"Maureen, it's Clay. By any chance is Paul there? When was the last time you talked to him? Okay, well thanks. No, I'm sure he's fine." He stared at Olivia for a moment, while putting his phone back into the inside pocket of his jacket. "Now, before you get carried away, I'm sure there's a simple explanation. What's got you all worked up anyway?"
"Ever heard of the Matasuki Company?"
"Yeah, of course, their huge donations have been all over the news lately. Isn’t your company’s pet project on their list? Even the mayor is treating them like God's gift to New York, What’s your problem with them?"
"I just got their account dumped in my lap. I’ve been going through our files familiarizing myself with their business structure, their leadership and board and have become suspicious about, first, the lack of anything substantive in the public domain and, second, the long list of acquisitions they’ve been sucking up lately. The lack of information was what drove me to Paul. There's something going on inside Matasuki. And all this good will stuff recently in the press is just a cover. Like lip gloss on the devil."
"Wow, that's harsh. You have proof?"
"Of course not. Paul investigated them just before he left the bureau. According to him, the FBI couldn't prove anything either."
"Can we eat now?" Seeing the disapproving look on Olivia's face, he said, “You’re not going to drop this are you? All right, I'll make some calls. After lunch." He looked around the restaurant and smiled, leaning towards her. "Everyone here probably believes we're having an affair."
"And you like it." She drawled, but her smile quickly faded, "Let's order. I need to get back to work.” She looked at Clay over her menu. “But speaking of affairs, maybe it’s time you started dating, again. It's been almost two years, hasn’t it?"
He motioned to the waiter. "It seems like yesterday to me."
She understood. Her parents had been gone years longer than the two since Clay’s wife had died, yet for Olivia the pain of their loss was still like a raw wound.
Clay walked Olivia to a taxi, giving her a kiss on the cheek.
"Call my cell if you find anything, and be careful,” she cautioned.
"And you, don't let paranoia override your common sense."
"All right, you're right. Thanks for lunch."
Clay shook his head as he walked back toward his building. He certainly felt protective of her after all this time. Olivia was family. He’d not wanted to alarm her, but this thing with Paul was bothering him more than he let on. Paul was all about his work, his routine. He was a detail orientated person. Taking off on a whim, with no contact was something he'd never do. Clay couldn't even recall his taking a sick day in all the years he’d known him.
It was after six when Olivia headed home with no word from Paul and no sign of the files he promised her. The stone of worry she carried in the pit of her stomach was still there, but there was nothing to be done. She'd even called all the hospitals. As she changed into her blue and purple spandex gym shorts and top, she ran a to-do list through her mind. Making sure she had her apartment key, she set out for the gym. After warm up, she got on the treadmill and from a fast walk, moved up to a jog, and finally to a full run. Exercise always helped clear her mind and it was during hard exercise she had her best ideas. Sweat started to glisten over her skin; she was so into the work, she didn't even hear the door open and shut.
Brian watched her for a moment and then sat down at the first weight machine, fully acknowledging to himself the danger of his rising lust. She really was gorgeous, he decided, yes, in every physical way, but it was more than that. It was the way she carried herself, her confidence. He definitely wanted to know her better.
Olivia slowed to a jog and after a minute, to a walk. It was then she heard metal clanking and glanced over. Brian. Her eyes washed down his body. He was put together very nicely. "Easy, you're not getting involved with him." She couldn't stop watching the way the sheen of sweat accentuated the muscles of his chest and abs, his powerful thighs and corded calves and tried not to think about the muscle hidden in his gym shorts. She shook her head, dried her brow and gathered up her things. When Brian finished his last rep and relaxed, he looked around and found the gym was empty.
After her shower, Olivia wrapped a thick robe around her body, toweled her hair dry and proceeded to the kitchen where she now stood staring into the refrigerator like a bachelor hoping that since the last time he’d looked, something would have magically appeared. Finally, with her choices between a diet soda, and a bottle of water, she chose the soda, closed the door and moved to the panty in hopes it would offer a better selection. The decision between cheese crackers or soup was interrupted by a knock on the door. Olivia frowned. The doorman hadn't buzzed.
She looked through the peep-hole and the edge of her lip curled up as she unlocked and pulled open the door.
"Brian?" Olivia instinctively put her hand on the robe’s shawl collar.
"I am pretty good at sleuthing. I brought food and wine. I hope you like pasta," he said as he pushed past her. He looked around and headed into Olivia's kitchen. Boldly turning on the oven, he slipped the baking dish inside.
"We have about twenty-five minutes.” He held up the bottle of wine. “Do you have a corkscrew to open this wine? It's a good year for Merlot."
Olivia smiled, nodded her head, reached into a drawer, pulled out a cork screw and handed it to him. Squeezing by him she reached up and retrieved two red wine glasses. Brian took the opportunity to get a good look at her long legs, she was quite a beauty. There had to be an interesting story behind the beauty though, he was just as interested in hearing it.
"Make yourself comfortable. I'll just put some clothes on."
"Don't do that on my account. I think you look just fine."
"I'll just be a minute."
