HER GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT

Chapter 20: pulverized trust

Ben was furious. He told the children he was going back to work and drove to see urdinof. There was no one else he could think of, Urdinof was the best man for the job. Finding those who didn't want to be found and make those couldn't shut up disappear for good. He drove very fast to town. Urdinof was a hard man to find and an early bad catches the worm. When he got to his office he found urdinof with Noah the police boss in a meeting.

"Ben long time how are you doing?" Noah asked stretching his arm for a handshake.

"Am fine Noah, Where are you going I just got here", He said.

"I was just leaving", Noah said,” See you later my friend", He said to urdinof who just nodded in agreement.

They were all surprised. Noah had just come in and they had only exchanged pleasantries with urdinof. He was smart enough to know that pleasantries only were not enough to bring him all the way across town.

"What was that?" Ben asked taking a seat.

"I don't know Ben. He is a busy man maybe something important came up. How are you?" He asked

"Not fine,"Ben said leaned forward with his arms on Urdinofs desk," Someone attacked my wife's foundation offices and she thinks it’s me", He added.

"And you're sure it's not you", Urdinof asked smiling.

It was rare to see him smile unless it was something very funny. Except that it wasn't funny because Ben was telling the truth. He was everyone's first suspect and it sucked for him even though he deserved it. He was not a delinquent.

"No I had nothing to do with the attack. She said they did not steal anything"

"Meaning it is a message then why are you here...I mean if you didn't do it", Urdinof teased.

"I might have promised to get her the person behind this in 24 hours"

"Ben you don't go out there promising stuff that you can't deliver men this is so messed up", Urdinof complained.

"She was so torn man I had to do something"

"Have you considered that the person who did it is helping you?"

"No all I wanted is for her to take the job I didn't want to vandalize her office man and FYI my plan was working she even admitted she wanted to go back to her job the Vandalism changed her mind ", Ben said.

"And you believed her?"

"Yes can you imagine she asked for a divorce?"

“Now that's messed up for I will see what I can get within the hours your promised", Urdinof said dialing on his land line.

"Thanks man let me rush to the office keep me posted... Tick tock", He teased making a gesture of a clock.

Urdinof ignored him. It was not ignorance he was a man to go for a job that needed a quick intervention. And when hew was doing his work nothing could interrupt him even the employer were to keep their cool.

"Fire up the Calvary we're going to ATHEWI", He said.

Later that afternoon three SUVs and one landcrusiser TX pulled over at ATHEWI foundation gates. The police had already left almost five hours later. It was still a crime scene surrounded with a yellow “Do not cross” tape. Ruth and the rest of the team were seated under a tree going on with their activities. The entrance captured their attention fully as they waited patiently to see who was coming. When urdinof emerged from the cool TX Ruth just shook her head and cursed out loud. They all shifted to stare at her before she made it simple for them.

"Ladies and gentlemen meet the CEO of sac safe security consultants. The man who ensures I sleep peacefully at the comfort of my home", she said getting up from her seat.

"What a welcome Ruth and what do we got here?" Urdinof asked surveying the area.

"Did Ben send you here?" She asked.

"Yes"

"Ooh my God it means he didn't do it and I accused him"

"Relax sweetheart we haven't figured that part out yet"

"But police have already been here what else could you find that they haven’t?"

"Give me a Chance with your permission...” He said asking to enter the building.

"Follow me", she said leading the way past the tape.

That day all the employees were questioned. Where they were between certain times. If they had heard anything about the attack. Their enemies and potential threats. The guard too and even Ruth. She was still feeling the guilt of accusing Ben. He did not do it. But that did not mean she had let him off the hook. He had convinced her children she had the deadly virus. How were they going to treat her? Urdinof’s work was convincing unlike the police who got in and came out with their own samples no one knew where they were picked. He was being led by Ruth room to room. They went through the cases she had solved the register of all victims who had come in for counselling. He checked their phone records and even bank statements. It was a thorough search some employees even started getting cold feet as the army man with his employees turned everything inside out searching for a needle in a haystack.

In the evening, they were all send away. His men were to keep watch and Ruth was to go and relax wait for the outcomes. She trusted him and left with everyone to club clove. Urdinof went back to his headquarters. He was connecting the dots. He already knew who the chief suspect could be. Noah had something to do with it. But before he sold him out Urdinof wanted an explanation. All the files of the cases were present except for Lisa's that was missing. The perpetrator was Noah’s best friend Henry and that morning Noah gave Ben a cold shoulder. God he loved behavioral psychology. He found Noah in his office. It was seven in the evening the police boss was still having fun. Signing through documents with a bottle of Hennessey on the table.

