A Taste For Danger Read online

  “Can I have your other butterscotch?” asked Eddie.

  “Sure,” said Jack. What—now they were horse trading?

  Eddie took the candy and said, “Thank you.” again. He didn’t eat this one however. He opened one of his top drawers and put it in there. Then he opened his desk file drawer, took out a file, and read, “Reasons include: financials don’t agree; Big and Little Heads pad their expense accounts; company fraud; OSHA standards are not followed in the men’s restroom; most of the Heads lie at meetings; Mr. Hane’s position is impotent; government contracts are rigged; the secretary is forging her timecard; someone is stealing money; and the heat and air conditioning in the building is turned off every weekend meaning that each Monday all employees either freeze or burn up.”

  Jack was taken aback. “Is that it?” he asked, incredulous.

  “No, those are just the major things.” replied Eddie.

  Afraid to ask the next question, but worried about who might be around outside, Jack said, “Eddie, may I close your door? We are discussing some confidential matters.”

  Eddie looked at Jack with no expression. “Yes, you can close the door.” Jack did so.

  Then Eddie said: “I’m not allowed to keep it closed when I’m alone in here. They told me it’s bad for office morale, so”—here he laughed a short laugh—”so I keep it almost all the way shut.”

  “That’s very smart of you.”

  Eddie stared at Jack with a sarcastic expression on his face. “I’m not stupid. You don’t have to talk to me like I’m ten. That’s what all the others do.”

  “I’m sorry,” said Jack. Perhaps honesty was best. “I’m just not sure how to talk to you,” he added.

  “That’s okay,” said Eddie. “No one is. You are doing fine. What else did you want to know?”

  Jack went back over Eddie’s list in his head. “Um, let’s start with the financials. Do you know why they don’t match?”

  “Someone is stealing money,” said Eddie.

  “Do you know who?”

  “No, I only make sure my financials are perfect. That means that it is someone at Big D. No one here. My financials are perfect,” he said again.

  “I believe you,” said Jack. “Okay, moving on...you said the government contracts are rigged?

  “Yes. Cheryl Wong rigs the government contracts.”

  “Have you told anyone this?”

  “No one asked.” replied Eddie.

  “Whooof.” Jack exhaled loudly, then said, “Why would Cheryl rig the government contracts? Does it get her more money? Is she being paid off?”

  “I do not know. You will have to ask Cheryl Wong why she rigs the contracts. She is not being paid off. My financials are perfect, and they would show a discrepancy.”

  “Okay, okay.” Jack was getting the hang of this now. “What about the fact that the company is committing fraud? Doesn’t that concern you?”

  “My job is the books. I do my job perfectly.”

  “I see. Do you happen to know at what level the fraud starts? What part of the company is committing the fraud?”

  “It is somewhere in Little D. Not Big D. I see in my books what they are doing, however it does not translate up to Big D.

  “So Big D—Headquarters—is in the dark about the fraud.

  “I do not know,” said Eddie.

  Jack started again, trying Eddie-speak. “Based on the facts that you have at hand, and what you know from doing your job, the following hypotheses are true: one, someone in Big D is stealing money, not someone from Little D. Two, someone from Little D is committing fraud which involves the entire company, but Big D is not involved. Three, government contracts are being rigged, but the purpose is unknown because no money is exchanging hands, even in secret because a discrepancy would show up on your books.”

  Eddie paused to think. Jack watched him. He seemed to stare out into space, looking at nothing, but Jack bet his brain was going a hundred miles a minute. In about a minute Eddie answered: “Given those parameters, the answers are yes, yes, and yes, assuming there are no outliers unaccounted for that carry a larger than anticipated weight on the outcome.”

  “Thank you, Eddie. You’ve been very helpful.” said Jack.

  “I like you,” said Eddie. “And Cindy.”

  “Thank you. That is high praise.” Jack looked down then back up at Eddie. “You know Eddie, you can come to my office anytime you want. If you ever need to talk or if someone is being mean to you.”

  Eddie laughed a genuine laugh. “Now you sound like Cindy!”

