by Petrova, Em
“Fill me in.” Christine rushed with him to her office.
Charlie slid the print outs with the explanations in the fax machine and dialed a number. “There’s a bank account in Christine Howell’s name with almost eight hundred thousand dollars in it.”
Christine felt the blood leave her face. “But I don’t have that kind of money.”
“Shh.” He hit ‘send’. “Where are your hospital discharge papers?”
“Why?” Christine didn’t wait for an answer as she retrieved them. He took them, highlighted the dates showing her admittance and discharge, and then faxed them. “What do these prove?”
The twist of Charlie’s lips made her shiver. “Several transactions on the ‘Christine’ account were made the day you were admitted. There’s absolutely no way you could have made them.”
“Not even remotely?”
Charlie laughed and stroked her cheek. “Bank accounts are different. You have to enter passwords, codes, and specific amounts. The investigators could always say Adam, Anna, me, or someone you trust performed those transactions. But a good IT person can pull the IP address and see where the transactions originated: private, office, whatever.”
“Oh my God, it’s over. We’re cleared.” Christine wrapped him in her arm, struggling to be closer with the sling, wanting to be heartbeat to heartbeat.
“We haven’t solved it yet, even with the proof. Peg and her team can pull the bank records, interview tellers and anyone who handled the account. But it appears it’s almost over.” His arms wrapped her, but his body remained taut. “About earlier.” His cell rang. He muttered under his breath but answered, angling the phone so Christine could hear too. “Hi Peg.”
“Once again, you’re right.” Peg sounded a bit disgruntled. “Care to tell me how you discovered all this?”
“You can put two and two together. You always have. But I will say you corporate heads should pay more attention to those you consider the little people.”
“While this new information all but completes our case and clears both of you, you face charges of termination for non-compliance of direct orders.” Peg’s voice sounded stiff and unbending.
Christine tried to pull away, but Charlie’s arms tightened. Oh my God, she had endangered his job. What have I done?
Charlie gazed directly at her as he spoke. “My personal life and time is my own. I haven’t discussed this directly with Christine so she should not be penalized. She’s also already been suspended, which seems punitive enough. But I can also put two and two together. If the board still wants to bring me up for disciplinary action, I’ll email my resignation and save them the trouble. It’s already written.”
Christine shook her head and tried to jerk away. “No!” Charlie’s arms only tightened more around her. “You can’t resign, it’s your dream. Please Charlie, think about this. I don’t need my job back and I’m happy to be terminated if it means you can stay.”
“Hush,” Charlie said simply. Christine’s mouth snapped closed. “It’s done.”
“I agree with Ms. Howell. There’s no need to be hasty.” Peg’s protest mirrored Christine’s. “You’ve cooperated fully with this investigation.”
“It is necessary.” Charlie’s gaze stayed on Christine as she shook her head over and over.
“Would it help if I apologized for my earlier statements? I see Ms. Howell is indeed what you say.”
Charlie laughed as Christine went stiff against him. What had he said? She almost punched him, but she couldn’t with one arm in a sling and the other squeezed around him. “It helps us as friends. It doesn’t help us professionally.”
Peg sighed. “I’ll throw the going away party. Although it will be hard to match those luaus you’ve been hosting. I’ll call you later.”
“You always were the brightest bulb in the pack. Talk to you soon.”
Christine jerked away as he disconnected. “You can’t resign. You’re up for promotion.”
“I have other plans.” Charlie’s smile dimmed a bit. “I had other plans. Those seem a bit waylaid now, but it doesn’t matter. I’ll find a plan B.”
“Stop saying it doesn’t matter. Of course it matters.” Christine gaped at him. “You love your job and you’re amazing at it. Why would you quit?” Her telephone rang, but she waved her hand. “The answering machine can get it. You’re more important.”
Kathy’s voice filled the air. “Hi, Christine, I need you to call me as soon as possible or meet me at the coffee shop in thirty minutes. We have to talk immediately.”
“Want me to drive you?” Charlie ran a hand through his hair.
