by M T Stone
“Have you ever made a mistake and then made another mistake trying to cover up the first one? Then been forced to make a third mistake to cover up the first two? Eventually, you might find that you are leaving clues all over the place.” He dictates to Siri.
He shows me the message with a smug look, waiting for my reaction.
“I don’t think that’s a very good idea,” I tell him, but he grins and presses the send button. “Okay, now I’m nervous too.”
We both sit in silence waiting for Tommy’s reply. I’m gripping his hand so tightly that when I look down, my knuckles are actually white. “I’m going to call back one of the security firms that I talked to this morning. Don’t worry,” he says, lifting my hand to his lips and giving it a kiss.
His phone buzzes and lights up again.
Tommy: You will see… I don’t make mistakes!
“I really don’t like him!” I affirm, staring at Trey intently. Moments ago, I was content to let the detective and FBI handle it from here. After seeing his response, a part of me that was awakened years ago seems to be coming back to the forefront. I want to dig into everything that has been going on around us and find his mistake. Everyone leaves tracks and since all of my training has dealt with financial fraud, that’s where I want to begin. There is a money trail somewhere and I’m sure it leads to him.
“What are you thinking?” Trey asks after sitting in silence for a minute or two.
“You know what I’m thinking,” I reply, glancing down at his phone.
“So, where do we go from here?” Trey asks, inquisitively.
“I’m going to get Harris on the phone first thing tomorrow morning and see if there are any red flags on Tommy’s prior company, Firefly Media,” I reply, formulating my plan out loud. “He sold his company recently, so we’ll start by getting in touch with whoever bought it.”
“We?” He smiles and closes his eyes.
“You know you want to take down Tommy just as much as I do,” I tell him, giving him another jab in the ribs. “You promised your mom that you were going to see this through.”
“I know,” he shakes his head and gives me a look. “You really are feisty, aren’t you?”
“Damn right! Especially if the one on the other side is an arrogant prick like him.” I turn toward the window, channeling all of the rage I had felt toward Victor and reassigning it to Tommy. “I still can’t believe he left Liv in Monaco!”
“Actually, I’m a little surprised that I never left her anywhere,” he says with a chuckle. “She really was a first-class pain in the ass!”
“Yeah, I saw it first hand. That’s how I knew you had a good heart, because there is no way I would’ve put up with her shit!” I think back to that first day in Geneva and have to wonder if she ended up somewhere at the bottom of the Mediterranean. One little push while no one is around and it would be pretty hard to find any evidence. My thoughts are interrupted by Trey’s phone buzzing again.
“Now what?” Trey rolls his eyes and retrieves his phone. Brandon Ryker’s name flashes across the screen. “Hey, it’s Brandon,” he says seeming somewhat relieved to see the name of a friend.
Trey
“Hey Brandon, what’s up?”
“Trey, Dad and I were just wondering what the hell is up? Tyler nearly dies; your mom is on the front page of the paper and now Bill? Why would he do that?” he asks getting right to the point of his call.
“Yeah, we don’t know what Bill is so mad about, but it definitely has something to do with Tommy Fowler,” I tell him.
“You haven’t heard?” he gasps. “Bill killed himself this afternoon!”
“Killed himself? You’ve got to be fucking kidding me! When?” I ask, suddenly shocked for the third time in the last twenty-four hours.
“A couple hours ago, I guess. One of dad’s friends just called and told us that his wife found him when she came home from shopping,” he says, sending an absolute chill directly through me.
Mandy is going nuts beside me wondering what we are talking about. “Bill apparently killed himself,” I whisper.
“Hey Trey, Dad wants to talk to you,” Brandon says, interrupting me.
“Okay,” I reply, feeling completely numb.
“Trey, this is Jack,” he announces, his deep voice reverberating over the phone. “First Victor, now Bill… there has to be something rotten when a company loses their CEO and the Chairman of the Board within a matter of weeks. What the hell is going on?”
