“It’s not just one person,” Rich answered, leaning back in his chair. “There’s a group of four of them. But the head of that group is Suzanne Tammington.”
Eddy raised his left eyebrow. “The lawyer?”
“None other. She paid me $100,000 to take out Jordan Kendrick. Your deputy wasn’t included in the contract. He just got in the way.”
Jordan took a step back, unable to believe they had finally discovered who was behind the attempts on her life. But how could Tammington be the one? Tammington had been the one asking her questions when she was on the stand. She had been defending Sam Delvers and Southeastern from the federal lawsuits.
Jordan reeled with the information as Frank kept pushing. “Who are the other three?”
“Well, Sam Delvers, of course, and two other lawyers from Tammington’s firm—Fran Sanchez and Martin Simms. I make it my practice to do a little investigating before I take on any job. All four of these people have invested heavily in Southeastern. They’ll all be ruined financially if Jordan Kendrick gets the story out about Mintax. They can’t risk someone revealing the history of the drug.”
Eddy shrugged. “You’re not telling me anything I don’t already know. And there’s more than four of them that are heavily invested in the pharmaceutical company. You’re going to have to give me more.”
Rich leaned forward. “That might be the case, but there are only four that planned all of this. I’m telling you the truth. I met with Tammington and the other three in person. These four are the brains behind the operation.”
“How many times did you meet with them?”
“Twice with just Tammington, but three other times with all four of them.” He looked away, for a moment, then returned his attention to Eddy. “Trying to take out the scientist wasn’t the only job I ever did for them.”
“Let me guess,” Eddy said with a nod. “You did some traveling to China?”
Rich actually looked surprised at Eddy’s question. “How’d you know about that?”
Eddy shrugged. “We know more than you think.”
“Well, then you probably know that I didn’t go to China, but my associate did. You know, the guy that got run over when he was chasing Kendrick.”
“I know the man you mean, but we still don’t know his name. Care to enlighten us?”
Rich chewed on the inside of his cheek. “John Hansen. He was an amateur. If I’d gotten that job first, we wouldn’t be here talking today.”
Jordan sucked in her breath at the man’s comment. He might just be boasting, but a part of her did wonder if she would still be alive if Aaron Rich had gotten the contract. The thought sent a chill down her spine.
Ben reached over and squeezed her hand, and this time, she allowed the contact. She glanced up at him, thankful for his understanding. It was difficult to hear people talking about her life and death so casually like they were discussing the weather.
“So what was Southeastern doing in China? And remember, I already know a great deal.”
Rich laughed in derision. “So why do you need me to tell you?”
“To test the truth of what you’re telling me,” Eddy responded easily. “China?”
Rich shrugged. “They sold the formula for one of their drugs and are working with a lab and factory in China to make the new and improved version. Although you and I both know it’s the same pill they tried to produce before and failed. They’re already selling it through the internet and are looking at increasing advertising, production and distribution as we speak.”
Jordan quickly turned to Ben. “But the drug causes seizures. It kills people. We have to stop them. They’re already putting thousands of people in danger. We can’t let this happen.”
She hoped Ben would stick with the case long enough to stop Southeastern, now that they knew some of the company’s plans, but she wasn’t sure what Ben was going to do. He didn’t get a chance to answer her before Eddy was pushing for more.
“Tell me about the train,” Eddy prompted.
Again, Rich looked surprised, but he tried to act as if he didn’t know what Eddy was talking about. He failed at his deception. His body language made it clear that he knew more than he wanted to say. “That’s all I know,” Rich hedged. “I helped set some of the wheels in motion in China. I can testify about what I know about that, and about the Kendrick contract.”
Eddy leaned forward, apparently deciding to go in a different direction for now. “What about Jeremy and Emma Sparks? And Samantha Peretti? Did you kill them?”
Rich raised an eyebrow. “What if I say yes? Is that included in your deal?”
“Of course,” Eddy said with a nod. “As long as everything you’re telling me is the truth. I need you on the stand. You’ll have to testify to everything you’ve told me here today and go into even more detail, but there won’t be any separate charges for other bad acts we uncover along the way.” He paused. “But if you lie to me, all bets are off.”
