The Philanthropist's Danse (15 page)

“Jesus H. Christ, Bird. Are you deliberately understating it, or do you think we’re morons? Of course, we want to know why the losers are back. What the fuck is going on?”

William held up his hand and waited for Junior to shut up. “I’m afraid there has been a change of plan. The deal you reached yesterday is no longer valid. It was rendered void by the actions of one person last night. Today we start a new process that requires all twelve of you.”

The room exploded in noise and fury. Only the Judge, Freddie, and Janice said nothing. The Judge’s face was set in stone, but he wondered what the hell Bird was talking about, this was what not he had demanded.

Freddie watched the family as they yelled abuse at the lawyer with faces twisted into ugly visages of greed and anger as they realized their inheritance was once more up for grabs. Janice sat with her hands folded in her lap, as her nails cut into her palms and hot tears ran down her cheeks.

William did not respond to the tide of outrage. He raised his hand, but it made no difference, so he sat and stared straight ahead until people realized they’d get no answers until they let him speak. As the last voice fell silent, inevitably Junior’s, he continued. “Your agreement was voided before midnight yesterday, therefore, the fortune has been reduced by the twenty per cent penalty.”

Larry MacLean was furious and led renewed howls of anger. “What the fuck do you mean, Bill? We could have reconvened if you’d told us last night. What is going on here?” He pointed a finger at Caroline Smith. “This is your doing Caroline, I saw you march out of Bill’s office last night, what have you done?”

She shot to her feet and yelled back at MacLean. “I’ve done nothing, you idiot. Bird wanted to see me. I didn’t make this happen, but I’m damned glad it did!” She snarled, but Larry saw the truth in her eyes. She was mean and triumphal, but she was telling the truth.

William raised both hands and pleaded for quiet. It took a full five minutes before he got them under control. He took a breath. “I work under a set of strict instructions left by Mr. Thurwell. I have little control over what happens, and I ask you all to remember that.”

He looked around, they were angry, but they were listening. “Your deal was voided last night when I received a blackmail threat. My instructions for dealing with such a threat are simple. Before any discussion of dividing the fortune can proceed, each of you must satisfy conditions demanded by Mr. Thurwell.”

He raised the yellow envelope, so they could all see it. “In this envelope is a collection of secrets. Each of you has something you would prefer remain secret from the world, and the people in this room. That is no longer an option if you wish to share in the fortune.”

He saw the color drain from his guest’s faces. Even Freddie Hagood looked worried. “Mr. Thurwell’s idea is simple. Blackmail has been threatened, and he calculated the safest way to neutralize the threat is for you to share your secrets with each other. By doing so, each of you loses the power to use blackmail to manipulate the negotiations.

“The midnight penalty remains in effect, so I recommend you decide quickly if you wish to participate. If you refuse to share your secret, it will remain safe, but you will no longer be eligible to continue.”

William heard more protests, but their fury had been extinguished. Now the sound of complaints was tinged with fear. Every person was scared about losing a share of the money but at the same time they were terrified about what they might be forced to reveal. Some had many secrets and did not know which one mattered. A few could think of nothing in particular. All of them were concerned about losing the chance to share in the Thurwell fortune.

$

A thin voice rose above the din and asked a question that stopped the noise. Everyone looked at Janice Elliot, who stood, pale and shaking. “Who? Who was it, William? Who did this to us?”

Judge Freeman was afraid. He was shocked at how his desperate play had turned out and wished he could turn the clock back. These people would hate him if Bird revealed his identity. He closed his eyes and prayed the lawyer would not reveal the blackmailer’s identity, but his hope was in vain when he saw Bird point at him.

“The Judge came to see me in my office last night and threatened to reveal a secret that would have severely damaged Mr. Thurwell’s reputation. Judge Freeman’s demands voided your agreement.”

People screamed at the Judge, and he stood to escape the angry mob, but found his way blocked by Janice. She trembled with anger as she looked up into his face. Freeman tried to slide past her when he felt something hot on his cheek.

Janice had spit in the Judge’s face. He stood still, shocked, as her thick spittle dripped onto his immaculate suit. Janice turned to walk away, but her legs buckled under her. Dennis was close enough to scoop her up before she hit the floor. No one spoke as they watched him carry his wife away.

