Paradise Lost: Chapter Two

Chapter Two1

“Ok, what the hell happened?! Do you have any idea what I had to tell my boss? Rachel, I thought you had everything under control!” Tracy’s angry voice rang in her ears as Rachel tentatively moved the phone away from her.2

“Sorry, but don’t tell me that you got nothing. I intentionally reveal the existence of file XP3. Besides, this will only make the mystery even more interesting. You’ll have readers begging for a follow-up.”3

“And that’s actually what I told my boss. Don’t count on this every time Rachel; you’re lucky that I was the one in control. If it had been Elizabeth, she would have definitely made the front cover without your status in her conscience.”4

Rachel gazed around her office before her eyes landed on the black folder near her laptop. “Hey, Tracy, do you know where Richard was today? It was strange to see just Clark there.” She picked up the folder, and ignoring the sign “Private,” she leafed through the papers.5

“Richard Herman?” Tracy paused and the sound of rustling paper could be heard. “I don’t have anything here on him. The latest thing we have is an article from two nights ago.”6

Looking frazzled, Rachel asked questioningly, “What happened two nights ago?” She flipped to the next page after glancing at the headline “Plummeting Fall.” Her eyes narrowed as she glared at the title, “Tragic Accident Befalls CEO.”7

“You don’t know?! It was all over the news! His brother, Victor Herman was rejected after proposing to Catherine Mason.8

“Who?” Setting down the articles, Rachel logged into her computer. Someone knocked on her door. “Come in.”9

“Mason! You know, the woman that Victor loves, but who supposedly loves Richard? But all this is fuzzy, the brothers are not saying—“10

“Sorry Tracy, I’ll have to give you a call back later,” closing her phone, Rachel looked at Ervin Pasteur with surprise, a look that was reciprocated in the young man’s face.11

“Mr. Pasteur, how may I help you?” Rachel smiled bemusedly as Ervin turned slightly red and coughed nervously as he stepped forward.12

“I’m sorry Ms. Donnelly, I had no idea of your position. Please accept my apology for my rudeness.”13

“Mr. Pasteur, I would have thought that any new employer would have done his research ahead of time.” Rachel picked up the file Ervin laid on her desk. Arlene faxed over the papers earlier than expected. Looking at the curious shade of red that was beginning to form at the tip of Ervin’s ears, she rolled her eyes. Amateurs. He would not last two weeks.14

“I was just surprised. From my research, the CEO position is usually not in the hands of a woman your age.” Ervin smiled uncertainly at Rachel. Struggling with his words, he continued, “I was not aware of Mr. Donnelly’s passing since I was studying abroad at the time. And I assumed—“15

“Mr. Pasteur, if you wish to continue your employment here, I suggest for you to cease talking. I assure you, flattery will get you nowhere, and I will not tolerate any further comment on my father’s death.” Standing up, Rachel grabbed the fax papers and searched for her keys. Shuffling through her papers, she frowned with disgust at her chaotic desk. Although she kept telling herself to get an organizer and a labeled cabinet, it always seemed to escape her when the opportunity to actually purchase them arose. Where were the damn keys?16

Ervin looked questioningly at Rachel’s frustrated state. Gathering from her posture that she was leaving, he assumed that she was looking for her keys. Curiously, he wondered at her inability to recognize the key rings hiding behind her coffee mug. Coughing politely he stepped forward.17

“Ms. Donnelly, umm, the keys are behind the coffee.”18

“Oh!” Giving Ervin a relieved smile, Rachel followed the direction of his pointed finger. Rushing to the door, she turned around at the last moment.19

“Three weeks,” ignoring the confused look on Ervin’s face, she closed the door.20

After a long and tiresome conversation with the Brownings that went nowhere, Rachel finally collapsed into her bed. Trying to block out the whiny voice of Mrs. Browning that was still ringing in her head, she reached for her suitcase. Just as her hands found Arlene’s facsimiles, her cell phone notified her of a voice mail.21

“Rachel, I’m looking up file XP3 right now. I saw the news. What do you think you were doing at NTC?! If my brother was there, do you have any idea how…never mind. Please keep yourself out of trouble. I’m trying my hardest, but I can’t concentrate when you’re acting this rash. My phone is running out of batteries. Oh, and if you hear anything from Catherine Mason just ignore her. I’ll try to get in touch soon. I…stay safe.”22

Rachel’s hands gripped the phone tightly. The message from Richard worried her, and now her mind was trying to piece everything together. A pang of guilt flashed through her conscience. Her friendship with Richard might just ruin the two brothers. Shaking her head slightly, she reminded herself of the situation. Her father’s death might just be linked to file XP3, a file that was supposedly with her father during his accident, only to disappear shortly after. If Richard, who was convinced that his brother was not involved in the accident, was able to find the file, then she would finally be able to restore her family’s name.23

Picking up the black folder, Rachel’s eyes shut on their own. The articles that predicted NTC’s domination over her father’s lifelong work was unbearable to read. Clippings of the accident along with her mother’s admission to a mental institution have dragged down the corporation’s standing. IPEC, a thirty-year old corporation, was Seattle’s largest stock holder in micro-technology, but ever since Victor Herman became the CEO of NTC, Rachel was only able to watch as IPEC’s investing plunged while NTC’s soared.24