With an investigators eye and the experience of several years under his belt, Brian looked at things differently than most people. Olivia's apartment was beautiful, elegant, neat and tidy and it said a lot about her. Either she liked order, or she didn't spend much time here. She had very good taste. There was an eclectic collection of interesting art on the walls. The lack of family photos said she either didn't have any, or they weren't close. Hmm, her briefcase was next to the couch, indicating she worked when she was here too.
He sipped his wine and then turned back to the refrigerator. Finding what he wanted, he set out to put together a salad to go with the baked sausage rigatoni he'd brought.
Olivia observed him from her vantage point in the hall. She ran her fingers through her long, thick hair, fluffing it, and then walked toward him.
Grabbing her wine from the counter she mused, "You cook, you have your own company and you're very handsome. Why aren't you married?"
He chuckled. "Subtle, I like that in a woman." He glanced over and smiled. "I have commitment issues. I have a tendency to leave when things start to become too comfortable. You?"
"I don't trust people not to leave." She took a sip of wine. "I think we're going to be good friends."
He cocked an eyebrow. "Friends?"
"Yes, friends I'm good with, and I bet you are too."
He shrugged. "Actually I'm a bit of a loner, but yeah, I can do friends."
Olivia laughed. "I bet you can. I'll...set the table."
During the surprisingly enjoyable meal, she found out he was the oldest of three brothers, but they weren't very close. He wasn't close to his parents either. The conversation was effortless, like they'd been friends a long time. He had a good sense of humor and even laughed at her lame jokes. She liked him she decided, and then it hit her.
"Brian, I want to ask you to do some work for me. Well maybe. No definitely, but confidentially, okay?"
His brow creased. "Sounds serious; is it?"
"Maybe, well I think so, but I might be the only one."
"Better start at the beginning."
Olivia went to her briefcase, pulled out the Matasuki file Stuart had given her and
handed it to Brian.
"Two days ago, I was just assigned this client. In the process of researching the company, I found the information available on them a little thin, so I asked a friend of mine, a former FBI agent, to see what information was available from that source. Now he's missing."
Brian frowned as he took the file. "Missing?"
Olivia nodded. "He didn't show up for work today and he's not answering his phone. I called his friends, the hospitals, his ex-wife; nothing. Brian, I looked through Matasuki's acquisitions and it seems there have been a number of instances of deaths and disappearances just before Matasuki took control of a company. It appears a little too co-incidental and convenient that the deaths and disappearances happened at companies in the middle of resisting a Matasuki offer or hostile takeover, don't you think? I spoke with another friend of mine. She used to work for Jeffry Billingsly; head of one of those companies, and she's convinced he didn't have a stroke, but was killed by someone, so they could take over his company. I just don't want this to happen to Dolby. I think Paul’s disappearance has something to do with my request, and I need help to find him, if it's not too late. Will you help me?"
"Of course I can. I'll take it on personally. Write down all of your friend's information and I'll start right away."
Olivia leaned over and flipped through the file. She handed him a stack of photographs. "And this woman, see her in the background? I need to know about her too. The sooner you can get back with me the better. Isamu Matasuki is coming into town tonight and we are one of the sponsors of the big charity gala he’ll be attending tomorrow night. It's where I'll meet Matasuki for the first time before formal meetings next week. Brian, I have such a bad feeling about all this."
Brian could see that in her eyes. He pushed away from the table.
"I'd better get started then."
Liv jotted down Paul's info and her cell number and handed it to Brian. "I'm sorry. I really did enjoy dinner, thank you," she said as she walked him to the door.
"You're welcome, and I'm glad you asked me for help, Olivia."
"Call me Liv, all my friends do." She rose up on her toes and kissed his cheek.
He smiled. "I'll get back to you as soon as I know something. You've got good instincts, trust them, Liv. Be careful and I wouldn't talk to anyone else about this." He started to walk down the hall.
"Oh, Brian. Do you need some payment in advance?"
He glanced back and smiled. "Let me decide how I want to get paid." He gave her a wink and she grinned. She really liked him. She closed the door, leaned against it for a moment and hoped she hadn't put him in danger too.
Olivia tossed and turned all night. Too hot, too cold and her pillow never felt right. Finally she turned and looked at the clock. Four A.M. She flopped back down and stared up at the ceiling.
"I might as well get up." She chose a coffee pod, popped it into her coffee maker and as the machine brewed the single cup, made herself two slices of rye toast. Putting the toast on a paper plate, she retrieved her coffee and took them both to the couch. After a sip of coffee and a bite of toast she brought the television to life and mindlessly flipped through the channels. After running through 240 channels, threw the remote down in disgust when she discovered the most interesting thing on was, 'Too Cute' on the Animal Planet.
With a groan she rose. "Okay, let's try the gym."
Brian was up early, too. He'd been working on Olivia's case and she was right, this Matasuki guy was definitely shady. Company to company, deal to deal, the patterns of acquisition changed subtly, but at its core the methods were always the same. Matasuki would court a few companies at a time and eventually swallow one of them, sell off their assets, absorb their talent and then move on. And this didn’t happen with just companies Matasuki sought out to merge with. Often a talented firm was hired to serve, promote or represent Matasuki. If, in the process of completing their assignment, were judged to be exceptional, the firm was then targeted for acquisition. Brian was sure that was Olivia’s fear for Dolby.
