Payback

by Morgan St. James

  My voice sounded shaken even to me, but I managed to nod. “Yes, thanks. I think Mr. Cunningham needs to go back to his own office now, though.”

  The guard looked at the mess of my office. “Are you sure there’s no harm?”

  “No, I’m okay. Just get that man the hell out of my sight!”

  6

  AFTER I CALMED DOWN, I called Joshua Bearstern, the CEO of Forever Young, and suggested we meet sooner than scheduled. Cunningham had stepped over the line and I was ready to secure that account as quickly as possible by any means possible. I’d show that jerk. Fueled by thirst for revenge, I fantasized about their dwindling firm moving to smaller offices when I was done with them, maybe even out of the prestigious Century City location.

  Tyler Cunningham never should have insinuated I was over-the-hill back when he fired me. The greatest insult was how little the years I spent helping them build their agency to a powerhouse meant to him. He didn’t even have the courtesy to tell me in person. He never missed a beat in his terse message. The way I saw it, the only thing he did miss was adding, “Don’t let the door hit you on your ass on the way out.”

  The rest of the day passed without further incident. Around four that afternoon, Kate called and said she was able to book an earlier flight than originally planned and wanted to know if we could meet at my house around two o’clock the next afternoon. Kim wasn’t due until late afternoon and it would give us a chance to catch up on some of our own advertising and PR projects in person. Time permitting, perhaps we’d also brainstorm about Kim’s possible motives for this sudden trip.

  Kate also had questions about why Kim wasn’t very forthcoming about her reason for coming to LA. Both of us hoped it had nothing to do with Nathan. We look at their marriage as one of the perfect ones.

  I WORRIED THAT CUNNINGHAM or Reid might try to devise some new way to hassle me, but thankfully the next day there was no more drama. Hopefully things would be quiet until their contract with Forever Young was up at the end of the month and Joshua Bearstern switched to our agency. I was so certain we were going to get his account, I would have bet money on it.

  By noon on the fifth I had wrapped up everything of any urgency and looked forward to spending a few days of quality time with Kate and Kim. My staff were directed not to contact me unless it was an emergency.

  Kim loved chocolate, so on the way home I stopped at Whole Foods to pick up some of their Dark Chocolate with Mint, Dark Chocolate Covered Peppermint Sandwich Cookies, and to complete the “healthy” offerings, Chocolate Covered Goji Berries, prized for their antioxidant properties That way we could kid ourselves that this was all healthy stuff while savoring the smooth silkiness of chocolate decadence.

  I found myself humming along with the radio as I drove toward home on Venice Boulevard. Gloria Gaynor, the Queen of Disco, belted out “I Will Survive” on my favorite oldies station while I tapped the steering wheel in time to the beat. You bet I’ll survive! Not only that, I will prevail.

  Every time I come home to my house on Sherman Canal in Venice I feel like I’m on a luxury vacation. I bought it as a fixer-upper the year before, but even fixer-uppers in this neighborhood were pricy. Now that it was finished, walls of glass opened to a sunny patio on the waterfront where ducks floated and often came up on the walkway looking for a handout.

  What had been worn hardwood floors were now stained a rich dark teak. Soaring white walls hung with colorful contemporary prints gave the feeling of an art gallery. In the winter, I always lit a fire in the wood-burning fireplace. Milt and I love to cuddle on the cushy sofa sipping wine or a hot drink. He calls my house a quiet, peaceful enclave in the middle of one of the hottest locations in Southern California. For me, it is proof that I’ve come a long way from the day Tyler Cunningham showed what an ass he is and left me desperate for a job and money.

  No sooner had I changed into jeans and a tee shirt, than the doorbell rang.

  Kate stood there framed in the doorway, gorgeous as ever. The sun caught highlights in her sleek auburn hair, which made her look even more beautiful. With her trim figure, high cheekbones and perfect nose she always looked like a model. No Beverly Hills plastic surgeon for her. She was born with those gifts.

