She didn’t have to.

After I calmed down and plotted a way to get this nosy reporter off the case, I received a call on my cell phone. I answered it after a few rings without being able to figure out the identity of the caller. A male voice spoke, “Janette Smith, you will be getting two parcels delivered to your office in the next few minutes. I would strongly recommend that you accept them into your office.”

The phone disconnected with a beep in my ear. I was starting to wonder who the hell was trying to mess with my life now. I phoned Katie and got her to try and trace the last call. Just as she got back to me a few minutes later with a negative reply, saying to me, “It is untraceable. I can’t find out where it came from.”

Now my blood was up and I was getting pissed. Just then a courier arrived with two rather large boxes and Katie escorting him into my office. He was just a typical kid courier by the looks of it, not some strange person who indirectly threatened my company.

Once the courier had his stupid paper signed I motioned for Katie to open the boxes. As she did open the first one and looked inside she screamed and fainted right there. I walked around my desk and looked into the open box. What I saw chilled my blood: Marco’s blond head with a male appendage stuffed into his mouth, which was stuck open in a silent scream.

Just as I was about to open the second box a loud pop exploded a window near my desk. I dropped to the floor and took cover, and right then my cell phone rang again. I answered it angrily, saying, “Whoever you are you have just made a very grave mistake! I…”

“This is just a warning for you, Miss Smith. This what will happen to you if you attempt to do anything to the woman reporter who was in your office a short while ago. If you try ANYTHING at all to her or any person that she knows or comes in contact with, you can now see the end result. If you doubt we can get to you anytime, look at the pictures in the box. There you will see some people who are actually dear to your cold heart. Pay attention now – look out your window to the tower to the south of your office. The shiny one – that’s right. You see the hand waving? That person has a rather large bore rifle aimed at you right now, and hiding behind the desk won’t help you either. We can reach you anywhere, anytime, anyplace, anyway that you can’t possibly imagine. So do yourself a favor, and forget about the reporter and her story. You have bigger problems to worry about.”

With a harsh beep the signal disconnected in my ear; my heart was actually racing, and not from being turned on. Something wasn’t right and I was going to get to the bottom of this right now. I pressed the intercom and called for Katie but there was no answer. I left my office and went to see where the stupid bitch had gotten to, but she was right there at her desk, tied up and gagged – nude.

I realized then that someone meant business, but I was in the business of knowledge and someone somewhere would know something about this. It was just a matter of time.