"Can I join you?" Urdinof asked.

"Jesus! You scared me man you got to learn to knock", Noah said regaining his composure.

"I did knock", He said getting a glass for himself from the rack.

"So what's up?" Noah asked buried in his documents.

"About earlier today you left in a hurry"

"Something came up", Noah answered quickly.

That's how he confirmed his theory. By saying exactly what he was hoping he'd say. Lies have no expert. One way or another they get out and bite one in the back. Noah's treachery had hit a wall. Urdinof asked him about the ATHEWI case. He lied it had not been brought to his table but he had overhead some rumors when it was him who had sent the cops to frisk the office and carry back forensic samples for analysis. Urdinof was disappointed. He wanted the reason why he did it when it was Ben's war. Why did he help Ben in a way Ben didn't want of course he knew it was because of Henry. He just wanted it to come from his mouth.

"Why?" Urdinof asked staring at his drink.

"Why what urdi?" Noah asked feigning seriousness.

"Why did you do it and don't lie to me you know what am capable of", He threatened.

Noah thought about it. He was probably what was less fatal between crossing Urdinof and not saving his friend.

"My friend Henry was caught up in their mess I had to do something men. I just wanted to scare them no one was hurt. Besides Ben should be thanking me", Noah said rudely.

"He is the one who send me to investigate after your boys lied to the Ruth they had collected some samples when in real sense they stole Lisa's file", "Urdinof dropped the bomb and took one last sip.

“Come on men don't tell Ben", Noah begged.

"The file Noah", Urdinof said smashing the glass on the wall.

He was angry and Noah could see it. There was no time for bargaining the next thing could have been a bullet through his skull. He was sure a sniper was already somewhere waiting for his signal to take him out. Henry was not worth death. His friend was going to understand Noah had no choice but give him up. No one could play Urdinof even when he was smiling he was dangerous like a female lion. Noah opened his drawer and took out the file. The army man might have been a murderer but he also had a rule about helpless women and children. In the middle of the darkness that surrounded him there was some light.

"We have a deal. The boys won't know about this but your boy is going in for a very long time", Urdinof said and walked out of the room authoritatively.

Noah needed a stronger drink.

******

The club was filled to the brim. No one could have known it was a week day. That's how the society has turned out. Mark Manson calls it the paradox of progress. Life is getting better but the society is getting more emotionally sick. That's why they spend a lot of time in the clubs. Ruth was leading the celebrations on their table. She had a reason to celebrate even though everything she ever worked for was crushing down. James was around the club organizing his surprise proposal. He needed Dave's help with that. They used Kyla to keep Anita busy and then they all disappeared outside.

She was having fun seated in the VIP lounge with a celebrity. Taking photos and drinking exotic wine. Even their date with James was hurled at the back of her mind. She wasn't thinking about it anymore. If he wanted to find her he would have anyway. All of a sudden it went dark. All dark. Only the lights from the moon could be seen lighting up the sky. But she wasn't giving it a smart look. Kyla touched her shoulder.

"Look", she said.

"Ooh my God!" Anita said happily.

There were glowing letters on the wall. She read each word with exact precision. "MARRY ME ANITA" the wedding she was aware her guess was in one or maybe two months’ time but the kind of proposing was novel. Suddenly the lights came back on and she was curious to see the mysterious glow of letters. All her friends dressed in red T-shirts. The glowing letters on their bellies still visible from where she was seated. Smiles on their faces including Linda in fact she had the first "A" of her name. And right there where she was seated with Kyla James was on his knee. With a shiny diamond ring already opened from its box. Words evaded her. She was all tears of joy walking on cloud nine. It was like a dream come true.

"Yes", Anita finally mumbled.

"She said yes!" James announced happily via his earpiece.

The mood was even more jubilant than it was before as applauses came in from the crowd. He put the ring in her finger and raised her arms then all their friends swarmed in for a group photo. James and Linda in the middle then the couples matched to one another. Linda was left with Ruth.

"We need a stag party", Nick suggested when the dust of jubilation had settled.

"Yeah I totally agree", James concurred.

"You'll be damned if you think we girls aren’t throwing a Bachelorette party too", Ruth said confidently.

The girls ignited a chain of high fives to support her. There was no point in arguing. There were all soldiers of gender balance. Yet James couldn’t let it go.

"Don't you guys have work tomorrow?" James asked smiling.

"You mean" us" including Dave or which us?” Tania asked.

"Of course including Dave", James said.

"Yes we might have work", Anita said.

"Until we hear from Urdinof we don't have work", Ruth closed the argument.