“And what better way to frame the CEO of his biggest competitor,” George concluded.
4
Mike McKensey arrived at the Sentinel intrigued by Morris’ call. He told Joyce he had an appointment with Morris and she said that Morris would be right out.
Mike didn’t even make it to the reception area sofa before a clearly excited Morris greeted him.
“Mike! Thanks for coming so soon. Let’s head to my office.”
Arriving at Morris’ office, Morris motioned to a seat next to an equally excited George Gray and closed the door behind them.
“Something to drink?” Morris asked, trying to calm down.
“You guys obviously have something important to tell me, so let’s get to it. What’s up?”
“George, why don’t you explain it, keeping in mind our discussion about confidentiality?”
“Okay. Mike, our informant gave us a lead on another internet mogul who he says has perverted use of the Internet. Unlike the others, this one could have a dangerous impact if revealed. The FBI has put a lid on it and we’re not to divulge anything about it to anyone. Not only could it jeopardize the case, it could cause irreparable harm, as ridiculous as it may sound, globally.”
“So. Why am I here if you’re not supposed to tell anyone about it?
“Well. Ah. We had a long discussion with the FBI this morning and told them that it’s possible that Mark Johansen is being framed by the internet mogul. Our use of the word ‘possible’ didn’t convince them, but Morris knows how to apply pressure when needed.”
“George, just get on with it,” Morris replied, a bit miffed.
“Anyway. It’s possible that the subject of this investigation has put software on Mark Jameson’s computer that is completely undetectable, even by a security expert like Mark. It’s possible that this person, who works for a competitor, could be trying to frame Mark Johansen to gain an edge. He could even aggravate Mark’s condition by –“
“Gaslighting him?”
“Gaslighting? George asked, a bit confused.
“Sorry George,” Morris interrupted. “It’s another film you need to see. Charles Boyer marries an innocent Ingrid Bergman and subtly makes her question her sanity. There’s even a common term for that – Gaslighting. Great film.”
“So yeah,” George continued. It’s possible he’s gaslighting Mark.
“We convinced the FBI to let Miguel check out Mark’s computer just to see if the software is there. They said it must be Miguel and that the detection tool can never leave his possession. Do you think that you could get him access?”
“Guys, I don’t know. First, I’m not supposed to be pursuing other suspects. Second, we have issues with chain of custody for evidence. If someone else touches Johansen’s computer, the defense could say it was contaminated. Worse, even if we did figure out a way to do it, and even if it did turn out positive, it does not prove that your ‘subject’ actually used the software to frame Johansen. And, even if somehow we could prove that, I suspect the FBI would never tell me who it was – at least until their investigation was complete. I don’t know. I just don’t know.”
Morris and George looked at each other, their enthusiasm clearly dissipated.
“Sorry to pop your bubble, guys.”
Mike got up to leave.
“One second, Mike,” Morris suggested.
He picked up the phone, dialed and said, “Miguel, could you come in here?”
A minute later, Miguel came into Morris’ office and closed the door.
“Miguel, it’s possible that Michael James’ software is on Mark Johansen’s computer and that Michael James framed Johansen. Mike here tells us that because of chain of evidence issues, the police wouldn’t allow you to look at Johansen’s computer.”
“Michael James?” Mike interrupted.
“Not to worry,” Morris replied, smiling. It’s a code name we’re using for the investigation.”
“So Miguel, you’re familiar with police chain of evidence procedures for computers, right?”
“Absolutely. We follow the same rules here when we’re involved in investigations. Number 1 rule is NEVER work on the original. Always make a copy and do your testing on the copy.”
“But would the Michael James software propagate to the copy? Couldn’t it be smart enough to defeat that?”
“It would definitely propagate. First, I’m sure Michael James would want his software on as many computers as possible, so if someone changed computers, he’d want it to follow. But the real reason is that we do what’s called a hash of the system. That is, we use a sophisticated algorithm to verify that every byte of data is exactly the same between the original and the copy, right down to the firmware.”
“So, as far as chain of evidence is concerned,” Morris continued. “You could use the tools on the copy to see if Michael James’ software is there, right?”
“Yes. I could.”
“And could you find out if the software were used to plant evidence?”
“Absolutely! One of the tools the informant gave us dumps the log of everything that has come in or gone out via the software.”
“Mike?”
“Okay. Sure. You’ve answered the chain of custody issues. Now I just have to figure out how to convince the team to let us get a look at the system. That won’t be easy.”
“What about Sharon Katell?” George suggested cautiously.
“Sharon Katell?” Morris asked, momentarily confused.
“Yeah. That could work,” Mike replied. “As the defense attorney, Sharon could request a copy of the computer to help prepare her defense. Miguel could work on that copy.”
Morris looked worried.
“But then we’d have to tell Sharon about our theory. The circle is widening. I can’t see the FBI letting us do that. And Sharon is a shark. If she smells blood, she’s going after it and could blow open the whole case against Michael James.”
Morris paused for a moment deep in tough.
