by Jamie Ott
Two hours later, they were on the train to Paris.
Gabrielle and her lover were taken to the hospital unconscious. Since they had no identification on them, the police were forced to neglect tracking down Anton until they figured out who they were.
Gabrielle and her lover nearly died from the experience. They both woke up the next day in the hospital surrounded by their families. In spite of the shame they felt Gabrielle had brought them all, they agreed Anton needed to be brought up on charges. The police agreed that his actions were monstrous but they were too late, as Anton had already packed and left for Paris, taking Lucian with him.
At Gare Du Nord, Anton hailed a cab at the entrance. It took him to a hotel, in his friend’s neighborhood, for dinner. Anton told Lucian to sit tight and he would be back. He walked to the closest pay phone and called his friend from school. The man he called was a nasty, cynical man who nevertheless had always “been there” for Anton.
Earl Baldric Engelard was a contemporary impoverished aristocrat. He was judgmental and scathingly sinister. Although technically impoverished, his family was still relatively wealthy; they just were unlikely to be passing any money onto him once they died. For this, Baldric was often angry; he resented that his family should live the good life while he had to go out and earn a living.
When Baldric’s father died of heart failure, he inherited a mere 100,000 francs and his title. His mother inherited a single million, which she depleted well before her own death, and then had to go live with her sister and husband. All of their assets were eventually sold off at auction, including their thirty room mansion - the Vatican purchased it at a fraction of the market. Now it was a monastery for Italian priests; it made Baldric sick to his stomach.
And as for the 100,000 francs, for a man like Baldric, it might as well have been only 100.
When Anton made it to Paris, it was to find that Baldric had digressed, and not just financially. The first night or two, they had great fun catching up, but afterwards, it became clear that Baldric had become debased and scheming. Now, although Anton wasn’t by any means a saint, he wasn’t nearly as sinister as Baldric; Or at least, not at first. Anton wasn’t easily drawn into his schemes; that is, once again, not at first.
Baldric was dating a woman who was there as a summer exchange student. She was a young, dark haired woman whose American Indian heritage was beautifully displayed in her cheeks and hazel eyes. In Paris, she was coveted as an exotic beauty for being the tall, dark daughter of a wealthy investor. Baldric saw her as the key to his future.
In an effort to lure her, he introduced her to his mother, called her the love of his life, and bedazzled her with jewels purchased on credit in his mother’s name. Yet the woman wasn’t swayed. Baldric even offered her to share in his title, but these had become less important in those times. Money and enterprise, and ingenuity, were worth twenty titles.
Sarah was the American woman’s name. It didn’t take much time before Baldric showed his nasty side. They decided to split up.
Sarah fell for Armel, a good hearted Parisian from an average family. He studied architecture at La Sorbonne. Armel’s designs were praised by his professors. Scouts wanted to recruit him, and peers wanted to be him.
After a few months, they decided to get engaged. Sarah’s term at the university had ended. They agreed that she’d return to the United States and tell her parents. Armel would come and meet her parents, later, and then they’d return to the Paris.
But things didn’t go as planned. When Baldric heard, he was enraged. He tracked Armel down to the university pub. Baldric sat in the corner looking at him with absolute hatred.
Two drinks down, and Armel left. Baldric followed him out, down the street, and up several blocks to the men’s dorm.
At that moment, Baldric saw nothing and no one, except the back of Armel. Not the city lights, not the traffic, nor the people who passed them on the streets. He hated Armel for his good looks and good fortune. Then he had the nerve to walk in on his territory, and ruin the only future he had.
Just outside of his dorm, he pulled out a pistol and shot him in the back.
The shot brought Baldric back to awareness of his surroundings. He looked around. Several people sat along the hedged brick wall that extended on both sides of the glass entry to the men’s dorm. At least a dozen eyes burned at him.
Armel’s body oozed blood on the concrete. Stunned by the loud noise, they stared a moment at Armel and Baldric. Then as they registered what they were seeing, they all started to rise or walk toward them.
He turned and ran back to the loft, where he found Anton making dinner for Lucian.
Baldric, who could never hold onto a single dime, begged Anton for money. Anton felt as though he owed Baldric for taking him in, so he gave him all that he had. He, then, boarded a plane to the United States that night, and went to find Sarah.
Once there, he convinced his mother to help him out. With the last bit of money she had, he bought a house. And having delivered a great story about Armel being shot, and consequently dead, Sarah agreed to marry Baldric and Maddie was soon conceived.
Through Sarah’s father, Baldric was able to get a good job at the investment firm, which was founded by her great grandfather. He couldn’t have been happier because he was making a steady income, and didn’t have to work too hard to earn it.
They lived a rich, elegant life and were well respected in their community. Baldric was very proud, until the day when Armel did the unthinkable and came looking for them.
Sarah was feeding newborn Maddie when she got the call. Armel was in the country, staying at the airport hotel, and wanted to see her and Maddie.
Despite Sarah’s warnings, he came to their house. Armel apologized for not having been there, as he promised. He’d been in a coma and his parents didn’t know how to reach her.
Baldric walked in after having a stressful day at work. Sarah and Armel sat, holding each other in the living room.
