“Carlos, would you like to be a very wealthy man?”
“What are you getting at?”
“I believe if we work together, we can prove that Juan stole that money.”
“What are you suggesting?”
“That you bring an accusation against him. Leave me out of it. I will continue to be his confidante. Together, you and I will create a paper trail that leads to him.”
“Why do I think that you mean I will create the paper trail that leads to him?”
“Well, that would be for the best.”
“Why?”
“Because it’s more believable than if I were caught framing my best friend. Besides, if our plan fails, and the authorities prove that you framed him, they’ll assume you’re the one who stole the money.”
“Why would I agree to such a harebrained scheme?”
“For two reasons.”
“I’m listening.”
“Number one: you will agree right now to sell me your shares in the company if Juan is acquitted.”
“Why on earth would I do such a thing?”
“Because if you are convicted, your shares will automatically be split between the rest of the investors. And you will lose all you’ve put into this company. But if you sell them to me ahead of time, no one will be able to do anything about it. And you can keep the money.”
“And you’ll get the power.”
“Win-win.”
“It’s not a win-win! I don’t want to go to prison!”
“Of course, you don’t. But you will if our plan fails.”
“Why would I?”
“Because I’m the one with the powerful friends. And I’m the one with the most money. And… I know where your daughter lives.”
Silence again for a few moments.
“Leave my daughter out of this.”
“I will. If you’ll help me. Juan must be brought down. One way or another.”
“What is that supposed to mean?”
“Never you mind. You just do your job. And be prepared, if our plan fails, to take the fall for me.”
“What is your quarrel with Juan?”
“He has a bleeding heart. He wants to take some of our profits and use them for charity. He wants to establish a trust fund for needy kids to go to college. Have you any idea how much of our hard-earned money he wants to waste on some strangers’ sniveling brats?!”
The harsh voice continued, “He also suggested that we begin donating our products to local schools for their lunch program. I can see all our profits getting eaten up by his tender heart. I won’t have it. When I resisted him, he suggested that I sell him my stock in the company and begin another business.
“Can you imagine the nerve of the man? After all I’ve done for him! This company was my idea! I poured as much of my time, energy, and money into Los Gemelos as he did! And now he thinks he’s just going to give it away! Well, my old friend, he has another think coming. He has no idea who he is messing with! He thinks this is his company just because the recipes for the snack cakes came from his mother!”
“Why don’t you just threaten his kids?” came the other voice.
Another pregnant pause.
Then, “Because I know Juan. And he won’t be threatened. He has some powerful friends too. And he is too full of integrity. He would take his chances in a battle against me. Even if it meant putting his family on the line.
“His girls are no threat to me. They’re children still. But he poses a great threat. The best way to get rid of him is to attack the thing he is most proud of. His integrity. We’ll prove he’s a thief. He’ll go to prison. Leaving his family destitute as all his shares become ours. My plan will work. Just you watch, Carlos.”
“I won’t do it.”
“I thought you’d say that. So, I made some plans.”
“What do you mean?” Now the older man’s voice sharpened.
“Do you remember two weeks ago when your daughter was in that little fender bender?”
“What of it?”
“Well, let’s just say that it could have been so much worse, Carlos.”
A resigned sigh could be heard. “Just tell me what you want me to do…” Then the tape shut off.
Tae took a deep breath. “Wow. So, Pedro didn’t make these tapes. But it sounds like…”
“Carlos must have,” Tia finished.
“As insurance?” questioned Jungkook.
Namjoon nodded. “I think in the beginning he thought he could get Pedro to incriminate himself. But then he realized how much trouble he was already in when they’d hurt his daughter.”
“So why didn’t he destroy the tape?” Jimin asked.
“Insurance. He had little to lose. Pedro was already threatening his daughter and handing him a prison sentence if their plan failed. Which it did. He must have kept the tapes to use as proof in the event that Juan was acquitted.”
“Which he was,” Tia pointed out.
“Yes, he was,” Tae murmured.
“But by that time, your father had found the tapes. Which means that Carlos didn’t have them anymore,” Jin explained.
“So when they pressed charges against him, he no longer had any proof that he had been blackmailed,” Hobi interposed.
“But we do now. And I’m betting he would be happy to tell the truth now,” Tae muttered.
“Maybe. But he might keep the secret still to protect his daughter,” Julieta responded.
Namjoon shook his head. “Not with the tapes to back him up. It’s all going to come out through the tapes anyway. He has no incentive to lie anymore. He’s already taken the fall for Pedro. He’s already gone to prison. And now, we have the proof that Juan was innocent, and Carlos was forced to play a part in Pedro’s evil plan.”
“So, what do we do with these tapes?” Tia asked.
“The first thing we do is copy them several times over. I can locate some equipment this weekend and get them uploaded onto my computer. Then I will email everyone a copy. In addition to a lawyer friend of mine in Korea. We are going to make sure that these don’t disappear again,” Yoongi assured everyone.
Julieta inhaled deeply. “Sounds like a plan!”
“So…what’s on the other tapes?” Tae ventured.
