“Ms. Myler said that they were frauds.” Angela shook her head. “She had to remove Mr. Ackerman because he was falling for their sob stories and go down there herself.” The young woman scowled. “And it was awful timing for her. She and Mr. Glenn had just gotten engaged.”
“Guy Glenn?” Skye asked. “The executive vice president and chief claims officer? No one mentioned that she was in a relationship with him.”
“Shoot!” Angela put her hand over her mouth. “It was a secret.” She made a face. “They even drove into work separately to keep it quiet.”
“They lived together?” Skye asked.
“Since she filed for divorce from her husband.” Angela’s blue eyes were misty. “It was the most romantic thing. Just like a romance novel. Mr. Glenn had always loved her, but his best friend, Mr. Myler, asked her out first. But Ms. Myler and Mr. Glenn finally couldn’t fight their attraction any longer, and she asked Mr. Myler for her freedom.”
“Did Paige’s ex know about her relationship with Mr. Glenn?”
Skye’s mind was racing. Hadn’t Wally said that Phillip Myler denied that the divorce was a result of another relationship?
“Yes.” Angela twisted a strawberry-blond curl around her finger. “But he was a real sweetheart and never told anyone about Ms. Myler and Mr. Glenn.”
Including the police. Skye barely kept the words from escaping her lips.
Keeping her expression sympathetic, she asked, “Was Mr. Myler very upset about the breakup with his wife? Or was it a mutual kind of thing.”
“Although he always kept a brave face, I could tell he was hurt.” Angela put her hand over her heart. “But then a few weeks ago when he found out about the money…”
“The money,” Skye encouraged.
“What Ms. Myler owed on their joint credit cards and home equity line.” Angela paused. “I think that was the day he stopped loving her.”
“Was she trying to hide assets because of the divorce settlement?”
“I don’t know.” Angela suddenly seemed to realize how much she’d revealed, and she toyed with the heart-shaped locket hanging around her neck. “You really should talk to Mr. Myler about all this.”
“Oh, we will,” Skye assured her. “But he hasn’t been very forthcoming in the past.”
Skye inspected the young woman’s pink cheeks and thought about how her voice had softened when she spoke about Paige’s ex. Skye would bet her new Coach purse that Angela had a crush on Phillip Myler and was already regretting everything she’d let slip.
Changing the subject to Paige’s work relationships, Skye watched as Angela relaxed. Although, it appeared that while Paige would never be voted Miss Congeniality or Boss of the Year, no one really hated her. Those who couldn’t stand her intense type of management transferred to other departments and those that could handle it enjoyed the bonuses and raises Paige’s department routinely earned.
At the mention of advancements, Skye recalled the phone conversation Gillian had overheard and said, “I understand that Paige was extremely ambitious and wanted to be the youngest vice president in the company.”
“Absolutely.” Angela nodded vehemently. “In fact”—she leaned forward and lowered her voice—“Ms. Myler’s promotion to second vice president of sales operations was scheduled to be announced as soon as she returned from straightening out the Scumble River mess.”
“Was her promotion common knowledge?” Skye sucked in a breath.
“No.” Angela’s perpetual smile slipped. “But since Mr. Myler was up for the job, they did tell him. Ms. Myler didn’t want him to be caught by surprise when they made the announcement and be embarrassed.”
“How thoughtful of her.” Skye hoped the sarcasm in her voice wasn’t too evident.
Chapter 24
Baby, Please Don’t Go
“Not only did Paige dump her husband for another guy, but she also put him in debt, and she got his promotion.” Skye walked beside Wally as they made their way to the elevator. “I’d bet the Denison farm that Phillip Myler is the guy who planted the explosives.”
“He sure had three good motives.” Wally squeezed Skye’s hand. “From what everyone I talked to today had to say, Paige’s administrative assistant wasn’t the only one who didn’t realize how bitter he was about the divorce. None of the others noticed Myler arguing with Paige. Even the office busybody said he’d never overheard Myler say anything against her.”
