Order of Truth

by Lisa Caviness

As she neared the meeting location, she watched as a man walking from the other direction came into view. Dressed in khaki pants and a black shirt, the man lumbered over to the bench and plopped down. He wore large, thick glasses and crossed his arms over a distended belly. Thin brown hair peppered gray and crow’s feet around his eyes suggested he was in his sixties. Bushy eyebrows angled downward, made him appear perpetually angry.

  “Are you Morris Beak?” Lila asked approaching the bench.

  The man glared at her. “I’m not Santa Claus.” He kept a hardened gaze on her. “Sit down. I’m sure as hell not going to talk to you from over there.”

  Lila stiffened but she sat on the other end of the bench. A puckered scar above his left eye which extended above the frame of his glasses drew her attention.

  “I’m Morris Beak. I’ve been waiting for you, Lila.”

  Lila cocked her head. “Why? What do you want?” She rested her arms across her lap, the weapon inside the pouch pressed against her.

  “You were always defiant.” Morris emitted a sneering chuckle. “You want answers? Ha. Get in line. Asking too many questions gets you killed. Like your friend Struthers.”

  “You knew Jack?”

  “Never met the man. I do know he played secret superhero and got himself killed. At least, that’s what I hear.” Morris shrugged. “Could be all bull.”

  “What kinds of questions was Jack asking?” Lila turned toward Morris, to give Reid and Adam a better view of the man.

  “How the hell should I know?” He blew out a breath. “I wasn’t there.”

  Lila kept one eye on Morris and the other on potential threats within the park.

  Morris appeared just as nervous with his gaze tracking their surroundings as if he expected trouble.

  Lila studied the man. He wanted her to believe he was in control, but his actions told her otherwise. Morris was afraid and probably with good reason. Lila froze as the low hum of an aircraft approached. With memories of the weaponized drone attack, she shifted her hand toward her weapon, even though Reid and Adam had long range rifles trained on the area. She relaxed a fraction when she spotted the plane above them.

  Morris eyed Lila. “You know who I am, don’t you?” He grinned, showing off yellowing teeth.

  Again, Lila stared at the scar above his left eyebrow, puckered and a shade darker than his skin. In an instant she was transported back to that room and the anxious younger man who’d stood over her. Anger bubbled up into her throat. “You were with Vivian Sinclair and my mother, April, when I was kidnapped and tattooed.” She glared at the man she held partially responsible for the childhood trauma.

  She ran a finger over the raised brand on her arm. People thought she was a freak. That day at the museum during her junior high year when an ultraviolet light lit up the tattoo had her classmates buzzing. EBOP46, which stood for her grandfather’s favorite symphony, Scottish Fantasy, blazed from her arm. From then on, she’d taken steps to make sure the tattoo remained hidden.

  “I remember you standing by as they branded me. I was a child. How could you let them deface my body, all in the name of your stupid ideology?”

  “They paid well and offered the respect I deserved. I destroyed people in the name of The Order.” He folded his wrinkled hands and lifted his head in regal fashion.

  “You must be proud.”

  “Damn right I am.” He glanced toward the wooded area then focused on his hands, shoulders suddenly slumped forward like a man depleted of air. “Now I’ve been put out to pasture. Your cousin Lance is a Class A jerk. I was loyal to The Order, but my star shone brightest under his father’s tutelage. My allegiance to Ivan became a black mark after his death.” He lapsed into a coughing fit. When he quieted, he leaned over the bench and spat. He straightened then pulled a gold case from his pocket.

  Lila’s hand crept closer to her weapon. When she saw him slide a cigarette from the case and light it with a matching gold lighter, she relaxed. He probably shouldn’t be smoking especially with that hacking cough, but it was his life.

  She spotted Cody jogging by but gave no indication of trouble, so he continued past them.

  Morris took a few drags on the cigarette, causing swirly plumes of smoke to ghost upward. “I gave them everything,” he continued. “Everything. What do I have to show for it—no wife and no children to carry on a legacy. Nothing.” He stopped and stared at her. “I was once feared. People would shake when I came into the room. That was power.”

