Janssen K. J.

Hampton Manor

HAMPTON MANOR

Thriller by K.J. Janssen

AMAZON REVIEW: 5 STARS

“Another nail-biter from the author of Blood Money. It’s one of those thrillers that make you glad you started reading while the night was young because you can’t put it down. Page by page Hampton Manor brings you closer to a terrible secret that will give you goosebumps as you dive into the mystery of the Hampton family.”

—Jack King, “Author of Suspense”

AMAZON REVIEW: 5 STARS

Great Beach reading May 14, 2012

“K.J. Janssen’s newest mystery (Hampton Manor) leaves you wanting the next book. His characters are so well developed that you want to know more. I hope this the first of a series.”

—M.B. Russell, Reviewer

AMAZON REVIEW: 5 STARS

An amazing read! May 24, 2012

“Hampton Manor by K. J. Janssen is an amazing read. The characters are so believable and the plot development is outstanding. This is an A1 thriller. There is an assassin on the loose in Old Brooking, CT and the author hides the identity until the very end by presenting reasons why any of five townspeople could be the guilty party.

“The cover is really outstanding, too.

“I haven’t read his other book, Blood Money, as yet, but it’s on my list. If it is anything like Hampton Manor I’m in for a real treat.”

—Walt Mannings, Jr., Reviewer

Prologue

“Don’t worry, I’ll make sure I get them both. Call me as soon as the money has been deposited.” The Assassin was accustomed to conversations like this. In his line of work he was known as the best, a man who took great pride in his profession. His legit business, a construction company in East St. Louis, Illinois, was a perfect front for the techno-killer.

“I heard you talking. Who’s the target this time?” an associate asked, as he entered the office.

“Adam Hampton III and his father Adam Hampton II. Both live in Old Brooking, Connecticut. My client was specific that he wants them dead and their Manor destroyed. Apparently Hampton Manor is symbolic of something.”

“They want you to burn down the mansion with the two of them in it? What the hell is that about? Sounds like some kind of a vendetta to me.”

“I don’t have any of the detail and I don’t really want to know. I’ve been waiting for a challenge like this for some time.”

“They didn’t happen to specify what they wanted the victims to be wearing at the time, did they?”

“There is no need for sarcasm,” the Assassin answered. “I do my best work under the pressure of rigid client specifications. We’ve got two weeks and a lot of planning to do, so let’s get to work. First I’m going to need the schematics for the Old Brooking Municipal Water System. I’ll need the location of their pumping stations, reserve tanks and the water main system. See if you can attach construction dates to everything.”

“What do you need all that stuff for?”

The Assassin rolled his eyes. How do some people make it through life with just enough gray matter between their ears as it takes to lace up their shoes? He smiled as he realized that the invention of Velcro strips even made that task less challenging for some. Patiently, he explained, “If our fire is going to accomplish what we’re setting out to do, the odds will improve greatly if attempts by the Old Brooking’s Fire Department to extinguish it are unsuccessful. Especially, if they are out of business entirely.”

“You mean that you’re gonna knock out their Fire Department?”

“Not the Fire Department, stupid, just the water they need to extinguish the fires.”

“Oh! Now I get it.”

The Assassin smiled. He gets it. The Planet can rest easily now. “Get to work and get me those blueprints and maps. Then I’ll show you how it’ll be done.”

* * *

The next morning a pile of paper rested on the Assassin’s desk. He spent four hours poring over the network of water mains, periodically referencing the list of construction dates. A brochure from the Old Brooking Water District boasted about the use of concrete water mains chosen for their ability to withstand corrosion and internal and external pressure, minimizing the likelihood of ever cracking or leaking. On the downside, concrete mains were more difficult to shut down should that ever be necessary. The decision as to whether a water main or the pumping station should be taken out was a difficult one to make. The water main section supplying water to the Hampton mansion was only twelve years old and was constructed with steel reinforcements, making it difficult to create a structural collapse. The pumping station, on the other hand, was “ancient” by any standard. No improvements had been made for over thirty years due to budget restrictions. A spate of recent breakdowns made the Old Brooking Municipal Pumping Station an “accident waiting to happen.”

Finally, the Assassin settled on a two-pronged approach. The last pump between the station and the mansion was “jerry-rigged” to supply water through a seventy-five foot section of twenty foot diameter conduit, which was only ten feet below the ground and not reinforced by steel. Damage to this section, some of which was directly under the electrical control panel, would effectively shut down the station and the town’s water supply for at least several weeks until water could be diverted from nearby towns.

He decided he would take out the electrical grid, starting with one of the transformers. The resulting explosion would set off a chain reaction throughout the grid and cause the pump to implode down into the main. Failure of the electrical grid would automatically cut off the flow of water from the reservoir. Reserves stored in the town’s water towers would drain quickly into the streets. Within an hour Old Brooking would run dry. All that would be needed to complete step one would be twenty five pounds of Nitrex, and given the absolute lack of security at the reservoir it would be the easiest part of the job.

Chapter 1

Adam Hampton III opened his eyes, prepared to meet the challenges of his day. His head throbbed from the overindulgence of the night before. He was in no immediate hurry to get up. At first he had no memory of the previous night’s activities, but, as the cobwebs cleared, a vague memory of having sex with Marcia Bloom emerged. How could that slip my mind after trying so hard to bed her for the last six months? The memory of his activity the prior night began to return. He recalled how beautiful her body was. He vividly retraced each curve in his mind. He had discovered, first hand, that there was much more to Marcia than her signature tight clothing. As the mystery continued to unravel, he remembered being in her apartment, drinking several Rusty Nails. She was wearing only a short silk robe, which, at the time, he considered a most promising sign.

As a sex partner, Adam was short on foreplay, which he believed made him climax too quickly. He preferred to get right to the fornication. He had waited for Marcia to make the first move, which she eventually did by letting her robe fall to the floor. They moved immediately to her bedroom where they made love for the next four hours on her round-shaped bed. He remembered doing it several times, but apart from that, the rest was a blur, including how he drove home and got into his pajamas. To add to his confusion, he saw that his clothes were neatly folded and piled up on one of the lounges.

For the past three years Marcia has been vice-president of Sales for Bretton Trading, one of the Hampton companies. She was appointed to the position by his father. Six months ago at a company party he made a pass at her, which she politely laughed off. On two other occasions he made it very clear that he wanted to go to bed with her and both times she had turned him down, but with less conviction she had earlier.

What happened last night? He wrestled with the question. What could have made her change her mind? There was an obvious gap in his memory. As if to answer his questions, his cell phone rang. He rolled over and picked it up. The name on the screen was Marcia Bloom. He thought for a second and decided against answering it. He had no intention of speaking with her until he had the answers to the questions that were plaguing him; answers that were very slow in coming. He waited until she finished her message. The message was short.

When it ended, he pressed play.“Adam,” she said in a bubbly voice. “Good Morning! I’m sorry I missed you.” She hesitated for a moment and added, “We need to meet to discuss how and when you’re going to announce my promotion. Call me.”

Adam dropped the phone. The memory of the time preceding his sexual encounter with Marcia suddenly flooded into his head. He now recalled asking her, “What do I have to do for you to go to bed with me?” He remembered that she had bluntly answered, “I will sleep with you only if you give me the vacant CEO position at Bretton Trading.”

He also remembered reluctantly agreeing to do so. What have I done?, he thought. She’s expecting me to promote her to CEO. Beads of perspiration appeared on his forehead. In the two years since he took over the helm of Hampton Industries he exerted every effort to avoid signs of impropriety. Self-recriminations flooded through Adam’s thoughts Why couldn’t I keep it in my pants? What the hell is wrong with me? I know better than to screw around at the office. How could I have been so stupid? She’s not ready to be CEO. Damn that scotch!

Thoughts flowed in again Well, It’s just not going to happen. She isn’t qualified. I’ll just deny any memory of such a promise. I’ll find some other way to placate her.

Marcia’s expectations would be taken care of when the opportunity presented itself. Right now he needed to dress for a very important meeting.

Adam began his morning grooming. Unlike his father, he did not avail himself of the personal services of the butler, preferring to choose his own clothing and do his own grooming. A firm believer in the importance of his appearance, he devoted close forty-five minutes to grooming every day. He used a number of products that promised to keep him looking young and virile, including moisturizers, toners, wrinkle removers and a new product that was supposed to give his skin a youthful glow even at age thirty-three. He applied a deodorant and a new French cologne produced by one of his companies, finishing off with a quick scan of his naked body in the mirrored shower doors. He was impressed with what he saw. His brown hair was free of gray hairs. He kept it short most of the time except when he went on vacation. His had an angular face with a roman nose, his eyes were a dull blue. He was the tallest of the Hampton men, at six-two. His weight ten pounds over the range for thirty-plus males. That never bothered Him. He had a comprehensive physical exam once a year and usually got a clean bill of health from the doctor. Adam never read the list of recommended diets and exercise regimens he was given. He gave the former to his cook and tossed away the latter.

Satisfied that he looked his best, he left the bathroom and moved to the walk-in closet to select his suit, shirt, belt, tie, shoes and socks. The color coordinated combinations were previously set up . He simply chose groupings based on his mood that day and sometimes because of the season of the year.

One hour after waking, Adam emerged from his bedroom. He used the time between juice and eggs prepared, to discuss household matters with his butler, Milton.

Today, his father’s health dominated the conversation. Adam Hampton II was confined in the West Wing of Hampton Manor. The news was encouraging and Adam decided that he would come home early later in the week to spend some time with him.

After he finished eating and was satisfied that there were no pressing matters requiring his attention, he went to the garage, looked over the collection of cars, the Lexus, Lucerne, Mustang, Audi and the Infiniti, eventually settling on the latter.

As he drove to his office the only thing he had on his mind was an important meeting he needed to schedule for later that morning. As he pulled out of the driveway he glanced at the picture of the Manor perfectly centered in the rear view mirror.

Hampton Manor was home to three generations of Hamptons since 1935. Built on acres of prime Old Brooking, Connecticut real estate, the Manor which sits on a knoll, is surrounded by manicured gardens, pathed woodlands, an Olympic-sized swimming pool and two tennis courts. County assessors listed the Manor at five and a half million dollars for property tax purposes; real estate agents upwards to eight million. Its high elevation makes the Manor visible from virtually any area of town, something Adam was proud of.

Built by the first Adam Hampton to mirror a fourteenth century English Manor House, it has a main center residence and two wings. It is currently the home of Adam Hampton III, Adam Hampton II, a butler, three maid-servants, two cooks, nine male nurse-guards and two female beagles. Bedrooms in the main residence have king-sized beds, large bureaus and dressers and multiple lounging chairs. The attached bathrooms have marbled sinks, vanities and shower walls. Four of the eight bedrooms have a private terraces with bubbly hot tubs. Opulence is everywhere to be seen.

The West Wing had been walled off since Adam Hampton II returned home from two weeks of mental evaluation. On the main floor, entry from the center house is restricted to a series of locked doors. Windows are barred and alarmed. Electrical power for the Manor is backed up by two emergency generators. Fifteen years have passed since a rogue hurricane knocked out power in Old Brooking. The Manor is only one of four residences in town that glowed brightly each evening during the two week outage. No expense had been spared to convert the area into a mini-spa/clinic. Upstairs, two bedrooms are set aside as sleeping quarters for the nurses who doubled as guards.

No visitors were permitted. Access is limited to Adam III, Milton, the nursing staff and his doctors. A closed circuit system with video tape monitored and records his activities around the clock. Constraints had been necessary on rare occasions when he tried to beat up on himself or when he attacked a staff member. Sedatives are mostly administered late at night when he is observed pacing back and forth in his quarters shouting and frantically waving his arms about. in the air.