“Then yes,” Rich said, looking Eddy directly in the eye. “I killed Jeremy and Emma Sparks, and Samantha Peretti, too.”
This time, Jordan reached out and squeezed Ben’s hand. Finally, they knew the truth. A wave of relief swept over her, so strong that it made her falter. Ben was quick to reach over and support her in an embrace. Jordan was so overwhelmed with emotion that she allowed the contact once again, even though it went against her better judgment.
“So now let’s talk about the train.”
Eddy’s question brought her right back into the here and now. She suddenly pulled away and turned to face the window once again.
“I don’t know anything about any train,” Rich insisted.
Eddy shook his head. “Remember how I just said you couldn’t lie to me? I know you know about the train. I know you’re the man that’s supposed to make that happen. If you don’t tell me about it in quite a bit of detail right now, our deal is gone. I can prove everything you’ve already said without any of your testimony. You have to give me more.”
Jordan held her breath. That was a huge bluff on Eddy’s part, but after a few moments, she could tell that it had worked. Rich motioned with his arms in a defeated gesture. “Fine. Tammington has an uncle that is an engineer on the Sunset Limited that runs up and down the East Coast. His wife is dying from some rare form of cancer, and he can’t afford her meds because they’re all deemed experimental by the insurance company. Tammington promised to take care of her aunt and all of her medical bills, if her uncle would take that medicine they produced in China while he was driving the train. Apparently, the stuff will give him a seizure because he has some sort of bad medical condition himself, and then the train will crash. Afterward, the law firm can step in and help with the lawsuits and make a few bucks.”
Eddy was perfectly still, but when he spoke, his voice was lethal. “And when is this supposed to happen?”
Rich looked away and swallowed. Then he lifted his arms again and shrugged. “It was supposed to happen in a month or so, but because of the sheriff’s investigation and all of the hassles you’ve been causing them, they’ve moved it up.” He looked Eddy in the eye. “It’s going to happen today.”
Jordan took a step closer to the glass, trying to get an even better view of Rich. Was he lying? She was no expert, but he seemed to be telling the truth. “What do you think?” she asked Ben. “Is he lying?”
Ben shook his head as he considered the man’s tone and body language. “Doesn’t sound like it to me.”
Frank must have agreed, because Eddy stayed in the room to hammer out the details of the conspiracy and the payment for the murders, but a moment later, Frank was standing beside them in the observation room. He was already on his phone and held up his hand, motioning that he was going to talk to them as soon as he finished the call.
Ben glanced at his watch. It was already past three in the afternoon. He waited impatiently for Frank to finish his call, wondering about the train’s schedule. When did it pass through Jacksonville? Finally, Frank hung up and started to leave the room at the same time. “We have to go. That was the Continental Railways executive office. Apparently, Felix Jefferson is the engineer on the train today, but he has cut off all communication with the depot. They’re trying to reach the conductor and will let me know when they get him, but in the meantime, we have to get to that train depot. The train hasn’t reached Jacksonville yet, but is planning to stop here. The kicker is, we have to be there in twenty minutes if we want to stop him. It’s only a five-minute stop, and Continental doesn’t have anyone at the Jacksonville office that has any real authority to do something about that train.”
Ben and Jordan followed him out and into the patrol car. Frank grabbed the keys and started the engine at the same time that Ben was contacting everyone in law enforcement that might have a chance to get to the train before them. It didn’t look good. Jordan jumped in the backseat, and they were off, just as Ben reached the depot’s security office. Unfortunately, they really weren’t equipped to deal with the situation that Ben was describing, but they did offer to meet them at the depot entrance and escort them to the platform.
While he was driving, Frank’s phone rang. He handed it to Ben to talk so he could focus on operating the vehicle. The lights and sirens were on, but traffic was sluggish and people were hesitant to move out of the way and let the patrol car through. It took a great deal of maneuvering to get through the streets.
“Ben Graham, Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.”