“Maybe not. I have an idea. I’ll talk to Sharon and will convince her that we need to look at a copy of Johansen’s system. I’ll find a way to get her to back off until we know more.”
“But don’t we still have a problem with the FBI?” George asked. “If we do find something, they’ll know we brought Sharon in.”
“Don’t worry George. I can get around that. And if for some reason I don’t, it’ll be on me.
“If it does pan out, we can hand it to Mike who can pursue it independently of Sharon. And he can talk to the FBI to negotiate learning the identity of Michael James. Then again. It may not pan out. Guys, thanks. I’ve got work to do.”
5
Mike McKensey left the Sentinel shaking his head. Was it really possible that a competitor had decided to torpedo Johatchen Software by framing their CEO, capitalizing on his recent bout with mental illness? It just didn’t fit. Why three murders? Why not just one? And would eliminating the CEO bring down the company? Not likely. No. George and Morris were on the wrong track.
From the emails to George, the killer hated wives of technologists who had left their husbands and wanted to cleanse the world of them. This wasn’t just corporate greed. Then again, maybe the competitor wanted to cleanse the world too.
No. It didn’t fit.
Mike was tempted to look at Johatchen’s competitors to see if he could come up with some leads. But thinking about it, he’d probably just stir things up, piss off the FBI, and get Morris and George in trouble. And, it was probably a dead end anyway.
For the moment it was best to let things play out a bit. If it turned out that Johansen’s computer was being used to set him up, he could look further. In the meantime, he needed to meet with Mark’s friends, Jack Trageser and Richard Hatch. He’d contacted both and had set up meetings.
The first was with Richard Hatch, Johansen’s business partner.
Mike entered the lavish offices of Johatchen Software and told the receptionist that he had an
appointment with Richard Hatch. He took a seat in the lobby and thumbed through a magazine dedicated to Internet Security. While much of it was over his head, one article in particular caught his attention. It was targeted at non-techie readers and was called ‘How can a hacker break into my computer?’.
Apparently there were quite a few hackers who did this for fun. Just for the challenge. Others wanted to turn your system into a zombie, which Mike learned was a system they could use to carry out their bidding in the background without you ever knowing they were there. Most used zombie systems to send spam – thousands of emails could be sent from your computer instead of the hacker’s. Or it could be harassing emails – they’d be traced back to you instead of the hacker. Some hackers tried to look for credit card information or financial information for identity theft. But apparently these hackers were a very small minority. And, Mike supposed, some could hack your system to frame you for murder.
Mike’s thoughts were interrupted by a tall, slightly balding, very fit man, probably late 40s, stylishly dressed in chinos and a logoed polo shirt. Holding out his hand, he introduced himself.
“Detective Mike McKensey, I’m Richard Hatch.”
Mike stood up and shook Richard’s hand, noticing the solid grip. He glanced briefly at the clock above the receptionist’s head. He’d been waiting twenty minutes.
“Sorry about the wait,” Richard stated frankly. “I got a bit tied up. Would you like something to drink?”
“Water would be nice.”
“Sparkling or flat?”
“If you’ve got it, I’ll go for sparkling. I’m in an effervescent mood.”
Richard smiled and turned to the receptionist. “Mary-Ann, could you bring two sparking waters into my office?”
Richard led Mike through a large high-ceilinged space with groups of what appeared to be engineers actively debating things Mike couldn’t understand in front of gigantic white boards. It looked dynamic and creative. Not at all like his office
In the center of the room were two large glass-walled offices, each with a desk, a small conference table, and a large whiteboard. Richard led Mike into the office on the right and took a seat at the conference table, motioning Mike to join him. Mary-Ann delivered the sparkling water along with two glasses and a small ice bucket.
Richard smiled and thanked Mary-Ann who made a discreet exit closing the door behind her.
“No corner office with a view?” Mike asked, surprised and curious.
“This was Mark’s idea. We do need private offices, but he wanted to make the team feel like we were working with them, not like we were the bosses with elite privileges and spectacular city views just for ourselves. With the glass walls, the team can see us working and we can see them working.
“Often, Mark will see something pop up on one of the white boards that he finds intriguing, and he’ll join that team in their discussions. Although he’s their boss, the engineers see him as a team member – one that has a different job. His is double-checking ideas, and at times, when there’s no consensus, making the final call. Surprisingly, this works better than you could ever imagine.”
“No. It makes sense to me. So in general, how does the team feel about Mark and about his recent problems?”
“They admire and respect Mark. He has enabled them to work in the most creative ways possible and it shows in what they produce. He’s been an inspiration. As far as his recent problems are concerned, everyone saw the decline after his divorce. With the conference room incident, they knew he’d lost it. Most think he just needed a break. He’s worked ridiculous hours ever since we started the company. I haven’t shared the schizophrenia diagnosis with the team, though both Mark and I have asked them to alert us to any weird behavior to avoid a recurrence. They’re all glad to have him back.
