The Philanthropist's Danse (14 page)

He and Johnston had laughed about that the last time they spoke. Larry realized now that his friend had been dying, but had said nothing about his condition. Larry had spent Christmas on a waitress instead of with his dying friend, and that guilt would haunt him forever.

Returning to the present, he leaned back in his chair and reviewed his work. There were only a few gaps on his list that would have allowed enough time for Thurwell to go to England. There was a three-month gap in 1957 after graduation when MacLean had gone to Mexico and lost himself on a tequila bender. The next was three years later, a ten month gap in 1960 when Larry went to Australia to follow a yacht race and enjoy the hospitality of the local ladies.

The only other viable gap was 1965. Larry paused as he remembered the lowest time of his life. He had just turned 30 when the police hauled him from the family home and charged him with dealing drugs. He’d been partying hard the previous weekend and had shared his generous stash of pot and pills with a couple of girls. One girl turned out to be a local councilman’s daughter, and when her father found his daughter shirtless and passed out on his front lawn one Sunday morning, he had demanded to know who gave her the drugs.

The charges against Larry had been reduced to possession, but he still spent three weeks in the county jail. He’d been ashamed to tell his old friend and only admitted what happened years later. He hated the memories of 1965.

There were no times when Johnston could have met Winnie after the mid-sixties. Johnston entered the business world and his time was no longer his own. Johnston worked for a while as an analyst in an investment bank before he decided he could do better on his own and formed Thurwell Industries.

It was an arrogant name for a one-man start-up, but Johnston C. Thurwell II had vision. He started with $3,000 of his own money and persuaded a few others, including Larry, to invest a few thousand dollars each.

Thurwell Industries opened in 1966 with sixteen clients and $50,000. Forty years later Thurwell Industries was a global enterprise managing $300 billion in assets with an unparalleled record of success. In the early seventies, Johnston had diversified into the information business, going head to head with another entrepreneur, Freddie Hagood. They had been bitter rivals for decades, which made Freddie’s presence at the mansion all the more confusing.

Larry looked at the dates on his page again, he was certain if his friend had ever met Winnie Tremethick, it had been in 1957, 1960 or 1965. He folded the paper and put it next to his watch on the desk. He’d give it to Winnie in the morning.

T
he residents of the mansion awoke to a clear day. The storm had broken in the night, and the dark clouds of yesterday were replaced by bright sunshine. The vast house looked like a cheerful Christmas card, but there was little goodwill within its walls.

Ron Freeman lay in bed and thought the sunshine was a good omen. His second chance at sharing in Thurwell’s fortune began with the sun warming his face through the window. This day he would make sure he was not humiliated. He’d get his share of the Thurwell fortune and the family would pay for the trouble they had visited into his life. They would pay dearly. He padded to the shower with a spring in his step, a determined smile and a cold heart.

$

Bethany watched the sun rise, happy the storm was over. She loved the way the world looked after a snowfall. She watched the sky turn from a deep red glow in the East until golden light spilled over the snow-covered forest that surrounded the mansion.

Her heart soared when a deer appeared at the tree line. It sniffed the air, ears moving in quick twitches as it listened for danger. But the woods were silent, all sound muffled by the fresh snow. Bethany watched the deer step into the clearing and gingerly push its nose into the deep snow to find some grass. She watched the graceful animal feed and felt it was a good way to start a new day and a new chapter in her life. A life without her father.

The ugly business would be over today. William only had to divide the money and she would be free to grieve her father, and try to understand why he had shunned her. The deer looked up and met Bethany’s eyes before it launched itself into the trees and was gone. Bethany smiled and took it as a hint to get moving herself.

$

Dennis Elliot was shaving and called his wife for the third time to get out of bed. The silly bitch would miss breakfast if she didn’t move. He had a headache. He’d finished a whole bottle of wine last night and had passed out on the bed. He’d woken in the clothes he’d been wearing at supper and was stiff from sleeping at an awkward angle.

Janice had been awake when he got up, he was sure of it. Her breathing was different when she slept. He knew the difference, but went along with the pretence to eke out a few more moments of peace before she started on him again. He scraped at his face, dipped the razor in the hot water and called for her to get her ass out of bed. He sighed when she didn’t move, today was the day they would become rich and yet she wanted to sleep in. He toweled his face dry, pulled the drain plug and watched the water swirl away, leaving dark bristles on the white porcelain sink. He didn’t bother to wash them away. He was done with menial chores.

Dennis went to the bedroom and poked the covers over his wife’s huddled shape. She grunted and pulled a pillow around her ears. He had enough and grabbed her arm to pull her out of bed, just like he’d done a thousand times before. She hated mornings and often needed a physical tug to get her moving.

