by Rayna Morgan
“Oh, you can be sure I’ll be talking to your wife.”
Tom pulled out a card and handed it to John. “Call me first thing in the morning to arrange a time for our chit-chat. Do another runner like you did on your wife and I’ll issue a warrant for your arrest.”
“I understand. Thank you, Lieutenant.” He put the card in his pocket. “I’ll call before eight.”
“One more thing,” Tom said.
John turned back. “Yes?”
“How did you know the murder happened Friday night?”
John looked confused. “I suppose I heard it on the news.”
“The time of death wasn’t disclosed other than sometime Friday.”
“I, um—” John sputtered. “I—”
“Call me first thing in the morning. You and I have a lot to talk about.”
Tom was halfway across the room when he felt a slap on the back. He turned to face Mark Anderson.
“Lieutenant, I’m glad you could make it. Did you bring someone?”
“I tried.” He stared in Maddy’s direction. “I didn’t give my date enough notice. She was already engaged.”
“I’m sorry, but there are plenty of single women here tonight. Perhaps, you’ll find someone to take her place.”
“I’m not much for replacements,” Tom said. He chose his words carefully. “Trying to substitute for the real thing can be deceptive.”
Mark studied the detective’s face before changing subjects. “I saw you talking to John. As you can see, everything is fine. Your fears about his being missing were unfounded.”
“I wouldn’t jump to the conclusion that everything is fine where John’s concerned.”
“Is there a problem I should know about?”
“Not at this point.” Tom looked around the room. “Is your father here? I’d like to meet him.”
“I’m afraid not. My father doesn’t lower himself to mingle with the masses. He’s not the social type.”
“I’m sorry to hear that. He sounds like an interesting person.”
“Overbearing would be a more accurate description.” He saw a young woman gesturing for his attention. “Sorry, Lieutenant. It looks as if my assistant has people she wants me to schmooze. That’s my role in these events.”
“Go ahead. I understand. The constant call to duty is a hazard of my trade as well.”
Mark hesitated. He started to speak, but decided against it.
“Enjoy your evening,” he said, and moved away.
Tom saw Glen Jacobson at the bar. He walked up beside him and ordered a beer. “Nice turnout,” he remarked.
Jacobson showed a brief loss of recognition before allowing a thin smile to spread across his lips. He picked up the drink the bartender set in front of him.
“What are you doing here, Detective? I can’t imagine you’re an investor, and there can’t be any business for you to conduct. John Simpson showed up for work today, or haven’t you heard?”
“I’ve set up a meeting with John to hear his version of the falling out you two had over the subject of tonight’s celebration.”
“That will hardly be an enlightening conversation.”
“How can you be certain John won’t have something to tell me? Unless you’ve made sure he has more to gain by keeping his mouth shut.”
Glen picked up the frozen daiquiri the bartender placed in front of him. “You must excuse me, Lieutenant. This is for my wife. She’s uncomfortable hobnobbing without libation to loosen her tongue.”
* * *
“Would you get me a refill, Tom?” Lea asked, setting an empty wine glass on the bar. “I know you’re upset seeing Maddy and Eric, but she didn’t come willingly. It was my doing. Let me explain why we’re here.”
“I’m listening,” he said, motioning to the bartender.
“Remember our conversation at Barney’s about short sales? I’m following a lead on information I obtained about D & M stock. I used Eric to get us invited to the party so I could talk with the suspects.”
“So how is that going for you?” Tom asked bitingly.
“Not well,” Lea admitted. “I met Glen Jacobson, but he basically shut me out.”
“He’s good at that.”
“Neither John Simpson nor his wife are talking to me.”
“He has no choice where I’m concerned. I’ve got a meeting with him tomorrow,” Tom told her. “What about Anderson? What did Mark tell you?”
“I haven’t been able to talk to him yet. He’s been the center of attention all night.”
“If I know you, you’ll find a way to get to him.”
“I don’t know. I’m not making headway,” she said, sounding tired and discouraged. “Maybe greed wasn’t the motive for Kim’s murder after all. I think I’ll go back to trying to find the necklace.”
“That’s a good idea. Leave solving murders to me.”
“So what headway has Pat made in talking with the fences?”
“I’m waiting for her call. I’ll let you know when I hear something.”
“Thanks for the wine. I’m going to find Maddy and eat. Maybe I can drown my frustration at the dessert table.”
* * *
Catching her sister’s eye, Lea motioned toward the buffet table where a group of company employees stood at the back of the line.
“Time to eat, guys,” Maddy announced.
The sisters steered their escorts to a place behind the D & M executives.
Maddy glared at her sister. “Did you talk to Tom and explain things?”
“Yes, and we agreed I should focus on finding the necklace.”
“Is he talking to the fences?”
“He’s assigned that task to Officer Fisher. She’s doing it as we speak.”
They filled their plates and found a table. Maddy kept scanning the room hoping to see Tom.
When they finished eating, Lea excused herself to go to the restroom.
“I’m going to stretch my legs,” Maddy told her.
