Lie or Die: A Shelby Nichols Adventure

by Colleen Helme

  Uncle Joey sighed. “It doesn’t matter now. He’s gone. Ramos is back. I don’t need anyone else.”

  “Did Ramos find out anything in Seattle?”

  “Only that Kate isn’t there.”

  “Does he think she’s dead?”

  “No,” Uncle Joey shook his head. “She was there, but she left about the same time Hodges was killed, and Ramos couldn’t find any trace of her.”

  “That’s too bad,” I said. “Do you think she’d come back here?”

  Uncle Joey huffed. “Not likely. She knows I want my money back. This is the last place she’d come. I guess I’ll have to hire a good private investigator to find her. You know anyone?” He thought maybe I’d want the job, since I had my own agency.

  “Oh no…I don’t want the job. My agency is a consulting agency, not a private investigator thing. There is this guy who’s been following me though. He might take the job.”

  “You mean that same guy from the Museum Gala that Chris used your stun gun on?” He chuckled with derision. “I don’t think so. Why is he following you?”

  “I’m looking for the stolen bank money, and since that was his job first, he won’t give up. So he follows me around, thinking I’ll lead him to it, and he can get the reward money.”

  “Sounds exasperating. Maybe he could have an accident and end up in the hospital for a while. It could be arranged.” He was serious. He’d do that for me?

  “Tempting…but no,” I said quickly, before I took him up on it. “But that reminds me of why I’m here. It’s about the trial you were concerned about? The one with Webb Enterprises?”

  Uncle Joey shuttered his thoughts. “Yes. What about it?”

  “Did you know someone beat up Adam Webb’s lawyer?”

  “Yes, I heard.” He was wondering how I knew Adam’s name.

  “Do you know why?” I persisted.

  “Why do you want to know?” his eyes narrowed with suspicion.

  “Because Chris took over the case, and now he’s a target. I was there earlier, and I heard someone thinking about threatening him to lose the case, and if he doesn’t…well, they’ll hurt him. Worse than they hurt Gary. Why would someone want Chris to lose the case?”

  “Hmm…” Uncle Joey knew the answer to that, he just didn’t want me to know.

  “It’s because of you.” I said, picking up some of his thoughts.

  “Yes,” he huffed. “But that’s not for you to know. I’ll take care of it. I’ll find out who it is and stop him.” He was thinking about having him ground into fish food. He owned a plant.

  “Okay,” I said quickly, before I heard any more. “Then I’ll try not to worry about it, but if you need my help with this, you’ve got it.”

  “Good,” he nodded. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

  “Well, I guess I’ll go then.”

  “Wait. There is something you can do for me.” He was thinking that he needed to shake things up, especially if someone was after him. He took a seat at his desk, and pulled a manila envelope with a substantial bulge from the bottom drawer. “I want you to deliver this for me. The address is on the top. Give it to Nick, and come back here. I want to know what he’s thinking.”

  “What is it?” I asked.

  “It’s better you don’t know,” he said. “Take my word for it. But don’t worry. You’ll be safe. It’s nothing dangerous.”

  “Okay,” I said, a little nervous. I didn’t want to become his ‘mule’. “What if Nick’s not there? Should I leave it with someone else?”

  “No…bring it back here.” He handed the package to me. It wasn’t as heavy as I thought. “Will it fit in your purse?” he asked. “That would be best.”

  “Yes, probably.” I crammed it in, but couldn’t zip my purse up.

  “Good.” He checked his watch. “See you in about half an hour.”

  I left the office, seeing no sign of Ramos or Jackie on my way out. Where was everyone? I got in my car, and pulled out of the parking garage. That’s when I realized I didn’t have the address in front of me because it was on the package. I turned right, and managed to drive while wrestling the package out of my purse without looking down. I heard a rip and cringed. Had I just torn the damn thing?

  I left it alone until I came to a stoplight. The package was halfway out of my purse with a gaping hole torn down the side. Damn-it! I wasn’t supposed to look inside, in fact, I didn’t want to look inside, but I couldn’t drop it off like that. I needed tape. I could probably fix it without looking inside.

