by Dale Mayer
“I didn’t know about his stepbrother, so my answer there is no.”
“His stepbrother had a son with an ex-girlfriend. They broke up when the child was nine. He’d be eighteen now,” Levi said.
She winced. “Change is hard for a boy that age.”
“We haven’t spoken with the mother, the ex-girlfriend, yet. She was trying to stop visitation rights. There were accusations of abuse.”
“Which may or may not be true. In visitation cases, abuse is often used as leverage.”
“I had another couple questions here for you,” Levi said. “We’re looking into his emails. Do you know a company called Viacom and another called Burning Edge?”
“The two are worlds apart. The first is great. It’s a big video game company.” She straightened. “What’s his correspondence with them? He never told me about it.” She couldn’t stop the wave of excitement washing through her. Viacom was the big time.
“These were from a year ago, exploring a business arrangement. The most recent were with Burning Edge from a couple weeks ago.”
“What did they say?” She frowned. “They aren’t trustworthy, and I’d never deal with them.”
“Let me dig deeper. I’ll check in with you guys in the morning. Stay safe.”
She put her phone on the night table and looked at Tyson. “Something must have happened to Warren in the last week. That’s when this business-related disruption started.”
“And the stalker geared up in the same time frame?”
She shook her head. “The stalker has been escalating for a couple weeks but clearly in this last week, yes.”
Tyson nodded. He sat on the bed, propped against the headboard and pulled his laptop onto his knees. “I’ll do a bit of research into his last week. You need to get as much sleep as you can.”
She curled up under the blankets beside him and whispered, “Not sure I’ll ever sleep again. All I can see is Warren lying in the bathtub.”
He stroked the strands of hair off her forehead. “I’m sorry you saw that.”
“It doesn’t matter,” she whispered. “The reality is, right now we have to do whatever we can to make sure I’m not another victim. But also make sure you don’t become one either. Or anybody else for that matter.”
“We’re on the same page there.”
Just as she lay down, trying to let sleep slip through her mind, she asked, “Did you ever consider how Tracy would feel about us right now?”
Silence followed.
She shifted and saw his deep dark gaze, staring at her. “I believe she’d be happy,” he said firmly. “She often told me that, if anything happened to her, I needed to go on without her and live a full life.”
“And she told me that I needed to look after you,” Kai said with a sad smile. “At the time I tried to be supportive, but you were not in great shape.”
He snorted. “If that’s what you call it, you’re right there.” He studied her for a long time.
And she knew instinctively when she saw the doubt enter, lurking in the background of his eyes, what he was thinking. She propped herself up on her elbow. “No.”
He raised an eyebrow.
“No, that’s not what this is. No, that’s not why I’m in bed with you. I’m not looking after you. I am not listening to anything Tracy said. I was then, but I’m not now.”
A ghost of a smile whispered across his lips, and he nodded. “Good, because I don’t consider Tracy part of this. Tracy was my wife, and I loved her dearly. Then I lost her. I’ve mourned, and I’ve moved on. It just happens to be with her best friend. I think she would probably find it a blessing. I know I consider your presence in my life a blessing.”
She relaxed at his words. “I loved Tracy, and I knew how much she cared for you. You two were right for each other. You were perfect together. I’m really glad you had the time you did with Tracy. She was so happy that last year.”
Tyson brushed his thumb across Kai’s lips, leaned over and kissed her. “Thank you for that. I’m so damn glad.”
And in the next moment the laptop was off the bed, and once again they voraciously enjoyed each other.
Kai couldn’t have been happier.
*
Tyson woke early in the morning. Senses on full alert, he listened. But he heard nothing. He’d slept well, even if he was short on hours. He slipped free of the covers, careful not to disturb Kai, and walked through her small apartment.
He’d meant it when he had said he felt this weekend was crunch time. He just didn’t know where the attack would come from or in what form the scorned lover or hired assassin would show up.
Finding nothing out of the ordinary, he returned to the bedroom and crept under the covers. But sleep wouldn’t come.
