18
Two weeks later, associates of Sam Malone broke into the house of Marcos Rodriguez. Surveillance had revealed Rodriguez worked out at a nearby gym for an hour and a half at the same time five days a week. It took exactly seven minutes to locate a box of thumb drives, which was in a storage area off the basement, and a laptop computer, which was in an upstairs bedroom.
At the exact same time, eleven miles away, another associate was driving a dark van with the logo of a major computer manufacturer into the driveway of Stan Hall’s house. Surveillance had revealed Mrs. Hall took her daughter to a biweekly gymnastics class, leaving a ten-year-old boy alone in the house for a brief time after school. “Yeah?” The young boy opened the front door of the house in response to the doorbell.
“Is this the Hall residence?” A man with a computer company logo on the breast of his shirt stood on the porch.
The boy nodded. “Yes.”
The man looked down at the clipboard in his hand. “I have a work order on Mr. Hall’s computer, if you can show me where it is.”
The boy stood back to let him enter before leading him to his father’s study. “It’s right on his desk.”
Thirty minutes later, the man left the house with copies of hundreds of files.
“Finally.” Lia was curled up beneath a blanket on the couch in Joseph’s family room when he arrived home after midnight the following Friday.
“I’m sorry.” He loosened his tie as he lowered himself onto the couch beside her feet. “Did you eat?”
“It’s almost twelve thirty in the morning. I ordered pizza hours ago. It’s in the refrigerator if you want some.”
“In a minute. There’s something I need to tell you, and I think it’ll probably come as quite a shock.”
“Does this have to do with where you were tonight?” She pushed back the blanket and sat up beside him.
“Yes. I was meeting with a private detective about Zurtech.”
“And?” she prompted, her heart rate accelerating.
“And Stan Hall has been running a blackmail scheme. He was recording the sex and blackmailing the CEOs of some fairly large corporations.”
“Oh my God.” Lia brought a hand up to cover her mouth. “Eric was being blackmailed?”
“No.” Joseph shook his head. “Hall was blackmailing specific clients—clients meeting a defined profile. They were married with children and had stellar reputations. He was blackmailing clients who had everything to lose and could easily afford to pay.”
“How do you know? I mean, how did he find out?”
“I’m not sure exactly how my detective got the information, but I have copies of the blackmail letters with the names and addresses of the men being blackmailed, the amount of money demanded and the PO boxes where the payment was to be sent, which changed with each letter. I also have hundreds of videos that have been made over the past few years.”
“He’s disgusting. He was using those women so he could blackmail clients? It didn’t have anything to do with the sales? I mean, that wasn’t what was motivating him?”
“No. That was a bonus. If he received the money he asked for over the last three years, which is as far back as the letters go, he collected over twenty-six million dollars.”
“Twenty-six million dollars,” she repeated. She couldn’t believe it.
“He blackmailed five men. It started with Alan West—a family man who preaches family values. I think those detailed client files were used by Hall to decide who had the most to lose.”
Lia combed her fingers back through her hair, trying to absorb the information. “So where were you all this time, at the police station?”
“No. I was going through the evidence.”
“When are you going to the police, tomorrow?”
“I’m not taking the information to the police. I don’t want my name or your name associated with this case.”
“How can they not be? We were involved. You have the evidence.”
“That’s right. I do. And I’m not taking it to the police.”
“Then I’m confused. What was the whole purpose of uncovering this information if it wasn’t to go to the police? If you don’t want our names associated, what are you going to do with the information?”
“I’m going to send my evidence to the Washington Post.”
“The Washington Post? Why?”
“So I can expose Hall and Zurtech for what they made you and countless other women endure. I want him to turn on the television or go online and see himself as headline news. In that brief moment, he’ll know he’s been destroyed.”
“But wouldn’t going to the police do the same thing? I mean, wouldn’t it end up in the paper anyway?”
“Eventually, but then we’d be involved and they’d want to know where we got the information, and they’d want to talk to you. I don’t want you to have to go through any of that.”
“But aren’t I part of the proof? My story?”