Chapter 2

Adam Hampton II took control of Hampton Industries in 1969 at the age of twenty-nine, when his father committed suicide. He operated the business for the next thirty-five years. Adam earned a reputation for being ruthless, cunning and dishonest in his business negotiations. His hard-heartedness spilled over to his personal life. His wife of thirty years divorced him for extreme mental cruelty. In 2004 he attempted a hostile takeover of Preston Industries, a major competitor, but was defeated by a last minute influx of proxies from private investors. For several months, he brooded over the loss until he had the opportunity to purchase several global businesses. Within a year he acquired, through hostile takeovers, a British couturier, Italian shoe designer and a French perfumery. Sales reached the two billion dollar mark as Adam Hampton II became the darling of the fashion world, appearing on the cover of numerous fashion magazines and on radio and TV talk shows. His life took on a whole new meaning, but it was the media frenzy that would eventually lead to his ruin, as Adam became so caught up in the glamour that he spent most of his time traveling and entertaining on his new toy, a one hundred and five foot Mangusta motor yacht. He had not been to his office for over nine months, preferring to operate from home or some exotic resort using the phone and fax.

The high life took its toll on Adam. Almost overnight he lost his zest and began to have periods of anxiety bordering on hysteria. Doctors were completely baffled by his rapid mental deterioration, but, after three months of this behavior they unanimously declared him incompetent to conduct his business affairs. His son, Adam Hampton III immediately petitioned the courts and after the hearing, control of his father’s estate and Hampton Industries was turned over to him. His father’s attorney had no choice but to agree with the court and signed off on the decision.

When Adam III took over the estate, he immediately sectioned off the West Wing of Hampton Manor to be his father’s residence and hired round-the-clock medical care for his father, who often didn’t even recognize him. His visits to his father decreased to once a week and even then, it took a significant emotional toll on him.

Chapter 3

How it started:

Adam Hampton attended Brown University on a one year scholarship awarded by the Old Brooking Rotary Club to the student that demonstrated the most promising entrepreneurial potential in his academic work. His father, a postal worker supporting a family of five, could not contribute any financial assistance, so Adam bussed tables in the university cafeteria to cover travel and living expenses. He was popular with his fellow students and was invited to join Alpha Phi Alpha, but while he enjoyed the camaraderie of fraternity life, he nonetheless listened to a different drummer than his brothers. While they spent their time in the endless pursuit of social activities and innumerable touch football games against rival frats, he spent most of his spare time in the library doing research on textile manufacturing and sweater designs. On weekends Adam visited small textile manufacturers in the towns surrounding Providence, looking for excess production time that might be available on their looms. He approached them with his designs and before his first six months at Brown elapsed, Adam had over five hundred cotton and cashmere sweaters being produced according to his design specifications. Initially, Adam mostly sold to fellow students for their own use or for gifts. His business and popularity soared and he soon became the “go-to” man for students needing to earn extra money. Sales were brisk since his prices were half those of the shops in town. He paid a local seamstress to embroider personal names, figures or school letters. After a time, Adam placed ads in local newspapers and hired sales reps at colleges around the country. Sales expanded to several thousand garments a semester. Business couldn’t have been better.

True to the faith that the Rotarians had shown in him, Adam Hampton became an entrepreneur. As the profits from the sweater sales grew, Adam quit his cafeteria job and easily met the tuition bills for his remaining three years. By the time he graduated, Adam had saved over one hundred thousand dollars, quite a nest egg in those days. In his senior year, an owner of a local textile plant, who wanted to retire, offered to sell him the business. Adam purchased the company for a deposit of fifty thousand dollars and signed a bank note for nine hundred thirty thousand to be paid over ten years. Business was prospering and Adam felt comfortable that he would be able to meet this obligation.

Hampton Industries was incorporated in March, 1928. Adam’s mettle would soon be tested. By January of the next year sales began to slip. He tackled the problem head-on by installing faster looms in an effort to reduce his operating expenses. He took loans against his house and personal property to finance the machinery upgrades, reasoning that lower expenses, coupled with price reductions would translate into increased revenue and profit, but his sales and profits continued to plummet.

In December, 1929 Hampton Industries missed a payment on the notes and the bank, which was in receivership, refused to extend the grace period. Adam was granted one week to come up with the money or face foreclosure. Adam was suddenly in jeopardy of losing everything. Panic set in as he frantically searched for fresh money sources, without success. He shut himself off from his family and friends, locking himself in his office. He contemplated declaring bankruptcy, even entertained thoughts of suicide, but couldn’t bear the disgrace that either course would bring to his family. In a moment of sheer desperation, Adam knelt down, raised his eyes to the heavens and screamed out to the Universe, “If there is a power out there, please help me. I beg of you.”

Miraculously, at the last minute his business was saved when the bank decided to extend his loan. Hampton Industries slowly recovered, profiting during WW2 by supplying uniforms and medical supplies. It became a manufacturing powerhouse.

In 1969, at the age of sixty two, Adam Hampton was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor and made the final decision of his life.

Ten hours later a cleaning lady found his body slumped over his desk, shot dead by his own hand.

Hampton Manor and Hampton Industries were left to his son Adam Hampton II. His will also provided lifetime care for his wife Adelle who was confined to a nursing home. She died in her sleep three months later.

Chapter 4

At 7 a.m. each morning she slaps the snooze button on the alarm and rolls over for another five minutes. Most days she does this several times before finally getting up. This morning, however, was different. The day she had waited for most of her adult life, had finally arrived. She was going to be appointed as the CEO of her company. Marcia Bloom had no regrets about how this transpired. During her twenty-nine years, she often used her body to get what she wanted, but this was the biggest prize she has ever won. Playing Adam Hampton III turned out to be easier than she thought it would be. The first time he propositioned her she could see the hunger in his eyes. Not just lust, she was used to seeing that in men’s eyes; men who would simply move on to their next prey if they were turned down. No, Adam was different and he wanted her so badly that he’d agreed to give her a promotion to get her into bed. She didn’t consider the CEO job was to big a stretch. She’s been a VP of the company for three years and there were no other in-house candidates. Why shouldn’t she be the one to fill the position? She’d paid her dues.

She and Adam had sex three times in four hours the previous night and it was only his overindulgence of his scotch/drambuie drink that kept him from coming back for more. He was by no means the best lover she had ever had, but he seemed to appreciate her body more than the others. He wasn’t big on foreplay but he screwed her like a pneumatic drill, his thrusts powerful and rhythmic. Usually Marcia didn’t like rough sex, but for some reason it was different with Adam. It was the first time in her life that she had multiple orgasms. She hoped that it would not be just a one-niter. Either way, at least she would have the job she so highly coveted.

Marcia brewed a two-cupper while she showered and dressed. She chose a conservative navy blue suit, ivory white blouse and navy shoes with two inch heels. She spent an extra twenty minutes applying makeup and selecting just the right necklace and earrings. Everything needed to be perfect for her big day. When she was finished she stepped in front of the full length mirror tacked up on the bathroom door. As she moved from side to side she thought, Not bad for twenty-nine. Marcia was five-four and kept her weight around one-ten. She was blessed with an ultra-small wasp-like waist that gave her an hour-glass figure that women envied and men ogled. She gleaned the most benefit from it by wearing tailored suits to work. When a pretty face and great pair of legs were added to the mix, Marcia morphed into an A1 head turner.

Finally, she sat down at the dinette table to drink her coffee and eat a sugared donut. She called Adam’s cell phone and was disappointed that she missed him. The message she left was to the point. When did he intend to announce her promotion?

Marcia decided to wait for Adam’s reply at the office. She was too excited to drive herself so she called a limousine service. She brewed another two cups and poured the coffee into a small thermos for the one hour trip. The limo arrived at eight and at nine sharp she arrived at the office ready for what she expected to be the biggest day of her business career. Fate had an entirely different plan in store for her.

E-mails were sent at 9:10 a.m. announcing that a staff meeting was scheduled in the auditorium for 10:30. Attendance by all senior managers at Hampton Industries was mandatory. Marcia was in her office when the e-mail arrived. She closed her eyes and visualized Adam getting up in front of the assembly to announce her promotion to CEO of Bretton Trading. She decided to prepare an acceptance speech, one that would be brief, be humble and show her gratitude. That shouldn’t be too hard, she thought. Well, maybe she would have to work on the humble part a little. What an exciting day this is.

After soul searching for several minutes, she decided to just prepare a list of talking points, the rest she could ad-lib. She hadn’t waited all these years, not to be ready to accept her reward when the time came. The excitement started to show in her body. Her hand developed a slight tremor, but that could be from the six cups of coffee she had consumed since she got up. Not being sure which it was, Marcia poured the remainder of her mug into the sink and settled back in her executive chair to compose her talking points. When she finished, she stuffed the sheet into her pocket and busied herself reading several sales reports until it was finally time to go to the auditorium.

In another area of the building, Adam Hampton sat reviewing his announcement about the acquisition of a seventh company. At 10:25 a.m. Adam unlocked his desk and removed a stack of portfolios from the top drawer, left his office and took the short elevator ride to the second floor where the one hundred seat auditorium was housed. He placed the portfolios on a table near the door and started down the center aisle. As he made his way to the stage, he acknowledged the greetings from those assembled, including a bubbly smile from Marcia Bloom. Adam Hampton III is the best liked of the Hamptons. In the two years since he took over the company he added a profit sharing plan that provided a comfortable income for employees when they retired. Christmas bonuses, generous vacation and holiday plans added to his reputation as a progressive corporate leader. He waited until there was absolute silence in the room before he began.

“I know that you are all wondering why this meeting was called. I believe that it’s safe to say that even your usually accurate rumor mill came up empty today.” He smiled as he looked around at the nodding heads, then continued, “I won’t keep you in suspense. any longer. I’m here to make an announcement that is especially close to my heart.” He stopped momentarily, to take a sip of water and to look out at the expectant crowd.

As he did, Marcia squirmed in her seat. Just a few more minutes, she thought. She watched his lips as he sipped the water; lips that hours earlier had been all over her body.

He continued, “I am proud to announce that effective this morning, Hampton Industries acquired controlling interest in Preston Industries.”

Marcia felt the blood drain from her face. Hey, What about my promotion? I guess he’s saving the best for last. It is good about Preston, though.

“Most of you know why this acquisition is so special to me. Several years back, my father lost a proxy fight to several large blocks of shareholders at Preston. I believe that it’s safe to say that it contributed in a large measure to his current condition. I know that you will want to share this accomplishment with me as I claim it in his honor.”

The assembly broke into a thunderous applause, rising to their feet with a two minute standing ovation. Adam beamed back at them with pride. He could see the excitement on their faces. Once again Adam waited for absolute quiet.

“Thank you for the unanimous acclamation. Absorption of Preston into our stable of companies will have a serendipitous effect on the bottom line. On the back table there is a portfolio for each of your companies. In it you will find revised organization charts that will show your company’s role in the new Hampton Industries lineup. Please let me know if you need any additional information. I’ll be meeting tomorrow with Preston executives. As part of the agreement, their management has agreed to stay on for up to six months, as needed, while we assimilate them into the mix. You may run into some pockets of resistance. That is to be expected given the history between our companies. I just ask you to be patient and work together with your counterparts. Let’s be sure that we set aside any bad feelings that we may harbor. I have and I expect you to do so as well.”

Adam didn’t ask for questions. He retraced his path down the center aisle of the auditorium and returned immediately to his office. As soon as he closed the office door his secretary buzzed. He had an inkling about what she wanted.

“Ms. Bloom says she must see you right away.”

“Yes, of course. Please send her in.”

Marcia stormed into his office. “What was that all about? Why didn’t you make the announcement about my promotion?”

