A Taste of Tragedy (27 page)

Wiley hung up the phone. He didn’t know what was going on, but he intended to find out. He left his temporary office in the R & D product development branch and headed toward its storage area. He saw two five-gallon plastic jugs of MFHG3. Usually at least a dozen were on hand and ready for use.

A small man in a white smock hurried over to him. “What are you doing here? You know this area is for authorized personnel only.”

“The lead operator claims no sweetener has been delivered this morning, and he can’t find Ms. Rogers. There are usually at least a dozen containers in holding here. Where did all the MFHG3 go?” Wiley demanded.

“I don’t know where it went, and the lead scientist told me to hold off delivery of those last two jugs to the plant until he can talk to Mr. Hoyle. This is quite unusual. As you know, we keep a very tight inventory on the product since it is so expensive to produce,” the lab manager responded.

Wiley knew this wasn’t his problem. He had been temporarily reassigned to the product development branch of the Research and Development division to assist with the new seasonal entree and dessert line. Production was now being overseen by Candace Rogers, but something was very wrong. Preston Hoyle arrived before he did every day and was generally still in his office long after everyone else left the building in the evening. So far, his calls to the man had gone unanswered.

“Where is Mr. Hoyle?” Wiley asked.

“No one knows. His secretary said he hasn’t checked in this morning.”

Wiley removed his white smock and left the lab. Returning to his old office, he looked around and found nothing unusual or out of place. Ms. Rogers had moved his logs and ledgers around, but otherwise, it looked as if she hadn’t even bothered to settle in.

Walking toward the elevator bank in the main lobby, Wiley noticed a well-dressed man in a dark suit flanked by two local police officers entering the building. He pushed the up arrow but kept his eyes focused on the three men as they approached.

“Agent Bob Tanner, FBI,” the man in the suit said as he flipped out his badge. “I’m looking for Preston Hoyle. Where can I find him?”

“I was just heading up to his office,” Wiley replied as he stepped inside the elevator which had just arrived. “What is this about?” he asked as the three men joined him.

“We need to ask him a few questions.” Agent Tanner offered nothing further as they rode the elevator in silence.

Wiley approached
Preston
’s secretary, her eyes wide with concern at the sight of the three men, two in uniform, following close behind.

“Is
Preston
in yet?” Wiley asked.

“No, and he hasn’t called. This isn’t like him,” she replied with a hint of panic in her voice.

“Who is in charge in his absence?” Agent Tanner asked.

“I suppose any of the vice presidents can act in his behalf,” the woman replied.

Wiley turned to the agent and officers. “Morgan Hunter is the vice president of the Healthy and Delicious Foods division. Her office is just down the hall. You can follow me.”

“She’s not in,” Agent Tanner stated as they followed Wiley down the hall.

Wiley stopped to face them. “Where is she? Is she okay? Has her assistant, Aaron, been notified?”

“Why don’t you show us to her office and we can talk.”

Wiley quickly walked the distance down the hall with them, past Aaron’s empty desk. He entered Morgan’s office and shut the door once they’d entered behind him.

“Now, tell me what’s going on.”

“First, who are you and what’s your role here?”

“Name’s Wiley Hartman. I’m the production manager for the Healthy and Delicious Foods division and, until a couple days ago, I worked directly for Ms. Hunter.”

“What happened a couple days ago?”

“Mr. Hoyle temporarily reassigned me to the Research and Development division to help create a new seasonal entrée and dessert line that Ms. Hunter and the market team envisioned. He brought in a woman by the name of Candace Rogers to fill in behind me without consulting Ms. Hunter. Needless to say, Ms. Hunter wasn’t happy.”

“I should know that name. Where have I heard that before?” Agent Tanner mumbled, eyes closed, furrows creasing his forehead as he concentrated.

“What?” Wiley asked.

“Sorry, that name sounds familiar, but I can’t place where I heard or read it recently. Is she in?”

“No. No one is here, and the sweetener the workers need in the plant hasn’t been delivered. On top of that, most of the inventory is missing. The lead scientist won’t authorize release of the remaining supply until he discusses the situation with Mr. Hoyle, which is why I’m trying to locate him. Production is at a standstill until the workers get the sweetener.”

“Excuse me,” the agent said as he retrieved his cell phone and pulled up a number.

He turned his back to the group, staring out Morgan’s window at the impressive view below. After several rings, the call was answered. “
Melonis
, this is Tanner. Hope I didn’t wake you, but something is off down here at Giant Cactus Foods.”