“Hey Jack, there is something really wrong and we’re trying to piece it together,” I tell him. “In fact, I’m meeting with a detective and an FBI agent within the hour.”
“It’s going to take them a while to get organized,” he replies. “In the meantime you need to circle the wagons and protect your own.”
“It’s funny you say that, because I called around this morning to several security firms,” I inform him. “I was just telling Mandy that I need to pick one and get some protection.”
“Actually, that’s why I called. I would recommend Anthony Rosen; he’s a friend of mine who is a founding member of the Alpha 9.” He pauses, apparently thinking that I know about them.
“The Alpha 9?” I ask sheepishly.
“I’m sorry, I always assume that people have heard of them,” he continues. “They are a quick strike team that was started by three retired Marines, three Army Rangers and three Navy Seals. It’s the next best thing to having your own army and they are based right here in the city.”
“Wow, that sounds cool,” I reply, thinking about how I would love to see one of them kicking Tommy’s ass. “How much does it cost?”
“With people dropping all around you, does it really matter?” he asks a bit sarcastically. “Believe me, you will find their rates to be very reasonable.”
“Yeah, that’s fine. I was just curious,” I stammer. “How do I get a hold of him?”
“I’ll have Anthony call you within five minutes,” he says firmly. “Believe me, he is the best.”
“Alright, thanks Jack,” I hang up the phone and give Mandy a relieved smile. It feels good to know that reinforcements will soon be on the way. Especially highly qualified reinforcements. Hopefully they will be able to keep all of us safe.
“Mr. Addison?” Tony looks in the rearview mirror looking for my attention.
“Yes?”
“I think we are being followed by the black sedan behind us, sir,” he says with a quiver in his voice.
“Just drive around the block and see if they follow,” I tell him, having seen people do that on TV shows.
“I just did that, sir. They followed us around all four corners,” he replies, his voice cracking wildly. “That’s why I didn’t stop at the hospital entrance.”
“Shit! I’m going to be getting a call from someone who can help us any minute,” I inform him. “I don’t think we have any choice but to go around the block again. Just make sure you stay where it’s well lit!”
As we slow to make the first corner the sedan comes right up to us, tapping the bumper. “Shit they know we are fucking with them!” Tony yells back to us on the verge of panic.
“Turn left and follow that ambulance!” I yell after seeing an ambulance entering the underground parking garage.
Tony cranks the wheel, hitting the curb and causing both Mandy and I to be tossed around in the back. “Hang on!” he yells as we bounce over another median before hurling down the driveway toward the entrance.
“Oh shit!” Mandy screams as the overhead door begins to close.
“Hang on!” the driver yells, flooring it in an attempt to make it inside.
There is a thud just above our heads as the antenna is ripped from the roof and our driver slams on the brakes coming to a screeching stop, just inches from the rear end of the ambulance that had preceded us.
“What the fuck is going on?” Tony asks as he swings around in his seat with eyes the size of pancakes.
“That’s what we ar
e trying to figure out,” Mandy exclaims grabbing onto my arm and looking around in search of any further danger.
“Obviously we are next on the list,” I tell them, feeling a wave of anxiety washing through me. My phone starts to buzz again. “God, I sure hope this is Anthony.”
POWER SHIFT
BOOK 3: TWIN BILLIONAIRES SERIES
CHAPTER 1
T rey
“Shit, it’s your dad,” I tell Mandy after looking down at my phone. After the ride we just took, I was hoping that a decorated Navy Seal was calling. “I think I’ll let you answer it.” My hand is still shaking as I hand her the phone.
“He called you, not me,” she replies, pushing the phone back toward me.
We are both so rattled by what just happened that neither of us wants to have our ass chewed right now. I glare at her while answering the call. “Hi Ray, I’ll bet you are calling about the article.”
“Yes, as a matter of fact. What the hell were you thinking?” he snaps, getting right down to business.
