Junior was afraid. He had not expected to have to deal with Janice’s husband. Dennis took the glass away from Junior and leaned down. His face was so close to Junior’s he could feel his hot breath on his cheek. “Your days of bullying women are over, Mr. Thurwell. You understand me, don’t you? Or do I need to explain things more fully, in private?”
Junior nodded quickly, saying nothing. He had to get away. He needed a place to be safe, so he could think. Dennis offered his hand to the winded man. Junior took it and was helped to his feet. Dennis squeezed the hand in a vise-like grip. It hurt like hell, but Junior tried not to show it. “Run along now, Mr. Thurwell.”
Junior scurried from the room, no longer concerned with finding his sister but headed to the safety of his own suite. Caroline Smith had been looking for Junior and saw him rush from the room. She wanted to speak to him before the next session and hurried after him.
Dennis took a casual glance around the room and was pleased that no one had witnessed the quiet drama. He had remained in control of his temper, but he had wanted to beat Junior to a pulp. He stood for a moment and calmed himself, but when he turned, he saw the Judge’s deep brown eyes regarding him from a few feet away. “That was nicely done, Mr. Elliot.”
Dennis smiled as if he had no idea what the other man was talking about, but knew it was pointless. He had missed seeing the Judge because he had been seated, but the big man had enjoyed a ringside seat. The Judge pushed the chair next to him back, an invitation for Dennis to join him. The manservant hesitated for a few seconds and then took the seat.
“I assume there is a history between you and Mr. Thurwell?” The Judge spoke as if he were recounting a known fact instead of asking a question.
“I don’t like to see women pushed around by a bully. I’ve heard that Junior is a particularly nasty bully.”
Freeman looked at the manservant with curiosity. He was trying to figure out why Dennis had moved so quickly to intervene in what appeared to be nothing more than a squabble between siblings. The Judge had watched the entire scene play out, but until Dennis jabbed Junior in the ribs, hadn’t noticed how cruelly Junior had twisted Bethany’s arm.
How did Dennis see that from across the room, with Junior’s body blocking his view? He couldn’t have seen it, the Judge thought. Even Janice would have only been able to see Bethany’s face, not her brother’s grip on her. Suddenly Freeman understood. Janice has seen something in Bethany’s eyes and alerted her husband. Dennis had not hesitated, and the pair rescued Bethany with seamless efficiency.
They’ve seen this behavior before, the Judge realized. Or Junior has subjected one of them to similar treatment. That would mean it was Janice. Junior was too small and cowardly to strong arm a man like Dennis, but his wife, perhaps. “You’ve seen his cruelty before.”
Dennis noted the Judge made statements, he did not ask questions. He nodded but said nothing. Dennis did not trust himself to keep his anger in check if he started telling what Junior had subjected his wife to. Janice would not thank him for sharing her shame, it was best not to say anything. “It would seem the Thurwells have an affinity to violence. Was that also the case with their father?”
Dennis looked up sharply, and Freeman saw a flash of his hot temper. “Mr. Thurwell was a gentleman, always kind and gentle natured. His children though…” Dennis shuddered.
Freeman was moved by the fierce defense. Dennis was a loyal servant of the old school. The Judge did not share Dennis’s faith in his dead employer’s goodness. The philanthropist had sent his lawyer to get his youngest son out of trouble and had not been particular about the tactics his lawyer used.
The Judge leaned forward and patted Dennis on the back. “What you did for Bethany was good, Dennis. Would you and your wife consider working with me to ensure fair shares for everyone are ensured as we go forward?”
He needed allies. Freeman could not rely on Freddie and already knew Caroline could be bought. She admitted it in her confession. Dennis thought about it but didn’t see any angles. He needed Janice, she was the schemer. “I’ll ask Jan and let you know.” Dennis stood and walked out of the room without looking back. The Judge caught a questioning look from Hagood but ignored it and went to find something to eat.
