Intrusion (18 page)

Rao
stiffened slightly. “OK. Anything wrong, Mrs. Buckley?”

Rand slowly backed out of the room, leaving us to confront each other.

“Oh, no,” I said. “It’s standard industry practice. After I study it, I’ll discuss it with Meg and you. After all, five million dollars is a big chunk. Investing it wisely is what strategic finance is all about.”

Rao’s
face knotted in a frown. “Blood money, that’s all it is. I know I shouldn’t be emotional about money, but it’s like a bounty on Tommy.” He shuddered. “Meg is much more philosophical, of course. Comes from being a doctor, I guess. And Carter’s chomping at the bit, always talking about the bottom line.”

“Carter seems like quite a businessman,” I said. “Did he invest much in CYBER-MED?”

Another shrug.
“I guess. Mostly he contributed business expertise. He and Tommy clashed more than once, I can tell you that.”

Another insight into life at CYBER-MED. Tommy never mentioned strife or conflict with investors. A horrific thought struck me. Maybe he had tried to tell me, and I was too absorbed in my own selfish concerns to react.

“Tommy lived for conflict,” I said, “always called
himself
a gladiator. Carter Cahill couldn’t shake his confidence, believe me.”

Arun
spent some time twisting his cufflink while I sat patiently awaiting the storm.

“Forgive me, Elisabeth. I know this is none of my business, but …”

I got a flash straight from the psychic hotline. Operative word: awkward. “OK,
Arun
. Does this have anything to do with Lucian Sand?”

He stammered some kind of gutless response. “I’m concerned. Candy and I discussed it.”

“Candy? You and Candy discussed my private life? Oh, that’s just great.”

He held out his hand in protest. “No, it wasn’t like that, really it wasn’t. Candy’s happy for you. She said he would do you good. I just wanted you to know the truth. That’s all.”

My gaze pinned him like a specimen on a slide. “And what is the truth,
Arun
?”

“Don’t trust him. Lucian Sand can’t be trusted. He would do anything to get control of CYBER-MED.”

The queasiness I felt was probably indigestion. Lucian Sand was a stranger, a rare error in judgment for someone as cautious as I. No big deal.

“Dr. Sand is merely an acquaintance,” I said, “nothing to worry about.”

Arun’s
relief was palpable. “OK, then. I’ll leave you alone to read this stuff. Call me if you need anything else.”

I donned my reading glasses and settled in for a long afternoon. It was chilling, reading the cold, dispassionate document with Tommy’s name on it, one that put a dollar value on his life. When Kai died, I had sleepwalked through the paperwork, guided by a battery of attorneys for the Buckley Trust. None of it mattered to me. Money was valueless without my husband.

Tommy’s key person policy was quite specific. The proceeds were payable to CYBER-MED Corporation with one exception: one million dollars went directly to Carter Cahill, identified in the document as a primary lender. No wonder he had been so emphatic about return on investment. It was time to talk money with Meg.

Fifteen

She was
waiting for me, hands folded, ankles crossed, the very picture of a well-bred lady. Even her smile was letter perfect.

“
Arun
tells me you have questions, Elisabeth. Come on in. Please, take a seat.”

Our eyes met, telegraphing an unspoken challenge.
I’m ready for you, Doctor.
Time
to set
things straight.

I’d handled plenty of business negotiations at Sweet Nothings. Few things bothered me anymore. As long as I focused on Tommy, everything would be just fine. I channeled my inner waif, hoping to allay Meg’s suspicions. It didn’t fool her for a minute.

“Let’s talk money,” I said. “How do you plan to use the proceeds from Tommy’s insurance policy?”

Meg uncrossed her ankles and leaned forward. “Isn’t that discussion premature? Until his murder is resolved, there is no money.
Arun
spoke with the insurance company today.”

“Surely you’ve considered the issue,” I said. “You’re an excellent planner.”

Meg shook her shiny platinum hair. “Perhaps I should call
Arun
. He’s a partner, too.”

“As you wish.
I’ll speak for myself and Ms.
Ott
. It’s all theoretical anyway.”

She buzzed
Rao’s
number and poured herself more coffee. The woman mainlined caffeine. Shouldn’t a doctor be abstemious?

Arun
flew through the doorway as if Meg had some strange, hypnotic hold on him. He nodded to me and claimed a seat next to his mentor.

“We’re discussing strategy,
Arun
. Tell Mrs. Buckley our proposal for using the insurance proceeds.” Meg leaned toward him. She had crossed her legs, letting a lacey black slip peek out over shapely knees.

Dr.
Arun
Rao
, prize pupil and automaton, recited his lines perfectly. “The funds were always meant to support CYBER-MED. We’ll use them to buy out you and Candy … Ms.
Ott
.”

“Really?
We’d consider that, of course, but we’re also entertaining another offer.”

Meg’s body coiled like a striking serpent. I’d played a different card in the deck.

“Another offer?
May I ask who made this offer? We’ll match or exceed any reasonable bid. The survival of this company is critical.”

I shook my head. “It’s still very preliminary, and I’m not at liberty to disclose any specifics.”

“It’s Lucian Sand. I know it!”
Arun
leapt to his feet and started pacing. “He’s conning you, don’t you see? You can’t trust anything that guy says.”

Meg pasted a frozen smile on her face and held up her hand. “Let’s remain civil. I know this has been difficult for you, Elisabeth, what with Thomas’s death and … “

“His
murder,
Meg.
Don’t you forget
it.
I never will.”

“Of course.
Please forgive me.” Meg was in soothing healer mode.
Arun
leaned against the wall, a scowl marring his handsome features.

“You think it’s one of us, don’t you?” His eyes were feverish. “What did Tommy tell you? I was his best friend.”

