One Secret Night, page 18
part #3 of Ivy Avengers Series
* * *
Autumn accompanied Raith to meet Paisley, who didn’t want to be seen, so she asked them to come to her mother’s house. They passed through a wrought-iron gate between two four-foot sandstone-colored brick pillars and walked up a narrow sidewalk to the taupe-sided, white-trimmed Queen Anne–style house. The roof gabled on the right and ran into a second story balcony. Stepping up to the covered porch that stretched the entire length of the house, Autumn noticed how Raith searched their surroundings to make sure no one was watching. No one was. Paisley hadn’t been followed and neither had they.
Autumn was at odds over Raith and the talk they’d had. She had received mixed messages. Was he angry that she didn’t expect him to feel obligated? That sort of suggested he was daddy material...
Or was he angry because of what he’d said—the media would destroy his life?
The door opened before they reached it and Paisley ushered them into the dark wood–floored foyer. A hallway straight ahead led past a stairway, and arched doorways opened to a living room to the right and a dining room to the left. Paisley took them into the living room.
Yellow walls and crown molding gave the room a crisp and modern appeal. A white sofa with brown-and-white pillows and two wooden accent chairs faced an oval coffee table atop a colorful mosaic area rug. At the end of the seating area the white wood trim of the fireplace rose to the ceiling.
Her mother sat on the sofa, hands clasped on her lap. Her dyed-blond hair was cut into a chin-length bob and she wore moderate makeup, blue eye shadow and blush, trying to conceal mild wrinkles.
After introductions were made, Paisley’s mother said, “I keep telling her to stay out of this. That boss of hers is no good. And he treats her so badly.”
“Mother,” Paisley cautioned. “I’m going to do this.”
“You’re trying to take down your boss, and I just don’t think this is the way to do it.”
“Mrs. Orman,” Raith said. “I won’t let anyone harm your daughter.”
The woman eyed him as though skeptical.
“He does this for a living,” Autumn said.
Mrs. Orman frowned. “Are you a policeman?”
“No. Something better than that.”
After a bit more wavering, Mrs. Orman said, “Paisley did tell me you were capable.” She gave him an up-and-down look. “And you do look it.”
“Mother.” Paisley went to an antique buffet table and retrieved a folder. She handed it to Raith.
Raith opened it up.
“I got this from one of the engineers at NV Advanced,” Paisley said.
Raith looked over what appeared to be engineering documents and something called a technical assistance agreement.
“I shouldn’t be showing any of this to you, but the engineer said this is the technology that he’s been asked to send to Singapore. He also said he doesn’t think the agreement that’s in this folder covers the export.”
Autumn and Raith had already suspected the technology was questionable to be sending to a foreign country for manufacturing.
“How did you know this engineer was working with this?” Raith asked.
“I knew who was working with the Singapore office. He was the only engineer, so I just asked him. He didn’t talk to me at first, but when I convinced him I had outside help—you—and you were investigating Nash Ralston, he changed his mind. He said Nash fooled him into sending unauthorized technology to Singapore. He said NV Advanced tried to get an export license for some data that included information on some new image intensifier tubes, but that was denied.”
“But they sent the data, anyway?” Autumn asked.
“Nash didn’t tell the engineer about the ruling and the engineer didn’t find out until after the exports occurred.”
“So now we have a national security issue,” Raith said. “Image intensifier tubes have to be highly sensitive U.S. technology.”
“NV Advanced would be fined millions and Nash himself could do prison time.”
“Why would he risk that?” Raith asked.
Paisley shrugged. “I wouldn’t know anything about that. I’m just telling you what the engineer said.”
Autumn was sure Raith hadn’t asked her that question because he thought she could answer it. Even if manufacturing components in a foreign country saved money, why would any company take that kind of gamble? Moreover, why would a CEO take that kind of gamble? Prison? Was any job worth that?
Raith was silent awhile as he thought things through. At last, he looked at Paisley. “I don’t want you involved anymore. It’s too dangerous.”
That seemed to please Paisley’s mother. She leaned back with a smile as she looked up at Raith.
“I have to go to work in the morning,” Paisley said.
“Do you have any vacation time?” he asked.
“Y-yeah...” she said warily. “Three weeks or so.”
“Take them. Stay here with your mother and don’t contact anyone at NV Advanced until I call you.”
Paisley looked concerned. “What do you think Nash will do?”
“Let us find that out. I need you where I’m sure you’ll be safe. Will you do what I tell you?”
After a moment, Paisley nodded. “Nash won’t like it when I tell him I’m not coming in.”
“Tell him it’s a family emergency. When this is over, I’ll make sure you don’t lose your job.”
“Maybe I’ll spend the time looking for a new job.”
“If Nash is doing what you say he is, then it will probably be him who gets fired.”
Paisley put her hand on her chest and raised her eyes heavenward. “A dream come true.”
Raith and Autumn bade farewell and left. Outside, Autumn walked with Raith toward their new rental.
“What now?” she asked.