He was shocked by her scream as she threw the pillow aside and fought his hand away. Her eyes were almost feral as she screamed for him to get away from her. He stepped back, alarmed by her reaction as he held out his hands to show he meant no harm. She stopped screaming but glared at him, breathing hard. “Don’t touch me. Don’t you come near me.”

He backed off. There was something in her eyes he did not like. What the hell just happened? He opened his mouth to say something, but she shot out of the bed, slapped his face hard and ran into the bathroom, locking the door behind her. Dennis looked after his wife and rubbed his cheek where she had struck him. He knocked on the door, but she screamed again and he decided it was better to leave her alone until she calmed down.

He dressed quickly and left the room. If his crazy wife didn’t want breakfast, so be it. He’d get his share of the money soon, and then he’d be rid of Janice for good. Her behavior this morning would make the break-up easier.

$

William Bird finished his eggs and toast before the first guests drifted into the dining room. He nodded to Camille and Bethany as they arrived together. They made to join him, but he stood and indicated he was leaving, he preferred to avoid any conversation. He made his apologies and left, taking a fresh coffee with him to his office.

The two daughters chatted amicably. After the meeting yesterday Bethany and Camille had enjoyed their first real conversation and Bethany discovered she might enjoy having a sister. Camille was still guarded, but had also been surprised by how well she and Bethany got along. They had nothing but their father in common, but were close in age and found that fashion, men and gossip crossed oceans both geographic and cultural.

$

Winnie Tremethick entered the dining room with Larry MacLean. They had met in the hallway on the way to breakfast, and he had gallantly offered his arm to escort her. He looked around for either William or Janice, still wondering what the scene he witnessed last night meant.

Winnie was as animated as he’d ever seen her and chatted excitedly about returning home. He noticed she never mentioned the fortune she’d take with her. He wanted to know her story before it was too late. He was intrigued to know how his old friend had ever come to meet such an unlikely woman.

$

Junior strode into the room with lightness in his step and a satisfied smirk. He was hungry and snapped his fingers at one of the staff to bring him some coffee. He looked around the room, his sisters were sitting together, and Larry was chatting to the old English woman. He was disappointed not to see Janice, he wanted to look her in the eye to complete his dominance over her.

He remembered he had to talk with Bethany about the new arrangement for the Elliot’s payment, but he’d have time, it was not urgent. He grinned when he saw Dennis enter the room, but it faded when he realized Janice was not with him.
Perhaps she’s lost her appetite
he thought, and stifled a giggle with a discreet cough.

$

The genial hum of excited conversation ended suddenly, as if someone pressed a mute button. Everyone stared at the door where an immaculately dressed Ron Freeman stood. He shot a hostile look at the assembled people before he took a seat and made a big show of shaking out his napkin as he ordered a large breakfast.

Bethany and Camille looked at one another, surprised that the Judge possessed enough nerve to appear. Why would he subject himself to embarrassment when he could have taken breakfast in his room? Unless it was an act of pure bravado, there was no need for him to appear in public.

The Judge’s presence killed the atmosphere and people finished their breakfasts and left quickly. There was a half-hour wait before the meeting would begin, and the spoils would be divided. Most of the guests went back to their suites to freshen up. Dennis decided not to return to his room to receive more abuse from his wife and instead wandered around the lobby. He shot anxious glances up the stairs and hoped Janice would not be late.

$

Freddie Hagood sipped hot coffee in his room. He would wait until the last minute to arrive at the meeting. He wanted to make an entrance and see the family react to his return. They did not know he had been set to receive a generous payment and had lost it when Freeman tried to blackmail William. Freddie’s new goal was to secure more than he had lost. He plotted how he might manipulate the group to his advantage, he knew more about each of them now, and he would not make the same mistakes he’d made yesterday. Freddie Hagood was used to winning, and he was damned well going to win now he had been handed a second chance.

$

Caroline Smith was excited. Her anger at being humiliated had passed. She looked at herself in the mirror with pride. She was no weakling that could be kicked around. The selfish Thurwells would cough up a fair share of the Old Man’s money today. She’d make sure of it.

Her mouth twisted as she thought about how to handle the backstabbing Janice Elliot. She needed to exact a revenge for the housekeeper’s betrayal. No one lied to Caroline Smith and got away with it. She’d find something. She would make it her life’s work to destroy Janice if she had to. Caroline checked her wristwatch, a few more moments, and she would head out. She wanted to be in a position to watch the other’s reactions when they saw her at the negotiating table again.

$

Janice still trembled from Dennis’s effort to get her out of bed. She knew she had over-reacted, but his touch had brought the memory of long hours in Junior’s suite back and she had lost control. She forced herself to dress and sat in front of the mirror and tried to summon the courage to look at her reflection. When she finally met her own eyes, she felt the shame burn and looked away quickly. She had to pull herself together and endure being in the room with the others, with him, until the money was hers.