Reminiscences of her mother’s growing madness and her father’s obsession over possible underhand corruption that attributed to NTC’s success drew a choked sob from Rachel’s throat. She was getting her business degrees at that time and was rarely home. She should have paid closer attention to her father’s words, should have been there for her mother; she should have done something, anything! Before Rachel could dwell farther on her regrets, her phone rang.25

Breathing in deeply to reclaim her composure, she waited for a moment before picking up the phone.26

“Darling, when did you change your security code? Anyway, hurry up and come down. It’s raining again, and I’m ruining my new coat!” Arlene’s impatient voice drew a smile from Rachel. Wrapping her bath robe tightly around her, Rachel went to open the door. Punching in her mother and father’s anniversary date on the new security pad she had installed last month, she watched as Arlene Granger stepped into her house.27

“Man, its cold out there. I guess the winter air is already kicking in. Get me a cup of hot chocolate won’t you dear?” Arlene looked up expectantly and sheepishly smiled, “Stop frowning darling, its not helping the winkles.” Stepping up to Rachel, she handed her a wrapped package. “Here, my apology present. Now, how about that hot chocolate?”28

Shaking her head, Rachel rolled her eyes and accepted the present. Heading for the kitchen, she asked, “Marshmallow?”29

“Yes, that would be nice.” Taking a seat on the scarlet satin-covered sofa, Arlene looked around the room curiously. A miniature water fountain stood against the large plasma screen and although the room was scarce of decorations, mantled watercolors hung from the walls. A crystal chandelier decorated the living room and a marble staircase led to the second floor. A 500 gallon fish tank homed to twenty rare species along with magnificent ocean corals was inserted into the corridor that led to the kitchenette. A few business magazines and newspapers lied scattered around the mahogany coffee table positioned before a new desktop.30

“Is the water fountain new?” Arlene noticed the open laptop next to today’s Seattle Times. Reaching for it, she was unsurprised by the security alert that flashed onto the screen demanding the password.31

“Yeah, came in this evening.” Walking back with two mugs, Rachel sat her self next to Arlene. “So,” taking a sip of her hot cider, Rachel picked up the package, “What is it?”32

Arlene grinned but instead of saying anything, motioned for Rachel to open the box.33

Rachel could only stare with wide eyes as she flipped through the papers filed neatly inside a transparent folder. Listings of accidents, stock numbers, dates and time of shipment and eye witnesses of shipping routes were illustrated with numbers and graphs. The inscription NTC was imprinted on every page along with Victor Herman’s signature authorizing all transactions. It appeared to be a copy, but Rachel was too pleased to care. In her hands were the latest detailing reports on NTC’s stock share, and while it was not file XP3, it was enough for her to confirm her theory.34

“Everything that was on the flash drive with the addition of his signatures.” Arlene, apparently pleased with herself, took another sip of her hot chocolate.35

“How? Never mind, I don’t want to know, but tell me what happened this afternoon. What happened to the backup CD?” Rachel carefully stacked the papers together. Turning her full attention to Arlene, she once again marveled at her friend’s ability to access forbidden information. She ignored her conscience that dared her to question the ethnic code that Arlene was obviously breaking.36

“Everything was ready to be delivered to you this afternoon, but at the last minute Mr. Granger demanded for my attendance at a university meeting.” Rachel forced herself not to comment at Arlene’s address to her father. Arlene blamed her father for her mother’s death and had never forgiven him for it. “I had the files under lock and key but when I came back, the file was gone. What’s strange was that nothing was out of the ordinary; there were no signs of forced entrance so I assume that the theft knew my passwords.”37

“This will be problematic then, see if you can—“38

“Don’t worry, I already have it taken care of. A new security plan will be installed next week, and I already extracted everything from my computer and deposited it into my vault. There was no evidence of anything else being taken besides the file, and if the thief returns, he won’t have anything else to steal.”39

Relief was only present for a moment, before a serious look crossed Rachel’s face. “Do you think Clark had anything to do with it?”40

“That fat idiot with the horrible mustache and the ugly scar on his left cheek?” Arlene raised an eyebrow, “There’s no way he could have done it, but how about Victor? He wasn’t there at the press conference today.”41

“No, he’s cleared; Tracy said he was spotted at Catherine Mason’s house an hour before your expected arrival. There’s no way he’ll have the time to steal the files.”42

“Wait a minute, did you just say Mason? That woman who rejected his proposal two nights ago?” Arlene’s look turned graved as she set down her drink. “Rachel, be careful of that woman. You have what she wants, and that vixen will do anything to get rid of anyone standing in her way.”43

“I have what she wants?” Rachel looked confusingly at Arlene.44

“He hasn’t confessed to you yet?! Men are such idiots!” Arlene promptly picked up her bag and headed for the door. “I’m meeting him in ten minutes, and don’t worry, I’ll set him straight.”45

Before Rachel could put in another word, Arlene had already shut the door.