Echoes of Titanic

by Mindy Starns Clark

  Then it came to her. Stifling a smile, she announced it was time for her to head to the enclosed promenade and help entertain the children. “Would you two like to come with me?”

  “No,” they replied in unison, and then they all laughed.

  Soon Jocelyn was on her way. She had accomplished her goal of moving them toward a relationship, which was a good thing.

  So why did that thought make her feel so sad?

  CHAPTER

  THIRTY-FIVE

  Thriller looked as excited as Kelsey felt.

  “See, as soon as you said that stuff this morning about “The Wonder,’” he explained, “my brain started working on it. I knew I had seen or heard that phrase somewhere before. Then this afternoon it hit me. It took a while to find a picture of it, but there you go. The Wonder safe, made by Cramer Brothers Company in Kansas City, Missouri, in the year nineteen fifteen.”

  “Do we know where it is?” Kelsey whispered.

  “Not yet,” he replied. “But hopefully we will by the end of the night.”

  Kelsey continued to stare in shock at the photo of the old safe. Even if they couldn’t find it, even if nothing came of this at all, just seeing that photo reaffirmed something far more important, that her father was still there, that he wasn’t just a mindless shell who sat babbling nonsense. “The Wonder!” he had cried in response to her questions about the bonds. Looking at the photo, she felt a flutter of release, of hope, deep in her heart. Maybe he would never return to the man he’d once been, but at least a part of him remained. For her, that was enough.

  Drawing in a quick breath to ward off happy tears, she asked Thriller if he had seen one of these before in person.

  “One or two.”

  “Where?”

  “Let’s just say I have some familiarity with safes.”

  Kelsey looked at him, slightly startled, wondering if he’d been a thief or a safecracker in the past. Cole had always been the type of person to give a fellow a second chance. For all she knew, he hired ex-cons.

  “I used to work for a locksmith,” Thriller said with a faint smile.

  “Ah,” she said, embarrassed for her assumption. “So what’s our next move?”

  “We’ll get to that,” Cole said. “But let’s finish up our review first. Thriller, why don’t you tell us what you learned about the bonds themselves?”

  Thriller retook his seat. “Flash, you helped me out on this. Why don’t you explain?”

  “Gladly.” The young man sat up a little straighter in his wheelchair and looked at Kelsey. “Good news. With some digging we were able to confirm that on April tenth, nineteen twelve, a Mr. Rowan Brennan purchased ten bonds for a thousand dollars each from a company called Transatlantic Wireless Limited, in England.”

  Kelsey gasped. “Are you sure?”

  Flash nodded, looking vaguely insulted at the question.

  “Transatlantic Wireless?” she asked. “What is that?”

  “Primarily, they sold telegram and telegraph equipment to companies like those owned by Marconi. In fact, Titanic was using some of their equipment on board, so we assume Brennan was able to see it in action during the trip.”

  “Wow.” Kelsey sat back in her seat, astounded at what she was learning. “But how do we know if the bonds made it off the ship or not?”

  Flash grinned. “Oh, they did. I tracked the serial numbers and found that two of them were cashed in nineteen twenty-nine, another in nineteen thirty-five, and yet another in nineteen seventy-three.”

  “That means they were still worth something as late as the seventies,” Kelsey said softly.

  “Yep,” Flash replied. “Three hundred and forty two thousand dollars each, to be exact. They would be worth more than that now, maybe even twice as much.”

  “How about the other six bonds? Any idea what happened to them?”

  Flash shook his head. “My search was pretty exhaustive. I found no other evidence of the remaining serial numbers. There’s a chance that only four of the bonds made it off Titanic, of course, but it seems unlikely they would have become separated. Our conclusion is that your father was correct. Some of the bonds still exist, unredeemed, and they are being stored somewhere in a Cramer Brothers safe.”

  Closing her eyes, Kelsey verbalized the one question she was afraid to ask. “Is Transatlantic Wireless still around? I can’t imagine that bonds from a telegraph company would be worth anything in this day and age.” She opened her eyes, and once again she realized that the three men were all smiling at her.