Adam acted confused. “Please sit down, Marcia. Let’s discuss this.” He gestured her toward the couch.

Marcia snapped back, “I don’t want to sit down.” She was in Adam’s face; her eyes wide with rage. “Don’t try to tell me you were so sauced last night that you don’t remember what happened. Don’t pull that lame excuse on me. We made a deal.”

“I’m afraid that that is exactly what I’m going to say. You know that we discussed the CEO position at your last performance review. We both agreed that you needed more seasoning before taking on such responsibility. I’m sorry if I lost control last night and made promises, but I could never get that appointment past the Board. Your just not ready. Frankly, I don’t even remember. I thought our time together was just for our mutual pleasure. I enjoy your company and I had a good time last night. That’s as much as I can remember. Please don’t hold this one mistake against me. You have a bright future ahead of you, but this just isn’t the right time. You understand that, don’t you?”

Marcia sat down. Her shoulders dropped as she uttered, “I guess I do. I thought it was too good to be true. Still you should be more careful about the things you offer a woman when you’re trying to have your way with her. I’m willing to let this go for now on the condition that you outline the path I have to take to get the CEO job and I want it in writing and in my file. I’ll do whatever it takes to get that job. That should be obvious.”

Adam was relieved. He had avoided a crisis. “It’s a deal. It’s the least I can do under the circumstances.” He decided to chance bringing up his recollection of the prior night. “I’m sorry for the way things turned out. I thought what we did was special and consensual.”

“Did I suggest that it wasn’t? If I did, I’m sorry, Adam. As I remember, you were a perfect gentleman. I had a wonderful time. I hope that it wasn’t just a one night stand on your part, because I would really like to see you again and it has nothing to do with the CEO position.

Adam was relieved. “I feel the same way. I definitely want to see you again. He reached out for her hand and pressed it gently. “I’m so glad that you stopped by. I was unsure about how to approach you, which is why I didn’t answer your phone call. I know that I put away a few too many Rusty Nails last night.” He looked slightly embarrassed as he added, “I promise you that next time I’ll be at my best behavior. I hate to admit it, but I drank so much because I was nervous about being with you.”

“That’s such a sweet thing to say, Adam. Thank you for being so honest. with me.” She glanced at the wall clock. “Look, I know you’ve got a lot to do right now, with the acquisition and all, so let me get out of here.”

“I appreciate that. I do have to get some earnings projections together. I’ll have my assistant put together that plan. Before you know it you will be ready for that CEO job. Again, I’m sorry for the misunderstanding I’ll call you the minute I get back tomorrow.”

Marcia returned to her office and tossed the Bretton Trading portfolio on her desk. She reached into her pocket for a tissue and found the piece of paper from her memo pad. On it were her talking points. I guess I won’t be needing this right now, but I’m going to file it. I got a feeling that even though I didn’t get the position right now, there is a CEO job for me in the near future. Adam Hampton III isn’t through with me yet, or am I with him.

Chapter 5

Lauren Hampton, ex-wife of Adam Hampton III, scanned the newspaper as she enjoyed her morning coffee. She grimaced as she read the headline in the business section about the Preston acquisition. That SOB must be dancing in the halls, she thought. I hope it was worth the high price that the Hampton family had to pay to get it.

Preston Industries had been the catalyst in the nasty divorce she and Adam went through four years prior. Without her knowledge Adam sold her antique jewelry and mortgaged their summer home to raise capital for his father’s unsuccessful bid to take over Preston. That was the final straw in what was a growing list of grievances. When the dust settled, Lauren walked away from the eight year marriage with a settlement package that allowed her to travel extensively and maintain a fashionable residence.

The marriage was tumultuous from the start. He worked too much and she played too much. They were seldom on the same page. The exception being their time together in the bedroom. What they lacked in compatibility they made up for with their sexual appetites. The marriage was childless, although Lauren had conceived in their fifth year. She miscarried after three months when she was thrown from a horse during a jumping demonstration at the club. Adam was unforgiving. The unborn child had been a boy.

Things went decidedly downhill from there. What Adam didn’t know and she wasn’t about to tell him, was that the child had not been from his seed, but was that of a stable hand. Several times, in a fit of anger, she was tempted to throw it in his smug face, but realized that such an admission, while it would be personally satisfying, would damage her future prospects for a large divorce settlement. Even after the settlement she remained silent since nothing would have been gained by telling him.

Time, however, hadn’t mellowed Lauren. She eyed the phone as she weighed the pros and cons of calling Adam to congratulate him. The pros won.

“What do you want, Lauren?”

“It’s wonderful speaking with you too, Adam. I just called to congratulate you. I hope your father’s sanity, our marriage and the loss of most of your closest friends wasn’t too high a price to pay for your victory.

“I see that you’re still blaming your misfortune on everything and everyone else. When are you going to start accepting responsibility for your own life, and let bygones be bygones. Is that too much to ask?”

“Oh, getting rid of you was no misfortune for me. Actually, it was the best thing that could have ever happened. I just have to look around me to see how much better off I am,” an obvious reference to the luxurious life she was enjoying thanks to his generous divorce settlement.

“I’m going to hang up now, Lauren. It’s been so nice speaking with you again. Go back to your miserable existence.”

As Adam was hanging up, he could hear Lauren launching her parting salvo. “My life will always be wonderful as long as you’re not in it.”

She heard the click at the other end and smiled at the realization that she could still press his buttons. Memories of heated arguments flooded into her head, arguments that often went on for hours and which usually culminated in passionate lovemaking. She would always remember the great sex they had together, but then there were the bad times. Sadly the bad times took a greater toll.

During Adam Hampton II’s campaign to acquire Preston Industries he convinced his son to sell antique jewelry that Lauren kept for safekeeping in the family vault. He also persuaded his son take out a mortgage on their summer house at the shore, a mortgage he would obtain by forging Lauren’s signature on the real estate documents. They raised three hundred thousand dollars for the jewelry and seven hundred thousand for the mortgage. One million dollars bought a large block of Preston stock, but unfortunately the Hamptons still fell short of the votes required when Preston’s Vice- President of Finance, Kane Masterson, produced enough proxies, at the last minute, to outvote them. It was a bitter defeat for the Hamptons.

Months later, when Lauren discovered her husband’s betrayal, she threatened legal action and public exposure unless he agreed to an immediate uncontested divorce and a generous support settlement. Within three months she was a free woman.

Lauren had been deeply depressed over the miscarriage and the resulting loss of her husband’s affection. His fraudulent activities just added to the burden. She was tired physically and worn down emotionally. That all changed once she won her freedom. With money, she bought back her youth and beauty. She frequented the best clinics and spas in California and Arizona. Three months and a hundred thousand dollars later Lauren re-emerged into Old Brooking’s social scene looking at least ten years younger than her thirty eight years.

Chapter 6

Kane Masterson, CEO of Preston Industries, smiled as he sipped the eighteen year old Glenlivet scotch. It was his second glass of the morning and it was only 10 a.m. Drinking in the morning was not normal behavior for Kane, but today was a very special day. He was celebrating the events of the last two hours. Events that would reshape his destiny.

He arrived at his office at exactly 8 a.m., anxious to receive a call from a contact at the SEC that would confirm that shares of Preston Industries were estopped from floor trading at the stock exchange and that they were being subrogated three to one by shares of Hampton Industries.

The second call would be from his broker, confirming that all of his newly acquired shares of Hampton Industries were sold at the market. Give or take a few hundred thousand for fees, Kane anticipated proceeds from the transaction to net in the neighborhood of twenty million dollars; a neighborhood he has wanted to move into all of his adult life.

Both calls were received by 9:30.

At age thirty-five, Kane Masterson had been the youngest CEO in the company’s history. A graduate of Northwestern and Wharton, he was recruited by Preston Industries as a Senior Financial Manager. He rose rapidly through the ranks of the finance department, earning a reputation as a corporate hatchet man. His streamlining of the six corporate divisions saved the company three hundred million dollars and cut payrolls by thousands of jobs. These successes earned Kane a promotion to Vice President of Finance and a year later to the position of CEO. His ascent from Senior Manager to CEO took eight years. During the year prior to becoming CEO, Kane distinguished himself by managing Preston’s successful defense against the hostile takeover bid by Hampton Industries. Now the takeover was finally going to happen, but it was on his terms.

His calendar had only one entry for today, a 12noon meeting with Adam Hampton III. This was a meeting he looked forward to with anticipation. Two weeks earlier it was confirmed that Adam Hampton III had finally garnered enough stock to acquire Preston, the takeover that Kane covertly maneuvered Adam into making by releasing for sale, through dummy receiverships, privately held blocks of Preston shares. Adam was unaware that Kane was holding a trump card and that Preston, rather than becoming a crown jewel in the Hampton Industries group of trading companies, would become a drain on the corporation’s bottom line. Within a month, five key customers and four trading partners planned to transfer their business to a European consortium. The contracts had already been signed. Kane knew that this loss would precipitate a drop in Preston’s sales of at least forty percent and profits by more than fifty. This tightly held information was Kane’s dirty little secret. He came upon the details of the plans completely by accident; through a friend of a friend. There would be no possibility of him being accused of insider profiteering. He would have the last laugh after all and would walk away a multi-millionaire. Adam Hampton III would be left with egg on his face, the laughing stock of Wall Street. Poetic justice if ever there was.

Kane’s reverie was interrupted by the phone. It was his mother.

“Hi, mom! Did you call to console me?”

Kane planned to carry on the pretense of being a defeated man, even with his mother. He couldn’t risk telling anyone about his plan, especially Evelyn Littleton who wasn’t exactly tight lipped when it came to juicy gossip, especially about the Hamptons.

“I’m so sorry, Kane. Is there anything I can do for you?”

“It’s not so bad, mom. Actually, I’m quite fortunate. The bastard made me a very rich man by bidding up Preston stock. Finally all those stock bonuses are paying off.”

“When can you walk away and leave it all behind you?

“It’s going to a while. I agreed to work with them for at least six months, that is if they can stand having me around that long. I’ll know better in a couple of hours. I have a noon meeting with the big man himself. It’s a one-on-one so I guess that by the time the meeting is over, I’ll know where I stand. Actually, I’m looking forward to it.”

Evelyn was quiet on the other end.

“Mom, are you still there?

“Yes, I’m here dear. I was just thinking what a shallow victory it must be for them after all these years. From what I hear, his father has a very advanced case of Alzheimer’s disease. I doubt that he can even comprehend what has happened. Although, I can’t say, that under the circumstances, I really feel any sympathy for him or for his family.”

“I understand your feelings, mom. But you also need to understand that if his father hadn’t made the initial run on the company several years back, I probably wouldn’t be where I am today. I realize now that all we did was postpone the inevitable, but since that time our stock price has doubled. They’re paying a very high price with the three shares-for-one formulation for the remaining shares outstanding. To me it looks like their drive for revenge led them into making some unwise business decisions that will come back to haunt them. It’ll take years to make the merger pay off. I don’t know that their Board of Directors will have the patience to wait for a return on their investment. Their stock will eventually reflect the high cost of their decision to buy up Preston’s shares.”

“That’s the other thing I wanted to talk to you about. Would you do me a favor and call Jerry? Have him sell the new shares of stock I’ll receive from the takeover. I don’t want to own any part of that company, even for one day.”

Kane had given his mother blocks of Preston stock for the past five years in deference to her persistent refusal to provide a list of gifts he could get her for mother’s day, her birthday and Christmas. Much to his surprise and relief, she was pleased with his choice. This morning Evelyn Littleton’s fifteen hundred shares of Preston Industries had grown to forty-five hundred shares of Hampton Enterprises.

“Sure, mom. I’ll take care of that as soon as we’re finished. Do you want to leave the proceeds in the account or should I have Jerry cut you a check?

