by Robin Mahle
His manager, Scott, phoned early this morning and told him about Jay. He expected the call would have come from Lacy, since they were all friends, but he knew she didn’t like him and couldn’t blame her.
Julianne approached and reached for his shoulder. “Hey. You all right?”
Owen turned to face her. “No. I’m not.” He returned to the view ahead and waited for her to leave. It wasn’t supposed to turn out like this. None of this was supposed to happen. Jay was supposed to be with him yesterday afternoon and for some goddam reason he was at the mall instead.
He went back inside and sat on the edge of his bed. Stone-faced, Owen picked up his cell phone, which rested on the nightstand.
“I did as you asked.” Owen waited for a response. “He was supposed to go golfing with me, but he cancelled.”
“He was out of the office and that was what we needed. You did your job,” the man on the other end replied.
“Yeah. He was out of the office all right. He was at that fucking mall. What the hell was he doing there?”
“Only he could have answered that question, Mr. Ballard. I am sorry for your loss, but this changes nothing. And in fact, it seems you have the opportunity you need now. I suggest you don’t wait any longer.”
Owen dropped his head into his hand. “Right. I’ll take care of it.” He ended the call and tossed the phone onto his bed. “Fucking asshole.”
♦♦♦
“It’s only a matter of time before the FBI connects Basara to you. They already have the fragments of the remote that were so carelessly left behind in his shop.”
“That would be impossible. I removed the video surveillance files before I left. There is no record of my ever having been in his shop.” Ferran’s killer stood in front of the man who was his superior.
“And what was left behind at the mall?” the man asked as he sat with elbows resting on his desk.
“Nothing, I promise you.”
“The car will remain untraceable to you?”
“Yes. It will trace back to Basara, just as we planned, and that will lead them back to Bahrain. Our involvement will remain undetected.”
“Well, time will tell, won’t it? And for your sake, I pray you’re right.” A dismissive wave of his hand meant the discussion was over.
♦♦♦
Lacy held her children close as they huddled on the sofa. Her blouse was now stained with their tears as she told them their father wasn’t coming home again, but that he would be with God, always watching over them. She stroked their lovely shiny hair as they rested against her, spent from overwhelming grief.
Celeste approached gingerly. “Do you need anything at all, dear?”
“No. I’m fine,” Lacey whispered. “You should go to bed. It’s so late. You must be exhausted.”
“Okay, I’ll go off to bed then.” Celeste reached for the throw that rested on the side chair and placed it over the three of them. Her eyes welled and her chin quivered. “Good night, sweetheart.”
A knock on the door brought Lacy out of her sleep. She felt as though it must have been only minutes, but on examination, she noticed light had emerged inside the family room. It was already dawn. The knock sounded again.
Lacy carefully wrangled from beneath the still-sleeping children and walked to the front door. The sun was only just appearing over the horizon and when she opened the door, a man stood before her, cast in a hazy grey shadow.
He stepped forward and came into view. “Oh my God, Lacy. I’m so sorry.” Owen offered an embrace.
She reeled back at his unexpected arrival. “What are you doing here? What time is it?”
Owen made his way inside. “It’s 6:30. I’m so sorry, but I just had to see you. I had to know that you were doing all right.”
Lacy closed the door. “I’m not.” She brushed past him to the kitchen. “Can I get you some coffee?” She began to scoop coffee into the machine. “As you can imagine, I haven’t had much sleep.”
Owen glanced into the family room and noticed the kids still sleeping. He hung his head for a moment before finally reaching the kitchen and pulling up a seat at the breakfast bar. “I just can’t believe it.”
“Owen, I’m really not up for visitors right now. Did you need something?” It was all she could do to keep from melting to the floor in tears and to have to suffer this intrusion set her mind to anger.
“Of course you’re not. How could I be so insensitive? It’s just I’ve been up all night watching the news. I got the call about Jay yesterday morning and I just didn’t know what to do.”
“I called Scott shortly after I left the hospital to let him know.” She placed a cup of coffee in front of him.
“Thank you.” Owen took a sip. “I’m sorry to barge in here like this. I guess I was just caught up and I needed to see you.” He looked back toward the family room. “How—how are the kids?” he whispered.
“As well as can be expected. They just lost their father.” Lacy realized her tone was harsh but did little to hide the fact.
His eyes dropped to the floor. “I shouldn’t have come and especially so early. I’m so sorry, Lacy.” He looked her in the eye. “We just had lunch the other day, celebrating my signing a new client.”
“Nova Investments.”
“Yes, that’s right. He told you?”
She nodded.
“I admired Jay so much, Lacy. Please know that.” Owen began to rise. “I’m just so grateful you and the kids will be okay—financially, I mean.”
Lacy regarded his comments. “Those are things I’ll worry about later, but not today. I need to start making funeral arrangements for my husband.”
“Please let me know if I can do anything—anything at all for you and the kids. Julianne’s always around too, so please don’t hesitate. I mean that.” Owen began to leave.
“Thank you for coming by. I’m sorry I’m not more hospitable.”
He stopped and turned back. “It’s me who’s sorry, Lacy.” He paused as though he was about to continue but instead moved toward the foyer.