  “Get to the point. Why did you contact me?”

  “I got my last orders. Move to Dallas and wait. It’s been a long three years.” He puffed more on the cigarette, closing his eyes as he inhaled the toxic fumes.

  “So, Lance exiled you, so to speak?” Lila angled more to escape the cigarette smoke.

  Morris shrugged. “I didn’t know at first. But like a loyal Order subject I am, I complied without question.”

  “Lance asked you to move here?”

  “Does it matter? I was ordered to move here. But to answer your question, I don’t think Lance was behind it. I received a letter. My guess is it’s from Ivan’s estate. Then I got another letter over a month ago instructing me on my ‘final act’ before I was ‘retired’.”

  “Do you still have that letter?”

  He shot her an are-you-kidding look. “I’m in finance so, of course, I keep meticulous books. I document everything. Even as a young kid, I had Russell’s ear. I appreciated the old man. Instead of ignoring me because I was so young, he listened. When he died, I wasn’t sure what was going to happen, but Vivian, his daughter, kept some of us on, especially those in key positions. But many didn’t last long. Vivian was…intense…crazy. I can appreciate intensity but crazy is quite something else. So, I left and went to work for Ivan.” Morris watched the cigarette burn, then dropped the butt on the ground. “I don’t know why Russell chose Vivian to lead rather than Ivan. Vivian, while willing to make the hard decisions, proved unpredictable at best.”

  “Would you be willing to let me see that letter?” Lila asked.

  Morris inhaled and ignored her question. “I’ve spent the majority of my life surrounded by the Sinclair family as a member of The Order. My father left my mother when I was a child. Mother did her best to care for me and my sister, but it was never enough for me. I met Russell at the men’s tailor shop. My mother worked there as a seamstress. When I saw the wad of money that he pulled out to pay for custom-made suits, I knew I wanted in. I ran away and joined The Order as a teen. I saw Russell as a father figure even though he died shortly after I came to Babylon Hall. I was committed and willing to do anything, including taking part in the kidnapping of a little girl.” He stared at Lila. “Don’t think this is an apology. Your kidnapping was necessary. Sacrifices must be made. We are only pawns in the larger picture.” His voice trailed off as if he were caught up in his own memories.

  “What about a company called Stonegate? Have you heard of it?”

  Morris stalled, his eyebrows hiked upward for a moment, then he shook his head. “Never heard of it.”

  Liar.

  Lila swept a gaze across the room/park. So far, she hadn’t heard the whipping sound of an approaching drone.

  “Do you know about an emerald mine located on an island?” Lila asked.

  “It exists. I don’t know where, but I’ve seen financial documents about the mine. It’s worth billions. I also know a will is hidden somewhere. Find it and you may control the mine.” Once again, Morris shot glances at the woods and surrounding areas.

  “Who’s will?” Lila followed Morris’s gaze. This guy was nervous, and she needed to be on guard.

  She caught sight of Cody nearing the bench.

  Morris swiveled toward her and grinned, displaying a crooked row of yellowing teeth. Ignoring another question, he said, “Might as well get this show on the road.”

  Cody pulled up short. He bent to tie his shoe, stalling for time.

  Morris pulled a small contain
er from his pocket and bit down on a large pill. Then he drew a large envelope from inside his jacket. He stared at the envelope with a bulged section in the middle. “Sacrifice.” Tears formed in the corners of his eyes.

  Lila’s pulse jump-started. What kind of medication was he taking? She gave a slight shake of her head as Cody appeared to contemplate moving in her direction. She didn’t want to spook Morris.

  The old man ripped open the envelope and shoved a black box and piece of paper into her hand.

  The weight of the box mimicked the ones she’d already received. The third emerald plate had to be inside.

  “Now, I’ve completed my orders.” Morris lurched forward, grabbed his chest, and fell to the ground.

  Chapter 35

  Hot water sluiced over her body as Lila closed her eyes. She’d longed to get back to her own house, but even in the familiar surroundings of the farmhouse, the feelings of comfort had evaded her.

  She adjusted the temperature once more, unable to get the water hot enough to wash away images of Morris Beak’s self-destruction. The police found what they believed was a second cyanide pill in his pocket. He’d only needed one.