  Jack smiled. “Well that is also high praise. Thank you again.” Jack got up to leave.

  “Jack—” whispered Eddie.

  Jack turned around. “What is it, Eddie?”

  “Be careful Jack. There are a lot of mean people here,” he whispered again, giving him a pointed stare eye to eye.

  “Yes there are, Eddie. Yes there are. And I will be cautious. Thank you.” Jack was careful to leave the door almost, but not quite, closed as he left. Walking back to his office, Jack wished that Cindy had accepted his lunch invitation. He could have used someone with whom to decompress. It was only noon, and he already felt spent.

  Chapter Ten

  Passing people in the hallway, Jack carefully maintained his game face. Running into both Bob and Mr. Hanes, he gave polite greetings. Then he walked back to his office and closed the door for a moment. Now would normally be the time when he’d head to a bar, but no more. Jack was cleaning up. However much it cost him, he would see this through. And once done, and all the cases solved, he would never, ever, ever take a corporate job again. After a few deep breaths he opened the door again.

  Jack made his way down the hall to someone’s office he had yet to visit. He had forgotten to ask Victoria about reinsurance when they lunched, and now that avenue was cut off. So he went right to the Head for that department. The name Dick McLellan stared back at him from the door. He knocked lightly.

  McLellan actually rose from his desk chair and came to the door. “Hello Jack. What can I do for you?” He stood in the doorway as if he were guarding his office.

  “I was hoping you could explain reinsurance to me. I’m trying to learn about the company, and I don’t understand some of these fundamental concepts.”

  Was that my imagination, or did McLellan look relieved? Jack hoped the “I’m stupid, teach me” ploy would work. After all, the favorite pastime of egomaniacs was to talk about themselves.

  McLellan invited him in. Once again Jack sat at a desk across from an unknown entity. He gazed around. In contrast to the others, McLellan’s office seemed sparse. Jack could barely tell anyone inhabited it. No personal items, nothing distinguishing, in fact nothing of Dick there at all.

  “What would you like to know?” asked Dick, playing with a pen in his hand.

  “The concept of reinsurance and how it fits into Devonshire. You can keep it really simple. I just don’t want to feel like an idiot here when people discuss business.”

  “Heh, I don’t blame you,” said Dick. “It can get really complex, but I’ll give you the simple version. Basically each underwriting group under the Managing Agent takes out a reinsurance policy to pay for any future claims. We do this because although the company has a reserve, the idea is not to have to use it up. That would weaken the company and also generate bad publicity. So instead we purchase a reinsurance policy.”

  “From who?” asked Jack.

  “Well from ourselves, of course. That way we can stay on top of what’s happening and stabilize ourselves should anything go wrong.”

  “What happens if something does go wrong?” asked Jack.

  Dick paused, as if considering how to word his answer. “Then the members have to pay for the liability, but that rarely happens. Usually the members make a profit.”

  “I see,” said Jack. He realized Dick chose not to say more, but Jack couldn’t guess what he left out. He needed to talk to someone on his side—an ally. Ja
ck stood to leave. “Thank you Dick for clearing that up. I have a much better picture now.”

  “Sure no problem,” said Dick, but to Jack, he looked tense.

  Jack also needed some other info. But he couldn’t ask the one person who would know for sure because she would spread it around. Once in his office, Jack leaned back in his chair, thinking. There were now three actual criminal cases before him. Rigging government contracts had just landed in his lap. It’s not like he could pretend he didn’t know. He had a responsibility. To whom, he didn’t know. What he did know was this: if he didn’t do anything about the problems, no one would. Jack needed more to go on before his meeting with the CFO tomorrow morning. He also remained dumbfounded about the embezzling. That was the issue for which he had the least number of clues. Then an idea sprung. He closed his office door and picked up the phone.

  “Jerry, it’s Jack.”

  “Well, hello there. Still working or have they booted you yet?”

  “Still here for now.”

  “What can I do you for?”

  “I’m sorry to bother you again, but I only now realized a few more questions that you might be able to help me with.”

