Devious web, p.2
Devious Web, page 2
“No, it all happened too fast,” Tom said.
“Was there any reason for the vehicle to veer onto the sidewalk?
“Nothing—perfect driving conditions with little traffic,” Tom said.
“And I’m assuming the driver just kept going—didn’t stop to check if you were okay?”
“Yes, they just took off,” Tom confirmed.
The detective frowned.
“Jason, I wouldn’t expect you to be able to do anything about a random situation like that with absolutely nothing to go on other than the make of car,” Tom continued. “But I thought I’d run it by you because I’ve also had the uneasy feeling lately that I’m being followed. It’s happened a few times downtown when I’ve left the office. Obviously, it makes me wonder how random that was last night.”
Liu raised his eyebrows when he heard Tom’s story and said understatedly, “That’s not good.”
Liu and his parents had moved to Toronto from Hong Kong when he was starting high school, and he and Tom were in the same class and had been friends ever since—more like brothers really—so Liu had no intention of brushing off this situation.
“Tom, do you have any reason to suspect someone of having it in for you? Any enemies or issues you can think of at all?” Liu continued.
Tom looked thoughtful for a moment and shrugged. “I’ve been asking myself that, and I’m coming up blank. I mean somewhere along the way someone could have felt resentful about not being hired for a job or losing out on a competitive bid. But no, I can’t think of any enemies,” Tom said.
“Any recent firings or issues at the office?” Liu asked.
“Yes, I had to fire my business development manager, Patrick McGowan, who was also a friend, but it wouldn’t even cross my mind that Patrick would do something like that,” Tom said.
“How did he take the news of being let go?”
“Not very graciously. He was resentful and pretty vocal about it, but I already knew he has a hot temper,” Tom conceded.
“Hmm.” Liu made a couple of notes and tapped his pen on the desk, as he tended to do when thinking things through.
“So, what if it’s less about you personally and more about the company? Is there any controversy happening behind the scenes?” Liu asked.
Tom explained confidentially about the possible acquisition and the sizable amount of money involved. He added that the Pellucid board of directors was divided in terms of whether to accept the offer, but there was no apparent animosity about the situation which would be resolved by mid-September one way or the other.
“What about specific competitors? Does anyone have an axe to grind?” Liu asked.
Tom outlined that at least two other companies, one in Canada and the other in the United States, offered similar software platforms that weren’t as mature as Pellucid’s, but neither company had ever made any trouble for him.
Liu made more notes and put his pen down.
“Well, here’s my take on this. If someone is following you, and you’re being targeted, it could be someone you know or someone who was impacted by Pellucid. Or it could be some random person who has seen you in the media and resents your success. There’s no way to know unless someone tips their hand,” Liu said.
“A random stalker seems a bit of a stretch, don’t you think?” Tom commented.
“In my world of homicide investigations, anything is possible. Fact is, you’re CEO of a company that’s being offered multimillions at a time when numerous businesses have closed during the pandemic, lots of people have lost their jobs, and many are struggling with their mental health. Of course, no one outside your inner circle knows that you have a pending acquisition offer, but it’s obvious from the positive media coverage you’re getting that Pellucid is doing well. So, someone could be jealous or resentful and taking it out on you as the poster boy for entrepreneurs,” Liu said.
“Ha, hardly,” Tom responded.
“Seriously, Tom, no matter who is involved, you need to be careful. Continue listening to your intuition, be aware of your surroundings all the time, and call me any time of day or night if you have any concerns whatsoever. Don’t be a hero just because you were the high school quarterback,” Liu teased.
Tom smiled and nodded, and Liu hoped he would take his advice to heart. Liu added that he would check with the restaurant and neighboring businesses for any security footage in case that could shed some light on who had been behind the wheel. He would also create a general occurrence report so the incident would be on file in case of any future issues.
Then, because it was the polite thing to do, Liu asked after Miriam, and Tom said she was doing well.
Liu had never been a fan of Miriam and couldn’t see the attraction. That relationship was a fait accompli by the time Liu met her. Tom and Miriam had connected in London, England while Tom was doing his master’s and she had traveled there from her home in North Carolina for an art history course.
Liu attributed the fast engagement and the affinity between Tom and Miriam to the fact that Tom’s parents had been killed in a car accident at the end of his final undergrad year, and Miriam’s mother had died of pancreatic cancer at about the same time. Maybe being able to relate to each other’s losses had masked the major differences in their backgrounds and personalities, Liu thought.
“And how is your brother, Nate? I haven’t seen his name cross my desk, so that’s a good thing,” Liu said.
“Unfortunately, Nate is the same, Jason. Still an alcoholic but at least keeping a job these days. I only see him when he comes in to hit me up for cash or to pay off a credit card overrun. It’s hard to believe he got the same inheritance I did from our parents’ estate,” Tom said. “It’s disappointing that he has such an entitled attitude—like I owe him something—instead of treating me like a brother.”
“I’m sorry to hear that. I know you try hard with him, but it’s always been a one-way street,” Liu said. “Maybe Nate staying out of trouble is the best we can hope for.”
