“Yes, and all of them computer savvy. Experts,” Bruce said, sliding into the chair across from Jules’s desk. “Not sure how many, but it’s my guess that over the years, it’s grown to include new members and even more sophisticated technology. No telling what information they are pulling out of computers.”
“Or putting in there,” Jules added. “Or how far they will go to make sure nobody finds out about them.”
“And you think my mother somehow got involved in such a network?” Dalton asked Jules.
“Yes, and I believe that’s why she was killed. That picture on the wall was a clue she deliberately left behind, but nobody was able to make a connection until now,” Jules said. “I asked Manning to find out the name of the company that was hired to handle the Y2K scare at Granger Aeronautics. It’s a company by the name of Triple H Computer Company. I’ve spent the last several days doing extensive research on them and as hard as it is for me to believe, I think I’ve made a connection between them and your mother’s death.”
“You’ve certainly been a busybody, Ms. Bradford. Unfortunately, your curiosity is going to cost you.”
Jules, Dalton and Bruce turned and saw a familiar couple standing in the doorway with guns aimed directly at them.
Forty-Four
“Un-fucking-believable,” Dalton muttered through shocked lips.
“Just as I suspected,” Jules said, not shocked at all.
Bruce stared at the guns leveled at them, and for the time being, he decided not to say anything.
“Don’t start the party without me,” a third person said, entering the room also brandishing a gun. “We have not been followed,” he said to his colleagues.
Jules stared into the faces of Harold and Helen Owens...and Gary Coughlin.
When he saw her staring at him, he winked and said, “Yes, sweetheart, it’s me. You may remember me as Gary Coughlin but please, call me Garrett Herbert. I’m Harold and Helen’s silent partner at Triple H Computers.”
“We need the three of you in the center of the room, so don’t try anything. I would hate to kill any of you in here. The blood would leave a nasty stain on such gorgeous floors,” Helen Owens said. “Now move.”
Jules wished she had time to pull her Glock out of her desk drawer, but decided not to take a chance. But she did have time to activate the audio record button located on the underside of her desk without detection.
“Now where were we?” Harold Owens said, grinning as the three of them stood in front of Jules’s desk. “Oh, yeah, so now you know our computer company is the one involved with Y2K at Granger Aeronautics. And, just as you suspected, we were involved in Sylvia’s death. Why don’t you appease their curiosity, Helen?”
“Certainly, dear.”
Dalton stared at the elderly couple, who seemed far too old for this sort of thing. Who did they think they were? Bonnie and Clyde? And what about Garrett Herbert, the man Jules had flirted with that night at Shana’s party? Considering the ages of the three, he figured that he, Bruce and Jules should be able to overtake them easily. But then, the three were packing some serious-looking weapons. He wouldn’t do anything stupid to put Bruce and Jules at risk. He just hoped like hell that Stonewall had put things together and had called the police.
“Dalton,” Helen Owens said, grabbing Dalton’s attention. “That mother of yours was really a piece of work. The computer network was my idea. I figured I would involve a few women who were smart enough to want to make more millions than they already had. But all most of them wanted were their tea parties, social clubs and charities. The only one I felt comfortable inviting in was Sylvia. She liked the idea. But then she got greedy. Thought she could run the show because she was younger. She didn’t know the first thing about computers, but she was a threat, nevertheless. Figured one day she would try to take things away from Harold and me. And I couldn’t let her do that.”