Profit, p.11
Profit, page 11
Quickly removing his shirt, he tossed it in after the girl. He still had on the gloves he’d worn in the office, but The Dissolvor couldn’t take the chance of dropping them in with the rest of the garbage. Pulling them off so they were inside out and the blood would stay on the inside, he shoved them in his back pocket for disposal later. He glanced back at the entrance, people passed with no clue of what had happened in the alley. He always wore a black undershirt. But because of the body there was no way to leave by way of the sidewalk, no witnesses.
Turning toward the back of the alley, he took stock. Not a problem. The alley turned into a small walkway between buildings leading to the next block. It was chilly, after all it was still winter. But then The Dissolvor was known to be cold blooded. It was dark enough no one noticed as he slipped out and darted across the road to the opposite side again entering a walkway between two buildings. Slowly, by way of dark walkways, it wasn’t long before The Dissolvor was in the safety of his lair, as he liked to call home.
Chapter Eleven
Again, Bryn found herself at a table at her friend’s restaurant, only this time there was no drama and Garçon and Joseph were at the table. She looked at her new sister-in-law and brother-in-law, and her two best friends in the world. Then glanced at her hand, the diamond sparkled back at her. Matt’s errand he’d had to run had been to a jewelry store. She was so happy she thought she’d burst.
“Today has certainly turned out a little different than I’d planned.” Reagan laughed.
“It certainly has, Sis.”
“I hate to be a downer, but Reagan and I have to leave in the morning. We need to discuss what Captain Hayden wants to do.” Paco gave a look of apology to Bryn. “I wish we didn’t have to mar this day with any unpleasantness.”
“I understand. What did you talk to Hayden about?” Bryn had forgotten about the evening before. “I know you were at Garçon’s last night. I kept an eye out, I was curious to see how long Matt stayed.”
“Well, Brynny, we just wanted everyone to know if there was anything we could do to help keep you safe we’d be there. They’d just have to tell us what they needed.” Garçon gave a nervous look to Joseph.
“What else?”
“Garçon,” Joseph said, then took a deep breath. “I really don’t think it’s safe to keep her in the dark. Knowledge is protection in this case.”
“Garçon, he’s right. I need to know what’s going on so I’m not caught unaware.” Bryn reached for her husband’s hand, took a moment to bask in the thought of husband, and then turned her attention to the conversation.
“I’m afraid Bryn’s right. We need to tell her everything.” Matt raised a brow at Joseph.
“What haven’t you been telling me?” She scowled at Joseph.
“That’s what I’d like to know.” Reagan looked between the two men, then to her brother, as if she wasn’t even in on the secret.
And since she’d been invited into the inner circle the evening before, that didn’t make sense. Whatever it was, she had a feeling it had been going on a while.
Joseph sighed. “Okay, that’s fair.”
Before he could continue, Bryn felt a presence behind her, then Reagan and Paco both looked at someone over her shoulder. Matt turned in his seat, and then Joseph and Garçon noticed. Bryn twisted in her chair to find Toni standing behind her.
“Well, the whole clan is here. How are you, Reagan? I haven’t seen you in a while.” She looked around. “Do you mind if I join you for a moment?”
Unfortunately, she snagged a chair before anyone could object. And she chose to settle herself between Bryn and Matt. Matt looked over Toni’s head and winked as if reassuring her. He needn’t have bothered, he married her and not Toni. The woman couldn’t hurt her by using Matt any longer. But she was curious about her interruption.
“What is this fun little celebration about? You all look so rosy cheeked and happy.” She looked around the table expectantly.
“We all got married,” Matt announced.
“All? What do you mean?” Again, Toni glanced around the table.
“As in Bryn and I, Rea and Paco, and the boys, Garçon and Joseph.” Matt reached for the champagne and poured some into the glass that a waitress had brought over when she’d noticed their new guest.
Then he raised his glass, “A toast to true love.”
