Chapter 46- Finding the Killer
Brandi woke up later that night and slipped her glasses on. Her father was in front of his computers, typing furiously. Brandi went over to him, throwing her arms around his neck. Dad smiled at her, kissing her hands gently. "You are supposed to be asleep, sweetheart," Dad said softly.
"I just woke up. Any news from Uncle John or Ms. Morgan?" Brandi asked, sitting next to him and resting her head against his arm.
"They're going to break into Dana Miller's office. They think that she may have left a clue," Dad explained, stroking her hair absently with his other hand.
"I don't think Lawson or Douglas are that stupid to leave evidence in Dana's office, are they, Daddy?" Brandi asked.
"They could be. They don't have your thinking since you are smarter than most grown men," Dad said dryly.
"Thanks, Dad. But I'm not smarter than you," Brandi said.
"Well, you are only thirteen, Brandilyn. And I am your father and I know more," Dad said.
"I guess so," Brandi said as a floor plan for Virtanen came on the computer screen along with the feeds for the security cameras.
"All right, Finch, our cameras are in place," Reese said over the earwigs Dad and Brandi wore.
"We have full coverage. Proceed," Dad said. On the camera feed, Reese and Zoe went into the building.
"Hold this," Reese said to Zoe. "So, these people are trying to kill you and your plan is to break into their offices?"
"I prefer the direct approach," Zoe said dryly as Reese failed at picking a lock.
"At the south entry. Any guards on the other side?" Reese asked Dad.
"Two guards on the first floor. None on the stairwell. Go ahead," Dad said, lowering the security for the building with the click of the mouse.
"Going in," Reese said, opening the door.
"Do I ever get to meet these imaginary friends?" Zoe asked.
"Him and his daughter are very private people," Reese said as he and Zoe went up a flight of steps.
"Wait, Uncle John, there's a guard on the third-floor stairs. He's coming your way," Brandi said. Reese and Zoe went through the door just as a guard went past. "You're clear. Go!" Brandi said.
"You're probably one of those guys who can probably get out of anything with a paper clip. Where'd you learn this stuff?" Zoe asked as John picked the lock on Dana's door.
"It's a long story," Reese said, opening the door and both went in.
"Still clear, Mr. Reese," Dad said. Reese went to the computer, plugging in a flash drive.
"They deleted Dana Miller's e-mail and browser history months ago," Reese said, after only a few seconds.
"Nothing is ever really deleted, Mr. Reese. The pieces are always out there. You just have to know how to put them back together. Use the recovery software," Dad said.
"Oh, yeah," Reese said, remembering.
"Right there. She accessed this file a dozen times in the days before she was killed," Zoe said a minute later.
"Looks like a clinical trial for their new drug, Sylocet. FDA approved," Reese said.
"But it looks like it's been altered. These are two files with the same name, but the older one is slightly larger," Zoe said, pushing a few buttons.
"Six names are missing from the trial data Virtanen submitted to the FDA," Reese said.
"We need those names, Uncle John," Brandi said.
"Here it comes, Brandi," Reese said, sending the information to Dad's and Brandi's computers.
A bunch of news clippings filled the screen. Each one was about someone who died tragically. "They're all dead, Mr. Reese," Dad said in a subdued voice.
"Dead?" Reese asked, standing up.
"Uncle John, every person on that list died of heart failure within a year of taking the drug. Lawson must have dropped them from the study and paid the locals to hide it," Brandi said, slightly stunned as she read each article.
"Their new wonder drug is a killer," Reese said.
"6 people out of 200, that's a 3 percent mortality rate. If a million people take that drug, 30,000 could die," Zoe said ominously.
"That sounds like a lot, Daddy. We have to do something," Brandi said. Dad cupped her face between his hands and touched his lips to her forehead in a warm, loving kiss.
"We will, Brandi. We will. These people killed Dana Miller. I won't let them have another victim. Daddy's promise," Dad said, wrapping strands of her hair around his rough fingers.
"That's good enough for me, Daddy," Brandi said.
"That's my girl," Dad said dryly, kissing her forehead again. Brandi kissed his cheek.
"So, what are we gonna do to expose Dana's killers?" Brandi asked, resting her head against her father's chest.
"Turn in the findings to the police, but we also have a meeting with Keller tomorrow," Dad said, rubbing her thin shoulder blade gently.
"Do you think Keller knows what happened to Dana Miller, Dad?" Brandi asked.
"Wait. What is that sound?" Dad asked, evading Brandi's question.
"Air conditioning. Why?" Reese asked.
"That's what I've been missing. Listen. Don't talk, don't move. I need a clean recording," Dad said as he pulled away from Brandi and sat down to type furiously at his computer. Brandi stood beside him, wrapping her arm around his shoulder as she looked at the screen. "Perfect. Me and Brandi will be in touch. Come with me, Brandilyn. I need your help," Dad said, standing up.
"All right, Brandi. Do you remember how to strip back unwanted sounds?" Finch asked as Brandi typed.
"Yeah. Dad, what are we listening for?" Brandi asked as Lawson warned Dana to think on the recording.
"We'll know it when we hear it, sweetheart," Finch said, stroking her hair absently.
"You're leaving me with no choice. I'm gonna go to Keller," Dana's voice came in clearly.
"Reese, I think we found something," Finch said, rushing back to his computer. "Mr. Reese?" Finch asked when the camera didn't show Reese or Ms. Morgan.
"Dad, I think you need to call Mr. Keller," Brandi said, coming next to him.
"I think you're right, Brandilyn," Finch said as Brandi handed him his phone.
"Let's just hope to Heaven he believes us," Brandi said as Finch dialed the phone.
"It's Mr. Partridge. I need to speak to Mr. Keller immediately," Finch said as Keller's secretary picked up.
"I'm sorry. Mr. Keller is unavailable-" the secretary started to say.
"Listen. Put him on the phone now. It's extremely urgent. A matter of life and death," Finch interrupted abruptly. The woman put him on hold for a few minutes.
"I've reached Mr. Keller. He will be with you in just a moment," the secretary said when she came back.
"Thank you," Finch said as Brandi rewound Dana's last comment.
"You wanna tell the old man? Here's your chance," Lawson taunted Dana.
"Do you think anything happens in my company without me knowing it, young lady? How stupid do you think I am?" Keller's voice came over the recording. Finch and Brandi stared at each other in stunned silence.
"Mr. Partridge, you're on with Mr. Keller," the secretary said as Finch disconnected the line.
"What are we gonna do, Dad? Lawson and Keller killed Dana Miller," Brandi asked, Finch rubbed her shoulders gently, pressing a kiss to the side of her head.
"I don't know, Brandi. Although I shouldn't be surprised that Keller is in on it. We're going to meet Keller for breakfast. Now's the time for you to dress fancy," Finch said firmly.
"Will do, Dad. Be right back," Brandi said, hugging him as she got up.