“Oh, you can leave it there for now. We’ll find something else to invest in. Maybe you’ll start up your own company and need a few investors. I’ll always be there for you.”

It got quiet again. Kane’s mind raced for something else to discuss with her. He suspected that her spirits were low because of her pending divorce, but preferred not to venture into those waters. He took the safe path, instead.

“What’s going on with my sisters?”

“Nothing much. I haven’t seen or heard from either of them in several weeks. I think Melanie is away on a trip, so I don’t expect to hear from her until she returns. She never sends cards or anything. Bridget is taking some courses during the day. I think she wants to get a teaching certificate. That’s about it.”

“How about those darling grandchildren of yours? Do you see much of them?”

“They’re as precious as ever. No, I don’t get to see them as much as I used to, but when we do get together we have a lot of fun. They haven’t tired of visiting their “nana” yet. Tell me, what else is new with you? What will you do with yourself when this is over? Have you made any plans?”

“Once my obligatory time is done, I’ll have to find something to work on. I’ve sent out a few feelers, but I don’t have anything specific yet. New England is kind of tight right now due to the economy. I may have to make a move to the west coast.”

“Oh, I hope not. I would miss you terribly. What about your love life? Are you seeing anyone special?”

“Not right now, mom. I was dating someone from an economics research firm. She was a very bright lady, but a real Jekyll and Hyde. She was all business during the day, but at night she turned into a swinger, complete with drugs and sexual deviation. I survived one night with her and made a clean break. When I find the right one I promise that you’ll be the first to know.” He hesitated for a moment. “I think I’m going to have to cut this short, mom. My meeting with Adam Hampton is at twelve and I have to put some last minute figures together for the meeting.”

“Well, don’t you let him put anything over on you. I hear he’s a slick one. That whole family has a bad reputation when it comes to dealing with people. The less you have to do with him, the better.”

“Don’t worry about me, mom. I can take care of myself. I’ve dealt with shrewder people than he will ever be.”

“Well I certainly hope so. Take good care of yourself, son. Don’t take any nonsense from those people. I’ll be praying that everything works out well for you. Bye for now!”

“Bye, mom!”

He made a hurried call to his mother’s broker and placed an order to sell at the market.

Kane was now ready to take on Adam Hampton III. It was an encounter he has looked forward to with anticipation for the past three months. Things were going according to plan.

Chapter 7

Evelyn Littleton placed the phone back on the cradle. She always felt good talking to Kane. He seemed to understand her better than her two daughters did.

Evelyn was in the midst of her fourth divorce. She’s being sued by her husband Donald Bartley for twenty thousand dollars a month support, claiming a disability that prevents him from supporting himself in the style to which he became accustomed. She decided not to contest the divorce in spite of the substantial evidence she had that Donald was a homosexual and was planning to move in with his lover of several years as soon as the monthly payments began. Evelyn had the worst luck when it came to men. Her first husband ran off with his secretary. The second disappeared thirty five years ago and the third died in prison while serving a thirty year sentence for mail fraud.

Evelyn Littleton is one of Old Brooking’s social elite. The family is “old money”, first moving to town in 1836 and into the current residence in 1930. In addition to Kane, she had two daughters, Melanie thirty-eight, from her first husband John Cadbury and Bridget, thirty three, from her third, Bruce Mason. Her daughters, both married, have produced four grandchildren. Kane on the other hand was wedded to his work and seemed to have little interest in marriage or children. His birth certificate shows him to be the son of Evelyn’s second husband, Peter Masterson who disappeared without a trace in nineteen seventy four, three months prior to his son’s birth. Evelyn was glad that Kane never showed much interest in his biological father. Whenever she allowed her thoughts to go back to those days, a tsunami of painful memories flooded in. Her belief was that it was best to let sleeping dogs lie.

Chapter 8

Adam Hampton III handed his gold embossed card to the receptionist at Preston Industries two minutes before noon. She nervously reached out for the card and dropped it on the counter. Adam picked it up and held on until he was certain that she had a good grip on it.

“These gold ones are a bit heavier. They take some getting used to,” he quipped, giving her comforting smile.

She relaxed immediately and smiled back in reply.

“Mister Masterson is expecting you, sir. George will take you to his office,” she said, gesturing to a uniformed guard.

George stepped up to the desk. “This way, sir. We’ll need to take the elevator.”

Kane’s office was on the third floor of the six story building. They exited the elevator and walked to the end of the long hallway. Kane’s secretary greeted him as George retreated to the elevator.

“Good afternoon, Mister Hampton. I‘m Betty Easton, Mister Masterson’s secretary. He’s expecting you.”

Adam was impressed by the women he had seen so far. The receptionist and Kane’s secretary were both very beautiful, several notches above the women at Hampton Industries. He made a mental note to talk to his Vice President of Human Resources. There was no reason why the females at Hampton shouldn’t have both beauty and brains.

Betty opened the door and led him into a modestly decorated executive office.

Kane rose immediately and walked to greet Adam. “Kane Masterson,” he proffered, “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you.

“Adam Hampton. I’m pleased to meet you too.”

Kane gestured Adam to a couch. “Please have a seat. Can Betty get you anything?

“No thanks. I had an early lunch today.”

“I’ll have a bottle of water, Betty,” he said as he sat down in a chair opposite Adam. When the water arrived they settled down to the meeting they both had been anticipating, but for different reasons; a meeting of the victor with the vanquished, for Adam, and a meeting of the master manipulator with the sucker, for Kane. Each would leave the meeting satisfied that their goals had been met. Only time would tell who the ultimate victor would be, although the odds at the moment appeared to be in Adam’s favor.

With the social amenities out of the way, Adam presented Kane with the schedule for the next four hours that included a review of operating results, interviews he would have with key executives and a final hour for both to express any concerns about the plans to integrate Preston Industries into Hampton Industries.

They met back in Kane’s office at 3 p.m. This time Adam readily accepted Betty’s offer by asking for a scotch and water. Kane ordered a gin and tonic. Once the drinks were served and they were alone again, Kane offered a toast, “Here’s to the successful amalgamation of two great corporations, Preston Industries and Hampton Industries.”

“I’ll second that, but not necessarily in that order.”

Kane thought to himself, What a horse’s ass this man is.

They clinked glasses and settled back in their chairs. Kane was the first to speak.

“Adam, as you know, Preston Industries has been around for over one hundred years. Our customers depend on our reputation for quality, value and service. I’m sure that you will do all you can to protect that. As for our employees, I have no concern for the executives. They’ve all had “golden parachutes” since the last time we went through this, but having been through a number of takeovers myself I know that most of the cost reduction will come from a reduction in the ranks of our hourly employees. We’ve already had a number of resignations, but the majority of folks have decided to stick-it-out and hope for equitable severance packages.”

Kane hesitated for a second and concluded, “Those are basically my major concerns at this time and the main reason I agreed to stay on for the next six months.”

Adam was least ten years older, the result of excessive drinking, an improper diet and too little exercise. He looked thoughtfully at the ceiling before he spoke, “Kane, I’m going to be open with you. I had a rush of emotions when I realized that we had enough stock to take over Preston. My first thought was that I had finally accomplished what my daddy tried in vain to do several years back. My second thought, and I’m being honest with you, was that I had finally defeated the man who prevented this from happening back then. I’ve hated your guts for well over three years. Beating you at your own game gives me a great feeling of satisfaction.”

Adam was puzzled by a slight grin on Kane’s face. He reached for his drink, took a big gulp and continued. “On the surface our dealings will appear to be amicable, but to the victor belongs the spoils. You needn’t worry about your precious employees. I’ll do all right by them, but I intend to make the transition as difficult as I can for you personally. You obligated yourself to work for us for the next six months and I intend to make sure that that obligation is satisfied down to the last minute of the last day.”

Adam stopped speaking, leaving an opening for a reply.

Kane pushed back the lock of his sandy blond hair that had fallen over his left eye. He appeared to be frustrated. “Mister Hampton, I’m really sorry that you feel that way. This has never been personal for me. I viewed it as just another battle between two corporate titans. Your victory was won fairly and I assure you that I not only realize my obligation to Hampton Industries, but I fully intend to honor them to the letter.”

The “Mister Hampton” set the mood for the balance of the meeting.

“Very well, then,” Adam replied. “Let’s finalize things for now.” He handed Kane a set of organization charts, one for each of the operating companies at Hampton Industries. “Preston will cease to exist as a separate corporate entity. It will be totally absorbed into Hampton Industries. You can see on each chart where each of Preston’s divisions will fit in. I’ve discussed this process with each of the division vice-presidents earlier and offered jobs to most of them. The rest will get severance packages comparable to your parachutes. I have no concerns about the orderly integration of both companies. I’ll want you to concentrate on the sportswear areas. I will assigned one of my vice-presidents to oversee the absorption of Elegant Sportswear into Hampton Sportswear. You will report to her and act solely as an advisor and contact man. Is your role clear?”

Kane ignored Adam’s tone. He glanced again at the organization charts, hesitated a second and eventually replied, “Yes, it’s perfectly clear.”

“Splendid! Then I want you to remove your personal things from this office by the end of the day. The building will be off-limits to you.”

Hampton was enjoying the shock value of his pronouncements. He noticed Kane’s face beginning to flush. It was time for the coup de grace. “There is one more thing. This will be the last time we will meet face to face. You will deal only with Marcia Bloom, the vice-president I’ve selected to oversee the sportswear mergers. You are to report to her office at Bretton Trading at 10 a.m. tomorrow. I’ve given her full authority to direct your activities for the next six months.”

Adam Hampton III had just had his “finest hour”. He picked up his briefcase and left the office, leaving a somewhat bewildered Kane Masterson in his wake.

Kane sat there for several minutes. Then he went back to his desk and buzzed for his secretary. There was no answer. Damn that Adam Hampton, he couldn’t give me another hour of respectability. He went over to the wet-bar and mixed his own gin and tonic. He sat down on the sofa and enjoyed his drink. He smiled as he thought about the stellar performance he had just given. His college drama classes weren’t wasted after all. The pompous asshole actually thinks that he is hurting me with all this vindictiveness. We’ll see who has the last laugh. I just can’t wait until his empire comes crashing down around him. It will be well worth the price of admission. He called for some bankers boxes and spent the next hour filling them with his personal things. Kane spent a few minutes checking that he had everything, knowing that there would be no coming back later. He was in no hurry, but within a few minutes he surrendered his security pass and left the building with his personal possessions. As he exited the Preston Industries parking lot in his Lincoln Continental a feeling of calm came over him. He suppressed a smile as he thought, Anybody watching is getting a real eyeful. I’m sure Adam will be expecting a full report of my departure. No doubt he’ll also be viewing the surveillance tapes. I wish I could be there to see it. His resentment of me is so misplaced right now , but I’m certainly going to do everything in my power to justify it in the future.

Phase one of Kane’s plan was now complete; on to Marcia Bloom and phase two.

Chapter 9

Marcia went directly home after leaving the office for the day. She busied herself with housework while she waited for the call from Adam. At 6:30 her phone rang and she saw his name and number on the screen. Excitedly, she pressed the on button.

“Adam, how did it go?”

“Better than I expected. Most of the division executives are on board. I think this is going be the smoothest takeover yet.”

“I’m so glad to hear that. Are you back in town?”

“Yes I just got home.”

“Will you be coming over for a victory celebration?”

“I don’t think I can make it tonight, as much as I really would like to. I’m going to have to go to the office to review some documents with Legal. We’ll be working all night. I’ll take a rain check, though. How about dinner tomorrow at Champs Elysees?”

“That sounds great. After dinner we can come back here,” she said in a tone that held great promise.