“We go see Ralston tomorrow. Something tells me he’ll be in a better mood to talk to us.” He held up the folder.
Chapter 15
Late the next afternoon, Raith left the evidence in the rental and walked with Autumn into NV Advanced Corporation. They were told that Ralston was in a meeting. Raith wasn’t sure if that was a delaying tactic because Ralston was avoiding them, but it didn’t matter. They weren’t leaving until they had a chance to talk to him.
Twenty minutes after checking in at the front desk, a different woman than Paisley came to greet them in the lobby. She took them to Ralston’s door, and then went into her cubicle outside another executive’s office.
Ralston sat behind his desk in his posh corner office and locked his computer when he saw them enter. “Please, have a seat.” He stood and walked over to the black leather sofa, extending his arm to invite them to join him. Raith sat on one of the chairs opposite the sofa, Autumn taking the one beside him, a coffee table cluttered with space newspapers between them.
“You got my attention with your call,” he said. “What’s this about technology being transferred to Singapore?”
“We know you’re sending it there illegally,” Raith said.
Ralston didn’t move. His eyes remained steady as he stretched one arm along the back of the sofa. “I’m afraid I’m not following you.”
Raith leaned forward, resting his forearms on his knees and clasping his hands in a professional manner. Autumn found the impression opposed to his true self and wondered if he was about to become cynical.
“Let’s stop avoiding what we both know is going on here,” he said. “You stand to lose a lot if those exports are discovered.”
Straight to the punch.
Ralston’s eyebrows lowered. “How do you know anything about NV Advanced’s exports? All of that is proprietary.”
“I have my own way of getting information that isn’t voluntarily disclosed to me.” Raith let a strategic moment pass before continuing.
“I can’t imagine the government will react positively to learning you’re exporting information on image intensifier tubes to Singapore,” Autumn chimed in.
Ralston looked from her to Raith. “Who have you been talking to? Someone who works here must have told you. Who was it?”
“Then it must be true,” Autumn said, enjoying how Ralston was no longer treating her like a dumb redhead whose only worth was looking good.
Ralston ignored her. “How do you know so much?”
“I hacked into your system.”
He could lie really well when he had to. Autumn may have to watch that about him. As soon as that thought came, another wiped it clean. Raith was a trustworthy man.
“You hacked into my system,” Ralston repeated what Raith had said. He crossed one ankle over his knee.
“Why did Kai come to see you the last time we were here?” Raith asked. “Does he know about the exports?”
Ralston’s expression grew angry. “I had nothing to do with the attempt on Kai’s life. Why don’t you believe me?”
“Because you look guilty, Ralston. Real guilty. You have something to hide and that something just might be enough to kill to keep hidden. Don’t they send people like you to prison for willfully harming national security? The company might suffer some reputational damage and maybe a hefty fine, but you...”
“What’s it to you, anyway? You’re not a cop.”
“No, but I’ll bet the cops would like to have an earful of what I could tell them.”
Ralston’s faced iced over, clearly incensed that Raith had him.
“Why did you do it? Why do the exports?” Raith asked.
After another long and tense silence, Ralston said, “What our government considers a threat to national security isn’t always that.”
“In other words, you didn’t think you’d ever get caught.”
Ralston pulled his arm from the back of the sofa, lowered his foot to the floor and leaned forward like Raith. “Kai came here to blackmail me. If I didn’t hand over the new technology NV Advanced is developing, he’d tip off the Department of State about the exports to Singapore.”
Autumn sat back against her chair. So, Kai was blackmailing Ralston to gain a competitive edge. Not a news flash. It was nice to have the truth finally come out.
“Was that the first time he threatened you?” she asked, sure that Raith had been thinking the same as her.
“About the exports? No. He’s threatened me before.” He turned to Raith. “He was afraid you’d find out about them. That’s why he came to my office that day you were here.”
“And if I found out so would the government and he could no longer threaten you.”
“Exactly. He wants the technology.”
“Which you won’t give him.”
Ralston smiled slyly. “No.”
Raith just looked at him, waiting for him to connect the dots.
“I didn’t kill Kai, and I didn’t hire anyone to kill him.”
Still, Raith continued to look at him.
“Why did you risk the exports?” Autumn asked.
This time Ralston relented, sighing heavily. “Believe me, I wish I hadn’t now. Our government makes it exceedingly difficult for companies like NV Advanced to do business in this country. The purpose of International Traffic in Arms Regulations is to protect critical U.S. technology. Night-vision equipment certainly qualifies as critical technology, but what our government does a poor job of is dealing with the reality that other countries are developing the same technology.”
So he’d justified the exports that way. And thought he was invincible—until Kai started blackmailing him.
“They develop it based on ours, though,” Raith disagreed.
Ralston opened his palms nonchalantly. “In some cases. But not at our Singapore company. They have the same technology.”
“Then why the need to export it?” Raith asked.
“It’s a subsidiary of NV Advanced Corporation. I’ve done no harm in sending the technology.”