“I’m not going anywhere until we get this settled.” Christine tried to cross her arms, muttering as the sling prevented her, and she swung her free arm wide. “You are not resigning, especially because of me. This promotion is everything to you.”
“No, it’s not.”
“Yes, it is. You’ve wanted it for ages.”
“There’s nothing I want more than you. Don’t you understand you’re everything to me?” Charlie pounded on her desk. “There’s only you, Christine. I don’t care about anything else. The job is a job. It doesn’t matter when I don’t have what I want most. And what I want most is you.”
Christine swallowed and wanted to kick herself. How could she even begin to make this right? “You said you didn’t protect me. So tell me how Jim’s attack is your fault?” She tapped his chest with her finger, watching his expression. “It’s not your fault. After all we’ve gone through, you pushed me away because you didn’t have ESP? This isn’t caveman times, and I don’t need to be wrapped in cotton or treated like the helpless little woman.”
“I understand you aren’t helpless.” Charlie took a deep breath. “But you were hurt.”
“Oh for God’s sake, I got bruises from the grip of the kid on the plane too, but I don’t blame you for those any more than I do for Jim’s attack.”
“I blame me.” He took a step from her, backing her into the wall. “How can you ever forgive me?”
She opened her mouth to scream then snapped it shut. She had to tread gently. “There’s nothing to forgive. I thought you couldn’t touch me because Jim’s attack made me undesirable or dirty.”
“Never.” His eyes blazed hot and furious. “You are the most beautiful, desirable woman in the world to me. What he did has nothing to do with how I feel for you or how much I want you.”
“Right. He”—Christine emphasized—”Jim. Not you, never you. He hurt me. I recognize the difference. If you’d just touch me and let me show you, you’d recognize it too. Damnit, Kale, for such a brilliant man you sure are dense at times.” The phone rang again, Kathy’s voice more insistent this time. Christine muttered a curse at the same time Charlie did. “I don’t blame you. Please understand, please.”
“It sounds important and she won’t give up. Go see what Kathy wants.” Charlie ran a hand through his hair. “We’ll talk when you get back.”
“Yeah?” Christine marched over and yanked his head to hers, kissing him long and deep. She grinned as his eyes widened, body hardened, and hands shook. “A preview of coming attractions. You damn well better believe we’ll talk. So you best be ready, Jergens.”
Chapter Fourteen
“Where are we going?” Did it work? Can he hear me? Christine gazed out the car window, praying panic didn’t show in her voice. Had she hit the right button on her cell hidden in her sling? She’d heard him answer and then nothing since.
“Just down the road.”
Damn, her ploy to say where they were had failed. “Ever go in the place we just passed, Judy’s? They have amazing bagels and.”
“Stop talking, Christine.”
She did for a minute. “You said it happened before the same way?”
“It’s all too simple really. Change a few numbers, submit new invoices, and channel the money to another account. Works like a charm, as you’ve seen. Then when Margaret Bensen and the other corpor
ate figureheads catch on, they punish the one who’s assigned the computer.”
Christine felt sick. “There’d be a trace if it happened in our office all the time. Mrs. Bensen’s smart. She’d catch on.”
“You forget I have access to many accounts in many offices and since the corporation policy is all corporate computers, they have the same password. It’s simple really.”
Christine shook her head. “But the IP addresses are different.”
“My, my. Someone has been spending a lot of time with Tom. Did he fail to tell you about proxy servers?”
“I don’t understand.” Christine didn’t dare glance anywhere but out the window. “Wow, that’s the new Walgreen’s going up. What do you mean proxy servers?”
“You really are computer stupid. A proxy server can access computers, pass information to other computers without changing the IP. Or you just use the IP of the computer you’re accessing. It’s a stand in. If I accessed the LA or NY or Houston accounts on my own computer, my IP would show. So I log in a proxy server for access.”
“So if we use ABC server and the LA computer uses 123 servers, you use a proxy to switch to 123 and then it appears the computer you hack sent the fake invoices?” Christine raised her voice a bit.