“I don’t need it. All I need to provide are the videos, blackmail letters, client files and some emails from Claudia. I have proof that he’s been using female employees from Zurtech in a sexual blackmail scheme. That’s enough. The police will easily be able to unravel the rest.” He came to his feet. “I’m going to heat up the pizza and then we’ll talk some more.”
“But what about Eric?” She gripped his hand. “Why did Stan let him get off scot-free? I mean, why would he do that?”
“So he’d spread the word. It’s common knowledge Zurtech provides this…this—”
“Service?” She felt sick. “You’re telling me that people know this is going on and no one has done anything to stop it?”
“It’s considered one of the perks of doing business with Hall. And considering ninety percent aren’t being blackmailed, no one’s complaining.”
“That’s disgusting.”
“It is, but don’t worry,” he said, squeezing her shoulder. “When this story breaks, Hall isn’t the only one who’s going to be exposed.”
Joseph met with Sam Malone the following Thursday evening to finalize the contents of the package that would be delivered to Richard Haze, a Pulitzer Prize–winning investigative journalist on staff at the Post, after 4:00 p.m. Friday.
After a morning meeting on Friday, he closed himself in his office with strict instructions to his secretary not to let him be disturbed.
At 2:15 p.m., Kevin Stuart, who moments earlier assured the secretary he could indeed disturb her boss, strolled into his office. “Did you get my email this morning? The Media Group needs to meet with you in twenty minutes,” Kevin said, referring to one of their clients.
Joseph didn’t look up from his computer. “I’m not meeting with anyone today. I sent an email out Monday morning saying I wouldn’t be available for anything after noon today.”
“Something’s come up they need to discuss with you today.” Kevin approached the side of his desk. “What in the hell?” He squinted at the computer screen. “You’re playing with your stock portfolio.”
“That’s right.” Joseph minimized the window. “If you’re having the meeting without me, that’s fine. But it’s your choice—I gave you plenty of notice that I would be unable to attend.”
“And this is why?” Kevin gestured towards the computer. “So you can fool with the stock market?”
“Go away.”
“You’re a Goddamn partner. What kind of example do you think you’re setting for the associates when you’d rather play around with your stocks than attend meetings?”
“I don’t care what you or anyone else at this firm thinks about me. I told you four days ago I wasn’t available this afternoon. If you scheduled a meeting, that’s your problem.” He lifted his eyes. “Now please. I am busy. I’d appreciate if you would leave.”
“You’re unbelievable!”
Five minutes later, a light knock preceded Tony’s entrance. Joseph lifted his gaze, cursing softly under his breath. “Is Sonya out there?” he asked, referring to his secretary.
“Yes, and she told me you didn’t want to be disturbed.”
“That’s right,” Joseph said shortly. “I am working on a deadline here. I sent an email Monday telling everyone I wouldn’t be available after noon today. And I don’t have time for this right now.”
“Deadline for what? What case are you working on?” Tony lowered himself into one of the chairs in front of Joseph’s desk.
“You know what I’m working on. I’m sure Kevin ran to your office as soon as he left mine.”
“So you’re working on your stock portfolio.”
“Yes.” Joseph gave an exaggerated nod. “I’m working on my stocks, and yes,” he continued, holding up a hand before Tony could say more, “they are more important than any client, so I’d appreciate it if you’d leave me alone.” He dropped his gaze back to his computer. “Come back when the market closes and I’ll be happy to talk to you then.”
“So, what? Now you’d rather be a stock broker than a lawyer?”
“At this moment, yes. At four, no.” Joseph met his friend’s eyes. “This is important, Tony. I’m working with some serious money and I can’t afford to be distracted.”
Tony crossed his arms over his chest. “Funny you should choose the word distracted because that’s what you seem to be. This case is worth a lot of money to this firm. And you seem to be putting your personal finances in front of the finances of this firm.”
“Are they worth fifty million dollars to us?” Joseph asked with an intensity usually reserved for the courtroom. “Because that’s the amount of money I’m playing with right here.” He gestured with a thumb towards his computer.
“You think you’re going to make fifty million dollars on the stock market today?” Tony asked. “Are you listening to yourself?”
