Thirty minutes later, the three of them were back in the coffee shop, meeting in the manager’s office, the door closed for privacy. Chad’s handcuffs had been removed, but he still hadn’t agreed to talk to them. He sat in the corner, pressed against the wall, and Jordan was sure that if it were possible, he would have found a way to melt into the Sheetrock. There was no way for him to look more uncomfortable.
Even so, Jordan had done all she could to smooth things over with the coffee shop manager after Chad’s flight from the store. She had explained to the lady that Chad was helping them with an important case, but that he had unfortunately mistaken them for people that were trying to hurt him. She’d also given the manager a hundred dollars to help cover the cost of the ruined pastries that had hit the floor during the chase. The manager had taken one look at Ben’s badge and offered them the office to use with no questions asked, and also promised to keep the day’s events private. She had even promised that Chad’s flight and the mess he’d made in the back wouldn’t affect his job.
This news, however, had done little to change Chad’s mind about talking to them. Jordan softened her voice and continued in her quest to persuade him to help. “Look, Chad, I know you’re scared, but we’ve reached an impasse and we need your help.” She grasped his arm and squeezed it, but he quickly pulled it away from her. “I need your help.” She sat back, hoping he would raise his head and look her in the eye. He didn’t respond, but she pushed forward anyway, trying a different tact. “Did you know your mom kept a picture of you on her desk?” She waited, and eventually he glanced up at her.
“Yeah.”
Jordan pressed on. “She was really proud of you. And when you graduated from UNF, you would have thought that the powers that be had declared it a national holiday. She went around the whole office passing out UNF stickers and cupcakes to everyone she came across in the lab. It was a really big day for her.” She leaned in. “Did you know she did that?”
Chad shook his head, still maintaining his silence.
“She told me once that you were the best thing that ever happened to her. She was hoping you were going to go for your master’s degree, but if not, that was okay, too. She was always saying you were smart and talented and would succeed at anything you tried.” Jordan shifted, letting those words hang there for a moment. “I think the same thing you do. I think someone at Southeastern had her killed because she knew too much about a drug they were developing called Mintax. Your mom and I worked very closely together at the lab. I know she had collected data about Mintax, and right now, we need to find anything we can that proves what the drug can do and how it hurt people during the trials. We don’t have access to Southeastern’s computers yet, but we do know they tried to destroy everything they could about Mintax and the drug trials. We’re hoping your mom might have held on to something that shows the details about the drug’s development. We’re grasping at straws here, but Southeastern has to be stopped before they hurt anybody else.” Her voice was firm, but she still kept her tone low and soothing. “And, they need to be held responsible for killing your mom.”
Ben had been standing behind Jordan, but now he sat on the edge of the manager’s desk. He had also softened his voice, and Jordan noticed he had tried to stay in the background and appear as nonthreatening as possible. “Try to remember anything you can about what your mom might have said or done about the drug before her death,” he asked. “Please. Even if you don’t think it’s important, it might be crucial to our case. Also, anything you still have from Southeastern might be useful—notes, computer files, records of any kind.”
Chad twisted the apron fabric in his hands, tighter and tighter. Finally, he spoke. “They’ll kill me. I know they killed my mom. If I say anything at all, they’ll kill me, too. I can’t help you.”
“Are you saying you want to spend the rest of your life in hiding, living under an assumed name? That’s what will happen if we can’t prove our case. We have to stop them. And for your mom’s sake, we have to show that they were responsible! The only way to end this is to help us,” Jordan pleaded.
“Look,” Ben said quietly. “Let’s start out by just talking about your mom. Did you see her the day she died?”
Chad finally looked up at that question. “Yes, I was still living at home. It was a Thursday. I remember we ate breakfast together. We had pancakes.”
Jordan tried not to smile as jubilation filled her. He was talking! Now, hopefully, they would get somewhere. “Did she say or do anything out of the ordinary?” she asked.
“No. It was just like any other day.”
Ben shifted. “How about a week or so before she died. Did you see anyone suspicious around your house? Anyone or anything that seemed out of place?”
Chad looked up as if trying to remember, but finally shook his head. “No. Nothing out of the ordinary.”
