*Thanks for all the reviews guys - it inspires me so keep them coming!*
"Bingo, we got him Nate; here's the researchers' findings stating that the valves were bad due to low grade plastic fittings." Hardison said as he checked through the files.
"So all we have to do is take this to Bonanno and let them deal with –" Eliot started to say but Nate cut him off
"No no no"
"What do you mean no? Nate this bastard tried to kill us!"
"Yes I know but all he has to do is say that he was never shown the report; afterall he's already paid off the researchers to they're not gonna talk. He apologizes, fixes things and becomes the hero; never having to take the blame for people dying."
The room went silent as they all thought about the reprecussions
"So how do we go about nailing his ass to the wall?" Nona asked
"Parker, what did you find in Linzer's office?"
"Not much, his receptionist was not very receptive to an IT specialist. Just because I told her that her cat was ugly –"
"Parker!" Eliot practically shouted as she got off topic
"Oh right, not much old school safe with a bunch of different passports, loads of cash and a mini tape recorder, but there was no tape in it."
"Which means he must be recording his conversations with Westerhoff and stashing the tapes; passports and cash means that he's ready to leave the country at a moment's notice should someone find out - he doesn't fully trust his partner, so we're going to give him a reason to turn on him."
"I'm sorry sir can I help you?" Linzer's receptionist asked a confused looking Nate who was on the grift
"Uh yes uh" he glanced at her nameplate
"Rita, Stan Stan Sherman – Sherman Industries" he said handing her a card
"I have a 9am with Mr Linzer"
"Ok, let me just check –" she trailed off as she began searching her computer for confirmation
"Well I don't see you" she replied looking at the day's schedule
"Oh really? Could you just check again please, because if I got the date wrong my wife is going to be mad; I was supposed to take her and her mother shopping because she says that I don't spend enough time with her and her mother's getting up in years." He was droning on trying to distract her long enough to allow Hardison to hack in and make the changes. However Parker was right; this lady was not very receptive.
"I'm sorry Mr Sherman, you're not on here"
"Could you just double check – pretty please?" he asked
"Fine" she huffed and went back to typing
Nate glanced at the photo on her desk; Parker was right about the cat.
"Oh here you are Mr Sherman" she said through clenched teeth. This was obviously not a woman who was wrong often
"Just let me tell Mr. Linzer you're here" he excused herself
"I'm in, nice job Hardison" Nate said
"Like there was a question?" It never ceased to amaze Hardison how often they underestimated his skills
"Mr Linzer will see you now." Rita said upon her return
"Mr Sherman, I apologize for the delay, Rita's usually on top of things" the older man welcomed Nate into his office.
"Ah well we all make mistakes, the important thing is I'm here now"
The old man laughed
"And why is that?"
"Well Mr Linzer I'm here to make you a very rich man"
"Is that so? And how is that?"
"Well you see sir I make parts for heart valves and I understand that you're not happy with your other supplier."
"Well Mr Sherman"
"Stan please" Nate corrected
"Stan I wouldn't know about any of that; Westerhoff Industries is not my only company – you'd have to talk to Steven Westerhoff himself, he's the one that handles things over there."
"Yes, but I also understand that he's working with you." Nate replied giving him a knowing look
"Well we always try to work together on important things, such as suppliers but Steven hasn't given me any indication that our current supplier isn't working out."
"Oh but I'm sure that I could offer you a better deal." Again Nate waited for him to take the bait
"As I said Mr Sherman, you'd have to talk to Steven" Linzer replied matter of factly
"Yes, well-"
"I'm sorry to interrupt Mr Linzer but if you're going to make it by 10am you'd better get going" Rita said entering the office
"Oh, I'd better get a move on, thank you Rita I don't know what I'd do with out you. She's like my right hand." He said to Nate as she backed out of the office
"Well don't let me keep you Mr Linzer"
"Daniel, please and normally I wouldn't rush off but my wife has dialysis on Wednesday mornings and I always go and sit with her."
"I'm very sorry to hear that."
The old man tried to shake it off
"Thank you, but she's getting stronger everyday. The dialysis is temporary til she's strong enough for her kidney transplant next week; kidney disease" he said explaining her condition
"Oh so you've found a donor then?"
Linzer nodded
"My daughter, bless her heart is donating one"
"Well good luck to all of you" Nate shook his hand and left
"Linzer is not a part of this" Nate said over the comms as he walked out of the building
"How do you know?" Eliot asked
"His wife is on dialysis and his daughter is getting ready to give her a kidney. Which means there's no way he'd risk having to leave the country."
"But what about the emails?" this from Parker
Nate flashed back to his meeting. Rita was quite upset when she couldn't find Nate's name and her eyes widened just slightly when she read his business card
'she's like my right hand' Linzer had said
"Hardison, I want you to run a check on a Rita Johnson"
"Linzer's assistant?" he asked
"Yes I think she's the partner."
"Rita Johnson has worked for Hirschfield for the last 10 years and been Linzer's assistant for the last 5. On the surface she seems like the girl next door, but if you dig a little deeper you'll find a record for public drunkeness and that she has a thing for horses." Hardison said indicating the woman's need to gamble
"Well that explains her need for cash; she probably figured out what Westerhoff was doing and decided to blackmail him." Nate concluded
"Or they hatched the plan together" Hardison said clicking a few buttons
"These are emails that Steven sent Rita – I didn't make the connection because I didn't know she was Linzer's assistant. And let me tell y'all they are nasty" he said dragging the word out
"Doesn't she know about his escorts?" Parker asked scrunching up her nose in disgust
"Well if she does, she doesn't care" he replied
"So Steve and Rita discover a way to make money while screwing her boss." Nate interrupted
"Yeah evidently Rita hasn't seen a raise lately and her gambling debt is starting to out weigh her income."
"So her and Steven pocket the cash figuring Linzer will end up taking the fall because Rita – being Linzer's right hand has planted all of the damning evidence in his safe.
"All while the man's wife is ill – makes me sick." Hardison said
"So what's the plan?" Eliot asked