“A pleasure to meet you, Ms. Lempare.”
“I imagine this meeting should settle a few things,” she quips, while still standing in the door opening.
“How so?”
“Anna is a very difficult person to reason with, Mr. Harvey. I cannot possibly just have a normal conversation with her. I have tried numerous times to have discussions with her about this will, but she’s so single-minded that she cannot see my point-of-view.”
“I’m sure that she isn’t the only one in her family that is single-minded.”
Ms. Lempare stares at Bill, trying to decide if his statement was offensive.
“Please, do come in,” she states in a tone that isn’t at all welcoming.
The apartment is exactly what Bill expected – full of stylish 1950’s décor with a smell of mothballs. Apart from being classy, this woman obviously has an ability to keep things very well-maintained. Even the best police forensic team in the country wouldn’t be able to find a speck of dust in her apartment.
The majority of the furnishings in the apartment are delicately white, contrasting against the dark wooden floorboards. Despite the age of the furnishings, they look like they have hardly been touched.
In an attempt to build rapport, Bill tries to create small talk between them. “This is a very lovely place, Ms. Lempare. I love the décor that you have selected here. You have a very good eye for detail.”
“I love this building, Mr. Harvey. I have lived her for many years, and I have never felt the need to move. It’s my piece of Los Angeles,” she replies. “But I’m sure that you’re not here to talk about the importance of selecting the correct décor inside my apartment.”
“You’re correct, Ms. Lempare.” Bill nods. “Let us talk about your niece, Anna Lempare, and the conditions of the will that relate to her inheritance.”
Ms. Lempare motions for Bill to take a seat on the large regal couch in the living room. He sits on the hard cushion with an open posture; his legs spread wide and his arms resting on his lap to subconsciously show Ms. Lempare that he’s the alpha in the room.
Ms. Lempare gracefully sits down on a white armchair opposite him, delicately crossing one leg over the other, sitting with a perfect posture. It’s a posture that was practiced many times in her youth and has stuck with her for her entire life. As such, she detests anyone who doesn’t take pride in their posture.
“I would offer you a coffee. However, I don’t imagine that this discussion will last that long,” Jessica states without a hint of embarrassment.
“I wouldn’t want to put you out.” Bill laughs at her abrupt statement.
“Anna is trouble. She always has been. Even as a child, she was trouble. And I knew that she would be trouble as an adult. She’s always off with the fairies dreaming about one thing or another, traveling to this country or that country. If she was blonde, you might say that she’s a ‘bimbo.’” Ms. Lempare is uncomfortable with the word. “It’s impossible to talk to her about anything, let alone the technicalities of law. She won’t even allow me the pleasure of a five-minute discussion about the will. Hopefully, you can get through to her in that regard and advise her that the will isn’t up for negotiation. Her grandfather wrote the will with her best interests in mind, and I intend to see his wishes sustained. And… well, it might help sort out a few other things.”
“What things?”
“Anna’s misbehavior.”
“Misbehavior? I’m sorry, Ms. Lempare, but you’ll have to explain that further for me.”
“That young lady is always finding a way to get herself into trouble. She’ll chase it until it has nowhere else left to hide. When she isn’t running around the world, she’s protesting about the most ridiculous things. Last month, I saw that she was in a protest about the use of pig meat. Can you believe that? She was protesting about the cruelty to pigs. Well, I have never heard of such a thing. How ludicrous. She lives a terrible life, Mr. Harvey. She doesn’t contribute to society at all. Anna really does need more discipline in her life.”
“And you believe that if Anna enrolls in Army Basic Training, it will teach her that discipline?”
“It’s not about what I believe, Mr. Harvey. This is about what is written on a legal document that was penned by her grandfather. Regardless, I agree that enrolling in Army Basic Training will instill discipline into her psyche. It will teach her more restraint, and then she can take those skills with her for the rest of her life. And I must say, I’m not sure why she’s so against the training. It’s only ten weeks of her life. She can make that sacrifice. Our family has certainly made more of a sacrifice than what is asked of her.”
