Identity Read Free

that he would be busy in the coming hours cleaning up the actions that had taken place this past week.  First things first.
    He entered the library and placed an intercontinental call to Rome, Italy.  After several minutes, an accented voice  answered.
    “Ciao.”
    “Naldo, did you receive my package?”
    “Si.  I have found a woman that has the same coloring and body type that you described.  She rented the car last night.  I paid her well to drive the rental from Roma to Napoli.  Today she will take the car on the route that I have directed her to follow.  Earlier, I packed the trunk with your wife’s suitcase.  Then I cut the brake line.  When she gets to the mountains, she will be no longer.  The signora will be unable to stop and the car will fall down the cliff.  I will follow to make sure the car catches fire.”
    “Well done.  I will see you after I identify the body.  I have the three hundred Euros we agreed upon."
    " Signore, you are mistaken.  We agreed upon eight hundred euro."
    "I...I'm sorry. You are correct. I will have your money ready when we meet."
    Both disconnected the call without further comment.
    Rodney returned to the entry hallway.  In his mind, he reviewed the past few hours.  Put everything back to “normal” to be ready for his wife’s return from her Italian shopping spree.  He chuckled.  Everything is working out.  It was all about details, he thought.
    By 4:00 a.m., he accomplished his work, down to the last detail. He replaced the broken statuette with one from the library bookshelf. Now he had time to catch a few hours of sleep before going to work.
    Shortly before 9:00 a.m. Rodney arrived in the Robinson—Williams parking garage.  He pulled his red Benz-SLR in the “Reserved” parking space next to the basement elevator door.  He headed to the elevator while remotely locking his car. As he entered the elevator, several employees rushed through the parking lot in hurried steps. One man raised his arm indicating to Rodney to hold the door. In the elevator, the man looked at Rodney and gave him an acknowledging head bow.  The young redheaded woman entered the elevator next and smiled as she gazed into Rodney’s icy blue eyes.  He smiled back and thought, “Possibilities?”  True to form, he never missed an opportunity to turn on his infectious smile. 
    “Floor?”   She asked.
    ”Ten.”   He watched as she pushed the seventh and tenth floor button; the man watched the encounter between the two and asked the woman to push 5.  The elevator bell dinged as it stopped on the fifth floor. The man gave a whispered "have a good day" as he exited the elevator.  The door closed, and the elevator started the climb to the seventh floor.
    “Your position here?”
    “Junior editor." She blushed as she replied, knowing full well whom she was talking to. 
    The elevator bell dinged and the woman broadly smiled and nodded her good-by. Rodney rode the elevator to the tenth floor and exited to the Executive Suites.  Mrs. Green, his assistant, rushed to him saying her good morning simultaneously handing him several phone messages.
    “Mrs. Green, let me know when my wife calls.  She's returning tomorrow from Italy.’”
    “Yes, Mr. Williams.  Should I let her assistant know?”
    “Certainly." He continued speaking to her in a professional manner. “I need to see the new releases and the book signing dates. Have the updates sent to my e-mail?” 
    Rodney entered his office and pulled the door close. When the door closed, he leaned against it and a wicked smiled beamed across his face. After a moment, he walked over to the window overlooking Lake Michigan. The grey clouds covered the sun trying to peak through the calm scene. He knew he would take Sarah’s office and have a complete view of the lakefront after the board meeting naming him CEO.  He turned to sit down at his desk and opened his laptop.  Eight e-mails.  He opened each one knowing that he