Authors: Yvonne Harriott
Decked out in full combat gear all the way down to his boots laced up at the calves, it was as though he was gearing up for war and it appeared Beck would be the first casualty.
“Did you call him?” Beck asked calmly trying to defuse the situation.
“He’s not picking up at home or on his cell phone. Yet, he logged into the network just after four this morning.”
Beck went still. He needed coffee, something to cut through the fog in his mind. But Jamie’s comment had done just that.
“What do you mean?” Beck asked but then he already knew what Jamie meant.
He and Malcolm had left the office together. There was no reason for him to log into the system when Jamie was monitoring it.
Beck reached for the phone in his jacket pocket then realized he’d left it on the front seat of his SUV. He grabbed the phone on Jamie’s desk.
He tried Malcolm’s home then his cell phone number. “He’s not picking up,” Beck said to Jamie. “He may be at his girlfriend’s house. I don’t have her number.”
Jamie’s mouth twisted. Then he asked, “What do you know about his girlfriend?”
“Not much. I’ve spoken to her on the phone a couple of times. What are you getting at?”
“You and Malcolm are good friends, yet you’ve never met her. How did he meet her? Did he at the very least tell you that?”
“They haven’t been seeing each other that long.” Beck tried to remember when Malcolm had met her but couldn’t. His friend was happy. Why should he question the relationship? Malcolm’s relationship was his business.
“Malcolm said six months. The funny thing about your right hand man is that he loves to blow his own horn. Perhaps his girlfriend enjoys his music.”
“What are you implying?”
“I’m not implying anything, I’m saying it. We did a complete security check on everyone from management right down to the cleaning staff including their partners.”
“You did a security check on me?”
“That was my idea. We’ve ruled you out and cleared everyone on your team including Malcolm. However, that may be tainted.”
“Tainted? How?”
“The identity of Malcolm’s phantom girlfriend has not been cleared to my satisfaction. Malcolm said her name is Phoenix. Not
Phoenix
as in
Phoenix
, Arizona, but
Phoenix
as in Greek Mythology
Phoenix
. That’s what Malcolm told me.”
“So?”
“When I asked how he met her he became defensive. He didn’t like my line of questioning. That’s when the red flag went up. I started digging.”
“What did you find?” Beck asked not sure if he wanted to know.
“Nothing. Phoenix Jackson, if that’s her real name does not exist. She has never filed a tax return. There are no credit cards issued in her name anywhere and she has no driver’s license.”
“Have you told Malcolm?”
“Just got the report.” Jamie tapped on the folder on the desk. “I did however show him the picture of the mystery woman.”
“And?”
“The picture is gone. I’m thinking he’s in on it with her.”
Beck wanted to see the report, but Jamie didn’t give it to him right away. He didn’t believe Jamie’s accusations about Malcolm. Malcolm was there when he needed money for the company. Asking his father wasn’t an option for he had done enough after the car accident.
Malcolm was a source of support when his marriage to Monika ended. How could he believe what Jamie was saying? Malcolm had a weakness as far as women were concerned, but would he jeopardize the stability of the company over a woman?
Beck wasn’t going to address Jamie’s concerns until he’d spoken to Malcolm. But Jamie wouldn’t let up. He turned in his swivel chair shoving the report in Beck’s hand. Jamie was determined and wanted Beck to see what had to be seen. That was Jamie’s job.
“Do you know what Social Engineering is, Beck? It’s manipulating people into performing actions or divulging confidential information. How is it done? By using trickery or deception for the purpose of information gathering, fraud, or computer system access.”
“I know what Social Engineering is,” Beck said not in the mood for a lecture. He would not address any of Jamie’s questions until he’d spoken with Malcolm. “I know Malcolm. He may have his faults, but he’s careful. I can’t see him letting someone get so close to him, manipulating him that way and putting the company at risk.”
Jamie wasn’t convinced with Beck’s defense of his friend. This was his job—to find the breach within the organization. And it looks like he had. Could he be right about Malcolm? With the evidence in the file, it looked like he was.