“This is the Continental Railways home office. We haven’t been able to get a hold of anyone working on that train. Either there’s a failure in the communication system, or the engineer, Felix Jefferson, is blocking the line. In any case, we have three staff on board—the conductor, the assistant conductor and Mr. Jefferson. Look for them when you board in Jacksonville. Without knowing more, we have to assume the engineer is still in control of that train, but we have no way to talk to him.”
“Got it. Thanks for the update.” He hung up the phone and turned to Frank. “Looks like it’s up to us. The other train staff either can’t or won’t communicate with the home office, and Jefferson has cut himself off from the rest of the world.”
“We have no way of knowing if he’s taken the Mintax yet or not,” Frank said with gritted teeth.
“Actually, we do,” Jordan said from the backseat. “According to what I read this morning from the trials, once a person takes the medicine, the seizures start in about thirty minutes. The fact that Johnson has cut himself off but the train is operating normally means he’s getting ready to act, but probably hasn’t taken the pills yet. Let’s pray he hasn’t, anyway. If he did take them, then the timing suggests he wants to crash at the Jacksonville depot. If he didn’t, then maybe he’s planning to do it after the scheduled stop.”
What she said made sense, but a sickening dread formed a hard ball in Ben’s stomach. If the engineer was planning to wreck the train in Jacksonville, then they were heading straight into a situation that could well be fatal for all of them.
“Stop the car and let Jordan out,” Ben said with a tone of authority.
Frank looked at him as if he were crazy, and Jordan protested loudly from the backseat.
“We might not make it as it is, Ben. I don’t have time to stop.”
A cold sweat suddenly covered Ben’s skin, and he was tempted to grab the wheel and force the issue. He didn’t want Jordan to die. How could he possibly protect her in such a horrible situation?
“I can’t keep her safe, Frankie. We’re trained for this. We always know death is a possibility. But she’s a civilian. We have to let her out.”
“I’m staying!” Jordan exclaimed forcefully.
Ben ignored her and clenched his hands. “Let her out, Frank. Please. I’m begging you.” His friend was silent. He tried once more. “What if it were Bailey?”
Frank shook his head but kept his eyes on the road. “I can’t, Ben. You know it, and I know it. Pulling over could be the difference between us catching that train or not. Every second counts. If we don’t stop Jefferson at the depot, we probably won’t have a way to stop him after he leaves. Hundreds of people could die. We can’t sacrifice the many for one individual. You know that. We have to push on.”
Jordan was touched by the plea she heard in Ben’s voice, but she really did not want them to stop. If she died today, then so be it. In her mind, there had already been enough death caused by Southeastern, and she didn’t want to be the cause of even one more life being lost because of their depravity. She reached over the seat and squeezed Ben’s shoulder. “It’s okay, Ben.” She softened her voice so she wouldn’t add to the stress that he was obviously already experiencing. “I know you want to keep me safe, and I’m thankful. I really am. But I couldn’t live with myself if we missed the train because Frank stopped on account of me.”
He took her hand and squeezed it hard. She could feel his desperate attempt to protect her from that touch alone. He didn’t respond, so she tried again. “We’re racing against the clock here. Please, let me do this.”
He finally turned, and when he looked at her, she was overcome by the depth of love she saw reflecting back at her. “I need you to stay in the car. Don’t fight me on this, please. At least do this one small thing I’m asking. I can’t do my job if I have to worry about you and where you are.”
The last thing Jordan wanted to do was sit in the car while they raced to stop Felix Jefferson from taking Mintax and crashing the train, but Ben had a very valid point. He was the expert here. This was his wheelhouse, and he needed to have the freedom to do his job without her interference. Part of her still wanted to argue. She was a competent, capable adult that could add, not detract, from the job before them. But she was finally learning that it was okay to let others take the lead. She was a scientist. She would let law enforcement do what law enforcement did best. “Okay, Ben. I promise I’ll stay in the car. But will you do me a favor?”
He nodded.
“Keep your phone on, and call me if you need me. If you get to the engineer, you can describe his condition to me, and I might be able to help him.”
If it were possible, he would have kissed her right then. She could see it in his eyes. Instead, he smiled at her with such tenderness that it made her heart melt. He mouthed, “Thank you,” then turned back around to gain his bearings.
She loved this man. How was she ever going to let him go?