  I found a supermarket and parked in the corner. Taping it might not be the best thing. They’d know it was tampered with. Maybe I should just buy a new manila envelope, and re-package it. If I did that, I’d know what it was. But Uncle Joey wouldn’t know that, and neither would Nick.

  I pushed the package under my seat and locked the car. In the store, I found the manila envelopes and the packing tape, and bought them both, still unsure how to proceed. Knowing what was in the package could give me leverage where Uncle Joey was concerned. That would be a good thing. It would also help me decipher Nick’s thoughts. Another good point. On the bad side? I might be breaking the law, and it would be better if I didn’t know.

  I heaved a sigh, and pulled the package out from under my seat. The rip was on the bottom. If I shook what was inside to the top, I could fold the envelope, and tape it up without looking. I pulled out the tape, straightened the envelope, and looked. I couldn’t help it. I figured it was drugs or money, so what did it matter?

  Only it wasn’t drugs or money. It was a hard-drive from a computer. At least that’s what it looked like. Dang. Feeling bad because I had no self-control, I quickly folded it up, and put lots of packing tape around it. This package was not going to rip again.

  I plugged the address into my GPS system and followed the instructions, arriving at a building called Global Interactive. The building seemed fairly new, with massive steel beams and glass windows. I entered the double doors into a large mezzanine with a security officer standing guard and a reception desk in front of a security checkpoint. There was no getting inside to the elevators without the proper ID. Kind of like the FBI. What kind of organization was this?

  I smiled at the receptionist, told her I was there to see Nick Barardini, and gave her my name. She asked me to take a seat while she let him know I was there. A small sitting area with some chairs and a couch were arranged nearby. I sat in plush leather, enjoying the comfort, and looked through the magazines strategically placed on the coffee table. They were all about new technology and science. Not quite my cup of tea. A few minutes later, Nick came through the security checkpoint toward me. He smiled with pleasure to see me, and I stood to greet him.

  “Hi Shelby. Please sit down. What brings you here?” He sat on the edge of the couch and leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees, and giving me his full attention.

  “Uncle Joey sent me with a package,” I said nervously. “It’s in my purse. I don’t know if I should just hand it over, or if there is some protocol I should follow.”

  Nick stifled a laugh, thinking it was funny how I was being all spy-like. But he could play along. “Ah, the package. Yes. Good thinking, we don’t want anyone to see you give it to me.” He glanced at the security guard while he thought up a plan. “This is what we’ll do. When you stand up to leave you’ll give me a hug with the purse between us. I’ll reach inside, take the package, and slip it into my jacket. Stay close until you know I have it. I’ll kiss your cheek as a signal.” That last bit was pure inspiration.

  He stood up, but when I didn’t move, he sat back down. “Shelby? Is something wrong?”

  “I know what you’re thinking, but it’s not going to work.” Did I really say that? I took the package out of my purse, and handed it to him. In a blink, it disappeared inside his jacket. “You do know what it is, don’t you?”

  “Yes, Mr. Manetto called and told me you were bringing it.” He was disappointed. “What gave me
away?” he asked.

  I smiled. “You were enjoying yourself at my expense a little too much.”

  His eyes narrowed, I was pretty shrewd, but I was wrong about the package. It really was better that no one saw me give it to him. He smiled, noticing my widening eyes. If he didn’t know better, he’d think I realized I’d almost blown it. “Tell Mr. Manetto thanks. I hope he sends all of his correspondence this way.”

  “Sure,” I said. “But don’t count on it.” This guy totally disconcerted me.

  He chuckled, and we both stood. I held my purse like a shield in front of me, and he leaned in for a quick hug before turning away. I let out my breath, and left the building a little light-headed. What was that all about?

  It wasn’t until I pulled the straps of my purse over my shoulder that I heard something crinkle. I glanced down to find a small envelope tucked inside. How had he done that? Probably when he hugged me. What had I just done? It felt like stuff I saw on TV with spies and espionage. Of course, I could be wrong, and Uncle Joey was just sending his hard drive for Nick to fix since he worked with computers. That’s probably all it was.