Tom nodded in agreement and asked about Liu’s parents, who had always been very kind to him, and then said he would let Liu get on with his day. Liu suggested that they meet for a drink sometime on a patio when things at work calmed down for Tom, whenever that might be.
Chapter 5:
PATRICK—AUGUST 3
Patrick was at his Leslieville duplex taking a break from searching job sites on his iPhone, instead scanning through his recent photos. He paused on one from his recent trip to Las Vegas.
That was the debacle that had finished things at Pellucid, Patrick thought, looking at the happy faces in the photo. But what a blast it was!
It was among the first big tech trade shows slated since the pandemic hit, and everyone was in a celebratory mood, especially himself, Patrick recalled. Tom had asked him to attend ISC West, an international security conference staged in mid-July. Tom was always thinking of new ventures, and he was considering plans to further develop Pellucid’s data analytics as a tool for security software.
Patrick was to scope out the latest internet of things (IoT) security innovations and meet with the business development lead for an emerging IT security company. A potential investor attending the show from San Diego had also connected with Tom, so that would be an important meeting. Patrick was on deck to potentially arrange an infusion of capital for Pellucid.
He had a busy agenda for the three-day event. These things are always exhausting, with miles to walk up and down the exhibit hall checking out innovations, plus the demands of networking events and meetings. And, of course, if you’re someone like him who loves Las Vegas, the nightlife deserves its share of attention.
Las Vegas was already Patrick’s playground. He typically liked to get there at least four times a year to have a good time and gamble. And he gambled enough money that Vegas hotels comped his stays. It cost casino operators little for food and accommodation compared with the amount spent at the tables by high rollers.
ISE West 2021 was being held at Patrick’s favorite venue, the Venetian Hotel and Expo. Patrick loved the Venetian because of its variety of restaurants with great Mediterranean fare and its fun design modeled, of course, after Venice. The hotel had an indoor canal with gondolas traveling from one end to the other and gondoliers loudly singing classic Italian songs as they floated past the restaurants and shops. Patrick had been to Venice on holiday with his parents as a teenager when he lived at home in Dublin, and he had fallen in love with the romance of the city itself.
On this trip, Patrick promised himself he would find time to book a show at the Tuscany Suites and Casino called “The Rat Pack is Back.” It recreated the glory years of the original Rat Pack of Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., Dean Martin, Joey Bishop, and Peter Lawford, and Patrick was excited to see how the imitators fared in representing the famous friends and performers. Patrick’s father was a huge Frank Sinatra fan, admiring not just his singing but also his brash New York style.
Patrick’s mantra for Las Vegas had long been the old “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.” Not to brag, but women seemed to like his footballer build from playing what Americans call soccer, as well as his black hair and dark eyes. And it didn’t hurt that he tended to splash out a lot of money at the gaming tables and in the bars.
While some guys traveling on business had to avail themselves of ladies for hire, Patrick usually attracted young women working at the casinos or restaurants or free-spirited women on vacation looking for a good time. A comment on his Irish accent was often the opening line for women wanting to connect with him.
In thinking back to ISE West, Patrick gave himself full marks for his first day in Vegas. He had diligently checked out possibilities for Pellucid collaborations with IoT software companies and managed to steer clear of what an old-school former boss of Patrick’s used to call booth babes—women who worked hard to attract people to company booths during events but who sometimes had side jobs at night.
Patrick’s meeting with the business development guy Tom had lined up went well. And he’d thoroughly enjoyed the Rat Pack retrospective show that night. He had even been lucky enough to grab a photo with the Frank Sinatra impersonator and sent it to his dad in Ireland—who had been delighted. He had kept his gambling to a reasonable limit and slept well before the trade show opened again.
It was the second day of the conference that was his undoing.
With so many stunning women everywhere you look in Vegas, a person almost gets numb to it. But when he turned a corner in the Venetian just outside the restaurant where he had gone for coffee, he saw probably the most attractive woman he had ever encountered.
She had violet eyes like iconic actress Elizabeth Taylor, with thick black flowing hair that she had deliberately highlighted with streaks of purple to complement her eyes. She wore a fitted black pantsuit with no shirt underneath, just ample cleavage discreetly displayed, and Patrick was enthralled. She fixed those spectacular violet eyes on him and smiled. Patrick approached and struck up a conversation.
This beauty, Samantha, worked with a talent agency in Las Vegas and had been hired by a Boston-based company to greet visitors and bring them into their booth to build their prospect list. Samantha also did some modeling and was part of a show playing at a downtown casino. She gave Patrick a ticket for that night and encouraged him with a wink to come to the show and join her afterward.
Patrick had an early dinner and headed to the nine o’clock show. It was something of a burlesque performance and the girls were all topless, which wasn’t hard to take. With a lead role and looking amazing, Samantha was front and center—and she paid special attention to him as she performed various dance routines.
Following the show, Samantha gave Patrick a backstage tour, and it wasn’t long before they were making out in the hallway. From there they moved to her dressing room, and Patrick hoisted Samantha up onto her makeup table. She had other assets in addition to her beautiful eyes, Patrick thought, as he realized it didn’t matter if those amazing breasts were natural. He was surprised that the mirror attached to the makeup table survived their first encounter.