He sat up and pulled out his laptop, quickly checking his emails, but there was no news from Levi, the detective or anybody else associated with either case. Then he checked the news to see if Warren’s death had been leaked to the media. All appeared quiet.
In a way it was too quiet. He contemplated the little bit they knew. The stepbrother was an interesting angle. Back on his laptop, he quickly immersed himself in research on Warren and his family history. But all it did was take Tyson farther down the rabbit hole of the internet.
When Kai rolled over and propped herself up on her elbows to look at him, he smiled into those beautiful eyes. “Go back to sleep. I just couldn’t sleep anymore.”
Her cloudy gaze went from the laptop to him and back again. “Did you find anything?” She yawned, rolled over onto her side, pulling the blankets over her shoulders.
“No, not yet.”
“We should check my employees.”
He heard her half sleepy mumble and smiled. “We’re on it.”
She drifted off to sleep beside him, or at least he thought so. His phone buzzed, and he snatched it up to see a text from Ice.
Police are searching for Warren’s stepbrother. He was military. Businessman in his own right. Sending photograph image two years ago.
The image, when it came, was a little grainy. He forwarded it to his email, then opened it on the laptop. He studied the face but didn’t know it. It wasn’t until he heard a sharp exclamation from Kai beside him that he realized she recognized him.
“Who’s that?” she asked.
“Warren’s stepbrother. The beneficiary of the life insurance policy that was canceled.”
She shifted upright and leaned forward to look at him. “I think I’ve see him in the office. Maybe just once,” she said, her voice gentle. “The picture is kind of hazy.”
“I’ll see if I can find a better one.”
He searched for images of the stepbrother and found five good ones. She checked them. “That looks like him. Maybe we can ask Tommy. The two of them were talking.”
“Will do.” He quickly sent Ice a text, adding a memo to himself. “We need to talk to Tommy but will wait until he wakes up.”
Kai snorted. “And what time is it right now? It’s a weekend. Tommy will be playing games all night long. He’s probably just going to bed.”
Tyson looked at her sharply. “Really?”
She nodded. “He usually crashes around six in the morning.”
Tyson checked the clock on the nightstand. It was just after six. On a hunch, he dialed Tommy’s number and listened to it ring. Worse case, he’d wake him up early in the morning on his day off and would have to listen to his tirade about that. Instead a relatively awake Tommy answered.
“It’s Tyson. I’m here with Kai. Can you tell me anything about Warren’s stepbrother?”
Hesitantly Tommy said, “I’ve met him a couple times. He has his own business.”
“Has he ever been to the office?” Tyson asked, sensing the younger man was holding something back. Why?
“Yeah, a few times. Not much recently though. They had a fight.”
“Any idea what the fight was about?” Tyson turned his gaze to Kai who was listening in on the conver
sation.
Tommy said, “No, not really. Something to do with money though. Seems like everybody’s got money problems these days.”
“How was Warren after the last meeting? Was he different?”
Tommy’s voice turned curious but at the same time stiff. “I don’t understand. Why all these questions? Do you think he’s really got something to do with Kai’s stalker?”
“No idea. That’s what we’re checking. I might have to call you back with some more questions.” Before Tommy could ask any more of his own, Tyson hung up.
“That won’t hold him for long,” Kai said. “Warren’s death will hit the media soon anyway, but we want to let the staff know before that time.” She thought about it and sat up. “I feel like I should tell Tommy myself.”
“Let me check with Ice and see if we have permission yet.”
He texted Ice and got a response back within seconds. “She said, yes. Media has already got ahold of it. It will be today’s headlines.”
Chapter 15
Kai grabbed her phone and called Tommy. She put it on Speaker so Tyson could hear. She didn’t get a chance to even say hi before Tommy asked, “What the hell’s going on?”
Her voice tired, she said, “Have you seen the headlines?”
“Why would I listen to the news? You and I both know most of it is garbage.”
“Well, today will be some upsetting garbage. Warren is dead.”
Tommy sucked in his breath in shocked silence.