  My friend threw her arms around me in a girlfriend hug. “Wow, Cami, I thought you’d look stressed with everything that’s been going on, but I should have realized how tough you are.” She stood there with her rolling case beside her, and I beckoned her in.

  “Here, let me take that for you. The guest rooms are ready for both of you, but since you’re here first, you get to pick which one you want. Um, speaking of stressed, do I detect a little of that in you?” Despite her beauty, there was a tightness around her eyes that only a good friend would identify.

  She shrugged. “Not actually stress, but there is something for FraudBusters that I want to run by you. I have a potential new consulting job and I’m not sure it’s something I should get involved in. It’s here in LA which is why I said I’d make this trip serve a double purpose. I haven’t signed on for it yet, so I can still pull out.

  “Well, why don’t you get comfortable and tell me about it. Would you like wine or tea? We can sit out on the patio.”

  7

  KATE HEADED FOR ONE of the guest bedrooms to change into something comfortable. Meanwhile, I brought two glasses and a bottle of chilled chardonnay onto my patio along with a platter of cheddar and Swiss slices and whole wheat crackers. She emerged dressed in a stylish green track suit that looked like it had never seen a bit of exercise, but did a wonderful job of complementing her emerald eyes. After she settled into one of the patio chairs I poured the wine, eager to hear about her possible new client.

  A pair of colorful Mallard ducks wandered onto my patio quacking a demand for treats. Their iridescent green necks and head feathers gleamed in the sun. I reached into the bag of stale bread bits I always kept on hand for them and they came up to my chair and ate from my hand.

  These two were frequent visitors. I could always pick them out from the other ducks because one had a deformed left leg. The pair were always together, so I guessed they were a couple. At any rate, they knew I was good for handouts and always accepted the bread, wagged their tail feathers, and most days went right back into the still waters of the canal. This time they plunked down on the brick patio and stared at Kate.

  “They are so cute,” Kate gushed. “It’s like they know who you are, or even like they’re pets. Do they come often?”

  “Only every time I try to have some peace and quiet out here. If I don’t give them bread, they quack like crazy until I do. I’ve even given them nicknames. Of course, I’m not sure if either one is male or female, but I like to think they’re a couple. I call them Maxi and Minnie. Sometimes they come up to me like they just did and roost on the bricks for a while, but that never happens when I have company. I’m not sure if ducks see color, but maybe they like the emerald green of your outfit. Sort of like the color of their own green feathers.”

  “Well,” Kate chuckled, “Maybe they think I’m a big duck.”

  It was good to have this time with my friend to just hang out and not talk about business, but I was bursting with curiosity about what she had been up to.

  Kate bit into a cracker stacked with both kinds of cheese and took a sip of her wine. “I have to say this is a lot different than living in the heart of San Francisco. It’s nice that you chose to live at the beach instead of Bel Air or Beverly Hills. This is so much more relaxing. But then most of the LA area isn’t like a regular city, anyway. You know, places like San Francisco, New York, Chicago—well, we all have a downtown hub and bedroom communities, but I have yet to figure out the hub of Los Angeles. You have so many little cities. While a lot of businesses are in downtown LA, there are so many other hubs for different industries. Like your Century City offices. I mean, that’s where the power players in the entertainment industry congregate. I guess people who don’t live here or don’t know th
e city still think that’s in Hollywood.”

  I nodded. “Yep, that era has pretty much passed, but you know, Hollywood Boulevard still holds fascination for tourists, until they see that it isn’t teeming with movie stars—other than those stars on the sidewalk in front of Grauman’s with the handprints and footprints. It is kind of sad, though. Even the Chinese Theater changed with the times. When I was still a kid, they hosted so many premiers. Now it’s a multiplex. So, enough of this history lesson. What’s the scoop on the latest fraud you’re agonizing over?”

  My friend took another sip of wine, as though stalling for time. I had been through enough with Kate to know when she was reluctant to talk about something. Finally, after two crackers topped with Swiss and a few more sips of wine, she said, “I’m not sure I want to take it on because it could be dangerous. Before you say we’ve never shied away from that, I mean dangerous like having to do with the Rojas Drug Cartel. This person would be a whistleblower, and quite frankly, I think she’s in danger already for what she has seen so far.

