Page 85
“Meanwhile,” Gideon started. “I took on the task of finding out why New Era Cyber Tech sent in the team to rescue Jenny, but didn’t pay the ransom. Turns out that anything like this falls under the purview of the VP of Security. Jeff Reynolds is his name, and as soon as Jenny was taken, he contacted the Kidnap and Ransom company that they had on tap, and they sent in a team to rescue her. It was by the book.”
Brax nodded. Made sense. “Then what happened after they were killed?”
“Her ransom should have been paid,” Gideon answered. “Now the Security guy, Jeff, doesn’t have control of the company purse strings, so he had to go up the food chain. It went to the CEO. So, we immediately saw the connection between Edgar and the ransom. Anyway, Ronald told the VP of Security to hold off on paying the ransom.”
“How’d you find that out?” Brax asked.
“The VP of Security got a multi-million dollar retirement a week after Jenny returned to the States. It was obviously a payoff. Last place we were able to track him was to Praslin Island in the Seychelle Island chain. He bought a yacht and has disappeared. There are over a hundred islands for him to go to, so we’re not going to find him.” Gideon was clearly annoyed.
“Then how do you know for sure it was a payoff?” Brax asked.
“We know that it was Ronald Lynch that was responsible because we found encrypted emails going back and forth between Ronald and Jeffrey, where Ronald specifically told Jeffrey that he was going to take over the ransom negotiation.”
“Are you shitting me? How’d you find those? Seems to me a Security guy would have known enough to get rid of that kind of electronic trail,” Brax said.
“That’s not Jeff’s area of expertise. All the cyber-security is handled by the IT department. My guess is, he had no idea about all of the company back-ups on email, especially the CEO’s.”
“Sounds like a shitty security guy,” Brax said disgustedly.
“Yeah,” Kane grinned. “Made my life easy. But I still haven’t found out why the CEO would want to transfer an embezzler to the States as his flunky in a made-up job. It makes no sense. I’m still looking into that. I’m pulling both of their financials now.”
“I think we can answer that.” Mateo smirked.
Kane looked at him sharply and Gideon gave both of his men curious looks. “What do you mean?” Kane asked.
“Our meeting with Jeckel was quite enlightening,” Brax answered. “Turns out, according to Jeckel, Ronald likes to fish off the company pier, and he likes men.”
“Aw shit. Is this about sex?” Kane grumbled.
“Don’t feel bad. Money is almost always the answer, but sex is usually the runner-up,” Gideon soothed Kane.
Kane sat down at his desk chair and took a pull off his beer, then pointed his finger at Brax. “So, what’s your supposition?”
“Ronald wanted Jenny dead to protect his lover. He didn’t want anybody finding out about his embezzlement.”
“That doesn’t make any sense,” Gideon protested. “Why kill her a year and a half after she supposedly found out about it? Why not sooner?”
“A crime of opportunity?” Mateo contributed.
“Why do it at all if she hadn’t come forward before that point?” Gideon persisted.
“Could be that when her name popped up during the Bangladesh kidnapping, Edgar said something to Ronald. Then maybe Ronald gets upset and takes the opportunity to get rid of her. A crime of opportunity…” Kane shrugged.
Brax felt his blood begin to boil. The idea that someone could be so cavalier about Jenny’s life made him want to kill someone.
“If that’s the case,” Gideon said slowly, “then does Ronald know about Fiona catching on and going into hiding?”
Brax jumped up. “Enough of this shit. We need to question Edgar.”
“We can’t right now. He and Ronald are at a summit in Paris. They’re not due back for four days,” Kane said, shaking his head.
“Then we go—” Brax started.
“No, we take the respite and figure out a plan,” Gideon said.
Brax opened his mouth to disagree.
“We’re dealing with one of the top ten biggest corporations in the world. We will not get anywhere close to either man without a plan,” Gideon said decisively.
