Read Fire in a Haystack: A Thrilling Novel (Legal Mystery Book Book 1) Online
Authors: Erez Aharoni
Gali wore a short black skirt and a tight light shirt. The soles of her feet were embraced by high heeled shoes. She had carefully selected her outfit for the coming appointment.
The guard at the Viromedical factory gate was interested in the young, good-looking woman. It wasn’t a common look for the visitors who normally entered the factory. “I have an appointment with the CEO,” said Gali, “he’s expecting me.”
The guard called on the internal phone and got approval to admit her. She was equipped with a magnetic card on which the word “visitor” was printed, and she hung it on her chest.
Gali gestured at the guard’s wax-drenched forelock and said, “It looks nice on you. That hairstyle suits you.”
His cheeks flamed at the compliment. “Do we know each other?” he asked.
“No,” she said, “but we can fix that. Pleased to meet you, I’m Gali,” she said and favored him with a trademark doe-like gaze from her deep brown eyes.
“And I’m Yanai.” He shook her hand and was surprised by the firmness of her grip but also by the pleasant sensation of her skin on his.
Gali passed through the gate and walked jauntily on her high heels towards the management building. She didn’t need to turn back to know that Yanai’s eyes did not leave her backside, which kept rhythm with the motion of her walk. She passed through the glass gate with the magnetic card and followed the signs to the CEO’s office on the second floor.
A secretary asked for her name and then offered her a seat in the waiting area. Gali took some lip balm out of her bag and hurried to moisten her lips, which were dry from all the excitement. The secretary dialed the internal phone. The ring disturbed Dr. Friedman’s train of thought.
During the past few days his schedule had been hectic. The Ministry of Health’s Director General’s requests disrupted his plans and took most of his time.
He couldn’t recall why the attorney, Gali Shviro, wanted to see him. A dim memory in the back of his mind conjured an innocent telephone conversation in which he’d been asked to approve an appointment with an organization that ranked factories according to their adherence with environmental protection requirements. He had distractedly approved the appointment. Still distracted, he instructed his secretary to let the
lawyer in.
He was surprised to see the handsome girl who walked to the middle of the room. That wasn’t the image he had expected. They shook hands. He politely directed her to the sitting area at one end of the room and said, “Welcome, madam, what brings you here?”
Gali did not waste a single moment and said, “Sir, my name is Gali Shviro. I’m an attorney and a representative of the Environmental Action Association. I’ve come to ask a few questions about the activities in your factory.”
“What exactly do we have to do with the Environmental Action Association?” Dr. Friedman cleared his throat. “And why would you think I would detail the factory’s activities for you?”
“I think it would be wise and proper for you to provide us all the information without omitting anything. We have a lot of information about the damages caused to the environment because of your—”
“Tell me, attorney Shviro,” Friedman cut her off, “aren’t you the ones who filed a lawsuit to stop the privatization of the factory? This is under legal discussion.”
“That’s right. But we think it would be better if we speak directly. Other ways might prove to be painful and harmful to all parties involved.”
“Are you kidding, madam? Do you know where you are? Is this some sort of joke or prank?” Dr. Friedman became impatient.
“Of course I know. I’m at the Viromedical factory. But it turns out this factory isn’t really independent; it’s really a branch of the Biological Institute for the study of contagious diseases. So I allowed myself the privilege of coming here in order to ask you a few questions.”
“Madam, I don’t know how you’ve reached such conclusions. I don’t know how you’ve managed to mislead me and coordinate this appointment, and with all due respect, I don’t see any need or reason to cooperate with you. Especially in light of the path you have chosen.”
“This is the material relating to your factory we’ve been able to find.” Gali took a plastic sleeve, which contained photocopies of the letters she had found in the archive, from her bag. Before his startled eyes, she skillfully spread the letters that bore Dr. Friedman’s name on the table.
He peeked at her face from above his glasses and immediately became consumed with the reading of the documents, forcefully stopping the cough that rose up his throat. He simultaneously tried to read and hide the anger and surprise that overwhelmed him.
Under any other circumstances, he would have erupted angrily at someone demonstrating such impertinence, but his keen senses helped him realize that this time he was facing a larger and deadlier threat, and a single misdeed could turn the situation into an explosive one.
“As you can see, sir…your signature is on one of the letters. It is my understanding that you served as a high ranking employee of the Biological Institute before your current job.”
“That’s correct,” he said, “but I have no idea what you’re talking about, madam. Either the documents were forged or someone is pulling a prank on you. Where did you get these documents?”
Gali wouldn’t even dream of betraying her source of information or telling him how she had gotten ahold of the letters.
“I can’t tell you that,” she answered, “but that doesn’t change the fact that the documents are authentic.”
