The Godson's Legacy

by Gait, Paul;

  Sue’s hackles rose but and she ignored the remark. Carrie smirked at Nadine’s probing question.

  Having gone ‘round and round’ in their deliberations and unable to come to any clear way forward, Andy suggested that they tell the Law Practice Manager of their impasse. Summoning him back to the conference room as directed, he quickly returned.

  On hearing of their inconclusive debate, he suggested that they needed to have time to consider their next steps to go home, and, if necessary, return to Monaco when they had some concrete plans to meet Geoffery’s conditions. He reminded Andy that he would be the catalyst to ensure the three moved things forward.

  He took them back into the conference room, where there was great expectation from the others.

  But the mood soon changed as they filed into the room. Immediately they knew something was up, as they saw gloomy faces, not the expected happy faces of millionaires.

  Sue was trying unsuccessfully to catch Rupert’s eye, but from his dour face she knew he had failed yet again. Her plans for taking the money and disappearing into Europe, all but disappearing.

  The Manager wished them all the best in their quest and said he looked forward to seeing them if they needed to return.

  He called the reception desk and made arrangements for their transport to take them to the Hotel to freshen up ready for the gourmet meal.

  Sue moved to stand next to Rupert as they left the room only to be frustrated by Carrie who deliberately blocked her way.

  ‘Right missy, you’d better watch your step,’ Sue thought, as she failed to barge her way past.

  CHAPTER THIRTY EIGHT

  23rd January

  After a short journey from the law firm, the group arrived at the luxurious five star Hotel du Paris. Excitedly, Ben led the way up the short flight of steps into the vast air conditioned lobby.

  ‘Wow, look at this place,’ he enthused.’ Pinch me; I think I’ve stepped into a fairy tale.’

  The opulence of it all overwhelmed him. He stared wide eyed at the vast atrium with its high fluted ceilings supported by large decorative marble pillars, each one exquisitely adorned with intricate carvings. Flowing arches linked the room into the centrepiece of the circular ceiling, where a huge coloured glass dome filtered natural light into the chamber.

  Suspended from the centre of the dome was a ten foot high crystal chandelier, underneath which, a colossal floral display of orchids effused elegance into the room.

  The art deco style flower vase was precisely positioned on a highly polished antique mahogany table which was sited in the middle of a large hand knotted floral Chinese rug. It was an island of sophistication in a sea of marble.

  ‘These polished marble floors are massive. I think you could play several games of football in here, all at the same time. They’d be great for sliding on too,’ Ben said, his eyes gleaming with excitement.

  ‘I think the hotel management might have something to say if you did,’ James said, smiling at Ben’s infectious euphoria.

  Ben gazed around the vast vestibule at the casual configurations of sofas, chairs and glass topped tables, discreetly positioned around the periphery to form intimate lounge areas. Each area was brightly lit by the judicious positioning of mirrors and wall lights within the alcoves, further enhancing the natural light from the dome.

  ‘Have they got a swimming pool?’ Ben asked, looking around for a sign.

  ‘Yes, several, indoors and outdoors.’

  ‘Great! Oh damn,’ he said, suddenly realising, ‘I haven’t brought my swimming trunks.’

  ‘The Major-domo will provide a pair for you I’m sure.’

  ‘The Major what? The Major Dumbo?’’

  No, the name is Major-domo. He’s like the person in charge of all the staff down here.’

  ‘How do you know?’

  ‘I’ve stayed here many times before. But many years ago now though.’

  ‘Look, there’s even a statue of a bloke on a horse.’ Ben said, looking up at the large marble statue.

  ‘Zat is Louis XIV,’ said Nadine, joining them. ‘I ’ad forgotten you used to come ’ere too James.’

  ‘But that was in a different lifetime. Yes, I did. Actually, I think we might have met here once before, at one of Geoffery’s parties.’

  ‘Probably before I moved in with ‘im,’ she said, leading them over to the oak panelled reception desk.

  Andy was uneasy when he learnt that Nadine was also staying at the hotel rather than going home.

  ‘If ze number in your party ‘ad been smaller, I would ’ave hosted you in my villa, she’d said. But it is much simpler to use ze hotel. There is no need to travel for the entertainment,’ she’d told him, her eye contact lingering uncomfortably longer than he felt it needed to for his comfort.

