Chapter Eleven (by Misha)
"Relax, man. You're way too uptight, you know that?" Brett taunted. "I may have upped the ante a little more than we talked about but considering all the hoops I had to jump through to get that computer program working the way Mariele wanted, I figured I was due. Cambias has a lot more firewalls than the average company and tapping into their archives was no easy thing."
John tried to remain cool but could feel his heartbeat racing. He quickly drained the whiskey the waitress dropped off and just as fast, ordered another. Two days ago he thought he had the world by the tail. Now his life was spiraling out of control and he had no one to blame but himself. How the hell was he going to get himself out of this mess without spending some serious time behind bars?
———
Although it was only a few minutes past 9 AM, Jack was already knee-deep in reports when there was a knock at his office door.
"Do you have a minute?" Ryan asked tentatively. Jack looked up and was taken aback. It was obvious from Ryan's appearance that yesterday's conversation had taken its toll. The kid looked like he had aged ten years in the last 24 hours. Gone was the usual jaunty grin and in its place was a haunted expression.
"Come on in, Ryan. What can I do for you?"
"I was up half the night thinking about what you and I talked about, Jack. I just wanted you to know again how sorry I am. It kills me to know that I disappointed you and your family. Bianca trusted me to look after the business for her and Miranda and I blew it. You were right. If I had just read through those files, maybe Cambias wouldn't be in the situation it is today. And, believe me, I know that saying I'm sorry doesn't change anything but it's important that you know how horrible I feel about everything."
"That's pretty clear. But beating yourself up about it now really doesn't do anybody any good."
"I just wish there was some way to make things right. I guess my old man knew what he was talking about when he said I'd be nothing but a screw-up. Anyway, before I do any more damage, I thought you should have this."
Before he even looked at it, Jack knew what it was: Ryan's letter of resignation. Jack shook his head. "Ryan, I'm sorry. I can't accept this."
"Look, Jack, if you're trying to spare my feelings, don't. It's better for all concerned if I just leave."
"Better for who? Bianca? Miranda? I don't think so. Look, you made a mistake. It happens. But I think you still have plenty to contribute to this company. Maybe you just need to take things a little slower, give yourself time to really learn the ropes. Why don't you take a few days, think this thing through. If you still feel strongly about resigning, I'll accept this" Jack replied, tossing the letter on his desk.
"I don't know Jack . . ."
"Come on, what have you got to lose?" Ryan shuffled his feet, not knowing quite how to respond. "We got ourselves a deal?"
"Thanks, Jack. I appreciate it" Ryan replied, offering him his outstretched hand.
"No problem. Now, go on, get outta here. Let me get some work done" Jack answered and walked Ryan to the door.
Jack took a deep breath. Seeing Ryan so shook up took him by surprise. While he appreciated the fact that Ryan owned his responsibility in this whole mess Jack didn't expect him to personalize it. The kid was going to have to learn to separate business problems with his feelings of self-worth. I guess he has a lot more growing up to do than I expected . . . The persistent ring of the phone interrupted Jack's thoughts. He grabbed the receiver off the cradle. "Montgomery!" There was no response. "Hello, is anyone there?" Jack tried again.
Just as he was about to hang up the phone he heard a muffled noise on the other end. "Who is this?"
"Jack, it's me, John Andrews. I'm sorry. I dropped the phone."
Jack tried to remain calm. The day was quickly going from bad to worse. "Hey, John. What can I do for you?"
"Listen, I need to talk to you."
"Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't that what we're doing now?" Jack said, shaking his head.
"Not on the phone; in person. It's important."
"What did you have in mind?"
"How about we meet at the Athletic Club for a game of racquetball, say in about an hour?"
"Racquetball, huh. Think you're up for it?"
"Just meet me there. I'll call and reserve a court."
"See you in an hour." Jack hung up the phone and glanced back at the latest earning figures. He had managed to stop the hemorrhaging but profits were still flat. I'm in the mood to kick somebody's ass, Andrews. Might as well be yours Jack thought to himself.
Ninety minutes later, John was doubled over, gasping for air. Despite having a few years on him, Jack had managed to run the guy all over the court, beating him soundly in the first game. Still, Jack was in no mood to show mercy and was putting the final touches on shutting him out entirely in the second when Andrews choked out his surrender. Jack wiped the sweat from his brow onto his wristband as he clamped the racquet between his thighs. "As soon as you catch your breath, maybe you can tell me what the hell you were in such a hurry to talk to me about."
"Yeah, just give me a minute" John replied and slid down the wall until he was comfortably resting on the floor. "You really do know how to humble a guy, don't you?"
"Just trying to get in a little workout. Can I get you something to drink?"