“In most cases with Social Engineering the attacker never comes face-to-face with the victim.” Beck dropped the folder on Jamie’s desk and then massaged the back of his stiff neck. “If you’re right about Malcolm, then the woman in the picture could be his girlfriend.” Or Monika, that went unsaid but Jamie knew what he was thinking.
“We’ll find out soon enough. I’ve been doing this job a long time and I always trust my gut. We’ll either hear from her or Malcolm.”
No sooner had Jamie made that declaration the phone on the desk rang. Beck looked at the caller ID and said, “Let’s get some answers.” He hit the speaker button. “Malcolm where are you?”
“Not Malcolm, darling, it’s Monika.”
Beck’s heart just about stopped. He couldn’t believe his ears. Yes, it did sounded like Monika, but she was dead. He rubbed the back of his hand across his forehead.
How did he know she was dead? Based on the type of explosion and the current at the time, Monika’s body could have been washed away, was washed away. The investigation concluded that she was dead. If she was still alive… No. He refused to believe it.
“Monika is dead,” Beck said when he found his voice.
Beck’s eyes fell on Jamie. He was trying to trace Malcolm’s cell phone location using GPS tracking software, as Malcolm’s phone was company issued.
“You can call me Lazarus if you like,” the woman said with a throaty laugh.
“Where is Malcolm? Let me talk to him.”
“Okay, Dalton Beck,” she said sounding bored. “I’ll play your little game and give you time to trace the call. You haven’t found me yet, but go right ahead and try. Oh, Jamie Wright, you’re a worthy opponent. However, I’m much better.”
Jamie glanced at the phone, but didn’t rise to her bait.
“Where is Malcolm,” Beck asked again.
“Malcolm is resting. We were up rather late.”
Beck had to assume two things at that moment. Malcolm was in on the sabotage or he was dead. By the woman’s deadpan tone, he concluded the latter. He knew Monika and didn’t think she was capable of murder. Yet this woman on the other end of the phone clearly was. What if it was Monika? The question plagued him.
Beck looked down at Jamie and Jamie shook his head. He couldn’t get a fix on the call.
“The signal is bouncing all over the place,” Jamie whispered.
Since Jamie wasn’t getting anywhere with the trace Beck asked, “What do you want?”
“Beck Security Systems. It’s mine and you took it away from me. You will sell it and give me what’s mine.”
Beck felt cold. Numb. He didn’t think it would happen again, but it was happening. Except this time there were no lawyers battling it out around a table in a conference room just a mad woman making demands. No face. Just a voice, a very angry voice.
“Assuming you are Monika, you got everything in the divorce settlement. I ended up with nothing.”
He wasn’t going to bow to her request. For three months she’d invaded his life, lurking in the shadows. She has now surfaced with demands. He wasn’t going to walk away from his company. If it was a fight she wanted then so be it.
“Not everything. You’re still alive and that…that woman you’re sleeping with has taken my place. She’s like a damn cat with nine lives. Well, she’s on her last.”
“If you hurt her—”
“You’ll do what?” The voice that exploded over the speakerphone was filled with venom.
Beck stared at the phone in silence. For the first time in his life that he could remember, he was afraid, afraid for Marklynn, himself and afraid of losing his company. His head began to pound, his heart raced.
“What’s the matter? Cat got your tongue? No problem. All you need to do is listen sweetheart.”
“I am
not
your sweetheart.”
“You are what I say you are. You’ve taken everything away from me. I’m going to take everything away from you and Marklynn including her sister.”
“No!”
“Yes! You give me my money or I’ll kill Sydney and then your precious girlfriend.”
The woman hung up and the dial tone echoed throughout the room. Jamie hit the end call button. Beck felt sick to his stomach. He had to physically steady himself before he picked up the phone and punched in the number.
“O’Malley, we need to talk, now!”
• • •
Markie had the two pictures side by side laid out on the kitchen table. Monika Beck and who?
“Who are you?” She asked aloud over the groaning of the refrigerator and the clanking of the window unit air conditioner in the living room. She made a mental note to call the repairman and order a new fridge then turned her attention back to the picture.
Karter had done a great job removing the shadow from the woman’s face. It was almost as if the woman was looking at her. She was a step away from calling Nan to do some sort of psychic reading on the picture. Yeah, she was that desperate.