  In spite of his loyalty to Helen, the absence of any resumed intimacy with her, following Molly’s birth, was causing him some ‘difficult’ moments of frustrated temptation, especially now in the presence of a beautiful, very friendly and ‘tactile’ woman.

  He shook his head to clear his licentious thoughts. She was after all just playing the good host. There was nothing seductive in her behaviour. He was reading the wrong signals.

  Eventually, all the others were booked in and making their way to their rooms. Only Sue and Rupert remained.

  ‘Right, we are nearly done. Finally I have a reservation for a double luxury room for Mademoiselle Joanne Carr and Monsieur Screen,’ the receptionist said, expectantly looking at Sue and Rupert. ‘Is that correct?’

  ‘No, that’s changed. Did nobody tell you?’ said Sue, brusquely. ‘Miss Carr is in hospital.’

  ‘I am so sorry to hear.’

  Rupert hadn’t allowed himself to think this far ahead. Sharing a room with Sue again, was going to be a nightmare. The thought of being unchaperoned in the same space as her rendered him speechless. He feared for the consequences.

  ‘I need a separate room,’ Sue demanded.

  ‘I am sorry Madam, but the hotel is full. Perhaps you could share a room with Monsieur Screen?’

  ‘Oh this is too much. Are you sure you’re full?’

  ‘Yes Madame,’ the receptionist said, rechecking her screen.

  ‘Oh well if I must.’

  ‘First I have to register you. Your name please.’

  ‘Sue Williams Screen.’

  The receptionist looked up at her and was just about to say something, but Sue’s angry stare persuaded her otherwise. Instead she continued typing the change of occupancy.

  Sue had not had the opportunity of speaking to Rupert in the short drive from the Law firm but, as they got into the exclusive sea view room, she wasted no time in launching into her interrogation.

  ‘Well what happened? I gather from your miserable faces that you haven’t been given the money.’ Sue said, advancing towards him.

  ‘No. he’s…he’s written in the will conditions that we’ve got to earn it.’ Rupert said, backing away.

  ‘Earn it! earn it! This is a will reading not an effing job interview. You don’t earn money in a will. You get it given you. You receive it,’ she erupted, sending a spray of spittle into his face.

  Rupert felt the wall against his back. He was trapped. ‘I’m sorry, but that’s it…’

  ‘Sorry! Sorry! I’ll bloody give you sorry. You ought to know better than to try and pull the wool over my eyes,’ she said, raising her hand to slap him across the face.

  However, in her greedy desperation to establish when she could get her hands on the money, Sue had not closed the door of the room fully and Carrie, who was passing, overheard the grilling. Quietly she pushed the door open and alarmed at what she saw, stepped into the room.

  ‘What the hell’s going on?’

  ‘Keep your nose out of this,’ Sue said, ferociously, walking towards her.

  ‘Ah couldn’t help hearing what Rupert said, but Tim told me the same, they have to earn the legacy.’ Carrie informed her.

  ‘It
’s nothing to do with you. Now piss off and close the door behind you.’

  Carrie’s combative instinct came to the fore. ‘An what are yee gunna do aboot it, if Ah don’t?’ she said, standing her ground.

  ‘Don’t tempt me,’ Sue replied, facing up to her, Now get out of here before I…’

  Carrie called her bluff. ‘Before yee do what?

  ‘I kick your plastic legs from under you…you…half woman.’

  Before she knew what had hit her, Sue was flat on her back with Carrie on top. Momentarily surprised by the suddenness of Carrie’s attack, Sue was shocked into inactivity for a second.

  But Carrie had now gone into ‘military mode’, her right hand grasping the dress material on Sue’s right shoulder and using it as an anchor pivot she forced her forearm across Sue’s throat, restricting her airway.

  ‘Why, now we’re both the same. Neither of us needs our feet.’ Carrie said, into Sue’s face.

  Sue was writhing underneath Carrie, desperately tugging at her arm, trying to relieve the pressure on her throat and attempting to shout. Frantically she twisted and bucked, struggling to throw her off. Carrie rode the bucking bronco underneath her, years of training ensuring that the choke lock stayed firm.