Once she was rich, she could run far from this place and forget. Or try to forget.
Focus on the money
, she told herself,
forget last night and focus on the money
. She repeated the mantra in her head as she stood and left the room, her stomach as jumpy as a shy girl on the first day of high school.

Janice made it to the top of the stairs on shaky legs and saw Dennis in the lobby, hopping impatiently from one foot to the other. She saw his relief at her appearance and allowed herself a smile. He was like a big dumb puppy, and that made her feel safe. Dennis was no threat. She would use him to stay strong. Her knees wobbled as she walked down the stairs, but she made it. To her husband’s surprise, she folded her arm through his as they entered the conference room together.

They were the first to arrive and took their assigned seats at opposite ends of the table. Dennis noticed all thirteen chairs were set, just as they had been when they first arrived. He wondered why that might be. Surely the people who had been rejected would not be forced to watch as the others were given their money? Dennis couldn’t imagine what cruel twist this might foreshadow. The Old Man had already unleashed so many surprises, who knew what yet was to come?

Dennis thought his suspicions were confirmed when he saw Caroline Smith enter the room. She wore a tailored Vera Wang suit and looked every inch a CEO. He saw her shoot a hostile look toward Janice, but his wife was not looking and missed it.

Smith was irritated she was not first to arrive, but she had been pleased by a suitably shocked expression on Dennis’s face. The bitch housekeeper never looked up, she didn’t have the nerve to face her. Caroline could be patient. She took her seat and smiled. She faced the door and would have the satisfaction of seeing each person’s reaction as they saw her.

$

Betty Freah and Philip chatted animatedly as they entered the conference room, but stopped abruptly when they saw Smith. Philip looked at her with a puzzled expression. He recalled the Judge’s surprise appearance at breakfast. Was this part of the philanthropist’s plan?

He guessed Billy Bird would sort it out, so he nodded in Smith’s direction and took his seat. He felt awkward and looked to his right where Betty was seated, then smiled as she gave him a shrug and a grin. Not much bothered Betty and today she was so happy that not even Caroline’s surprise appearance could spoil her mood.

$

Bethany and Camille came in to the room, with Junior behind. The two girls glared at Caroline, but Junior didn’t even see her, he was busy looking for Janice. He saw his target and leered, but it was wasted because she never looked up. She would look at him soon enough. His conquests always had to look him in the eye eventually. That she made him wait just extended the thrill.

He noticed Bethany had stopped and was staring. He looked and for the first time saw Caroline Smith in her seat and for a moment, he was as confused as his sister. “What are you doing here Caroline? This meeting is for people who will share my father’s money. I believe the losers get to go home. That would include you.”

She did not reply but shot him a venomous look. Junior snorted, if the rules said she had to watch him get rich, so be it.

Bethany and Camille watched Smith warily and were taking their seats when Judge Freeman strode into the room. He had expected to see the room full and was disappointed that only half the people had witnessed his entrance.

He was even more surprised to see Caroline Smith at the table. He had overheard a conversation at breakfast and was certain that both Smith and Hagood had also been thrown out. He must have heard wrong otherwise there was no reason for her to be here. His deal was not for the benefit of any other rejects. If William Bird had misunderstood, Freeman would soon correct him.

$

Larry MacLean and Winnie Tremethick strolled in together. She was on his arm and clearly enjoying his company. She expressed no curiosity that the Judge and Caroline Smith were back, but Larry did. He shot a look at Bethany and Junior, who both shrugged, confusion apparent on their faces.

MacLean had a sense of growing dread and was afraid the events he’d witnessed last night were connected to the reappearance of both Caroline Smith and the Judge. William Bird appeared at last, carrying a yellow envelope and his laptop. He showed no surprise at the presence of the two rejected guests but took his seat and began to tap away at his computer. Larry’s heart beat faster, something was badly wrong. He could feel it.

The tension around the table ratcheted up another notch when Freddie Hagood strode in. MacLean’s heart sank, Hagood’s arrival was confirmation that something was seriously awry. He’d heard Freddie’s anger when he listened through his door last night, yet now the magnate appeared calm and collected. He was in business mode and for Larry that meant storm clouds on the horizon.

$

William knew the exact moment Freddie arrived, without needing to turn. He heard Bethany’s sharp intake of breath and other’s exclamations of surprise and felt nine pairs of eyes land on him at the same time, all with the same question behind them.

He closed his laptop. He didn’t need it. It had been something to keep his hands busy until this moment. He saw he already had every person’s undivided attention and cleared his throat. “Good morning, I’m sure some of you are surprised to see you are reunited as a group.”