A Taste of Tragedy (14 page)

“Nice day for a round of golf,”
Preston
stated as he climbed into the cart next to Aaron.

“Yes, the glory of
Phoenix
, year-round sports.” Aaron depressed the pedal on the electric golf cart and the two men buzzed toward the first hole. “How was your trip to
Miami
?”

“Needless to say, the group wasn’t happy to learn that those e-mails surfaced. Even though they’ve been destroyed along with the flash drive, and I’ve convinced Morgan there was no merit to the accusations, my cohorts are nervous. Too many screw-ups as of late have put everyone on edge, especially your old boss.”

Aaron ground his teeth at the mention of his previous employer and mentor. He hadn’t got over the feeling of betrayal. She had saved him, mentored him, and then had let him go without a fight. He had thought of her as family. His only family.

“I can understand the desire for extra caution. When a bad penny shows up again, it’s worth taking note,” Aaron replied.

Preston
nodded. “I agree. Who would have guessed the naïve, straight-laced Stan would have gotten suspicious so quickly
?.
When I found out about Stan’s backstabbing activities, I had no choice but to fire him. Thankfully, J.R. was able to get the job and all results purged from the Smith & Brown System. I thought that ugly mess was behind us, and now it resurfaces just when we don’t need any attention. If Stan weren’t dead, I’d kill him for all the trouble he’s caused.”

Aaron nodded as he retrieved a driver from his bag. Bending down, he pressed the tee into the turf and adjusted the ball. Stepping back, he eyed the shot, took a couple practice swings, and hit the ball just shy of the green.

“How confident are we that Morgan didn’t keep copies of the messages or that she didn’t download them somewhere else?”
Preston
asked as he stepped around Aaron to tee up.

“I scoured her office, home, and vehicle. I checked her office and home computers and found nothing.”

“No offense, but you said Stan’s office was sanitized before she started.”
Preston
’s swing dropped the ball on the green ten feet closer to the hole than Aaron’s.

Aaron put his club back in his bag and waited in the cart for Preston to join him but didn’t respond. He couldn’t argue. He had somehow missed the tiny flash drive, making this mess all his fault. He would do whatever it took to clean it up and make his mentor proud.

“The only other location we might check is her place in Sedona. She claimed she didn’t go up there during the weekend after she found the flash drive, but we can’t overlook anything else.”

“I could drive up to Sedona tomorrow and check it out. I already did a property search and located the house,” Aaron offered. “Unfortunately, she didn’t go home last night, so I have to assume she went there after work.”

Conversation stopped as the two men found their golf balls and finished out the hole, both under par. Clubs stowed, they made their way to the next hole.

“If we waited until Monday, you could search when she’s back in the office. I kind of hate to wait that long. The sooner we verify nothing is in Sedona the better. Besides, you are invaluable as her assistant in keeping tabs on her.”

“I’ll go tomorrow, but I’ll keep out of sight until she leaves. If she doesn’t leave the house, I’ll stay the night in a nearby town and search first thing Monday morning. That way, I’d only be an hour or two late.”

“Okay. Anything else happen while I was away that I should know about?”
Preston
asked.

“She worked a lot with the marketing team, as you know, but it seems like she spends more than the necessary amount of time down in the plant with Wiley.”

“While you’re in Sedona tomorrow, I’ll take a look at the security camera feeds from the plant. Maybe I can determine if she’s up to anything of concern.”

The next hole proceeded along much like the first. They had been using golf for unofficial meetings ever since Aaron arrived in
Preston
’s employ. They had the process honed to an art. By the end of the third hole, they had discussed the current problem and had a plan on how to respond.

“Enough shop talk. We’re all even now, so how about putting a twenty on this round?”

Aaron agreed, knowing that he’d have to muff a shot or two so Preston could win. The only thing bigger than the Morgan problem was his boss’s ego. He put his iron back in the bag and selected one he normally wouldn’t use at this distance. When his ball fell short of the hole, he glanced over and could see the pompous jerk was smiling.

Morgan woke feeling more refreshed than she had in weeks. She went to bed shortly after talking to Nick and slept through the night for the first time in a very long time.

As the sun rose, she enjoyed several cups of coffee on the deck off the back of the house. The view always amazed her. The red rocks and hills dotted with cacti and scraggly vegetation looked incapable of supporting wildlife. Yet, if she was quiet and patient, she always spotted plenty. This morning, she watched several species of birds, lizards, and a small rabbit going about their day.

After the sun forced her inside, she retrieved the box her computer had arrived in, stowed at the top of the guest room closet. She removed the large sheet of foam padding that had cushioned the laptop for shipping. Cutting a piece the size of the box she planned to use to ship the vial to Nick, she carefully carved out a space to cushion the glass. She slid the foam cradling the vial into the box. She then slipped the three sheets of paper containing Stan Jacobson’s messages, folded in half, on top of the padding. She addressed the box to Nick at his FBI office and sealed the carton with an unnecessary amount of packing tape.

