by Ciana Stone
Sweat born of fear trickled down Mark’s back and sides, wetting the fine linen shirt beneath his jacket. If Maxwell Weston had found a way to communicate then he, Richard and Helen were in extreme danger. He had to get control of this situation and fast.
Which meant eliminating Ben Marshall as well. The man knew too much. “I appreciate you coming to me with this, Ben, but frankly am a little surprised. What exactly did you hope to achieve with this disclosure?”
“Like I said, I wanted to protect Nikki.”
“And nothing more?”
“No, sir.”
“Well, that’s very commendable,” Mark said and stood. “And I appreciate it. And you have my assurance that your friend is in no danger. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I do have other matters to attend.”
“Sure,” Ben replied and stood. “You’re sure Nikki isn’t in any danger?”
“Absolutely,” Mark assured him.
“Okay, great. Thanks again for your time, Mr. Robinson.”
“My pleasure.”
Mark escorted Ben to the door. The moment he’d left, Mark returned to his desk and picked up the phone. He started to dial then hung up and sat back in his chair. Mark would be willing to bet Charles was going to try to use the information as extortion.
The problem was, he and Richard couldn’t afford extortion. Money was no object, but it was clear that Charles couldn’t be trusted. And there was too much at stake to let the situation continue.
What he had to decide was the most advantageous way of letting the next step play out. If he gave the order to have Charles terminated, in the end it could be traced back to him. So using his own people was out of the question. As was hiring from outside the organization.
No, this was a job that had to be handled personally. His eyes lit as a thought occurred to him. Perhaps there was a way to play it to his advantage. With a smile, he picked up the phone and dialed.
“Richard? Mark. I hate to intrude, but something has come up. You and Helen need to return as quickly as possible…no, not on this phone. Call me back on a secure line and I’ll fill you in.”
He hung up, the smile on his face becoming wider. His idea was blossoming. If he worked this right, not only would he be free of blame, but he’d eliminate all of his opposition in one stroke. Suddenly what had started out as a catastrophe had turned into a golden opportunity for him to get everything he’d ever wanted. All he had to do was play his cards right.
Chapter Thirteen
Nikki and Max sat in Simon’s study, watching the screen of a laptop. Simon was in his sitting room, ready to have a family meeting with Richard and Helen. They’d returned two days ago and until now Simon had refused to speak with either of them.
Thanks to the Society Simon belonged to, they’d received regular intelligence on Richard’s whereabouts, his meetings with Mark Robinson and thanks to measures Max had suggested, they had recordings of phone calls between Richard and Mark, as well as recordings of heated conversations between Richard, Abernathy and Mark.
Nikki had made the comment only the last evening that the way Richard had threatened Abernathy, he better hope nothing happened to him or Richard would look like the prime suspect. He’d all but come out and said that if Charles didn’t turn over what information he had on Maxwell, Richard would have him killed.
Richard had demanded an audience with Simon immediately upon his return but Simon had refused. Helen had tried as well, and when Simon refused she threatened to call the police and have them search for Nikki and arrest her for kidnapping Maxwell. Simon had laughed at her and told her that if she valued her artfully reconstructed neck she’d hold her tongue. That Maxwell was safe and he would speak with her and Richard when he was ready.
Nikki had to admire Simon. He might be elderly and confined to a wheelchair but there was steel in the man. In fact, he seemed markedly more robust these last few days. She wasn’t sure if that was due to his eagerness to finally do battle, or the fact that he and Louise had been spending a good deal of time alone together.
She hoped it was the latter. She’d seen a lot of love shine in both their eyes when they looked at one another, and she couldn’t help but give in to the romantic side of her nature and hope that at long last they could acknowledge their love and enjoy the rest of their lives together.
Max nudged her and she returned her attention to the laptop.
Helen entered the room in front of Richard and stopped, one hip cocked to the side and bejeweled hand propped on it like a tea pot. “I suppose I should stop and curtsy in gratitude to you magnanimously granting us an interview.”