“There’s no easy way to break it to you. I’m sorry for the call so early in the morning. We went by his place last night to talk to him.” She rubbed a hand across her forehead. “We found him dead in his apartment.”
“What? … How did he die?”
“We’re waiting on the autopsy results. We’re not sure if he committed suicide or if he was murdered, but it was made to look like he committed suicide.”
“What!” Tommy exclaimed. “There’s no way he would’ve committed suicide.”
“Why is that?” Tyson asked.
“Because he was heading off on a vacation.”
“You knew about his flight out?” Kai asked sharply.
“I don’t know about a flight, but he said he was leaving next weekend, and he was excited about an upcoming holiday. He was really closemouthed about it. I figured he had some hot chick stashed somewhere who he didn’t want to share. You know what it’s like at the office,” Tommy admitted. “I figured he was just keeping her all to himself.”
“Well, he was certainly taking a flight over the weekend,” Kai said quietly. “Unfortunately it was a one-way ticket to Thailand.”
“Thailand?” Tommy said, impressed. “Wow, really?” There was a long pause before he said, “Wait a minute. Did you say a one-way ticket?”
“Yeah. Warren was leaving next weekend. And he wasn’t planning on coming back.”
Through the silence on the phone she could almost hear Tommy’s heartbeat. She realized just how much Tommy had looked up to Warren. “You knew Warren really well, didn’t you?”
Tommy’s voice was strangled when he said, “Yes. At least I thought so.”
“I don’t think he was thinking straight at the end, if that helps.”
“He was thinking straight enough to make decisions like that though, wasn’t he?” There was unmistakable bitterness in Tommy’s tone.
She winced. “Yes, as much as I hate to think about that. … Maybe he just wanted time to figure out his next step. It’s hard to walk away from everyone.” She was trying to stay positive for Tommy’s sake. He was only eighteen. And, although he was a genius in so many ways, he lacked a lot of stability in his relationships, and this was just, yet again, another ugly spot in his life.
“He was my uncle, you know? Or maybe step-uncle is a better term. I don’t know. His stepbrother is my father by blood but not in any other way. In truth I can’t stand him or the way he operates,” Tommy said stiffly. “When in the same room we don’t even acknowledge each other.”
She sat upright, the shock almost visceral. “Really? You’re related? Oh, I’m so sorry, Tommy. I didn’t know.” Tyson laid his hand on her thigh, but she could feel the tears gathering in the back of her eyes. “That makes it so much worse.”
“Yeah, it does, doesn’t it?” Tommy said. “My mother was Warren’s stepbrother’s girlfriend for a long time. So the connection wasn’t by blood or marriage. And when my parents split up, my father had nothing to do with her or me. Warren, at the time, got involved and probably paid my mother off. I don’t know why. Maybe he felt responsible for his useless stepbrother.” Tommy’s tone of voice slowed, his emotions ragged. “My mother was no winner either. She was looking for money back then and many times since. It’s quite possible Warren helped her out over time as he stayed in touch all those years. When he offered me a job, I accepted. I can do the work, but I don’t get along so well with people.” His voice was low. “As you well know.”
“I never had a problem with you, Tommy. And our everyday experiences should help our relationships get easier, but sometimes we lose the people we love without any warning.”
“Isn’t that the truth?” His voice broke, and he hung up.
She’d heard the sob in his throat—knew he would have a really tough time dealing with Warren’s death. She leaned back down and said, “Christ, I feel bad now. Did the police know?”
“It’s quite possible they didn’t,” Tyson said. “I just told Levi and Ice to track down Tommy’s mother and see what they can find out.”
“It’s all so confusing.”
“It will all be untwisted soon.”
“And then I have to wonder who inherits,” she said. “Does Warren have a will, and is Tommy in it?”
*
“You suspect Tommy?” Tyson asked, his voice neutral.
She shook her head. “No, I don’t. That took a little too much organization for him. Tommy might hit out in a rage, but I can’t see him systematically slicing Warren’s wrists. Not to mention the fact he faints at the sight of blood.”