  As Lila scrubbed her face, she remembered Morris Beak as one of the men standing by while Vivian had her tattooed. Had everyone in that room understood what the tattoo meant? If Vivian comprehended the meaning of the tattoo, then did that mean she knew where the treasure was? Vivian had long been dead when the climactic scene in the Colorado mine occurred. Perhaps she lost her life before she had time to act upon it. But April had acted, and Lance had killed her inside that mine. Now, another mine bubbled to the forefront, this one worth even more.

  Climbing out of the shower, she dried off and dressed for the office. She longed to skip work, but Hilary had texted her about their meeting at Veridian. Business didn’t stop. Maintaining the Veridian account may be more imperative now. HTP had a public relations issue with two of their partners killed in the last few weeks. Steve’s official cause of death wouldn’t be released for a few days, but the multitude of knife slashes and blood told a conclusive story.

  In the living room, she found Cody staring out the front window. His hair, wet from a shower, lay slicked back. “Any bad guys out there?” She didn’t intend to sound flippant, but she’d grown tired of the fight.

  “All clear.”

  Carson and Holly entered from the kitchen.

  “Are you both okay?” Carson said, her gaze shifting between Lila and Cody.

  “I’m fine.” Lila slipped into a sweater. Despite the heat outside, she couldn’t get warm. “Getting tired of talking to the police.” Although an investigation had to ensue, the detectives had told Reid and Adam they expected Beak’s death to be ruled a suicide.

  “What’s our next move?” Cody moved away from the window and stepped closer to her.

  Lila picked up her laptop bag. “I have a meeting at Veridian with Hilary and Robert Gumfrey. I can’t flake on this. Besides, I want to push him a little by asking about Stonegate. I’m certain Morris knew about the company although he denied it. Maybe Robert does, too.” She wanted to crawl in bed and sleep for a week, but sleep would have to wait.

  Reid entered and settled at the table in front of the emerald plates laid out there, the latest one from Beak included. “I hate for you to be back out there, but I agree, we need to push this.”

  “I’ll take you.” Cody placed his arm around Lila. “I want to go back into the Veridian system. If I can get into Rick or Tally’s email, then maybe I can find out who’s calling the shots. The official hierarchy has them reporting up to Gumfrey.”

  “I’ll try to get more information out of Gumfrey. Any news on the letter from Hugo Castille?” Lila asked.

  “We couldn’t get any prints off the letter. We’ve also searched for Hugo Castille but hit a dead-end.” Reid stared at the newest emerald tablet, stamped with the codes: dpss, aol(2). “While you guys are at Veridian, I will take these tablets to a geologist in the area. I’m hoping the gems can be traced to a specific region.” He placed each plate back in its box then turned to Lila and Cody. “Be careful.”

  Five minutes later, Cody and Lila entered the farmhouse garage where Cody’s vehicle was parked. He gathered her into his arms.

  Lila closed her eyes, soaking up his strength as if he were the water to her sponge. Enveloped in the cocoon of his arms, she felt safe and desired. For a second, she lay her head on his chest, the thumping of his heart calming her.

  Lila lifted her head. As their lips touched, Lila clung to him as if she would never see him again.

  When he pulled back, he studied her. “Asking if you’re okay is a dumb question, but I’m asking.”

  “I don’t know. I feel like we’re getting closer to something huge. Is Lance doing this? Is there someone else in The Order making a go for power? According to Reid and Adam, Lance disbanded the council, and I believe all of the original council members are dead.” She shook her head. “We’ve just watched three people die. I don’t want to do this anymore, but I have no choice. If we don’t fight back, someone else will surely die.” Her voice was barely a whisper, and she hated being afraid.

  “I’d love to take you away somewhere, if only for a few days.”

  Lila nodded. “It would be nice not to think about this.” She inhaled Cody’s masculine soap scent. If only time could be suspended. They could stay like this and not worry about the world.