“I’m not entirely sure they are authentic. For all intents and purposes, Viromedical is a civilian factory. This factory is about to be privatized. Our products are in great demand and are sold all over the world.”
“But the documents I’m showing you tell an entirely different story. And unless you help me to refute it, I’ll need to bring this story to the public’s attention,” said Gali with a non-threatening, yet firm tone. She found it difficult to believe she was speaking like this. The man in front of her was older, more educated and in a senior and influential position, but she was filled with a motivation to discover the truth. “I mean every word I’m saying,” she added.
Dr. Friedman collected the documents with his long fingers, and without warning, in front of Gali’s stunned eyes, he tore them to shreds. He went over to his desk and threw the scraps into the wastepaper basket.
Then he slowly returned to Gali and said with a measured tone, “Those documents are worthless. We will not cooperate with you. All our activities are businesslike and legal. I will not take an active part in any provocation or manipulation.”
“It won’t help you, sir,” said Gali, trying with all her might to maintain her composure, “You can shred and burn the documents; it doesn’t matter. Those were only copies. The originals are kept in the safe of a well-known and respected law firm. They will be published and you will need to give a full account of your activities, either to me or to the media.”
“I can think of a few organizations that would be very interested in learning how such documents came into your hands, who forged them, and for what purpose. Our interview is at an end, madam,” Dr. Friedman told her decisively.
“I’m sure we’ll meet again,” said Gali as she rose from her seat and straightened her skirt.
Dr. Friedman accompanied her to the door, maintaining a disinterested appearance. He approached the open window, through which she could easily be seen, with her straight skirt and high heels, leaving the management building and walking confidently towards the gate.
A few minutes later his secretary called him again on the internal phone line.
“Who is it now?” he roared into the receiver.
“Officer Nir Alush would like to see you,” said Ziva.
“What does he want?”
“He says he is a police detective and that he needs to see you right away.”
“Let him in, please,” said the doctor and emitted an irritated sigh. His daily schedule was about to be completely disrupted.
Gali went out of Friedman’s office and took a deep breath, forcing herself to regain her restraint and self-composure. She walked along the corridor then down the stairs to the factory yard.
It was the end of the workday and the tiled yard was bustling with activity. People wearing white lab coats were walking towards a large building that appeared to be the factory’s main compound. She assumed most of the industrial activity took place there. A forklift carrying cardboard boxes passed in front of her.
She raised her eyes towards the exit and for a moment thought they were deceiving her.
The person who walked past the gate and spoke with the guard was Officer Nir Alush. He was dressed in the same civilian clothes, a light T-Shirt and khaki pants. Gali hoped he at least washed them since their last meeting.
She heard bits and pieces of the conversation and recognized his whistling S. What was he doing at the factory? Then it occurred to her that he might be interested in what she herself was doing there. She immediately turned right and got further away from the exit.
Not too far off, she could see the inner fence of what Fliegelman had called “a factory inshide the factory.”
The fence was made of concrete and its height did not allow her to see what went on behind it. She walked over to it and discovered cracks probably caused by the gradual settling of the wall. She peeked through one of them. Even though it was starting to get dark, she managed to see a gray, one story building, its roof flat and its walls hidden by oleander bushes.
She got closer to the fenced enclosure’s gate.
To her surprise, she saw Yanai, the guard with the gel-drenched hair, standing next to the inner gate. He spoke with a dwarfish woman who appeared to be in her forties and who possessed an unusually loud voice. From the bits of the conversation that reached her, Gali understood that the woman was complaining about people taking her private parking spot, and she expected the guard not to allow this sort of thing to happen again. The small woman’s bag was on a small table, close enough for Gali to reach. A lanyard was sticking out of it, and attached to one end was the woman’s magnetic entry card. Gali didn’t think twice and quickly exchanged her guest card with the one in the woman’s bag.
The woman turned to take her bag and Gali stepped up to Yanai without any hesitation. Self-confidence, that’s what it’s all about, she reminded herself.
“You’re everywhere, eh? Well done,” she said with a friendly smile.
“Someone’s sick so they forced me to take another shift,” he explained with a tired, end of the workday kind of smile.
“The CEO sent me here. He’s been delayed, but he’s supposed to join our meeting,” said Gali. She had no intention of stopping there.
Yanai continued to stare at her with great interest and didn’t ask any questions. She wasn’t even sure he was listening; apparently the fact she had already received an entry permit and looked so good was enough for him.
The gamble paid off. He moved the metal gate, accompanied her to the building entrance, opened the glass door in a gentlemanlike fashion and let her through.
“I’ll be here when you get out,” he said.
