Intrusion (22 page)

That made things even more interesting.

“Good,” I said. “I’ll be curious to hear his reaction.”

Rand knocked softly on the conference room door and ushered us in. “Good luck, ladies.”

The three of them sat side by side at the conference table. Meg, clad in crisp pinstripes nodded briskly and took command. Carter gave us the once over and sank slowly into his chair like an alligator sizing up his prey. After flashing Candy a smile,
Arun
faded into the background, his normally ebullient spirit subdued by the occasion.

“Ladies,” Meg said, “what’s so urgent? My assistant said you insisted on this meeting.”

I said nothing for a full half-minute. The dismissal by the great Doctor got on my last nerve. Candy followed my lead and stayed silent. After watching Carter twitch, I made my move.

“Last night a voice from the grave contacted us.” I spoke softly and wielded a humongous stick. “Thomas Yancey gave us the motive for his murder.”

Their expressions were priceless. Meg’s perpetual smile almost masked her disdain while Carter’s features contorted in a malicious grin.
Arun’s
liquid brown eyes widened in horror.

“Let them have it, Candy,” I said. “It’s time for show and tell.”

She adjusted her computer and called up
KillerStartups
. When she clicked on the video section, Tommy’s face appeared on the screen.

I had committed his words to memory. That allowed me to focus on the reactions of my three colleagues as they heard my friend’s accusations. Meg maintained a perfect poker face throughout the presentation. You would almost think that she was listening to a dry medical treatise. Her husband tried a different tack: Carter’s face contorted with each word Tommy uttered. I fully expected steam to belch from his outsized ears.
Arun
was harder to read. He masked his feelings by folding his arms and lowering his eyes. After seven minutes of torture, the video concluded. Stunned silence consumed the room.

“This isn’t real,” Meg said, leaning back in her seat. “Thomas always joked. You two know that better than I do. He probably contrived this thing to throw a scare into you.
Us, too.”
Her pixie grin was a failed attempt at gallows humor. “For heaven’s sake, you’d think we were Murder Incorporated here.” She nudged
Arun
Rao
to include him in the fun. “I’m a physician. Do I look like some kind of hit woman?”

Candy shed her fluffy persona like a snake molting its skin. The reptile that emerged was fearsome indeed.

“What does a hit woman look like, I wonder? After all, Jack the Ripper was supposedly a doctor, right?” She flashed her beguiling smile and continued. “Tommy wasn’t playing a prank. He would never do that to us. He loved us.”

Meg rubbed her throat as if it were dry while Carter leapt to his wife’s defense.

“See here, you two.
Stop this irresponsible speculation right now, or I’ll
sue
you for slander.”

I hate bullies. That’s why I had to butt in when Carter’s smug self-righteousness hit the third rail on my subway system.

“Actually, Carter, the term is libel. These
days
courts equate video charges with libel even though they’re spoken.” I packaged my barb in a sunny smile that no one bought.

 
Cahill sputtered until his wife’s gentle squeeze short-circuited his ire. Meg tugged her skirt and got down to business.

“OK, ladies. What’s your proposal? Do we allow this unsubstantiated item to destroy the firm or forge on? Thomas believed in CYBER-MED, you know.”

I could tell that Candy had reached the boiling point. Her face had the volcanic look of Mt. St. Helens pre-eruption. Lava would spew any moment now.

“Now let me get this straight,” she said.
Calm.
She was far too calm. “You’re willing to risk lives of helpless patients to preserve your company.” Candy rose slowly, like an undulating cobra, and stood squarely in front of Dr. Meg. “Doesn’t that violate the Hippocratic Oath or something?”

A rosy wash of color stained Meg’s cheeks. I recognized the shade instantly: Sweet Nothings Come Hither #3. Candy should bottle it and sell it.

“You’re wrong,” Meg said. “We would never compromise lives.”

Arun
joined the fray. He clenched his fists, turning his flashing eyes on me.

“That bastard Sand’s behind all this, I know it. He’s your lover; you’re in cahoots with him.”

I kicked Candy under the table to stem any violent reaction. Emotion was useful to us. People lose focus when they’re upset.

“
It’s
extortion,” Carter growled, pounding the table, “highway robbery, trying to drive up the price of your shares. Well, it won’t work, girls. My attorneys will make mincemeat out of you.”

Kai had the self-confidence born of great wealth and the ability to kick almost anyone’s ass. He would have laughed in Cahill’s face. I’m not that cocky, but I am a lawyer. I used the weapons I knew best.

“Calm down,” I said. “You’re wasting your time, folks.”

“What are you talking about?”
Arun
barked. “Tell us.”

I held out my hands, palms up. “It’s simple. This morning we turned that information over to Sergeant Andrews. I’m an officer of the court. I had no other choice.”

Candy nodded sagely as if the plan had been hers alone. “I think it’s time for some contingency planning.” Her smile radiated pride in the business school palaver.

For a moment Meg’s iron control wilted. Her head sank between her hands as she ran slender fingers through her shining bob. Carter put his arm around her in a clumsy embrace.

“OK,” she said squaring her shoulders. “Let me think. There’s no proof to all this. We know that. After all, we monitor several hundred patients. Some have died. More will. That’s the nature of dealing with the critically ill. They die. If we had some specifics …”

When Candy passed her Tommy’s death list, Meg’s complexion lost its rosy glow. For a moment I thought she might faint. Her husband’s next words provided little comfort.

“We have to consider the possibility that the media will find out. I suggest you prepare a press release just in case,
Meggy
. It’s the smart thing to do.”

“And don’t forget cyberspace,”
Rao
cautioned. “This thing could go viral any time.”