$
Janice steered Bethany to the dining room where she spotted Camille and headed to her. When Camille saw Bethany’s frightened face, she immediately rushed to meet them, helping Janice seat her half-sister. Janice told her to sit and keep an eye on Bethany before leaving them, she needed to find Dennis.
Camille poured a tall glass of water for Bethany and made her sip it slowly. As her sister calmed, Camille teased the details of the story from Bethany, as she was able to recall them. “I don’t understand any of it, Camille. Junior has been selling out the firm to our competitors and Phil’s admitted to a horrible murder, God help him. Then Junior hurt me when I said I was going to talk to William about getting Phil back in. Dennis did something to Junior, I know he did, but I can’t say I’m sorry. I was frightened by my own brother. I’m so confused.”
Camille had been surprised when Bethany defended her against the old woman’s attack, but understood her sister’s reason after hearing her own confession. Camille did not care for either of her new half-brothers. She suspected Philip would have tried to sleep with her if they hadn’t been related, and Junior acted like he hated her.
They both scared her, though Camille was not easily frightened. She had not been afraid of anything since that dreadful night in Paris and the next morning, when the gendarmes came. She hugged Bethany to comfort her, and Bethany enjoyed the closeness. Despite the acrid smell of strong cigarettes that clung to her sister’s clothes, she was warm and soft and made Bethany feel safe. She returned the embrace and a bond was forged. From that moment, the Thurwell brothers would no longer be the dominant force in the family.
$
Freddie looked around the conference room and felt out of place. Since he had revealed his secret, his cover of being the great rival was stripped away, and he felt naked and exposed. He saw Betty Freah and smiled across the room.
She accepted his unspoken invitation and joined him. “Quite the day, Freddie, don’t you think? Whoever would’ve suspected you of being one of the good guys?”
“I guess, but don’t let the SEC know. I don’t think they’d share your high opinion of me.” She nudged him in the ribs. “My silence will cost you, Freddie.” He laughed. “Sure. You declared your income to the penny, I suppose?”
They laughed at the standoff, then Freddie sighed and shook his head. “Johnston knew what he was doing, right to the end. By getting us to tell our stories, our secrets, he’s made us all equally vulnerable.”
Betty nodded, her thoughts too had been on JT. “I hadn’t seen him for a few months, but he still paid me. I thought maybe he’d switched to a younger girl and paid me out of kindness, but he was too busy dying to get laid. I miss him.”
Freddie nodded, he missed his friend too. They had spent much of the past twenty or so years pretending to hate each other, but in their private meetings, their mutual respect and warmth was real. Now Freddie had no peer left, no person he could be himself with. “Do you want to grab a quick bite to eat, before we get going again?” She agreed, and he was surprised as she folded her arm into his, but he liked it.
$
Larry MacLean sat alone. His friend’s family was lost to him as allies. Even Johnston had turned out to be his enemy. Larry knew he deserved punishment for his betrayal, but Johnston had stolen his family’s entire wealth. God only knew what Thurwell had planned for Larry had he lived long enough to complete his scheme.
Philip had been thrown out, and Junior would never forgive Larry for wrecking his mother’s marriage. Bethany was lost to him since yesterday. The family alliance was dead, and Larry had no idea what to do next. He spotted Winnie, still at the table. She might be his last friend in the world, so he joined her. She gave him a look. “I want to
say I do not approve of your behavior with regard to your friend’s wife.”
His heart began to sink, and he made to leave but she put a hand on his arm to stop him. “However, since I committed adultery against the same marriage, knowingly or not, I can’t very well hold it against you.” She offered a sly smile, and he felt relief flow through his body. “Thank you, Mrs. Tremethick. I need a friend. All my others have abandoned me.”
“Just call me Winnie, dear. I feel old when you call me by my married name. My days with Charlie seem so real again, I almost feel like a girl. But when you call me Mrs. Tremethick it brings all the years back in a rush.”
“Okay Winnie, that’s a deal, as long as you call me Larry.”