“Did you see anything that made you suspect something might be wrong?”
Chad shrugged. “Not really. She did seem a bit more stressed than normal, but when I asked her about it, she just said she was having some problems at work, but that the issues would all sort themselves out soon enough. I was actually going to ride with her into the city that morning, but she had to leave early because she had an appointment with someone. If I had gone with her, I would have died, too.”
“That appointment was with me,” Jordan confirmed. “We were going to talk about Jeremy Sparks’s death and what was going on with the Mintax drug trials. I think somehow Southeastern found out about our plans. I also think the Sparkses and your mom were all killed to keep them quiet so the scandal surrounding the drug didn’t come out.”
“Well, you’re still here,” he said bitterly as he glared at her. “I guess that boating accident didn’t really happen.”
Jordan shook her head. “You don’t understand. When I heard about your mom, I went straight to the authorities. I ended up testifying against Southeastern and then entering the federal witness protection program. But the case against Southeastern went south and they only got a slap on the wrist for what they did. Even so, Southeastern still sent somebody to kill me, and they very nearly succeeded. That’s why I’m back in Florida now, trying to make this right. I’m still not safe, but I’m doing what I can to bring what Southeastern did to light, so they can be held responsible for their crimes. I want them to pay for your mother’s death, and I want to stop them before they hurt anybody else.” Jordan paused and leaned closer so that she could catch his eye and hold his gaze. “You must know something, right? Otherwise, you wouldn’t have gone to such lengths to hide yourself from Southeastern. Please tell us what you know.”
Chad grimaced, and Jordan could see the muscles working in his jaw as he gritted his teeth. A moment passed. Then another. He tried to look away but she moved slightly, and a few moments later, he was trapped by her eyes once again. Finally, he sighed.
“I don’t know a lot about what was actually happening at Southeastern. My mom didn’t talk about it much, or at least she didn’t talk to me about it. But before my mother died, she gave me a notebook full of handwritten notes and documents. I’m no scientist, but I do know it’s filled with chemical formulas. She told me I had to keep it safe at all costs.”
“Where is that notebook?” Jordan asked, struggling to keep her voice even and controlled, despite the excitement that immediately began coursing through her veins.
Chad’s mouth tightened. “I can’t give it to you. That notebook is my only bargaining chip. If Southeastern ever finds me, I can trade it for my life.”
“Southeastern doesn’t like loose ends,” Jordan answered, her tone now matter-of-fact. “If they find out it exists, they’ll take the notebook. Then they’ll kill you for sure—just to make sure you’re no longer a threat. Afterward, they’ll destroy the notebook to protect themselves.”
Chad considered her words. Jordan could actually see him sorting through his options by the look on his face. She decided to put all of her cards on the table.
“Southeastern has to be stopped, Chad,” she said forcefully. “Your mom and I helped develop a dangerous drug that hurts people, but Southeastern has either hidden or destroyed all of the evidence. The Feds slapped the CEO and the company with a few fines, but those are the only consequences they’ve experienced, despite all the people they hurt. Your mom was killed so they could get away with their crimes, and I had to go into WITSEC just to stay alive. We can’t let them get away with it. That notebook she gave you could be the key to stopping them once and for all. It might be able to help us prove what Southeastern did so we can break this case wide open. The Sheriff’s Office has opened their own investigation, and we have a prosecutor ready to go as soon as we can bring him the proof he needs to put the case together.”
Chad pulled his lips into a thin line. She could still see the fear in his features, but he had made his decision. “It’s in my safe-deposit box at First Federal Bank downtown—box 134.” He pulled a chain from around his neck that had a key dangling from the end. He removed the key and put it on the desk. “It’s all yours.”
Jordan accepted the key and looked back at Ben, who gave her a warm smile. Finally, they had a solid lead. She tried to stay focused on the case, but the look in his eyes did funny things to her insides. Did Ben still have any feelings beyond friendship for her? How could he, after all that she had done? It was impossible. Still, the attraction and love for him that she had felt hadn’t faded, and an ache of regret and loss tightened in her chest.