“I’m not sure that Army Basic Training will suit her personality,” Bill quips. “And your family has made enough of a sacrifice for this country. I can understand that after losing most of your family to war, she’s reluctant. She doesn’t believe that war solves problems.”
“War doesn’t solve any problems. I don’t believe in war. My brother and his wife’s father did, and that is why they gave the ultimate sacrifice. I have a lot of respect for that. While war will not solve Anna’s problems, Army Basic Training will. Anna is impulsive and lacks discipline. Her grandfather would be so disappointed if he saw her today.”
“Are you disappointed?”
“Oh, no. I’m quite happy in fact. I would happily give all the inheritance to the Recovering Veterans charity. They do a lot of work for vulnerable people, and my family’s history is one of service to our country. My parents were in the war, and my father needed support when he returned home. Back then, there was nobody there for him. If he had a support network like the Recovering Veterans charity, then he will have been better equipped to return to normal life. And of course, I lost my brother and my sister-in-law to war, may they rest in peace.”
“Do you have a lot to do with the charity?”
“Of course. Have you even read the will, Mr. Harvey?”
“I have had some time to familiarize myself with it.”
“Then you would understand that I donate the amount of interest from the money that the trust generates to the charity each month. There is a small fee paid to the bank, but other than that, all the interest from the twenty million dollars is donated to the charity, along with some of the funds. Despite the decrease in interest rates, it’s still a sizable sum each month. I’m told that the estate is their biggest contributor.”
“And so, you know the employees of the charity quite well then I imagine?”
“John Morgan is the head of the charity, and he’s a very nice man who would do anything for me. He’s also known by his nickname, ‘Bud.’ He even organized a small birthday party for me last week. The other fellow there, Frank Matthews, is also a lovely person.”
“I may have to meet with them at some point.”
“I can also tell you that while they are lovely men, they would also not be happy that you’re here discussing the terms of the will. They are very proud of the work that they do, and without the funds from the estate, they would struggle to perform the tasks that they do.”
“Are they veterans?”
“Yes… well, yes and no,” Ms. Lempare mentions.
“What do you mean by that?” Bill questions.
“Everyone has their secrets, Mr. Harvey.” Ms. Lempare pauses before she continues. “But while they are lovely men, both men do have a history of violence. That happens a lot to men that return from war. I would be careful where you step.”
“Is that a threat, Ms. Lempare?”
“Oh, no,” she replies. “Please don’t interpret my comments like that. All I’m saying is that they are the kind of men with a history of violence. While they might have their moments, they also are such generous men. Nothing like you.”
“Like me?” Bill questions with a smile.
“Oh yes. You’re unsophisticated, upfront, and while you seem very intelligent, you’re quite rude.”
“And how have you come to th
at conclusion?” Bill laughs, amused by her comments.
“I’m a very good judge of character.”
“It appears, in this case, that you are not.”
“Oh no. Please don’t mistake my ability to make judgments on one’s character as rudeness. That isn’t my intent. However, I do have complete faith in my judgments. It’s a skill developed early in life, and I have rarely been mistaken.”
“You have a lot of confidence, Ms. Lempare.”
“I do.” She dwells on that thought before continuing. “I should also let you know that I’m up for a fight, Mr. Harvey. It was entrusted to me to maintain this will, and that is what I’ll do. I’ll work hard on this matter and ensure that the conditions are met. If you want to come up against me, then you must be prepared for a fight.”
“I have no doubt about that.” Bill laughs again.
For the first time in a long while, Jessica smiles genuinely. “How is it that I can help you today, Mr. Harvey? What is it exactly that you want to know? I’m sure you haven’t come here just for a chat. So, quit stalling and get to the point. What would you like to ask me?”
