Page 43 of Stranded with the Billionaire
The right thing would be to hand the information over to the police. Mindy was just fishing for more money, Sterling decided. Not that she would get it. Sterling plucked out the cash from the ATM and pushed it into Mindy’s purse before taking the envelope. “You’re doing the right thing.”
Standing up, Sterling grabbed her crutches, leaving the unopened bottle of water behind.
Mindy was counting the money. “This is it? I risk my job, my life and this is all it’s worth?”
“Standard payout,” Sterling responded. “You won’t get more from any other tabloid writer.”
“That’s ridiculous,” Mindy scoffed. “If I would have known I never would have agreed to this.”
Sterling wondered where the Mindy who was worried about doing the right thing had gone. Sterling recognised Mindy’s type. She’d be selling more copies that she’d made to every other tabloid that she could contact before the morning was done. By tomorrow, every paper in the city would have the news. Mindy wasn’t the type to not cash in on an opportunity like this.
Ignoring the angry woman, Sterling crutched her way out of the café. The sun was starting to rise and she knew of a sweet little restaurant that was open this early which was nearby.
At the diner, she managed to snag a seat at the back. Ordering breakfast, Sterling sipped a coffee while unloading the contents of the envelope. Just as Mindy had said, there were copies of the drug log, pictures of the fridge where the vials were kept and copies of the study summary. There was also an USB stick which would contain all the data from the studies pertaining to IgEGM, perhaps even an email trail.
The email trail might prove that David had full knowledge of the drug. However, none of this would prove that David had actually killed Ted Searson. Anyone could have taken out a vial while taking the photographs of the fridge and log. Obviously, security at Ramesly Pharma wasn’t what it should be. However, it would prove that the police should look more closely into Searson’s death, that it could very well be murder.
Sterling leafed through the summary as she ate her breakfast. Mindy had been right. In studies on lab rats, the drug caused anaphylactic shock, a severe allergic reaction in nearly eighty percent of the rats. Just over sixty percent died if no intervention was given.
Ted Searson had been murdered. There was no doubt in Sterling’s mind.
She needed to see what was on the USB stick for certain. She’d plug it into her laptop at the apartment to verify its contents. After that, Sterling would have to decide what to do with the information. She couldn’t leverage it for a new job, no one would give her the time of day to hire her. Sterling believed that Mindy was probably selling the same package to the next tabloid even as Sterling finished her breakfast.
There was really only one thing to do. She would give the information to the police. They in turn, would give it to the FBI and hopefully a full investigation would reveal David’s part in Ted’s murder.
Sterling paused as a paper caught her eye. Quickly, she scanned the obituaries.
Ted Searson’s funeral was today.
A few hours later and she waited for people to slowly leave during the graveside ceremony. Ted Searson had been buried with all due pomp, no mention of his illustrious career as a possible drug smuggler mentioned. Ted’s widow, Constance blotted tears with a tissue, elegantly mourning her loss. Beside her, the prodigal son Thad returned from Europe stood stoically. A little to the side, daughter Bethany was tucked to the side of Andrew Colborne-Ramesly, not that Drew liked to be associated to the Ramesly’s as one of David’s illegitimate children.
Bethany and Drew had recently become engaged. It was a whirlwind romance and the cynical part of Sterling wondered just how long it would last. The romantic part of her hoped it would. They made a handsome couple, Drew holding an umbrella for them both in the light drizzling rain.
Other press had snapped numerous photos, asked for comments, been turned away by security and finally had left. Thad murmured something to a tearful Bethany as he escorted Constance away from the graveside to a waiting limo. Even after crying, Bethany was achingly beautiful, Sterling reflected ruefully. When Sterling cried, she looked like the ugliest woman on earth for the rest of the day.
The security detail had left with Thad and Constance Searson. There were a couple of Drew’s coworkers, all cops, paying their respects. Sterling recognized Drew’s sister Jana with her husband Miguel, as well as Drew’s younger brother Molson. She had hoped to get just Bethany and Drew alone but it didn’t look like that was going to happen.
Drew looked up and caught Sterling’s eye. He scowled, said something to Bethany who nodded. Giving the umbrella to Molson to hold over Bethany’s head, Drew walked over to Sterling.
“You should leave” he said curtly. “We aren’t giving any comments to the press, especially to the tabloids.”
“I’ve been fired,” Sterling decided to be direct. “I’m not here for a comment.”
Drew gave her a surprised look. “Then why are you here?”
“You’re a detective,” she pulled Mindy’s envelope out of her purse and offered it to him. “This is about Bethany’s father. I believe he was murdered and this is proof that his allergic reaction could have been manufactured with the intent to kill. Tomorrow it’s going to be all over the papers.”
“Did you tip them off?” Drew carefully took the envelope, peering at its contents.
“No. The source from Ramesly Pharmaceuticals sold it to everyone willing to buy,” Sterling hoped that she could trust Drew with this information. It was well known that he had no love for the Ramesly family even if he was David’s son. “I don’t believe that Michael ran drugs. I believe David has framed his son and killed Ted, the only man who might be able to testify against him.”
“Believing something and proving it are two different things,” Drew commented dryly. “What’s your motive in this Barracuda?”
Sterling winced at the nickname the police force had given her. “Like I said, I’m out of the tabloid business. None of this information does me any good.”
“Why did they fire you?” he asked casually as he skimmed through the drug summary.
“Ask your cousin Jake,” Sterling sighed.