“You mind telling me what is going on here?” asked Baldric.
They jumped.
Armel stood up and said, “I’ve come to see Sarah and Madeleine. This is gonna be hard for you to hear but Madeleine is not your daughter, she’s mine. You see, Sarah and I were going to marry before I was hospitalized, due to an accident. I don’t wish to drive a wedge between you two, but I want to see my daughter.”
“Get out of my house!” Baldric shouted.
“Look, I understand that you love Sarah, but she’s not a possession. Only she can decide who she wishes to be with.”
Baldric looked at Armel and contemplated the chance that he really did not know that it was he who had shot him; thereby putting him in the coma.
“Take Maddie and leave, then.”
“What?” said Sarah. “Take my child and leave? Never!”
“I won’t raise another man’s child. You must never see him again!”
“I want a divorce!”
Earl Baldric stilled a moment. Then he raised his hand and struck her to the ground.
Armel, suffering spinal injury from being shot, tried to run at him. Instead, he took a few steps and fell to his knees. Then he said, “I’ll call the police!”
Baldric left, slamming the door and peeling out of the garage.
He didn’t go far, rather just around the block and parked down from the house. The rain started to pour heavily. Baldric sat in his car and waited.
Sarah carried little Maddie out of the house while Armel packed the car full of bags. Baldric followed the rental car to the airport motel.
A few hours later, when all the room lights were out, he pulled the gun he kept in the glove compartment and walked upstairs to their room. He didn’t worry about his face being seen, for the rain pushed his gelled hair down, past his eyes.
Baldric tapped the door several times before Armel cracked it open. Baldric didn’t waste time and kicked it in. The door hit him square in the face. Armel stumbled backward into the ro
om. Sarah jolted upright in bed.
Baldric walked in, closed the door, and shot him in the head; then turned and shot Sarah, who only had a second to register that it was her husband.
He, then, stood with the gun pointed at little Maddie who screamed and cried in fright. Amazingly enough, Baldric found that he did have a bit of heart, because he tried to shoot the gun a third time, but his finger wouldn’t press the trigger.
He picked up Maddie and left, but not before taking Sarah’s purse and Armel’s wallet, which he burned in the fireplace at home.
Baldric decided his situation couldn’t be more fortunate then the way it was. With Sarah out of the picture, it would be easier to keep an influence over the family, which would secure his place with the firm and subsequently his financial future – and best, without a nagging wife. Sure, that meant he had to take care of Maddie, but as soon she was old enough, he’d send her to school. In a way, he was free for the rest of his life.
He never called the police to file a report. Sarah’s parents came looking for her several weeks later. They were the hardest part of the ordeal, because they never liked him and blamed Sarah’s disappearance on him.
He simply told them they had a fight when her lover from Paris came to claim her. They screamed and yelled at Baldric, called him a liar and stormed out. They just didn’t believe she’d leave her child behind.
No matter what, Baldric knew to keep his cool. Maddie was the biggest help because all he had to do was remain focused on her, and then people stopped asking questions and being mad. Instead they wanted to help him as much as they could, except the police never who stopped being suspicious of him. But there wasn’t enough evidence, especially in those days of limited technology, and Sarah was a wife who’d abandoned her husband and baby. There was hardly any pity for her. And six weeks later, they confirmed the bodies in the motel were those of Sarah and Armel. But as Earl Baldric’s neighbors swore they’d heard Maddie crying at the time of the murders, it only stood to reason that he was home at the time.
It wasn’t long after that Baldric brought Anton and Lucian to the United States. Paris was facing a long recession. Anton had finished his coursework and could now practice law, but competition was extreme. Baldric, feeling lonely and missing his friends, set him up in his house.
Anton got on well with Maddie and her family, who had finally forgiven Baldric for, as the mother said, “letting their daughter go.” Everyone, even Baldric, loved young Lucian who was adorably sharp as always. Baldric found that he rather enjoyed having a young man about the house that he could mentor and spend innocent time with. Often they’d play football and go to the movies together while Anton worked.
They lived together for a few years while Anton saved up enough money to buy a home. Shortly after, they left for the, now, Le Marcon Manor, Sean Basteau, Earl’s cousin, joined them.
Sean was only a few years younger than Baldric, and they had much in common. They liked the same clothes, cars, and had the same taste in women. The only difference being that Sean had an insatiable appetite for alcohol and attention. Otherwise, much like his cousin, he was ruthless; he wouldn’t hesitate to snatch a victim’s last dollar. When Baldric brought Sean into the game of securities, it was like bringing alcoholics to a bar. Anton watched as together, they gambled away people’s money while make huge fortunes for themselves. And then, from the sidelines, Anton was gifted at covering up their misdeeds for large cuts of their profits.
Some decades later, driven by life circumstance, they finally went their separate ways. But even after, they stayed in contact for a time and would often vacation together. They’d throw extravagant parties and invite Hollywood elites and beautiful women.
Life was good… Life was good.