A high-pitched giggle startled everyone, and they turned to see Junior laughing uncontrollably, his face twisted into something so cruel, his laughter seemed horrific. Bethany shuddered as she watched her brother. Her skin crawled and she eventually looked away. But no-one could block out the sound of Junior’s laughter.

Ron Freeman reached into his pocket and removed a silk handkerchief. His wife insisted he always carry one. She thought a clean white handkerchief was something a man from the South should always be armed with along with his manners. He wiped his face clean as the others watched and took a step forward. The angry group parted to allow him a narrow passage to the door.

He had to get to his room and remove the wet shame of Janice’s spittle. Freeman also needed time to think, his plan had gone seriously awry. He had no idea a settlement had been negotiated last night. The people who had expected to be rich this morning would not forgive him for robbing them of their settlement. The lawyer had also said the penalty reduced the fortune by twenty percent. They would not forgive him for that, either.

D
ennis carried his wife to their suite and set her down gently on the bed. Jeremy had appeared in time to open the door for Dennis and was now talking softly on the telephone in the other room. Dennis ran cold water over a face cloth and dabbed at his wife’s forehead. “Wake up, Jan, please. Wake up.”

He felt a hand on his shoulder. Jeremy was back with a woman at his side. He introduced her as Sarah, a nurse. Sarah firmly moved Dennis out of the way to take a look at the semi-conscious patient. “Leave us, I’ve got this. I’ll take good care of her.”

Dennis thought about protesting, but Jeremy steered him from the room before words came. Before he knew what was happening, Dennis was perched on a wooden stool downstairs in the main kitchen, sipping a hot coffee as Jeremy moved among the kitchen staff, issuing orders in his calm, efficient manner.

Sarah assessed Janice’s condition. The woman was pale and her skin was clammy, but her breathing was regular, and her pulse was normal. Sarah figured she had simply fainted, Jeremy had told her there had been some sort of shock. She reached into her first aid kit and found a bottle of smelling salts. She cracked the top and wafted the bottle under Janice’s nostrils.

Janice coughed and tried to sit up but failed and began to cry in deep racking sobs that seemed to come from her very soul. Sarah soothed her, talking gently all the time. Eventually Janice quieted and looked up. “I don’t know you.”

There was fear in her voice, but Sarah introduced herself and Janice laid her head back down. “Do you know why you passed out?” Sarah asked because she should, not because she was interested. “I didn’t get much sleep. I got no rest last night. Then, this morning, it was all for nothing. I got nothing.”

There was a lot Janice was not saying, but if she wanted to keep her business to herself, it was none of Sarah’s concern. “Well, you’ll be fine. Get some rest and I’ll have soup brought up. Do you want a valium?”

“I just need to sleep, thanks.” Sarah packed up her small bag of medical items, pulled the drapes closed and quietly left Janice to rest.

$

The conference room was filled by excited, often angry voices. Larry, Bethany, Philip, Camille and Junior huddled together in a tight family group near the window, where Bethany tried to make sense of events. “What just happened? Our deal is void, we lost twenty percent of Father’s fortune, and now we have to share secrets. I don’t have secrets. Do you?”

She looked at each of them, but none could meet her eyes. Bethany did have a secret, they all did. She could not believe hers might be written on a piece of paper in Bird’s office. Surely no one knew? She was frightened and in that emotion, was in good company.

There was a moment of quiet until Larry spoke. “Whatever’s happened, it’s in our interests that these damned secrets are shared quickly. According to William, we lost twenty percent of the fortune last night, and the penalty clock is ticking again. I don’t see why we can’t put together the same deal as before, but first we have to get through this nonsense. Do you agree?” Philip pulled a face. “Do you think we can get the same deal Larry? Won’t Freddie and Caroline work against us? They did before.”

“No, Phil. They failed yesterday. All we have to do is keep our supporters loyal, and nothing has to change. We’ll still have the Elliots, Betty and even old Mrs. Tremethick on our side. Even if we have to increase their share a little, we’ll still win.”

Philip was reassured by Larry’s assessment, but Junior felt sick. He couldn’t tell the others, but he was certain that at least one of the Elliots would not vote with the family again. Bethany rallied them. “Okay, everyone stay focused. When you talk to anyone that supported us yesterday, make sure you shore up their support, we’ll need them all again. Let’s get this sordid blackmail thing out of the way and move on.”