"No, no, I'm fine." Jack looked back at him skeptically. "Really. Look, Jack, you've got to promise me that what I'm going to tell you stays between the two of us."
"I'm afraid I can't make that promise until I know what it is we're talking about."
"I'm serious. If anyone finds out about this, I'm a dead man."
"Then maybe you should be talking to the authorities and not me" Jack said and began to walk away.
"No, wait, wait. Look, I'm going to trust you but I need some kind of assurance that when we're done talking you're not going to hang me out to dry. I'm taking a chance that you'll believe I'm a decent guy who just got in a little over his head."
"I promise I'll give you a fair shot–nothing more."
John took a deep breath and began telling Jack about his conversation with Brett. "I should have realized that something big was going down but Brett and me, we go back a long time."
"To your days at Stanford . . ."
"Yeah. In college he and I were like brothers, you know. We just connected. So when Mariele came to me and said she needed help I figured he was one guy I could trust to be straight up with me."
"Despite the fact that what you were asking him to do was illegal."
"Pretty stupid, huh? Look, he was there on scholarship, same as me, and we were always trying to find a way to make a few extra bucks. Nothing too shady, just the occasional poker game, maybe scalping counterfeit football tickets to some out-of-town alums. You know, kid stuff."
"But not this time . . . ?" Jack queried.
"No, not this time. But you've got to believe me. It wasn't supposed to get this out-of-hand. Brett just got greedy . . ."
"Brett did—but not you?"
"Look, I admit I was willing to shave a few extra dollars off the top of this operation but out-and-out corporate theft? Nah, that's not me."
"So what? You're just a victim in all of this?"
"I swear to you, the first time I heard about major funds being siphoned off was when Mariele told me about it yesterday. Until then, I was just helping out a friend and making a little fast cash on the side. I had no intentions of embezzling any real money. And I had no clue that stocks were involved in this whole mess. Trust me, even if I wanted to, I don't have the stomach for it."
"And why should I believe you?" Because you say so?"
"Yeah, because I say so. And because I'm willing to risk my neck to put the guy who's responsible for it behind bars."
"I don't know. Selling out someone who's supposed to be a good friend doesn't exactly earn you points in my book."
"Well, good friends don't usually screw each other over now, do they?" John replied belligerently. This whole thing was eating him alive and he was sure he was going to walk away with a gut full of ulcers as a souvenir. "So, if it doesn't disturb your delicate sensibilities too much, do you think maybe we can figure out how to get the goods on Brett without me winding up in a body bag?"
"Don't you think you're being a bit melodramatic? After all, it's a pretty big leap from embezzling to murder."
"You don't get it, do you Montgomery? Brett's a pretty smart guy but smart guys like him can't pull off something like this on his own. And I already told you, he wasn't working with me on this so that means someone else is involved. That's the guy we need to be worried about."
"Okay, I'll bite. Who's this other guy?"
"I don't know . . . honest, I don't, but I bet if you and me put our heads together we can figure it out."
"And then what . . .?"
"And then we go to the cops and you tell them how cooperative I've been and you make sure my testimony serves as my ticket out of this nightmare."
"What? You think I can just wave a magic wand and make the PVPD do my bidding?"
"I think you have a lot of friends in the department and in the DA's office. Between that and your position at Cambias Industries, yeah, I think if you set your mind to it you can pretty much make this whole thing go away. I also think that without my cooperation Cambias stands to lose an even bigger fortune than it already has. So . . . we got ourselves a deal?"
"And Mariele?"
"Let's leave her out of it. Trust me, she had nothing to do with this."
"Forgive me for stating the obvious, but if it wasn't for Mariele, none of this would have happened" Jack replied.
"She was trying to make things right for her family, Montgomery. Give the lady a break."
"You still care about her, don't you?"
"How I feel about Mariele is between her and me. Seems to me you've got your hands full dealing with Erica. She is one fine-looking lady even if she is a user."
Jack leaned down and grabbed John by the collar, pulling him to his feet. "You want to keep this deal of yours alive, Andrews, I highly suggest you never mention Erica's name again. You got me?" Jack let go of John's shirt with just enough force to slam the guy into the wall.
"Easy, man, I want nothing to do with her" John exhaled, trying to regain his balance and his pride.
Jack walked off the court and headed toward the locker room only turning back to inform John that he'd meet him in the clubhouse in ten minutes.
———
By 1 PM, Jack was satisfied. All the pieces seemed to fit and it pointed to one individual. Now the question was, how to nail the sonavabitch to the wall.
John had been true to his word. Without any coaxing, he spilled the details about the operation beginning with the day Mariele first contacted him looking for help in avenging her father. From there John went on to explain his role in the plan. On the surface, working in construction seemed a far cry from corporate espionage and larceny. But with Mariele's help, he secured the subcontract with Thorquist to help retrofit the building. And as the head honcho of the project, Ryan Lavery had granted him full access to the company, including the areas that stored both their mainframe and their backup site. And that's where Brett came in.
