A Taste of Tragedy

by Kim McMahill

  “We don’t care how difficult or costly it is. If any law enforcement or regulatory agency tries to obtain a sample, it must be authentic.”

  “I’ll do it, but profits will be decimated and the stock will plummet. In fact, I’ll be losing money on the products we produce for other companies that are being sold under their labels.”

  Sofia gave him a measured stare. “Is there any merit to the dangers claimed in those e-mails?”

  “As far as any carcinogenic effect, Dr. Chen, GCF’s lead scientist and head of Research and Development, said the quantities a person would have to ingest would need to be substantial and maintained for an extended period of time. Most people go on and off diets regularly, and change health kicks frequently enough, that he felt any potential risk was minimal. As far as being addictive and not curbing the appetite as claimed, so what’s the harm? In fact, from a business stand point, it’s a bonus.”

  “The harm, you idiot, is that if the Feds, the media, or consumers find out about your little synthetic substitute for the natural ingredients, your company will collapse. You’ll drown in lawsuits and might even face criminal charges. The worst part, though, is the failed attempts to conceal the problem have only exacerbated the situation and may expose links to Coterie. It’s non-negotiable. Ditch the synthetic product, have only the original all-natural variety in this building, and install me as the plant manager immediately.”

  She sat back down, this time in the visitor’s chair, and listened as Preston called the head of Research and Development.

  “I’m temporarily transferring Wiley Hartman to you. He will be consulting on the new entrees and desserts proposed by Ms. Hunter and the marketing team. We’ll tell him that since there’s a bit of a rush to develop the new line and have it up and running before the next holiday season, we need him to be involved early to make sure the items will be doable from a production standpoint. He doesn’t need to be involved or informed of any other products being worked on or in use. Also, cleanse this facility of all the existing modified MFHG3 and return to using only the original recipe until further notice. Do you understand?”

  Preston glared at Sofia as he listened to the head scientist’s response.

  “Yes, I know the raw products are difficult to obtain and expensive. Do your best. We’ll reduce production of the dessert items containing significant amounts of MFHG3 for the time being so we won’t have to use as much.”

  He disconnected the call and punched in another number.

  “Wiley, I’m sure Ms. Hunter told you the new holiday inspired entrée and dessert line has been approved. Even though the holidays are quite a few months away, we need to put a rush on development to make sure we don’t need any equipment modifications and we’re ready to go into production on time. I’m temporarily reassigning you to consult with R & D. I need you to report in with them immediately.”

  Preston listened politely for a few minutes and then cut Wiley off. “I’ll inform Ms. Hunter, and I’ve brought in someone to cover for you while you’re assisting with this important new development. You run such a tight ship here, I’m sure Ms. Rogers will have no problem covering for you for a few days or a week at the most, depending on the progress you and the R & D folks make on nailing down the new products. I’ll bring Ms. Rogers down in a few minutes so you can give her a briefing.”

  He hung up the phone. Preston leaned back in his chair and studied the woman sitting across from him. She was unreadable. The silence made him uncomfortable, so he said the first thing that popped into his mind. “Happy?”

  “Not in the slightest. I’d much rather be back in D.C., running my own company, than cleaning up the mess of an incompetent man. But it is what it is. Let’s go transition with Wiley.”

  “It shouldn’t have come to this. I expected more out of one of your former employees. I thought you had trained him better. Aaron got sloppy and made a mistake, so I suppose, by association, this is partially your fault,” Preston stated.

  “He works for you now, and apparently he is no longer getting the guidance he needs. Clearly, you don’t like to get your hands dirty, but that still gives you no excuse to disengage when the stakes are so high. The buck ultimately stops with you on this one. Do not attempt to throw any blame my way or you will regret it.”

  The ice in Sofia’s voice made Preston stumble. The tone in her delivery felt like a punch to the gut, and he had no doubt she wouldn’t hesitate to back up her threat. He quickly gathered his composure and escorted his reluctant babysitter out of his office.

