Deadly Secrets
By: Laura M Tyler
Copyright 2016 Laura M. Tyler
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Table of Contents
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Epilogue*
Prologue: International Equities: Board Room
The firm of International Equities was a well-known financial firm with dealings that ranged from technologies to antiquities and all things in between. With offices all over the world and the politicians of many governments in its pockets, the board members of this company were some of the most powerful and wealthy men and women in the world. While top positions within the organization were coveted, it was well known that all board members must be blood descendants of the company’s founding fathers.
Today all twelve board members were present for the mandatory monthly strategy meeting. Today’s meeting was taking place in the company office in Dubai. Like the city, International Equities was based in tradition and in the excesses of the modern world. Eleven of the twelve men and women were seated around a glass and steel oblong table which took up the majority of the room. The last occupant of the room was a man who stood with his back to those gathered. His eyes were on the bustling downtown streets of Dubai.
The room was unremarkable. The office in Dubai looked like any other office in Dubai. It was the top floor of a building near the Burj Khalifa hotel. Like most buildings in the fast growing city, it boasted walls of glass with steel accents. All things modern and streamlined, so here the offices of International Equities followed suite to blend in with the natives. The same could be said of its offices in each of the cities it occupied around the world. It was the aim of the board to make vast amounts of money while being as invisible as possible. Too much scrutiny would not be tolerated.
The seats currently occupied by the assorted men and women gathered here were plush leather chairs done in shades of rich emerald, a nod to the Irish heritage from which the company had begun. Though the room spoke of opulence and money, those seated around the table shifted uncomfortably in their chairs. All eyes were focused on one man, the man with his back to the room.
He was young. Well, younger than most of the men and women gathered here. His build was tall, and his shoulders were broad. That he was a strong, virile man could not be questioned. Power and vitality rolled off him in waves. Women found his blond boyish good looks seductive. Men found his power and connections just as seductive. Unlike the others at the table, this man was still. He was not uncomfortable. No, he was in total control. It was that control that made those around him nervous and fearful.
Having come to some decision, he turned from the window and moved to take his seat at the head of the table. When he spoke, his voice was calm and assured with just a hint of steel running beneath it. “We are all here, so we might as well begin. Today’s meeting will be short; we only have one matter to discuss, Miranda Hannigan.”
An elegant older woman at the table visibly flinched at his words; a malicious smile split his lips. “Yes, Elizabeth, I speak of your recent blunders.” He raised his shoulders and let them fall in a gesture of indifference that did not reach his eyes.
“I understand your disappointment, Director. However, I do not feel that the situation is that far out of our control.”
“The fact that it is out of control in any way causes me distress.” The man’s icy blue eyes roved from face to face around the table, “As it should worry each and every member of this company.”
Nods of acquiescence followed the director’s statement; no one here was brave enough to openly challenge the Director.
“Ms. Chan, perhaps you would be so kind as to update us on the status of the woman in question.”
A slender woman with cropped black hair and subdued Asian features flipped open a black dossier file and glanced at the contents. With a click of a button that remained hidden from view, Ms. Chan called forth a large central screen. “If you will turn your attention to the monitor, you will see a photo of our person of interest: Miranda Hannigan Murphy. All eyes turned to the screen which displayed the image of a young woman. The woman was smiling completely unaware at the time that she was the object of surveillance. Her green eyes sparkled with laughter, and her short chestnut hair was mussed from a day in the outdoors. She looked both innocent and vulnerable – the perfect prey.
In a clear voice, Chan began, interrupting the personal thoughts of the other members, “In approximately four and a half days, she will once again become Miranda Hannigan. She is scheduled to end her marriage to Flynn Murphy at that time at the Savannah Metro Courthouse. She currently resides at the former home of Grace Hannigan, her paternal grandmother.”
Chan clicked her hidden button again, and the screen faded from the photo of Miranda Hannigan to reveal the face of another woman much older but who still bore a resemblance to the elusive Miranda. “This is a photo of Grace Hannigan. The Board elected to silence her approximately ten years ago when we failed on numerous occasions to retrieve important company papers from her possession.”
Chan paused and looked to the Director for permission to continue. The Director gave a small nod of his head and indicated that she should proceed with her presentation.
“Once Grace Hannigan was silenced, her granddaughter, Miranda, moved into her residence on Habersham Street. We hoped that our planted agents would then be able to retrieve these missing documents. However, our agents were unable to find any traces of them. We believe that these sensitive papers are still somewhere on the property, and we feel that while Miranda Hannigan does not know of their existence, there is still a very good possibility that she might uncover them in the near future. With the last of our current agents moving out of her life in the next few days, we need to make some tough choices. Do we silence her as we did her grandmother and hope for the best? Or, do we try to place new agents into her life and resume our search of the residence? Either option has its risks and its rewards, but we must decide on one option and be ready to act in a matter of hours.”
Ms. Chan ended her presentation, and the Director seamlessly regained the attention of the crowd. “Not everyone here was a board member ten years ago. Some of you understand how vital it is that we recover those missing documents, and others of you have no idea what could be so valuable to us. Let me make this clear to all. Those papers could ruin the entire corporation financially and would cast disparagement on all of our collective reputations.”
An older gentleman at the table cut in, “We have billions of dollars at our disposal, and we make more every day through our business v
entures all over the world…both legal and illegal gains are made each day. That is in addition to the immense political power each of us wields individually in our assigned areas. How can this one person pose such a threat to us?”
The Director laughed without mirth, “Believe me, I do see your point Dev. The problem is not the woman. Our problem is the possible discovery of those documents and the resulting fall out of that discovery.”
The Director paused here and let the weight of his words land squarely on the shoulders of those at fault. One again, the person to squirm was the very same woman.
Satisfied that his intentions were obvious to all, he continued, “We have kept Mrs. Murphy under surveillance as insurance. We needed to be aware of any indications that might suggest she had stumbled across evidence of our existence. As you have just heard, we will lose the last of our inside men in a matter of days. We must make some decisions about what moves to make at this juncture.”
A middle aged brunette with a body still toned and curvy ventured into the discussion tentatively, “What do you suggest that we do, Sir; take her out?”
The faces around the table registered various emotions at their counterpart’s question. Some faces were disgusted, other resigned, and still others looked blood thirsty with anticipation, but all looked to their leader to hear his verdict.
The Director rubbed his hand absently across his lower lip, a sure sign that he was torn. “While eliminating her would be the most efficient means to silence her, at this time, I don’t feel we need to undertake such extreme measures. That being said, I want a team in place to carry out any actions that might prove to be necessary in the future.”
The Director let his gaze shift from one face to the next, slowly taking the measure of each member of the board. “I’ll need a team to undertake this mission. Of course, our Savannah liaison must be included despite past missteps.”
His eyes hardened, and his jaw clenched as his eyes steadied on the older woman, Elizabeth, once again. “Do not disappoint me.”
The woman nodded and lowered her head to escape the promise of retribution that lurked in those cold eyes.
“Dev, I want you to move your operations to the city. You will be the lead man on this. Take charge of surveillance, and if possible you will take point on the retrieval of our property.”
Dev nodded, “What about the girl?”
The Director sighed, “For now, observe only, but if a kill needs to be made, it will fall to you and your team. Understood?”
“Crystal, Sir.”
“If there are no further questions or comments that concludes all current business. This meeting is now adjourned.”