Payday
Chapter 10
Maddie told him everything that happened to her during her time away. She told him where she was, who was there, and gave all the information she had. When Maddie told him about Michael, he was outraged! It was just like she thought: He never went to La Sorbonne, and had no idea who the Marcons or Basteaus were. He was a proud Englishman, and like his father, was raised in the greatest country in the world.
When she further elaborated what Michael said about him and her husband being involved in her kidnapping, he really lost his head. Earl Baldric was going to kill that Michael Marcon and swore by God that he was going to find him. How could people make such horrible accusations against him? He wouldn’t put up with it!
In any case, he was very happy to hear from her and insisted that she meet with him, immediately, at his favorite hotel in downtown Los Angeles. She tried to convince him that they could meet the next day because she wanted to surprise Joe. Her father said it was important that they meet sooner because he had some information for her, regarding Joe. After a few more words, she agreed to meet him.
Maddie took a quick shower and changed; then she got in her car and drove off as quickly as possible.
Michael was sitting in the car down the street, eating a sandwich when she finally left the house. He put the sandwich down and took off after her, hoping that she would lead him where he needed to go.
He was done playing games. Ever since he joined up with his longtime friend, he’d been dodging bullets left and right. This was supposed to be a simple favor in exchange for a little help to save his father’s property. Maddie and Joe were supposed to arrive at his house, together, not bound and out cold. Now, he was an official kidnapper who was being hunted, Joe was missing, and he hadn’t even been paid.
Traffic through the cities was great, as everyone was busy trying to get where they were going. Naturally at that time of day, it took almost two hours to get to downtown. Michael struggled to stay unnoticed behind her, which was very difficult in the gridlock of traffic. When she finally pulled off the freeway, he had to gun it on the side ramp just to catch up with her.
He followed her through the towers of downtown. From up ahead, he saw the hotel she pulled into, so he went down a few blocks, made a turn at the light and parked on the street. After which, he proceeded to walk back in the direction of the hotel.
At the same time, as Maddie rolled through downtown, she noticed how yellow the skyline was. Downtown was usually a ghost town by 7 pm on a Friday – until the bars opened, but there were still a few cars and straggler individuals who were making their way from the business districts.
She pulled up to her father’s favorite hotel and had her car valeted.
Her father was already there, drinking a scotch at an empty table and staring out of the large sky view window.
“Hi, Dad!”
“Maddie!” He stood up and gave her a hug. “I’m so glad to see you, and you look fine. Did all of those things really happen to you?”
“Well, yeah.”
“Did you file a police report?”
“Not yet. How can I? If you and Joe are involved, I need to know, first. I couldn’t possibly send you, two, to jail.”
“What? Maddie, of course I had nothing to do with you being abducted. Why, I’ve been here all along, living my droll life. I’m offended that you could even ask me such a question.”
Maddie didn’t respond.
“Why are you looking at me, like that?” His eyebrows rose into his forehead.
“Did you know your ears turn red when you lie?”
But he didn’t get a chance to respond because someone plopped down in the seat, next to her.
“Michael!”
“Hello, Earl!” he said obnoxiously.
“Michael what are you doing here? You need to leave, now!” said Maddie.
“Oh, I’m not going anywhere! Did you think I was going to run off and accept that you screwed me and Joe?” he asked. “I was prepared to do that, but for whatever reason, you kept sending your thugs after me.”
“Dad, what is he talking about?”
But the earl didn’t respond. He merely sat there with a hardened look in his eyes.
“Michael, what are you planning?”
The people at the next table glared at them. She tried to signal her father with her eyes, but he stared undeterred at Michael.
“You can get up real slowly, and if you try anything, the first person who will get a bullet, in this room, is you.”
“Michael, stop this right now. This is my father,” she said in a low voice.
“Maddie, he may be your father, but he doesn’t care about you. You were supposed to arrive at my house with Joe. You were, both, supposed to stay awhile, until things were safe. Instead, those thugs brought you, bound and beat up, telling me that it was Joe’s orders. Some weeks later, I heard from Joe. He never sent those thugs; he claims Earl, here, did.”
“So what are you going to do, now?” asked Earl
Michael didn’t get to answer right away, because the maitre d’ approached them. “You need to be quiet or leave!” His eyes traveled to Michael, who perspired, and lowered to the gun in his lap. Then his eyes bugged out. “I’m calling the police.”
“Well, I guess that’s our cue,” said Michael, standing up. “Come on, you two, move.”
“In downtown Los Angeles, police are five minutes away, in any direction. You won’t get away with this,” said Earl, as they walked toward the exit.
“That’s alright. We’ve got a ride.”
They made their way to the taxi line, where a limo was waiting.
“Where to?” asked the driver.
“Tell him to take us to your bank, where you can get the money that you owe me,” said Michael.
“Is that all you want? Money?”
Earl Baldric pulled a checkbook from his pocket.
“Forget it, Earl. You don’t think I’d fall for that, do you? I want a cashier’s check, today.”
“Dad, are you really going to pay him?”
“Empire Commerce Bank,” Earl told the driver.
Some moments later, Michael carefully put the gun in the front of his pants, and then they walked inside the bank. The teller was hardly moved when Earl Baldric wanted his cashier’s check for $250,000. In that part of town, one gets all kinds.