by Dale Mayer
Boxes were all over the living room floor. They were taped and labeled. From the labels he could see, it looked like the boxes were going to Goodwill. The walls were empty; furniture was gone. Warren really was booking it. Tyson quickly stepped into the kitchen, which was spotless. It looked like Warren hadn’t ever cooked here.
Tyson filed away that little tidbit in case it was needed later and kept walking through the apartment. The bedroom had no bed, no dresser; the room was empty. Not even boxes remained. But the smell … He quickly stepped into the small bathroom and found the missing owner. Warren was scrunched up in the bathtub, covered in blood.
Both his wrists had been slashed. Tyson stood for a long moment studying the body, realizing it was meant to look like a suicide, except for one thing. The cuts went from the inside of the wrists to the outside. Suicides always went from the outside of the wrists to the inside. It was the only way they could slice when self-inflicted.
This was murder.
He pulled out his phone and called Levi. “We’ve got a problem.”
Chapter 13
Kai leaned against the bathroom door, her hand over her mouth. She stared at Warren’s body in shock. She’d seen dead bodies before. But none had been friends, business partners or coworkers. She could feel the scream clawing up her throat. She stamped it down firmly. This wasn’t the time or the place. She’d had enough military experience to know how to keep her emotions under control.
But her military experience had nothing to do with this reality. Besides, her experience had been as a no-holds-barred trainer and weapons trainer. She’d never been in active missions. As she looked at the bloody mess in the bathtub, she realized that may have been a good thing.
She’d always thought she’d missed out on something. But she had heard enough tales from so many returning soldiers that she’d realized it was a whole lot less glamorous than the posters made it sound. She did her best to train the soldiers so they were as well-equipped as they possibly could be before they headed out to the front line.
Tyson stepped in front of her, deliberately blocking her view of Warren. Tyson placed a hand on her shoulder, giving her a gentle squeeze with his fingers. “You okay?”
She stared up at him blankly. “Yes, I’m fine. Did he really do this to himself?”
Tyson gave a decisive shake of his head. “No, he did not. This is definitely murder.”
The words stuck in her throat. She stared at him, her eyes rounding in shock. “Murder?” she whispered, her voice dropping to just barely discernible. “Are you sure?”
He nodded. “The killer cut Warren’s wrists the wrong way.”
She frowned and studied the gash. “Warren often did things backward,” she said. “Maybe that was instinctive for him.”
Tyson shook his head. “I doubt it. And I don’t want to touch anything.” He gently eased her out so she no longer leaned against the doorjamb. He motioned for her to turn and walk out of the apartment.
“But why kill him? Or why kill himself?” The idea of suicide was easier to handle than murder. Both were ugly. But one didn’t involve yet another person.
“If it was suicide, maybe he could see his world crumbling and couldn’t find a way to get out of it. If it was murder, it was to shut him up.”
At the front door he gently pushed her into the hall. “I need a few moments in here to check out a couple things. Levi is on his way.”
She frowned at him. “I could’ve stayed inside,” she said quietly.
“Better that you’re not in here any longer than you need to be.”
She leaned against the wall, thinking about his statement, realizing that, if Warren’s death really was murder, she would be one of the main suspects. Under her breath she whispered, “Jesus.” As his business partner and with their contentious relationship well known, the police would consider her first.
Speaking of business relationships … She walked a few steps away and called her lawyer. “John, I’m at Warren’s house.”
“Oh, good. Did you come to an agreement?”
Her lips trembled at his cheerful voice. “Unfortunately, no. And there won’t be one.” She took a deep breath, hearing the puzzled silence on the other end. “He’s dead, John.”
“What? What happened?”
“He’s in the bathtub. His wrists are slashed. I don’t know if he committed suicide or if its murder.”
“Jesus.”
She rubbed her temple and walked to the end of the hall where she could stare out the window and keep an eye on the door in case Tyson came out. “I know. It looks bad no matter which way. Either he did this because of the problems with the company, or somebody did this to him, and I’ll be one of the main suspects.”
“I’ll start the paperwork. Right now the company’s in a delicate balance. I’ll contact his lawyer and see where the land lies. I don’t know what this loss entails yet, but you know this changes everything, right?”
“Nobody knows he’s dead. We’ve called the police, but they haven’t arrived yet.”
“You’re sure? You’re absolutely certain it’s him?”
She couldn’t quite catch the sob breaking from her throat when she answered, “It’s him. I saw him in the bathtub. Jesus, John, it’s really Warren.”
His voice softened. “Okay, take it easy.”
After he hung up, she returned her phone to her pocket and stood with her arms wrapped around her chest, trying to get control of herself. What a mess. The rest of the staff would have to be told, and she had no idea what was going on behind the scenes with the company. She and Warren had both taken out life insurance policies in case something like this happened, but she had no clue if that covered suicide or murder. She assumed each partner was only covered if the cause of death was either natural or accidental.