I smiled, thinking of one million people downloading Tommy’s final words. How perfect. He’d always been a ham.

“These people weren’t murdered,” Meg said. “One is still alive. For crying out loud, Richard
Chernikova
was just here. You saw him, Elisabeth.”

“Are you so sure?” I asked. “About the other three, I mean. There were reasons people would want them dead, and Secretary
Chernikova
has tons of enemies.”

“No, no, no.” Meg dug her nails into the palms of her hands. “If we’re so slick, where’s the money? You studied our balance sheet. We’re running on hot air and my husband’s largesse until we get established.” Her eyes pleaded for understanding.

“I’d hardly expect a ledger entry for hits,” I said.

Meg’s wintery smile told me she got the joke. “Start a complete review of our procedures.
Rao
, you’re in charge. I want everything tightened up, especially if it’s connected with Richard.” She turned to me. “Would you speak with Rand? He can whip out a press release without breaking a sweat.”

“Are you sure?”
Arun
asked. “Why let another person in on this?”

“He’s my assistant and my friend. We have to trust someone.” Meg rose and walked stiffly out the door with her husband trailing behind her.

Arun
Rao
gathered his
iPad
and glasses. “Candy, forgive me. I don’t know what came over me. It’s just that my life’s work is CYBER-MED. It’s my identity. If it implodes, I may go with it.” He took her hand and rubbed it softly against his cheek. “Call you soon.”

Nineteen

The Cayenne
was draped in front of my building like a peacock
strutting
its stuff. Lucian could claim my doorman as a tax deduction if he kept that up. I acted nonchalant or tried to. It wasn’t easy when he hopped out of the car, all flowing hair, black sunglasses and manly muscles. Lucian was quite a dish, if you liked an exotic blend.

“I thought you’d never come home,” he said. “May I come up with you?”

I should have said no or at least acted indifferent. All I could think of was the strength of his arms around me and the feel of his lips as they brushed against my skin. If Lucian was a murderer, my goose was cooked. He could kill me with those sensuous looks or strain my heart with the pleasure of his touch.

Cool it, Lizzie Mae. You’re utterly pathetic.

I’m not the fanciful type. That’s Candy’s domain. The last time I’d felt this silly … I gulped, willing my heart rate under control. My senses hadn’t been this wild since the miraculous day that I’d met Kai. I know how to act.
Stop fantasizing, and focus on the business at hand.
Lucian and I had a murder to solve, possibly several murders. That took precedence over romantic flings and girlish giggles. I couldn’t count on Andrews and company. They wanted a neat and tidy solution that would wrap everything up without entangling Boston Brahmins like Carter Cahill and his wife. From Andrews’ perspective it made sense. Why stir a caldron that might bubble over into a major political scandal? The deaths of Ian Cotter, Mary Alice Tate and Jacob Arthur were yesterday’s news.

Lucian stared at me with that ridiculous half-smile. “Are you ill, Elisabeth? We’ve been standing here for quite a while.” He placed his hand at the small of my back, urging me forward.

Damn.
Could the man could
read my mind? I shivered when he touched me.

“We dropped Tommy’s bombshell today,” I said.
“First on Andrews, then the CYBER-MED crew.
Andrews was indifferent, and my partners were livid.
Arun
blamed you.”

“Of course.”
Lucian nodded. “I did some research this morning that you need to see. It won’t answer all our questions, but it suggests a method. With your permission, I’d like my assistant to help me demonstrate.”

“Assistant?
I thought we’d keep this between the two of us.”

Lucian pinned me with an icy stare. “Do you not trust me yet?”

I returned his glare with interest. “I don’t have much choice, do I?”

We passed my beaming concierge and commandeered the elevator. I positioned myself in one corner where I could study Lucian’s face. If he had a guilty conscience, you would never know it by his placid expression. I reminded myself that sociopaths felt none of the emotions that ruled normal beings. Maybe Lucian was worse, a charming psychopath who could subdue his enemies with a ripple of those spectacular muscles. Psych 101 had been a long time ago. I forgot what the distinction was between the terms, and frankly I didn’t care.

While I fished in my purse for my house keys, Lucian stood guard. It unnerved me, causing me to fumble with the door.

“May I?” he asked. Lucian placed the gold elephant key lock in his palm and stroked it. “Ah,” he said. “Hermes is one of my favorites. It suits you. Looks a bit battered though.”

He swung open the door with one twist of the Medco lock, leaving me to ponder once again how familiar this man seemed. The key lock had belonged to Kai. He had loved elephants. He’d dangled it in front of me as he was leaving that final day.

“They’re admirable creatures, Lizzie Mae, symbols of luck and fidelity.” Kai had winked at me and patted my stomach.
“Fertility too.”

 
This particular elephant hadn’t brought him much luck. The key lock was one of the personal effects they’d found with my husband’s body. Few people would realize that it was from Hermes.
Points to Lucian for that.

Della greeted us with her frenzied, scolding bark, letting us know that she’d been neglected. Faithless minx, she ignored me and hurled herself into Lucian’s open arms.

“She’s always preferred men,” I said, “a big daddy’s girl.”

He locked eyes with me. “I love animals. They can sense it, I think. In many ways, they’re far more intelligent than humans.”

That warmth on my cheeks meant only one thing, the redhead’s curse. Someday I might master my emotions. No more blushing, flushing or swooning. Until then I’d have to ignore it and soldier on.

“I’ll get us something to drink. Then we can discuss your experiment.” I busied myself with hostess chores while Lucian examined the marble fireplace surround.

“This is beautiful,” he said. “It is French, no?”

I nodded.
“Imported from an old chateau in Avignon.
Getting it up here was quite a feat, I can tell you.”