Everyone sipped from their glass. Except Toni, who turned her head toward Bryn. Bryn almost recoiled from the hate reflected in Toni’s dark Italian eyes. She’d made an enemy without meaning to. Maybe Toni hadn’t grown out of her stalking phase after all.
“Well, I won’t interrupt your little celebration.” She began to stand, but Matt placed a hand on her shoulder and gently pushed her back into her seat.
“First, tell us why you joined us in the first place, there was some reason.”
Caught, Toni breathed in as if trying to settle herself. Could the woman still be in love with Matt? Except, what she’d done when they were younger bordered on obsession. Crap, were they going to have to deal with Toni Bruno on top of the crazies in the HEAD organization.
“I’m sorry, I really didn’t mean to interrupt. I thought you’d like to know that I think someone was in your office, Bryn.”
“When?” Matt asked before Bryn had the chance.
“I haven’t worked with Bryn that long, but I have noticed a few of her habits, and she tends to leave her door open when she leaves for the day. I left late tonight, the cleaning people had already started their chores, and when I walked past the door was firmly shut.”
“I did leave it open. But why did you track me down to tell me? You could have just called.”
“I would have. I’m meeting my friend here tonight, and when I saw you, just figured I’d tell you.”
That made sense. At least the woman wasn’t stalking Matt. Yet.
“That’s really all I have to tell you. You never break routine. I’ll see you tomorrow, my friend is here.” Toni stood to make her way, weaving through the tables to where a young woman waited.
Everyone at the table waited until she was settled with her friend at a table across the room, and too far to overhear any conversation.
“I believe I know where to start.” Joseph still had his focus on Toni. Then he turned to Bryn. “I’m not a bodyguard.”
“What? But you’ve always been in security,” Bryn protested.
“Yes, just not the kind you thought.”
Bryn noticed that Reagan and Paco now seemed to understand. She hated being in the dark.
“What other kind of security? You mean like building security?”
“I’m a cyber forensic investigator.”
“What the hell is that?”
Joseph filled her in, explaining what he’d apparently told Matt, as he piped in from time to time to help explain. And then how he’d met Reagan in San Francisco.
Reagan smiled. “Haven’t you ever wondered why he traveled as a bouncer?”
“I figured out a long time ago he was more than a bar bouncer. But I thought security for major companies.”
“Well then, Brynny, you weren’t far off.”
“And you’ve helped terrorist task teams, and I’ve been worried about making you worry about me.” She regarded Garçon with suspicion. “Anything you’re keeping from me?”
“No, I haven’t wielded any spatula to protect the country from the bad guys, I’m just an ordinary chef and world renowned Sommelier.”
She laughed, she couldn’t stay mad at her friends. “A toast, to no more secrets so we don’t worry about each other.”
They all lifted a glass and after a few moments they got down to the business of trapping the bad guys.
“Hayden is on board with you, setting a trap or filter, whatever you need to do at WBA.” Paco settled into his chair and threw a casual arm over the back of Reagan’s chair. “Matt, did you talk to Cameron this morning?”
“Yes, he’s already had several interviews for the auditor. He said he’d set up an interview for Joseph tomorrow morning.”
“We know, or think someone’s been messing with Bryn’s computer.” Joseph thought for a moment. “Where is Cameron’s office? Is it close to your office?”
“It’s not far, it wouldn’t go unnoticed for you to drop by my office.” Bryn was having a hard time reconciling this side of Joseph. He’d always seemed so laid back and carefree. So far from the Joseph she was seeing now talking about trapping computers, or whatever. She felt as if she’d stepped into the Twilight Zone.
“What is going on with Andrew Phillips?”
Matt’s question brought her back to the conversation. Paco took a sip of his champagne before he answered, almost as if he considered his words.
“Hayden wants to be advised of any trips to the UK by any of the suspected WBA HEAD group. He believes that Phillips is still there and they’re focusing on some project. It has something to do with small villages becoming sustainable.”