John went on to explain Protevi's talent for all things electronic. Computers were a specialty with Brett and developing a program that could be planted on a terminal was a piece of cake for the digital genius. With the right software in place, it was easy to download information about prior business dealings and secure the proof Mariele needed to clear her father's name. That same access, in the wrong hands, also provided a handy little tool for diverting insider information on present corporate dealings. With a couple of right keystrokes, the end user would be able to restructure company-held stocks into personal growth funds and make a fortune in the process. The question was who. Who was the mastermind behind the fraud? With Brett's work history as a roadmap, it took both men only a little more probing to put the rest of the puzzle together.
———
Jack had to call in more than a few favors to get a deal that would work for both Andrews and the Pine Valley authorities. And, as luck would have it, Cambias' IT expert Hank Donia was able to provide just enough corroborating evidence to make an arrest. But before Jack could put the finishing touches on the agreement, he had one very important loose end to tie up. Knowing what was involved and the delicate work required to ensure that thread didn't get away from him, Jack wished he had paid more attention during his Boy Scout days when his troop was learning about knots.
The hell with it. If I can't get her to cooperate with me, I'm hopeless. Keeping one hand on the wheel of his car, Jack slipped the other one into his suit pocket, grabbed his cell and punched in her number. After three rings, Erica picked up.
"Sweetheart, it's me. I need a huge favor."
———
Twenty minutes later, Erica and Jack pulled up to the Ardmore Crossings security booth.
"Why Ms. Kane, it's good to see you again this morning."
"Thank you, Tom. It's nice to see you too. I hope Mrs. Bailey–"
"Floreen" the guard offered.
"Floreen, of course. I hope Floreen was able to get over to Lacey's yesterday."
"Actually, we're heading over there as soon as I'm done my shift. Figured I'd take her out for an early dinner, make a day of it."
"That sounds lovely. Please give her my best."
"Will do. So, I don't suppose you're here to visit the same party as yesterday?" Tom asked, noticing the handsome gentleman in the passenger seat.
The vaguely conspiratorial tone registered on Jack's trained ear and he turned his head toward the guard in just enough time to catch the chubby old man shoot a wink in Erica's direction. Without skipping a beat, Erica smiled broadly and patted Jack's hand to reassure him her heart was his alone.
"We're here to see Mariele Girtz. She's expecting us."
Tom nodded and picked up the security phone. A moment later the gate lifted and as Erica pulled through, Jack curtly waved goodbye to his latest rival.
———
It was a toss up trying to figure out which woman was more annoyed by Jack's plan. Mariele was convinced she didn't need any help and Erica was equally sure she didn't want to offer any. Unfortunately for both of them, Jack was determined to have his way in the matter. After twenty minutes of unrelenting "but Jacks", Erica and Mariele caved. It was decided. Mariele was to leave the country immediately and Erica was to be her escort. While Mariele left the room to collect her passport and throw a handful of items into a carry-on, Erica took one last opportunity to convince Jack that there had to be another way.
"Erica, listen to me. I'm serious. We really don't have time to come up with anything better. Believe me, if I could think of any other way to get Mariele safely out of here without involving you, I'd jump on it. But the fact of the matter is there isn't one. And time is of the essence in this. Look, no one who knows either one of you would suspect that you're working as a team–and trust me, I use that term loosely. The fact that you two don't get along works in our favor." Jack suddenly lowered his voice. "Come here. Before Mariele comes back I need to tell you something."
"What is it, Jack? Jack?"
"I wasn't going to say anything until this was all over and Mariele was safely out of reach but I think maybe it's best if you know."
"Know what?"
"Who's behind this whole thing."
"Jack, you already told me it was John and that college friend of his . . . oh, what's his name . . . Brett."
"No, there's someone else."
Mariele had no idea what it was that Jack whispered in Erica's ear. All she knew for sure is that she wished it had been her lobe that had felt his warm breath.
———
From the moment Erica and Mariele stepped into the car until they arrived at Philadelphia's International airport, both women channeled their nervous energy into sniping at one another. All that changed the instant Erica noticed the man standing in line at the other end of the terminal. Immediately, she grabbed Mariele's arm and yanked her into the nearby Ladies room.
"Have you lost your mind? What in the world is your problem, Erica?"
"Shut up, Mariele. Please. For once in your pathetic life, just shut up."
"Don't you tell me to shut up, you self-righteous little toad."