They had a face but no name to put to the face. She was hoping that they would’ve gotten lucky with the prints that were lifted from the Bowman’s house in Jamaica Plains. No such luck. Beck had said the only prints found were that of the homeowners.
When Beck was called into the office earlier that morning she would have gladly gone with him for they were still up. He had told her that one of them sleepwalking was enough. The bed had felt lonely after his departure and she’d gotten up in search of the pictures. That was four hours ago.
She didn’t want to think about their love making, but it consumed her. Beck said he loved her. Jared had told her he loved her also, but it meant nothing. He’d walked away with her heart when she couldn’t give him what he wanted.
It felt different with Beck. He said he wouldn’t walk away, but she couldn’t be sure. Was she willing to take that chance? Sydney would. Sydney was never afraid to do what she wanted to do. Markie wished she were more like her sister.
Her heart sank as she swallowed back her tears. She knew the odds of finding missing persons. The longer it takes to find them the least likely they will be found alive. She wasn’t going to think about the odds. Nan keeps insisting Sydney was still alive and that was enough for her.
After a strawberry yogurt and a bowl of cereal, Markie turned her attention back to the pictures trying to figure out what it was about the blonde woman’s picture that troubled her.
Jamie had included several pictures of Monika in the file and Markie had those out as well comparing them to the woman with no name. They could be sisters?
Sisters.
Markie had never thought to check if Monika had a sister. Besides, Beck would have told her if he had suspected something. Since he didn’t recognize the woman in the picture then he had no cause to say anything about her.
She had taken Beck at his word. Doubt plagued her. No one else would have gotten off that easily with her. Had her relationship with him clouded her judgment? She reached for the cordless phone on the kitchen counter.
“Peter Kingston, please,” Markie said when a man with a gruff voice answered. “Yes, thanks. I’ll hold.”
“Detective Kingston.” The voice boomed in her ear.
“It’s Marklynn Brooks.”
“Hey Brooks. Hang on for a minute.”
Markie had helped him when his sixteen-year-old drug addicted daughter ran away from home. Kingston was one of her first clients when she started the agency. He had wanted to keep the troubles with his daughter quiet and asked her for help. His daughter was now a mother of twins and married to a senator. Markie wanted to collect on the IOU he’d promised.
“Sorry about that. How are you? Kingston asked. “It’s not the same around here without you.”
“I’m fine,” she said not wanting to talk about the past. “As you know, things happen.”
“It wasn’t right.”
“Don’t lose any sleep over it. We have more cases than we can handle at the moment. I’m actually calling because I need a favor.”
“Shoot.”
“I want to know if there has been any recent activity on the Monika Beck case. It was a boating accident about four years ago. The investigating officer was Detective Samuel O’Malley.”
Kingston lowered his voice. “What do you mean?”
“You’re stalling. Come on Kingston, you owe me.” Markie got up from the table to throw the empty yogurt container in the recycling bin and put her bowl in the sink. She balanced the phone between her ear and shoulder while she turned on the tap to rinse the bowl and spoon.
“Jamie already used that ‘you owe me’ card.”
“Wait. You spoke to Jamie?” She turned off the tap reaching for the towel to quickly dry her hands. “When?”
“I’ll tell you the same thing I told Jamie. Samuel O’Malley reopened it unofficially at the request of Monika’s ex-husband, Dalton Beck. He was investigated at time for her murder, but they couldn’t make anything stick.”
“Because they couldn’t prove it or because he did it?”
“Talk to Jamie.”
Beck a suspect in a murder investigation? Markie couldn’t breathe. “What happened?”
“What happened to what?”
“The investigation O’Malley opened up.”
“It was shut down. That’s all I know. We’re even now.”
Markie’s head reeled after she hung up the phone. Why didn’t she know about Beck being a suspect in his wife’s boating accident? Had she dug deeper she would have known instead of ending up in bed with him.
Why did Jamie keep his conversation with Kingston from her?
The ringing of the phone jarred her out of her shock and she reached blindly for it. “Marklynn Brooks.”
“Are you okay?” Jamie asked sounding worried.
“I want to talk to you. I just spoke to Peter—”