Satisfied she had done the best job she could, she grabbed her purse and keys off the counter and headed for the garage. She wished the Jeep would start. She craved the feel of the wind blowing through her hair, but that would have to wait a bit longer.

The drive into town in her usual vehicle wasn’t long. Even though spring was the busiest tourist season, it was still too early in the day to be too congested with visitors. She reached the store which offered overnight shipping, just as it opened for the day. When asked, she admitted to liquid and fragile, but denied any hazardous materials. She prayed she hadn’t lied.

The outcome of the analysis would settle the issue once and for all. Even though Nick didn’t make any promises and insinuated he might have issues accomplishing the task, she had no doubt he would come through for her. With the box on its way, Morgan felt as if an incredible weight had lifted. She had an appointment at the day spa and a few more errands to run, but then the weekend was all hers to enjoy.

Outside, the sun was bright and the day held just enough morning chill to feel pleasant. She glanced at her watch and noted she had an hour before her facial. Slipping on her sunglasses, she strolled down the street, stepping into the unique galleries and small shops lining the road.

Memories of walking down these same sidewalks hand-in-hand with Nick made her smile. Their marriage hadn’t lasted long, but for its short duration, their love and passion had burned hot, maybe too hot. Nick had brought out sensuality in her that she hadn’t known she possessed, and when he left, he took it with him. She wondered if she could ever get it back.

“Morgan.”

The sound of her name being called brought her out of her thoughts and back to the present. She looked up and spotted a woman waving at her from across the street. The woman looked both ways and then darted toward her. It took Morgan a moment to recognize the person calling out to her, but then another chapter of her past came flooding back.

“Susan Allred, so good to see you. Wow, what has it been—ten years?” Morgan asked as she hugged her old friend.

“At least. I thought maybe you had sold the place. I come here about once a month and hadn’t seen you in so long. Let’s grab a cup of coffee and catch up.”

“I’d like that a lot,” Morgan stated as she laced her arm through Susan’s and they strolled down the sidewalk.

Please let the product be safe, Morgan thought as she and Susan chatted. Not only had her job with Giant Cactus Foods brought her back to her family vacation home, but she had just been reunited with a friend from a much happier, carefree era of her life and had finally spoken to Nick for the first time in nearly a year. If felt good to reconnect with her past, and she prayed it would last.

After the two women parted and exchanged contact information, Morgan headed for her spa appointment. The facial helped Morgan to truly relax. The morning had gone so well that grocery shopping and the other errands had been a joy instead of necessary and unpleasant chores for a change. When she went to the bank where she still kept the family safe deposit box, several of the employees recognized her, making her feel like she belonged in a town where few did.

Her visit with Susan had brought back many happy memories of her childhood and young adult life. Susan’s family also had a vacation home in the area, and the girls had spent a great deal of time exploring together. They had tried to keep in touch during and after college, but eventually lost touch.

On her way out of town, Morgan pulled into her favorite mechanic’s shop, Joe’s Auto Repair. She was surprised and pleased to see how little had changed. Over the years, Sedona had grown too fast. Many of the small businesses had been pushed out by trendy shops which could afford the skyrocketing real estate prices, but here was Joe’s, just as grimy and charming as ever.

“Well, I’ll be. I haven’t seen that pretty face for years, not since you and that nice young man split up,” the old man said as Morgan walked through the door.

“Hi, Joe, how have you been?” Morgan replied, ignoring the comment about Nick.

“I’m hanging in there, but I don’t know for how long. My youngest is off at college and none of my boys have any desire to take over the business. When I quit enjoying my customers, I guess I’ll sell the place and retire.”

“I hope that’s not for a very long time. I ran into Susan Allred this morning, and now, seeing you, it makes me feel like I’ve come home. I don’t recognize many people anymore, and the businesses change faster than I can keep up with, so it’s wonderful seeing a few familiar faces.”

“How long are you here for?”

“Just the weekend. I took a job recently in
Phoenix
, so I’m hoping to come up every weekend I get a chance.”

“Good to hear. So, what brings you in? I doubt it’s just to look at my ugly mug.”

Morgan chuckled. “I love that face, but I do need your services. The battery is dead on the Jeep. I don’t have any jumper cables, not that I’d know how to use them even if I did, but it probably just needs a new battery.”

“We’re pretty slow this afternoon, so my hired guy can handle things. I’ll follow you out and we’ll try to jump it. I’ll bring a new battery in case it’s got no juice left.”

“I hate to impose on you, but I sure would love to do a little exploring in the hills behind the house tomorrow before having to head back to the city Monday morning.”

“No imposition at all. At my age, it feels good whenever a beautiful young woman needs my services.”

Morgan laughed and hugged Joe. “It’s so good to be back.”