The agent quickly relayed to Nick everything he’d learned from Wiley, including the fact that Preston Hoyle wasn’t in his office and no one, even his secretary, had heard anything from him.

Tanner turned back around and examined Morgan’s office as he listened to Nick’s instructions.

“Okay, I’ll see if they’ll give us a sample of this sweetener. If not, I’ll work on obtaining a warrant when we get back to the office. Oh, one more thing. Does the name Candace Rogers ring a bell?”

Agent Tanner ended the call and turned to the two police officers. “No one leaves this building. Call in whatever support you need to secure all exits. Go, go, go…” He ran his fingers through his hair and turned to Wiley. “Call security and have them pull up all the security footage from every camera for the past twelve hours and tell them we’re on the way.”

Wiley picked up Morgan’s phone and punched in the four-digit extension to security. He restated the agent’s request, and after several moments, he hung up the phone with a look of disbelief on his face. “They said when they got in this morning, the entire system was off-line. They’re trying to figure out what happened, but it looks like there’s no video from any security camera, inside or outside the building, from about eight last night.”

By the time Agent Tanner and Wiley reached the ground floor, the building was swarming with FBI and
Phoenix
police officers.

“After all exits are secured, I want every room on every floor of this building searched. We’re looking for Preston Hoyle and a woman most recently known as Candace Rogers.” Agent Tanner pulled up photos of both on his phone, which Nick had just forwarded to him, and quickly shared the information. “Mr. Hartman, I need you to show me the office Candace Rogers was using, and then we’ll see about getting a sample of this miracle sweetener.”

As Agent Tanner and Wiley approached the assembly line, his lead operator rushed toward them, shouting unintelligible words. The man was clearly shaken up.

Wiley grabbed him roughly by the shoulders and shook him. “Calm down. We can’t understand you. Take a deep breath and tell me what’s wrong.”

The man took a deep breath, but the words still raced out in a torrent. “Mr. Hoyle is dead. He’s in the freezer and frozen solid as a rock.”

Wiley and Agent Tanner exchanged looks.

“Gather all of the workers and take them to the break room. Calm them down and wait for me or Agent Tanner to come for you all. Don’t let anyone leave.”

The man shook his head, somewhat calmed after passing the burden to someone else and having a new task to do.

“Well, let’s go have a look,” Agent Tanner said as he took out his cell and called Nick with the latest grisly update.

By the time Nick ended the call from Agent Tanner, he was wide awake. He pulled on his blue jeans and snugged his belt around his waist. Grabbing his shirt and slipping his arms through the sleeves, he made his way to Morgan’s room. He watched her sleep for a moment, hesitant to wake her since they had only gotten to bed a little over three hours ago.

She’s so beautiful and I miss her every day.
Why couldn’t we make it work?
he
thought as he gently retrieved the photograph resting on her chest under folded arms. Turning the frame over, he knew he wasn’t the only one full of regrets. The photo was of his and Morgan’s wedding. He set the picture on the nightstand, leaned over, and placed a gentle kiss on her lips.

Her eyes fluttered open. “What is it, Nick? Is something wrong?”

“I need to leave now. I’ll wake Devyn and brief both of you then.” Nick continued to watch her with hunger in his eyes as she climbed groggily out of bed. The short silk nightie she wore was more than he could resist. He stepped toward her and pulled her into his embrace. “Why can’t I let you go and move on?”

“Because it wasn’t time to give up,” she replied.

Nick captured her lips with his. The kiss was long, familiar, and made him ache with longing. Her hand slid up his bare chest and she moaned.

“Don’t do this to me, Morgan. You’re killing me. I miss you so much.”

She dropped her hand and took a step away. “Living without you hasn’t been easy for me, either.”

“We’ll talk when this is over,” Nick said as he turned and left the room while he still had the control to walk away.

He knocked on Devyn’s door. “Rise and shine. We’ve got work to do.” Nick stepped back as something hit the door by his ear, likely one of the loaned flip flops she had been wearing the night before. “Sorry to wake you so soon, but I’m leaving in about two minutes and if you want to know why, get out here.”

Guilt riddled him as Devyn hobbled into the living room wearing shorts and a tank top which exposed dozens of scratches, cuts, and bruises. She needed sleep, but that luxury no longer existed. Both women dropped onto the sofa. The concern in Morgan’s eyes made him want to gather her in his arms and reassure her everything was going to be okay. The annoyed look in Devyn’s glare bolted him back to reality and the job at hand.