Lacy allowed him to show himself out. She sipped on her coffee and considered his final remark, a crass statement about their financial security. What right did he have to bring up such a thing barely a day after Jay’s death? He had no personal knowledge of their finances; what business was it of his anyway? Her anger mounted and her jaw clenched. Perhaps she was overreacting. Lack of sleep and grief and confusion. All these things muddled in her head. But she hated the way Owen was always concerned with money. Mentioning the cost of things in passing, driving up in a new car to show off to Jay. She couldn’t have cared less and Jay felt the same. And here he was again; talking about money to her at a time like this. Her thoughts turned to Jay as they sat on the couch the night before her world collapsed. The conversation they’d had and how dismissive she’d been of his concerns. “Nova Investments.” Owen was the one to mention them only moments ago and how he’d signed them. The same company that Jay believed had been conducting background checks on the two of them. She peered through the kitchen window and looked upon an empty street. If they had indeed collected information, which could include banking, and Owen was so certain Jay had left them financially secure, was Owen aware of their actions?
6
The city’s air was still thick with the trail of ash and death. Owen could smell it as he drove through the extraordinarily quiet streets to the offices of Nova Investments. It was as though Fairfax had been deserted. The governor declared a State of Emergency and asked those in the area who could stay home to do so until the end of the week. Fears had circulated on social media of another imminent attack and created further panic among the general public.
Owen arrived at Nova Investments’ palatial office building and made his way into the lobby. “Owen Ballard. I have an appointment with Tom Neville.”
The woman behind the counter revealed a kind smile and pressed a button on he
r switchboard. “Mr. Neville, I have a Mr. Ballard here to see you for his appointment.” She glanced at him as she waited for a reply. “Thank you, sir.” Upon ending the call, she turned her gaze back to Owen. “You can head up to his office. The elevators are just…”
But Owen cut her off. “Thank you, I know where he’s at.” He continued past the reception desk and stepped onto the elevator. Neville’s office was located on the 5th floor and Owen watched the numbers light up as he braced himself for what would be a harsh new reality. He arrived with an air of gravity and waited for permission to enter.
“Owen, please come in.” Neville stood from his executive chair of Swedish design. “I heard about Jay Merrick. I’m so sorry for your loss. I tried to call.” He took Owen’s hand and pulled him into an embrace.
“Thank you. It’s been a difficult few days.” Owen pulled away. “I think we need to talk, Tom.”
“Of course. Have a seat.” Neville moved back to his chair. “I can only surmise what this is about.”
Owen took his seat and assumed a confrontational stance. Folded arms, chin up. He wanted to convey a message of strength. “As I’m sure you can imagine, Argus Solutions has suffered a great loss and I have lost a good friend and colleague. As a result, I think our arrangement will need to be put on hold indefinitely. Given that your organization has experienced a tragic loss as well, there will be scrutiny on both sides. Our contract is new and will probably be reviewed. After all, while this points to a terrorist attack, the FBI will not overlook the cyber-security measures Nova Investments had in place and that will point them to Argus.”
“Owen, you’re missing something very crucial in your argument,” Neville began. “And that is nothing of our arrangement is even remotely tied to what’s happened. Now, I’m sure you are just having survivor’s guilt, but I think you need to take a step back and look at the big picture. One of our malls was hit, presumably in a terrorist attack. The reasons for that are the same as the reasons for all the other attacks, which have nothing to do with us.”
“Look, Tom,” Owen began to shift in his chair, “maybe you’re right, but to be honest, I can’t risk it. I appreciate all you’ve done for me, but I’m afraid I can no longer reciprocate from this point forth. I have a family to take into account.”
Neville’s expression hardened. “I’ll give you some time to reconsider your position. Things are chaotic at the moment and any further dealings outside of the normal course of business might be noticed. So, take some time. Mourn the loss of your friend. And you and I will reconvene at a point in the near future to review our options. Nova is going to be hit hard by this, financially, and someone will need to pay the price for that.”
Owen stood, adjusted his coat and tie and turned to leave, but before exiting, he stopped and peered over his shoulder. “I wouldn’t count on our situation being overlooked. You’re forgetting one thing, the man who died—my friend—has a wife whose expertise lies in examining data for the FBI. And I know this woman to be particularly good at her job. She will find the truth.”
♦♦♦
“Come on, sweetheart, you have to eat something.” Lacy pushed the bowl of cereal closer to Olivia.
“I’m not hungry. I want Daddy!” Olivia shoved the bowl, almost spilling its contents on the breakfast counter where she sat next to Jackson. “I’m never eating again!” Her head dropped to her hands and she sobbed again.
Lacy closed her eyes and tried to contain her own emotions, but it didn’t stop Jackson from joining in his sister’s misery.
Celeste swooped in and wrapped her arms around the children. “Why don’t we go sit down and put on some cartoons for a while. I’m sure you’ll want to eat a little later.” She glanced to Lacy with a thin-lipped, compassionate smile.
