Chapter 4 - The Man Inside James Maritime
The name was Raymond Vale.
Lorenzo’s chief financial officer.
Twenty-two years with the James family.
Evelyn stared at the spreadsheet.
“That’s impossible.”
Lorenzo signed.
She translated herself.
“He says impossible is not evidence.”
At 8:00 the next morning, Lorenzo called a meeting at James Maritime.
I should have been sleeping.
Instead, I was sitting in a conference room overlooking Boston Harbor.
“Why am I here?” I asked.
Martin was back.
Lorenzo signed.
Martin smiled slightly.
“He says because nobody notices the waitress.”
“That’s not reassuring.”
“It’s a compliment.”
Raymond Vale entered at 8:11.
Gray suit.
Silver hair.
Confident smile.
“Lorenzo.”
Then he saw me.
“Who’s this?”
Exactly.
Nobody important.
Perfect.
I sat beside the coffee station wearing a borrowed catering jacket.
Raymond began discussing a shipping contract.
Lorenzo asked questions through Martin.
Raymond answered smoothly.
Then Lorenzo signed:
What was our final bid for Pier 17?
Raymond answered immediately.
“Fourteen point six million.”
Lorenzo signed again.
Who knew?
“You, me, Evelyn, procurement.”
Lorenzo looked toward me.
That was my cue.
I placed a printed screenshot on the table.
Raymond looked down.
$14,600,000.
Sent to Donovan Pierce.
Three days before bidding closed.
His face barely changed.
But it changed.
“That could be fabricated.”
Evelyn entered.
“So could one file.”
She placed fourteen folders down.
“But fourteen?”
Raymond stood.
“I’m calling counsel.”
Lorenzo signed.
Martin translated.
“Please do.”
Raymond stopped.
“He also suggests you call a criminal attorney.”
Raymond looked at Lorenzo.
“You think Donovan Pierce built this?”
Lorenzo waited.
Raymond smiled.
“You still don’t understand.”
I saw Evelyn tense.
“Understand what?”
Raymond looked at me.
“Your little waitress found the leak. Congratulations.”
Lorenzo’s eyes became cold.
“But Pierce wasn’t stealing from Lorenzo.”
Raymond leaned over the table.
“He was buying information.”
“From you?” I asked.
Raymond smiled.
“From half the people Lorenzo trusted.”
Silence.
Then he walked out.
Evelyn immediately followed.
I looked at Lorenzo.
“That sounded like a threat.”
He signed.
Martin translated.
“It was meant to.”
My phone buzzed.
Benny.
I answered.
“Nell?”
His voice was shaking.
“What happened?”
“Someone broke into the Cobalt office.”
My stomach dropped.
“Anything taken?”
“The backup server.”
Lorenzo was already watching my face.
I repeated it.
Evelyn returned seconds later.
“Vale’s gone.”
“What?”
“Service elevator.”
Lorenzo stood.
Then my phone buzzed again.
A text.
Unknown number.
A photograph.
My apartment door.
Under it:
YOU SHOULD HAVE TAKEN THE MONEY AND KEPT QUIET.
Lorenzo read it over my shoulder.
His entire posture changed.
I typed:
Is this Donovan?
The answer came immediately.
ASK YOUR DEAF FRIEND WHAT HAPPENS TO PEOPLE WHO HEAR TOO MUCH.
I stared at the screen.
Then at Lorenzo.
He had read it.
For several seconds, nobody moved.
Lorenzo took my phone.
Typed.
Handed it back.
He had written:
Tell him you’re scared.
“I am scared.”
Lorenzo shook his head.
Then signed.
Martin translated.
“He knows.”
Another message:
Tell him exactly what he expects to hear.
I understood.
So I typed:
I’m done. Tell me what you want.
Three dots appeared.
Then:
Bring the original security log. Midnight. Cobalt Lounge. Alone.
Evelyn said, “Absolutely not.”
Lorenzo signed.
Martin translated.
“He agrees.”
I looked at him.
“Really?”
Lorenzo nodded.
Then signed again.
Martin smiled.
May you like
“He says you will not be alone.”
---