She leaned against the window ledge as she waited for Tyson to come back out. But instead, Levi opened the door to the stairwell and appeared. He took one look at her and walked over with his arms open. She walked into them, accepting his warmth for a long moment.
“Tyson says it looks like murder,” she whispered. “You need to know Warren was one of those guys who did things in an awkward way. It just worked for him.” She tried hard to explain how sometimes he did things in reverse. How occasionally he used his left hand versus his right hand. She knew her explanation was garbled.
Levi gave her a gentle hug before stepping back. “Don’t worry about it. There will be a lot more to the evidence than just that. We will get to the bottom of this.”
She took a deep breath, feeling marginally better. “Thank you for coming.”
He nodded, pulled a pair of gloves from his pocket, put them on and then, using his elbow, pushed the apartment door open. Tyson greeted him.
She leaned against the wall and waited. How long would they need?
Just as she wondered if she should say something, she saw a detective coming her way. She motioned toward the open door. “Tyson and Levi are in there.”
A frown settled on his forehead, but he didn’t say anything to her. Instead, he went inside. This time the door was closed with a harsh click. She heard voices but no yelling. She doubted the detective was happy as they preferred to be first on scene. But obviously somebody had to discover the body, and that somebody was supposed to stay until the police arrived.
Confused, distraught and not sure what she was supposed to do, she let herself slump to the floor where she sat with her knees to her chest and waited.
Finally the door opened, and Tyson stepped out, his gaze zooming to her. He squatted in front of her. “Are you ready to go?”
She gave a half snort. “I’ve been waiting like a zombie for the last hour. I’m well past ready to go. Did you learn anything new?”
He helped her to her feet. “Home,” he said firmly. “We can talk when we get there.”
She gave him a sharp look, but then remembered the tracker on the vehicle. Maybe he was worried about somebody overh
earing the conversation.
When they got back to her apartment, she unlocked the door, walked in and tossed her phone on the counter beside her purse. Coming in behind her, Tyson held a small device in his hand she hadn’t realized he had brought with him.
With a finger to his lips, he did a quick search of her apartment, looking for bugs. He checked her purse and phone as well and checked his cell too. When it came back all clear, he shut down the device. “Sorry about that, but I had to make sure.”
“You’re certain it’s murder and not suicide?”
“The coroner’ll make that determination. By my and Levi’s vote, it’s murder.”
Her shoulders sagged. She’d been hoping against hope that Warren had just been despondent over something in his personal life and had taken this as the best solution. If he had been murdered, it meant another bogeyman was out there. Chances were good it would connect to her.
“I suppose you didn’t see or find anything that would give us a road map to his killer,” she said, fatigue in her voice.
“Of course not,” he said in a neutral tone.
She walked over to the coffeemaker and put on a pot. She certainly wasn’t hungry, but she needed her cup of coffee.
“That would be way too easy.”
She nodded. “Will you be involved in the investigation?” She turned to look at him in time to see his head shake.
“No. Detective Mannford is taking over now.”
“Where is Levi?”
“Probably passing along what he knows about the case. Both cases have just dovetailed.”
“A stalker is not a murderer.”
“A stalker often starts off as a stalker and then becomes a murderer.”
She froze, dropped her hands against the counter and bowed her head. “Is this really happening?”
“It really is. Have you contacted your lawyer?”
She brushed the tendrils of hair off her face and turned toward Tyson again. “Yes. I let him know about Warren’s death, and I told him not to tell anybody else. But this will be a hell of a nightmare for the staff.”
“Any idea where the company will end up with Warren’s death?”
“I was trying to figure that out, but I didn’t ask my lawyer directly. I think Warren’s business partner insurance pays out if he died by natural causes or an accident, but I don’t know what happens if it is suicide or murder.” She walked into the living room, collapsed on the couch, curling up in a corner. “When do I tell the guys?”
“Not until we’re given the okay.”
She nodded. “Nobody’s at work for the next two days anyway, so that’s a short grace period.”
“And I wouldn’t contact any of the staff until the weekend is over.”
Her gaze zeroed in on his face. “You really think they might be involved?”
“I can’t rule anyone out,” he said quietly. “Think about it. Someone had access to Warren’s apartment and his computer. Someone had access to your phone. That leaves some very visible suspects.”
“Remember how I inherited Mark’s shares? That’s what set Warren off. He thought he’d get them.”
Tyson nodded.
“You realize the police could look to me for Warren’s death.” Tears threatened. She forced them back down.
“Except for one thing.”
She frowned up at him. “What’s that?”
“You’ve been with me for the last five days. You have a solid alibi. You did not kill Warren, and I can attest to that fact.”
Inside she felt something settle at his words. She let out a heavy breath, releasing a tangled knot of tension from her shoulders. She nodded. “That’s right. I forgot about that.”
He smiled. “Well, I didn’t. Mannford knows that too. The police will ask you questions that you’re not going to like answering about yourself, Warren and your employees. Also about the current business fights over the media kerfuffle and Warren wanting to shut you out of the business. All of it.”
