Units reported as vacant were actually occupied by friends of certain employees, who were collecting and pocketing the rents. Also, he said, he could prove that Kelly and Lemmon was illegally tapping into power lines to defraud the electric company.

He assured them that he did not believe Wymer was involved in this fraud and embezzlement, but that almost everyone else in the company was—especially a certain rental-office supervisor, who was allowing her friends to occupy these apartments.

“I intend to give you time to investigate these charges, John, and to bring the culprits to justice. But if you can’t or won’t do it, I’ll make it public by reporting the matter to the Columbus Dispatch.”

Wymer was worried. It was always possible that dishonest employees were doing things that might create a scandal. From the way Milligan talked, it was obvious he was alleging that Sharon Roth was behind most of this.

Wymer leaned forward. “Just who are you, Bill?”

“Just an interested party.”

“Are you a private investigator?” Turnock asked.

“I see no reason to reveal myself completely at this time. Let’s just say I’m working in the interests of certain of the blue-chip investors.”

“I always figured you weren’t just a maintenance man,” Wymer said. “I guess you always struck me as too brilliant. So you’re working for the investors. Would you care to tell us which ones?”

Milligan pursed his lips and cocked his head. “I never actually said I was working for the investors.”

“If not,” Turnock said, “then you’ve probably been sent by a rival management company to destroy Kelly and Lemmon’s credibility. ”

“Oh?” Milligan, said, tapping his fingertips together. “What makes you think that?”

“Will you tell us who you are working for?” Wymer asked.

“All I can tell you now is that you’d better get Sharon Roth in here and ask her some questions about the things I’ve told you”

“I certainly intend to look into your accusations, Bill, and I’m glad you brought this to my attention first. I can assure you, if there are unv dishonest employees working for Kelly and Lemmon, they’ll be dealt with.”

Milligan stretched out his left arm to show Wymer and Turnock a small microphone wire up his sleeve. “I should point out that this conversation is being recorded. This is the receiver and there is another party, away from this location, taping all this.”

“Well, good for you,” Wymer said, laughing, and pointed to his open desk drawer. “Because I’m taping it all too.”

Milligan laughed. “All right, John. You’ve got three days, starting Monday, to clear up the situation and fire the guilty parties. Otherwise I make the information public.”

A short while after Milligan left, Wymer called Sharon Roth at home and told her of the accusations. She protested that it was a lie, and swore that no one in the rental office was stealing from the company.

Concerned now that Milligan had bugged her office, Sharon went in on Sunday to search it. She found nothing. Either he had sneaked in and removed it, or it was all a hoax. She glanced at her desk calendar and automatically turned the page from Friday to Monday. Then she saw the printed note: