TT Spalding - Espionage

"We only need a week but we'd like to string it out another just for the money. Any problem with that?" That was Bruno operating. Not cheating the customer, just padding the account a little. So long as he got what he paid for, why not make it a little more expensive to increase the value of it?

"See you in two weeks from Monday. OK?"

"OK!"

And that was that. With the extra two weeks, we would bill Mr. Villager $40,000 and Maggie and I would clear $34,000, minus a few bucks for incidentals. Not bad. But because Maggie had been a bad, bad girl and had caused me pain and suffering, I wouldn't tell her till the end.

As it was, Maggie began to feel bad about what she did and I let her suffer by pretending to still be humiliated and ashamed of myself. She finally took me by the hand one afternoon late and led me into the storeroom. But when I got there, I pretended to be angry and accused her of trying to humiliate me further. She protested but I remained adamant. She finally pushed me back against a stack of boxes of printing paper and yanked my pants down around my ankles. I won't tell you what she did or repeat what she said then, but I enjoyed that little visit more than any before it or since.

Finally, it was time and Bruno and Polly came in fully loaded with facts and all the pictures Ray could want. There were two piles. The first pile was the thief. They had him dead to rights. It was a man by the name of Karl Damler. Karl was a consultant and helped design information systems for the company but normally had no access to the information that was critical. He was also a 'hottie', as Polly labeled him. Tall, well built, long black hair worn in a pony tail, a body that spoke of working out, and a face that looked to be chiseled out of concrete. Hard, firm chin, high cheekbones and eyes clear and bright. All this was Polly speaking. Not me, for God's sakes. To me, he looked like a guy. Period! A lot like the computer nerd.

Bruno let her talk, rolling his eyes for effect but still, letting her go on. That was not unusual for Bruno. He usually was stingy with the words. But, he was the one with the computer discs showing Karl sitting at Ray's computer and downloading all of the information on the jobs under bid. He apparently did it late at night when the office was empty. He had a key for Ray's office so he could get in at any time. He also seemed to have Ray's passwords and access information, a fact that I mentioned to Bruno. Bruno just nodded and let Polly finish.

Polly watched as I reviewed the discs and pictures Bruno provided me along with a report showing when and how he accessed the data, what files he downloaded and what he copied. Bruno, that wonderful technician, had it all and he had him cold. Now for the rest of it.

"OK, good work. Just a couple of questions. First, how did he get the key to Ray's office and how did he get his passwords? That is critical to solving this case. Polly? What can you tell me?"

"Oh, boss, you're going to love this one. Just like you said. Before I say anymore, I have a couple of pictures you're going to want to see. Bruno?"

Bruno laid down three pictures with a flourish. That was not typical of Bruno. Usually he just smirked. A flourish? These must be some pictures. I sat down and pulled them to me to see what was so special. Ha! Ha! So, I was right! Damn, I'm good!

The first picture was sort of dark and showed two people in what looked to be a conference room. The woman was on her back, her ass near the edge of the table with her legs wrapped around the ass of a big man. They were both naked as jaybirds and it was clear that they were giving it a go. The second picture was similar except that the angle was different and I could see her face and the face of our Mr. Karl Damler. Their expression indicated that things were about to come to a huge climax! And the conference room was the one next to Mr. Villager's office. I remember the pictures of it when we were laying out the camera locations. The final picture was of a beautiful woman, the same woman in the picture, but this time dressed and sitting at a desk.

"OK, I give. Who's the woman or should I guess? Could it be our Mrs. Villager?"

"Damn boss, don't you ever miss? That's her. She's been doing Damler and she's the one who gave him the passwords and the key. I have that on video as well as much more of the good stuff. She is one hot momma. She worked him over that night like a pro. She got him up three times in one night and I admit, he's pretty well endowed. Too bad he's a thief and a swindler. I'd like to have a roll in the hay with him myself."

"Where was Mr. Villager? How did he miss that? Christ, it was right outside his office!"

"On the road. He had been gone for two days and the Missus decided to stay late at work both nights. She waited till the office staff left, went to the conference room and called our boy Karl. He came running, got naked before the door closed and she went down on him like a vacuum cleaner. God, I get hot just watching it. What was impressive was that it only took him a little while to get it back up and then he bent her over the table and rammed it home. She squealed like a stuck pig, but happy, you know?"

There was much more and when I reviewed the videos, I was sold. It was all there, video of the betrayal, video of Karl working the computer, voice confirmation of the password and key source and nothing left to chance. The second pile was strictly one for Mr. Villager to use. It was all Karl and the Missus having sex in all different ways and times. It seems that she was not shy and there were pictures of her and Karl during working hours in the parking garage, in the conference room, a couple of her and him in the copy room and more. Seems she liked oral and there were several clips of her giving and getting. It was graphic as hell and hard to watch unless you wanted to see her get hers. And I did.

Well, I took it all, paid both Bruno and Polly and sent them on their way with a 'good job'. And they did a great job. I sat there, looking at the pictures, watched all the videos and read the report. They were a wonderful team and I was as pleased with them as a proud father. I was still there when Maggie came in.

"What's that look for? You look like you just conned a con. I'm not sure I like that smirk on your face."

