The Analyst (Emily Lee Series Book 1)

by K. A. Bragonje

  “How do you know that? The message doesn’t say anything about time.”

  “You don’t need to be Einstein to work that one out. Tick tock, the clock’s ticking. By the sounds of it, you don’t have much time.”

  Emily paused, dumbfounded. He might be a farmer but there were no flies on him. A hard worker, supporting his country, and having his livelihood snatched from underneath him.

  “Please,” Emily continued. “Please put that gun down and listen to me.”

  There was silence, then a rustle.

  “Sharon, can you hear me?” Emily yelled into her phone.

  “Y-yes,” Sharon’s voice wavered in the background. “Yes, I can... hear you.”

  “Are you safe?”

  “Yes.” Her voice was now closer to the phone. “He’s collapsed on the floor.”

  “Okay. Can you please take me off the speaker phone?”

  “Done.”

  “Is Harry okay?” Emily asked.

  “He was a little shaky and on edge before.”

  “Do you know if he has any medical conditions?”

  “No, not that I’m aware of.”

  “Kick his gun away and then I need you to see if he has a pulse.”

  “You want me to... to touch this gun-yielding maniac?”

  “Sharon, he’s far from a maniac. He’s just a desperate man wanting what’s best for him and his family.”

  “This was so not in my job description.”

  “Sharon. Listen to me. This will be all over soon.”

  “Not soon enough.” She paused before continuing, “He’s got a pulse.”

  “Good. I need you to roll him on to his side.”

  “Seriously?”

  “Sharon. Roll him onto his side.” Emily’s voice was firm.

  Schultz looked over, his eyes narrowed, his hands gesturing to her, wanting to know what was going on. Smiling, she gave him another thumbs-up.

  “Done. Andrew had better be giving me a pay rise after today.”

  “That’s the least of your worries.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Listen to me very carefully and don’t say or do anything. Understand?”

  “Mmmhmm,” she replied.

  “This is for your ears only: The building is hot.”

  “Hot? What do you mean?”

  Emily turned away from everyone, taking a few steps away from the growing crowd of onlookers. Lowering her voice, she replied, “We’ve got one disarmed. The squad are in the carpark right now, ensuring the others are made safe.”

  Sharon gasped. She could hear Harry stir in the background.

  “You’ll be safe there. When I’m given the all-clear, I’ll personally come up there and bring you both down. Okay?”

  “Yes.”

  “Good. Now I need to leave you. If Harry awakes before I get there, please let him now I’ll be up shortly. I’m just getting some wounds dressed. Okay?”

  “Emily, please be safe.”

  Chapter 50

  Harry, still shaking, tried to focus on his watch.

  “How long was I out for?”

  “Not long. You get them often?”

  Harry looked around and noticed the gun lying on the floor just out of reach. Staggering onto all fours he crawled over and picked up the gun then used the nearby wall to support himself as he stood up.

  Turning around, he aimed the gun at Sharon, his hand shaking. “That woman had better have some news soon, for your sake.”

  Sharon’s lower lip was quivering. She slowly moved her head up then down.

  “Sorry, sweetheart. Your boss has crossed the line too many times. He needs to learn the hard way. And you crossed the line too when you tried to remove this from me.”

  Something fell off the desk and smashed onto the floor. Harry stopped and stared at the broken shards of china then at Sharon. She shook her head.

  The computer screen began to jump across the desk. Harry spun around. A painting fell onto the floor.

  “Earthquake!” Sharon screamed.

  Harry peered out the window and looked around and down. There wasn’t any commotion out on the street. “It’s not an earthquake.”

  “Then what the hell is it?”

  She stood up, ready to take cover, her chair banging against a filing cabinet. Harry swung around, his gun pointed straight at her.

  “Sit back down. Don’t move if you value your life.” He walked towards the office door, his gun pointed at Sharon.

  Harry peered out of the office and down the corridor and felt his eyes widen.

  What on Earth happened here? he thought.

  He put one foot outside the office, making sure he kept the other foot inside the doorway. The floor and all furnishings had dropped at least half a foot, some a bit more. They were all tilted by small angles. Not like they’d been thrown about. No. An angle like... the floor was on a slant. Like something had given way underneath, beneath one corner.

  His phone vibrated against his leg. Staring at the devastation before him, Harry fumbled through his pocket until he found it.

  1 new message, the screen read.

  He tapped the screen and a video began to play.

  The video showed an Asian man sitting in a small room. Along one side, it looked like water was moving around him, in small wave-like motions.

  “Well, well, well. If you’re watching this you haven’t been arrested yet.” The Asian man chuckled. “It is of no concern to you who I am. All I’m going to say is you’ve stirred the pot today. Brought unwanted attention to my company.”

  The camera was adjusted to show some beefy men in the background who stood shoulder to shoulder. There was barely any room between the ceiling and the top of their heads. Water also lapped at the windows beside them.

  “That first shake was just a taste of what’s to come,” he continued. “Stand down from your... immature protest, and there’ll be no more. If you continue your shenanigans... there’ll be more of them, bigger ones. Your safety... No, your life, your survival cannot be guaranteed.” He winked and the video stopped.