“I will answer as best I can. But, in some ways, the detective would be better off talking to the lawyers.”
“Don’t worry. He will. The police will look at the legal issues between the two of you partners.” He paused, then added quietly, “Make that the three of you.”
“So Mark could have been murdered too?”
Tyson didn’t answer, just stared at her.
She really didn’t need a confirmation now. Unsettled and restless, she got up and walked around the living room. “Is there something we can do?”
“Yes. Make sure the murderer doesn’t have a chance to find another target—like you.”
*
Tyson poured a cup of coffee for each of them. He handed her one. “I know there’s no point in telling you not to worry.”
She snorted. “How can I not? If it’s the same man, he went from a stalker to a murderer. If it’s not the same man, then we have two unknown people to worry about.”
He contemplated her face for a long moment. “Well, at first I suspected Warren and Larry were working together. Now I have to revise that theory. Yet, I still wonder if two people are working together on this.”
Startled, she said, “It fits the most recent events. Larry, being a former paratrooper, is capable of placing that message on my second-floor window, but I’d suspect the murderer shot out our tire.”
He frowned, staring off into the distance. “Levi will call soon with an update from Mannford. I’ll see what I can find in the meantime.”
She placed her cup on the coffee table and flung herself to the couch. “I hate being helpless. If it’s one-on-one combat, you know I can hold my own.”
He grinned. “Absolutely you can. My money’s on you over a run-of-the-mill stalker any day,” he said calmly. “But, if there’s two of them involved or if he’s a sniper or if he catches you by surprise with a Taser or chloroform or knockout drugs or multiple weapons, the fight is over before it starts. And you know that.”
“This isn’t supposed to happen to somebody like me. I’m a specialist in so many different martial art forms. I was an instructor in the military, and yet here I am, needing a bodyguard. I feel so stupid, like a fraud.”
“We know perfectly well how good your skills are. If somebody decides they want to challenge you head-on, that’s one thing. But what if they decide you need a handicap to even the fight, and they break your knees first?”
She nodded, her tone grim. “I know. I was thinking of that. In the military I ran a specific course on how to save your life when severely injured.”
“And what was the advice you gave the recruits?”
Her voice was hard when she said, “Tactical retreat. Some battles you just can’t win, no matter what. What you try to do is get away before they come in for the finishing kill.”
He reached out an open hand. She slid hers into it, and he tugged her into his arms. “Between us, we’ve had the best training Uncle Sam can give us. We’re smart, and there’s two of us.”
She nodded. “And yet I feel like, whoever this is, he’s dancing around us, laughing his fool head off.”
“Because he probably is. But the noose is tightening. And he’s making mistakes.”
“I like the sound of mistakes. What kind of mistake was made?”
“Killing Warren. If the murderer had left Warren alive, he would’ve been a great avenue to pursue for answers. But now that he’s dead, his life will become an open book. Everyone will dissect his history, his bank accounts, every financial transaction he’s made in the last twenty years, every relationship he’s had, every step he’s taken. Because you can bet this murderer is part of Warren’s history. It’s not just about keeping you safe. It’s also now looking for justice for Warren. Regardless of what he did or did not do as part of this mess, he didn’t deserve to be killed.”
Her face brightened. “You’re right. I’m just not thinking straight. I should’ve realized that now, with an open murder investigation, Warren’s
entire life will be completely ripped apart to find out what happened.”
Tyson nodded, holding her close. “Not only just by Detective Mannford. Don’t forget Levi has a powerful cyberteam already ripping apart Warren’s life.”
“Only if they have Detective Mannford’s permission,” she said.
A rumble erupted from his chest. “That’s the legal avenue. But you’re also our client, and that gives us rights on your behalf. So, no, not just with Detective Mannford’s permission. We will share with him, don’t you worry. The answers will be found now that this has happened. We’re down to crunch time. And given the way this has all sped up, this weekend it may come crashing down.”
Startled, she looked up at him. “You think the killer will come after me this weekend?”
“I do. I’m just hoping we recognize his face when he pops up in front of us.”
Chapter 14
She was getting ready for bed when her phone rang. She answered to Levi asking, “Did you know Warren had a stepbrother?”
“No. Warren told me that he had no family left.” She sat down on the bed as Tyson stood nearby in boxers. But even the sight of the gorgeous man in front of her couldn’t still the fear snaking through her system at Levi’s words. “Are we really thinking his stepbrother tried to kill him?”
“An original life insurance policy named his stepbrother as beneficiary. But that policy was canceled about six years ago, around the time Warren invested in the company.”
“That makes sense. I imagine he was raising as much money as he could back then.”
“He also sold off other assets in order to invest in the company. But he was close to bankruptcy when you came on board.”
“I knew about that part,” she said quietly. “I’m just not sure what brought on his wish to sell out right now.”
“Still searching his history to answer those questions,” Levi said. “His ex-wife got a decent divorce settlement, and the alimony was killing him, but they had agreed on a revised schedule, making his payments manageable. We’ll keep digging. Do you know if he has any other family?”