“I don’t hack. I have the passwords. Everyone in the corporation does. It’s a situation begging to be exploited, so I oblige them.”
Christine spoke a bit louder. “You set people up, let them be accused, and jailed. You ruin lives and don’t care.”
“Stop playing the goody-goody. The ones I accessed were either about to retire or weren’t fit to be in the corporation. None of them had kids. So you have kids, but they’re not at home. They’re grown and have their own lives.”
Christine laid her forehead on the window to keep from screaming. “We really are far from town. This is highway 191 coming up. Are we driving there?”
“Yes. The cliff at World’s End will be perfect. Now shut up.”
“You should slow down. There’s a bad curve coming up here on Sugar Mountain road.”
“Don’t tell me how to drive.” But the car did slow as Christine hoped.
“Why did you set up Charlie as well?” Please, please, please, let him hear. Let him know.
“With his connections and length of time with the corporation, it wasn’t like anyone would believe he had anything to do with this. Though I admit, I had fun watching him sweat trying to get you out of trouble. You’ve been chasing him for months so don’t give me the ‘we’re just friends’ speech. You’re fucking him. The whole corporation is talking about it.”
“I love him.” Christine spoke the words loud and clear to make sure if Charlie heard nothing else, he heard those. “I love Charlie, and we’re planning a life together.”
“Guess that plan’s over. You’re not going to be around. Jim will be the mule this time.”
“So you set him up this time too.” Christine shook her head in disgust.
“He’s weak, stupid, and needed to go. I can move up in our office, clean a few more positions, and then just coast along until I retire.”
“Did he really attack me?” Christine turned from the window.
“Now you get it. Nope, he didn’t. Easy enough to mimic the cigar smell. He buys the cheap ones. I borrowed his coat stinking of the scent. Work gloves”—a hand rose to demonstrate—”are rough, scratchy, and big. You got felt up, not raped. I prefer dicks to chicks. It’s nothing personal.”
It’s nothing personal? Of course it was personal, everything about it was personal. “Why attack me?”
“I had to keep Charlie occupied. When I heard he had arrived, I figured it wasn’t because you’re such a great piece of ass. He would investigate our office as he has others for weeks, and unlike you, he’d probably uncover the very minimal paper trail because he’s fairly intelligent. I attacked you, got him occupied with poor little hurt Christine, and made a couple of computer adjustments. I spoke a few words to Jim, sowed some doubts, and made it seem Mrs. Bensen would target the office supervisor, him, next. Then I told him I saw you meeting with Tom at the coffee shop, and he rushed away to confront you. Guess he got a bit over-zealous, huh?”
“I smelled cigars and he acted so strangely I thought he had something to hide.” Christine bent her head, spoke right to her sling. “I’m so sorry, Jim. You did nothing wrong.”
“Like he can hear you. You made it so easy, calling those detectives and implicating Jim. Now I’m free and clear except for tying up loose ends. You die, oh so sad, Charlie goes back to Hawaii, Jim goes to jail for the attack, and I become office supervisor. Life is good.”
“Why do I have to die? Why even bother to tell me any of this?”
“Why not? The attack helped, but just to make sure smart Charlie heads back to Hawaii and doesn’t decide to stay here, something drastic needs to happen. He did resign right before a huge promotion which tells me you must be one hell of a fuck. So I take you out of the picture. Your death makes everything so simple and ties up the last little loose end.”
“This is World’s End.” Christine glanced around taking in the well-known area. “It’s a seven hundred foot drop off the cliff. Are you planning to push me?”
“Um, hadn’t considered it, but good idea, less messy.” The car pulled off the side of the road and stopped as the keys were removed. “Get out and stand by the hood.”
“What if I say no?” Christine blinked as the gun whipped out and came to her head.
“A gunshot wound to the head is a very effective life ender. Try to run and I just have to aim. You won’t get far, not with a sling. You can choose the gunshot or the jump over the cliff.”
Christine took a deep breath and shook her head. If she left the car before help arrived, she’d die. So she sat still and refused to move. “Neither.”