Camille nodded but was concerned, her soft voice serious. “But, sister. What if the secrets we hear change the way we feel about each other? That could be a problem, non?”

Bethany shuddered. The same idea had occurred to her, and she was afraid Camille had raised a very real problem. “We’ll have to agree to not let whatever we hear affect our resolve.” Bethany worried that if the secret she feared most was in William’s envelope, the family might never understand.

She offered a nervous smile and saw the same reaction echoed on the other’s faces. Only Junior didn’t react, he seemed lost in his own thoughts. Bethany had been shocked by her brother’s outburst after Janice spat on the Judge. He had delighted in Janice’s reaction. Bethany was worried. Her brother had always been odd, but his laughter had sounded almost insane. She would keep an eye on him, the death of his father and the stress of losing their settlement may have gotten to him.

Larry interrupted her thoughts with a plan. “I suggest we break up and make sure we get everyone we can to pledge their support again, before we hear these secrets. Phil, you take Betty. Beth, you take the Elliots, and I’ll talk to Mrs. Tremethick. I think her secret will be whatever link she had with your father, and I can help her. I’m also going to talk with Bill to see if we can get last night’s penalty reversed, we might be able to resolve this quickly and still keep the entire fortune. Any questions?”

Bethany raised her hand. “Larry, what if Camille is right and our secrets change the way people feel about their allegiance?”

“Look, we can’t know how it all will play out, but if we can get a declaration of support now, it might make it harder for people to change their minds later. It’s a long shot, but we have nothing to lose by trying, right?” MacLean was pleased to see the group nod in agreement. “Okay, go circulate and be charming. Let’s get what we need and we’ll meet back here before William calls us back into session.”

$

Larry left the family to talk to the lawyer. He saw Freddie and Caroline chatting together and smiled. It seemed he was correct about the group dividing along the same lines again. That was good news for the family.

William watched as his guests organized into groups and huddled in whispered discussions, each looking to find a way to screw the others out of a share. They all had to meet the new challenge and Bird suspected the old alliances would not survive the telling of the secrets. He felt a brush against his elbow and turned to see Larry MacLean. “Can we have a private word?” The lawyer nodded and led Larry to his office. The two men looked at each other across Bird’s desk.

“What can I do for you, Mr. MacLean?”

Larry leaned forward in his leather chair. His voice was conversational, but his words betrayed his deep anger. “If you’d told me last night the deal was off, we might have been able to sort this mess out. It’s not right the penalty was executed and that you gave us no opportunity to stop it.”

“Larry, I told you already, I operate under strict instructions. Mr. Thurwell left a lot of notes detailing how I should act in circumstances that might or might not occur. Blackmail was one such situation, and my instructions were clear. Freeman threatened to blackmail the family in private, after you had adjourned. Mr. Thurwell’s instructions were to wait until the next scheduled session to inform you. That’s it, no arguments. Is there anything else?”

Larry shook his head in answer to the question but then changed his mind. “Yes, about this demand that we tell our secrets. What if someone has more than one secret, Bill? How are we supposed to know which one Johnston wants us to share?”

“They don’t. If they have a lot of skeletons in their closet, they better make the right guess. Otherwise, you will all hear more than you need to, and the process will take longer. I can’t offer any clues. You need to decide for yourself what secret you hold that will satisfy the Old Man’s requirement.”

“Why did he do it, Bill? Why make us fight over the spoils? Did he tell you why?”

“No comment, Larry. Maybe you’ll find out, maybe you won’t. It’s not my decision if you get to know the reasons or not. Now, if you’re finished, I need to get organized before we start again.” MacLean accepted the kiss off and left the lawyer’s office, he wanted to find Mrs. Tremethick to see how she was coping with the new turn of events.

$

Bethany came across Dennis Elliot in the lobby. “How’s Janice, Dennis?”

The manservant shrugged. “I wish I knew, Miss Bethany. A nurse took a look at her and kicked me out. Jeremy gave me a coffee in the kitchen, but I can’t sit still not knowing what’s going on. It’s not like Jan to get upset like that. She’s usually the calm one. Something’s wrong.” She nodded and made noises of condolence, but was she useless trying to help a domestic situation she couldn’t relate to.

She saw Jeremy and called him over. The major-domo complied at once and told them both that Janice was resting comfortably. “Can I see her?” Dennis sounded so wretched that Bethany’s heart almost broke, but Jeremy was professional.