  Feeling better, I drove back to Thrasher Development. I arrived to find Jackie sitting at her desk. “How are thing’s going?” I asked. “Has Miguel settled in?”

  “Yes,” she said. “He loves it here.” She was thinking everything would be perfect if Carlotta, Miguel’s mother, was out of the picture. She hated her. “Joe enrolled him in a private school and he’s doing quite well. He wants to go into business administration.” She was so proud of him, like he was her own son.

  “I’ll bet Uncle Joey’s happy about that.”

  “Yes, he is.” She was thinking things were going well, at least with Miguel. She couldn’t say that for the rest of it. The trial, firing Doug, and wondering what Kate was up to was worrisome. Of course, there was always something to worry about. That was just business as usual.

  “How did Doug take it?” I asked. “Did he seem surprised, like he’d been wrongly accused? Or guilty, like he’d been caught?”

  “Um…” My question caught her off-guard, but she considered it. “He didn’t defend himself, so I guess he took it in stride. But he wasn’t happy about it. He controlled his anger, but I could sense it boiling under the surface. Does that mean he’s innocent? I don’t know. I’m just glad Ramos is back.”

  “Yeah, me too.”

  “Joe’s in his office. He told me you were coming. You can go on back.” She smiled, her thoughts turning to what Joe had told her about me, and how I’d knocked the painting off the wall. That would have been hilarious. She wished she could have seen it.

  I turned away with a sigh. It wasn’t that funny. I knocked on Uncle Joey’s door and went in. He sat behind his desk and beckoned me to take a seat. Ramos was already there, fiddling with a device that looked an awful lot like the bug the CIA had planted in my house.

  Uncle Joey stood and moved to the bookcase against the wall. He pulled the tip of a book down, and a panel on the book shelf below slid open, revealing a safe.

  So that’s where it was. After opening the safe, Ramos set the bug inside. Uncle Joey closed it. When everything was back in place, he turned to me. “Ramos found eight of those throughout the office. That one was in here. We left the others where they are until we decide what to do, but for now, this room is the only one where we can talk safely.”

  “Did Doug plant them?” I asked.

  “Yes, we’re certain of it,” Ramos answered. “We just don’t know who he’s working for.”

  “That’s not good,” I said. “Is there some way you can track the bugs back to their source?”

  “No,” Ramos answered.

  “Then you should just flush them all,” I said. “I mean, since you fired Doug, he can’t re-plant them. And it would be better if they were gone. Did you check the phones? Could they have a tap on them?”

  “The phones are clean,” Ramos said. “So that would rule out the FBI. It’s probably not a government agency.”

  “Shelby’s right. Get rid of them,” Uncle Joey said. “I want Doug to know we’re on to him. Getting rid of the bugs might be an incentive for him to come back, and we can take care of him then. I’d also like to know who he’s working for.”

  “Sounds good,” Ramos said, and quietly left the room.

  “How did it go?” Uncle Joey asked. He was thinking of the drop to Nick.

  “Oh, it went all right,” I said. “I wasn’t prepared for it though, and Nick was fooling around like it was spy stuff.”

  Uncle Joey’s brows drew together. “So…you didn’t look in the package?” He was thinking about the phone call he got from Nick, telling him about the tape job. He knew I’d looked. “I thought I told you not to look inside.”

  “You did,” I said. “But it was an accident. When I pulled it out of my purse to see the address, it ripped open, and I had to tape it back together. I caught a just a tiny glimpse of it, but I didn’t look real hard. I promise.”

  “That’s a relief,” he said sardonically. “But don’t worry. It’s not that big of a deal. Nick fixes my computers, and I just needed him to take a look at my hard drive.”

  “Oh,” I nodded, relieved. “That’s what I thought was going on.” But it really wasn’t. From his thoughts, I knew he was lying through his teeth. But I played along since this was a case of self-preservation. “It’s great to have someone you trust to work on your computer.”

  “Yes,” Uncle Joey agreed, hoping he’d fooled me. “So what do you think about Nick? Is he trustworthy?”