Simon gave no response to her caustic comment. His eyes were on Richard who entered behind Helen. The two of them stared at one another like generals from an ancient army, staring each other down before battle.
“Please, have a seat,” Simon gestured to the divan.
Richard and Helen took a seat. “I demand to see my son,” Helen said as soon as she was seated.
“My dear, you’re in no position to demand anything,” Simon replied then turned his attention to Richard. “Maxwell is safe, and under my protection.”
Richard’s eyes narrowed but he nodded curtly.
“Go Simon,” Nikki whispered as Helen sucked in a breath and glared at Simon.
“Have you bothered to watch this morning’s news?” Simon asked.
“I beg your pardon?” Helen blurted and cut her eyes at Richard. “You see. He’s senile. Here we are sick with worry because of our missing child and all he can say is—”
“Shut up,” Richard snarled, and at the surprised gasp from her added, “Not another word, Helen, or I’ll have you removed. Are we clear on that?”
“You’ll do no such thing. I have as much right as—”
“Silence!” Simon’s voice was a veritable roar that shocked Helen speechless. “You will remain silent or I will have you removed. Now, let me ask again, Richard. Have you seen the morning news?”
“No, I’ve been preoccupied with pressing matters.”
“Then let us hope that you have verifiable alibis for the last several days,” Simon said. “This morning the body of Charles Abernathy was discovered in his penthouse.”
“What?” Richard’s face paled.
“And according to my sources, forensic evidence has been collected that have directed the authorities to a suspect.”
“Thank god,” Richard commented. “How was he killed? Was it a robbery?”
“From what I’ve gathered, he was shot execution-style with a rather rare weapon. A Griswold and Gunnison 36 caliber.”
Richard’s eyes narrowed and his jaw clenched as Simon continued. “You and I are both aware that only three thousand seven hundred of that particular handgun were manufactured for the Civil War and that one of them is in your collection.”
Richard reached for the phone and quickly dialed an extension. “Osgood, check my weapon collection and make sure the Griswold and Gunnison 36 caliber is in its appropriate place. Call me back on my father’s extension the moment you’ve confirmed this.”
He hung up the phone. “I had nothing to do with his death.”
“Be that as it may, it is my suspicion that the authorities will come to the knowledge that you own such a weapon and that will bring them to your door. Thus, my original statement. I hope you have verifiable alibis for the last forty-eight hours.”
“And you as well,” he added to Helen. “Make no mistake, this death will bring the eye of the police to bear on this family.”
Nikki turned to look at Max, whose face wore a stoic expression remarkably similar to the one on his grandfather’s face. How horrible it must be for both of them to hear that Richard might have killed two men.
She laid her hand on his thigh. “Max? You okay?”
He nodded and put his hand on top of hers. At that moment they heard the ring of the phone. As one they looked at the laptop.
Richard hurriedly answered the phone. “Yes?…ye
s, of course. I will be there momentarily.”
He hung up the phone and stood. “This is all your doing, isn’t it? That was Osgood. The police are here. They want to ask some questions.”
“Then you should make haste,” Simon replied.
“Not before you tell me. You set me up, didn’t you? You’re trying to make me take the fall for a murder I didn’t commit. Why?”
“I had no part in this, Richard. But I do believe that you are innocent of these murders. You would never stain your hands thus and do your own dirty work. No, you would have made sure you were well protected and had an iron-clad alibi before you ordered another to commit the act. However, I do suggest that you look very close to home when you try to uncover who did frame you.”
Richard’s face went beet red with rage. His fists clenched and unclenched by his side and his eyes turned to Helen. “I promise you this, you cold-hearted, miserable bitch. If I go down, I’m taking you with me.”
She gasped and her hand flew to her throat. “You…you bastard!”
“Enough,” Simon intervened. “Richard, see to the authorities. Helen, you will accompany your husband and show your support.”