  “The good news,” Cole said, picking things up from there, “is that TW is now part of a larger conglomerate. They’re owned by BAE Systems, which is one of the UK’s largest corporations.”

  “So it’s a viable company?” she said.

  “Quite.”

  “And they would honor these bonds?”

  “We believe so.” His smile faded. “There’s just one big problem.”

  “What’s that?”

  Cole glanced at Flash and Thriller and then back at Kelsey. “The bonds purchased by Rowan Tate were hundred-year bonds. If we can’t find them and cash them in by April ninth, two thousand twelve, they’ll expire.”

  Kelsey swallowed hard. “Expire? Then what?”

  He shrugged. “Essentially, they’ll become worthless.”

  “You could probably sell them on eBay, as collectibles,” Flash interjected. “But you wouldn’t get that much for ’em. Maybe forty, fifty bucks a piece.”

  Kelsey’s mind was whirling. April ninth? That was…“Cole, today is Friday the sixth, right?”

  “Yes.”

  “That means we have to find them and cash them in by Monday or we lose everything.”

  He nodded grimly. “Guess you could say we have our work cut out for us. It’s time to take a good look at these floor plans to see if we can figure out the most logical places where that safe might be hidden.”

  Cole then unfolded the plans Kelsey had brought and spread them open on the table. As he and Thriller studied them closely, Flash suggested it might be a good time to wire her up. Soon she had a transmitter/battery pack tucked in a pocket, a tiny mic fastened inside her collar, and a small, flesh-colored triangle wedged in her ear.

  Using a headset and his laptop, Flash had her walk through the Thornton offices as he tested out the sound. And though the vibrations of the earpiece tickled a bit when he spoke, otherwise she was amazed at the quality of the reception.

  “What exactly do I do once I’m in there?” she asked Flash when she rejoined the others in the conference room.

  Handing her an iPad, he said, “The first thing is to use this to log onto the network and go into your email. You’ll accept an email from me, and that will serve to open a channel. After that, I’ll take over and get the electronic info we need remotely.”

  “Remotely?”

  “From the van. We’ll be parked right outside.”

  She was suddenly nervous. “Will I be able to talk to you while I’m in there?”

  “Absolutely, like you did just now.”

  “Okay.”

  “After that I may need you to take other actions, depending on the data that comes back to me. Otherwise, Thriller will be guiding you to look for the safe.”

  She nodded, the butterflies in her stomach suddenly going wild.

  “I was able to get information about the security system the B & T building uses,” Flash continued. “Fortunately, you can still get in the doors with your regular code, and there’s only one security camera on the fifth floor. It shows the elevator landing, the restroom doors, and the reception area. Avoid those, and you won’t be spotted.”

  Kelsey nodded, remembering that from a conversation with Ephraim.

  Glancing at his watch, he added, “The security team doesn’t start making rounds till midnight, and the cleaners come on Sundays rather than Fridays, so you should be clear of all interruptions. Unless some employee decides to come back to the office, you’ll
have the place to yourself.”

  Kelsey sank into a chair. “You guys certainly seem to have thought of everything,” she said gamely, wishing she felt more confident.

  Flash nodded. “That’s our job. And we’re as thorough as they come.”

  They both fell silent, and Kelsey turned her attention to Cole and Thriller. The two men were leaning intently over the plans, deep in discussion, pausing occasionally to make notes on a pad.

  “How are you guys coming over there?” Flash asked, glancing at his watch. “We ought to roll soon.”

  “Just about finished,” Cole replied. Then, after another minute, both men sat up straight and Cole gave Kelsey a nod. “Just one more thing, and then we can go.”

  Nodding, she moved back to her place at the table.

  “No offense, Kels, but I need you to sign this.” Cole pulled a piece of paper from a manila folder and slid it in front of her. “It’s a waiver, and it says you have the authority to grant us remote access to your computer network. What we’re doing is legal as long as it’s done with the permission of someone who already has access to the data.”