  “Yeah, as far as I could tell. Oh…that reminds me, he left a little something in my purse.” I pulled out the small envelope. “I think it’s for you.” I handed it to Uncle Joey, and he quickly pocketed it before I got a good look at it, but he was thinking it was the thumb drive he needed.

  “Thanks.” Uncle Joey realized I might have heard about the thumb drive, so he quickly changed subjects. “I’ve been thinking about the trial. I want to find out who’s threatening your husband, and I’ve got an idea, but I could use your help.” He knew I wouldn’t refuse.

  “Sure. What can I do?”

  “I’d like you to come to Webb Enterprises tomorrow. I have a meeting at eight, and you could attend with me. There are a few people it might be good to have you ‘listen’ to. Then we’ll know if any of them have a hidden agenda to thwart the trial, what their plan is, and why they would do it.”

  “All right,” I agreed. “As long as it helps Chris. How are you connected to Webb Enterprises?”

  He believed it would help Chris, but it would help him even more. “I’m a member of the board.” He was thinking that he held most of the stock in the company. “What you hear will help Chris, but you can’t tell him. He can’t know what you’re doing. It could ruin the case if he finds out you’ve been involved.”

  “But if I find out something useful that he needs to know, shouldn’t I tell him?” I asked.

  “No.” Uncle Joey was firm on this. “Too much information might be harmful to your husband.” He was thinking that it was just as harmful to me. “Sometimes, it’s better to know as little as possible.”

  “I think I’ve heard that from someone,” I said. “Oh yeah...it was you.”

  He smiled, not at all bothered that I was displeased with him. “That’s not all,” he continued, pushing me even further and enjoying every minute of it. “I might need your help at the club. You’ll have to pretend you’re one of my security people. But it should work.” He was thinking it would be worth it to see the looks on his associates’ faces when he brought me into their prestigious little club. He could get away with it if I pretended to be his bodyguard.

  “I’ll give you a call about that one,” he continued. “It will be soon, probably tomorrow night. You’ll have to sneak out, but you can do that, right? Just tell Chris you have to go to a meeting or something. Or you’re going out with your friends. I’m sure he’d understand
.”

  “You want me to lie to my husband?” I asked. “I’m not sure I can do that.” I had to draw the line somewhere.

  Uncle Joey could see that he’d pushed me a little too far. He decided to put it back on my shoulders and not be so helpful, especially since I didn’t appreciate it. “You can handle it how you like. Either way, I need you to be there. Just remember…this is Chris’ life we’re talking about.”

  My stomach clenched, and I nodded. “If it means saving him, I’ll do whatever it takes.” Lying to Chris was nothing if I could save him from getting hurt. I’d just have to make sure he didn’t find out.

  “Good. I’ll see you here in my office at seven-thirty tomorrow morning. Don’t be late.”

  I left Thrasher Development with a huge weight on my shoulders. I knew that Uncle Joey was using me for more than helping my husband. Because of that, I worried about the meeting in the morning.

  When Uncle Joey thought about owning most of the stock in the company, he seemed to be gloating, like he’d pulled one over on them. So, if he’d gotten all those shares by illegal means, he wouldn’t want anyone to know. Plus, he’d want to know if anyone did know, because they would be the person who’d want him to go to prison and want Chris to lose the trial. He certainly wouldn’t want Chris to know that.

  Of course, I could be totally wrong, and maybe Uncle Joey had done nothing illegal. But I wouldn’t bet on it. So did that mean the person threatening Chris wanted to expose Uncle Joey? If that were the case, did that make him a good guy? What would I do then? There had to be more to it, and thinking about it like this was driving me crazy. I’d just have to wait and see what happened tomorrow.

  I pulled into my driveway just as Savannah got home from school. I told her the good news about our vacation, and we spent the next hour planning. She’d done some more research on places to stay, and we talked to her friend’s mom who was a travel agent. It was seriously exciting to finally book our hotel and airfare. It also lifted my spirits to have something to look forward to and take my mind off my troubles.