“There’s something I need to talk to you about, right now. I’ve decided to disconnect myself from further personal contact with Kane Masterson. I’ve asked each of our companies do deal directly with the respective Preston division heads to integrate their operations according to the organization charts I gave them. Since Preston doesn’t have a trading company, per se, I want you to handle the consolidation of Elegant Sportswear into Hampton Sportswear. Kane Masterson will report to you for the next six months. He will be solely in an advisory capacity. I took away his office at Preston and stripped him of any authority over their operations. I’m only tolerating him at all to assure a smooth transition and maybe to rub a little dirt in his face.”

Marcia thought for a minute, So, sleeping with the boss has it’s perks.

She asked, “How did he take it?”

“He wasn’t too pleased. Apparently he had some preconceived idea of what his role would be, but he realizes that he doesn’t have any choice. He’s bound to us contractually for the next six months, I don’t know how he’ll react to taking orders from a woman, but we’ll soon find out. I’m sure it will be a first for him. I told him to report to you at your office at 10 tomorrow morning. See if you can set him up in a small cubicle somewhere, one suitable to his current status. If I had my druthers I’d dump his sorry ass right now, but I can’t risk anything falling through the cracks. I’ve waited too long for this to happen to let anything go wrong now. There will be too many eyes watching, especially our major stockholders.”

“Don‘t sweat it. I have the perfect four by four cubicle for him right next to the elevators. It’s so noisy no one ever wants to use it. That should be perfect for our Kane Masterson. Does that sound good to you?”

“That’s the spirit. Stop by my office on your way in tomorrow. I’ll fill you in on the specifics. I think you will enjoy this assignment. It will look good on your performance record, if you know what I mean.”

“I understand, perfectly. Are you sure you don’t want to come over tonight?”

“I would love to, but I have to go to the office. I’ll make up for it tomorrow night. Good night, Marcia.”

“Good night, Adam.

Marcia was disappointed that Adam wasn’t coming over to her apartment, but the disappointment was soon replaced by the excitement of her new assignment. For the next six months, she was going to control one of the industry’s top leaders, the winner of countless awards and a host of achievements. Isn’t that a kicker? I wonder what he’s like. Her curiosity led her to her laptop. She spent the next two hours googling information on the personal and professional life of Kane Masterson.

Kane Dwight Masterson was born on October 6, 1974. His mother is the socialite Evelyn Littleton, his father Peter Masterson, of whom little is known. Kane B.S.’d in International Finance at Northwestern and Mastered in Business Development at the Wharton School of Business. He was recruited by Preston Industries as a Senior Financial Manager and had a rapid ascent to CEO of the company. He managed Preston’s successful defense against a hostile takeover attempt by Hampton Industries. I bet he’ll regret that during the next six months, she thought. He probably already has. Kane lives in Wooster Square, Connecticut. He is single and the internet was replete with articles and pictures covering an active social life. Having his company wrested away from him, by Adam Hampton, of all people, had to be very humiliating for him. Under normal circumstances, her heart would have gone out to Kane, but this was business. There weren’t any scandalous rumors connected with his name, he was good looking, personable and rich and appeared on the surface to be one of the “good guys.”

Marcia was determined, however, not to be swayed by his super-clean image. Her job was to make the next six months hell-on-earth for Kane Masterson and that is just what she planned to do. It was not in her nature to be mean or vindictive, but she could be an ill-tempered shrew if the situation called for it and this one definitely did. She smiled as she thought, Get a good night’s sleep Mister nice guy, ‘cause you’re about to be run over by a “bitch on wheels.”

Chapter 10

Daniel McKnight owned several semi-pro sports franchises, one each in football, baseball and hockey. The Old Brooking Wildcats, Old Brooking Indians and Old Brooking Blizzards, respectively. The Wildcats and Blizzards were consistently large revenue producers, but the Indians lost money for the past three seasons finishing in last place for two of them. He harbored thoughts of selling the team, but never acted on them.

Daniel, was powerfully built at five foot six, but his persona dwarfs even the biggest of his players. He played all three sports at Old Brooking High, excelling in each, but not enough to interest college or professional scouts. Daniel’s father died when he was thirteen, leaving four children. He was the only boy and the oldest child which placed the responsibility for supporting the family squarely on his shoulders. During his four years in high school he worked several jobs, balancing work with sports. When Daniel graduated he took a job as a coach at the high school and played semi-pro football on weekends each fall. Although he had several offers to coach for larger school systems in nearby towns, he was content working for the local high school. He filled several positions in the Old Brooking High, Physical Education Department over the next twenty years and only left his job when an uncle died suddenly leaving Daniel his entire two million dollar estate. Unexpectedly, he was set for life. His dreams were finally coming true.

Demonstrating a high degree of maturity and business acumen, Daniel waited until he could acquire the three sport franchises at distressed prices. This happened eight years ago. His penchant for the bottom line keeps him from meddling with the day-to-day field operations of his teams. Considered ruggedly handsome by most women’s standards and a “man’s man” by most men, Daniel was popular wherever he went.

Adam Hampton III enjoyed watching sports. He never played any, but he loved being a spectator. For over six years, he was an enthusiastic supporter of Daniel’s teams. Daniel met Adam at one of the Saturday night football games. While he had seventeen years on Adam, they hit it off right away; the heir apparent to the Hampton fortune becoming a regular in the owner’s box. It was there that Daniel first met Lauren Pendleton who would later succumb to Adam’s whirlwind courtship and marry him. Daniel took an instant dislike to Lauren, who he viewed as interfering with the good times he was having with Adam. Their attendance at the games lessened as Lauren introduced Adam to the “finer” things in life, such as symphony orchestras, museums and the theater. Not being invited to their wedding was the final straw especially when he found out that his three team managers were invited to Adam’s bachelor party, wedding and reception. It was Old Brookings’s biggest social event of the year and he was not invited. Daniel blamed Lauren for the snub until he ran into Adam two weeks later and saw culpability in the man’s eyes. From that moment on he no longer pursued the friendship. Personal contact was reduced to occasional social events in town. Lauren, on the other hand, brazenly acted as if nothing had happened and she did this so openly that Daniel, on one occasion, gave serious thought to violating the rule about a man never hitting a woman.

The strained relationship continued for over a year, until Lauren had an accident in a “jumping” exhibition at the Club’s annual riding show. Against Adam’s advice, she entered the “triple combination” jump. Her horse balked after the first obstacle, throwing Lauren into a hedge at the right side of the fence. The hedge absorbed most of the impact, and although she wasn’t physically hurt the fall resulted in the miscarriage of her four month old fetus. Adam was unforgiving about the loss of his unborn son. Daniel, moved by Lauren’s misfortune, sent flowers and a comforting letter to her. When she did not respond, he chalked it up to her lack of social grace. Still, it seemed to him to be a deliberate snub.

Four years passed before he heard from her again. It was under very unusual circumstances, brought on by Adam’s involvement in his father’s attempted hostile take-over of Preston Industries. She called Daniel to set up a meeting at a park in an nearby town. Out of curiosity, more than anything else, he agreed to meet with her. In his mind there was some kind of poetic justice at work.

“How have you been, Daniel?” She asked the question as if she was talking to an old friend.

This one has balls, he couldn’t help but think. “I’m just fine, Lauren. How have things been with you?

“About the same.” She seemed to be bent on engaging in small talk.

Daniel took control of the situation. “Let’s cut to the chase, Lauren. Why did you ask to see me? What insidious plan are you hatching, that you need me to involve me. I haven’t forgotten, the way you’ve treated me the past few years.”

She looked hurt by his remarks. Tears welled up in her eyes and began the voyage down her well tanned cheeks. She moved her hazel eyes in several directions, trying to avoid eye contact, but finally she met his. “You have every right to feel that way, Daniel. I certainly don’t deserve any help from you after the way I’ve behaved all these years, but you‘re the only person I feel safe talking to, about this.” Lauren reached into her coat pocket for a tissue. She dabbed at the tears as they began flowing freely.

Daniel started to speak, but she held up a hand to stop him.

“Let me finish, please, or I’ll lose what little nerve I’ve mustered in coming here. The bottom line is that I’m in big trouble in my marriage, or what would better be described as the sham of my marriage. Adam is not cheating on me, at least as far as I know, but I believe that he has stolen some valuable antique jewelry that my family has passed down for generations. I always kept them in a vault at the Centurion Bank. Three days ago I went to the vault to get some papers and the jewels weren’t there. The signature card showed that Adam visited the box two months ago.”

“Maybe he’s having them cleaned or perhaps he’s having them reset as a surprise for you.”

Lauren looked annoyed at his rejoinder. “I keep them polished and they’re sealed in air-tight containers.” As if to refute his simplistic explanation, she added, “These are valuable antique pieces. You don’t have them reset,” she added, a bit sarcastically.

He ignored the rebuke. “You’re saying that Adam stole your jewelry? Why would he do such a thing? After all they belong to you.”

Anger replaced the crying as she spouted, “He did it for money and power; he does everything for those two reasons. He’s drained all our bank accounts to buy Preston Industries stock. His father is obsessed with taking over Preston and Adam is a willing co-conspirator. It’s all they think about. After all their shenanigans they fell short of the required votes anyway. It was all for naught.”

“I knew about the takeover attempt. I know that obsessions do strange things to people.” Daniel reached over to take her hand. “How can I help you, Lauren?”

Lauren looked into his eyes and realized that he wasn’t holding any grudges against her for her disgraceful behavior of the past several years. “You’re a very decent man, Daniel McKnight. I’m really sorry for the way I treated you. Adam wanted to invite you to our wedding. I was the one who said no. Can you ever forgive me?

“There’s nothing to forgive, Lauren. Please let me help you, if I can.”

“I’m not sure that you can do anything. I think I just needed to ventilate. I won’t bother you any more with this.”

She rose to leave, but he gestured for her to sit back down.

“Don’t be ridiculous. I can do more for you than just listen. You can get a minister or an analyst to do that. I‘m offering you my friendship. You look like you can use a friend about now. I know people who can find out what happened to your jewelry. They are top-notch investigators. They are very thorough and very discrete. Do you have pictures and descriptions of each piece?”

She reached into her handbag and removed an envelope. “This is the information we put together for our insurance company, a few years back. The pictures are very good, as are the descriptions of the pieces.”

“Give me a few days. I’ll ask the investigators to look around. I’ll get back to you if they need to have any additional information.”

“How can I thank you?”

Daniel slid next to her on the bench and gently placed his arm around her. He gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze. “Don’t you worry about a thing, Lauren. We’ll get to the bottom of this. I’ll call you by the end of the week. I should have something by then.”

They walked together to the parking lot. As she got into her Mercedes, she leaned over and gave him a peck on the cheek.

Daniel contacted a friend, Walter Madding, at Palentine Investigations, a P.I. firm he often used to do background checks. He sent the jewelry information to them by courier and requested a thorough check of Adam Hampton III’s personal and professional life. After all, what did he really know about the man that Adam had become? It was many years since they had beers together.

It only took three days for Walter to trace the jewelry to a private collector who paid three hundred thousand dollars for the collection. There was a direct link to Adam. The background check on Adam uncovered an application for a seven hundred thousand dollar mortgage on their summer house, an application bearing the signature of Adam Hampton III and Lauren S. Hampton. He faxed Daniel a copy.

Daniel and Lauren met again at the park bench. She calmly read the report and looked at the mortgage application. “This isn’t my signature,” she told him.

Daniel put the envelope down on the bench. He took her hands in his. “Lauren, my investigator says that the jewelry was bought in good faith by a collector. The man refuses to give them up under any conditions. Walter thinks that the man may have some legal standing. As for the summer house, since you and Adam still own it, the only issue is the commission of fraud and what you want to do about that. Adam is on very shaky ground there. As I look at all of this, my advice to you is to retain a good lawyer. I can recommend several if you’re interested.”