“Wow!” Skye wasn’t surprised that Angela had been taken in by Phillip since she was pretty sure the young admin was in love with him. But she was a little shocked that none of the others had a clue.
Once they were on the elevator, Wally blew out a disgusted breath, made a face, and said, “Everyone here has an excuse, but my cop instincts should have told me that Myler was playing me when he showed up at the police station and volunteered so much information about his wife.”
“That’s easy to see now.” Skye put her palms on Wally’s cheeks and waited until he met her eyes. “But you didn’t have all the facts when you originally spoke with him. I hate to see you beating yourself up over this. Some people are talented liars, and it sounds as if Phillip is one of those folks.”
Wally shrugged, plainly not convinced.
As they exited the elevator and started walking down the hall toward the executive suite, Skye shivered and rubbed her arms, trying to warm up. This floor was over air-conditioned and it had an eerily deserted feeling. She almost had to force her feet to move forward.
Suddenly, the ringing of Wally’s cell phone broke the silence, and Wally grabbed the device from the case clipped to his belt. He glanced at the screen and said, “It’s the state’s attorney.” He glanced around, then whispered, “I called him earlier about getting a warrant to search Paige Myler’s residence and I need to bring him up-to-speed about her living in a house as a guest rather than a legal tenant to see if that changes things in any way. I don’t see anyone that might be listening, but just in case I’ll step into the men’s room over there.”
“Good idea,” Skye said. “I’ll meet you at the VP’s suite.”
Turning, she strolled a few more feet down the corridor and came to a set of double doors with Guy Glenn Executive Vice President and Chief Claims Officer painted in gold on the frosted glass. She reached for the wooden handles, then jerked her hand back. She could hear raised voices and an odd muffled sound that she couldn’t identify.
Uneasiness prickled at the back of Skye’s neck. Should she knock? Wait for Wally? Or…she noticed that the door was slightly ajar, better yet…snoop? She tiptoed, plastered herself against the wall, then leaned forward and peered into the slight gap.
Skye’s gaze swept the well-appointed space. She was looking into the office suite’s reception area. Susie, the overly amorous admin who had met them earlier, was seated in a chrome chair. Her ankles and wrists were bound to the chair’s arms and legs and duct tape covered her mouth. The stifled sounds were her trying to scream around the gag.
Alarm coiled in Skye’s stomach and the weight of her fear pressed on her chest until she could barely breathe.
There were two men in the middle of the room. Both were wearing dark suits and subdued ties, but one was standing and waving around a gun, and the other was cowering on his knees. The man on his knees had his hands clasped on top of his head and something that looked like an oversize handcuff around his neck.
Skye immediately fished her cell from her purse, swept her thumb across the video icon, and pressed the device to the small opening between the doors.
The kneeling man looked up and begged, “Phillip, buddy, you don’t want to do this.” He pleaded, “We’ve been friends since boot camp.”
“Guess you should have gone into Explosive Ordnance Disposal with me instead of the Quartermaster Corps,” Phillip taunted.
“But we’re still
friends.”
“Guy. Guy. Guy.” Phillip ran the barrel of his gun along the other man’s jaw. “You should have thought of that before you started banging my wife.”
“I never touched her until she filed for divorce.” Guy’s face was covered with a thin coat of perspiration and he wiped his forehead with his upraised arm. “Paige said you were okay with us being together.”
“News flash,” Phillip sneered. “Paige lied almost as well as I do.”
“But why are you doing this now?” Guy asked. “She left you six months ago.”
“Gee, Guy, I don’t know.” Phillip’s voice sounded like the growl of a rottweiler. “Could it be because you were giving her my promotion?”
“That wasn’t solely my decision,” Guy whined. “I told you, the CEO had the deciding vote. He was concerned about the mistake you made with that multicar accident a few years ago, and Paige’s record was spotless.”
“Right,” Phillip snorted. He grabbed a chair, spun it around, and straddled it facing the VP. “I forgot. To err is human but to forgive goes against company policy.”
