At the Helm

I spent the better part of the day yesterday establishing firm control of The Condo, starting with locking the patio and poolroom doors and extending to changing all the security codes from the entrance to the office door.

10:00 a.m.

When Davy got here this morning, he was a little surprised to say the least. He stepped off the elevator and his card didn’t open the front door. He was swearing so loud he didn’t hear me over the intercom at first.

“Davy, calm down and follow my instructions,” I said.

“Who’s that?” he exclaimed backing up and looking up at the security camera.

“I’m the one who is writing your paycheck now. You can call me Mr. J,” I said. “I’ll explain it all to you when you come in. Yes. I’m going to let you in. But you need to follow your own security instructions. Empty your pockets into the security tray and step through the metal detector.”

He tried to get his knife past me the first time, but the metal detector caught it. He finally deposited everything that could set it off in the tray and I closed the security tray door and locked it. He walked through the metal detector with no alarm and I tripped the security lock on the front door.

“Come back to the office so we can chat,” I said. “I need an update on the events scheduled this week and then I have some errands for you.”

Davy was not happy, but he was also used to taking orders. In fact, I think I saw a trace of relief on his face when he found that someone else was running things instead of him. He came directly to the office door and knocked without trying the doorknob first. I buzzed him in and waved him to a chair without really looking at him. I kept my head down on looking at papers in front of my desk. He sat.

“The place is a mess, Davy,” I started.

“The maids were supposed to be here,” he interrupted.

“The maids were here,” I said. “I’m not talking about the cleaning. I’m talking about the events. The cops dragged out the main computer bank and I’m working with a laptop. Where are you getting the schedule from?”

“The security banks, sir,” he responded immediately. “You can get to it with my security code,” he continued.

“Is your security code tattooed anyplace obvious?” I asked. It was a long shot, but tattooed hexadecimal codes were in vogue this year. He looked puzzled. “Just log me in,” I said.

He rose and came around the desk. I slid my chair back and he tapped on the security cameras as I watched. I could replicate that. It was obvious that he thought he’d been clever. Password, Angel. Security rule number one for passwords; never use your name, the name of a family member or pet, or birthdays, anniversaries, and social security numbers as your password.

He returned to his seat and I slid back into place. The security camera screen had been replaced by a calendar showing the dates of parties. The place had never shut down after our raid two weeks ago by the appearance of it. That Saturday night when I came to The Condo with Angel, Cinnamon, and Delta for the girls party, they had talked about the party season. The things you never know till you ask.

“You did a good job getting things up and running after the little incident,” I said. “I have a lot of faith in you.” I was doing my best CEO impression. Lounging back in my chair was important. Women in big offices sit up straighter. Men slouch. I stuck one foot up on the mahogany desk. “Have you heard from any other members of the committee?” I asked.

“Just Ms. B. She called as soon as I… well…”

“Yes,” I said. “As soon as you were out of jail. Don’t worry. It’s not a black mark on your record in this office.”

“As soon as I was out. She told me to get things fixed up and make sure everyone knew that they were to be ready for the first party on Friday.”

“Have you heard from Ms. B since then?” I asked matter-of-factly.

“Yes sir. She told me to carry on until she contacted me again.”

“I’m that contact,” I said. “In order to keep everything straight, Ms. B gave me a lease on the Condo so that I could manage it in her absence. I don’t expect that we will hear from her anytime soon. But hey! Together we’ll get through the holiday, right?” I asked. A little camaraderie made Davy relax and even smile a little.

“So, I’m representing the Committee while we’re here and we just want things to go smoothly and keep them low key so we don’t attract any unwanted attention. We’ve got a Federal agent watching everything we do, so I don’t want to raise any suspicions.” I paused and looked over the calendar on the screen.

“Isn’t there a committee meeting here?” I asked.

“No sir.”

Davy was short with the answer. He acted like it was a test and he was answering according to the stated rules. I smiled.

“Good man,” I said approvingly. “Now, here’s what I want you to do.”

I went over a number of instructions that I’d prepared in advance regarding how the parties were to be handled and my changes to the security system. I gave him a new security code that would open the front door during the hours that I felt he should be there. I carefully described what those hours should be. He made one or two adjustments so he could be there when deliveries were scheduled. I approved and sent him off to do his work. Before he left we had come to an agreement that my presence would be on a need to know basis and that the security code on the office had been changed. No one was to come in or out during parties or in my absence.

