"Hardison did you get me that information?" Eliot asked after he picked up on the third ring.
"Yeah man you want to come by now and I'll do the briefing?"
"I'm finishing up at the hardware store and then I have to install her window – give me about an hour?"
"See you then" he replied and hung up
"Winona 'Nona' Flynn was born and raised in Cheyenne, Wyoming, three siblings, good kid." Hardison began as a picture of Nona at various ages popped up. Eliot couldn't help but smile as he took in the younger photos of her. So care free then; he needed to find out what made her lose that innocence.
" Moved out east for college, attended University of Massachusetts where she graduated with a degree in public relations, got a job at Westerhoff Industries where she met" Hardison pushed a button and a picture of a very polished man in a suit popped up
"Meet Steven Westerhoff founder and CEO of Westerhoff Industries, a company that specializes in the manufactoring of medical equipment, namingly plastic heart valves. She started out as just another PR person but it seems Steven here has a thing for redheads so he promoted her to his personal assistant. Soon after, the two started dating and eventually got engaged. However they never got married; she left him after…" Hardison trailed off as though he didn't want to finish
"After what Hardison?" Eliot asked impatiently
"I found some records of domestic violence calls" he said on a sigh
Eliot's fists immediately clenched; he was going to kill this man
"However no formal police reports were filed"
"Doesn't mean he didn't do it" Eliot said matter of factly
Hardison merely nodded before he went on
"As for the last year and half, it's almost as if she dropped off the face of the planet. I mean a few charges here and there but nothing much; not until now anyway."
"Her mom had cancer and she was taking care of her" Eliot filled in the blank
"Well thanks Hardison; now all I have to do is find this creep Westerhoff and beat him to a pulp"
"No" Nate stated from across the room. Eliot hadn't even heard him come in
"What do you mean no Nate? This guy obviously beat the crap out of her, that's why she so damn jumpy all the time. You want me to just stand aside and let him bully her? I told you about the brick they threw through her window."
"I know that Eliot but I think there's more here"
"What do you mean more?"
"In the last year Westerhoff Industries has been sued over a dozen times, all ending in either a settlement or the client changes their mind. I think Westerhoff is trying to hide something."
"Hardison pull up Westerhoff's financials." He said turning to the techie. With a couple of quick clicks, documents popped up on the screen one after the other.
"Up until two years ago WI was a multi-billion dollar company; then when the lawsuits started some hospitals have dropped him as a supplier."
"and what were the lawsuits claiming?"
Double checking Hardison answered
"Wrongful death due to faulty heart valves but as you said they were either settled or the client dropped the suit."
"That's it" Nate said snapping his fingers
Hardison and Eliot looked at each other in the ok is he going to share that thought fashion
"What's it?" Parker entered via a window; she never was very conventional
"Westerhoff must have known that he was selling faulty valves; that's why he either paid them off or well you know" he said
"cllllll" Parker made a sound and a slicing motion across her throat implying that he had offed those who had dropped out of the lawsuits. Eliot gave her a 'you're crazy' look and shook his head
"But what does this all have to do with Nona?"
"Oh is this about Eliot's new girlfriend? Parker asked
Eliot glared at her
"She's not my girlfriend"
"Girlfriend, lover, conquest, whatever is this about her?" she asked ignoring the fact that Eliot looked like he could choke her at any minute
"Westerhoff must think she knows something, which is why he's going after her – find out if she knows anything. As for the rest of us, he's got to have evidence somewhere; Hardison, what's Westerhoff's schedule look like for the next couple of days?"
"Looks like he's at a conference in New York for the next couple of days"
"Great" Nate said getting that gleam in his eyes
"Then let's go steal medical supplies"