“Certainly. The will states that the trustee can change the conditions of the will, with the conditional support of the Recovering Veterans charity. However, if their support isn’t provided, then the trustee may change the conditions of the will if your decision can be legally satisfied to be in the best interests of Anna Lempare. With that in mind, is there any chance that you’ll consider an agreement to change the conditions of the will?”
“No.”
“Perhaps we should at least have a discussion about the conditions before you provide such a closed answer.”
“No, Mr. Harvey. The conditions written by my sister-in-law’s father were for Anna’s benefit. He entrusted me with the estate, and he knew that I would see the conditions of the will through. I have no interest in dishonoring his memory by changing it, and I’ll ensure that his wishes are followed.”
“You’re not even open to a discussion?”
“No.”
“May I ask why not?”
“Because the conditions of the will are very clear.” Ms. Lempare becomes frustrated. “Any man off the street could read that will and understand the conditions. Just because Anna doesn’t agree to the conditions doesn’t mean that we should change them. Her grandfather earned that money, and he rightfully set the conditions. It’s not up to me to negotiate the terms. If her grandfather wanted it to be flexible, he would have stated as such. But he didn’t. That is clear in the will.”
“And you believe that the military training will be in the best interests of Anna?”
“This isn’t about what you or I believe,” she argues strongly. “This is what Anna’s grandfather thought was the best thing for his granddaughter. Even when she was a child, we could tell that she had a rebellious streak. Her grandfather knew that and decided that if she enrolled in Basic Military Training, then it would increase her discipline. That is for the best interests of Anna.”
“I believe the intent of the conditions was education, not restriction. It was her grandfather’s intent to educate her, not tie her down. I’ll argue that the intended purpose of the conditions was to benefit Anna, and those intended conditions can be achieved in other ways.”
“And as the trustee, I believe differently. That is my right.”
“And if we were to prove that Anna’s grandfather believed that military training wasn’t the best thing for his granddaughter?”
“Good luck proving that. Her grandfather has been dead for ten years.”
“I see that you were mentioned in his will, and that along with some money, he also left all his other possessions to you.”
“That is correct.”
“Did he keep any diaries or notes?”
“Yes, he did.”
“May I see those notes?”
“Why should I consider helping you, Mr. Harvey? I’m under no obligation to assist you.”
“I’m not here to attack your character, Ms. Lempare. I’m here to make sure this case doesn’t go to trial. If it does, I’m sure that all manner of things will be discussed out in the open. That may not be to the benefit of your family.”
Ms. Lempare pauses, ironing her hands over her skirt, smoothing out any potential creases. “I have no skeletons in my cupboard. But I do understand what you’re saying. Our extended family history is… interesting.”
“Do you know where he would have kept his notes?”
Jessica sighs, standing up from the armchair, an air of elegance in her movement. “It appears that I was mistaken about you. You’re very clever. Please follow me this way.”
Following Jessica through her apartment to a spare bedroom, Bill guardedly enters the room where she has stored a large number of parcel-sized boxes. She studies the names on some of the boxes, and eventually, chooses one. “Please, Mr. Harvey, can you remove this one?”
With a manly grunt, he lifts two heavy boxes from the pile and then removes the selected one, placing it on a small office table in the room. Slowly, Jessica removes the lid and glances inside.
“Yes. These are his notes. He kept a number of diaries over the years, and he wanted me to keep them. You may review them as much as you want, but I cannot imagine that you’ll find much in there.”
“Thank you.”
“However, I would actually like to know if you find anything. I haven’t looked through all of them. I have only flicked through a page here or there. He was an interesting man, but he had terrible handwriting. I cannot stand terrible handwriting, and reading those diaries gave me a headache.”
“I’ll review these notes and let you know.” Picking up the box, he starts to head towards the exit to her apartment.
“Mr. Harvey.” She stops him. “I must admit something before you leave.”
She draws a long breath, looking to the floor.
“Go on,” Bill indicates.