They sat in silence and watched the others drift in and out of the room. Winnie sighed as she watched. “What a den of thieves and villains. I’ve never known such a bunch of people to make my skin crawl. Do you realize, Larry, that we are locked away in a remote location with people who have committed murder, fraud, blackmail, robbery and prostitution? My goodness.”
“It sounds bad when you put it like that.” He deadpanned.
She looked at him, confused for a moment before she laughed. Too loud. It was a release of tension, but it brought sharp looks from the others. The two of them fell into an easy chat and remembered a time when Johnston Thurwell, or Charlie Wells, had been their friend and lover. There was more unpleasantness ahead, but for now, they lived in the past to forget the present.
$
William held the yellow envelope in his hand and ran his fingers thoughtfully over its seal as he contemplated what surprises might be inside. The safe was open behind him, and his office door was locked against interruptions.
The lawyer had received two surprises in the last session, the first was the details of how Winnie Tremethick met his employer and the second was Philip’s confession to murder. He was still trying to cope with Philip’s revelation. He would never have approached Judge Freeman if he had known the truth. In fact, he was certain the Old Man would never have sent him under those circumstances. Thurwell would have lived with the shame of having a murderer for a son rather than allow Philip to use his wealth and power to escape the consequences.
Bird was still stunned Philip had not told his secret. All he had needed to admit was his complicity in Junior’s betrayal of their father by acting as courier and providing his brother with alibis for taking time away from the office. But Philip had kept a worse secret than his betrayal, and it had finally caught up with him. William would keep Philip restricted to his suite so he could not cause trouble.
William turned his attention back to the Charlie Wells envelope. His orders were unambiguous. If Winnie remembered Charlie Wells, Bird was to open the envelope and carry out the instructions within. It had never occurred to him that Johnston Thurwell and Charlie Wells were one and the same, but he had no reason to suspect it might be the case.
William slit the envelope with his letter opener and tipped its contents onto his blotter. A small silver key fell out, followed by a single sheet of paper and a second envelope, delicate and white. Bird picked up the envelope, it was addressed To Winnie. He looked at the key. It looked old but was untarnished, as if it had been handled often. Finally, he turned to the handwritten sheet and read his instructions.
Bill,
If you’re reading this, then you should know I’m happy. You will have had the pleasure of meeting Winnie Tremethick, and she will have remembered Charlie Wells.
I’m sure she told you about the summer we spent together in England. She might even have told you how she saved my life. What I am certain she never told you, was how much she meant to me. She could never share that, because she never knew.
I should have told her, I should never have left her. There is a letter to Winnie in this envelope. I want you to give it to her only if she seems strong enough to read it. I haven’t seen her in forty years and have no idea of her health or state of mind. I hope and pray as I write this, that you think her well enough to give her my letter.
There’s a key with this letter, but that is for you, Bill. In the boathouse is the old chest we used to sit on to change our shoes. You can’t miss it. Under that chest is a loose floorboard and under that, you’ll find a box. The key unlocks that box. You’re to take the contents of the box and give it to Winnie. Do not delegate this task Bill, do it personally.
Then transfer forty million dollars to Winnie and make sure she gets home safe. I have no wish to keep her from the farm. She wouldn’t leave it forty years ago, and I’m certain she misses it now.
Destroy these instructions when you’ve completed them. Do the work as soon as possible and keep her safe. Once the Danse is over, I want her out of the vipers nest as soon as you can make it happen.
JCT2
William turned the paper over, but the reverse was blank. The instructions were straightforward enough, and he already knew he would give the letter to Winnie. There was no doubt in his mind that she was strong enough to read whatever was inside.
He checked his watch, he had told the group their break would be thirty minutes and the time was nearly up. Should he start the session and go to the boathouse later, or did the Old Man mean right now? He had said as soon as possible, so he had some latitude. He decided to collect the box later. He would face a revolt if he delayed progress much longer.
William replaced the key, letter and his instructions in the yellow envelope and locked them back in the safe. He checked over the room, and when he was satisfied everything was secure, headed back to the conference room.