“Well,” Guy interjected, “he also thought Paige was more committed to the company.”
Skye cringed. The VP should have left well enough alone and kept his mouth shut.
“Did you mention her ‘dedication’ consisted of her screwing the company’s clients out of their rightful claims?” Phillip asked. “Or just screwing you?”
Guy flinched. “Actually, part of the issue they had with you was that the automobile division, your department, handed out too much money too quickly after last summer’s tornadoes in Illinois.”
Phillip swore, then said, “I suppose the CEO didn’t care that Paige had a gambling problem?”
“He had no idea.” Guy grimaced. “Hell! I only found out after she died. I can’t believe she could keep it a secret with the rumor mill in this building.” He looked up when Phillip leaped to his feet and loomed over him. “How long have you known about it?”
“I didn’t figure it out until she left me and I started seeing the bills,” Phillip snarled. “She always handled the finances so I had no idea she’d maxed out all our credit cards and drained our bank accounts.” Suddenly, he whirled around, grabbed a glass paperweight from the reception desk, and smashed it on the marble tiles.
Both hostages recoiled at the sound of the shattering glass and Susie started frantically to scoot the chair she was bound to away from the two men.
“It was then that I realized why she was dragging her heels on signing the final papers for our divorce.” Phillip paced up and down the reception area. “I needed to stop her before she pissed away the equity in the house and figured out how to cash in our investments without my signature.”
“So you killed her?” Guy’s voice broke.
“I didn’t mean to.” Phillip continued to pace. “The explosion should have just scared her. Maybe caused a few injuries. The slot machine that fell on her wasn’t the one she usually played. Her favorite played some stupid German beer song when you hit the bonus.”
Evidently noticing that Phillip was distracted, Guy’s hands slowly lowered toward the thing around his neck and he tried to lift it off.
Skye swallowed a gasp when Phillip whirled around and pointed his gun at the VP. “Hands in the air.”
“Paige and I were together for six months and she’s dead.” Guy’s shoulders slumped in defeat and he asked, “Why kill me now?”
“As long as you do what I say, I won’t.” Phillip reached down and roughly jerked Guy to his feet. “I just need you to get me out of here, then I’ll disarm the device around your neck and let you go.”
“What do you need me for?” Guy stumbled as Phillip dragged him across the floor. Gesturing to a duffel bag by the door, he said, “You’ve got the money from the safe and I can give you my PIN to withdraw more from my bank accounts. Just tie me up and go.”
Phillip hit Guy across the face with the gun, and Skye winced. She had to stop Phillip before he got away. She didn’t believe for a second he would release Guy. Once he had no more use for him, the executive VP was a dead man. But how could she stop someone with a gun and a bomb?
Halting a few inches from the exit, Phillip snarled, “Don’t try to act all innocent. I saw that cop from Scumble River pull into the parking lot.” Phillip’s voice rose. “Then I heard Angela spill her guts to the woman he has with him. The cop’s here to arrest me and you’re my ticket to freedom.”
“You could just take my car and leave. I have the keys right here and it’s gassed up.” Guy started to put his hand in his pocket.
But Phillip grabbed him and said, “We’re not taking your car. I persuaded Susie here”—he tipped his chin at the bound woman—“to call for the company helicopter. And while her IQ is about the same as room temperature, I’m guessing the pilot is a lot smarter and won’t fall for the old line that I’ve always been attracted to him. Which means I need you to convince him to fly me away from here.”
“I could write the pilot a note.” Guy looked wildly around the room as if expecting a pad of paper and pen to materialize out of thin air.
Phillip stuffed his gun in his waistband, put the duffel bag’s strap across his chest, and took a step toward the door. “Don’t make this harder than it has to be. If you behave, I won’t use this to detonate that collar bomb you’re wearing.” He took what looked like a cell phone from his pocket and waggled it in front of Guy’s face. “In a couple of hours, you’ll be back in your big house, sipping a martini, with an exciting story to tell your grandkids.”