  An hour later, Robert Gumfrey’s assistant led Lila and Hilary to a conference room on the executive level of the Veridian offices. The executive offices were sleek and modern with splashes of their logo colors of electric blue and brilliant green scattered about. Lila took a seat next to Hilary at the conference table. The assistant took their drink orders as they waited for Veridian’s chief legal officer.

  When Robert lumbered into the room, he flashed a quick smile. “Good afternoon, ladies.” He shook their hands and took a seat across from them. “I’m sorry to hear about Steve. His presence on our legal team will be missed.”

  Lila eyed the man with suspicion. Although he spoke the words, sincerity didn’t reach his eyes. Per Hilary’s request, she said very little during the one-hour meeting; rather, she listened intently for any information regarding Stonegate or Lance Sinclair. As expected, there was no mention of either. If another entity were preparing to acquire Veridian, then that business issue would fall into the purview of HTP services. As the chief legal officer, Robert would be heavily involved, yet he said nothing. In fact, this meeting was to discuss Veridian buying another small company. Their actions didn’t align with a company on the verge of being taken over. Perhaps Stonegate hadn’t played their cards, and Veridian executives didn’t know what was coming. The Alliance obtained the information via the dark web, so the accuracy of the intel remained uncertain.

  As the meeting neared conclusion, she decided to test the waters. “Mr. Gumfrey, what is Veridian’s stand on the rumors that the company could be acquired by another entity, Stonegate, LLC?”

  The room quieted as if the air had been sucked out. Robert’s brown eyes darkened. “Young lady, I don’t know where you heard that rumor, but it’s incorrect. When you have a company as large and important as Veridian, there are bound to be inaccurate reports, especially from other up-and-coming groups determined to derail us. In the future, if you expect to continue in your role as outside council, I suggest you shut out rumors and gossip.”

  Hilary appeared equally appalled. “I assure you, Robert, Ms. Caldwell’s question is out of line and something we’ll discuss later. Although, not an excuse, we’ve all been affected by Steve’s death.”

  “Then perhaps this meeting should have been rescheduled,” Robert said, adjusting his suit jacket.

  “I meant no offense. I simply wanted to understand how to address other companies you are acquiring should the topic arise.” Lila noted both Hilary and Robert’s reaction appeared overblown. In other dealings she’d experienced with Jac
k, discussions about rumors and public relations would not be off-limits.

  Robert pulled in his flash of anger and stretched his mouth in a thin smile. “Very well.” He closed the file in front of him and rose from his chair. As they exited the conference room, Robert said, “Nice meeting you again, Ms. Caldwell.”

  “You as well,” Lila said. She followed Hilary and Robert out of the conference room, disappointed she couldn’t find a way to bring up the secret project team.

  He signaled for his assistant. “Marcia will escort you back to the lobby.” Then Robert turned to Hilary. “Have you met our new VP of marketing?”

  “No, I haven’t.” Hilary flashed her megawatt only-reserved-for-important-clients smile. Then she glanced over her shoulder, grin fading. “Lila, I will touch base with you later about those action items.” With Lila officially dismissed, Hilary followed Robert down the hall and around the corner.

  Marcia smiled. “I got a call from Cody Green and he said he’d meet you at door 3G in the parking garage. Follow me.”

  Once they were inside elevator, Lila smiled at Marcia whom she estimated to be around forty. “How do you like working for Veridian?”

  “It’s the best job I’ve ever had. The pay is good, and the perks are great.” Marcia pushed the button for the ground floor.

  “Wonderful. I suppose you see a lot of high-profile people coming in to see your boss and the other executives.”

  She nodded, her short bob shaking.

  “I was here for the charity event the other night. Lance Sinclair spoke via video. Have you ever seen him here in person? He’s married to that beautiful actress, Delphine Renaud, right?” Lila dropped her phone inside her purse.

  “I worked behind the scenes, but I saw Mr. Sinclair’s video message. I bet he and Delphine have a beautiful child.” She glanced up at the elevator panel as the car descended.

  “No doubt.”

  Marcia cocked her head. “About a year ago Mr. Sinclair visited Veridian. He spent some time on the fifth floor rubbing elbows with the executives, then I think he got a tour. We rarely give tours. Too many restricted areas.”