“It wasn’t my idea,” I reply, not able to form a better thought at the moment. “Before we get into it, just let me tell you that we were just intentionally rear-ended by a black sedan and had to jump the curb to get away from them. I’m expecting a call from a security expert any minute, so I don’t have time to talk.”
“Jesus! What’s going on?” His tone instantly changes. “Is Mandy okay?” he asks with fatherly concern suddenly overriding his anger.
“Yes, she’s fine,” I assure him, holding the phone up for her to say hello.
“Hi Daddy,” she says with a slight quiver in her voice. “I’ll give you a call as soon as we are upstairs.”
I put the phone back up to my ear. “We just followed an ambulance into the underground parking garage and our driver is currently trying to explain the situation. We’ll call you back in a bit.”
“Okay, please call as soon as you can,” he replies, now sounding just as nervous as either of us.
After hanging up I grab Mandy’s hand, leading her out of the car and into the brightly lit underground ambulance garage. “I’m sorry about this guys,” I say immediately while walking up to Tony and two EMT’s. “Some guys in a black sedan were following us and when we slowed to take the corner they rammed into us. We basically panicked and I told Tony to follow the ambulance down the ramp to safety. I’ll pay for the door if it’s damaged.”
“I’m not worried about the door,” one of the EMT’s replies. “But you guys could have killed someone.”
“I know. Like I said, someone was chasing us and we panicked.” I look at him and shrug my shoulders. “My brother is in the ICU upstairs, so I would like to go up and see him. Is there somewhere Tony can park this thing until we’re sure it’s safe for us to leave.”
“I suppose you can pull up over there,” the EMT tells Tony, pointing to a service bay that is sitting empty at the moment. “You definitely have to get out the driveway. It’s only a matter of minutes before the next ambulance comes through that door.”
“Right away,” Tony replies, jumping back into the limo and maneuvering it out of the way.
“Is there a service elevator or something we can use to avoid stopping in the lobby?” I ask the other EMT after Tony leaves to park the car. “I don’t want to take any chances,” I tell him, still concerned about who has been tailing us.
“Are you guys in some kind of trouble?” he asks with look of concern.
“My brother was poisoned while under the care of Dr. Potaturri and now the doctor has been killed,” I explain. “So, yes, we are obviously in some sort danger.”
“Come with me,” he replies, heading toward the employee elevator. “I’ll take you up. What floor is he on?”
“He’s still in ICU,” I respond, reaching over to take Mandy’s hand as we follow him into the elevator. “It’s been quite a day.” We stand in silence as the elevator slowly groans to life and begins a slow trek up to Tyler’s floor. I close my eyes for a couple seconds in hopes of clearing my head just a bit. Another day of escalating chaos has left me exhausted. Between all the stress and the general lack of sleep, I’m not sure how much more I can take.
Mandy
Judging by Trey’s silence, I’m assuming that he has a million thoughts running through his mind, just like me. It seems obvious that Tommy is the one orchestrating everything, so now it’s just a matter of proving it.
“It’s only four thirty on the west coast, so I’m going to give Harris a quick call,” I tell Trey as we exit the elevator. “I’ll come to Tyler’s room as soon as I’m finished.”
“It’s good to see you taking your aggression out on someone else,” he says with a subdued smirk and tired eyes. “Tommy better watch his back.”
“Everybody makes mistakes,” I reply, still irritated by his arrogance. I make my way down the hall to the family room and am relieved to find it empty for the moment. I click Harris’ number and for once I actually hope he picks up.
“Well, if it isn’t my rogue agent,” he answers informally, something highly unusual for him. “Are you coming in soon or do I need to send someone out to retrieve you?”
“Good evening, Sir,” I reply, letting him know that it’s a professional call. “I’m actually calling in regards to Tommy Fowler. He recently sold his company Firefly Media and we have reason to believe that the books were cooked,” I tell him, sharing my suspicions.
“Was it a publicly traded company?” he asks, which I was anticipating.
