The Reluctant Assistant - Book One

Mastermind Part 50

Raymond was sitting in his office a week later, listening to a conversation between Lilith and Audrey. So far Audrey hadn't noticed that her phone had a listening device in casing.

"Did you get the information I asked for?" Lilith asked.

"These are the biggest projects that are currently in the pipeline for Hellion" Audrey responded, handing over a folder containing all the information. "There is no unusual activity and he doesn't seem to have noticed anything. As far as I can tell, he is there to streamline the company and manage some of the more high profile projects. I've searched his office, but there is nothing that we can use. The financials also check out."

"Really?" Lilith impatiently asked. "And it isn't possibly that you are working for him as well?"

"What? No, of course not! What would make you think that?" the confusion in Audrey's voice clearly audible.

"Oh, I don't know... Maybe it's the money he's paid into your account not once, but a few times over the last month. Or the fact that you two seemed to have become bosom buddies?" she asked sharply, her sharp gaze turned on Audrey.

"What do you mean? I have no idea why he's paying money into my account, but it's not what you're thinking." Audrey knew that Lilith would go to any lengths to get what she wanted and wouldn't think twice about getting rid of people who were no longer of use to her.

"And what is it that I'm getting wrong? Do I need to play you the voice clips that we've intercepted, where he basically admits to you working for him?" Lilith was angry. 

"I-I don't know what your talking about. I would never work for him, you know that." Seeing the hard, cold glint in Lilith's eyes, Audrey started to panic.

"Very well," Lilith continued. "Since you're not working for him, you can prove your loyalty to me, by making sure that this information can be traced back to him. I'll leak the story to the press, and that should be the end of that meddlesome little man who seems to pop up everywhere. Let's see how his boyfriend reacts when their lives are strewn across the front pages." she laughed derisively. 

"I'm sure the Dealer family would not react too well when news breaks about insider trading and inflating costs to extort money out of competitors. That and the fact that their relationship will be open for the whole world to see, should trip him up for a while and ruin both their reputations."

"Of course," Audrey nodded.

"But be warned, if I find out that your working for him, that will be the end of you." she threw the folder on the floor.

Audrey immediately bent down to pick it up. Her heart racing with fear.

Raymond turned off the listening device. Lilith was certainly ramping things up, if she's willing to go to such extremes, he thought. Taking out his phone and turning on the signal jammer, he called one of his contacts.

"She's leaking information to the press. I need it intercepted." Listening to the person on the other end, he responded, "No, she won't want any traces leading to her, so she'll present the physical evidence and not an electronic copy. It's most likely that it would be the original, to keep her hands clean." He immediately cut the call and called Jessica into his office.

"Can you schedule a press conference for tomorrow? Make sure that you get all the major news agents and the gossip columns there. It wouldn't hurt to invite some online influencers. The more exposure the better."

"And what should I tell them?" Jessica asked.

"Just tell them that I will be making a major announcement regarding Hellion and Dealer's." Getting up, he pulled on his jacket. "I'll be out for the rest of the day."