“Do they handle divorces too?”

He was both surprised and pleased by her question. “Are you sure you want to go that route?”

“How can you ask me that? You can see what kind of a man he became. Do you expect me to stay married to that lying, thieving snake in the grass?”

“No, I suppose not. To answer your question, yes I do know an excellent divorce lawyer. His name is Bert Wiegans. He’s one of the best in the area. I can probably get you in to see him as early as tomorrow if you’re ready to move forward right away.

“I am!”

Adam offered no resistance to Lauren’s divorce motion. He agreed to her settlement demands including re-mortgaging the summer house solely in his name.

Shortly after her divorce. Daniel started dating Lauren. The relationship was described as “just good friends”, although a month ago, on his fiftieth birthday they traveled together to Las Vegas.. Two suites were reserved; only one was used.

Chapter 11

Adam ushered Marcia into his office. He made no overt gestures of affection, knowing that she would understand that anything personal between them was not to be reflected in their professional relationship. His wardrobe selection of the day included a Brooks Brothers black wool suit, lavender button down shirt and a Raffaello checkered tie. These were complemented by two-tone Fratelli loafers. He took note of her approval as she scanned him from head to toe. Adam, at thirty three, had retained much of his youthful appearance.

“How are you today?”

“Just fine, Adam. I’m anxious to hear about my new assignment. I could never in my wildest dreams have imagined having the great Kane Masterson reporting to me.”

Adam looked a little annoyed at her definition of Kane as ‘great.’ “He puts his pants on one leg at a time just like the rest of us do. Anyway, if he was as great as everyone thinks, he wouldn’t be in the fix he’s in, now would he?”

Marcia backed off, “I certainly can’t argue with that.” She sat down in a plush side chair next to Adam’s desk. She clicked her pen, and flipped open the note pad. “Do you have any special instructions for me regarding Mister Kane Masterson?

“You bet I do. You know how much I hate that man. I’m convinced that he contributed to my father’s collapse. Dad would never have ignored the business if it hadn’t been for the failure to take over Preston. The playboy lifestyle he adopted was only a facade to cover up how much the loss was tearing him apart. Eventually it just got to be too much for him. I blame it all on Kane Masterson, the man that kept him from his dream. Since I took over the reins here at Hampton Industries, a day hasn’t gone by that I haven’t taken at least one step toward getting revenge on him. To that end, I have a list of instructions for you.

“The most important thing is that he is not to have an ID. I want him to check in at the front desk every day. He is to be escorted by an armed guard to either your office or his cubicle. He is to have no access to the copy room. If he needs any copies he’ll have to get them through you. I’ve arranged for his computer to have limited access to operational data. You will decide what his daily assignments will be. Any visitors he might have must be cleared by you in advance.”

He stopped for a minute as Marcia caught up with her notes. “Elegant Sportswear is the ‘plum’ in this deal. I have to admit that they run circles around Hampton Sportswear, but together, they will be the industry leader. That’s why I want you to work with Masterson to bring it all together. His input is essential.”

“I really appreciate this opportunity. I know how important this is to you. Don’t worry, I’ll make good use of Kane Masterson. It sounds like you expect me to monitor his activities down to and including his potty breaks.”

With a straight face he said, “Speaking of potty breaks, do you think it would be out of order if I hired someone to act as a homosexual and accost him in the men’s room?”

Marcia’s eyes darted from the notebook to Adam.

He looked serious for about ten seconds, then burst into a raucous laugh.

Marcia was relieved that he was only jesting. “You had me going there for a minute, Adam.”

“You must admit that it would be fun to “punk” him, albeit a bit unprofessional. Unless, of course, he’s gay. In that case the joke would be on me. Anyway, what could he do about it. Maybe I’ll save that one for his last day.”

“I think you’d be best to forget about it completely.”

“You’re probably right. The bastard would probably sue me for harassment.”

Marcia went back to her notes. “Well, I think I get the idea. Rest assured Kane Masterson will leave here at the end of every day wishing that he had never agreed to work for us during the transition. I intend to make every day as tough for him as possible.”

“That’s the spirit. Remember that even though he is contractually obligated to work for us, it was a voluntary gesture on his part. He feels an obligation to the company’s vendors, customers and employees to look out for their interests. He’ll show them more loyalty than he will Hampton Industries, so he’ll need constant monitoring.

“That’s to be expected. Don’t worry, I’ll keep my eyes open.”

“One more thing, make sure that I have a minimum of personal contact with the man, if possible, none at all. I despise the sight of him. I’m sure you can find ways to prevent our paths from crossing.”

“That won‘t be any problem. I‘ll keep him away from you.”

“I’m taking off for the rest of the day. If you need me I’ll be at home. I’ve got to see dad and convey the good news to him. The doctors have prescribed a new medicine that’s supposed to increase his clarity. After all he went through, I hope that our takeover of Preston won’t be completely lost to him.” As he spoke tears formed in Adam’s eyes. He looked away to hide them from Marcia. When he looked back his eyes had cleared. “I haven’t forgotten that we have a date tonight. I made reservations at Champs Elysees for eight, so I’ll be by to pick you up at seven.”

“I’ll be ready. Say hello to your father for me. I’m glad to hear he’s getting better.”

Kane Masterson approached the reception desk as Adam was leaving the building. Their eyes met briefly, but neither man gave any sign of recognition. He gave the receptionist his card and waited as she called someone. A minute later an armed guard appeared to escort him to Marcia Bloom’s office.

Marcia met him at the door. He’s much more handsome in person than on the Web. They shook hands, exchanged pleasantries and moved to a small meeting table.

“Have you been to Old Brooking before, Mister Masterson?” She already knew the answer, but decided to ask anyway, to cover the fact that she had spent two hours searching into his background.

“Well actually I was raised here, but I left to go to college and after I graduated I settled in Wooster Square. I come back occasionally to visit with my mother.”

“Will you be staying at her house?’

“No! Your personnel people set me up at the Belmonte. I’ll be staying there. By the way, please call me Kane.”

“You’ll find that it’s still a very charming town, Mister Masterson. I hope your stay will be pleasant.” She spoke with a smile on her face, but the “Mister Masterson” told him that his dealings with Marcia Bloom would be on her terms.

“I certainly hope so.”

“Now let’s get down to business. We’ve got a lot to cover. Have you had a chance to review the organization charts Mister Hampton gave you?”

“Of course, I have them right here.” He opened his leather attaché case and removed a folder. “Which of the two do you want to cover first?”

“We’ll start with our flagship company, Hampton Sportswear. The plan is to fully assimilate Preston’s Elegant Sportswear brand, which means that Preston’s plants, marketing, finance and design departments must be examined to determine which sections can be cut and which will be transferred to Hampton. I understand that Elegant’s vice-president has decided not to make the move to Hampton and has already left the company. That will make our staffing decisions a lot easier. Are you with me so far?”

“Absolutely. I would recommend that we start with plant and equipment. Elegant has been modernizing their equipment and processes for the past three years. Their research and development budget has produced some solid results. They have the fastest most productive machines in the industry. They are also testing some revolutionary concepts that will turn garment making on its ear. I checked and the rights to this technology are fully transferable to Hampton.”

Hampton Sportswear and Elegant Sportswear were listed under the Industrial Classification, Textile Goods and while both are in the garment business, they supply entirely different markets.

Elegant Sportswear manufactures garments for the high end of the market. They produce all of their clothing at a plant complex in New Haven, Connecticut. They export forty percent of their goods to European and Asian Markets.

Hampton Sportswear caters to the broad consumer market, distributing mostly through discount stores. They import sixty percent of their clothes from Asian countries and export goods mainly to Mexico, Canada and South America.

Preston Industries had been founded in 1892 by Jonathon Preston. His initial venture into the textile industry began with the testing of revolutionary looms invented by friend. He rented an abandoned pottery factory in New Haven, installing two of the vertical reciprocating looms. For the first two years he only manufactured and sold cloth by the bolt. He experimented with new patterns and variations of designs that were the rage in Europe. His designs gained popularity with garment manufacturers, especially producers of sports clothes. Not being one to let an opportunity slip by, Jonathon expanded his operation and soon Preston Industries became a major player in the garment making business. Jonathon incorporated the business in 1917 under the Preston Industries banner. The name Elegant Sportswear was born three years later, out of necessity, when a small toiletry company and a leather goods manufacturer were added to the mix and the three companies became operating divisions. As a corporation Preston Industries survived several wars and the great depression. Shareholders that rode the tumultuous years and cycles of taste and style were richly rewarded. Since its inception, Preston had only seven unprofitable years. Dividends, which were first paid in1925, have been paid every year since then, although during the seven unprofitable years they were significantly reduced. The company’s stock suffered when conglomerates went out of favor and it lost its ranking as a growth stock just prior to the millennium, but it immediately took over first place on most analyst’s list of conservative dividend payers with its unmatched record of continuous payment for over eighty three years.

Marcia replied, “I think we should schedule trips to New Haven to visit both the facilities. We need to review the production figures, age, capacity and utilization for each piece of equipment at both. I’ll need the maintenance and repair records for the machinery at Elegant. It looks like we’ve got our work cut out for us for the next several months. Let’s visit the Elegant plant first thing tomorrow and Hampton the next day. I’ll make the arrangements. Let’s plan on meeting at 8 a.m. at the Communications Center.

“You may want to schedule two or three days for the Elegant visit. That plant has eight facilities, all told, each dedicated to the main lines they produce. The original pottery factory has expanded into surrounding shipbuilding, electronics and furniture plants. It will take one day just to do a walk through.”

“I’ll make that decision after I see the place,” she said, curtly.”

Kane just shrugged and made a note in his appointment book. They worked for the next two hours reviewing Elegant’s production data, finally breaking for lunch, which consisted of roast beef sandwiches and soft drinks brought in from a nearby deli and eaten they while they continued work. As the day went on, Kane thought that Marcia was softening a bit, Hopefully she’s getting more comfortable with me. It looks like this is going to be a little easier than I thought.

She corrected that mis-conception when, at 4:55, she closed up her notebook and abruptly announced, that their time was up. She was back to her rigid demeanor. “That’s it for today, but before we go I need to review the protocols for the next six months.” Marcia explained the rules that Adam had set up for Kane whenever he was in the building. He agreed to each as she went down the list.

Kane was not surprised by the rigid rules. He had to do the same himself on several occasions. He could handle it. After all, he still held the trump card. The best was yet to come. He pretended to be upset with the leash that they put him on. “Is it alright if I ride down with you? It’ll save security a trip to escort me,” he said, sarcastically.

“Sure, come along,” she answered, ignoring his tone. They rode the elevator to the lobby in silence and separated at the front door.

“I’ll see you at nine tomorrow,” he said.

She did not respond.

After he left the building, Marcia walked to the Security desk to remind them about the special instructions regarding Kane. “There are to be no exceptions.”

Chapter 12

Adam came right home from the office for a meeting in his den with Milton Cavell, originally the butler to Adam II and now to Adam III. Milton joined the Hampton family in 1980 when Adam II retired the then seventy-five year old butler, Howard Simpson. Howard had been with the family for over forty years.

Milton was a true gentlemen’s gentleman, having served the social elite of the seaside community for twenty years prior to moving to Hampton Manor. Adam II had enjoyed being pampered, especially when he entered the playboy phase of his life, however, once he was stricken his son preferred to have a shift of male nurses protect and look after his father, 24/7.

When he took over the Manor, Adam Hampton III quickly took an instant dislike to having a personal attendant, preferring to organize his own wardrobe and take showers rather than baths. As a consolation, he allowed Milton to hang up his clothes, look after his laundry and turn down his bed at night. He also put Milton in charge of hiring and supervising the domestic help inside and outside the Manor. His authority was not to be questioned.