“No after dinner drink until we’ve finished what we came to do,” Lea advised.
“Yeah, yeah.”
When Lea returned, the table was empty. There was no sign of her sister or their escorts. She surveyed the room and glimpsed Eric standing in the middle of a group of men.
She walked the perimeter. Mounting frustration created a crawling sensation on her skin. With a growing sense of unease, she weaved her way through the people surrounding Eric and tapped his shoulder.
“I can’t find Maddy. When did you last see her?”
“With Wes.” He pointed toward the locker room. “They were walking in that direction.”
Entering the dressing area, Lea hurried through rows of lockers. When she rounded the corner to the showers, she saw Wes grappling Maddy.
Before she reached them, Wes doubled over in pain.
“Geez, Maddy, what did you do that for?” he yelled.
“Are you all right, Sis?” Lea asked, breathlessly.
“I’m fine,” Maddy said. She brushed her palms together. “It’s good to see you care. Can we leave now?”
“I’m as ready as you are. Give me a minute to talk to Mark Anderson and we’re out of here.”
* * *
Tom was at the dessert table eyeing the chocolate confections when Eric approached.
“Where’s Maddy? I want to say goodbye.”
“Goodbye? You’re leaving without her? I thought she came with you.”
“She came with Lea. They used me to get into the party, but she doesn’t need me anymore. I served my purpose. I’m driving home tonight.”
Tom’s phone rang and he moved away from Eric. “I hope you’ve got good news for me, Pat. Did you talk to the fences?”
“Yeah, boss. Two of them identified one of the suspects.” She gave Tom the name.
“That’s interesting, Rookie. Good work.”
“I’m in the process of getting a warrant to search for the necklace, but I haven’t been able to ge
t hold of a judge. It may be several hours.”
“In that case, I’ll keep the suspect under surveillance. Let me know as soon as I can move on him.”
Tom scanned the room.
Wes was in a far corner of the gymnasium hitting on a blond.
John Simpson was talking to his wife.
He moved quickly to the woman Mark referred to earlier as his assistant.
“Where’s your boss?”
“He went out for air.”
* * *
Lea saw Mark Anderson leaving through a side door and followed him. The door clanked behind her, muting the noise of the party. The only sound was of chirping crickets.
The walkway was partially illuminated. Her nose twitched with the scent of oleander. A night chill caused goose bumps on her arms.
She cursed herself for putting Maddy in a bad position with Tom and wasting her own time. She’d give anything to be snuggled on the couch watching TV with Paul and Jon.
Trying to catch up to the solitary figure, she was grateful for sporadic pools of light before she watched him disappear into a building enveloped in darkness. She hurried through the door in time to glimpse the back of the man at the top of the stairs three floors up.
“Hello, Mr. Anderson,” she croaked. The words barely came out.
She ran up the stairs. A light shone from a single office at the end of the hall. Trying to slow her erratic heartbeat, she walked slowly down the corridor inhaling deep gulps of air.
“Mr. Anderson,” she said, walking through the open door, “I’m glad I caught up with you.”
He spun away from the side wall where he was standing. A noise erupted through the silence as the object he held clattered to the floor. They both looked down and froze like the paused frame of a slideshow.
The sight of the glittering rubies and diamonds took Lea’s breath away.
“What the devil!” Mark snarled. “Who are you? I saw you with those brokers.”
Before she could respond, he reached into the safe and pulled out a gun.
“Omigawd,” Lea gasped, “you’re the one who took the necklace. That means you killed Kim.”
“Shut up. I didn’t kill anyone. It was an accident.”
“She was strangled. That’s no accident.”
“I was only after the file. She tried to stop me and screamed. I had to shut her up.”
A metal door clanked shut, followed by the sound of running footsteps.
“Help!” Lea yelled. “Help! Up here!”
Mark leaned over and swooped up the necklace with one hand. With his other, he grabbed Lea’s arm and pulled her behind his desk.
The footsteps slowed as they neared the office door.
The next voice she heard was the most welcome sound in the world.
* * *
“This is hardly the time or place to find out who’s in better shape, Mark.”
“There might not be another time or place for me, Lieutenant.” He gripped Lea’s arm as if it were a lifeline.
Tom approached slowly, holding his open hands out to his sides. “Step away from the woman and let’s talk about this.”
He spoke in the tempered tone of someone practiced in handling volatile situations. Watching Mark’s eyes race from side to side, he rested his hands on a chair and adopted a relaxed pose. “I’ve got all night, but your time is running out. A squad car is on its way.”
Mark bit his lower lip as he considered his options.
“Think carefully about what you want to take place here,” the detective advised him. “You don’t have it in you to hurt anyone. Let’s end this.”
Lea started to speak, but Tom silenced her with a slight jerk of his head.
Several moments passed before Mark lowered his arm. The gun clattered onto the desk. His head dropped, his hands trembled, and his body wilted like a balloon losing air.
Tom signaled Lea to step away, took possession of the weapon, and walked Mark to a chair. Standing over him, he talked in the soft voice of a confidant. “How did you get yourself in this position, Mark?”