“The greenhouse project. I was reviewing one of the reports this morning. What on earth would that have to do with his idea of a world Utopian society?” Bryn couldn’t figure out the workings of the fanatic’s mind.
“I would assume because in a perfect society, wouldn’t it stand to reason that all communities would be self-sufficient? Peace, equality for the members of the village. No hierarchy governing the people. No Über rich, or the other extreme, no extremely poor.” Matt shrugged, raised a hand to signal a waiter. “It sounds too good to be true, because it is.”
Reagan took up the reigns of the conversation. “There’s always going to be evil in the world. Unless Phillips can figure a way to cure the world of that, he’ll never have his Utopia.”
“You mean wipe the Dark web off cyber space?” Joseph added.
The waiter arrived and the group moved on to Jameson. Being on the lightweight side, Bryn ordered a Jameson Ginger with lime. She sort of wanted to remember her wedding night—if they ever got around to having one.
“You know Phillips isn’t the first to want a Utopia.” This was Garçon’s contribution. “I believe the first Utopian proposal was Plato's Republic. Let me think a moment”
Bryn knew that Garçon loved history. His home had a library that any booklover would die for, actually to clarify, any history lover would love.
“If I remember right, Plato proposed a categorization of citizens into a rigid class structure of "golden," "silver," "bronze," and "iron" socioeconomic classes.”
“Don’t forget 16th century’s Thomas More's book, Utopia, proposed an ideal society of the same name.” Matt seemed to know his history also.
Bryn felt a little left out, she wasn’t a history buff, but at least it seemed as if Garçon and Matt were the only history buffs at the table. That is until Paco decided to give his two cents worth.
“Have either of you read the English political philosopher, James Harrington, author of the Utopian 1656 composition, The Commonwealth of Oceana? The piece has been said to have inspired the English country party republicanism.”
Bryn sighed, was she the only one who wasn’t a Brainiac? At least Reagan didn’t seem to be a know-it-all.
“I’ve read it, and I believe his theories ultimately contributed to the idealistic principles of the American Founders.” Joseph, not to be outdone, added this tidbit.
“And three English colonies in America were planned as Utopian societies,” Garçon said.
“That’s right,” Matt’s eyes lit up as he agreed. “Let’s see, they were the colonies of Carolina, founded in... Drat, I can’t remember.”
“1670 something,” Joseph reminded him.
“And Pennsylvania, founded in 1681,” Matt added.
“And Georgia, founded in 1733.” Reagan glared at her brother. “Now can we move on? You were always a history geek at home, how did you end up in finance?”
Even Reagan had known her history. Well, Bryn grew up in Ireland.
“I bet you guys don’t know who Niall Noígíallach was.” There let them chew on that.
Garçon widened his eyes and stared at her. “Niall of the Nine Hostages, the prehistoric Irish king? What does he have to do with Utopia?”
Matt’s arm snaked around Bryn’s shoulders. Then he winked at her. He understood. Even so, Bryn felt like a two-year-old. It wasn’t a contest. They were discussing the history of Utopia, and the men through history who had the same fanatical idea, and she found she did have something contribute.
“You know, doesn’t it prove that if as far back as Plato, the world couldn’t sustain a Utopian society? Then shouldn’t it prove that the concept will never work?”
“Bryn that would mean Phillips would have to be sane to figure that out.” Matt’s tone was dry as day old bread.
“Guys, we got a little off topic. Do you know if any of the suspected HEAD group within the WBA plan to travel to London or Ireland in the near future?” Reagan directed her question to Bryn and Matt, the insiders of the group.
“Does Paris count?” Bryn asked.
“That’s right, Sam Bowman, from the DRIB, announced at the last board meeting he would be visiting the Paris office for a month. He’d have plenty of time to make a quick trip to Ireland,” Matt said.
“Watch him, find out his plans. Or better yet, you two stay completely away from any of this. Have Cameron or Megan check into his plans...”