“Yes, it was publicly traded,” I reply, hoping to peak his interest. “More importantly, he was recently hired as the new CEO at Addison Media based on his successful track record. He had a big argument with the Chairman of the board yesterday and later in the day he was found dead.”
“Bill Gleason is dead too? This whole thing is starting to sound like something out of a novel,” he replies with his usual disdain. “Do you suppose I should reverse course and start protecting the Addison Empire?” he asks in a snarky tone.
“Well, not exactly. I just thought you could use your connections to see if there were any suspicious stock transactions leading up to the sale of the company,” I clarify, hoping for some quick dirt on Tommy.
“Umm, I’m sorry Amanda but I’m gonna have to pass,” he groans. “You know we’re understaffed and I have three stacks on my desk that you should be helping me with.” He pauses, letting those last seven guilt-ridden words soak in.
“I understand,” I mutter, disappointed by the lack of cooperation from him. “I’ll have to go another route.”
“Make sure you come see me by the end of the week,” he adds, apparently sensing the end of our call. “Maybe we can scan the database once you’re here.”
“Okay, I plan on getting there soon,” I reply with waning enthusiasm. “I’ll text you.”
I simply stare at my phone for a few seconds after hanging up. Trey is right. I need to tell him I’m finished, but I want to wait until after I’ve gathered everything I can in regards to Tommy. I’m not going away empty handed.
Trey
Tyler’s room is actually crowded as I step inside the door. Dr. Novacek, an FBI agent, Detective Kelly, Vanessa and Mom are all standing around his bed interacting with him. The broad smile on his face hints that he is thrilled to be the center of attention. It reminds me of how things were after his knee was shattered. Unfortunately, back then, once he was released from the hospital he sat home and grew increasingly bitter with each passing day. Hopefully he won’t follow the same pattern this time.
“Hey, it’s my twin,” he says cheerfully as I poke my head around Dr. Novacek to greet him.
“Hey Tyler, you’re looking good, man,” I reply, before walking around to an open spot on the other side of the bed. “How’s he doing?” I ask, turning to the doctor.
“As you can see, his short term memory appears to be functioning normally,” he replies looking down at his chart. “Give him time and he should re
build a functional memory at the very least.”
“Will he start remembering what happened to him?” Detective Kelly interjects with the FBI Agent looking on inquisitively.
“That’s far less certain,” Dr. Novacek replies, shaking his head. “I can’t imagine he will ever remember the night that he had five hundred milliliters of propofol in his system. He may get some sort of faint, partial recall but nothing complete that’s for sure.”
“What the heck happened that night?” I ask, thinking out loud.
“All I remember is waking up here and finding out that I’m engaged and I have a twin brother,” he replies still marveling in the fact that I look exactly like him. “I’m hungry,” he says, completely changing the subject.
“Then you should eat,” Dr. Novacek says, flipping his chart closed and giving him a pat on the leg. “This is your first day back on solid food, so just take it slow,” he adds, looking over the top of his glasses. He then cracks a smile before turning toward the door.
“We should step outside for a minute too,” Detective Kelly says, before looking back at the FBI Agent. “This is Agent Mitchell.”
“I’m Trey,” I reply, holding out my hand to shake his. I’m not sure exactly what to say when meeting an FBI Agent. Pleasure to meet you? Not really. “There is a family room down the hall where we can have a little more privacy,” I tell them before leading them down the corridor.
“This is better than the hallway, I guess,” Detective Kelly says while hitting up the coffee machine and glancing over at Mandy who is still on the phone.
“She’s actually talking to her boss at the SEC to see if he can shed any light on this case,” I state as Agent Mitchell and I grab a seat at a small white table in the corner. “She’s an attorney,” I relay to the agent.
“So, what’s going on?” Detective Kelly asks upon joining us. “You said you have details that can shed light on this case.” He takes a slurp of his coffee and stares at me intently. All he needs is a doughnut to complete his stereotypical guise.