  Rupert, a victim of domestic violence at Sue’s hand for many years, could not cope with the viciousness before him. He was paralysed with fear, his whole being overwhelmed, unable to do anything but stare blankly, his mind seeking refuge in a far off place.

  Tim was on his way back to his suite when he saw what was going on through the open door. He was horrified at seeing the two women thrashing around on the floor.

  ‘Carrie! Carrie for chrissake. What the bloody hell are you doing?’

  By now Carrie’s mind was firmly in military mode. She was fighting for her life. She was transported to a hot dusty field in a foreign land. This was a life or death struggle. The choice was simple. It was either her or the insurgent beneath her.

  ‘Let her go Carrie. Let her go.’ Tim shouted, grabbing her shoulders.

  By now Sue was starting to lose consciousness, her fighting getting weaker and weaker as the hold took effect.

  Carrie released the throat compression and turned Sue over on her face, dragging her arms down behind her back and pinning them with one hand.

  She moved her right hand to her waist searching for where her ‘killing kit’, pistol and knife, should have been. Unable to find it, she shouted. ‘Don’t just stand there man. Give me sum frigging plastic cuffs before she kicks off again.’

  ‘Carrie, Carrie…It’s me, Tim. For God’s sake get off her,’ he shouted anxiously.

  At the sound of Tim’s voice Carrie gradually stopped her restraint of Sue, finally letting go of her wrists.

  Breathing heavily and still pumped up she was disorientated about her surroundings. She shook her head to refocus her thoughts. It took her a few minutes looking around to realise where she was. Tim watched as she mentally switched back from warrior to woman. Slowly she rolled off Sue and took Tim’s proffered hand to help her stand.

  ‘Did you start that?’ he asked, concerned, looking at Sue’s prostrate form. ‘Is she…?’

  ‘Why no, she’s only winded. She’ll be up on her feet shortly. The bitch has been asking for it all day. She pushed me too far this time.’

  ‘She certainly got more than she bargained for, that’s for sure,’ Tim said, putting his arm around Carrie’s shoulder. ‘Christ, you alright mate?’ he said, spotting Rupert cowering in the corner.

  Rupert was like a rabbit caught in the headlights, eyes wide open, just staring. He heard a strange voice, a million miles away saying ‘Yes.’

  Holding her throat and gulping in lungfuls of air, Sue struggled to kneel up.

  ‘What was this all about?’ Tim quizzed, watching and wondering whether or not to help Sue up.

  ‘He was telling her he had to earn the legacy,’ Carrie informed him, ‘but the greedy cow thought he was lying and was just going to land him one when Ah arrived.’

  ‘Was she now? Come on mate,’ Tim said, walking towards Rupert. ‘You ain’t staying in here with that money-grabbing bitch. We’ve got a suite. You can come in with us.’

  In a trance, Rupert gathered his stuff together and followed Carrie out of the room. Tim walked beside him, putting his hand on Rupert’s shoulder and steered him along the corridor.

  In the meantime Sue had crawled towards the bed and was just trying to stand up as a hotel security man ran into the room.

  ‘What’s going on?’ he said, urgently. ‘We had a report of shouting and…’

  ‘It’s OK, ‘Sue said, holding her throat. ‘It’s all over. Nothing to worry about.’

  ‘Are you sure?’

  ‘Yes, I told you. Now close the door as you leave.’

  ‘As the door closed, Sue staggered to the mirror and looked at her bruised throat. ‘You might have won this time bitch, but you’d better watch your back from now on. Nobody does that to me and gets away with it.’

  Sue had felt fear for the first time in her life, and she didn’t like it, one bit.

  CHAPTER THIRTY NINE

  23rd January

  ‘Andy, you better get here quick. We got a problem.’ Tim said, urgently. He had telephoned as soon as they got back to their suite with Rupert.

  Within a few minutes Andy and the Godsons were seated in Tim and Carrie’s suite.

  ‘Where’s Ben?’

  ‘He’s with my Mum in the hotel swimming pool,’ Tim informed him.

  ‘Good. No need to worry about him then,’ Andy said, sitting back. ‘So what’s the problem?’