  “A bomb?” Harry muttered. “What the hell?” He turned to Sharon. “Who are these people? Was that Fu?”

  She shrugged her shoulders.

  Shaking his head, Harry stepped out of the office as he dialed a number. The line rang through his phone’s speakers.

  “Hello?” a softly spoken woman answered.

  “Victoria?” he checked his phone to ensure he’d dialed the right number.

  “Harry? Is that you?”

  “Yes, it is. You sound exhausted.”

  “Are you okay? I’ve seen the news about the bank. You were going there today, weren’t you? You haven’t done anything stupid, have you?”

  Harry swallowed and closed his eyes. His stomach twisted and turned as he replied, “No, I was in and out this morning.”

  He could hear his wife breathe a deep sigh of relief.

  “What did the bank manager have to say?”

  “I’ll... I’ll talk to you tonight.”

  “Okay. Hope we get our home back. The kids are fighting each other over the smallest of things. Not sure how much longer we can stand being cooped up in this room.”

  He pictured the chaos she was dealing with, that they were all dealing with.

  “The wheels are in motion.”

  “Oh, good. That’s great to hear.”

  Harry thought carefully about his next words. He looked over his shoulder. Sharon quickly turned her head away. Stepping into the corridor, he pulled the door until it was almost shut.

  “I’ll be home soon. Just not sure when.”

  “What’s wrong?” Victoria’s voice trembled. “What aren’t you telling me?”

  “Please give the children a hug and tell them I love them all very much.”

  “You’re scaring me. What’s going on?”

  “I love you.”

  He disconnected the call and walked back into the office.
His fingers were trembling as he pocketed his phone.

  “What’s happened?” Sharon asked.

  “Nothing. Must’ve been an earth tremor.”

  “Right.” Sharon raised an eyebrow. “Is that the story you’re going to stick with?”

  Harry didn’t reply.

  “If you’re going to lie, at least make an effort to sound convincing.”

  “Tell me a little more about these investors.” Harry pulled a chair alongside Sharon and sat down.

  “You want me to cooperate with you now? You want my help?”

  “Yes, please. We’re in trouble.”

  Sharon shook her head looking bewildered but spoke after a moment. “The investors are actually an organization, if you can call them that, and you don’t want to get on the wrong side of them. I guess, by that video you’ve just received, that they’re the ones behind that ‘tremor’.”

  “Continue.” Harry maintained his poker face.

  “They exploit personnel in the finance industry who are vulnerable and have the most to lose. Anything to get their way.”

  “Like leaking your boss’ affair to his wife and family?”

  Sharon lowered her head and quietly replied, “Yes.”

  “What connection does Emily Lee have to all this? Looking at the file notes, I couldn’t see how she was connected to any of it.”

  “She’s... she’s been getting close to unravelling the land transfers between Andrew and the corporation.”

  “There’s more to it. Why is this boss guy so hell-bent on destroying her?”

  “Yes, there is more, but it’s not my place to say.”

  Harry stood over her and pressed his gun barrel against the back of her head. “It’s not your place to say? Who gave you the authority to decide what you will and will not say? Tell me now. What is Emily’s connection to all of this?”

  Sharon closed her eyes and composed herself before replying. “The man you’ve been talking to today?”

  “Yeah. Little grumpy ole’ Chinese man?”

  “That is Emily’s uncle.”

  “Shit. Is she in on this scam, too? Wanting a cut from her uncle’s cake?”

  “No. Quite the opposite. I overheard a conversation between Fu-”

  “The grumpy Chinese man?”

  “Yeah, him, and Andrew a few days ago. I overheard Andrew telling Fu about Emily’s recent visit. Well, Fu cut loose. Banishing her from the family, and some gibberish about her not even being blood.”

  “So, how serious is this Fu guy with his threats?”

  “Very. Very much so. Nothing gets in his way. He gets what he wants, when he wants it.”

  “Well, we’re in a lot of shit, then. Hopefully Emily can get my farm back before this place collapses.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “That wasn’t a small earth tremor, it was a small bomb, and apparently there’s more lined up for us, bigger ones.”

  “We need to get out of here.”

  “We’re not going anywhere. The minute we step outside we’re done for. The police are there, waiting. I’ll either be shot on sight or arrested. Then where will my family be? All this will have been for nothing. No doubt there’ll be camera crews down there lying in wait. No, I don’t need that. Hell, my family have no need to see that.”

  “That’s not true. I’ll vouch for you when we get out of here.”

  “That’s nice. But Emily is doing her thing. I trust that. We just need to wait and hope she comes through with the goods.”

  “And if she doesn’t?”

  “Hopefully what you sent her will be enough to set the record straight after we’re gone.”

  Chapter 51

  The motion from the waves rocked Fu from side to side as he navigated the steel rod steps. He nodded to a suited man who assisted him up the last step from their pod and onto the boat.

  Placing his cell phone back against his ear, he continued his call. “It’s time to wake up the mother.”

  “I... I don’t mean to question you. But... Are you sure? Aren’t we better off disappearing?” a man with a deep Eastern European accent asked.