“You’d better,” said Gali and winked at him. The front desk in the lobby was deserted. She noticed there were three large screens behind the desk.
She entered the old-fashioned building. “A quick tour and I’m out of here,” she whispered to herself. “If I’ll get caught, I’ll say I lost my way and my magnetic card got switched by mistake.” At the end of the entrance hall she saw a staircase behind a glass door. She swiped the magnetic card she had taken from the employee’s bag in the appropriate slot and the door opened. She quickly went downstairs, ignoring the difficulties caused by her high heels and the short skirt she was wearing.
The stairway led to a basement floor. An additional thick glass door blocked her way. She passed through again with her magnetic card and went downstairs.
I guess the lower you go, the more interesting it becomes
, she thought.
At the end of the second floor’s stairs was an elevator whose door was wide open.
Maybe I’m overdoing it? Perhaps I’m pushing this too far?
Doubts began to gnaw at her. She retraced her steps. To her consternation and confusion, the door wouldn’t open. Could it be that the card only allowed admittance to the building and did not allow exit? For lack of any other option, she entered the elevator.
The minus 2 button was lit up. She pressed the exit floor button. The elevator remained stationary. Another level was marked on the button panel. Minus 3. She pressed the button. The elevator responded to her request and took her down another flight.
It works if you want to go downstairs. Interesting
, she thought,
there was no stairway leading to that floor
. She went out the elevator and into a large, illuminated corridor. The elevator door closed behind her. She found herself facing another glass door and opened that one with her magnetic card as well.
Suddenly, she heard footsteps in the hallways and voices in conversation.
She turned her head quickly and saw a large electrical cabinet behind her. She opened the doors, went inside, adjusted her body to the small niche, held her breath and prayed.
A thought passed through her head that such a place must have security cameras installed. Why hadn’t she thought of that before? How would she explain her roaming about? With stupid haste, she had entered a restricted area without a cover story. She could just picture Dr. Friedman’s face when they brought her out of the electrical cabinet.
But now was not the time for regrets. She assessed the situation quickly. The doors between the floors did not allow exit. The elevator only went down. There must be a way outside, but what was it?
It was quiet again. The conversation of the passersby had faded. She came out of the closet and entered the first room with an open door.
She found herself in a laboratory. Against the walls stood refrigerators of various sizes. At the center of the room were work tables with laboratory instruments on them. Gali had no idea what their names or purposes were.
I need to at least take a peek. This is an opportunity that won’t repeat itself.
She tried to calm her conscience, entered the laboratory and closed the door behind her.
She opened one of the refrigerators. It was full of shelves each containing test tubes with different markings. At the far end of the room there was a small computer station and a cabinet containing books and ring binders. She quickly opened the small refrigerator that was next to the computer station. More test tubes.
On the middle shelf were smaller test tubes in plastic trays. A black-lettered sign on the trays read “Do not remove without the approval of the shift manager.” A shiny red label was attached to each test tube. She lifted one of them.
The glass tube was not even as long as her little finger. Inside it was a transparent grayish liquid, and its opening was hermetically sealed with a cork that only a syringe could penetrate. The letters UUVAR1, which didn’t mean anything to her, were written on the test tube.
She quickly opened two additional refrigerators. There were test tubes stuck into trays in them as well.
She recalled the contents of the documents that Friedman had torn up in a fit of anger. Could it be that the test tubes contained the deadly viruses that were not destroyed? Could it be that each such test tube contained a potential catastrophe? It seemed impossible that the viruses were stored with such poor security. They must be hidden somewhere else. There was only one way to find out.
She returned to the first small refrigerator, took a red-labeled test tube from the plastic container and placed it in her pocket.
Gotta start somewhere, and these test tubes seem more important than the others. Besides, I’m the shift manager now
, she said to herself. She knew exactly who to give the test tube to.
No more fairy tales and stories
, she thought with satisfaction. A careful independent laboratory examination will reveal what was being done in the factory. With the test tube and the waste sample, the one she took with her own hands from the factory’s sewage pipe, the complete picture will finally be revealed.
She glanced at her watch. Seven minutes had already gone by.
How time flies when you’re having a good time
, she thought and chuckled.
I have to get out of here, but how?
She went to the door and tried to open it. It didn’t budge. She tried the handle again. It still wouldn’t open. She tried to apply force but to no avail.
Can it be that I’ve locked myself inside? Maybe they saw me on the cameras? Maybe Yanai the guard missed me and came looking for me? Are all the doors programmed not to reopen once they are closed?
A chilling wind blew from the air conditioners. Only now did she notice that her skin had goose bumps because of the low temperatures. She looked around helplessly, not knowing how she would escape from that place and what might happen to her if she didn’t.