  “We won’t be hacking any firewalls,” Flash added. “That’s why you have to be inside, online, to grant us the permission electronically.”

  Kelsey nodded, skimming the wording on the form. It all looked reasonable to her, and she had no hesitation in signing. Not only did she feel that she had every right to do this, but she had also obtained permission from her father, who was still the president of Brennan & Tate, technically speaking. Cole handed her a pen. After she had signed the document and handed it back to him, he thanked her, adding, “I won’t work outside of the law, and I can’t have my employees doing so either. I’m glad you understand that.”

  She nodded, their eyes holding for a long moment. “Knowing you, Cole, that doesn’t surprise me in the least.”

  Smiling, he tucked away the waiver and then stood.

  “Guess that’s it, folks,” he told them, eyeing his troops one by one. “Let’s roll.”

  Soon the four of them were in a dark blue, handicap-accessible van, Thriller at the wheel, driving down Broadway toward the financial district. The back of the vehicle was filled with all sorts of electronic equipment, and the more Kelsey took it all in, the more confident she began to feel about the whole thing. These guys really did seem to know what they were doing. Glancing at Cole, she felt her heart surge with gratitude.

  “Thank you,” she whispered when he returned her gaze. “I know you guys offered to do all of this for free, but I say if we find those bonds, you’ve earned yourselves a finder’s fee.”

  “That’s what I’m talking about!” Thrilled cried, slapping a hand on his thigh.

  “Thanks, Kelsey,” Flash said from where his wheelchair had been strapped in behind her.

  Cole gave her a wink and said, “I’ll pass, but that’s kind of you to do that for the guys.”

  “Aw, shut up, boss,” Thriller said. “If you don’t want it, Flash and I will split your share.”

  They all laughed.

  As they continued onward, Cole asked Kelsey about her other assignment, the confrontation with Pamela. She sighed and then related their entire encounter, and by the time she was finished, they had nearly reached their destination.

  When they were just a half a block from the office building, Thriller said, “Looks like we got lucky, boss,” as he pulled into an open parking place. Kelsey stifled a smile, not bothering to explain that in this business-centric area, empty spots could almost always be found at night.

  As Thriller cut off the engine, Cole handed Kelsey a piece of paper, explaining that he’d jotted down a simplified version of the office layout and put an X everywhere that there was enough excess wall space that a recessed safe could possibly fit. Next, he gave her a small flashlight, saying she should turn on lights only where they wouldn’t shine through to the areas seen by the security camera. She nodded, remembering at that moment that she was going to have to access the fifth floor via the same conference room where she’d found Gloria’s dead body. Swallowing hard, she tucked the flashlight into her pocket.

  “And I guess that’s it,” Cole said, giving her a reassuring smile.

  She nodded again, her heart racing.

  “Quick sound check,” Flash said from behind her, and she turned to see that he was now unhooked from the safety straps and facing the equipment as though it were a desk. He handed two headsets to Cole, who kept one and passed the other up to Thriller. Then each of them put them on and spoke to her in turn.

  “Why can’t we just use cell phones?” Kelsey asked once they were finished.

  “Not secure,” Flash replied. “Trust me. I know what I’m doing.”

  “Oh, I believe you,” she said, gripping the door handle. “Do you think I’d do something like this if I didn’t?”

  Cole placed a warm hand on her arm. “You’ll be fine, Kels.”

  Looking into his eyes, she very much wanted to believe that. With a final nod, she slid open the door, got out, and started walking.

  CHAPTER

  THIRTY-SIX

  As Kelsey went toward the building, clutching Flash’s iPad to her chest, she wanted to look over her shoulder toward the van, but she resisted the urge. When she arrived at the door, she tried to act nonchalant as she punched in her code and waited for the click.

  Oddly, nothing happened.