"Maggie my woman, just sit yourself down and look at this. Our children just reported in and they did their usual fine job. Just look."

And look she did. I played the videos with sound and spread the pictures out for her as well. I quoted some parts from their reports to explain some of the footage but it was all very clear. Maggie was shaking her head when the last video was over. She was as pleased as I was but wanted to know what led them to suspect the wife. And then, before I could say anything she started to laugh.

"You old fox. You knew, didn't you. That's why you've been so secretive about this. You told them to look didn't you?"

"So I'm brilliant. You knew that. That's why you love me so much."

Anyway, Maggie called Ray the next morning and asked him to come into the office. She suggested he might want to bring the cash and she told him how much. She reminded him that he still had to approve the report but that he would probably be very pleased. He agreed to come in and she set the time.

I admit, I was a little nervous as Maggie showed Ray in. This was the part of the job I never enjoyed much. To see a man or woman hurt by betrayal wasn't my cup of tea. I wasn't a religious man by nature but I was comforted a little by a quote from scripture that had always stayed with me.

"Can a man walk on hot coals without his feet being scorched? So is he who sleeps with another man's wife" (Proverbs 6:28-29)

I knew in this case, Karl's feet were going to get seriously burned! Way to go Proverbs!!

Ray came in with Maggie and sat down, looking pleased and expectant. The weekly status calls let him know we had it nailed and he was about to find out who had been doing him in and he was ready for punishment to be meted out. I gave him that part first.

"Mr. Villager, Ray, the man who has been stealing your information is Karl Damler. He accessed your computer and made copies of all of the necessary files. We have him on video and in pictures with dates and times. It's all in this report and we have copies of everything he took. My agent made copies of all of the discs he made. It's all in the report."

Ray was reading the highlighted parts and he looked very satisfied. He had what he needed to press criminal charges and the information to change his bids on several jobs that had yet to be sent out. He had it all and was very pleased.

"This is great! It's all here and I can do what has to be done. Congratulations, this is excellent work and you'll have my recommendation in writing. I can recommend some work your way right now. Wonderful!"

I sat there and waited. It would come just about now. In my mind, I counted back from five, four, three, two, and bingo!

"But, how did he get the key to my office and my passwords? He isn't a computer guy to my knowledge. I don't see how he could have gotten these. Do you know?"

I nodded, reached down and pulled the second report out of the desk drawer. I glanced at Maggie and she just nodded. She wasn't as soft as me. She would go for the juggler if it were her. I pushed the report over to Ray with a soft, "Read this first."

I watched as he read the end of his life as he knew it. I saw the loss and the pain and the first healthy flash of anger as he read. I watched the pain intensify as he looked at the pictures and finally saw the slump of his shoulders as he finished. I watched him finger the CD and waited to see if he wanted to play it but wasn't surprised when he simply slipped it back into the envelope.

His eyes when they returned to me were wet with unshed tears and haunted with pain and sadness. I had seen that look before and understood. It tempered my words.

"Ray, I know this is hard, but it was important that you knew. This explains how Karl was able to do what he did. Your wife was part of it, but I admit I'm puzzled. Why would she do this? She had everything with you but she's poisoning the golden goose so to speak."

Ray shook his head and didn't speak right away. Finally, he looked back up.

"We haven't been doing well lately. Sally is jealous of the time I spend at work and the time it takes to keep this company up and profitable. She wanted to travel and spend my money and I objected. I finally had to cancel her credit cards so she's been pushing me a lot lately. I was considering filing for divorce but she pleaded with me not to. She said she loved me too much to lose me and that she would try to be a better wife. I believed her. But I guess the prenuptial agreement was what drove her. If I divorce her, she gets $50,000 for each year of marriage and that's all. I'm worth a couple of million without the company and that's another twenty to thirty million. Divorce would take away her living large life style and her Cadillac. I assume she was getting a cut of what Karl was getting by selling his information."

Well, the story was all too typical and I assured Ray that this wasn't his fault. In my business I see a lot and I let Ray know he wasn't alone. Ray left our office a sadder but richer man. He would be divorced within two weeks and life would go on. I was just a little sadder than I was before Ray walked into my office but that was the job. I waited as Maggie showed him out, collected the money and closed the door. We were done for the day and $34,000 richer.

As we walked down the hall toward the steps, I tried to lift my spirits by asking Maggie if she was just staying with me for my money. I was looking for reassurance.

"You'd have to be doing a whole lot better than you are for that to be true. If it was your money I wanted, I'd make you get a real job. One with some security. No, it's not your money, it's your sparkling personality."

"That's all? Nothing more?"

She reached around to pinch my ass and smiled. She knew me well enough to know what I was doing.

"You've got some other assets that are quite good too. Almost as good as the computer nerd. Too bad you caught us in the stockroom. I was about to ravish his body right there on the stockroom floor."

I laughed and returned the pinch. She laughed as well and before we reached the stairs, she stopped, reached down and grabbed me where it counts.

"This is all mine and the only one I want. I'm always a little surprised that you belong to me. I just got lucky I guess."

I kissed her and smiled. I was the lucky one. And funny that she should mention it: I always wondered why she picked me. Just goes to show!