The Victim's Wife Page 22

  After that, I had gotten lost in my thoughts, driving around for hours until I finally got home well past midnight.

  “I can’t believe it ended as bad as it did,” I muttered as I rolled out of bed and started to get ready for the day. It was an hour later before I was heading into the office, still rolling the events of the previous evening around my mind as I tried to make sense of them.

  The last time Barbara and I had met, she had mentioned that I had plenty of time to think about our relationship. She had made it sound as if it were not urgent, something she’d like to get settled in the next six months or so. Last night had been a complete reversal, particularly at the end when she had started yelling.

  I could understand her frustration. The more I thought about it, the more I started to think that this was for the best.

  Perhaps she and I were not the best fit. Maybe there was somebody out there who was a better fit for me; undoubtedly, there was somebody better for her. I wasn’t going to hold last night against her. We’d had a good relationship; it had been a positive experience overall. I wasn’t sure what had caused her to snap like that, but it had been out of character, and it had been the only time she’d ever acted that way in my presence.

  Regardless, I was not going to lose any more sleep on it than I had. We’d had a good run. It had been a fun time.

  Despite my determination to not hold things against her, on the drive to work, I realized that the way we had ended things left a bad taste in my mouth.

  It was going to take me days to get over it.

  The day went by fast, and by the time 5:00 PM was rolling around, I was in a decent mood. Not a great mood; it would be a while before I got back there, but a decent mood still the same. I was just starting to pack up for the day, figuring I owed it to myself to take some time to figure things out, and had just remembered that I had left my briefcase in my car when there was a knock on my door.

  I looked up and was surprised to see Barbara walking into my office.

  I had not mentioned to Ellie that Barbara and I had broken up because I had not wanted to talk about it. Barbara had probably just walked right past Ellie without even a word.

  I stood but did not go around the side of the desk like I had the night before.

  “I’m surprised to see you,” I said, motioning to a chair in front of my desk, then sitting in my own chair.

  “I’m sorry,” Barbara said, tears starting to form in her eyes. “I don’t know what came over me last night. I think I just got a little frustrated. I just wasn’t myself.”

  I nodded, unsure what to say. I had just become accustomed to thinking of myself as single again, and here she was, walking back into my life.

  “You were a little worked up last night,” I said as neutrally as I could to keep the anger from seeping into my voice again. That wasn’t entirely fair. I had gotten worked up too.

  At the end, we had both been yelling at each other, and it had not been a pleasant experience. I did not want to relive it now, especially not when people were around to hear.

  “I’m sorry, Mitch,” Barbara said, putting her head in her hands and starting to sob. “I really don’t know what came over me. I feel like we have long-term potential. That’s why I was so worked up. I feel like such a flip-flop. I know that I had told you before that you had plenty of time. I was just in a bad mood yesterday. I shouldn’t have come over. I should never have given you an ultimatum.”

  Long-term potential? I thought, wondering if I even wanted to get back involved with her. As far as I was concerned, she had forced me to end things with her last night, and I was intent on making it stick.

  My moment of resolve lasted until she sobbed again.

  Things have been good, surely, I can overlook a moment of weakness, can’t I?

  I had given to her as good as I got.

  And she’s been patient with me too. I’m not the easiest guy.

  “Barbara,” I started to say, but she spoke over the top of me, keeping me from muttering the apology that was on the tip of my tongue.

  “I don’t have any reason to expect that you and I are going to get back together after this, but I want you to know that I’m open to the possibility.” She sat up in her chair, took out a Kleenex, and wiped her eyes. “I won’t pressure you for at least a year about the status of our relationship. Promise.”

  I started to say something, but Barbara shook her head. “Just think about it. You don’t have to say anything to me now. I forced you more than I should have. I apologize.”

  She stood. “I’ll see myself out.”

  I stood too, almost moving towards her, wanting to stop her from walking out, but something held me back.

  I wasn’t quite sure what it was. She did not even glance back as she left, quietly pulling the door shut behind her in contrast to the way she had slammed my car door the night before.

  Why didn’t I go after her?

  Had I just let her walk out of my life for good?

  As I pondered these questions, I sat back down at my computer.

  I tried to get back to work, rather than packing up and going home as I had originally planned, but my mind was not in it. I couldn’t bring myself to focus.

  One key phrase from Barbara’s visit stuck out to me:

  I just wasn’t myself.

  The words bounced around my head, and it seemed like there was a subconscious reason why they wouldn’t go away. It wasn’t until almost twenty minutes later that I made a connection.

  It was almost the exact same thing Mason had said to me the first day I met him. I had said a similar thing to the temp on the day when I had lost my cool after I had come back from my trip to Meridian Solutions.

  I thought about the candy bar from Mason’s office that I had eaten. Barbara had been okay until after she had eaten one of those.

  I could not remember for sure but hadn’t Mason mentioned that he had eaten a snack before going on his walk?

  Barbara had offered me the other candy bar last night, but I had refused it.

