“You need me to make you some real food,” inserted Britney, tucking her hair behind her ears. “Something better than from a coffee cart.”
“No,” spoke Gabe firmly. “I need you to grab the tie and suit jacket laid out on my bed. More important, there is a USB stick in the living room, probably on one of the side tables. I need it at the office immediately for a meeting which starts in less than twenty minutes. I’ll get you cleared through security and you can come directly to my office to drop the items off.”
“I suppose I could,” mused Britney. “Then I can grab some more boxes on the way back.”
“Thank you,” breathed Gabe. Maybe this having a wife business wouldn’t be too bad. Then again, he wasn’t prone to forgetting things. If Britney hadn’t interrupted his morning, Gabe would have had the reports and been dressed properly. “I really appreciate this.”
“I’ll see you in a bit,” smiled Britney before she shut off the call. Gabe could still see her via the cameras installed around the apartment as she gathered the necessary items, found the USB stick, and headed out the door. He had a sigh of relief. Problem solved.
“Looking a little casual today,” commented Parker as he entered Gabe’s office without knocking. He slouched in one of Gabe’s leather chairs. “Better finish getting dressed before the board meeting. Dyson is looking to score points and try to start a mutiny.”
“Dyson doesn’t have the votes,” scoffed Gabe. “He likes to talk big but will never be at the head of a coup.”
“We need to keep this whole situation under control,” warned Parker. “Otherwise a coup might be a very real threat. Some of the board is a bit antsy in how things are being handled regarding the whole FBI investigation into our uncles’ involvement in criminal activity.”
“We aren’t being investigated,” pointed out Gabe. “Which means we are handling the situation perfectly. If they need to be reminded that the situation is under control, then I will be more than happy to tell them who is in charge and how it has benefited them.”
Parker held whatever doubts he may have to himself.“I have been meaning to talk to you about something.”
Gabe watched his brother straighten to sit up in the chair. Parker’s serious expression didn’t bode well for whatever he wanted to talk about. “What is it?”
“There has been a theft from the Mercy General,” answered Parker. “It’s not big, but the security was breached and no one caught it.”
“When did the theft happen?” frowned Gabe. This was serious. “What was stolen?”
“About a month ago. I found out just yesterday,” sighed Parker. He hesitated. “The person was caught on camera. They had a keycode for the medical supply unit and a pass card. I don’t know where they got it. Likely one of the staff thought he was you.”
“Thought he was me?” Gabe asked, surprised. “Why would they think that? I haven’t been near any of the medical supply units. I have no reason to be.”
“It was Gerrit,” a grim Parker stated firmly. “The video is grainy but I know it was him.”
“Our cousin Gerrit?” Gabe knew his cousin Gerrit looked a lot like him but anyone who knew both of them wouldn’t make the mistake of mixing them up. Perhaps the entire hospital chain could use a security system overhaul. “Why would he steal something from one of our hospitals? It just doesn’t make any sense. What did he take?”
“Medication we use during heart operations. It stops the heart from beating so procedures to repair a heart can be done,” Parker shook his head. “The drug is the only thing missing from the inventory and not accounted for so I have to assume that’s what he took. The good news is it wasn’t the narcotics or opiates dispensary so we know Gerrit doesn’t have a drug problem.”
“Could there have been a mistake?” Gabe grappled with the idea his cousin had stolen from them. It seemed surreal.
“It’s all on the surveillance video,” shrugged Parker. “I have set up interviews for the staff who were on duty the day of the theft. I want to fully investigate this before I speak with Gerrit about his actions. The best thing we can do is try to keep it quiet for now.”
Gabe nodded. “Agreed. We don’t need anymore bad press.”
All of the family businesses had suffered because of the negative reporting about the FBI investigation. It didn’t seem to matter what they did in regards to creating good press by committing more to charity work, the news media simply hyped the continued story of the money laundering and drug smuggling their uncles had been drawn into.
“I heard this morning personal and business accounts involved in the investigation are being frozen by the FBI,” ventured Parker.
“I heard it as well. However, my source tells me the accounts have already been frozen for nearly a month,” confessed Gabe.
“It must be a nightmare to operate under such conditions. The only good news about that is the Ramesly HMC hasn’t been drawn into the whole debacle,” Parker shared a look with Gabe.
“Only because Dad was the one who turned Uncle David in and already paid the penalties the government wanted,” groaned Gabe. “What are we going to tell the family?”
“What do you mean?” Parker asked in confusion. “Why do we need to tell them anything? They will just be angry Dad started this whole snowball of an FBI investigation.”
“You don’t think they aren’t going to wonder why we aren’t being investigated?” Gabe raised an eyebrow. “Why our accounts aren’t frozen just like theirs? I don’t think it is going to be enough that we just tell them Dad and Ramesly HMC wasn’t involved in the money laundering, especially since Dad was at the beginning.”
“Sometimes it is better to let secrets be secrets,” advised Parker. “It’s not like anyone has been asking questions.”
“They will. We need to have a united front on how to answer those questions,” predicted a gloomy Gabe. He wondered what Parker knew about the secret in their own family tree that pertained to Parker. “Don’t just think the family will be the only one asking. Reporters will be digging into it as well. We will have to get the PR team together to see how we can spin the investigation into some positive press for us.”
