Page 76 of Your Coffin or Mine
God, I hate that she’s right. I take a couple deep breaths and reality sets in again. The man I’m seeing is a hermit, but knows Frank Stein?Make it make sense.
“Ugh, I need wine for this, and I cannot believe you tried to guilt trip me. You don’t eveneatice cream,” I say, sliding on my bunny slippers, the ears flopping. I shove my wireless earbuds in as I walk to make sure Burnie and her crazy talk isn’t overheard.
“True, but I will straight-up tell my lactose intolerance to fuck off if you break up with me.”
A smile curls my lips, almost ruining my false tone of irritation. “You realize how ridiculous you are, right?”
“Whatever. I’m not going to lie to you though—it looks like he is hiding a lot.”
My stomach flips with dread. Please don’t be a sex trafficker. I duck down the hallway, heading toward the kitchen. God, I hope I don’t bump into Vlad. My stomach flips a second time.
“What do you mean?” I finally ask when I think the coast is clear.
“I mean, most organizations have significant firewalls protecting most of their assets. But it’s strange. I found this small subsidiary, and all the files are encrypted. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen. Think of Fort Knox level security.”
I frown as I whisper, “But what does that have to do with Vlad?”
“I’m still working on that, but I did find one old document. Apparently the Tepesh family has been part of Talbot Global since its creation.”
What?“But Talbot is worth billions. If that’s true, then why are they needing help to set up this grand opening? If Vlad is a partner with Frank Stein, then why this whole thing?”
“Maybe he wanted to extend his portfolio? Who knows?” I can almost hear her shrugging through the speaker. “To be honest, I’m wondering why that place isn’t swarming with more models.”
I flip the light switch on in the kitchen and glance at the spotless brick-encased range and countertop. “Right, like what the hell? Just one Miss America, no biggie.”
“I’m serious, Aubrey. I don’t know what’s going on, but I’m getting a hinky feeling.”
“You have been having episodes of hinky feelings since the second grade,” I say, trying to remember which door is the pantry. They really need to get a map made; it would make this entire issue easier. Phones in every room wouldn’t hurt either.
“Listen, whatever they have going on, it took me days to break into it, and it will take weeks to sort through it all,” she murmurs, just as I realize which door leads to wine.
“How much trouble would you be in if you got caught?”
“As if any of those dipshits he hires could catch me.” She snickers across the line.
Bernadette is a doll, a cute, freckled, redheaded doll who prides herself on never meeting a computer system she can’t crack. This isn’t the first or the last time we’ll have to have conversations about other people’s intellectual property.
I open the pantry door, making my way to the stairs leading to the cellar.
“Well, I guess you won’t be bored then.” Pausing at the top of the steps, I mutter, “God, it’s so dark in here.”
“So turn on the lights.” Then a growl comes through the phone before she continues. “Thing is, I can’t get into the harddrive. Words cannot express to you how many red flags that is for me.”
I step down into the cellar, running my hand along the wall in search of the switch. “Iamlooking for the lights, and I don’t see what Frank Stein’s hard drive has to do with Vlad.”
“Wait. Why do you need lights when it’s daytime?”
“I’m in the cellar. People only die in the cellar at nighttime.”
“Right, that sounds legit. Anyway, ask Vlad about it. Talbot has been around for a couple hundred years. He has to know something. Maybe one of his grandads bought shares at one point but, from what this says, his family helped found the company.”
I lean against the wooden railing leading down to the cellar. “Nope. You’re on your own,” I say, but the line is silent when I expect a retort. “Burnie?”
My phone screen readscall disconnected, and isn’t that just my luck. Dammit. I rip my earbuds out and shove them in my pocket, then search around in the dark, wondering where this damn light switch is. A sharp scraping sound sends a cold shiver up my spine.
“Okay, the creepiness levels are rising.”
“Aubrey? Whatever are you doing in there?” comes Vlad’s voice from the doorway.