  “I’m just sitting back enjoying retirement. No bother. Shoot. That is, if you can trust your phone.”

  “What?” asked Jack, surprised.

  “You’re probably fine. It’s just a feeling I got once I’d been there awhile.”

  “Wow,” said Jack, nonplussed. “Either this job made both of us paranoid, or we’re only getting the tip of the iceberg.”

  “Exactly,” agreed Jerry.

  “What I wanted to ask: are there any two or three people at Little D that you saw together often? Maybe in hushed meetings or away at lunch together, or I don’t know, just unusual behavior?”

  “Sounds like you have a theory developing.”

  “Maybe. I’m not sure.”

  The phone was silent. “Thinking,” said Jerry.

  Jack waited. After all, from Jerry’s previous much higher position, he would have been privy to more than Jack.

  “Yeah,” said Jerry finally. “Come to think of it, and I wouldn’t have thought about it if you hadn’t asked, but Victoria and Dick had a lot of hushed get-togethers, often in one of their offices. And then later it was Victoria, Dick and Rance going out together rather frequently.

  “So the Head of Managing Agents, Head of Reinsurance, and Head of Claims had a number of secret meetings.”

  “Yeah. You know, I think you’re onto something, Jack.”

  “I think so too.” Jack still had the benefit of seeing Cindy’s files, to which Jerry had never been privy. “I can’t thank you enough.”

  “No prob. You can buy me that beer sometime, and we can talk about more enjoyable subjects.”

  “Sounds good.” Both men hung up.

  With that phone call Jack became convinced he had one of the three major issues bothering him solved. Now for the other two. He cancelled his meeting with the CFO. If he alarmed anyone about one of the three issues, the people behind the other two might up and run, or close down. He needed to solve all three.

  ***

  Jack passed the rest of the week in a blur with no idea what to do next. He was no closer to discovering the embezzler than when he first started. He also knew nothing about government contracts, or why someone would rig them if their goal wasn’t money. He missed a vital clue and knew it. Wracking his brain hadn’t helped. Friendly “hi’s” from Cindy in the hallway were the only things that got him by. But he didn’t want to disturb her. She was overworked and overstressed enough already. By Friday, he simply wanted the weekend to come. So this is how it is holding a company job. My God. Then, a little luck finally came his way.

  As he sat at his desk playing solitaire on his computer, a head appeared in his doorway. Jack saw the shadow and cut off the screen to his computer. The head was followed by two gawky arms in a windbreaker. When Jack looked up, Eddie stood at his door. Eddie treated the line into the office as a real line. He looked down at it and almost teetered.

  “Hi Eddie, you are welcome to come in. Have a seat.” He bet it was hard for him to leave his own haven of an office.

  Eddie glanced around Jack’s office then stepped in and took a seat. He stared at Jack without saying a word. Then he got up again and closed the door. As he sat down for the second time, Jack held out a piece of butterscotch candy. He had bought a bag for just such an occasion. He liked this well-intentioned savant.

  Eddie smiled when he saw the candy and took it from Jack’s hand. Then he spoke. “I’ve been thinking about what you said,” he started.

  Jack had no idea what he was talking about. “What was that?”

  “About whether it should concern me if the company is committing fraud,” he answered. “I decided that even having perfect books does not make up for corruption in the entity as a whole.” Eddie wore a contrite expression.

  “We all learn at our own pace, Eddie.” said Jack. “It sounds like you had an important realization.”

  “Yes. That’s when I decided to help you catch the crooks.”

  Jack shook his head. “I’m being paid to do that, Eddie. It’s not your job, plus you might put your own position in jeopardy.” He didn’t want help from Eddie. As well-intentioned as he was, Jack envisioned the nightmare of all the cases blowing up if Eddie managed to intervene somehow.

  But Eddie smiled. “I’m undercover.” Seeing Jack’s blank expression he continued, “I’m only talking to you.” Jack’s face remained quizzical.

  Eddie tried again. “I know what Cheryl Wong is doing.”