She turned away, unhappy with where her thoughts had strayed. She said a short but heartfelt prayer of thanks for God’s help in finding Chad, and for convincing him to aid in their quest to stop Southeastern. She fervently hoped that the notebook would contain the information they needed to finally stop Southeastern for good.
About thirty minutes later, Ben and Jordan had driven over to the bank that Chad had used to store the notebook, parked and entered the building. Ben had already talked to both Eddy, the state attorney and his supervisor at the Sheriff’s Office to let them know what they had discovered. Eddy had immediately scheduled an appointment to meet with them as soon as they could retrieve the notebook and Jordan had a chance to digest the contents. If the book contained what they anticipated, Eddy was hopeful that they might be able to get subpoenas for Southeastern’s records as early as tomorrow.
The bank employee slid the security deposit box out of the slot, put it on the table in the small privacy area and pulled the curtain closed so Ben and Jordan could open the box without prying eyes watching their progress.
Ben kept his hands on his belt and his stance alert as Jordan opened the box. He didn’t expect trouble, but it paid to be cautious. Right on top, she found a two-inch-deep three-ring notebook. It was a simple black binder with no identifying cover, but the inside was filled with documents, notes and even a manila envelope stashed in the front pocket. Jordan thumbed through the documents, giving them a cursory view as she went from page to page. Her entire face lit up as she pulled out the envelope and poured the contents into her hand. Ten small blue pills rolled out. She glanced up at his face and smiled, and the look of utter happiness made his heart flutter. She was glowing. There was no other word for it.
“Is that Mintax?” he asked.
She nodded. “It sure is. I can’t believe she even saved samples. With these and her notes... We won’t have any trouble proving what Mintax did to those homeless people in the trials. We might even be able to somehow trace them to Sparks’s death. I’m convinced they killed him with Mintax. If Eddy can get us a copy of his autopsy based on this new evidence, we might be able to find the proof we need.” She returned the pills to the envelope, sealed the top and put it back in the notebook. “Thank you, Ben. I never would have been able to find this without you.”
She took a step forward as if she was going to hug him, but then stopped herself as if unsure. Ben did nothing to encourage her. He suddenly felt awkward himself, and his own feelings were a jumbled mess inside his heart. Did he want Jordan to hug him, to touch him? Did he want to resume his relationship with her? He still loved her. He knew that. But was love enough?
By disappearing on her own without a word, Jordan had destroyed Ben’s trust in her. Could he continue to love her without trusting her? He didn’t think so—the insecurity would eat him up from the inside out. Every time she was out of his sight, he would have those lingering doubts. Would she disappear again if the going got tough? Would she even let him help her with her problems, or would she always try to solve them by herself? He wasn’t sure how to get past the betrayal he felt. He understood her reasons for her actions, but understanding didn’t erase the giant ball of hurt he felt whenever he remembered what she had done.
He was still lost in thought as he and Jordan left the bank and returned to his car in the parking lot. They headed back to Ben’s office. Jordan needed time to study the notebook in a safe, quiet place and then they could meet with the team and discuss their plans about moving forward, depending on what Jordan discovered. Afterward, they would head over to talk to Eddy and work on their legal strategy.
Ben changed lanes and noticed a black SUV that was about forty feet back followed suit. His senses immediately went on high alert. He couldn’t see the driver, but there seemed to be only one person in the vehicle. He stopped at a red light, his eyes on the SUV and the surrounding cars, as well.
“Is there a problem?” Jordan asked as she looked up from the notebook.
“I don’t know yet. We might have picked up a tail.” The light turned green, and Ben punched the gas, speeding in front of the car in the right lane of the four-lane road and making a quick turn onto the side street. He looked in his rearview mirror and wasn’t surprised to see the black SUV mirror his actions. “Yes, we’re being followed alright.” He reached for his phone and quickly called it in, then changed lanes again, hoping to put as much space as possible between them and their pursuer. As he drove, he tried once again to get a look at the driver, but he didn’t make much progress. He could tell it was a white man wearing a baseball cap and sunglasses, but that was about as close of a description as he could make out while he was driving.
“Jordan, take a look at that black SUV that’s following us and see if you can recognize the driver. Also, let me know if you see anyone else in the vehicle.”