Chapter Twenty-One
The mood among the group was guarded. Their secrets had changed the way the participants looked at each other. Old alliances were irrevocably broken, but no one had yet had time to forge new ones. Tension and suspicion were dominant as people filed back into the room. Bird saw Philip’s seat had been removed. Jeremy had seen to it that an empty chair would not distract them.
He saw Larry finishing a conversation with Winnie Tremethick, the old lady looked happy, and William felt a sharp pang of regret. He should have taken care of her first, to hell with the others. It was too late now, he was committed to the session. He’d take care of her at the dinner break.
“Ladies and Gentlemen, you may continue to determine the division of the Thurwell fortune. At midnight, whether you are in session or not, the money will be reduced a further twenty percent. There are eleven of you remaining and motions must be carried by seventy-five percent. You need nine votes to pass a vote.”
A murmur rumbled around the table. They were all aware the family bloc had fractured. Nine was a large number to reach, and they were nervous about the way forward. “I recommend you elect a Chair, unless you wish to continue with Mr. MacLean as your leader.”
Junior snorted and waved dismissively. “As if that snake will decide what I get to vote on or not, fuck that.”
Caroline made a show of clearing her throat to get attention. “I’m sorry Larry, but I think we need a new Chairman. One who hasn’t made as many enemies as you.” MacLean didn’t argue, though Smith openly sneered. He knew his time as the group’s leader had ended. He simply nodded and accepted his new pariah status.
“We need someone neutral, someone we can still trust.” Everyone looked at Dennis. It was out of the ordinary for him to say anything unless he was spoken to first. Junior glowered, he wanted to tell the manservant to mind his place, but was afraid of him. He rubbed his ribs where Dennis had jabbed him, it still hurt like a son of a bitch.
“Like who, Dennis?” Bethany was willing to listen to the man who saved her from her own brother.
Dennis looked bewildered, he hadn’t expected a follow-up question, but Janice came to his rescue. “What about the Judge? Judge Freeman is about as neutral as we could find and he’s used to being in charge, right, sir?”
Freeman was surprised by Janice’s endorsement, they had only had a brief conversation about his offe
r to Dennis and she said she needed time to consider it. Apparently she had decided. He was pleased. “I am used to controlling a courtroom, that is true. It would be an honor to be your Chair.”
Freddie interrupted. “Just wait a minute, before we get ahead of ourselves. Judge you were blackmailed into setting a murderer free. Then you blackmailed William to save your own skin and put us all through hell. That raises questions about your integrity.” Betty voiced her support of Freddie, but no one joined them.
Freeman counted three full breaths before responding. It was a trick he learned as a young lawyer to ensure he remained in control of his emotions in front of a jury. Juries liked to know that lawyers were in charge, just as people in general liked to know that those given positions of authority were trustworthy with the power they wielded. “I was forced to make a decision I would have preferred not to have made, that is true.
However, you must recall it was only in the past hour we learned Philip Thurwell committed murder deliberately.”
Freddie conceded the point, but was not yet ready to give his approval. “Okay, fair enough. How do you feel about the Thurwells, Judge? This family may be responsible for the destruction of your career. Can you be fair to them?”
Junior interrupted before the legal man could respond. “Just wait a second, Freddie. We’re not going to make the Judge our Chair on your say so, or based on whatever bullshit he says. There might be someone else who can take the job on.”
Freddie was annoyed by the interruption. “Who, Junior? You? You don’t have the temperament to lead a parade, let alone these negotiations.”
Junior flushed scarlet as Freddie landed a solid blow to his delicate ego. “No, not me. I was thinking of Caroline. She runs the Foundation and is as qualified as the Judge.” Smith sat up and looked pleased to have been picked, if not surprised. It was obvious she and Junior had arranged the attempt to chair the group.
Freddie snorted. “Caroline Smith, the woman who rubber stamps Foundation grants based on how much you can line her pockets? That’s an outstanding recommendation, Junior.”
The Philanthropist's Danse Page 22