  That got Jack’s attention. He leaned back in his chair, opened his eyes wide, cocked an eyebrow, and tilted his neck while staring at Eddie. He glanced down for a second, then cleared his throat. “Um, and how did you figure that out?”

  “I learned Chinese.”

  “What?” said Jack, flabbergasted.

  “It took me a whole weekend and some time at lunch, and I only know the simplified form, but that was enough.”

  “Enough for what?”

  “To understand what she said on the phone.”

  Jack leaned way back in his chair. His brain needed time to process this.

  “Did anyone see you?” asked Jack

  “No. Cheryl leaves late like I do. Hardly anyone else around. That’s not all. I broke into her office.”

  “What?” Jack’s mouth went agape.

  “Don’t worry, she was gone by then, and I left everything in place. Why are you looking at me funny?”

  Jack didn’t know how he looked. Stunned, he attempted to pull his rational mind back to the forefront. He retrieved more butterscotch candy. He gave Eddie another piece and popped one in his own mouth. By God he needed something. I guess butterscotch it is.

  “So no one is any the wiser for everything you’ve done, correct?”

  “Yes.” Eddie affirmed.

  Jack rubbed his eyes with two of his fingers then started again. “Okay, tell me what came out of all this.” He braced himself, determined to be ready for anything. Sucking at the candy between his teeth he closed his eyes for a second, hoping that everything hadn’t been blown.

  “Cheryl Wong is giving government secrets to the Chinese.”

  Again, Jack’s mouth seemed to go agape on its own. He stared at Eddie who sat animated and happy in front of him.

  Eddie’s story went something like this: Cheryl Wong had set up an entire team of spies at each level of the company contracting system. That way the contracts would go to the appropriate bidder, who then, privy to the project, sent the plans and details back to Cheryl. Cheryl had a contact who Eddie didn’t know, but he guessed was someone on the outside, that she delivered the plans to. Eddie heard her talking to the outside contact. When he broke in her office he found plans and details written in Chinese as well as what seemed like a communication to make a drop soon.

  “Okay, okay, hold on,” said Jack. Edd
ie had a tendency to talk fast when he did talk and Jack needed to catch up. He gave Eddie a series of questions in the way that worked last time. “One, how did you get into Cheryl’s office? Two, what kind of contracts are we talking about? Three, when and where is the next drop?”

  Eddie listened carefully then spoke. “One, all the doors have cipher locks. No one ever changed their combinations. They are all on the factory setting.”

  Jack interrupted, “You’re shitting me?”

  Eddie watched Jack and smiled. “No, I’m telling you a truth. We installed cipher locks on the suite and on every Head’s office and none of them were ever taken off the factory setting. To know one is to know them all. Actually, simply to know the type of lock is to know all. Not to mention that half the people don’t bother to close their doors at the end of the day.”

  “Some security,” Jack muttered.

  “I was not surprised,” said Eddie. Then he continued, “Two, DOD contracts. The Department of Defense is our biggest customer.”

  “Holy fuck.” Jack shook his head. He needed a drink. Case number three had just reached massive proportions.

  “Three,” Eddie went on, “I do not know where or when specifically, however from what she said on the phone I do know where and when generally.”

  Jack leaned back in his chair, already thinking of who he should bring in for this. Screw the embezzlement. This was serious stuff. He knew that no matter who he brought in, he’d have to have proof. More proof than Eddie’s word. He could picture the nightmare of having Eddie try to explain it to someone. Not to mention Eddie’s part in breaking and entering.

  “You said you know where and when generally,” said Jack.

  “Yes.”

  He sighed. “Okay, where and when is it happening, generally?”

  “When there is a drop, Cheryl goes to Atlantic City. She meets her contact somewhere there. It’s a different contact each time for safety. Cheryl does not know whom she will meet.

  “Then how do they work it out?”

  “Cheryl stays at Bally’s. She goes to one of the roulette wheels. A man tips his hat to her. That is her contact. Then she places a bet on the roulette wheel. The numbers she bets are the time set to meet.”