After that auspicious start, the night was filled with drinking and taking Samantha’s favorite party drug, MDMA, plus more sex and gambling.
Patrick woke up the next day in his hotel room, and it was already noon. Somehow, he had miraculously made it there in one piece. There was a note beside him saying, “Thanks for the good time, sweetie,” signed Samantha. Patrick’s wallet was empty, so he figured they must have had a good night indeed, since US $1,500 was gone. Fortunately, his credit cards were intact.
He realized as his aching head throbbed that he had missed Tom’s carefully orchestrated meeting with the investor. And the show closed in two hours. After a panicky shower and much coffee, Patrick trusted his stomach to stay in place while he called the guy’s cell. No answer. Then he called the front desk. Sure enough, the prospect had been staying at the Venetian but had already checked out and was probably on a flight back to San Diego. There was no fixing this one.
Patrick was booked to return home to Toronto that night, and he wasn’t looking forward to reporting the missed opportunity to Tom. At least the photos on his phone chronicled a night to remember, even if he couldn’t recall all of it.
Because of the surrounding mountains, planes taking off from Vegas climb at a steep angle. As his WestJet flight took off at what felt like a vertical trajectory, Patrick suspected his career was headed in the opposite direction. And he had been right.
By the time he got back to Toronto, Tom was already livid. The investor headed a growth fund that was looking to drop $10 million into promising companies like Pellucid. But now, he was no longer interested in Pellucid since, as he said emphatically to Tom, “The company was so cavalier as to blow off meetings with no notice.”
Patrick had already had an uncomfortable discussion with Tom a couple of months before when Tom addressed his behavior and how it reflected on Pellucid. Tom had made it clear that he didn’t care what Patrick got up to on his own time, but it was not acceptable when it impacted the business.
It was shortly after the flight back to Toronto that he was fired, although it was discreetly positioned as “Patrick is moving on to pursue the next opportunity in his career.”
It made Patrick’s blood boil to think how easily he had been tossed aside, even after all the lucrative client business he had attracted to Pellucid.
He pulled up a closeup shot of beautiful Samantha on his phone. It was all down to those eyes.
With a sigh, he closed his photos and opened LinkedIn to resume his job search.
Chapter 6:
TOM AND MIRIAM—AUGUST 14
Finally it was Saturday, and Tom was enjoying his morning coffee while gazing out at their quiet street in Toronto’s Summerhill neighborhood from the vantage point of a living room wingback chair. Their house was positioned at the top of a cul-de-sac, surrounded by manicured lawns, stately trees, and elegant houses—a secure retreat that made his earlier concerns about personal safety seem unreal.
It had been two weeks since the incident in Yorkville, and Liu had let Tom know that there was no useful security footage of his near miss. Thankfully, nothing else had happened to cause concern, with no more instances of feeling he was being stalked. Tom concluded it had been a one-off situation. And he had been too busy with work to give it further thought anyway.
Tom was feeling more than ready to disengage from Pellucid for the day. He had a hard-and-fast rule that he never worked on Saturdays, with his morning always reserved to ride his horse, Titan. He would drive to the stable in Caledon as soon as he had breakfast with Miriam. And she would be off to the art gallery for her busiest day of the week.
He planned to suggest to Miriam that they have dinner at her favorite restaurant that night so they could talk on neutral territory. There were still barriers between them that needed tackling. And one of the biggest stresses on their marriage was undoubtedly her father, James P. Robinson, who lived in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Tom very much regretted that when he founded Pellucid seven years before, he had accepted seed money from James in exchange for a seat on the board of directors and shares in the company. It had been advantageous for his father-in-law’s company to trial and adopt early-stage versions of Pellucid’s software—and ultimately become a lead customer. But now, James was adamant that Tom should not sell Pellucid at this point and planned to vote against the acquisition when the board considered the offer at its September meeting.
It seemed ironic that Miriam, in her subdued but steely Southern style, was tenaciously supporting her father’s viewpoint. Miriam was usually more concerned with keeping up with her socialite clients’ lifestyles and her next home decor project than with the business. Miriam was also on Pellucid’s board of directors, although more in name than function in an observer role, attending the minimum number of meetings required of her. Most days Tom steered away from talking about Pellucid at home given Miriam’s total lack of interest—and her annoyance at any mention of Elise.
Tom tried to overlook his wife’s tendency to support her father’s opinions, since he knew she had understandably become extremely close to her dad after her mother passed away. But there were other more fundamental differences between Miriam and Tom resulting from their dissimilar upbringings—Miriam as a society girl in Raleigh and part of a stalwart conservative Republican family, and Tom the son of a liberal-leaning Canadian police officer father, who subsequently became police chief, and his mom, a public-school teacher. He was aware that James would have preferred Tom to be a conservative evangelical, joining them for Sunday services and Bible readings.
As Tom took his coffee cup to the kitchen, he was thinking that the only good thing about the pandemic was that James couldn’t travel to Canada, and Tom only had to spend time with him over Zoom. Both James and his private plane had been grounded, and that worked out well.