She gave him a look sharp enough to cut, but stood and marched stiffly from the room. Richard followed but stopped at the door and looked back. “I may be guilty of a lot of things, but this is not among them.”
“I pray not,” Simon replied and turned away, but not before Nikki saw the tear that tracked his face.
“Oh Max,” she whispered. “Surely this isn’t part of your plan!”
No. When we sent Ben to see Robinson we expected him to retaliate against Abernathy, but thought it would be through less violent means. Obviously Robinson has a much grander agenda than we’d realized for him to frame my father for murder.
“You think he can get away with it?”
That remains to be seen. He shouldn’t be underestimated. However, if Abernathy was killed with the weapon Grandfather described and my father can provide a reliable alibi, then that places Robinson in jeopardy. Only my father and he have the combination to the weapon cabinets. No one else could have removed a weapon without activating an alarm.
“But your father might be getting arrested right now, Max.”
Yes, I know. But he has a battery of attorneys to call upon and in all likelihood will be free by tomorrow morning at the latest. Which means we need to keep a close eye on Robinson and my mother until then.
“Your mother? Max, you don’t think she would try to frame your father?”
I have no doubt that she would if she thought she could get away with it. There’s been no love lost between the two of them for a long time.
“That’s horrible!”
I come from a horrible family, Nikki. He turned to take hold of her shoulders. If you’re smart you’ll get away from all of us.
“Well, I guess I’m not very smart then,” she replied. “Because I’m sticking to you like glue.”
I hoped you’d say that. Come on, I think we need to make sure our surveillance net is functioning properly. Let’s join Grandfather.
She nodded and threw her arms around him to hug him tightly. For a few moments they clung to one another, then together they hurried to join Simon.
—
Wake up!
Max’s voice yelled in her mind, causing Nikki to bolt upright in the bed. “What’s wrong?”
Mark Robinson is here to see my mother, and Simon just got word that my father was not charged yet and so is on his way back to the estate. We have a live feed and are recording the meeting. Get up and come see.
Nikki got up and threw on a pair of shorts and a loose T-shirt and hurried after Max into Simon’s sitting room. They had a laptop and a large thirty-inch monitor set up on the coffee table. Simon’s wheelchair sat vacant beside the sofa where he sat with Louise, her hand in his.
It gave Nikki cause to smile as she hurried in and sat down beside Louise, leaving Max to wedge in beside her. She couldn’t help but think what a comical group they were, all huddled together on the sofa, eyes glued to the monitor so they could spy on someone.
“Here we go,” Simon said as Mark entered Helen’s sitting room and she rose from the divan.
“Mark, have you word of Richard?” Helen asked as Mark hurried to her and took both her hands in his.
“Not yet, but it doesn’t look good.”
She sank back down onto the divan and Mark sat beside her, still holding onto one hand. “Mark, what does this mean to us? If Richard is charged with murder then where does that leave me? Will I be given power of attorney over his stock or will he retain control? What about our assets? Will they be frozen?”
“Don’t worry,” he assured her. “Helen, listen, what we have here may just be a golden opportunity.”
“Pardon?”
“Think about it,” he said, gripping her hand tighter. “If Richard is convicted, then the reins of power will be handed to you. And if that happens, it’ll be like turning back the clock. We’ll be where we were before all this madness started. Before Maxwell came home from Iraq. Of course, we’ll have to wait a respectable length of time, but then we can be together just as we always wanted.”
Helen pulled away from him and stood, turning her back on him to walk to the bar. Her face wore a look of cold calculation as she poured a glass of wine. Mark got up and went to the bar, fixing himself a Scotch neat.
“We’ll have to be quite cautious,” she finally replied. “Make it appear as if we’re being thrown together for the sake of business. A year or so of having to work side by side and no one will question when the professional relationship matures into something more.”