  “You said consultant. How will you be paid? I know your fees can be pretty hefty.”

  Kate sighed. “You know I don’t usually do this, but I agreed to split the reward if what we find results in bringing down cartel members. She contacted me because she read about our escapades a few years ago and has been following the FraudBusters blog. That’s one of the reasons I’m not sure I even want to take it on. It’s not only risky, but I don’t know if I’ll even have a payday. Everything so far is really cloak and dagger. She calls me from burner phones, and now that we’ll finally meet, she insisted on it being in a large public place—the observatory at Griffith Park. I tell you, the way she has it set up, it’s right out of a spy movie.”

  A little tingle traveled up my spine. Drug dealers? Danger? Cloak and dagger? What was Kate getting herself into? My heart thumped in my chest with a combination of excitement and fear, almost like it was when we pictured ourselves as Charlie’s Angels and it had practically gotten us killed.

  I leaned forward, which I guess is regarded as an expression of interest. And, yes, I was interested. Although I loved my business, this sounded much more exciting than mapping out ad campaigns for companies courting the over forty market.

  “Can you tell me anything more about it? Maybe we can brainstorm a little before Kim gets here. Like, what kind of things does she claim to have information about, and why is she in a position to have access to this kind of data or whatever it is?”

  Just as Kate was about to say something, my neighbor Mr. Thompson came limping along the walk accompanied by his aging Afghan Hound, Clarence. We always have a few groups of wide-eyed visitors meandering on the walks along the canals, and a few friendly residents pushing strollers or walking dogs. Mr. Thompson was an old gent who lived a few houses down, and he always walked Clarence around this time. If I happened to be on the patio, he would stop to chat for a moment, sometimes even stay for a glass of wine or a cup of coffee. Today was no exception.

  He and Clarence approached the gate leading to the patio, the dog’s tail wagging like a metronome. “Hiya, Cami. Beautiful day, isn’t it. Love it when the weather gets warm like this ’cause Clarence’s arthritis doesn’t act up as much.” He chuckled. “For that matter neither does mine.”

  His gaze traveled to Kate. “And, who’s this gorgeous young lady?”

  I smiled. I liked Mr. Thompson. He had sustained a leg injury in combat in Korea and always had some interesting story to tell me about the old days. I knew he had become very successful as an investment banker and bought his house in the 70s before prices skyrocketed. His first name was Michael, but I always gave him the respect of calling him Mr. Thompson. Unfortunately, I didn’t have time for stories today, and it was obvious that he sensed it.

  “This is my friend Kate Steele. She’s visiting from San Francisco, and another friend I haven’t seen in a while is due to arrive shortly.”

  “Well, then Clarence and me will be continuing our walk. You enjoy your visit Kate. Nice meeting you.”

  After they left, Kate lowered her voice as though she was now aware that whatever she said could possibly be overheard by someone along the walk.

  8

  AFTER MR. THOMPSON left, it took us a while to get back to talking about Kate’s potential client. Any question I had about her being nervous was answered when she said, “I love being out here with the view and the little breeze and the ducks, but if I’m going to tell you anything about this, I think we should go inside.”

  I gathered up the glasses and wine bottle, she took the platter with the remaining cheese and crackers, and we moved into my living room. From the tone of her voice, I knew she was right. If anything she was about to tell me could be dangerous if overheard, we couldn’t be sitting outside.

  The wall of glass in my living room allowed us to still enjoy the tranquility I love so much. The room is one of my favorites in the house—very light and restful. Off-white Roman shades cover the floor to ceiling windows that span the front of the house. When I’m home during the day, I usually keep the shades rolled up to bring the outside in and enjoy the beautiful view. At night I roll them down with a flick of the remote. I guess you could call my decor beach casual. Off-white slip-covered sofas and easy chairs highlighted with throw pillows in primary shades, a big antique coffee table in washed wood plus some other scattered antique pieces. I always keep bowls of fresh flowers on the table plus a few on occasional tables. Today, the scent of roses filled the room.