“I don’t think it’s a good idea, sir. Let her rest. You can look in on her later, when Sarah’s satisfied with her condition.”

Dennis nodded, chewed his knuckle and wandered off. Bethany watched him go, and only too late she realized she had forgotten to ask the couple to support the family again.

$

Freddie watched as Caroline calculated the angles of joining him again. They had failed before, so perhaps she should find a way to get in with the family. Yet if she tried and they rejected her, Freddie might recruit others and she would be left out in the cold with no one looking out for her. The family had blindsided her before when they turned Janice against her.

It was clear they gave her no credit for her years of service at the Foundation. Hagood saw the moment Smith decided to partner with him again and smiled. He needed at least one more person to avoid a repeat of yesterday, but whom? Freddie was nervous about revealing his secret, but didn’t see how it would affect anyone else who might ally with him. Only the family would care about his secret.

$

Larry found Winnie still in her seat. She looked confused and upset. “May I join you?” She looked up and smiled for the first time since the morning session began. “Mr. MacLean, there you are. I suppose I’m not going home now?”

“I’m afraid not Mrs. Tremethick. Not under current circumstances, but I do have something for you. You remember I promised to think of the times I wasn’t in touch with Johnston?” The old lady nodded, her eyes fixed on the folded paper in Larry’s hand. “Well, I was up late last night and wrote out what I remembered. Here, take this but don’t look at it now, I don’t want others to see. Read it when you can do so in private and let me know if anything sparks any memories.”

Winnie took the paper, and it disappeared into the large handbag that was her constant companion. “Bless you, Mr. MacLean. I hope it helps both of us.”

He smiled and found the old girl charming. They chatted about the surprises of the morning. She told him that while she didn’t agree with what the Judge had done, the family had to take some responsibility for trying to send him away with no share. MacLean wouldn’t have agreed with her assessment yesterday, but today she seemed like a pillar of wisdom. It would have been easier and cheaper for everyone to share the whole fortune. He could not undo what had been done, but he could do his best to rescue a bad situation. He patted the old woman’s arm and excused himself. He had to find out how Philip and Bethany had made out on their missions.

$

Larry found it remarkable that the family had unexpectedly increased in size from three to four and how quickly the events of the past twenty-four hours had bonded them into a tight group. Junior, Philip, and Bethany would have ostracized the French girl in any other circumstance, yet here she was at the heart of the family unit. Philip grinned and gave two thumbs up to show Betty’s support was solid. They looked at Bethany, who shrugged. “I don’t know. I saw Dennis in the lobby, but he was too distracted and Janice hasn’t come out of their room since her meltdown. I’ll ask them later.”

When Junior spoke, there was something about his voice that made them stare. “I could go and see her, if you think it would help.” He had a faraway look in his eyes, and Larry wondered if he had been drinking.

Beth shook her head. “No, I said I’d take care of it and I will.”

Her brother looked irritated but said nothing else. Larry watched the exchange and wondered why Junior would offer to see Janice. He had acted strangely all morning. His hysterical laugh had sent chills down MacLean’s spine. It had sounded inhuman. Larry suspected the stress of having their settlement pulled out from under them had rattled Junior. He wasn’t good under pressure which was why he had never been given a permanent portfolio in the family business. Instead, Junior was shuffled in and out of meaningless meetings as the token Thurwell. Larry decided to keep an eye on Junior in case whatever it was that disturbed him was something other than stress.

$

William entered the conference room and saw his guests waiting. There was palpable tension in the room, and when people looked at him, few of them could look him in the eye. They knew he had read their darkest secrets, and it bothered them.

He knew each of them dreaded the revelations that would come in the next hours. Some secrets would seem harmless in the light of public scrutiny while others may change lives or fracture relationships forever. Only time would tell, but it was up to William to get them started down that road. He called the meeting to order, and it took no time for them to take their seats.

William noticed two empty chairs. “Where are Judge Freeman and Janice Elliot?”

Dennis raised his hand, as if he needed permission to speak. “Jan’s in our suite, sir. She took a bit of a turn after the last session.”

William frowned. Janice had spit in the Judge’s face, but he had no idea why she was so upset by his blackmail. Everyone who had been part of the first day’s agreement had cause to be angry at Freeman, but she was the only person to react so viscerally. William waited, but no one spoke for the Judge. He was irritated and did not bother to cover it.