  CHAPTER FORTY-TWO

  Morgan was absorbed in the last quarter’s profit-and-loss report when she felt her personal cell phone vibrate in her pocket. She fished it out and looked at the screen. The ID was blocked, which could mean it was Nick.

  “Hello?”

  “Hi, Morgan. I just got a call from an old friend of ours, Bob. When he told me where he was, I realized he’s close to where you work and he’d like to say hello.”

  “Did you get…”

  “We can talk about that later,” he stated, cutting her off. “Bob is on his way to the golf course, so I’m sure he won’t want to visit for too long. Can you slip away from work for a few minutes and meet him for coffee across the street?”

  Morgan’s pulse raced. She knew Nick well, and she had no doubt he was being cautious about what he said. She couldn’t think of any old friend they shared named Bob, which made her conclude something was very wrong.

  “Sure, I’d love to see Bob again. I don’t have another meeting for an hour if he’s available now.”

  “I’ll let him know.”

  Morgan grabbed her purse and stepped out of her office. For the second time that morning, she was thankful Aaron was late so she wouldn’t have to explain to him where she was going. She was also thankful there was no one else in the elevator. She was in no mood for idle chitchat. Nick needed to tell her something, something he didn’t feel comfortable saying over a cell phone.

  Leaving the building, she tried to keep her pace casual as she walked across the street. Once inside the coffee shop, she looked around until she spotted a middle-aged man at a table in the back dressed in plaid golf pants and a golf shirt. Their eyes locked and the man gave her a subtle nod. Morgan quickly made her way to his table.

  “Bob?” she asked in a quiet voice.

  He nodded again and motioned for her to take a seat. The man slid a cell phone across the table to her. “This phone is secure. Call Nick back and keep this phone with you at all times. His number and mine are already programmed in. Oh, and Devyn’s number is in there too.”

  The way Bob said Devyn piqued her curiosity. “Devyn?”

  “His, um, partner.”

  “You sound a little hesitant.”

  “Maybe she’s changed. All I’ll say is Nick’s stuck it out longer than anyone else I know. He must have the patience of a saint. I’ll get us coffee.”

  Bob stood and left her alone at the table. She found herself wondering about Nick’s partner but pushed the thoughts aside. She selected his number, which was the first number in the short list programmed into the phone. He picked up on the first ring.

  “Nick, what’s going on? Have you tested the sample?”

  “It’ll take a few days for the tests to be completed, but the e-mails you printed and sent threw up a huge red flag.”

  “How so?”

  “As you already know, Stan Jacobson is dead, and so is Dexter Fowler.”

  “Yes, I know. Once you told me Stan was dead, I found out who Dexter worked for and tried to get a hold of him. I was put through to his supervisor who told me that Dexter had been in a fatal skiing accident.”

  “Did you leave your name?”

  “Yes, the man asked and I gave it to him. Was that a mistake?”

  “I don’t know. Hopefully not, but I do know that Dexter was not in an accident. He was murdered.”

  Morgan was stunned. Her mind whirled and she couldn’t even t
hink of what question she should ask next.

  “Morgan, you might be in danger. I’m on my way to the airport now. I should be in Phoenix shortly after you get off work. I’ll text you later on this phone with my flight information so you can pick me up. In the meantime, don’t go home or anywhere else, and don’t talk to anyone about any of this. Agent Bob Tanner is with the FBI’s Phoenix field office. He’ll be somewhere nearby for the rest of the day. He’ll watch the front entrance and the exit to the parking garage. When you leave for the airport, he’ll follow you to make sure you get there okay.”

  “Nick, you’re scaring me. Maybe I should just call the police?”