When he was gone, I started scouring the secure database of information that was released when Davy logged me into the security network. Now I’m going to find Brenda.

3:00 p.m.

I checked my e-mail via my own VPN and found that I had a voicemail message from none other than Silas Grant. It’s about damn time he called me directly. It was a short message and sounded friendly for a man who had just put out a warrant for my arrest.

“Hey, Deb! Long time no see. I’ve got some of that information you wanted. Give me a call so we can talk. See you.”

Information I wanted? The only thing I wanted from Silas he’d given me in the form of Brenda’s arrest file which I had no doubt he’d retrieved when he searched my office. Careless of me. I should have kept that with me, but I hate paper. Silas was trying to get a bead on me through a phone contact. He might have been calling my cell phone, but that chip was safely tucked away in the back of my computer bag. Well, I had a way to reach him and he would have devil of a time tracking me back.

I logged onto my VPN and called up an internet phone system. I jacked a headset into my computer and called Si.

“This is Deb,” I answered his curt greeting. He was suddenly all smiles over the phone and I could imagine him directing a bunch of guys to trace the call. Tough to trace when you are calling a cell phone.

“Deb, I’ve been worried about you. Where are you?”

“Safe.”

“Is something wrong?”

“It’s a tough life when you don’t know who your friends are, who might be searching your apartment, and who might have issued a warrant for your arrest, Si,” I said. No sense beating around the bush. I could hear his hesitation as he decided whether or not to deny that he had a warrant out for me. Instead he came clean, at least to that.

“Look, Deb,” he said. “It’s for your own good. I wanted you in protective custody. There are some things you don’t know that could hurt you.”

“Why not call and tell me what I need to know instead of trying to make me run?”

“I wasn’t trying to make you run. I thought we’d get you in and explain things and you’d be safe. No one has seen you since the funeral.”

“I’m safe for now. But I’m on Brenda’s trail. You know she landed in Mexico?” I asked.

“No kidding?” He sounded genuinely surprised. “We guessed she’d be headed for Europe. Is she getting ready to fly?”

“I don’t know. I seem to be a few days behind her. Getting cooperation from the government down here is not easy if you don’t have any connections.” I thought I’d drop the phrase “down here” just to see if Si would assume that I was actually following Brenda.

“I can see if I could pull some strings if it would help. It’s actually a relief to hear you are in Mexico instead of Seattle. Things are getting sticky up here.”

“Tell me what’s up, Si. Maybe I can relate it to what I’ve found so far.”

“Well, there seems to be some sort of syndicate that is involved in this. We haven’t been able to trace it to any known crime family, but the activity moving through some of the BKL accounts is continuing, even though the operation is shut down. It’s like they have a life of their own.”

“It’s called The Committee,” I said. “Brenda is the chairman.”

“You’re kidding! Well, it seems that they believe there is some kind of artifact that Simon left that exposes them all. Word on the street is that Simon gave the artifact to Dag. With Dag dead, you default as the main target.”

“Shit,” I said. “It’s a stupid thumb drive. And if the data is on it, it’s well-concealed. I’ve got it with me. I’ll make a copy and send it to you, but be fore-warned: it’s encrypted with a 512 bit code and if you get it wrong it launches a virus that will wipe your machine—possibly spread to the whole network if you are connected.”

“Geez, Deb. Don’t you think that’s withholding evidence or something? Why didn’t you give that to me right away?”

“Independent investigations,” I said. “I share with my partners but my partners don’t usually try to get me arrested.”

“Okay, it was a big mistake. I’ll get the warrant cancelled. But for Pete’s sake, keep me up to speed on what you are finding out.”

“As soon as I’m sure there’s no warrant, I’ll come back to town.”

“Just get me the thumb drive. Oh and one other thing,” he said.

“Yeah?”

“There’s a new player in town. We haven’t got a make on him yet, but he’s the first new customer Angel Woodward has had in months. I was going to follow him, but he didn’t seem important enough when Angel made the move to her bank early in the day. I’ve got a feeling that he’s more than the errand boy I first took him for.”

“Can’t imagine who that would be,” I said flatly. “But thanks for the warning. I’ll be on the look-out.” I wasn’t saying if I was on the lookout for the new guy or for the tail.

We rang off on friendly terms and I was partially relieved to think the warrant would be off and I’d be able to be myself again. But I still don’t know if I can trust Silas. I want to. But I just don’t know.

What would you do, Dag? You could give me a little help here.