Mountains of Dawn

Malcolm laughed. "Well…Maybe you have changed. Perhaps you do really care for Judith. This would be the first time you show some commitment. It surely would be a change. In the past…" He looked at his brother with a veil of reproach. "In the past you didn't show much commitment in either your family life or in school." He shook his head. "School. You were impossible in school."

"C'mon, Malcolm, lay off, will you?" Brian said. He stuffed his hands in his pockets and slumped. "I got all the training I ever needed for my life's work by the time I was eight years old."

Malcolm raised one eyebrow. "And that was?"

"Writing my name on a check."

Malcolm laughed loud enough to cause several people to stare at them. He grinned back.

"So you want to take care of Agent Judith Abramson, eh?" he asked. "Do you realize she's one of my best people? She's always very concerned, but if there's any danger, she shuts herself off from outside influence and concentrates on what needs to be done. Psychological tests show she isn't afraid of death. That's what makes her shine. That's also why I chose her for the Benweiser operation."

Brian drew a deep breath. "I never realized how difficult your job must be, how you must send people out to risk their lives, and sometimes lose them, in order to save someone else. It has to be hard." He paused. "And you're damn good at it."

"Coming from you, Brian, that compliment really means a lot." After moments of silence, Malcolm asked: "Your business: did you figure out the entire story?"

"Yes. But it's a sad story. I never suspected anything was going on with Jack Benweiser. He started embezzling after the last audit, six months ago. He acted fast, very fast. He had been deeply in debt, and had to keep on going back to the well to steal more, in order to cover his tracks. That created a chain reaction." Brain shook his head as if denying what he knew to be true. "We had each bought mutual life insurance policies, with the other as beneficiary. He needed to cash mine in, in order to survive."

He paused, watching Judith, a deep frown on his face.

"The chief accountant started to question certain after-hours transactions, transactions done without due procedure. He became more and more suspicious as their numbers increased. We both spent hours checking and rechecking, watching several operations carried out through different accounts rather than directly, with no real reason." He glanced at Malcolm. "Do you remember when you told me to report anything unusual occurring in the business?"