Joseph cut off Paco. “Who’s Megan?”
“Megan Nygaard is the Chief Financial Officer for MGIA.” Matt sipped his whiskey. “We believe she was on the Headman list. There wouldn’t be any eyebrows raised if she did a little cozying with Sam, they get along well.”
“And therein lies the problem. The three who are suspected of being HEAD were part of the WBA family. We know everyone and their families, some are even Godparents. And then to find out that some of our own are traitors. Worse, they didn’t slink away in disgrace, no, they’d continued to proclaim their innocence.” Bryn picked up her napkin to dab at her eyes, hopefully no one noticed. “Who do you believe? We know somehow the Headman was connected to the WBA, three murders are too big of a coincidence. We need to find Phillips and get the traitors out of the group, no matter how hard it is to do. No more murders.”
“Matt, you and Bryn stop by Cameron’s place in the morning before work.” Reagan held up her hand. “I know, you’re newlyweds. Let’s call it an evening so all of us can have a least somewhat of a wedding night.”
“I’m mighty homesick for the Emerald Isle.” Bryn closed her eyes and pictured their little village. “You know, no one would think twice about Matt and me going on a Honeymoon. I could introduce him to my family.”
“That’s a great idea. Brother, what do you think?” Reagan asked.
“I think I need to take Bryn to properly introduce her to Ma as my wife before I meet her family.” He leaned into her and kissed the top of her head. Tingles ran from where his lips connected. “Let’s take a week to let Cameron interview Joseph, maybe contract the internal auditor and, last but a big not least, Megan find out Sam’s plan. By then the office grapevine will have worked its magic. It will be only natural that we combine a honeymoon trip to New York for Bryn to meet the Elders, and then off to Ireland to meet my new in-laws.”
Reagan glanced over, and Bryn followed her gaze to see she was looking at Toni Bruno. “I think the grapevine has already started.”
The rest of the table glanced over at the same time Toni lifted her head and stared back at the group.
Bryn shivered, she would watch her back whenever around the woman.
“I vote we all go home to bed.” Paco laughed as he signaled for the check.
“It’s on the house.” Garçon raised the last of his whiskey and drained it. “A wedding present for us all, and no, I didn’t pick up the tab. The owners did.”
Bryn turned in her seat and saw Charlie, one of the owners barking orders to someone in the kitchen. When he glanced her way, she mouthed a ‘thank you’ and then twisted to regard the rest of the table.
“Congratulations everyone. It’s time to go home.”
Chapter Twelve
Today was the first day of work. The Dissolvor smiled. Pure evil. Last week a cleaning boy, this week Emery Mansfield, the new Independent Auditor for the World Banking Association. Cameron Kohler, the Chief Investment Officer of DIG, had hired Emery to audit all five entities of the WBA.
Little did anyone know he’d just invited The Dissolvor, Andrew Phillips’ hired gun from the Dark web, into the inner sanctum of WBA. But then Emery’s background was squeaky clean, and his credentials were something out of a dream employee handbook. Emery had more letters after his doctorate than the alphabet. Came with being a genius. But then all of the credentials were real, just the aliases were fake.
And, there was the fact that the two other candidates had not made the interview appointments.
Emery gave himself one last pat to his jet-black hair. He checked the pancake filler of his cheeks, disguising the shape of his face. Then he pulled on his no show socks, next, his Cole Haan Oxfords, stepped back to get a full view. Yes, he’d do. He straightened the blue bow tie and buttoned the top button of his Burberry London navy wool suit jacket. He nodded his head, every inch the upscale Harvard honor roll graduate.
Twenty minutes later he walked into the headquarters of WBA and the five entities. Then began the annoyingly long process of first day crap, badge for security, etc. At least he wasn’t a new hire, so no human resources for him. Finally, he was on the way to Cameron’s office. Kohler could be intimidating with his linebacker size and his bald head that gleamed like a giant chocolate truffle. But he didn’t scare Emery, he could take him down.
