Read Online Under Cover of Darkness by James Grippando - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: James Grippando
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to win the hearts and wallets of major corporations. The analogy had its limits. In Gus's experience, not a single contestant had ever vowed to feed starving children or promote world peace, and never did the runners-up smile and congratulate the winner.
This morning his thoughts were entirely on Beth, swinging from one troubling extreme to the other. One minute he was sure she was safe but had left him. The next, he imagined she was dead. The shoplifting incident had only confused him further. Morgan probably sensed something was wrong and was acting out for attention. Or perhaps it was a symptom of long-standing psychological problems of which Gus had been unaware till now. Maybe even Beth had blamed herself, saw herself as a failure, and in a moment of weakness had run away in despair. Whatever the answer, Gus needed to prepare himself better to deal with Morgan. He could call on professionals for guidance, but it was never his practice to consult anyone cold. Surely ther e w ere articles on the Internet about the psychological effects on children who had lost a parent. He pulled up his chair and switched on the computer.
The screen brightened and prompted a message. "Your password is about to expire. Please enter a new code."
For security reasons, the firm required its attorneys to change passwords every ninety days. Gus tried to conjure up a new four-digit number. He usually used dates. The date he was graduated from Stanford. The day he was elected managing partner. This morning, however, he was feeling a little sentimental. He started to type in his wedding anniversary. He entered the month-09--then drew a blank on the exact day. It was either the fourteenth or fifteenth of September. He wasn't sure. It was definitely a Saturday.
Of course it was a Saturday, you idiot.
A reprieve came with a knock on the door. It opened before he could say "come in," which meant it was either the president of the United States or Martha.
"Need a friend?" It wasn't the chief executive.
"Come on in."
Martha had the look of a concerned friend, entering quietly and closing the door behind her. She sat on the edge of the couch, anxious. "Any word on Beth?"
"Just a waiting game now. Police don't really seem to know anything. I'm just trying to stay focused."
"I think that's wise. I wouldn't read too much into what the papers say."
"Papers? What do you mean?"
"You haven't seen this morning's P-I?"
"No. I've been so busy, I didn't even have time to check. Is there something about Beth?"
"I'm sorry. Don't be alarmed."
"What is it?" he said with urgency.
"They don't mention her by name. It's just a story about a possible serial killer who is killing his victims in matching pairs. Two men were the first victims. Now they foun d a woman. They don't come out and say it, but from the physical description, it sounds like Beth."
"I was at the morgue last night. They asked me to view a woman's body. It wasn't Beth."
"It must be the unidentified woman they mention in the article."
"And now they think what? That Beth is her match?" "Her bookend is the term they use."
He was suddenly alarmed. "Now that you mention it, there was a slight physical resemblance."
"I'm not trying to scare you, Gus. The police don't come out and say anything about Beth directly. That was my inference. All the article says is that they have two male victims, both strangled, both a lot like each other, very similar crime scenes. Now they have a female victim, also strangled. What they don't have is a second female victim. Only fears that the killer might strike another woman who resembles her."
"Who might be Beth." Gus snatched up the phone and buzzed his secretary, calling for a copy of today's paper. In a matter of seconds she entered, dropped it on his desk, and left without a peep. Gus devoured the lead story in silence. Finally, he lowered the paper and looked at Martha.
"I can't believe this. I was just with the FBI last night. They never said a word
This morning his thoughts were entirely on Beth, swinging from one troubling extreme to the other. One minute he was sure she was safe but had left him. The next, he imagined she was dead. The shoplifting incident had only confused him further. Morgan probably sensed something was wrong and was acting out for attention. Or perhaps it was a symptom of long-standing psychological problems of which Gus had been unaware till now. Maybe even Beth had blamed herself, saw herself as a failure, and in a moment of weakness had run away in despair. Whatever the answer, Gus needed to prepare himself better to deal with Morgan. He could call on professionals for guidance, but it was never his practice to consult anyone cold. Surely ther e w ere articles on the Internet about the psychological effects on children who had lost a parent. He pulled up his chair and switched on the computer.
The screen brightened and prompted a message. "Your password is about to expire. Please enter a new code."
For security reasons, the firm required its attorneys to change passwords every ninety days. Gus tried to conjure up a new four-digit number. He usually used dates. The date he was graduated from Stanford. The day he was elected managing partner. This morning, however, he was feeling a little sentimental. He started to type in his wedding anniversary. He entered the month-09--then drew a blank on the exact day. It was either the fourteenth or fifteenth of September. He wasn't sure. It was definitely a Saturday.
Of course it was a Saturday, you idiot.
A reprieve came with a knock on the door. It opened before he could say "come in," which meant it was either the president of the United States or Martha.
"Need a friend?" It wasn't the chief executive.
"Come on in."
Martha had the look of a concerned friend, entering quietly and closing the door behind her. She sat on the edge of the couch, anxious. "Any word on Beth?"
"Just a waiting game now. Police don't really seem to know anything. I'm just trying to stay focused."
"I think that's wise. I wouldn't read too much into what the papers say."
"Papers? What do you mean?"
"You haven't seen this morning's P-I?"
"No. I've been so busy, I didn't even have time to check. Is there something about Beth?"
"I'm sorry. Don't be alarmed."
"What is it?" he said with urgency.
"They don't mention her by name. It's just a story about a possible serial killer who is killing his victims in matching pairs. Two men were the first victims. Now they foun d a woman. They don't come out and say it, but from the physical description, it sounds like Beth."
"I was at the morgue last night. They asked me to view a woman's body. It wasn't Beth."
"It must be the unidentified woman they mention in the article."
"And now they think what? That Beth is her match?" "Her bookend is the term they use."
He was suddenly alarmed. "Now that you mention it, there was a slight physical resemblance."
"I'm not trying to scare you, Gus. The police don't come out and say anything about Beth directly. That was my inference. All the article says is that they have two male victims, both strangled, both a lot like each other, very similar crime scenes. Now they have a female victim, also strangled. What they don't have is a second female victim. Only fears that the killer might strike another woman who resembles her."
"Who might be Beth." Gus snatched up the phone and buzzed his secretary, calling for a copy of today's paper. In a matter of seconds she entered, dropped it on his desk, and left without a peep. Gus devoured the lead story in silence. Finally, he lowered the paper and looked at Martha.
"I can't believe this. I was just with the FBI last night. They never said a word
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