“Thank you,” Lacy whispered. A welcomed distraction came in the form of an incoming call on her cell. So many calls had poured in, it was overwhelming, but the possibility that the caller could be her parents or Jay’s propelled her to answer and so she retrieved the phone. The number was unfamiliar and a voice in her head demanded she still answer.
“Hello?”
“Is this Lacy Merrick?” the caller asked.
“Yes. Who is this?”
“This is Agent Will Caison. We met the other day?”
“Yes, of course, Agent Caison. What can I do for you?”
“I’m sorry to bother you, but you had asked me to look into your husband’s belongings that may have made it through the blast.”
“That’s right. Did you find something?”
“They did, yes, um, could we meet?”
“Of course.”
“I don’t mind coming to you. I’m sure you’d like to stay away from the office for the time being. Are you at home?”
“I am. I’ll text you my address.”
“Great. I’ll be there within the hour. Goodbye, Mrs. Merrick.”
Lacy ended the call and texted her address to the agent. While relieved at the prospect that they had found Jay’s laptop bag, it would be a painful reminder. Right now, there were plenty of those to go around. Her heart ached for her children. The reality hadn’t even begun to settle in, but when it did, Lacy was doubtful she’d be prepared.
She headed to the family room to check on the children. “I need to go and get dressed. Will you two be all right with Celeste for a few more minutes?” She had to ask because they’d been glued to her side for the past 48 hours, fearing she would leave them as their dad had.
“Just hurry up, Mommy,” Jackson replied.
“I will, sweetheart.”
Lacy walked inside the steaming shower. Finally, she could free the tears that she’d held back so that she could remain strong for her kids. Even if for a brief few minutes, she could release the anguish, the fear of the future, the pain of losing her lover and best friend. And so Lacy grieved.
Upon stepping out from beneath the hot water, she reached for her towel and pressed it against her swollen face.
Lacy made her way downstairs wearing an expression that hid the truth of her pain. A brief glance into the family room revealed blank-faced children staring mindlessly at the television screen. Celeste nodded in her direction to suggest she had things under control. A small measure of comfort.
The sound of an approaching car grew louder and Lacy knew it could only be one person. Agent Caison had arrived precisely before the 9 a.m. hour.
Lacy stepped outside and peered into the bright morning light as the agent pulled to a stop on the driveway.
He adjusted his suit and ran a hand through his sandy-blonde hair. He appeared anxious, uncomfortable about having to deal with a grieving widow, and so she was the first to speak to try to put him at ease. “Agent Caison, please come in.”
“Good morning, Mrs. Merrick. How are you?” He followed her inside.
“I’ve been better, and please, call me Lacy.”
“Right, Lacy.”
She led him into the kitchen. “Can I get you a cup of coffee?” Lacy looked into his eyes and noted that he appeared to have had about the same amount of sleep as she had, which wasn’t much.
“Yes, thank you.” Will sat down at the breakfast bar.
“You mentioned you found something that belonged to my husband. Did you bring it?”
“No, it’s in evidence at the moment, well, some of it is, which is why I’m here, actually.”
“Do you take cream and sugar?”
“One of each, please.”
She placed the cup in front of him. “Was it his bag?”
The agent sipped on the coffee. “They found a laptop bag and the computer inside. There were some papers, but the blast turned most of them virtually to dust. There was a flash drive as well.”
“Why are they keeping it? Why can’t I have my husband’s things?”
“Mrs. Merrick, were you aware that your husband’s firm, Argus Solutions, provided cyber-security for Nov
a Investments, the company that owns the mall?”
“Yes. They weren’t his client, though.”
“From what I understand, the laptop belongs to the company and while it should be returned to you soon, the FBI needs to do their due diligence because of the relationship between the companies. However, I have been informed that at first glance, the laptop appears to be damaged beyond repair and so does the flash drive.”
“Then why can’t I have it back?”
“They’re going to make another pass to see if anything is retrievable. Apparently, they’ve enlisted the help of your husband’s supervisor.”
“Then forgive me, Agent Caison, why exactly are you here? I asked you to return Jay’s belongings to me and now you’re telling me I can’t have them until the FBI tries to pull whatever information they can from a computer that likely also has my and my husband’s personal information on it.”
Will reached into his coat pocket and retrieved a small box that was suspiciously similar to a Tiffany box.
“What’s that?”
“I believe this was intended for you.” He slid it across the counter. “Pieces of a receipt were found. He may have been at the mall to buy this for you.”
Lacy stared at the charred box. She didn’t want to open it. She was afraid to open it. Her eyes couldn’t leave the box and her mouth became achingly dry. With trembling hands, she reached for it and opened the top, and inside were pristine diamond earrings, sparkling beneath the LED lighting above. “Oh my God.” Her voice cracked beneath the weight of her own guilt. “He was there because of me. He bought these for me.”
The pain in her eyes forced Will to look away, ashamed to be a part of such a personal moment, but he soon returned his gaze. “He must have loved you very much, Lacy. You can’t blame yourself. He was there to buy something nice for his wife as any loving husband would do.”
Her head shook. “Thank you for bringing this to me, but I—if you don’t mind, I really need to be alone. So if there’s nothing else.”