  Kate cleared her throat. “Um, this woman contacted me through the FraudBusters blog about a month ago with a somewhat cryptic message. In essence, she said she had something to discuss that she felt I would be very interested in. She uncovered something by accident that seemed suspicious and was continuing to research. Talk about going to extremes, she asked me to buy a disposable phone and call her at the number she gave in the message.”

  “Wow, you’re right. This certainly sounds a bit cloak and dagger. And, of course, you called her, right?”

  “Yes. I actually keep a few burners on hand, considering the kind of things I get into. I could tell she was scared and attempting to do everything she could to cover her tracks. I guess she watches a lot of TV shows, because as soon as I called her she said she would call back. A moment later, she called me from a different number, and I never saw her use the other phone again. Anyway, since then, as a condition of her giving me information, we’ve used a few more sets of burners.”

  My cell phone chirped and I saw Kim’s number on the screen. “Hold that thought. Kim is calling.”

  “Hey, Cami. I’ll be a little earlier than I thought. I just got into LAX and thought I should make sure you were home.”

  “Great. I’m sitting here with Kate and we can’t wait to see you. After you get your rental car, just come the way I told you. Turn right on Dell Avenue from Washington, then left on Sherman Canal Court. Park in one of the spaces behind my garage, and use the sidewalk along the side of my house. I’ll have a glass of wine ready for you—and, of course, chocolates.”

  She sighed into the phone. “I’m glad you remembered the chocolates. We caught tailwinds and a little rough weather. It was really a bumpy flight. I’ll be ready for that wine and a chocolate fix. See you in a bit. Bye.”

  Kate leafed through a magazine while I chatted with Kim. When she put it down, I leaned forward, anticipating her next words. She spoke rapidly, as though now that she had begun she really needed to complete telling me about the mysterious woman.

  “I know I don’t even have to caution you about this, but I am going to anyway. No one, and I mean no one but you and Kim are to repeat a word of what I tell you. I truly believe this woman is in danger.”

  I nodded, popped another cracker topped with cheese into my mouth, and gave her my full attention.

  Still keeping her voice low, Kate continued. “She said she works for an accounting firm that is auditing Glendale Fidelity Bank prio
r to it being purchased. It is one of those small, privately owned banks and they only have one location. A group of investors proposed buying it and the board accepted their offer pending a required audit. Everything seemed pretty straightforward until she found some well-concealed transactions in their financials. Her curiosity was aroused and the first question she asked herself was why they were hidden so cleverly. She had to know more. Something just didn’t feel right, although on the surface the entries would appear legitimate to the average accountant. She took it upon herself to find out more about the major players in this investment group.”

  My friend stopped to take a breath and a sip of wine, as though she was steeling herself for the next thing. “Anyway, she managed to track down some information about two of the people in the group, and apparently what she found really put her on alert. Something about people being paid to front for others and a possible shell corporation already holding multiple accounts at the bank under different names. She mentioned the Rojas cartel but gave no further details. She said she was afraid to give me any more information over the phone and insisted we had to meet in person. It was beginning to sound like she was almost beyond paranoid about being discovered, so I told her I had a trip to Los Angeles planned and agreed to meet her.

  If only half of what the woman told her was true, the part about the Rojas Cartel could definitely mean she was in danger.

  Kate looked as though she saw I was getting the picture, and continued. “If she is right, this could be huge. But like I said, it could also be very dangerous if the cartel is involved. The Griffith Observatory opens at noon, so we arranged to meet at one o’clock on Friday in the Ladies Room on the Lower Level near the gift shop. Imagine! Setting up a clandestine meeting in a Ladies Room, but at least it isn’t as conspicuous as going into the one on the main floor. I guess she’s afraid whoever she thinks is watching her is a man or men. I feel like I’m in the middle of a thriller or spy series.”