Page 44 of One Last Goodbye

This is an opportunity to learn something from Keller. I haven’t had a chance to speak to him since the memorial, and with the children sequestered in their rooms, I don’t have a higher duty to distract me.

So, despite the guilt I feel at my mismanagement of this investigation so far, I resolve to press forward. “Thomas, I know it’s not my place to ask and certainly not to accuse, but I was interrogated by an Interpol agent who believes that Frederick’s death might have been related to certain indiscretions that company was engaged in.”

Thomas scoffs. “Moreau is a fool. They all are. Whenever a powerful person dies, the rodents all arrive to pick the bones clean. Where was Moreau before Frederick’s death? What gives her the right to show up at his home and interrogate his wife and children the day after he dies? No, this is all about prestige. If she can cast some dirt on the corpse of Frederick Jensen, shecan collect some accolades, look pretty for the news cameras and earn herself a promotion to Senior Inspector.”

His tone gets increasingly angry as he speaks. He catches himself at the end and apologizes. “Sorry. I’m just sick of dealing with those rodents. They’ve stopped coming here, but I’ve had phone calls from Interpol every day. It’s even worse at the office, from what I understand. The other executives have their hands full just trying to keep the wheels from falling off, and they have to deal with twats who want to complain every time they find an expense report without a receipt.”

He chuckles bitterly and sips some of his champagne. I sip some of mind and work up the courage to press him further. “Was the company involved in illegal activities?”

Thomas’s answer will tell me a lot. I know for a fact that he’s managed some of those illegal activities. If he denies it now, I will know I can’t trust him, and that will make me consider again whether he might be our killer.

His eyes narrow. He watches me for a while before responding. I feel my heartbeat start to quicken and pray that I haven’t made myself a target. Finally, he sighs and finishes his glass of champagne, then pours himself some more.

“Finance is a difficult world, Mary. It’s easy to sit on a high horse and judge people for every mistake they make, but when your clients are among the most powerful people alive, you don’t have the option of failing. You can’t make a mistake. You can’t even lose their money through no fault of your own. So, did we do some things that fall outside the narrow fences of the law? Yes. Just like nearly every other financial management company on Earth. Did we act in ways that would bankrupt millions of people and cause widespread market collapse the way other hedge funds have? No. Our ‘activities’ as you describe them were all incremental and all delaying tactics to deal with the fact thatmost of our clients are impatient fools who don’t understand how the world actually works.”

“Do you believe that pressure might have been too much for Frederick?”

He scoffs again. "No. No, Frederick lived for pressure. He thrived on it. He got nervous like anyone, but he didn't pull into a shell or go to drink or any of the numerous other vices men fall to when they succumb to pressure. He loved women, but show me a man of his wealth and status who hasn't slept with numerous women, and I'll show you a man who prefers men."

He reddens slightly and sips more of his champagne. “I apologize for that. That is not a polite way to speak. I just… no. No, the pressure wasn’t too much for him.

“And the business was fine. That’s another thing. Are you familiar with Bellevue Systems?”

“No, I can’t say that I am.”

“Well, you probably wouldn’t know them unless you were in the technology industry, but they’ve invented a software that will improve the effectiveness of treatments of autoimmune diseases by fifty percent or more. Clinical trials have already shown drastically improved outcomes in patients with lupus, Guillain-Barre, multiple sclerosis, even HIV. Frederick bought thirty percent of the company ten years ago. We expected returns sooner than we achieved them, but there were some unexpected delays in fielding the technology. That’s the root of the financial troubles we’ve had. Some people started threatening us, we had to find resources that were… outside of normal channels… and we had to fudge a few reports to avoid penalties that would have put us out of business.”

He leaned forward, and his eyes came alive. “But now the corner’s been turned. Bellevue’s market value increased by nine hundred percent in the past year. By the time we sell the business in the fourth quarter, we predict the value to be threetimes that. I won’t give numbers, but suffice it to say, it would be enough money to pay off all of our debts—including the less-than-legal ones—make restitution for the fraud charges we’d have to grant the courts to let them save face, and leave us with enough to turn a handsome profit for ourselves and our clients with enough left over to invest in the company’s next ventures.”

“So he had no reason to kill himself.”

“None,” he says firmly. “And he didn’t kill himself. I guarantee you someone else pulled that trigger.”

The door to the dining room opens, and Sophie pokes her head through. “Dinner will be ready in fifteen minutes, Mary, if you’d like to rouse the children.”

Thomas starts slightly. He looks at the rest of the champagne in his glass and sets it on the table. “I believe I’ve had too much to drink,” he says softly. He gives me a stiff smile. “Don’t mind me. Frederick was a friend. I suppose I still haven’t come to terms with his loss.”

“You don’t have anything to apologize for,” I assure him.

He sighs and stands. “Well, thank you for listening. Just do your best for those children. Catherine’s not the monster everyone assumes she is, but she’s… well, I’ve had too much to drink, so I shouldn’t say anything else. Have a good evening, Mary.”

He leaves, and I wait until he’s gone, then go to fetch the children.

I consider what he’s revealed to me. It doesn’t really tell me anything I don’t already know. I already believe that Frederick was murdered, and I already believe that the crime is one of passion and not related to any financial benefit.

But I have learned one thing. Thomas Keller is innocent of Frederick’s murder. The grief and anger he showed at his friend’s death was genuine. It’s true that killers often show guilt after the crime is committed, but there’s a difference betweenthe remorse of a killer and the anger of an innocent friend seeking justice.

So, one killer is off of my list. And one more victim cries out for justice. For the Jensen children's sake, and for Thomas Keller's, I will find the person truly responsible for Frederick's murder and bring them to justice.

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE

That evening, I call Sean again. I relate what Thomas Keller tells me and ask him his thoughts.

“Well, if what he says is true, then that would take away the financial reason for a suicide. It’s easy enough to find out. I can go to the SEC website and look up the company. Are they U.S. based?”

“I didn’t think to ask.”

"Well, it's no matter. I can look it up and then find records from whatever governing body they report to. But let's say that he's telling the truth. That doesn't change the fact that he's a middle-aged man sleeping with the latest in a long line of women who only value his money and prestige, while his wife sleeps with the latest in a long line of men who satisfy her in ways her husband never has."

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