  “No. There have been a number of incidents, including Dexter’s, where the local police have been bribed and threatened to falsify reports. We don’t know how widespread the corruption is at this time. My boss has the Phoenix FBI field office checking out Stan’s death to make sure it was really suicide. If it turns out Stan was killed and the local investigator filed a bogus report, the Phoenix office will be pulled into the investigation. In the meantime, I don’t want you alone for a second. Stay around people in your building until you come get me. Do whatever you would normally do today. If anything seems off to you, call Agent Tanner.”

  Morgan clenched the phone to her ear. Her heart thumped hard in her chest and she struggled to breathe. She wished Nick wasn’t so far away, and she wondered how she could get through the rest of the day. Her suspicions about someone being in her apartment and Preston lying about the sweetener had made her uncomfortable. If Nick was concerned enough to drop everything and come to her after all that had happened between them, the situation was more serious than she could have imagined.

  She glanced at the cash register where Agent Tanner was paying for two cups of coffee and studied the man. In his current attire he didn’t look too intimidating, but she trusted Nick’s judgment. If he trusted this man, so would she.

  “This phone Agent Tanner gave me has three numbers.”

  “If you can’t reach me or Bob, call Devyn. She’s my partner, knows everything about the case surrounding Dexter Fowler. She’s solid.”

  “Is she coming with you?”

  “No. I left her a long list of things to follow up on to keep her occupied. She’ll dog the sample you sent and rattle some cages at Dexter’s old job. I’m sure she’s not happy about being left behind.”

  “Oh.”

  The line was silent for a moment. Morgan wasn’t sure what else there was to say, but didn’t want to cut the connection to Nick.

  “Morgan, be careful. Stick to your normal routine. I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

  “Thank you,” she whispered as she disconnected, trying to keep the tears at bay.

  “Everything okay?” Agent Tanner asked as he set the coffee down.

  “Just a little frightened. A few odd things have happened since I started working here not long ago. I was just trying to understand the product I was promoting and I fear I may have opened a big can of worms. I’m glad I swallowed my pride and went to Nick, since it appears those worms may be more like venomous snakes.”

  Morgan squirmed a little under the agent’s scrutiny. She wondered how much he knew of her problem and of her and Nick’s past.

  “We crossed paths in Atlanta when you two were married. We talk maybe once or twice a year. He hasn’t moved on,” he stated as if reading her mind.

  She wasn’t sure how to respond, so she just sipped her coffee and watched him watching her.

  “My SAC isn’t convinced we have a problem here, but if Nick is concerned, I’m concerned. You have me until he gets here, so don’t hesitate to call if anything seems wrong.”

  “Well, I hope your boss is correct, but thank you nonetheless. I feel better knowing you’re close and Nick’s on the way.”

  Morgan gathered her purse and coffee and quickly made her way across the street and into the building, suddenly uncomfortable with being so exposed on a city street.

  CHAPTER FORTY-THREE

  Devyn kept her eyes straight ahead as she drove toward the airport. She had a lot of questions for Nick and the only way she was going to get the answers was to tread lightly. For years, she’d been trying to pry information out of him about his personal life, and so far, she had gotten squat. Despite the connections to the Risky Research case, she knew this trip wasn’t all about business.

  “Conroy ordered the lab to put a priority rush on that sample you gave me,” Devyn stated. “I also talked to the lab about what we’re looking for. They can give us an analysis of the substance’s composition fairly quickly, but if they find anything not commonly used in foods, it may take a little longer to verify the accusations in the e-mail.”

  “I think the main thing here is to find out if the sample contains only the all-natural ingredients the company cited when it submitted its application for GRAS status. Under the Food Additives Amendment, a substance can be exempt from some regulations if the product is GRAS or ‘Generally Accepted As Safe.’ Giant Cactus Foods’ Research and Development Division submitted the documentation verifying its sweetener meets the safety standard of reasonable certainty that no harmful or adverse effects will occur under the intended use and quantities. If what’s in that vial differs from what the company stated in its documentation, then we have a motive for keeping Dexter Fowler and Stan Jacobson quiet,” Nick replied.

