Moments later, he returned. "Judith, would you please come with me to Versifund? It's important."
"Let me leave a message with the Invicta."
Her heart pounded as they drove the deserted streets of downtown Vermeil. She had no idea of what they might be getting into, no idea if there would be danger, though she could feel the tension coming from Brian. Mike parked the car close to the back entrance, in a reserved spot. At the tenth floor they were met by the chief accountant, who took Brian into his office without saying a word.
Judith and Mike sat in the hall and waited. She just had time to grab a coat and her gun before leaving the house. She worried. Mike's expression was grim.
When the sound of the elevator reached her, she tensed. She pressed her finger to her lips and slipped to a spot beside the elevator door, her gun in her hand, the safety off. She waited. The elevator seemed to take hours to descent to the main floor; it stopped for a few moments before rising from the lowest floor, each light on the gauge blinking into life as the car reached it. Eight…nine…ten… Judith pointed the gun at the elevator doors, both hands holding it steady, her finger on the trigger.
The doors slid open and Malcolm stepped out.
"It's me," he said with a quick glance at the cocked gun. "Sorry you didn't have any warning. I thought I'd come check, after your message. What's the problem?"
Judith lowered her gun. In her mind's eye, she could see the trigger being pulled, see Malcolm dropping in a spray of blood, see it all…then know it didn't happen. She shuddered.
"Don't know," she said, her voice a mutter. "Brian is with his financial manager. That's all I know."
The door opened and Brian waved Malcolm inside.
When they reappeared, the morning sun shone through the window at the end of the hall.
At noon, Malcolm set up a teleconference with Judith and Paul. He said, "The attempts on Brian Miller's life could be related to his business. His partner, Jack Benweiser, has made transfers of money which can't be justified. Only two transactions have been traced, but they're for huge sums, and outside the country, where Versifund has no business."
He paused. "Judith? Are you there?"
"Yes, Malcolm. I'm listening."
"Brian is going to question his partner as soon as he returns. Two others are involved, both Duncan Ross, who actually authorized the two operations, and Leslie Hadson, a consultant for Versifund."