  “You are correct. You shouldn’t be questioning me. You get remunerated for doing as you’re told. You’re not paid to think. I do the thinking.”

  “There’s police swarming all over the building.”

  “Not my problem. You need to get in there somehow and set them off. If you pull this off, successfully, it will be the mother payload for you. You can take a few months off and soak up some sun with some islander ladies.”

  “Sounds good, boss. If I get out of there alive.”

  “That will be up to you.”

  Fu hung up the phone.

  “That city isn’t going to know what’s hit it. Emily and her cop boyfriend will be gone. Forever.”

  Everyone chuckled and patted him on the back.

  “I trust you’ve been keeping everyone on board occupied?”

  The suited man nodded, his face blank.

  Fu returned his attention to his men. “Time to celebrate, boys.” He snapped his fingers at the suited man. “Bring out the drinks and the ladies.”

  Chapter 52

  Emily looked at her watch for the tenth time in the last few minutes. The seconds barely ticked by as she waited for the devices to be defused.

  “Keeping an eye on the time isn’t going to speed it up,” Schultz said as he leant against the patrol car.

  “Do they usually take this long?”

  “No. Longer.”

  Emily groaned.

  Schultz laughed. I’d hate to be on a stake-out with you. We haven’t been waiting that long, and you’re already itchy to get moving. There’ll be plenty of time to get your mate down.”

  “Excuse me,” a male’s voice came from a distance.

  Emily heard it but ignored him.

  “Miss. Excuse me, miss.”

  Emily turned around. A lean man barely in his mid-twenties was waving as he made his way towards them.

  “Look at this crazy.” Schultz turned to Emily.

  “How did he get through the police barricades?”

  “Not sure.” Schultz stepped in front of her.

  The man called out again, this time louder, “Miss. Sir. Excuse me.”

  Emily leant out of the car to peer around Schultz. Two police officers were holding the man back.

  “I have some important news regarding the bomb at the bank.”

  “What bomb?” She dropped her blanket and took a few steps towards him, her arms crossed over her body, stopping a little more than an arm’s reach from him.

  “I tried telling the officer here,” he nodded his head to the officer on his right, “that I saw parts of the building crumble away.”

  “What do you mean, crumble away?”

  “There was a rumble. Some of the upper windows shook. Some of the rendering broke off.”

  Emily stared at him. The young man with his boyish looks stared back at her. He didn’t flinch.

  “Where about did you see the rubble falling from?” Schultz asked.

  They turned towards the building. Emily couldn’t see anything that looked out of place.

  “Up about... two, three,” he pointed to each window as he counted the levels, “four, five. About six windows up on the far-left side. There’s a bit missing around the window.”

  “I don’t see anything wrong. Are you wasting an officer’s time?” Schultz asked, rubbing his neck as he looked back at the young man.

  “No, no, officer. I wouldn’t do that.”

  “Detective.” He raised his eyebrow. “Thank you.”

  “Schultz, I think he’s right.”

  “You must have better eyesight than me.”

  “Front tower, second window from the left side. Top right corner. Do you see it?”

  “Only just. I think. Can’t be too certain.”

  Emily scanned the immediate area around the damaged window before moving up the street a
little farther, trying to get a better angle from around the corner.

  “Schultz,” she whispered. “We have a problem.”

  The nearby officers turned at the sound of her voice but she pulled Schultz closer and turned around so they wouldn’t be overheard.

  “There’s more than just that one damaged window. There’s a few of them. Next level down, two windows have plaster missing. And that’s what we can see from here. If that corner has damage, I’d be expecting to see some damage around the side as well.”

  “There’s only one thing that can cause that.” Schultz placed his hand above his eyes and blocked out some of the glare from the sun.

  “Those two bombs are only the beginning. I need to get a better look around the other side.”

  “Hold up a moment.”

  Emily followed the direction he was looking. Officers stirred around the carpark entrance. He walked towards them.

  “Thank you for your information.” Emily smiled at the stranger. “Please leave your details with the officers here and we’ll be in touch if we need any further information from you.”

  “Glad I could be of assistance.” He extended his open hand over the officers’ shoulders.

  Calloused and dirty knuckles greeted her.

  “It’s okay, officers.”

  They stepped aside just enough for his arm to lower to a comfortable level.

  Trying not to grimace, she exchanged handshakes. His grip was surprisingly strong. The exchange continued for much longer than she would usually accept, so Emily pulled her arm back but he held her hand firm. An evil grin emerged on his face. Emily tried again to pull her hand away, and this time he allowed her hand to slide out of his grip. Small particles of dirt rubbed against her hand as she drew it away.

  Forcing a smile, she turned around and hurried towards Schultz.

  “Schultz,” she said as she stepped into line next to him. “Please tell me you have someone from forensics here.”

  “Why?” He turned to see her arm extended. “He was that bad, was he?”

  “I felt something grimy rub against my hand as I tried to pull away.” She looked over his shoulder but he had disappeared. “Something doesn’t feel right about him.”

  “He’s probably a worker from one of the skyscraper projects.”