The medical staff attending to his father, however, reported directly to Adam. Milton receives reports on Adam II’s condition after each shift is over. Adam III sees copies only when there is a significant change in his father’s condition.

At breakfast, earlier in the week, Milton reported that Adam’s father seem to be responding to a new drug Arecept, his nurses reporting that he seemed to be more cognizant of his surroundings and was responding well to questions.

“You said the other day that my father was responding well to a new drug. Is it still showing promise?”

“Yes sir, he’s been on it for a week. The doctor seems pleased with the results.”

“What about side effects? These new drugs usually have a few.”

“The first two days he was constipated, had some nausea and dizzy spells, but these conditions have disappeared. They are pretty common side effects for that class of drugs. The doctor said we shouldn’t be concerned.”

“As they spoke, Bootsy and Flopsy, five year old beagles, came into the den and began rubbing up against Adam’s leg. He reached down and gave each a brief ear rubbing, settling them down. They seemed to sense when a visit to the West Wing was imminent. The dogs were allowed to accompany Adam whenever he visited his father. When Adam II was first confined, the dogs lived with him, but when he began to hallucinate and thought the dogs were trying to kill him, they were taken back to the main residence and allowed only occasional visits. Today was one of those days.

“I’ll notify the ‘wing’ that you’re on your way?”

“Thank you Milton.”

Adam was admitted to the ante-chamber with the dogs in close pursuit. While he discussed his father’s condition with John Nagel the Senior Supervisor, Bootsy and Flopsy, with tails wagging excitedly, stood impatiently at the opposite door, sniffing the smell of ozone from the ultra-violet lamps, that wafted under the door. Armed with a clipboard, John unlocked the door that opened into a buffer zone that was built between the reception area and the five other rooms on the main level of the wing. Immediately in front of them, down a long hall, were doors to the other rooms, a library, clinic, Adam II’s bedroom, gymnasium and the den.

The library was stocked with a myriad of fiction novels that are representative of his father’s broad interest in authors and genres. He has an amazing memory of what he reads; often repeating paragraphs verbatim. One wall stores volumes of technical manuals and personal notebooks on equipment and processes utilized in Hampton Industries businesses. These were moved from his den in the main residence. When his father died, Adam II had spent endless hours visiting the factories and observing the manufacturing processes. Growing up he had exhibited little interest in the business, but upon taking ownership he found himself filling notebooks with what he observed. He was suddenly fascinated by every step from the input of raw materials to the ultimate finished product ready to be distributed to the end user. He took the notebooks back to his office and spent days reviewing his copious notes about each operation until he was satisfied that each plant was functioning at optimal production. Often he revisited the plants and offered suggestions on how to improve the manufacturing flow; suggestions that were construed as orders regardless of the subtleties they were couched in. He offered the suggestions, not because he didn’t think his engineering staff was competent, he hired only engineers that were at the top of their graduating class, nor was it because he himself had superior technical skills or training. He had neither. The truth was simply that he was an autodidact with a deep love of manufacturing processes and as owner he could implement any changes that he thought would be productive and he did that many times.

The clinic was a fully equipped hospital emergency room. The nine men on the staff were all Rn’s with emergency room training and graduates of private classes on physical restraint. Turnover was rare since the salaries were well above scale and the work was not very demanding. John, the Senior Supervisor reported directly to Adam III.

Adam II’s bedroom was a carbon copy of the master suite in the main house. On each shift, one of the nurses plays the role of butler in an attempt to make his life close to what it was previously. His medications and breakfast were brought to his room. The nurses remain with him until his pills are taken. Any food that requires slicing was pre-cut since the day that he stabbed one of the nurses in the arm when he reached to remove a plate before Adam was finished. The wound was superficial, but the warning was clear. His behavior was unpredictable. Each morning clothes were laid out for him and his bath was drawn, emulating the service that Milton had provided to him for many years, the exception being that he had to use an electric shaver in place of the Gillette razors he preferred. He accepted these changes without complaint.

The gymnasium mirrored the gym at the country club that Adam frequented in the early days of the his tenure as CEO and President of Hampton Industries. In those days his powerful build was maintained by three visits weekly to the gym and weight training under the direction of the gym’s pro. Much of the muscle tone so arduously gained during those years was lost during his “playboy” period. It takes some cajoling, now, to get Adam to work out and whenever he does, he spends most of the “gym” time on the recumbent bicycle or treadmill, adamantly refusing to engage in any weight training. The last room was the den, a lavishly decorated sitting room or lounge. A circular table with four cushioned armchairs is set in a nook for Adam’s lunch and dinner. He often invited the shift “butler” to join him. He was allowed a single glass of wine with his dinner. On holidays the three man shift usually ate their holiday meal with AdamII, occasionally with the company of his son Adam III.

Adam III waited for his father, sitting in an overstuffed leather chair that was a duplicate of the chairs in his own den. A bar was set up in one corner of the room. Shots of alcohol, brands favored by both father and son, liqueurs and beer are dispensed by an elaborate machine installed to control Adam II’s alcohol consumption which is strictly limited by his doctors to prevent interactions with the medications he must take daily. Adam III can override the system for his own use and is reminded by a flashing message on the monitor to reset the dispenser when he is finished. As he waited he mixed a rusty-nail, dropped in a few ice cubes, swirled the drink around a few times and took a sip. He smiled as he allowed the fluid to roll over his tongue and slide gently down his throat. He slumped back in the chair as he allowed his thoughts to drift, I see Marcia again tonight. I wonder how her day has been going with that loser Masterson. I picked the right person for the job. She can bust chops with the best of them when she sets her mind to it.

He looked down at the glass in his hand and reprehended himself, I’ll have to be on my best behavior tonight. If I don’t watch myself I’ll be giving away the company. I’ll order the recommended wine with the meal and I won’t have more than one of these at her place for a nightcap. I’m sure I can find something better to do when I’m with her, than to suck these things down.. The possibilities that came to his mind produced a big smile and a gentle stirring in his loins.

Adam looked at his watch. He had been waiting twenty minutes already. As he rose to check on things, John opened the door poked his head in the room and announced, “Your father will be ready in about five minutes. When he heard he had a visitor, he insisted on getting dressed in a suit and tie. There was no arguing the point with him. It took Barry a while to get your father to decide on the right suit, shirt, tie and shoes.”

As he spoke, Bootsy and Flopsy squeezed their way into the den. Adam wondered if the two beagles might have been the real cause for the delay. His father missed the dogs and relished the “kisses” and enthusiastic greeting they always gave him. They nudged him whenever he stopped scratching their bellies or behind their ears. Adam finished his drink and was preparing to refresh it when the door opened and Adam Hampton II made his grand appearance.

In the doorway stood a more portly version of the man that as few as four years ago was universally regarded as one of the world’s most successful corporate executives. A man feared by friend and foe alike. A man who made up new rules when the existing ones didn’t fit into his plans. This was not the broken man that he visited two weeks earlier. Adam couldn’t help but think, The doctors might be right. The new medicine appears to have reversed or eliminated some of the overt behavior so common to Alzheimer’s disease. Dad looks to be his old self.

Adam II’s eyes lit up as he saw Adam. “I’m so happy you’re here. It’s been a while.” He rushed over to his son and gave him a big bear hug.

“It’s great seeing you, too,” Adam III said, trying, unsuccessfully, to hold back the tears. He took out a white handkerchief and blotted both eyes. “Have a seat, I have some really great news to share with you. First, can I get you something to drink?”

“The usual, please. Three fingers of Johnny Blue, neat,” he answered as he settled into the other leather chair. Johnny Walker Blue Label was his favorite drink.

Adam returned with his father’s drink and his second rusty-nail. He raised his glass in a toast, “Here’s to finally reaching our most sought after goal.”

They clinked their glasses and settled back into the chairs as they sipped their drinks. A quizzical look appeared on his father’s face as he asked, “What goal is that?”

Adam hesitated a moment. He had hoped that his father would immediately figure out what he was alluding to. That was probably too much to expect. He reached for his wallet and removed a yellowed newspaper clipping. He unfolded it carefully and handed it to his father. It was a picture of a jubilant Kane Masterson taken at the Preston Industries stockholder meeting that voted down Adam II’s offer to acquire the company.

“I remember this man. That was a dark day for Hampton Industries.” His voice quivered, “This is the man who was responsible for the biggest failure in my life. I’ll never forget that smug look on his face.” He refolded the clipping and returned it. “Why are you showing me this?”

Once again Adam was disappointed that his father hadn’t connected the dots. He grinned as he answered. “Because, as of yesterday, Hampton Industries owns Preston Industries, lock, stock and barrel.” He hesitated for a moment, seeking some sign of recognition. Nothing yet, so he continued. “I swore that I wouldn’t rest until we brought them down, Kane Masterson included. The battle is at last over and we are the victors.”

His father finally showed some emotion. At first he seemed disturbed as if he had recalled something that had been deeply buried for some time. Then his mood did a one-eighty as he said excitedly, “Why, that’s great news. I’ll need to get to the office right away. Their going to need me. Tell them not to do anything until I get there.”

His father’s response was totally unexpected. The son fumbled for a response, finally settling on, “I think it would be best if we let the lawyers finish their work first. We don’t want to jeopardize any of the delicate last minute negotiations.”

That seemed to work. “Perhaps you’re right. I’m just so anxious to wipe the smile off that man’s face. To think, after all these years, he finally tripped up.” He offered his empty glass to Adam. “This calls for a celebration. I’ll have another of the same.”

Adam glanced at John, who was shaking his head from side to side. “I’m afraid the bar is closed.”

“What are you talking about? It’s still early. What kind of a place is this anyway, refusing to serve a man when he’s celebrating a great victory?

Adam nodded his head as a signal to John, who immediately rushed up to Adam II, leaned over and whispered into his ear, “You’re needed in the other room, Mister Hampton. We need to go right away.”

Adam Hampton II rose and extended his hand to his son. “It looks like I can’t have that drink after all. I have to go. now. Some pressing matters that need my attention. Thanks for bringing me the good news.” He hesitated for a second and added, “I’m sorry, I didn’t get your name.”

Adam III was more surprised than hurt by his father’s remark. During their conversation there had been no indication that his father didn’t recognize who he was. He recovered sufficiently to reply, “Names aren’t really important, Mister Hampton. I just wanted to bring you the news, personally.”

“Well I’m sure glad you did. It looks like I have to go now. You have a good day, sir.”

John escorted his father from the room as Adam looked at the empty is glass in his hand and pondered refilling it. Any other day he would have had at least one more, but a mental picture of Marcia Bloom, sans her filmy silk robe was sufficient to overcome the temptation.

John stopped him as he and the dogs prepared to leave the ante-room. “I’m really sorry about that, sir. I neglected to tell him who was visiting. I apologize.”

“It’s not your fault, John. I’m not sure it would have made any difference anyway. This is just a reminder that Alzheimer’s is often more distressful for loved ones than it seems to be for the patient. I think we’re all expecting miracles with that new medicine. We need to give it time. I’m just pleased that he decided to get dressed up for the meeting and he certainly brightened up when I gave him the news about Preston Industries. I sensed that he was able to recall the situation. You know, John, there was a period a few years back where he lived and breathed acquiring Preston Industries. Those memories must be deeply ingrained in his mind. I think bringing them to the surface will be of help for his.recovery.”

“I’ll make sure that the recordings of what went on are given to his doctors.”

“Thanks, John. Come on girls, it’s time to go.”