  Rupert sat impassively as Tim relayed the episode that had taken place earlier, emphasising Carrie’s subsequent intervention.

  ‘The bitch is only here to steal Rupert’s inheritance,’ Tim added, dramatically.

  ‘I knew there was something fishy about her accompanying you Rupert,’ Andy revealed.

  ‘She threatened to get Jo in hospital unless I brought her. I didn’t want to, I’m sorry but what could I do?’ Rupert explained, woefully. ‘She said she would kill Jo and our baby.’

  ‘Baby! You’re going to be a Dad?’

  Everyone looked at him in astonishment. Andy was first to break the stunned silence. ‘Wow! Congratulations!’

  Suddenly the room was transformed into a sea of smiles.

  ‘The trouble is, that while Jo is in a coma they are concerned about the baby’s development,’ Rupert added glumly, putting a dampener on the good feel factor.

  ‘I’m sure they’ll be OK,’ Andy said, encouragingly. ‘There are so many developments taking place all the time and Frenchay is one of the best hospitals for her type of care.’

  ‘Sue will be really angry now, after what happened.’

  ‘Rupert, don’t worry. It’s going to be alright. Don’t fret.’ Carrie said, compassionately, rubbing his shoulders.‘

  ‘No it isn’t! She always manages to wriggle off the hook. Look at Geoffery’s attempted murder charge,’ Rupert said, tearfully.

  Andy shifted uncomfortably. ‘Yes, well I’m sorry about that, but what else could I do? Geoffery was obviously acting for the best, to help you. Clearly he didn’t know that there was a camera in his room.

  When I discovered what had happened, I agonised over it for ages…but I couldn’t see any other way around it. I had to take the recording to the Police.’

  ‘Well recriminations aren’t going to help Rupert,’ James interjected. ‘We need to be doing something to help him now.’

  ‘If it helps, I heard her mutter during today’s video that she was the one who danced on his grave.’ Rupert volunteered.

  ‘What?’ Andy said, in astonishment. ‘You heard her say that?’

  ‘Yes, it was under her breath, but she said it alright.’

  ‘Well I knew it wasn’t Ben. I always had my suspicions that she was behind it. That’s great news. We can now prove conclusively that Ben is innocent.’

/>   ‘So she probably had something to do with the death of that bloke in the burial ground,’ James mused.

  ‘Oh my God!’

  ‘Ay, she’s certainly got the manic strength on her, to have done that,’ Carrie said, rubbing her bruised arm.

  ‘So what do we do?’ Tim asked to nobody in particular.

  ‘I think the Police might be on to her anyway,’ Rupert volunteered.

  ‘Why do you say that?’

  ‘Because they came and saw me in hospital. They wanted to know what she was doing on the night of the crash.’

  ‘What did you say?’

  Rupert shifted uncomfortably. She…she…made me tell them she was in my car.’

  ‘Was she?’

  ‘No, of course not. I don’t know why she wanted me to lie.’

  ‘So why is she here with you now?’

  ‘She was talking about taking her share of my legacy and disappearing off into Europe. That’s why she was so angry earlier. I don’t think she was planning on going back with us anyway.’

  ‘By her share, what did she mean?’

  ‘Knowing her, it probably would have been all of it.’

  ‘The grabbing bitch,’ Tim said, angrily. ‘Don’t worry, we’ll look after you.’

  Andy made a mental note at Tim’s surprising intention to help Rupert.

  CHAPTER FORTY

  23rd January

  The fight with Carrie had aggravated Sue’s whiplash injuries, causing her considerable discomfort. She was in so much pain that she stayed in her room for the rest of the day and had room service bring her evening meal. Consequently she also missed the trip to the Casino.

  Although she was very angry about missing out on the trip, she consoled herself, that when she had Rupert’s money, she would come back again and do it, by herself, in style.

  The period of forced inactivity however, gave her the opportunity to devise a scheme to get the other half of Rupert’s legacy and plot a vitriolic revenge on Carrie.

  Ben had never been to a restaurant before and was overwhelmed by the experience. The sheer elegance of the beautiful dining room continued to enhance his journey into this fairy tale world of unimaginable wealth.