Total pages in book: 139
Estimated words: 128083 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 640(@200wpm)___ 512(@250wpm)___ 427(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 128083 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 640(@200wpm)___ 512(@250wpm)___ 427(@300wpm)
Posey knew, though, as did the Kiss family. They made much of it happen. They fixed undesirable situations. They cleaned up messes. They solved problems for people who had problems to solve. Sometimes they arranged retribution for those aggrieved and desiring revenge.
Posey retrieved the stack of that day’s newspapers from several major cities that her father had delivered to their home each morning and engaged in some brief research regarding current events. She made it a point to stay up to date on politics and culture so she could add elements to her equations should it become necessary. One article in particular about the senator’s home state caught her attention. “Perhaps there’s a cleaner way,” she suggested to her father.
“Cleaner than making the auditor disappear?”
“Mm.” She looked away, doing the math in her head, calculating odds and probabilities based on each potential scenario. Finally, she opened a map and pointed to a location up the coast from the politician’s home, a small fishing town with a per capita income far lower than the national average. “A major flood took place in the small town of Waltham Shores,” she said. “It appears an evacuation of the hospital is necessary due to damage and inaccessibility. However, the main road is still underwater, and so they’ve put the plan on hold temporarily. It’s a tenuous situation. The coast guard is buried with other rescues and has limited resources with which to help.”
Her father tapped his chin as he listened. “Go on.”
“My calculations suggest that rather than disappearing the auditor, a rescue, using the yacht as a means to evacuate the most critical patients, has a greater chance of long-term success.”
“Explain.”
“The auditor’s brother is a police detective in Portsmouth who is retiring next month. A twin brother.”
“Hmm. I see. If he goes missing, or his body is found, the brother is likely to look into it. Especially since he’ll soon have the time. They’re probably close, as twins tend to be. Perhaps his brother even mentioned the situation to him.”
“We might look at his phone records to determine that. However, the rescue leaves no loose ends.”
Loose ends were often a problem in the Kiss family business. A relative got too close to the truth, someone talked who wasn’t supposed to, human error of all types and magnitudes occurred during the commission of the operation. Then those loose ends would have to be tied up, and on and on.
Several loose ends could quickly unravel the entire fix.
They’d watched it happen before, even if their involvement was always obscured. Their clients understood that if things went south, they, and only they, would take the fall. The Kiss family made certain of that.
“How does the rescue solve the problem of the tax avoidance?”
“It doesn’t directly. However, a news tip-off will bring cameras, which would in turn garner attention. It’s a feel-good story. Humans of all demographics respond well to heroic acts. It would most likely go national. We could ensure that it does.”
“A donation to build a new hospital wouldn’t hurt,” her father suggested.
Posey did some quick adjustments to the calculations in her head. “No, the odds improve with that variable.”
“When you say improve . . .”
“I mean the acclaim will all but negate the scandal. Per my calculations.”
Her father sat back, his lips tipping minutely. “Creative.”
Posey’s brow wrinkled. There was nothing “creative” about what she did, at least to her mind. However, “disappearing” someone, meaning killing them and disposing of their body in any number of ways, was often far messier than alternative approaches. And more risky.
Wasn’t their business about improving odds for their clients?
It wasn’t that Posey was particularly averse to the disappearances of those who entangled themselves in situations with predictably poor outcomes. It was simply that there were often far more prudent ways in which to handle many of the cases that ended in violence and death.
And again, loose ends.
“I’ll present it and let the client decide,” her father said.
“Time is of the essence,” Posey reminded him.
“Of course. I’ll make the call momentarily.” He paused, giving her a smile. “Most people are averse to being responsible for the death of others. I’m sure he’ll at least appreciate an array of choices.”
Posey smiled.
“You’ll run this operation someday, Posey. How do you feel about that?”
“I feel equipped.”
Her father chuckled. “Indeed. Even more equipped than me, perhaps.”
Her frown returned. “Anton won’t be pleased.” Her brother, Anton, expected to take over the family business. As the only boy, he thought it was his right. He believed Posey was a freak. Worthless and plain weird. And he never missed an opportunity to say as much.
Maybe she was. But regardless, she couldn’t be anyone else.
Her father sighed. “Nothing will please Anton. Anton isn’t the type to ever be satisfied with anything. He’s my son but he’s . . . too rash and self-involved to successfully run a business like ours. No, Posey. You are my choice. You will be my legacy. Now, please excuse me while I make this call.”