“As far as the murder charges are concerned, quite frankly, no one believes it. That’s just not Mark Maybe if it had just been Janice, it might have been credible, but with three? No. It doesn’t make sense.”
“It sounds like these are your conclusions as well?”
“Absolutely. Mark didn’t really have anything against Ashima James or Julia Lewis. And even for Janice, he might not have understood it, but I don’t think he really blamed her for leaving him. Mark is the kind of guy who blames himself when something goes wrong. You probably know the type. It works well for an engineer.”
“And what about a CEO? Does it work for a CEO?”
“I think in general, it wouldn’t. But here at Johatchen, it has worked just fine. I think that’s because I can be the aggressive bad guy watching out for the business side while Mark leads the creative side. To run a business, to get products out, that’s perspiration. And as Edison is quoted as saying, ‘genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration.’
“So are you saying that Mark and the engineers are the inspiration and you’re the perspiration?”
Richard laughed. “Not at all. Mark and his team are the creative side, but they also do a tremendous part of the implementation. The company couldn’t exist without them, and that one percent? No company can sustain growth without new ideas, new inspiration. If you’re thinking of me as a suspect, trust me, I wouldn’t possibly kill the goose. And besides, Mark and I have been best friends for years. We’ve been through a lot together. And right now, I’m doing my best to help him manage his illness, and get past these false accusations.”
Mike examined Richard. Despite his confident manner, there was something more there, a bit of nervousness.
“So from what you’ve said, it sounds like you think Mark is innocent.”
“Absolutely. Mark would never intentionally hurt anyone except possibly himself.”
“And you don’t think his mental illness could drive him to seek revenge?”
Richard thought for a moment.
“I suppose it could be possible. Mark clearly has psychological issues, and from what I’ve seen he has had memory lapses. I guess it’s remotely possible that he could be guilty. But then again after talking with Sam, Mark’s psychiatrist, I think it’s very unlikely. It has to be someone else.”
“Do you have any thoughts on who might want to kill these three women and frame Mark for the murders?”
“Kill these women? Well, I suspect quite a few people might subscribe to the idea that these women needed to be eliminated to allow geniuses to fight the good fight with technological innovation. But as for framing Mark? Maybe a competitor?”
“A competitor,” Mike mused. “Could a competitor break into Mark’s system, plant incriminating evidence, and send emails? Aren’t you guys the security gurus?”
“Detective Mckensey – “
“Mike.”
“Mike, security is an interesting business. For the most part, it’s a game of catch up. Somebody breaks into a system, we figure out how to block it. Someone creates an attack, we figure out how to stop future attacks. The reality is that no matter how good security is, there’s always someone trying to get past it, and they will eventually succeed. Quite frankly, our business revolves around stopping others from doing what’s already been done by a hacker. So, to answer your question, it is quite feasible that someone could have broken into Mark’s system in spite of our best of brand security software. But I can’t imagine who.”
Mike looked through his notes and thought about Richard’s responses. Everything looked right. Richard didn’t seem to be a good suspect. Then again, something Richard had said during their conversation set off some faint alarm bells. There was something he’d heard before. Getting old and losing your memory sucked. Too bad he hadn’t recorded the conversation. Maybe that was something he should do in the future.
Mike stood up and handed Richard his card.
“Thanks for taking the time to meet with me. If you have any ideas, anything at all, don’t hesitate to call me.”
They shook hands and Richard walked him out. One down. Now he needed to prepare for his meeting
with Jack Trageser.
6
Jack Trageser walked Sam to her office and kissed her briefly before heading back to his own. He didn’t get it. No matter how hard he tried, how charming he was, he couldn’t break through. Sam had erected a wall. It seemed like she wanted the relationship to continue, but at this point it was more like a high school courtship than a passionate romance.
They spent lots of time together, hikes, movies, concerts, plays, and even snuggling in front of the TV, but their intimacy hadn’t gone beyond that. It wasn’t just that they hadn’t had sex, it was that she was holding back emotionally. At times it felt like she didn’t trust him.
And maybe that was it. Ever since that dinner. Or maybe it was the discussion about the murders where he implied that maybe these women deserved what they got. Whatever it was, their relationship was not growing. It had stalled.
Jack climbed the stairs and opened the door to his startup, Balanced News. At least here he was loved and admired. At least here, he was in control.
Sitting in the lobby was a middle-aged man who looked like a cop. He’d completely forgotten that he had a meeting with Detective Mike McKensey.
“Detective McKensey,” he began holding out his hand. “I’m sorry if I’m late. I lost track of time.”
“No worries. You’re actually right on time. You do seem a bit distracted. Is this a bad time?”
Jack smiled. “No. It’s perfect. Our discussions will help take my mind off my personal issues.”
“A woman?”
“Yep. Ah, would you like something to drink?”
“Sure. Sparking water would be nice if you have it.”
“Absolutely.” Then turning to the receptionist, “Nancy, could you bring two sparking waters to the conference room?”
The Misogynist Page 21