The Insider Read Free Page B

that’s all right. The transaction involves a public company and it hasn’t been announced.”
    â€œI understand, but this is a homicide investigation, so I’m afraid I’m going to have to insist. Don’t worry, cops don’t make enough money to invest anyway.”
    â€œIt was the merger of Boston Technologies with Davionics. They make navigation systems for the aviation industry.”
    â€œAnd did you see Ben this morning?” The detective paused. “Other than when he was falling from the roof.”
    â€œNo.”
    â€œDid you talk to him on the phone?”
    â€œNo, but he tried to call me twice this morning. He probably knew I was in the office early and wanted to talk about the Boston Technologies deal.”
    â€œHow do you know it was Ben who called?”
    Will pointed at his phone. “There’s a display. I saw his name flash both times.”
    â€œWhy didn’t you answer?”
    â€œI didn’t want to be bothered. It was six thirty in the morning, and I wanted to concentrate on the project that I was working on. I figured that we could always talk later.”
    â€œAnd he didn’t leave a message?”
    â€œNo. The second time there was a message, but he didn’t say anything and hung up after a few seconds.”
    â€œWeren’t you curious?”
    â€œIt was early, I hadn’t had my coffee yet, and I wasn’t ready to get my head around complicated tax issues.”
    â€œSo you’re sure you didn’t meet with Ben at all this morning?”
    â€œNo.” Will didn’t like the way Detective Kovach had repeated the question.
    â€œSo how did Ben manage to have your card key to the office when he went off the roof?”
    â€œI really don’t know, but I suppose that Ben or someone else could have entered my office and taken it from my jacket pocket while I was in the library.”
    â€œBut you didn’t hear anyone else on the floor?”
    â€œI heard a door shut around six forty-five or so, but I didn’t see anyone.”
    â€œTell me how you found the other access card.”
    â€œIt was just there in my pocket.”
    â€œYou told Lieutenant Morrison on the phone that you realized that Ben was using your access card because you recognized the blue and green cord that was attached.”
    â€œThat’s right.”
    â€œSo why didn’t you realize that the key you took with you to go downstairs wasn’t yours? It didn’t have a blue and green cord.”
    â€œI had just seen someone fall to his death. I was kind of freaked out at that point.”
    â€œSo you have the other key with you right now?”
    Will nodded and handed over the access card to the detective.
    â€œWhy don’t you just set that on the desk,” Detective Kovach said. He picked it up gingerly by its edges and dropped it into a plastic baggie that he removed from his jacket. “You know, Will, you have the right to have an attorney present while we have this discussion.”
    â€œWait a second . . .”
    â€œYou know that you have the right to an attorney, right?”
    â€œYeah, sure. I know my story sounds odd, but I’m telling you the truth. I called you, remember?”
    Detective Kovach examined the access card through the plastic bag. “What do you think the odds are that this belonged to Ben Fisher? Pretty good, I’d say, but we’ll know soon enough. Or would you prefer to just tell me right now?”
    The detective slipped the plastic bag into his jacket pocket. “I’ve got an idea. Why don’t you just tell me the whole truth about what happened this morning?”
    â€œI don’t know what happened here, but I’m telling you the truth. I didn’t meet with Ben Fisher this morning. And I have no idea how our access cards got switched.”
    â€œNow why would he sneak into your office and do that? What purpose could that possibly