Tyson raised an eyebrow.
“I cut myself with the coffeepot the first week working there. I felt pretty stupid, but I saw Tommy’s face, and he almost passed out. I had to force him to sit down, his head between his knees, while I cleaned up the mess.”
“And you don’t think he was faking it?”
“No, he wasn’t faking it. He almost passed out.” She threw back the covers and grabbed up her robe. As she put it on she said, “I certainly can’t sleep now.”
She walked to the kitchen and made coffee. While waiting for the brew to drip, she stared out the kitchen window. Somehow it was just so much worse knowing Tommy had been related to Warren. The police should have notified Tommy of his loss. Now the police would be knocking on his door, asking questions he wouldn’t have any answers for.
As she poured the coffee, she wondered about the other employees. They all seemed quite chummy. She pulled out her phone and sent Tommy a text. Did anyone else at the company know you were related to Warren?
The answer came back fast. Larry did. We’ve been friends for years. As for the others, no idea. It was never discussed.
Thanks. Do you know if Warren has any other family?
Just his stepbrother. Warren didn’t have any children of his own.
“Right,” she said aloud. She walked to the bedroom to stand in the doorway. “Tommy doesn’t think anybody else in the company is related to Warren, but they haven’t discussed it. He says Warren only had the stepbrother that he knew about.”
Tyson didn’t look up from his laptop, but he answered, “That’s what I’m finding too. We need to contact Warren’s lawyer to find out more.”
*
Tyson’s phone rang. He picked it up and answered, “Levi, what’s up?”
“Detective Mannford contacted Warren’s lawyer, and there was a partner life insurance policy for the business. With Warren’s death, Kai now owns the bu
siness one hundred percent. Warren did have a will. Kai’s not in it. Tommy is. But Tommy does not inherit any of the company.”
“Okay, that makes sense. She just spoke to Tommy, not realizing they were related, and broke Warren’s death to Tommy. He’s pretty devastated about it.”
“Yes, Warren apparently helped Tommy out over the last decade. Warren’s stepbrother was contacted by the police to let him know about his brother’s death. He’s not in the will. They’re looking for any life insurance policy or other motive for the stepbrother to kill Warren but haven’t found anything. The stepbrother owns Burning Edge. So we’re looking into that angle. But we don’t have any answers yet.”
Interesting that Burning Edge was the stepbrother’s company. Tyson’s mind immediately tried to work the angles and fit that information into the bits he already knew. “Does Warren have other assets?”
“The apartment he lived in. But it was due to close the day after he was murdered. Not sure what happens to that now. That’s up to the lawyers to sort out.”
Tyson nodded. “Right. So no reason you know of for killing Warren. It doesn’t make any sense.”
“Unless it has to do with the stepbrother’s connection.”
“In what way?”
“For instance, if the stepbrother thought his company was getting exclusive rights to the VR system. He says Warren gave him a signed contract.”
“Yet Kai knows nothing about it and certainly didn’t sign that contract.”
“Maybe Warren tried to pull a fast one, like sell the software to his stepbrother’s company for some traveling cash. Warren must have known he would be in trouble as soon as Kai found out, so he decided to get out of it.”
“That’s possible. But Burning Edge doesn’t have a chance of enforcing the contract if it’s not transferred from both owners. So we need a signed original of that document to know for sure. Warren’s lawyer should have a copy. He handled the business side of things.”
“I’ll call him.” Levi hung up.
Tyson looked up as Kai walked in with a cup of coffee. He quickly shared the details learned from Levi’s phone call.
She sat down on the bed. “We never discussed selling of the VR program to Burning Edge. Warren knew how I felt about that particular company. I thought he felt the same. Burning Edge operates on the shady side. Never once did Warren mention it was his stepbrother’s company.” She frowned. Then added slowly, “Why was that? Obviously Warren probably didn’t want anyone to know. And of course he knew how poor a reputation Burning Edge had. Tommy would have known as well.”