“Okay,” Hughes finally said. “Do it.”
He remembered how it was done.
Shuman was shot three times after leaving a Savannah pawnshop. An hour before an assortment of stolen tools and copper were planted in Shuman’s garage, with more found at the pawnshop itself.The police verified everything as part of the subsequent investigation, even locating other pawnshops thanks to an anonymous tip courtesy of the private investigator. The company ultimately issued a press release linking Shuman’s activism to an ongoing investigation of him he was trying to stop. His recent activities in damaging the company were tied to a blackmail attempt Shuman had supposedly begun. It was plausible, believable, and accepted.
And Chris had been right.
Ninety days later all their troubles passed, smoothed over by a timely death.
His mind snapped back to the present.
It wouldn’t be long before Lee and Hughes learned about his cancer, the die had been cast yesterday when he took step one and intentionally generated an insurance claim. Their reaction would be predictable. He’d have only one chance to stick it up their asses. Did Hank Reed really have May’s Priority list? More important, could Reed decipher it? And Brent Walker. Could he handle himself? Was it right even to involve him? But what choice did he have? For his plan to work he needed their help, whether they wanted to participate or not.
Time for step two.
He stepped back to his desk, sat in front of the computer, and started to type. At first the words came with difficulty. Soon they flowed with ease, the pounding of the keyboard therapeutic—a release of the soul—partial satisfaction for what little conscience he had left.
An hour later he finished and copied everything to a flash drive.
He ejected the drive and switched off the machine.
But intentionally did not erase the original.
4:09P.M.
BRENT FINALLY DECIDED TO DO WHATHANK WANTED.WHAT WOULDit hurt? If the list of numbers was nothing, then no harm no foul. If it was something, then, as they agreed, he’d keep it to himself andnot violate the confidence of his new employer. He’d known this ethical vice would happen, just not in week two of his employment.
He found the list Hank had provided and studied the numbers again.
034156901
456913276
343016692
295617833
178932515
236987521
492016755
516332578
The direct approach seemed best, so he faced the computer screen on his desk at the mill and typed the first set into the search line, then hitRETURN.
And got a hit.
William Mesnan.
Apparently, 034-15-6901 was the man’s Social Security number. He clicked on Mesnan’s name and was taken to a menu of various company records associated with the employee that dated back thirty years. The last entry caught his attention.DEATH BENEFIT.He clicked again and learned that Mesnan had died of a heart attack three weeks ago. He tried the next number and began generating a list of his own.
034156901 William Mesnan, May 23, Heart attack
456913276 Patrick Brown, May 21, Kidney failure
He was about to type the third set into the search engine when Martha tapped on the doorframe. “The boss needs to see you.”