“Yes, I am listening to myself, but apparently no one else is. I am not playing here. I am working with fifty million, fifty million real dollars, fifty million of my own money.” He put his hands on his desk and pushed himself up. “And I don’t want to lose it. I don’t want to screw up what I’m working with, so please let me finish what I’m doing!”
Tony stared at him. “You have fifty million dollars in the stock market?”
“No. I have about five hundred million dollars in the stock market. And if you leave me alone like I’m asking, I think I can make a lot more.”
Tony continued to stare at him, his expression unreadable.
“Now will you leave me alone?” Joseph asked. “You can ask me anything you want at four.”
“Well?” Kevin asked as soon as Tony closed the door to Joseph’s office. “They’ll be here in ten minutes. Is he coming out?”
Tony shook his head. “No. Collins is going to have to handle it himself,” he said, naming the junior partner working with Joseph on the case. “Just tell them Joseph can’t make it.”
“Because he’s playing around with his fucking stock portfolio?” Kevin whispered as he followed Tony down the hall towards his office. “He’s not going to meet with one of our most important clients because he’s too busy trading stocks?”
“Apparently.” Tony walked into his office.
“And you don’t have a problem with this?”
“I don’t think it really matters whether or not I have a problem.” He sat down behind his desk. “He’s an equal partner in this firm. This is his client we’re talking about. And he says he’s too busy to meet with him.”
“But he’s not even working! Not on a case.”
“Look. I don’t want to argue with you. I agree with you, but Joe has a point. He sent us an email Monday saying he wouldn’t be available. If he wasn’t in the office, you would have just told Collins to take the case.”
“But he is here. He’s sitting at his desk.”
“Joe bills more hours than either of us. I really don’t think we’re in a position here to say much.”
“No.” Kevin shook his head as he began to pace back and forth in front of Tony’s desk. “He used to bill more than either of us. For the past few months he’s been behind, and it’s not because we’re suddenly billing more hours.”
Tony frowned. “I guess that’s a result of Lia. He—”
“This has nothing to do with Lia. He’s still here sixteen hours a day. He’s just more interested in his other investments than the health of this firm.”
“Okay. Okay.” Tony held up his hands. “So he isn’t billing as many hours. He still works a hell of a lot and brings in clients, and he’s still the best trial attorney I’ve ever seen.”
“He’s changing, Tony. He doesn’t put the needs of this firm first anymore.”
“So what’s your point? You want to dissolve the partnership?”
“I don’t know.” Kevin stopped pacing. “He isn’t a hundred percent anymore. I do not like the idea of dissolving this partnership, but I want him to shape up. He isn’t putting this firm before his personal life. I don’t want him to blow off meetings, or come late to meetings, or leave meetings because Sam Malone or Lia or his Goddamn partner from one of his companies calls.”
“He doesn’t need to work eighty hours a week anymore. You want him to act like he did when we were starting up, and I don’t see that happening.”
“So, what? You’re not going to say anything to him? You’re just going to let this continue?”
“That’s right. And be honest, Kevin. No one’s complaining—not one client. I’d advise you to stop pushing him unless you want his name off the placard in the lobby.”
“I would never be so lucky. You think he’s going to walk out? Just quit? He’s not that stupid. He likes the respectability of being connected to this firm. And I’m sure he’s become accustomed to these nice paychecks. If he went out on his own, it would take him a long time to get back to this level.”
“Don’t you get it, Kevin? He doesn’t need this firm anymore. He’s working here because he likes to practice law. He doesn’t need the money.”
“Neither do I, and I never have, but you don’t see me blowing off meetings.”
“Joe has gotten to the point where he’s making a lot more money on his investments than he is working for this firm.”
“What are you talking about?”
“He’s in his office right now playing with fifty million of his own money. That’s right,” he continued when Kevin looked at him in disbelief, “fifty million.”
Kevin quickly composed himself. “So what?”
“So, maybe you need to decide what’s more important to you—having him around the way he is or not having him at all. I, personally, don’t want to see him leave.”
“If he can’t start putting the firm’s needs ahead of his personal investments, he’s making his own decision. It’s only a matter of time before his clients start to notice. And for the kind of money he charges, they’re not going to put up with it.”
