Page 54 of Enemy Boss

“That’s just it though,” I reply. “Cullen these aren’t my notes.”

“Are you sure? Because everything on that document checks out in terms of the figures and the recommendations I made,” Cullen says.

“I’m sure,” I say.

“I’m not doubting you Max, but how can you be so sure? You haven’t had time to read more than a line or two,” Cullen says.

Even as he says it, I’m scanning the document, reading more of it, but that’s only to satisfy my own curiosity about whether or not Cullen is right that the document is factually correct. I already know for certain that it isn’t a copy of my notes.

“My notes were hand-written,” I say, still reading.

“What?” Cullen says.

I stop reading. I’ve seen enough to know what I think has happened here. I spin the chair slightly so that I’m facing Cullen.

“When I was transcribing the audio file from the meeting with Mr McPherson, my computer was taking forever to switch between the file and the Word document I was using to take notes on. In the end, I decided it would be easier to make hand-written notes and type those up instead of keeping having to stop and start the playback of the file,” I say. “These facts and figures are accurate, but they aren’t mine.”

“Why didn’t you say this yesterday?” Cullen says. “It would have proved your innocence.”

“Because I didn’t realize the attachment you had been sent was typed up. When I finished making my notes, I scanned the sheets of paper I used onto my computer. I assumed that you had been sent a copy of that,” I tell him.

“I see,” he says and then he goes quiet for a moment. “This narrows down our suspects somewhat. It has to be someone from here who was able to get into your computer to get the audio file to work from.”

“Or anyone who potentially had access to my cellphone,” I point out.

“It would have had to have between the meeting with Mr McPherson ending at …” Cullen says. “Can you open the calendar and work it out?”

“Sure,” I say.

I do as he asks.

“Eleven twenty seven Tuesday morning,” I say.

“Right. And I received the email from Bill at …” Cullen is back to moving the mouse and looking over my shoulder at the computer monitor. “Nine fourteen Wednesday morning. And that was about ten minutes after he called me, so let’s say nine o’clock Wednesday morning. Obviously, the person would have needed time to do the notes from the audio file, but let’s just disregard that for now because we don’t know their skill level to know how fast or slow that was. So, I will look at the sign in records and make a list of everyone who had access to your computer between the hours of eleven twenty seven on Tuesday morning and nine fourteen Wednesday morning. Can you do the same but for who might have had access to your cellphone, but obviously don’t include anyone who works here because I’ll have them on my list, unless of course it was a social visit, and they weren’t at work that day.”

I give Cullen his chair back and go around to the other side of the desk. I pick up the note pad and pen off the desk and sit thinking about where I had been between those hours. Cullen was clicking around on his computer as I pondered it.

We had come straight back here after the meeting and my lunch break had been spent in the staff breakroom with Cullen. After work, I left with him and went straight back to his place and I didn’t see anyone else until I came back to work the next morning, which was the day I took a half-day meaning the email had been sent before I even left Cullen’s house.

I jump a bit when the printer whirs into life in the corner of Cullen’s office. He gets up and goes to it and comes back with two sheets of paper, each covered with a list of names.

“Where’s your list?” he says.

“Outside of the office, I was only with you,” I say. “I think we can rule you out, but for argument’s sake, you’re on that list anyway.”

“So somewhere on this list is our culprit,” Cullen says and then he grins. “God listen to me saying words like culprit.”

“I think visiting the police station this morning has gone to your head, and turned you into a bit of a detective,” I say with a giggle.

We had been to the police station first thing to give our statements about yesterday with Ross. God I can’t believe that was only yesterday. It already feels like a lifetime ago. Officer Reynolds had taken my statement and Officer Norman had taken Cullen’s, and afterwards, Officer Reynolds confirmed that no charges would be pressed against Cullen because they deemed that he had used reasonable force to detain the man. I was glad that part was over, but Officer Reynolds had warned that if Ross pleaded not guilty and the whole thing had to go to trial both Cullen and I would be called on to testify against him.

“Let’s play cop then and go through this list,” Cullen says pulling me back out of my thoughts and back into the moment. I nod my head in agreement and Cullen gets his chair and wheels it around to my side of the desk. He spreads page one of the list of names down in the middle of us. “Let me know if anyone in particular jumps out at you.”

I read down the first page and shake my head. I recognize most of the names as people who work here, and there are a few names I don’t recognize who I figure work in a department I have never really had any interaction with. Cullen switches the page for page two. I scan through the list and point to one of the names there: Kimberly Trent.

“Her?” Cullen asks and I shake my head quickly.

“No. I mean we can rule her out,” I say.

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