Authors: Betty Sullivan LaPierre
"Yeah, mommy, it's really pretty," they said in unison.
Suddenly, she noticed the car behind her.
Her eyes narrowed.
"Damn tail.
Hope he enjoys going to McDonald's for breakfast."
Chapter Thirty
Cliff followed Tom into his office.
"Think you can get that computer whiz to help us again?"
Tom nodded as he picked up his messages.
"No problem.
I'll get right on it.
But first," he waved one of the slips of paper, "I want to return John Graves' call."
"I'll be right back."
Cliff headed down the hall to the men's room.
When he returned, Tom had just hung up.
Cliff closed the door and pulled a chair up to the desk.
"So what'd he want?"
"To let me know that the company would be willing to take on the Nevers
auditing case for twenty-five thousand dollars."
Cliff raised his brows and let out a whistle.
"What are they going to do, use gold pens?"
Tom grinned.
"No, but it would involve Holmes & Goode going to each of the companies that did business with Nevers and collecting their invoices so they could compare them to the entries in the records.
Very time consuming and costly."
"Yeah, that would definitely take time."
Cliff stuck his little finger in his ear and wiggled it.
"But you know what still bothers me?"
"No, what?"
"How the hell did Bud's computer get changed?
Did Weber know his didn't have the original records in it?
Both those guys had separate lines into their offices.
Whoever changed them had to know something about computers and how to get into them."
"Good question.
Bud's could have been changed the night he was murdered.
Think I'll give Ken a call."
Suddenly, Tom got up and went to a file where he pulled out a long white envelope.
"Something clicked, huh?"
Cliff said, his mouth twitching.
Tom pulled out what looked like six credit cards.
"Found these in Ryan's desk drawer.
I just figured they were keys to his office and they change the code on them about every six months.
I didn't think a lot about it until just now.
Bet a couple of these would fit Bud's and Ken's office doors."
Cliff frowned.
"Yeah, but I'm sure the codes were changed after the murder.
Any idea who does the work?"
Studying the cards, Tom slid one over to Cliff.
"Yeah, there on the bottom, KeyTech."
Tom pulled out the phone directory and found the company.
"Couldn't be easier.
They're located right downtown on Balsom Avenue."
He quickly noted the address on a slip of paper.
Checking his watch, Cliff stood and put out his hand.
"Give me the address and those keys.
I've got time to get there before they close.
Call them.
Make sure the boss stays around in case I get into traffic.
While I'm gone, give Weber a call."
Tom picked up the phone as Cliff bounded out the door.
After notifying KeyTech, Tom placed a call to Ken Weber.
"Hello, Ken.
This is Tom.
I need to ask you a couple of questions."
"Sure, shoot."
"I know you have the accounting files on your computer at work.
Do you recall seeing an ABC Wafer Company listed?" Tom could hear Ken repeating, "ABC Wafer...."
"You know Tom, it sounds familiar, but I don't remember seeing it."
Tom raised an eyebrow. "But you said you knew about the dummy company?"
"Yeah, but I didn't know what it was called."
"Okay.
I understand.
Before Ryan's death, did you ever notice any changes in the accounting system?"
"I have to really study those files.
Concentrating on rows of figures is not my thing.
If there were any changes, I never spotted them."
"So you're saying you pretty much trusted Conners to do the right thing?"
"Not really, but I couldn't catch him.
When he discovered I'd taken that money, he immediately turned me in to Bud.
He probably breathed a sigh of relief, figuring I'd be his fall guy for all the money he'd embezzled.
And with Bud dead, it would just be my word against the accountant's."
Tom shifted in his seat, knowing this would be hard to prove for Ken.
He could still be in hot water.
"I notice the company has security on all the doors of the building.
Does each person have his own code?"
"Oh yeah."
"Could your office be entered without your knowledge?"
"Easily."
"Why's that?"
"Because I seldom closed my door.
The security keys were mostly for night after everyone left.
I didn't have anything in the office that I worried about, and I always left my card on the desk.