“Tanner has Giant Cactus Foods locked down. The police and FBI are going floor to floor, room to room, as we speak. Preston Hoyle was found dead in the freezer, and Candace Rogers showed up at GCF a couple days ago, but so far, hasn’t been located on the premises.”

“How horrifying,” Morgan gasped. “Why is Candace Rogers important? Do you think she killed
Preston
?”

“She’s been linked to four other cases under different aliases and disguises. We think she is part of a group known as Coterie.”

“Give me ten minutes to dress,” Devyn said.

Nick secured his shoulder holster and weapon and slipped on his jacket. “No time. I’m heading to GCF now. If you’re up for it, I want you to go to the hospital. There’s a lot of security on Aaron, but I’d feel better if you were there. You know more about Candace Rogers than anyone else. If she doesn’t want to leave anyone behind who might talk, she might come after him to finish the job. You,” Nick said as he pulled Morgan up from the couch and into his arms. “I want you to stay here, lock all the doors, and don’t let anyone but me, Devyn, or Bob Tanner in. I doubt there is any danger to you. The only player not dead or in the hospital is Candace, and I see no reason for her to come after you, but I will be able to function better if I know you’re safe.” He placed a quick kiss on her lips and disappeared out the door before she could respond.

When Morgan turned around, she couldn’t ignore the huge smile on Devyn’s swollen lips. “What?”

“I’ve been trying to figure Nick out, and I’ve learned more about him in the past twenty-four hours than I have in the last two years. He’s still madly in love with you.”

“He hasn’t found someone else?”

“He’s dated some women, but none more than twice. His heart just didn’t seem to be in it, and now I know why. What happened to you two?”

“I put my career over Nick’s and tried to make him choose me or his job. I made a lot more money in private sector business than he made with the FBI. It seemed like a no brainer to me that he should follow me and my career since that’s where the money was. I’ve learned a lot since we’ve been apart. His job may not pay as much, but it’s so much more important. You two put yourselves in danger all the time to make this country safer. You make a difference. I just make money. What good is money if you have no one to share the things it can buy?”

“Maybe it’s not too late,” Devyn said. “But I got to get going.”

“Are you okay?” Morgan asked as she watched Devyn struggle to stand and then drop back down onto the sofa.

“Shouldn’t have sat down,” Devyn said.

“Here, let me help you.” Morgan moved to Devyn’s side and crouched low so Devyn could put her arm around her. Slowly, both women rose. “You are in no shape to go anywhere,” she stated.

“I’ll be fine. Once I get to the hospital, I’ll just monitor Aaron’s room to ensure his security doesn’t let anyone slip through. I doubt Candace shows up. She has to know we’ll have Aaron under surveillance. Nick probably just tasked me with this to keep me from going with him to GCF. Besides, walking doesn’t hurt much. It’s just getting up and down, twisting, and raising my arms.”

“Is that all?” Morgan studied Devyn with worry. The woman was battered and bruised from head to toe. “I’ll drive you. There’s no way you’re getting in and out of a car on your own.”

“Nick will be furious if I let you leave the house.”

“You don’t seem the sort who takes orders from anyone, including Nick. And, obviously, I don’t listen to him any better or we might not have gotten divorced.”

Devyn nodded her head in agreement. She hated going against Nick’s wishes, but Morgan was right. She wasn’t sure if she could get in and out of a car without help, much less drive, but she also had no intention of lying around Morgan’s house feeling helpless.

“I may need a little help getting dressed too. My ribs are so sore I don’t think I can pull this shirt off or put a bra on.”

“Let me throw some clothes on and then I’ll help you. I’ll get you a button-up shirt from my closet and that way, we can just put it over your tank top and skip the bra. I’ll also grab a pair of adjustable sandals I have that are way too big for me, so I think we can make them work. Your feet are too swollen and have too much gauze wrapped around them for you to get your feet into real shoes, and sandals will be a little more secure than flip flops.”

“Thanks. I can see why Nick can’t get you out of his mind. You’re a class act, and I’m sure most men think you’re not bad to look at either.”

Morgan smiled and dashed off. In five minutes, she had managed to make herself presentable and find a few items for Devyn to borrow. It took a little more time to get Devyn prepped to leave the house, but within thirty minutes of Nick’s departure, they were on the road.