“It’s good to have you back. Just let me grab my keys and a battery, and we’ll have you four-wheeling in no time.”

Morgan returned to her vehicle to wait for Joe. Leaning against its warm surface, absorbing the sun, she couldn’t remember feeling so content. She hoped the issues at work would resolve themselves soon and not destroy her newfound happiness.

Preston
hated going into the office on Sundays. Normally, Aaron would handle the tedious task, but he was on his way to Sedona. After Preston’s meeting with Coterie in Miami, he felt as if he was now on probation—one more slip up and he was out of the coalition. So no matter what needed done, or when, he’d do it.

J.R. had ordered him to check in Sunday by noon with a status update. If J.R. wasn’t happy with the report,
Preston
feared he would send in an outside asset to clean up matters.
Preston
loved money and success, but he didn’t care much for violence and death. The last time J.R. sent help, Stan ended up dead, and he ended up with Aaron working at his company, who probably reported every move he made back to Coterie.

The building was dark and quiet, which mirrored his mood.
Preston
loved the hum of his well-run empire. He enjoyed the trickling of the impressive wall of water dominating the ultra-modern lobby of his corporate headquarters, the rumbling of machines churning out products craved by citizens from around the world, and the greetings from eager-to-please employees. He didn’t care so much for an empty, silent building.

When he had hired the lovely do-whatever-it-takes-to-win Morgan Hunter, he had visions of discovering just how eager-to-please she would be and how far she would go to succeed. Now, his fantasy was quickly becoming his nightmare.

Preston
made his way to the security room and punched in his code to unlock the door. He wished this could wait until Monday when he had security staff in the building who could retrieve the data, but it couldn’t.

On the weekends and after hours, cameras continued to record everything that happened inside the building. Any alarms or intrusions were automatically forwarded to a private security firm who would determine the level of response needed to deal with the situation.

With his code entered, he logged into the system, taking the private security firm out of the loop. Once he logged out and reset the locks on the door, the private firm would resume control over the building.

He had invested a fortune in security cameras, and it was worth it. He logged on to the main computer terminal and waited while the feeds from cameras one, four, and eight from the plant were uploaded for the past forty-eight hours.

As he watched the computer work, he punched in Aaron’s cell phone number. “Where are you at?”

“Just pulled into town. I’m going to fuel up, get a bite to eat, pick up a few supplies, and then drive to a trailhead that’s fairly close to her place according to my map. I’ll park the rental in a pull out and then it’ll be about a half of a mile hike to my destination. Once I get a visual on the house, I’ll let you know what I see.”

“I’m waiting on the security footage to upload. I’m not sure how long it will take, so just try me on my cell when you have something to report.”

Aaron was a unique asset. He really did have the accounting degree and MBA listed on his resume, thanks to Sofia Wilks, but he was much more. He had many very special talents, all of which could land him in prison if he got caught by the right person.

According to
Sofia
, he had grown up on the streets, supporting himself by breaking into homes and robbing them in a way in which most victims didn’t even realize their homes had been invaded. He never took everything, just enough to get by and only items that wouldn’t be missed. Occasionally, he resorted to outright mugging, but the night he targeted Sofia was the night his life changed. She’d recognized talent. Rather than call the cops, she took him in, helped him get an education, and employed him until J.R. decided his services were needed at GCF.

At first, Preston balked, thinking Aaron was sent to spy on him. He had no doubt that was part of Aaron’s job, but he couldn’t deny Aaron’s value and soon learned to rely on the young man. He knew Sofia was angry and felt betrayed, but they were a team, and Aaron’s services were needed in Phoenix. Besides, J.R. was in charge, and whatever he wanted was law. Until missing the flash drive in Stan’s office, Aaron’s record had been impeccable.

Preston
began watching the footage from the cameras installed in the manufacturing facility. Aaron was correct. Morgan spent an unusual amount of time with Wiley in the plant. Unfortunately, there was no sound on those cameras, so he had no way to know what was being discussed during all those visits.

The only other thing that jumped out at him was a scene from camera eight. Morgan stood close to the additives area where the MFHG3 was temporarily stored daily. Wiley blocked her activities from the camera, but both looked around nervously as if fearing they were being watched. Not knowing what she was doing while Wiley’s back was turned made him very nervous. They both looked guilty.

Somehow, Stan had gotten a sample out of the plant. If Morgan had done that too, the situation had deteriorated even further. As much as he hated to admit it, he needed help apparently beyond Aaron’s sole capability.

He punched in Aaron’s number and the young man answered on the first ring.

“What’s up?”

“I need you to be on the lookout for something else. I’m not sure what it will look like, but I fear she may have gotten a sample.”

“Will do.”

Preston
hung up and punched in another number. He waited for a voice he dreaded hearing. Once he confessed to his latest suspicion, things would escalate and most likely turn deadly.
Preston
hoped there would be some way he could survive the aftermath, but the odds were slimming by the moment.