Instead of answering, Guy sank to the floor and clutched a nearby column.
Skye jammed her phone in her purse. Phillip would soon pry Guy’s grip from the pillar and she needed to be out of sight before they came through the door. She frantically searched the hallway for a place to hide. But before she could move, a palm covered her mouth. She immediately recognized Wally’s touch and choked back her scream.
He took his hand from her mouth and put his finger to his lips. When she nodded, he tugged her until they were around a bend in the corridor.
With his mouth to her ear, Wally pointed to a bright-red exit sign and whispered, “The stairs.” They slipped through the nearby door and Wally said in a hushed voice, “I heard Myler tell Glenn about the helicopter. If I beat them to the roof, I might be able to get the drop on Myler. You go to the lobby and call for backup.”
“No. I’m not leaving you alone.” Skye followed Wally as he hustled up the steps. “I’ll phone for help once we’re on the roof.”
“I knew you’d say that,” Wally grunted, not slowing down. “But I had to try.”
“I suppose,” Skye panted right behind him.
She had a brief flicker of guilt about putting herself in danger when she had children depending on her. But that didn’t appear to stop Wally, and at the moment, providing backup for their daddy seemed like the right decision.
Luckily, the roof was an alfresco employee lounge and the door was unlocked. Wally and Skye eased through it, both relieved to see that Phillip and his hostage hadn’t arrived yet. Spotting a large concrete planter holding a huge evergreen at the edge of the occupied helipad, Skye and Wally darted forward to hide behind it.
While Wally kept an eye on the elevator, Skye dialed 911 and, raising her voice above the noise of the whirling helicopter blades, described the situation. Although the dispatcher tried to keep her on the line, Skye disconnected.
Turning to Wally, she said, “How are we going to do this? What if Phillip detonates the explosive collar around Guy’s neck?”
“I’m counting on the fact that Myler won’t want to blow up himself,” Wally explained. “So I need to take him while he’s got Glenn nearby.”
“Let’s hope Phillip isn’t suicidal.” Skye crossed her fingers just as the elevator doors sl
id open.
Chills clawed their way up Skye’s spine and she said a quick prayer that all of them would leave the roof alive and unharmed.
Phillip and Guy strolled toward the helipad. Phillip held the detonator as if it were a cell phone and subtly nudged Guy forward. The pilot waved, but then must have noticed the odd device around Guy’s neck. Seconds before the men reached the helicopter, the pilot slammed the open door and started to lift off.
Phillip howled, locked his arm around Guy’s chest, and dragged him toward the edge of the roof. “Make that pilot come back right now or I’ll kill you.”
“How?” Guy asked. “Just tell me how and I will.”
When Guy suddenly sagged against Phillip, Skye felt Wally tense. Before she could blink, he burst from behind the planter and tackled Phillip. Guy flung himself away from the pair, but Phillip kept his hold on the other man’s wrist even as he and Wally went down in a thrashing pile of limbs.
Wally’s larger bulk easily kept Phillip pinned to the ground and he ordered, “Drop the detonator and let go of your hostage.”
Skye’s heartbeat thudded in her ears so loudly she almost missed Phillip’s reply.
His mirthless laugh was like a seal’s bark and his voice rose incredulously. “Why should I?”
“Because if you set off that collar bomb, you die too.” Wally’s voice was steady.
“Like you care what happens to me.” Phillip’s demeanor turned belligerent. “Either you let me go, or we all die.”
“Turn Glenn loose and I’ll let you up,” Wally said, his tone deceptively calm. “I won’t stop you from getting on that elevator.”
Skye held her breath. Would Wally let Phillip leave with his hostage? She dug for the can of pepper spray she always kept in her purse. Her fingers had just curled over the cool metal when Phillip managed to grab his gun from his pocket.
“He’s coming with me.” Phillip continued to hold on to Guy’s arm. “Think I don’t know that there’ll be cops waiting for me when the elevator opens in the lobby?”
Die Me a River Page 24