Joseph came into Tony’s office a few minutes past 4:00 p.m. and, after pouring himself a glass of scotch, dropped down into one of the chairs in front of Tony’s desk. “I apologize if I was short with you earlier.”
“It’s okay.” Tony turned down his mouth and shrugged. “You had a lot of money on the line. It’s understandable.”
“Yeah.” Joseph blew out a stream of air as he crossed one of his legs over the other. “About the money. I, uh. I didn’t mean to tell you that way. It just came out.”
“It’s none of my business. I admit I was a little shocked, but it’s none of my business.”
“I’m making it your business. I’ve made some smart investments over the years and I’ve managed to accrue some money.”
Tony laughed. “I’d call five hundred million a sizeable fortune.”
“Actually, it’s more like eight hundred million.”
Tony stared at him. “This money is from investments?”
“Yes. Most of it is from the Angel investments, but also stocks and real estate.”
“Jesus, Joe. This is hard to take in. How come you never mentioned it before?”
“I was never pissed off, I guess. I tried to get you to invest.”
“Did you really need to say that? I mean…” He laughed. “I can’t fucking believe it. You have eight hundred million? Since when?”
“I’ve been accruing it since college.”
“Why didn’t you tell me how much money you were making? Maybe then I would have taken more of your advice.”
“You’ve always been conservative with your investments. I was willing to lose it all.”
“What were you investing in today that was so important?”
“Nothing in particular. A number of different companies I’ve been following.”
“Do you manage this money yourself?”
“Yes.”
Tony linked his hands behind his head, his eyes continuing to study his friend. “You’ve impressed the hell out of me, Craig.”
Joseph shrugged. “I’m the same person I was this morning.”
“Not quite.”
Joseph was sitting behind his desk in his study at 4:30 Monday morning, his eyes scanning articles in the Washington Post.
“Fuck.” He reached for his cell phone. “Sam, it’s Joseph Craig. I want you to send the same information to the New York Times, CNN, NBC, CBS, FOX and ABC. Call and let me know you received this message.” He set his phone back on his desk, his eyes returning to the computer.
Fourteen hours later, Joseph was in his family room watching the evening news, when his front door opened. “What in the hell?” He stood up, his eyes moving to the foyer.
“Joseph?” Lia called. “Are you home?”
“What are you doing here?”
“I was going to surprise you and make dinner.” Her arms were full of bags. “I didn’t expect you home for a couple more hours. Aren’t you happy to see me?”
“Of course.” He removed the bags from her arms and followed her to the kitchen. “Where’s Taylor?”
“With my mom. There’s no school tomorrow, so she’s going to keep her overnight. Why are you home so early?”
“I don’t know. I felt like coming home early.” He set the bags on the island in the kitchen. “What are you making?”
“Shrimp scampi over linguini and a salad.”
“Sounds good. I was watching the news.” He gestured with his hand towards the family room. “Do you mind?”
“No, of course not, go ahead.” She watched him cross towards the family room. He was still preoccupied with the Zurtech information, she realized. He’d expected something to come out over the weekend and barely left his computer. Now it was Monday, and he was even more distracted.
Twenty minutes later, the salad made and scampi warming on the stove, Lia walked out into the family room carrying two glasses of wine. “Wine?” She sat down next to him on the couch and set the wine glasses on the coffee table.
“Hmm?” He turned away from the television. “Did you say something?”
“Yes, I asked if you wanted wine.” She looked pointedly at the glass she’d set in front of him.
“Sure. Thank you.” His eyes returned to the television as he raised the glass to his lips.
“How was your day?”
“Hmm?” He glanced away from the television momentarily before immediately returning his attention to CNN.
“I asked how your day was.”
“Fine.” He picked up the remote and began to flick between channels.
“What are you trying to find?”
“Hmm?”
“Joseph, do you want me to leave?”
“No, of course not.” His eyes didn’t leave the television screen.
“You’re waiting for news about Zurtech, aren’t you?” She’d promised herself not to bring it up, but she couldn’t stop herself.
“No, I’m watching the news.”
“Joseph.” She took the remote from his hand. “You’re not watching the news. You’re consuming the television.” She pushed the off button.