In fact, I had them make me an extra one."
"How did Bud feel about that?"
"Oh, he did the same thing.
We were always misplacing our cards.
We didn't keep stuff that required security in our offices.
True, we didn't want any of our ideas stolen; but they were kept in a different area where we installed high security."
"That pretty much solves that problem," Tom mumbled.
"What did you say?" Ken asked.
"Nothing, not important.
Thanks, Ken, I'll keep in touch."
"Wait, have you found anything in the records that might clear me of embezzlement?"
"Not yet, but we'll keep looking."
Ken let out a long sigh.
"I told Sandy I'd talked to you.
Told her everything.
I pray she'll forgive me."
"Give her time.
She's going through a lot right now."
"Thanks, for all you're doing."
Tom had barely hung up when the phone rang.
Figuring it to be Cliff, he answered.
"Yeah."
"Tom, is that you?
This is Angie."
He felt a warm flush fill his cheeks.
"Oh, sorry about that.
I expected a call from Cliff."
"I won't keep you.
Just glad I caught you before you left.
Do you think you could drop by?
I think we've found something in the accounting records that will clear Ken."
"Hold on to it.
But it will probably be an hour or a little longer before I can get away."
"That will be fine.
Don't eat and we'll have something here."
"Sounds great."
It dawned on Tom that he hadn't contacted his computer man.
Locating William Bird's card in his Rolodex, he set up an appointment for the following morning.
Then he leaned back in his chair, exhaled and wondered what Autumn Conners would be doing about now.
He called his tail man.
"She went to McDonald's this morning, returned to the house after you guys left and hasn't left since."
"Anyone come to her place?" Tom asked.
"This is either the loneliest woman I've ever seen or else she doesn't want company.
No one comes or goes from that household except her and those two little girls.
In fact, those two kids don't even play outside, even though her back is fenced.
I don't get it."
"Neither do I.
She's a strange one.
Just keep your eyes open.
She may be laying low for awhile."
"Will do."
Tom pulled the Nevers and Conners files and sat down at his desk.
His inner sense still nagged him.
He knew there was still something he had overlooked.
It had to be something right in front of his eyes, but what?
It was eating away at him.
By the time Cliff returned, he'd reread both files.
They exchanged their findings and agreed that from what Ken had told Tom, it was anyone's guess who got at the computers.
"I can tell your intuition is still bugging you," Cliff said, eyeing the files.
Tom nodded.
"There's something right here in front of me, but I can't put my finger on it.
Maybe it will pop up in my dreams tonight."
"It'll hit you in the middle of the night.
Please wait until morning before you call me."
Cliff yawned and rubbed the back of his neck. "Yep.
I'm ready for a good night's sleep myself."
"Let's call it a day.
I'm dropping by Angie Nevers' place.
She found something on the computer she wants me to see."
The two men ambled down the hallway.
Cliff cocked his head and looked at Tom out of the corner of his eye.
"Gettin' awful cozy with that woman.
You got the hots for her?"
Tom cuffed him playfully on the shoulder.
"Now what makes you say something like that?
I'm the detective working on the case.
Who else is she going to call?"
Cliff threw back his shoulders and stuck his thumb to his chest.
"Why, me, of course.
I'd love to have all those home-cooked meals."
Tom chuckled all the way to his car.
*****
Melinda paced her small apartment, smoking one cigarette after another.
Her boyfriend, Tony, sat on the couch, his dirty bare feet resting on the coffee table.
He took a big gulp of beer and wiped the back of his hand across his mouth.
"Ah, come on Melinda.
What's eating you anyway?"
"Shut up, Tony.
I've got to think."
"You've been neglecting my wants for several nights now.
Come on baby, let's go to bed."
She flipped her head around and glared at him.
He put a hand up in defense.
"Whoa, baby.
Don't look at me like that.
Those eyes of yours are mean."
"I'm worried about the future.
Certainly more than you are."
He dropped his feet to the floor and went after her, grabbing her arm.
"Hey, don't talk to me like that."