“One year ago, I was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Anna doesn’t know that. She has already lost so much of her family, and I didn’t want to worry her any further – not that she would worry anyway. I have only been given a short time to live. Maintaining this estate is all I have at the moment, and I intend to see the conditions through. Donating the interest to the charity each month provides great satisfaction in my life.” She pauses and then sighs. “I have nothing against Anna. I don’t like her as a person, but I wish her all the best in the future. After all, we’re the only family we both have left. If you can prove me wrong about her grandfather’s objective, then I’ll be happy to change my decision, but I’m doing what I think was her grandfather’s intention.”
“Thank you for your honesty, Ms. Lempare. I’ll keep you informed about what I find.”
“Good luck.”
He provides Ms. Lempare another smile, exiting the apartment with a box full of history.
CHAPTER 3
When Bill arrives at his office the next morning, Anna is waiting for him, sitting patiently next to Kate’s reception desk. Anna has the same posture as her aunt; her legs crossed, hands on her knees, an uncomfortably straight back.
Smashing her fingers aggressively on her computer keyboard, Kate has a look of disdain for Anna, and it’s obvious that their personalities clash.
“Anna is here,” Kate snaps as Bill walks in the door. “But you have another appointment in twenty minutes. I told Anna that you can’t possibly fit her into your schedule this morning, and she’ll have to wait until this afternoon to meet with you, but she wouldn’t listen to me.”
“Good morning, Kate. And yes, I can see that Anna is here.” Bill grins, turning to Anna. “Good morning, Anna.”
“How did it go?” Anna asks, jumping up eagerly as Bills walks through the reception area and towards his office. “What did my aunt say? Is it sorted already? Did she just keel over and say yes to everything? Please, tell me that she did.”
“I can see why you need a la
wyer to press ahead. Your aunt isn’t a very reasonable person to negotiate with,” Bill states. “We had a discussion about the will, but it wasn’t very productive. Please, Anna, come into my office, and we will discuss it further.”
“But Bill,” Kate complains. “You can’t fit her in. Your schedule is full today. You have a meeting with Mrs. Jonas in twenty minutes, and she really doesn’t like to be kept waiting.”
Bill glances at Kate, and he can see the loathing on her face. “I’m sure I can fit her in,” he says. “Mrs. Jonas won’t mind waiting for a few moments.”
“I’ll make a note of it,” Kate grumbles as she starts bashing on her computer keyboard. “But Mrs. Jonas isn’t going to be happy.”
“Thank you, Kate. You do a wonderful job.” Bill winks.
“There were no cracks in her armor?” The young girl questions as she follows Bill’s broad shoulders into his office. “Surely, the great Bill Harvey would have seen a crack in my aunt’s personality? After all, that is what you’re known for – reading people like a book. Couldn’t you have hypnotized her and convinced her to change her mind? Isn’t that what you do?”
“That is not what I do. I’m a lawyer. I do things by the book, and I work hard at finding solutions. That is what I’m known for,” Bill states as he places his briefcase on his desk, gazing out to the view from his office window. From the tall window behind his desk, he can see the urban sprawl of Los Angeles stretch deep into the horizon. He loves this view. It’s his view, his place to think. “And I must say that your aunt seems like the perfect citizen.”
Anna exhales loudly, slumping into the leather chair like a spoiled child who has been told that they cannot have any more ice cream. All the form has gone from her posture, and she sits like a rebel; her legs wide apart, her shoulders slumped, face looking dejected.
“She’s always been the perfect citizen. She’s always had that wall up. It’s like an impenetrable roadblock to prevent anyone from knowing who she really is. I hate it. I’ve tried to get close to her, but she’s so determined not to show any emotion that I can’t possibly know who she really is. I’m sure that if I got to know the real woman behind the wall, I might even like her. But I guess that’s why she’s a sixty-two-year-old unmarried spinster.”
Will of Justice: A Legal Thriller (Bill Harvey Book 1) Page 2