Erica closed her eyes, took a deep breath and tried to compose herself. Honestly, Jackson, when I get my hands on you, you're so going to pay for this. Just thinking about how hard Jack was going to have to work to make this up to her had an amazingly calming effect on Erica. "Look, I'm sorry I had to drag you in here, Mariele, but it was an emergency."
"What kind of an emergency? You look perfectly fine to me. Not that I would ever choose that shade of lip gloss. It's so tawdry."
"Aren't you just the funniest thing? I would think that someone who's about to be spirited out of the country would have more important things on her mind than my choice of lipstick. But then maybe that's all your little brain can handle?"
"Erica, is there a reason we're spending this time in the lavatory?"
"Yes, as a matter of fact there is. I need to give you something." Erica rummaged around in her purse for a moment before she found what she was looking for. "Here, take this."
Mariele was confused by the shiny object Erica placed in her hand. "What the hell am I supposed to do with this?" Turning the item over again in her hands, Mariele continued. "Do you have some kind of bizarre ritual I should know about? Tidying up one last time before the plane takes off?"
Erica simply shook her head in disgust. "No Mariele. And before you move to the mirror to gaze at your 'oh so stunning reflection', let me explain."
"Yes, please do, because for the life of me I just don't understand how your mind works." But before Erica could begin, Mariele let out a loud snort. "Honestly, Erica, you are by far the vainest person I've ever known. Your initials?"
"It's a signature item, Mariele" Erica sniffed. "Get over yourself, would you please? Now, here's what you need to do . . ."
———
Erica hung up the phone and smiled. "It's all taken care of. They're on their way."
"Erica, I underestimated you. You are truly a brilliant woman and have a devilish sense of humor."
"And you, Mariele, have a thirst for revenge that I can honestly say I respect."
For the first time since the two women crossed paths, they had come to a genuine understanding. Unfortunately, it was only moments before they would be parting for the final time.
"Safe passage, Mariele. And give those two a kiss for me."
"I will, Erica. And enjoy that man of yours. He's one of a kind. A real peach."
Erica ducked behind a pole and watched. The regal blonde strode purposely toward airport security. Just as she was about to get in line she bumped into a man obviously distracted by her beauty. Mariele smiled at him sweetly and continued through the metal detector and on to her departing gate.
Moments later, the familiar drone of the security alarm sounded. Like other passengers who had neglected to empty change from their pockets, the traveler spread his arms and legs and waited patiently as a haggard guard waved the metal wand around his body but the alarms continued to sound. Pulled aside and gently patted down, the guard retrieved the offending item from his coat pocket.
"Next time, mister, empty all metal objects from your jacket BEFORE you go through the detectors" the security official lectured. "And you might want to read the sign. These aren't allowed as a carry-on item." As the guard tossed the contraband into the trash, a burst of sunshine shot through the airport window, casting a glow on the letters 'EK' emblazoned on the offending pair of tweezers.
A second later, Zach Slater was surrounded by a cadre of police officers.
———
It had been a long morning and an excruciating afternoon hanging around waiting to hear word about Slater's arrest but at last Derek called Jack with the good news.
Now it was time to move into the final phase of the plan: informing the board. Jack asked Dot to notify the appropriate parties and have them report to the boardroom in 15 minutes. That, he figured, would provide him with just the right amount of time to cobble something together. He wanted to keep the meeting short and to-the-point. If he handled this properly, he'd be able to keep at bay questions that could prove embarrassing to prior management. Ryan was feeling badly enough about the damage he caused. Jack felt no need to have the rest of the board pile on.
Jack headed over to the boardroom seeking inspiration. Moments later, it stormed through the door.
"Okay, Jackson, that's it. I've waited long enough!" Erica stood in front of him, hands on her hips.
"Sweetheart, my God, I'm so glad to see you. Derek told me you were in the clear but seeing that for myself, well, I can't tell you how relieved I am."
"Well, don't get too comfortable just yet. You and I have a few things we need to work out . . ."
"O–kay" Jack said wondering what the hell was going on. "What's this all about?"
"I went to the mat for you this afternoon, getting Mariele out of the country, without so much as a word of protest–" Jack looked at Erica with a sly grin. "Okay, maybe just a peep."
"Yeah, maybe just a little one" Jack said, clearly amused.
"So now you owe me."
"Owe you? Owe you what?" Jack asked, crossing his arms.
"I don't know–not exactly, anyway. But, I'm sure if you put that creative mind of yours to work, you'll think of something" Erica purred, sliding onto the boardroom's mahogany table. "Go ahead, use your imagination."
For the first time in what seemed like forever, Jack let out an unbridled laugh. Stretched out like a lynx was the love of his life. With eyes locked on his prey, Jack picked up the phone and dialed. "Dot, call the board members back. Tell them to make it in an even half hour."