  What would have happened if I had eaten it too?

  Things could have gone much worse.

  I pulled my door open, rushing towards my car to get my briefcase.

  “Barbara was crying as she left,” Ellie said. “Is everything okay?”

  I didn’t answer as I dashed outside.

  When I got to my car and unlocked the door, I pulled out my briefcase and fished out the candy bar.

  I held it aloft, wondering if my theory would hold water.

  43

  I didn’t hear back from Winston for nearly five days. He had a connection to the lab testing the candy bar for foreign substances, but he had made it clear that they didn’t do rush orders or work on the weekends. My conversation with Penny had gone better than I had thought, and Mason had taken the news without complaint. I had given some thought to my relationship with Barbara. I wanted things to work out between us, so I had called and left her a message several days before but had not yet heard back.

  I was starting to wonder if all I was ever going to do was wait for the rest of my life.

  I was pacing my office Monday morning, wishing I’d heard back from Barbara and wondering when I would hear back from Winston when I got a call on my cell phone.

  Winston.

  “At last!” I punched the button, answering the call.

  “It’s laced with drugs,” Winston said.

  I froze halfway between the two back walls of my office.

  “Are you kidding?”

  When I had suggested Winston examine the candy bar, I had not expected to find anything. I put my phone on speaker and closed my eyes, forcing myself to think as my heartbeat raced.

  “Are you sure?”

  “As positive as I could be. It’s a drug called α-Pyrrolidinopentiophenone; it tends to make people angry and paranoid. It’s commonly called flakka.”

  “Does it kill people or just make them do crazy things?”


  “It’s more in the make them have hallucinations and do crazy things category. To be frank, I don’t know how anybody could have gotten their hands on this, but there it is. It’s definitely in the candy bar, and there is a lot of it.”

  “I’ve never heard of flakka. How did they get it?”

  “Probably on the street somewhere. Whoever put this in knew what they were doing. The lab technician who analyzed this told me they have to report what he had found to the DEA.”

  I drummed my fingers on the desk. “Things are finally getting interesting.”

  It was the lucky break I had been looking for.

  44

  “I need to see some identification,” the Meridian Solutions security guard said, scowling at me while I waited on the other side of his desk. He was reading the news on his tablet, but his irritation went far past me just interrupting him to do his job.

  “Don’t you remember me from before?”

  “ID, please.”

  The man’s voice was cold. He looked even more irritated with me than he had the previous time I had come for a visit.

  “Why are you so hostile?” I asked instead of reaching for my wallet.

  “Excuse me?” The man growled, setting down his tablet and looking like he was preparing for a physical altercation.

  “You were rude last time I came too. Is this how you treat all of Meridian Solution’s visitors or am I somebody special?”

  “I don’t have to let you in.”

  “I have an appointment with Vivian. You know her, don’t you, one of the partners in the company?”

  The man fumed, giving me an evil glare, before dangling a visitor ID card in front of my face.

  “You can’t go until I see your ID.”

  “Fine.” I pulled out my wallet, handing him my driver’s license. He stared at it for a long time, glancing up at me and comparing it as if I were somehow trying to sneak something past him.

  “Thanks,” I said when he finally handed it back.

  “See that you leave right away when you are done with your appointment. I know what time it ends. I’ll be watching for you.”

  I opened my mouth, thinking about saying something else to him, but it would just antagonize him further. I’d already pushed him hard enough, so I nodded and smiled while walking away.

  I was soon on the fourth floor headed towards Vivian’s office.

  “Vivian is in a meeting right now,” Karen Barr, Vivian’s receptionist, told me a few moments later, “it will be a couple of minutes before she’s ready for you, but I will let her know you are here.”

  As I sat in the waiting area, I looked around, wondering what it had been like when both of the deceased partners were still here.

  They’ve lost three partners. That’s remarkable turnover for the leadership of the company. It has to make a difference.

  Had things become tense? Did this receptionist hate coming in? Or had things gotten better for her now that Max, Mason, and Frank no longer reported to work?

  She glanced over at me and gave me a friendly smile. She was in her early twenties. I suspected she was a college student just using this job to make ends meet while she finished her degree.

  “Can I ask you a couple questions?” I said.

  She leaned back in her chair. “Go ahead.”

  “How long have you worked here?”

  “Three years, coming up on four.”

  “Do you like it?”

  She shrugged, glancing back at Vivian’s door to make sure it was shut. “It’s a job, isn’t it?”

  I smiled. “That’s how most people feel about their jobs.”

  “You don’t?”

  “I love what I do. I love the freedom. I love helping people. It’s an all-around good fit for me.”

  “How is Mason?”

  I was surprised by the question. “He’s okay.” I gave her a curious look. “Did you talk to him much?”

  “He was always nice to me.” She gave me a wan smile. “He didn’t treat me like I was the receptionist. He treated me like I was his equal.”

  I nodded. “Yeah, it seems like murder’s not something he would be capable of doing, huh?”