He looked at his watch. He'd wait until seven and then he'd make some more calls. Right now he was going to head over to Paul’s place and see if he could learn anything there. A person had to be missing for at least forty-eight hours for the police to be able to start an investigation, which, by his thinking, was just too long.
The address Liv had given him was on the Upper East Side, a smaller apartment building with no amenities. Paul had been recently divorced; the wife got the big house, but his new pad was located in a great, upscale area. It was just him after all. Brian used his many talents to get inside and took the stairs up a floor to Paul White's apartment. He knocked a few times and looked around before he jiggled the handle. When there was no answer, he took another glance up and down the hall, and seeing no surveillance cameras, quickly picked the lock and slipped inside.
He clicked on his small LED flashlight and looked around. Nothing seemed out of place. The drapes where drawn, so he flipped on the overhead light. Sparsely furnished, but comfortable. His first thought was that Paul bought it this way and just moved in, ate frozen dinners, and read. The bed was made; the hamper was full, including pajamas. He looked inside the closet, neatly arranged, there were two empty wooden hangers, one for the suit coat and pants Paul had chosen for that day’s wear. There was also an empty space between a carefully laid out line of shoes. It was obvious Paul had gotten dressed but had never made it to work.
Donning a pair of latex gloves, Brian checked each room in the apartment. In Paul's office there was a phone number scribbled down on a pad on the desk, his Rolodex was open to another. Using the camera on his phone, he took pictures of each being careful not to disturb anything Next, he opened each desk drawer, looked through the files, and found nothing he didn't expect to see in any other typical desk. He did learn what kind of car Paul drove and the tag number and also found and photographed Paul’s Social Security number from his tax files before deciding he’d seen enough. After first checking the hall for other tenants, he slipped out of the apartment and pulled the door closed behind him.
Once outside the building, Brian checked all the cars parked along the street, and finding none were Paul's, headed for his office. Walking down the sidewalk, he paid special attention to his surroundings, taking note of other pedestrians and parked and passing cars in case he was being followed. He did it mostly out of habit now, anytime he was out. He stopped at the corner and looked back, again nothing unusual.
Brian took the subway to his downtown office - a small, back-alley building in the heart of the financial district. He was proud of his small company, where he employed three fulltime investigators and two tech guys. Though he'd handle most of Olivia's case personally, he’d still need help with several things. Surveillance was one. Effective surveillance meant using the team approach to switch off, so the subject would be less likely to suspect they were being watched and/or followed.
Arriving at his office, he’d called the group together. "Okay, listen up. I'm pulling you off whatever you're doing for a special op this weekend. We’ll be working a missing person file that could involve the Matasuki Corporation. I’ve scanned into the shared computer case file what you need to know. Brice, the Matasuki team will be in town on Friday, find out where they're staying. I need coverage on everyone in their party. I'll take Matasuki, himself. I need recording capabilities, and access to surveillance cameras, including the ones at the Gala’s rooms at the Met tonight."
"Tonight?"
"Yes, so you’d better get started. I'll work on the cell phones. Jimmie, I need lineage on this guy and find out the identity of the girl in this photo, I’ll need lineage on her too."
"Two generations enough?"
Brian nodded. "Unless you come across something interesting. I'll be in my office." He closed the door and flopped down into his chair. Time to find out who Paul called, and look for his car.
At four, Olivia was just coming home from the Gala venue. Every
thing at the site looked beautiful, spot on how they'd envisioned it and the event was right on schedule for the evening. She'd had her nails done and in a little while, Samantha was coming over to help her with her hair. She stared at the two dresses hanging from her closet doors until the phone’s ringing jarred her. She dug through her purse for her phone, but when she looked, didn't recognize the number.
"Hello?"
"It's Brian. I was able to trace Paul’s movements. He was had a meeting with an old friend of his as the FBI yesterday morning. My sources tell me he made the meeting but his car is still in the parking lot."
Olivia's eyes filled and she swallowed a sob.
"Don't jump to conclusions. We don't know anything more. He talked to two former colleagues and used a computer. You didn't get any message from him?"
"No nothing."
"Okay. I just thought you should know. Someone should report him missing, it just can't be me."
She gulped again. "I'll take care of it. Thank you, Brian."
"I'll talk to you soon."
Olivia immediately searched her contacts list and pressed one. "Clay, Paul's car was found at the FBI office. I don't know anything more, but I think you should report him missing. I don't want to show any more involvement than I already have. Did you get any messages from him? No, I didn't either. I don't know what to think, Clay. This is all my fault." Olivia heard the intercom. Samantha was on her way up. "I have to go. I'll talk to you soon."
The door opened and Samantha frowned. “What's the matter?"
"Paul White’s missing and it's my fault." Her lip quivered and tears rolled down her cheeks.
Sam pulled her friend into an embrace. "I'm sure that's not true, Liv. You don't control what other people do or don't do."
Olivia pushed back, sucking in several short breaths. "I asked him to get involved in something and now he's missing."
Corporate Ties (Silken Ties Book 1) Page 4