  “I’ll wager the lab verifies Dexter’s claims are on target. We already knew, before your little package came, that he was murdered. It appears we now know why. And, following that logic, we need to expand our net in our search for Coterie. We were looking at drug manufacturers and research companies for clues, but a frozen food manufacturer has entered the picture, so we clearly need to be looking at the entire diet and health product industry.”

  Devyn could tell Nick’s mind wasn’t on the discussion, but she had a lot more questions. She had no intention of giving him the silent trip to the airport he probably wanted.

  “Nick, you know how important this case is to me. A lot of innocent people have already died, and I fear many more will until we locate Coterie. You’ve always been vested in it as well, but it’s clearly taken a personal turn for you.”

  He didn’t answer, but she knew he was now listening.

  “Tell me, Nick, who is ‘M?’ How did this person get the sample and e-mails, and why did ‘M’ contact you?”

  Nick hesitated. He remained focused on the traffic ahead, but after a few moments he spoke. “M is Morgan Hunter. She works for Giant Cactus Foods and took the position formerly held by Stan Jacobson. She found the e-mails on a thumb drive taped to the back of the rail of the bottom drawer of her desk, which was preventing the drawer from completely closing. She confronted her boss and he promised to have the sweetener reevaluated, but she wasn’t satisfied with his finding since he neglected to share any of the data with her. She tried to contact Stan to talk about the e-mails, but found his obituary on-line while looking for him. She tracked down Dexter’s employer and tried to make contact, only to find out he was dead too, so she sneaked a sample and sent it to me.”

  Devyn processed the information and felt Nick’s past coming into focus.

  “This Morgan woman was bothered by a drawer that wouldn’t shut and crawled under her desk to locate the culprit? She wasn’t satisfied with her boss’s answer because he wouldn’t share proof of the results, and she takes it upon herself to dig deeper? Hmm, my first thought is she’s your twin sister?”

  “No. I’m an only child.”

  “The only other option is ex-wife. A woman you drove crazy with your fastidious habits, but who wasn’t really all that different, and she still runs to you at the first hint of trouble. She may still even be in love with you and jumped at the first excuse to contact you—otherwise, why not contact the local authorities?”

  “Morgan runs to or from no one. She was uncomfortable, but had no proof any crimes were committed. In fact, without our knowledge
of Dexter Fowler, I doubt any law enforcement agency would have taken her seriously.”

  When he didn’t deny her supposition, Devyn wanted to shout out in triumph and gloat. If her instincts were as on, as they clearly were at the moment, Nick was still hung up on his ex. He was worried to distraction. With the trail of bodies left in Coterie’s wake, he had reason to be concerned, which totally squelched her glee at finally learning something personal about her partner.

  “Well, ‘M’ gave us a big break that might just help us find Coterie and put it out of business once and for all. She’ll be fine until you get there. Tanner’s a good agent. Just don’t ever tell him I said that. I like making him squirm whenever I can.”

  “Yes, you do,” Nick stated as he reached over, took her hand, and gave it a firm squeeze. “Thanks.”

  CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR

  Unsettled by her meeting with Agent Tanner and her call with Nick, Morgan decided to stop by and visit with Wiley before going up to her office. She didn’t want to admit it to herself, but facing Aaron for the first time that day was something she wasn’t looking forward to. Trying to go through the motions of her regular routine would be difficult enough without Aaron watching her every move and reporting back to Preston.

  When Morgan reached the plant, she looked around and was unable to spot Wiley. Walking the length of the line toward his office, she noticed the workers’ glances following her. She felt as if they were trying to tell her or warn her of something. She slowed her step, but all the workers quickly returned their focus to their tasks.

  As she approached Wiley’s office, she heard voices, Preston’s and another she had never heard before. She stepped into the office and the conversation stopped. Both parties looked at her with somewhat startled expressions.