“But,” she stopped him when he opened his mouth to respond. “What about Maxwell? We have to find where Simon has him hidden.
“We’ve already walked that road,” Richard’s voice came from the doorway.
“Richard!” Mark jumped up at the sound of his voice. “Thank god. What madness possessed the police to take you in for questioning?”
“Apparently circumstantial evidence that suggests he was attempting to blackmail me for jury tampering in a lawsuit several years ago with one of our subsidiaries.”
“What?” Helen asked. ‘That’s preposterous! Why, he doesn’t have access—”
“Precisely,” Richard interrupted, his gaze like a laser on Mark. “The information they found could only have come from one source.”
“Richard, are you implying…?” Helen did not get the chance to finish her question before Richard cut her off.
“I’m not implying anything. I’m stating a fact. Only two people had access to the information in question.” He directed his statement to Mark. “You and I. You set me up.”
“I did no such thing! Think about it. Why would I implicate you when that would effectively implicate me as well?”
Richard’s deep frown turned thoughtful and for a few moments there was a tense silence in the room. At length Richard sat down and blew out his breath. “Still, the information could have only come from one source. Your safe. No one can get to the data I have stored. No one.”
Mark was fast enough on his feet to have come up with plausible deniability in the short time afforded to him. “Damn! That has to be it!”
“Meaning?” Richard asked.
“That fucking maid.” Mark swiped his hand over his forehead in a frustrated gesture, turning away from Richard as he continued, “Deborah. I’d been using her to get information on what was going on here while you were gone. She started calling all hours of the day and night, claiming to have important information for me. It was always insignificant stuff.
“It became clear that she was interested in more than the extra cash the information was affording her. She showed up at my place one night on the pretense of having something to tell me that couldn’t wait. She wanted a drink. One drink turned into quite a few and…well, I made a mistake. I slept with her.”
He shook h
is head as if in embarrassment and turned to face Richard. “I left the next morning early, waking her to tell her to lock up when she left. She must have managed to get into the safe.”
“How?” Richard asked.
“How the hell should I know?” Mark shot back, playing the role of the injured party to the hilt. “But you can take it to the bank that I’ll find out. And I’ll deal with it.”
“Do it fast,” Richard commanded. “The next time the authorities show up I want to have proof beyond all doubt that I had nothing to do with the murder.”
Mark smiled inwardly. Richard had obviously bought the quickly concocted tale. He cut a look at Helen and her eyes were sharp enough to cut glass. “You had an affair with the maid?” Her tone matched the sharpness of her eyes.
Mark couldn’t meet her eyes. He’d explain the lie to her later, in private. Right now he didn’t have much time. “It was a mistake. If you’ll both excuse me, I’ll take my leave. I have a lot to do.”
Richard nodded and watched him leave. The moment they were alone, Helen lit into him. “Are you going to be charged with the murder?”
“I don’t know.”
“Well, we can’t run the risk that you might. You need to make provisions immediately. If there’s any chance that you’ll be incarcerated—any chance—then you have to make sure it doesn’t impact anything here on the estate.”
“In other words make sure it doesn’t inconvenience you.”
“Well, I see no reason that my lifestyle should be compromised because of your mistakes.”
Richard bolted to his feet, towering over her. “My mistakes? My darling, the most monumental mistake of my life is sitting right in front of me. Don’t presume to think for a moment that if I should by some remote possibility take a fall, I won’t make sure that you take the plunge with me.”
Helen rose in one fluid move, all grace and ice. “Hear me and hear me well, Richard Weston. You may view me as a mistake, but it’s a mistake I assure you I’ll make you pay for as long as there is breath in your body. And just so we are clear, I couldn’t care less if you are locked away for the rest of your life, but I will not be tarnished. You may have defenses in place to safeguard yourself, but don’t think for an instant that I don’t as well. Should you try to implicate me in any way, I’ll make sure enough dirt hits the media to ruin you forever. And that, my darling, you can take to the bank.”