Confessions of Fangirl

Title: Three-Million-Dollar Favor

Characters: Julia “Jules” Maddon, Bill Ingram

Pairing: Pre-Jules/Tobey

Summary: Tobey asks to borrow The Mustang, and Ingram consults with his most trusted adviser.

Fandom: Need for Speed (movie)

Rating: G

Spoilers: No more than the trailer spoils.

Warnings: I can't think of any.

Disclaimer: I’m playing in someone else’s sandbox, but I’m not hurting anything or making any money.

Jules reclined on the leather couch in Ingram’s office while he studied one of the latest investment reports at his desk. She was pouring over the information about the monstrosity Ingram had the audacity to call a “single-family home.” The thing was the size of an entire apartment complex, and then some, with the same amenities. Ingram paid her well; he paid all his people well, for which she was quite thankful, but she still couldn’t fathom spending this kind of money herself. He was calling the estate a “possible investment,” not a home for himself, but that usually translated to him adding it to his “collection” of outrageously expensive and flashy things. She negotiated where she could, talked him out of what she could, and accepted that there were some battles she’d never win.

“Well, what do you think?” Ingram pulled her out of her musings.

“I think the interior decorator should be shot.” She told him flatly and she wasn’t sure she was kidding.

“I’ll give you that the style they’ve gone with is a little eccentric,” Ingram hedged.

“Eccentric? I’m pretty sure I saw this house in a Ron Jeremy film.”
Ingram threw his head back and laughed. “You have a way with descrip--” Ingram was cut off as his secretary buzzed him.
“Sir, I think you’re going to want to take this call.” Jules immediately sat up at Nikki's words, placing the paperwork beside her as curiosity thrummed through her. Nikki, his very efficient and generally ruthless secretary never let anyone interrupt Ingram and Jules when they were reviewing investments, however casually the two of them might be about the process. And here was another thing Jules loved about Ingram--he trusted his people.
“Okay, put the call through.”
Had Jules not been sitting down, she might have collapsed, she was so startled by the caller whom Ingram had put on speaker. It was easy to see why Nikki had made an exception to her usual rule. Tobey Marshall wanted to race in the De Leon with Ingram’s near three-million-dollar investment. The two didn’t speak for long and Jules didn’t ask any of her questions. There were so many questions she had and yet at the same time, it felt as if she couldn’t think of anything to ask.

“I’ll think about it.” Ingram finally said and ended the call. He looked at her then and she found they were staring into each other’s eyes for a solid minute before Ingram spoke again. “So,” he said quietly. “On the one hand, that’s a very risky bet. On the other, Tobey Marshall is by fair the finest driver I have ever seen, bar none.”

“Being the best driver doesn’t mean he’ll win the race. The run is brutal, and if Dino is in it, well, you can’t cheat if there aren’t any rules, but he doesn’t care who gets hurt when he races.”

“You think Dino was the reason that poor young man died on that bridge, don’t you?” Ingram asked.

“Yes, I do.” Jules was almost certain of it.

“And you’d like to see him brought to justice, wouldn’t you?”

“Yes, I would.” She couldn’t help wondering who wouldn’t, other than Dino himself.

“Okay, we have in the balance the risk of losing a three-million-dollar investment against winning another four million and seeing a sort of justice for a young man slain too young.”
“Pretty much,” Jules sighed, leaning back on the couch to stare at the white ceiling.
“I told Tobey I’d think about it, so, Jules… What do I think?”
“We’re lending him the car, but I’m going with him.”
Ingram smiled. “Mmm, and I’m sure the only reason you’re going is because you want to protect my investment, and not because he’s an attractive bad boy with a heart of gold.”

“Oh, shut up,” she scowled, but it was no use, she could feel her face was turning red, and Ingram was going to laugh himself to tears.