My self-control tore like a gently frayed garment. “No,
Arun
. I was his best friend. Candy, too. Maybe I wasn’t there for him when he needed me, but I sure as hell am now. Count on it.” I rose unsteadily, bracing myself against the chair. “If you or anyone else at CYBER-MED was responsible for taking my friend’s life, watch out.”

~

I took a cab straight over to Sweet Nothings, praying that Candy could make sense of things. Despite her unorthodox approach to life, she often spotted things that eluded the rest of us. Besides, I’d never asked her about that notation on Tommy’s computer:
 
CC and Giraffe,
KillerStartups
.

She had just concluded her weekly conference call with vendors and waved me in, her eyes aglow with triumph.

“Why so glum, Betts?
Wait ‘til you hear what I did!” She kicked off her stilettos and sighed.
“First things first.
I
cozied
up to Mrs. Jacob Arthur as directed.” She
pursed
her well-moistened lips.

“And?
Don’t keep me in suspense, for God’s sake.”

Candy’s cat eyes sparkled. “I peeled her like a grape. Told you I would. Anyhow, she said her husband’s death was totally unexpected. He had just been given an all clear by his cardiologist. That pacemaker was his fail-safe, you know.”

Her big coup looked smaller every minute.
“So, no suspicion of foul play or malfeasance?”

“Well, maybe. Mrs. A. says the defendant in that tax case was a nasty piece of work. You know the type, government conspiracy, trumped up evidence, the works. He’d made veiled threats against the judge and the prosecutor. Nothing concrete, though.”

I hated to dampen Candy’s spirits. “Maybe it’s a dead end. Tommy might have been wrong, you know.” I felt a pang of conscience at my disloyalty. Tommy was not fanciful. He was a hardheaded realist. He and Kai accused both me and Candy of being romantics, mystery buffs who read too many books. That list was important to Tommy, and the tape supported it. My task was to fit the pieces of this lethal puzzle together.

I waved the printout at Candy. “Hey, look at this.
CC and Giraffe,
KillerStartups
.
I found it in Tommy’s personal files yesterday, but it has me stumped. It connects to us somehow. I just don’t know how.
Probably something about Sweet Nothings.”

I’d racked my brain for any blade of inspiration.
Safety deposit box?
I’d checked those. They had all the standard boring stuff we all put in the bank, a copy of Tommy’s will, deeds, bonds and some more pictures.
Nothing that linked up to CYBER-MED.

Candy stirred her tea as she studied the printout. Anyone else would have frowned, and wrinkles
be
damned. Naturally, elegant Candace
Ott
, beauty seer to the stars, would never do that. She allowed herself several massive sighs and a cleansing breath. I watched transfixed as her face lit up with the glow of a morning sunrise.

“You really don’t get it, do you?” She hugged her pillow, swaying merrily from side to side. “Unbelievable! For once I’m the smart one.”

My nerves had reached the precipice. One more
smirk,
and Candy would be a beautifully groomed corpse.

“Yeah, you’re a genius. Stop stalling and spit it out before I pole-axe you.”

“Geez, what a grouch.”
Candy rolled her eyes, playing the scene for every ounce of drama. “Look Betts, it’s simple. When Tommy was here, he experimented with all kinds of social media. You must remember that. He loved to twitter, and he posted on
Facebook
more than he used the telephone. Said it enhanced business, but personally I think Tommy used it to troll for dates. Most of his so-called friends were female. Check it out, if you don’t believe me. His
Facebook
account is still active.”

I closed my eyes and leaned back. Once Candy went off track, nothing could pull her back. No way would I endure another disjointed piece of Tommy’s life. I missed him too much to confront that grim reality so late in the day.

“What does all that have to do with this CC and Giraffe business?” My voice was gruff. “Why conceal something that was in the public domain anyhow?”

Candy ignored my bad temper. “I don’t know. Maybe he left a clue or something.” She snapped her fingers. “I’ve got an idea. Let’s ask
Arun’s
opinion. After all, he knew Tommy almost as well as we did.”

I snatched her
iPhone
before she could dial.
“Absolutely not.
Arun
Rao
is way too cozy with Meg Cahill for my taste. Those two practically inhale each other’s air.”

That stopped Candy cold. I shouldn’t have hinted about
Rao
and Meg’s relationship without solid proof. It was downright mean, and I regretted it instantly. Fortunately, Candy was focused on the task at hand.

“We could always call the delectable Dr. Sand,” she purred. “I’ll bet he’d have plenty of exotic suggestions.”

“Forget it. I have nothing to say to Lucian Sand. Besides, like
Arun
, he’s a suspect. They all had a motive to silence Tommy.”

Pouting is always unattractive, particularly when the pouter in question is a thirty-year-old business executive. Candy’s brief vale of sunshine was eclipsed by a sudden storm.

“You’re no help at all, Betts. Didn’t they teach you anything at Harvard?” She leapt up and tackled her computer. “Let’s just see what Google has to say about that.” Candy typed something in and waited. Then she uttered a strangled cry.
“Oh, my God!
Look, Betts, I was right.” Her finger shook as she pointed at the screen.
KillerStartups
was a social networking site devoted to all manner of new business ventures. It had hundreds of applications, any one of which Tommy might have used to send us a message. On the other hand, perhaps it was just a joke. Only in detective fiction is everything tinged with meaning.

As we assessed it, our assistant poked her head in the office.
“Phone call for you, Mrs. Buckley.
Dr. Lucian Sand.”

I immediately panicked. “Tell him I’m busy. Take a message.” I wrung my hands until they hurt.

Her patient smile never faltered. “It’s the second time he’s called today.”