“Not unless there are some dual nationals working there, say, maybe from Iran?” There was an edge to Raith’s voice. That kind of technology getting into the wrong hands would definitely harm national security. Raith was against that, powerfully so.
“I’m under tremendous pressure from the board to get our next-generation night-vision goggles delivered to the military,” Ralston argued. “They’re expecting significant revenue from the program. I can’t deliver what they’re demanding with U.S. development costs.”
It was no less than she and Raith had already surmised.
“If Kai tips off State, then I’ll deal with the investigation. I have proof that the board pressured me into performing the exports. I won’t be the one to go down if ICE comes knocking on our doors.”
“ICE?” Autumn queried.
“Immigration and Customs Enforcement,” Raith answered, and then to Ralston he asked, “Why didn’t you tell us this before?”
“It was a little obvious that you might suspect me of trying to kill my competition.”
“Garvin is a good friend of yours,” Raith reminded him.
“Not that good. I told you before that I use his shooting range.”
“Yes, and Garvin sold guns to Leaman Marshall.”
Autumn watched for a reaction from Ralston and found only confusion.
“Who?”
“I wouldn’t expect you to reveal your association with an assassin.”
“An assassin? What’s this all about?” Ralston acted outraged.
“You sent an email to Garvin expressing your condolences over Leaman Marshall’s death.”
Ralston looked from Raith to Autumn and back again. “I did no such thing.”
“I have a copy of it,” Raith said.
“I don’t know anyone named Leaman Marshall. I’ve never sent Garvin any emails. I only use his shooting range.”
“You’ve got motive to kill Kai Whittaker, and I can link you to a known assassin.”
Ralston only stared at him, unable or unwilling to respond.
“Is Garvin in on it? Maybe he agreed to help you after Leaman failed.”
“Maybe Kai paid him to fail,” Ralston said.
Autumn agreed that an assassin missing his mark was a little strange. What kind of sniper did a drive-by shooting?
“This has the stink of something Kai would do,” Ralston said. “He’s trying to make it look like I tried to have him killed.”
Raith neither agreed nor disagreed. He stood and Autumn did the same. “We’ll be in touch.”
At Raith’s guidance, she walked ahead of him to the door.
“I didn’t try to have Kai killed,” Ralston once again said as they left.
* * *
Outside, Raith called Kai’s cell phone. It rang and went to voice mail. Next, he called his office. There was no answer there, either. Why wasn’t his assistant answering?
He called DT Corporation’s main line. “Kai Whittaker.”
“One moment.”
“Don’t transfer me,” Raith said. “He’s not answering his phone.”
“Mr. Whittaker isn’t in today.”
Not in? Where was he? Raith hung up and then called his home number. India answered after the first ring.
“Kai?” she asked.
“No, it’s Raith. I need to speak with him.”
India began to cry. “I don’t know where he is.”
“Why not? Did something happen?”
“I—I don’t know. He didn’t come home from work last night. He isn’t answering his phone and no one from work knows where he is.” She sobbed some more. “Has...has...he called you?”
“No.” Kai was missing?
“Will you find him? Please find him.”
“Have you called the police?”
Autumn looked over at him.
“Y-yes,” she wailed. “There’s nothing they can do. Please. I’m so worried.”
“Did he say anything to you the last time you saw him?”
“We had a fight...about that woman he had an affair with. He apologized. He said he loved me. But I was...I was so upset.”
“Did he leave after you fought?”
“Yes.”
“And that’s the last you saw of him?”
“Yes.” She cried harder.
“Would he have left you? Did you ask for a divorce?”
“No. He wouldn’t have left me. Something’s happened to him. Please, Raith. You have to find him. I would have called you but I didn’t have your number. Only Kai had it.”
“I’ll do what I can. Is there someone who can stay with you?”
India regained control of her crying. “My daughter is here.”
“Okay. Stay in the house and don’t go anywhere. Make sure all your doors and windows are locked and your security system is set, okay?”
She sniffled. “Okay.”
Raith ended the call and turned to Autumn. “Kai is missing.”
* * *
After questioning Kai’s assistant, Raith checked Kai’s email and found nothing unusual. His assistant confirmed he’d left work at his normal time and said he was going home. He’d called his wife from the office. Security checked camera recordings and confirmed Kai had left the building shortly thereafter. Something had happened to him between there and arriving at home.
Had Ralston hired someone else to kill him? Had Garvin done it? Raith called NV Advanced and found out that Ralston had left at five.
Kai had left at six. That gave Ralston plenty of time to intercept him.
“I think it’s time we called the cops,” Autumn said when they left the building.
“And tell them what? That I killed an assassin and now the CEO of a competing night-vision equipment company may have taken matters into his own hands?”
Autumn’s long, silky hair flowed in a slight breeze as she walked beside him toward their rental. “Well, we can leave out the part about killing the assassin.” Her big round sunglasses hid beautiful, dark green eyes, but the tilt of her head and impish curve of her mouth lent her an animated spark.