The man looked at the light and blinked several times to clear his head. He sat up straighter, trying to strengthen his deflated body and spirit. “I told you my father motivated me. Perhaps in the wrong way. For years, I’ve listened to him tell about making it on his own and providing everything his son needed to succeed. It made him feel good about himself. He was patting himself on the back for giving me what his father never gave him. It got to a point where I regretted taking his money.”
“I’m sure he’s proud of you,” Tom suggested, “and of what you’ve done with your business.”
“It’s never been about me. My accomplishments are important only if they reflect well on him. I’m no more than another enterprise he funnels money into. He views my success as return on his investment.”
“Your company is successful. Why does his opinion matter? You proved yourself with your new drug. Can’t you cut your ties to him?”
“Not if I want to grow the company, which I do. One successful product is never enough. It leads to a desire to find the next miracle drug. Unfortunately, research and development require massive amounts of funding.”
“Your father is the source of those funds,” Lea assumed.
“Not the only source, but the one with the deepest pockets. That’s been our understanding from the beginning. Every success brings additional financing. Any failure, and he’ll cut off all funds for expansion.”
“In your mind, failure is not an option,” Tom concluded.
“Not of the magnitude John Simpson’s actions would create.”
“How did you learn about John’s intentions?” Lea asked. “Did he tell you his suspicions?”
“No, he didn’t,” Mark replied. He looked at Tom. “I told you John and Glen butted heads. It was Glen who told me about John.”
“But Glen was responsible for the cover-up. Why would he tell you?”
“John confronted him some time ago. He threatened Glen with information he’d collected. He said he’d turn the file over to me unless Glen told me himself. Glen denied everything, of course, but he worried that John would come to me with his accusations. He decided he needed to beat John to the punch. He disclosed the facts and insisted our only recourse was to continue the cover-up and hope for the best. In the meantime, his team was close to a breakthrough on a new product which would divert media attention.”
“If John had come to you, how would you have responded?” Lea asked him. “Would you have pulled the drug off the market?”
Mark shook his head and stared at the ground. “What frightens me most is that I don’t know. I’m not sure what kind of man my father meant to raise, but I’m fairly certain it’s not the man I’ve become.”
“What made you go after the file?” Tom asked.
“Glen convinced me it was in our best interest to have John followed for the next several weeks on the outside chance that he’d go to the FDA. I hired an investigator and received daily reports on John’s activities outside work. Nothing suspicious occurred, and I was beginning to think Glen had overreacted to John’s threats.
“I decided to relax and enjoy the holiday. To do that, I needed to be assured that John would not pursue action against the company. That’s when I got the idea to offer John a partnership to ensure his loyalty. I went to his office to give him the good news in person. He was already gone, so I called him.”
“You told me you needed approval from the Board of Directors,” Tom reminded him.
“There was no doubt about receiving Board approval. I decided not to wait to tell him. I didn’t want my weekend spoiled worrying about John when I had the perfect solution to put the matter behind us.”
“Obviously, the perfect solution didn’t work out. What went wrong?” Tom asked.
“I was leaving my office when the investigator called to alert me. He was at the Surf and Sand where he’d filmed John meeting with someone earlier that af
ternoon. I told him to email me the video. I panicked when I saw the file change hands.”
“That’s when you decided to get your hands on it?”
“I only wanted to read the contents to determine how damaging the information might be. I told the investigator to tail the man who received the file and check back with me every hour. I went home to spend the rest of the day with my family.
“The investigator called around seven o’clock wanting to call it a day. He gave me the target’s name, the company he worked for, and the reason he was at the hotel. He reported the man had several drinks with some woman before they retired to a room. I asked for the room number before he hung up.
“I concocted a story about an emergency at the office and assured my family I’d be home in a couple of hours. I sped to Buena Viaje thinking of possible ways to get the file. By the time I got to the hotel, I’d devised a plan.”
“It was you who called Eric from the lobby,” Lea guessed.
“I wasn’t in the lobby. I called from the house phone on the sixth floor. As soon as I saw him get on the elevator, I went to his room. I knocked, expecting the woman to answer. When she did, I gave her a story about giving Eric something at the conference which I needed. She resisted. I assured her Eric knew. She picked up her phone. She wanted to call him to confirm it was all right.”
His voice was calm as though he were severed from the events he described.
“I pushed her onto the bed. The briefcase was on the table. I snatched it and turned to leave. She grabbed my arm and screamed. The robe was on a chair beside the bed. I grabbed the cord and wrapped it around her neck. I only meant to stop her from screaming but the harder she struggled, the tighter I pulled.”
The look on the man’s face was a familiar one to Tom, the moment of comprehending one terrible, irreversible action.
“Don’t you see?” Mark pleaded. “The woman was an accident. She shouldn’t have been there. She shouldn’t have tried to stop me.”
“What about the necklace, Mr. Anderson?” Lea asked.
Mark looked at Lea as though seeing her for the first time. “The woman was holding it when she opened the door. I think she thought I was there to rob her. I tried to tell her all I wanted was a file.”