“Funny. I’d love to share a few more laughs with you, but I’ve wasted enough time.”
“No one will believe I just jumped off or shot myself.” Christine tried reason. “Jim is in custody. I’ve been cleared. Why would I take my own life when everything is going so well?”
“There’s a note saying Charlie resigned, and it’s your fault.”
“But I never wrote or typed any note. I only became aware Charlie resigned a bit ago.” Stall as long as possible. Christine pushed at her hair and bent over as far as she could in the seat. “I think I’m going to be sick.”
“Great. Puke out the door as we’re walking around to the front. And about the note, who do you think signed your name to those duplicate invoices? I’m familiar with your handwriting so no one will doubt this note, not even Charlie. Move it.”
Christine moaned. “I don’t feel well.”
“Cut the crap and make your choice.”
So Christine did.
***
Charlie stomped on the gas pedal, leaned on the horn, and prayed. Beside him Adam whistled low. “Mom never mentioned NASCAR in your background.”
“There isn’t. We just have to get to her before that monster hurts her.” Charlie made the turn on two wheels and threw Adam against the window. “Sorry.”
“No worries. Mom can take care of herself and hold her own until we get there.” Adam gripped the dashboard. “Good thing I came by to visit so you could hijack my car and ride to her rescue though.”
“I didn’t hijack your car. You offered it, sort of.” Charlie passed a semi on a double line and swerved back into the correct lane just as a dump truck roared toward them, earning a curse from Adam.
“Yeah, I loved the choices. Move over or get out.” Adam cleared his throat. “Mom’s okay. She’s strong and she’s tough.”
“You heard the conversation.” Brilliant woman, his Christine, activating her cell phone so her abduction could clearly be heard. He’d never tease her about being technology challenged again. “There’s a gun mentioned and then the phone just shut off. If we’re too late, I’ll never forgive myself.”
“
We won’t be.” Adam’s knuckles were white, his voice strained. “Here, right up there where...”
“All the ambulances and police cars are.” Charlie slammed on the brakes, threw it in park, yanked open the door, and ran. He shoved through person after person, noticing too many people standing beside what looked like a sheer cliff. No. Oh God, please, please no. He didn’t see Christine, couldn’t find her.
“Kale.” And there she sat in the back of an ambulance with an ice pack on her face. “I’m all right. Tell them I don’t need the hospital.”
Charlie took her hand, kissed her fingers, and breathed her in. Oh thank God. Her left eye was already swollen with black and greenish bruises around the ice pack. She’d have a matching set, though he wouldn’t mention it now. “So, how’s the other girl?”
“Kathy? She’s over there somewhere. I kicked her in the stomach, and she hit me in the face. Oh, and I think the car door slammed on her hand and broke it. I dunno when.” Christine waved her fingers absently.
“She used the moves I taught her.” Marsha grinned like a proud parent as she strolled over to them. “The first kick confused and disoriented Kathy, allowing Christine to get out of the car. Kathy followed her so Christine slammed the car door on her which bought her more time until we got here. By the way, thanks for the call, Charlie.”
“Thank Adam here. He let me borrow his cell phone so I didn’t need to disconnect with Christine.” Charlie stroked her hair. Thank God. He’d never waste another moment again. She could have all the time she wanted to adjust to marrying him as long as he could keep her in his sight.
“Borrow. I do love how you interpret things.” Adam nodded at Marsha and bent down to see his mom. “Hey.”
“Hey, honey. You’re missing work. They just need to let me go home.” Christine wiggled, shoved at the EMT’s hands, and patted Adam’s cheek. “I’m okay.”
“Let them check you over.” Charlie almost chuckled as the EMT rolled his eyes and sighed. “Ku’uipo, Ku’u ‘I’ini, be still.”
“With the cell phone confusion, we’ll wrap this up fairly quickly,” Marsha continued. “Ben is speaking to your corporate investigators now. Kathy’s already making noises about wanting an attorney, so she’s aware we have her cold. We’ll stay in touch.”