“Will do,” she answered as she turned and craned her neck to get a better look.
Ben sped around a white pickup truck, then hit the accelerator to make it through a light as it turned red. He quickly located the SUV behind him and was shocked to see it follow them through the intersection, despite narrowly missing a minivan and being clipped in the rear driver’s side bumper by a two-door sports car. The SUV fishtailed but continued its pursuit and was gaining fast, despite Ben’s maneuvers.
Ben’s tires squealed as his sedan swerved into the left lane and he passed three new cars, narrowly missing them as he rocketed forward. He saw smoke from the road and smelled the burning rubber from his tires, but he ignored both as he focused on their escape. He didn’t know for sure why they were being chased, but he had a good idea. The notebook in Jordan’s hands was probably the key to bringing Southeastern down. If the pharmaceutical company had indeed already killed to keep their secrets, taking out two more people would hardly make a difference in the grand scheme of things. He imagined Southeastern had been following Jordan ever since she had arrived at his door, and keeping them both under surveillance despite his attempts to ensure she was safely hidden away. They had probably just been waiting to see what, if anything, they discovered with their investigation. If they had been following them, it wouldn’t have been too hard for them to put two and two together and realize what they had just retrieved from the safe-deposit box. He would have to check his car later, if they survived this encounter, to see if he could find a GPS or other tracker that had been hidden on his car.
The SUV driver was good. He was sticking to them like glue, and the SUV had both the size and weight advantage. Even though Ben’s sedan was built to law enforcement specs, the SUV was a bigger vehicle with a stronger engine. The driver hadn’t tried to shoot at them, but he was still gaining on them quickly, and they were almost to the Buckman Bridge. A seed of worry started to grow in Ben’s chest. Once they were on the bridge, there was no way to make a U-turn or pull onto a side street to escape their pursuer. They would be well and truly stuck. Ben looked for a way to keep from driving toward the bridge, but it was too late—he had already passed all of the available exits, and there was no other safe way to get off the roadway. He glanced in his rearview mirror once again and grimaced as the SUV hit them hard from behind.
Jordan shrieked and gripped the armrests tightly as she pressed against the seat.
“Hold on!” Ben yelled, as he swerved once again, this time going around a large semitrailer truck as he changed lanes. A red car in front of them slowed dramatically, and Ben suddenly had to spin the wheel and speed around it, narrowly missing the red car’s rear fender as he surged ahead. A silver pickup truck slowed in front of them and he twisted the wheel back to the right, once again barely avoiding the other vehicle. He was thankful that there were eight lanes of traffic, four going each direction, with somewhat lighter traffic than usual. The black SUV was only a few feet behind, following each of his maneuvers with ease. Was the driver a former NASCAR racer? he wondered fleetingly. The guy’s driving skills were amazing. There didn’t seem any way to shake him off their tail, and Ben began to wonder if they would even make it across the river.
A few seconds later, they were driving on the Buckman Bridge. The black SUV pulled up alongside Ben and Jordan screamed again as the SUV scraped against their sedan, pushing it to the right. Ben fought against the wheel but couldn’t keep them from moving over to the right lane, barely missing a tow truck as they did so. The right front fender of his car hit the concrete barrier and they were suddenly sandwiched between the SUV and the guardrail. The metal whined and screeched as it crinkled from the abuse, and Ben watched helplessly as the tow truck behind them hit the side as well before spinning into traffic. He heard tires squealing and several loud booms as cars crashed behind them, but he had to stay focused on the SUV, which had finally been forced to pull away before it could push them even farther into the barrier wall. Both sides of their car were now demolished from the SUV’s actions, but thankfully, the car was still drivable.
Unexpectedly, the SUV was back in the left lane next to them again, just as they were passing the apex of the bridge. They traveled another fifty feet or so without incident. Then suddenly the passenger’s front side of the SUV struck the driver’s side of their sedan with a crunch and both vehicles spun out of control. Their car careened toward the concrete barrier wall once again, but this time the momentum made it flip over and the vehicle skidded for several yards on the roof before it came to rest dangerously balanced on the concrete partition, halfway over the concrete guardrail and leaning precariously toward the St. Johns River below.