“Hey!” He reached for the remote, his brows pulled together in a frown. “Turn it back on.”
“No.” She shook her head as she held the remote out of his reach. “You’re so obsessed with Zurtech and Stan Hall, you can’t even give me a minute of attention. It’s ridiculous. I mean, I’m the one who should be obsessed with it. Not you.”
“I was watching the news.” He threw his hand towards the television. “Fine. Keep it off.” He crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back on the couch.
“Joseph, will you please talk to me? Why is this suddenly so important to you? Until we ran into Stan Hall, you hadn’t even mentioned it in at least six months.”
“I’ve invested a lot of my own time and money in this case, and I want to see it completed. I want to know it wasn’t all for naught. I want the information released. Is that so difficult to understand?”
She was getting on his nerves, Lia realized as she met his eyes. For the first time in their relationship, he wasn’t thrilled to see her and certainly didn’t seem to want her in his house. “I’m leaving.”
“What?”
“I said I’m leaving.” She was off the couch and headed towards the foyer. “And don’t pretend that’s not what you want. It’s all over your face.”
He cursed softly under his breath before following her to the door. “Don’t go.” He reached out and took hold of the strap of her purse as she opened the front door. “I don’t want you to leave.”
“Yes, you do.” She glanced back over her shoulder. “I don’t understand this. Is this about revenge or something?” His preoccupation with Zurtech reminded her of the time he was so preoccupied with Ned’s time records.
“Close the door.” He pulled back on her purse until she took a couple of steps backwards. “I’ll push the article from my mind and we’ll have a nice, quiet dinner—television free. I promise. I just want them to pay for what they did to you.”
Joseph was wiping down the counters when the phone began to ring an hour later. He tossed the sponge in the sink before picking up his cell phone and looking at the display. “Turn on the television,” Tony’s voice said over the line. “ABC is reporting Zurtech was taking videos of female employees having sex with clients in order to run a blackmail scheme.”
By midday Tuesday, Joseph was up by over two hundred and fifty million, and on Wednesday he cashed in, completely disassociating himself from the unfolding scandal.
After working tirelessly from the day he found the letter from Richard Eastman in his mother’s closet twenty years earlier, he was close to the culmination of his plan.
“He’s behind this Zurtech stuff,” Kevin said Thursday afternoon. He had just dropped down in a chair in front of Tony’s desk. “I’d bet a month’s salary on it.”
“Come on.” Tony frowned. “What could possibly give you that impression?”
“It’s obvious. He was preoccupied for days, and boom.” He threw up his arms. “Suddenly he’s on top of the world. You think it’s a coincidence that his entire disposition changed with the release of that story?”
“Yes. I do. I mean, let’s be realistic, Kevin. Why would Joseph be behind this? What is his motivation?”
Kevin raised his eyebrows. “Money. Nothing else motivates the guy. Oh,” he continued, raising his index finger, “and as an added bonus, he gets revenge for his fiancée.”
“I’ll give you the revenge card, but you’re going to have to work a little harder to prove the money theory.”
“Something on the stock market.”
“Right.” Tony laughed. “He bought stock in Zurtech and then released the information so he could watch it tumble. Last I heard, they were down twenty-five percent. He’s not going to make a whole lot of money there.”
“I don’t know. Maybe he invested in one of their competitors, thinking their stock would go up as Zurtech’s went down.”
“You’re reaching, Kevin.”
“I don’t know what he did, but I’m sure he did something. There was a reason he initially called those women into this office after the two of you decided we weren’t going to take the case.”
“Not this again.” Tony glanced at his watch. “I’ve got a meeting in thirty minutes, and I don’t have time to sit here and listen to you throw out wild accusations about our partner.”
“I know I’m right,” Kevin said. “And if he used this firm to gather information for his own financial gain, we could all be in trouble.”
“Enough!” Tony stood up and buckled his briefcase. “I was serious the other day. I’ve had enough of the two of you, and I don’t want to sit around and discuss what-ifs about Joe. It’s a waste of both our time. If you have proof—actual evidence to back up your claims—then come talk to me. I’ve got to go.”