  Karen leaned forward. “That’s what I keep saying, but people don’t believe me. I’m convinced he was somehow set up, though the case seems pretty open and shut.”

  “Nothing is ever clear cut.”

  “Do you think there’s a chance he might get off?”

  “Too early to say.”

  “If there is anything I can ever do for you...” She trailed off, clearly not wanting to be overheard.

  “Did you witness any of the partners’ interactions?”

  Karen nodded, looking back at the door and then mouthing something to me.

  I wasn’t certain, but it looked like she said she sometimes attended their meetings to take notes.

  “Would you care to join me for lunch today?” I asked, as quietly as I could.

  She glanced back at the door and nodded. “I would be happy to.”

  We quietly agreed on a place and time; I stored her contact information in my phone. Just as I was sliding it back into my pocket, the door opened and Vivian walked out. If she suspected that I’d been trying to coax information out of Karen, it did not show on her face.

  A man walked out right after her. For a moment, I did not recognize who he was. I did a double-take when I realized it was Ronald.

  He looked different than the last time I had seen him. He even smiled and extended a hand, giving me a firm handshake.

  “Mr. Turner, a pleasure to see you again.”

  During our last meeting, he had been agitated, maybe even a little afraid. This time he did not appear threatened in the slightest.

  Why is he so relaxed?

  The cynical part of me wondered if it was because three of his partners had been removed in the last couple of months, and he was now angling for complete control of the company

  Meridian Solutions had yet to announce its new chief executive officer. I wondered if he was first in line for the job.

  “Likewise.” I resisted staring at him as he walked away. I couldn’t help but feel that whatever had been bothering him last time, it had not been about me.

  But what was he worried about? I wondered.

  “If you’ll please come back here, Mr. Turner,” Vivian said, motioning to her office. “I don’t have as much time as I promised you. In fact, I really only have about ten minutes, if that works for you.”

  “Whatever you can give me is fine,” I said, wondering if this was a tactic to get out of talking with me or if she legitimately had had something come up.

  As I walked into her office again, I couldn’t help but notice that her office was the smallest of the other executive offices.

  Had it bothered her that the other partners had more prominent offices than hers? Was that in part why Frank was dead, Mason was gone, and Max was dead too?

  “What can I do for you?” Vivian said, sitting at her desk and motioning for me to take a chair in front of her own.

  It was a little strange that she seemed more agitated than the last time I had met her. She was trying to put on a face to cover up her true emotions, but it wasn’t working very well. I found this surprising in light of Penny’s accusation that Vivian was a skilled manipulator and able to cover her emotions so easily.

  Either something has rattled her or Penny is all wrong about her.

  I didn’t know which.

  “I just wanted to ask a couple follow-up questions based on our last conversation,” I said, reaching into my pocket and pulling out a notebook where I had made a few notes about topics I wanted to cover with Vivian.

  She nodded. “Of course, I’m more than happy to do that, anything to help Mason out.”

  I studied Vivian, trying to imagine her as the wicked manipulator Penny had represented to me. I had a hard time seeing it, especially with the obvious agitation showing around the corners of her eyes. />
  “Did you ever have much interaction with Mason’s wife, Justine?”

  Vivian gave me a strange look. “Only at the usual company functions. Nothing outside that. Why?”

  “During the course of an investigation, you have to ask all sorts of questions. It’s often more about ruling things out than ruling them in. That’s the line of questions I’m asking you today. We’re just trying to cross our t’s and dot our i’s to make sure that there is not anything out there flapping in the wind that’s going to be a problem when we get to trial.”

  “I understand, that makes a lot of sense,” Vivian said, “I’ve been keeping up on the news, kinda hard not to. I’m sure Mason’s kept you apprised of the situation here at work. We completed his buyout. I had thought that once we had bought Mason out, we would have put this whole thing behind us, but then Frank turned up dead in his own office.” Vivian shook her head and gave me a look of horror. “I just don’t understand what is going on around here. Two partners murdered within three months of each other? That just doesn’t make any sense to me. Does it make sense to you?”

  “It makes no sense.” I gave her a big smile. “But I’m going to figure it out.”

  There was the briefest hesitation on Vivian’s face before she gave me an encouraging nod.

  “I wish you would.”

  “How about Penny? Max’s wife?”

  “What about her?”

  “Have you spent much time with her?”

  Vivian leaned back in her chair, pulling her arms to her chest. “Why are you asking about her?”

  “Like I said, just closing out a few things to make sure that I have a complete lay of the land before I get to trial. I don’t want any landmines out there waiting for me.”

  “Do you have reason to suspect her in Frank’s and Max’s murder?” Vivian shook her head. “Of course, you do. She’s been charged, hasn’t she?” Vivian hesitated. “It was no secret that their marriage was on the rocks and had been for a long time. We’re not talking months. We’re talking years.”

  “Really?”

  “She would have been the first person who came to mind if I hadn’t known that Mason did it alone.” She looked at me. “Sorry, but it looks that way, presumption of innocence or not.”