  She must have keyed it in wrong. She tried again and waited. Nothing. She tugged on the door handle, but it was locked up tight. Unbelievable.

  “I think Walter invalidated my security code,” she hissed, heart pounding. “What now?”

  “Hold on,” Flash’s voice said in her ear. “Let me see if there’s anything I can do.”

  She waited, trying not to look guilty or feel paranoid, grateful at least that the street was deserted for the moment. Inside, her blood was pumping, not just with fear but with rage. Walter had canceled her code! If her father knew about this, he would—

  Kelsey gasped, the idea coming to her in a flash. Quickly, she keyed in her father’s code. Almost instantly she heard a soft click in response. Swinging the door open, she whispered, “Crisis averted. I’m in. Walter may have canceled me, but he forgot about my dad!”

  In her ear she could hear the guys softly cheering. When the cheer faded, she gave them the code that had gotten her inside, just in case they might need to come in after her.

  She sprinted silently up the stairs, but after two flights she began to feel a sharp pain in her left heel. Oh, great. One of the Band-Aids must have slipped out of place. Slowing slightly, she continued onward, wondering why she hadn’t thought to shove a few extras into her pocket.

  When she reached the fifth floor, she again used her father’s code. Please, please, please, let it work.

  Click.

  “I’m in.”

  “Fantastic!” Flash replied.

  Not until she pushed the door open did she realize what room she was entering—that it was the place where Gloria had died. Hand to the wall, she fumbled around for a light switch and then flipped it on, exhaling in relief to see that there was nothing amiss now. No dead bodies. No hanging cords. Instead, in the wall where the screen had previously been mounted was just a row of empty holes.

  Kelsey pulled the door shut behind her, stepped to the nearest chair, and sat.

  “Okay, signing into the network now,” she whispered as she pushed the button and the iPad sprung to life. She went into the settings, waited until B & T’s wireless network popped up in the list, clicked on it, and then entered her password. Holding her breath, she feared that Walter might have canceled this as well, but after a moment it was accepted and she was in.

  “Done,” she whispered.

  “Good,” Flash replied. “Now log into your inbox and look for something from Superstudonwheels.”

  Smiling, she did as he said, and once she’d clicked on his email, she watched as he took control of the
screen from a block and a half away.

  “Cool,” she whispered.

  “Okay, Kels,” Cole said. “You can leave the iPad where it is for now. We need you to keep moving.”

  “All right.”

  She placed it on the seat of the chair next to her and then slid that chair under the table so that it was out of sight. After that, she forced herself to walk across the room, but when she reached the other door, she realized that this next part of her task would have to be done in the dark.

  Pulling the flashlight from her pocket, she turned off the light switch in the conference room, plunging herself into blackness, and then she quietly opened the door and peeked out into the hallway. At least it wasn’t totally black out there. Safety lights glowed softly from several places along the wall, and at the far end of the hall she could see light flowing in through the windows in the front offices facing the street.

  She took two steps and stopped, listening. At that moment she felt more like an intruder than the rightful heir. The honk of a horn reached her from far away, but inside all she could hear was the pounding of her own heart. Her knees felt weak, and her breath came in short gulps. Was she in danger?

  She stood for a long time, blinking as her eyes adjusted to the darkness.

  “Kelsey?” She jumped. It was Flash who spoke softly into her ear.

  She hauled in a deeper breath and whispered, “If I say the word ‘help,’ you guys will come running, right?”

  After a couple of seconds, Cole’s voice came over the earpiece. “It’s me, Kelsey. Trust me, I won’t let anyone or anything harm you. Do you want me to come up there now?”

  “No, I’m okay.”

  “Does something seem wrong or unsafe?”

  “No, not really. I’ll be fine. It’s just…creepy. Keep listening though, okay?”

  “I’m not going anywhere,” Cole said, the tone of his voice helping to calm her beating heart.

  Slowly, she tiptoed down the long, dark hallway toward the executive suite up front. She kept the flashlight off but clutched it like a weapon just the same.