An Unforeseen Turn of Events

Chapter Fifty-Six

Buddy charged into the office like a bull seeing red. Shana knew to not even wish him a good morning.

His eyes were slits as he stormed into his office with a steaming giant cup of coffee. He fell into his chair and searched around deciding his first plan of attack. He hadn't been this angry or stressed since he almost lost his condo to the bank. But in this case, he could lose everything: not only the condo, but his practice and his reputation.

His fat forefinger pressed the phone for Shana, "Get me Chin on the phone right now!"

"Yes sir!" Shana said.

In a matter of minutes, Chin was available.

"You back from Boston?" Buddy barked.

"Yes, Mr. Monti has not contacted me in a few days and I left a discreet message in his e-mail. . ."

"Chin, can you get over here as soon as possible? An emergency has come up!"

Chin stood before Buddy's desk within a half hour.

Buddy stared hard at him. "Someone in Boston, some journalist, found out Ryan Monti has kids. He's blackmailing him."

Chin's jaw dropped. "How could that be? I've carried on all of my correspondence with Mr. Monti in complete discretion. I used all kinds of wiretap prevention."

"Someone figured it out, Chin, and now my whole practice is on the line. Monti's furious and will ruin me if we don't stop this leak. Do you have any idea, any idea at all who could be behind this?"

Chin turned away and studied the carpeting. He scratched his ear and then pointed his finger up. "But there was one time. . ."

Buddy jumped out, his coffee splattering all over his wood desk. He ignored it.

"Tell me!"

Chin was too absorbed in the memory to react to the coffee drenching all the materials on the desk like a tidal wave. "The last time I met with Mr. Monti in his hotel room, I saw a familiar-looking man sitting in the lobby reading a book. I remember I saw him here before when he was trying to get a job with you. Was his name Ozzy or something like that?"

Buddy rose. "Go on!"

Chin began pacing. "He had a bald head with a few strands sticking up on top. He was still there reading his book when I left. I remembering asking the bartender at the hotel bar about him. The hotel was interviewing for a new security guard at the time and he thought he might be waiting for his turn."

Buddy stared down at his desk, watching the hot brown liquid dripping down the carpet. But it wasn't his ruined desk or stained carpet he was thinking about; instead he dug into the recesses of his memory, recalling a man fitting that description. Something was nudging at him, a memory but he couldn't quite remember it. He lifted his head and turned to his employee. "Think, Chin. Keep thinking about anything else you remember about him. Because if I go down, so will you and everyone else working for me. If a rat has infiltrated our operations, that's the kiss of death in this town. "

Chin nodded gravely, his face stricken.