Adam returned to his den. The glowing fire relaxed him as he went over the events of the last half hour. I wonder if sharing the news about Preston Industries with him might cause some problems down the line. I was certainly surprised by his wanting to get back to his job right away. That medicine may be too good. I’m going have to monitor his progress closer in the future so I don’t get blindsided.

Chapter 13

Adam arrived at the Sedgwick Arms Suites a little before 7 p.m. The gated community of sixty upper class town houses rested in a cozy suburb north of Old Brooking. He entered her house code into the keypad and waited for her answer.

“Is that you Adam?”

“Yes, it is”

The panel buzzed and the twenty foot iron gate began to swing open. He drove down the right fork about a quarter of a mile and parked his Buick Lucerne in front of the Brighton Suite sign.

Marcia was at the door waiting for him. “Come on in,” she said as he walked up the short entryway, through the door and into her living room. “I made some hors dourves in keeping with the theme for tonight’s dinner. We have a little time, don’t we?”

“I’m sure we can spare fifteen or twenty minutes. What culinary surprise do you have for me?”

“I have mini-quiche Lorraine and a liver pate and garlic/onion crackers. I don’t know about you, but I just had half of a roast beef sandwich around noon, and I’m really famished. Can I get you a drink?”

“I think I’ll wait until we get to the restaurant.” He was pleased by his self-control. “I had a few drinks earlier when I met with dad.” He placed a quiche, a scoop of pate and some crackers on a plate, grabbed a napkin and took a seat at the end of the leather couch.

She filled her plate and joined him on the couch. “That’s right, you were planning to break the good news to your father. How did that go?”

“I got mixed signals. On the one hand, the new medicine has transformed the man. He has come out of the shell that Adam Hampton II has been hiding in and is once again exhibiting many of the characteristics that made him a ‘Captain of Industry’. On the other hand, there was one incident that occurred when I was leaving that shook me up a bit.” Adam stopped for a minute to gather his thoughts, “During our time together he gave every indication that he understood about our takeover of Preston. He even wanted to go to the office to manage the details.”

Again he hesitated, “Then, as I was leaving, he asked me for my name.” Tears began welling up in Adam’s eyes. “He actually thought I was a messenger from the office, bringing him the good news.” His voice cracked as he got the last part out.

“You poor man. I guess it’s going to take a bit more time.” She patted him gently on the hand. It does sound as though he is making some progress, though”

“I suppose you‘re right. He left our meeting with a smile on his face. That was good to see.”

It was time for Adam to change the mood. He reached for the knife and “pate’d” a cracker. He took a bite and immediately voiced his approval. “Wow! This is great. What did you put in this?”

“It’s a new recipe I got out of a gourmet magazine. It’s got veal and chicken livers ground together with onion, bacon bits and a touch of garlic. It’s a great recipe, isn‘t it?”

“I could stay here and enjoy these all night.

Ten minutes later the snacks were finished and they left for the restaurant. They pulled into the restaurant parking lot with ten minutes to spare. Adam handed the keys to the valet and they walked into the Champs Elysees. The five star restaurant is usually booked three to four weeks in advance. The Hampton name had a way of cutting through all that.

“Monsieur Hampton, it’s a pleasure to see you again. Your table is waiting, please follow me.” He led them to a quiet little table in the corner and handed them a one page menu. “Your waiter will be Henri. He’ll be right with you.”

There were only four entrées on the menu. They decided to wait until the waiter showed up to make their choices.

There was nothing French about Henri. He was really just a “Henry“, with a phony accent and an abundance of pretense, or at least that was how he came across.

“Have you had a chance to select your dinners, monsieur.

Playing along, Adam said, “Yes, Henri, we have. We’re both having the halibut with parsley-lemon sauce, roasted potatoes and green beans. We’ll skip the appetizers and salads today. We would like an appropriate bottle of wine.”

“May I recommend the Domaine Seguin-Manuel Puligny Montrachet?”

Adam quipped, “You may and that’s fine as long as I don’t have to repeat it.”

Marcia gave him a big smile, but Henri, remained stoic.

“Very well, sir. I’ll be right back with your wine.”

When the wine arrived, Adam sniffed the cork, swirled the wine around in the glass and sniffed the aroma. So far, so good. Two can play this game. He took a small sip and let it roll over his tongue as he swallowed it. It had the bouquet and taste of hazelnuts and flowers with a slight lemon acidity. All in all, a thoroughly fine tasting wine. Adam gave Henri an approving nod. With an exaggerated flourish, Henri poured their glasses, re-corked the bottle, nested it in the ice bucket and headed back to the kitchen.

Adam looked at Marcia and the two burst into laughter. He shook his head as he said, “It seems that good food comes at a greater price than just the dollar amount listed on the menu. Why is it necessary to have to endure all the pomp and ceremony? You know, one of these days I’m going to reject a bottle just to see how they’d handle it.

During the meal, Marcia brought Adam up-to-date on her time with Kane Masterson. Adam was pleased to hear that that Kane was a bit miffed with the treatment Marcia was meting out.

“Well don’t let up. I promised him ‘hell on earth’ for the next six months and I expect you to stoke the coals.”

“Don’t worry, I’ve already made that clear to him. He got a little sarcastic at one point, but I ignored him. If he gets out of line again, I’ll rap his knuckles with a ruler.”

Adam burst out laughing, picturing the image.

Henri appeared with their dessert, a dried cherry compote with shortbread and mascarpone cheese. Another waiter served their café au lait.

Marcia tasted the dessert. “This is really good.”

Adam took a bite. “You’re right. Have you ever noticed that the tastier foreign food dishes are, the fancier their names get. Why not just call this what it is; stewed cherries in a light sauce over cheese and lady fingers?”

“That wouldn’t justify the fifteen dollar price?”

“No, of course it wouldn’t and could you imagine calling Henri, Henry or maybe Hank. I guess I better not fill out this suggestion card,” he said, pointing to the small card nestled between the salt and pepper shakers. “I would never be allowed in here again if they knew how I felt. I really did enjoy the food.”

“You‘re probably right,” she replied, with a smile.

They left the restaurant and returned to Marcia’s town house. The air became charged the minute the front door closed behind them. All that each remembered was that they came away from their previous get together with a desire for more; sex, that is.

“Would you like to have a drink first, or do we go right to the bedroom?”

Adam was struck with her directness. He was unaccustomed to forthright sexual conversation with women and unfamiliar with what response was expected

“I think I’ve had enough alcohol for one day. I want to be able to remember every moment that I spend with you. I certainly don’t want a repeat of last time, except, of course, the intimacy we had together.”

“You’re sweet. Well, then, let’s get to it,” she said, taking his hand and leading him to the bedroom. “I’m a bit fuzzy about last time, too. I think I had too much wine.”

“Then I’ll go slowly so you don’t miss anything,” he said with a smile.

“We’ll see how slow you can go after you get a look at the Martin’s of Beverly Hills lingerie I picked up yesterday. They call it ‘Strappy Cord Teddy’.”

“I can hardly wait.”

When they got to the bedroom, she excused herself and went into the bathroom to change.

Adam recalled the round bed, but he was hazy about everything else. He looked around the room for something that would trigger a memory, but was unable to recognize a single piece of furniture, picture or decoration. This was another red flag for him. If he wanted to have a lasting relationship with Marcia he would have to greatly curtail his alcohol consumption. He was willing to pay that price.

He removed his clothing down to his shorts, piling everything on an armchair in the corner of the room. He rolled up the comforter and placed it on another chair along with the sham pillows and the half-dozen multi-shaped pillows that were laying on top of the bed as decorations. He turned down the three lamps in the room, creating a soft romantic glow.

The sheets weren’t silk, but they had a sheen to them. He slid under the covers and waited for her return. He didn’t have to wait long. Within minutes, Marcia entered the room wearing her Strappy Cord Teddy. Adams eyes opened wide. His memory suddenly flashed back to their first encounter, when she dropped her robe to show him what he would be getting. For some reason, he was more excited by seeing her in the teddy.

She stood before him, her ample breasts and crotch barely covered. She turned to reveal the “strappy cord” part, which consisted of a thin lace strap across her back directly under her shoulder blades, a second strap at the waist and a third filling the space between her taut buttocks.

She crawled under the sheets with him. Since her memory of their first time was clouded except for the multiple lovemaking, she only a vague clue as to what to expect from him in the way of lovemaking. She was totally unprepared for what was to follow.

True to form, Adam passed on the opportunity for fore-play. He kissed her several times on the mouth and neck while he removed the teddy and without a single passionate word or gesture he entered her and commenced with his mechanical lovemaking. Once sated, he rolled over onto his back.

Marcia was stunned. While she managed to enjoy a brief orgasm before he stopped, she couldn’t believe that it was over so quickly. She had a vague memory of having multiples last time. They had spent hours together. What the hell was going on? She knew he was rough, the bruises from last time attested to that, but she didn’t expect to be on the receiving end of a mechanical banging. That wasn’t the kind of “love machine” she had in mind. What’s with the “Wham, bam, thank you ma’am” business? That’s not lovemaking, that’s just screwing. I wish I could remember what happened last time. I can’t believe that it was like this. I don’t want a one-trick pony. I can do better than that. Is it me? Could I be doing something wrong?

The night was slowly turning into a disaster for Marcia. Dreams of a long-term romance were quickly fading.

Adam spoke first, “That was great.” He stopped as suddenly, out of the blue, he took notice of her nipples as if he was seeing them for the first time. They were only dime-size, but they were now erect and a bright rosy color. He leaned over and took one of them into his mouth. He pursed his lips and sucked on it as he flicked his tongue over the tip. He fondled her other breast at the same time.

Marcia shuddered. What now, some sort of after play? What a jerk. She rolled over, to discourage him, wondering how the dreams of a wonderful evening turned out so bad. I was so looking forward to tonight. What the hell went wrong? This can’t be what we did last time. What’s different? Then a thought flashed into her mind, Could it be that alcohol is an aphrodisiac of some sort for him? Does he have to be blotto to be passionate? I can’t deal with that. I don’t have to. Finally, When is this going to end? I can have a better time with my vibrator.

Her last question was answered immediately. “Well, we both have busy schedules tomorrow. I’d better be going,” Adam said as he rose from the bed and walked to the chair where he had piled up his clothes. He dressed hastily.

Marcia drew her knees and the sheet up to cover herself. She had no intention of sharing any more of herself with this “bozo”. She said nothing.

When he was dressed he came over and sat on the edge of the mattress. “It’s been a perfect evening. We’ll have to do this again.

Marcia didn’t reply right away. She needed a moment to construct an appropriate response. She was thinking, Not anytime soon, buster. Not if I have my way, but she said, “It was nice for me too, Adam. I’m so glad that we could squeeze it in now, because I know that I’ll be spending long days and even longer nights working on this merger.”

“Well, let’s not make it too long and good luck with Masterson. Look, I’ll let myself out.” He leaned over and gave her a peck on the lips, rose and left the room.

Moments later, when Marcia heard the front door close, a feeling of relief came over her. She leaned back against the pillows, thoughts flooding into her head, I have to end this. If I slept with him again, the way I feel now, I’d be no better than a whore. All feeling she had had for Adam was gone. She didn’t blame him. He was what he was. She was glad that she found out before things went too far. She took a long, hot shower and went to bed. She would need all her strength for Kane Masterson.

Chapter 14

Lauren and Daniel decided to allow their attraction for each other to be more open. They began appearing at social events as a hand holding, gushing over each other, “couple”, although Daniel had not yet popped the question. He was waiting for just the right occasion. His plan was to propose at her birthday celebration scheduled for the end of the month.

They were in Daniel’s office at the Wildcat’s stadium when the receptionist told him that he had a phone call from Luke Martin a stable hand at the Old Brooking Country Club.

Lauren looked surprised when she heard the name of the caller. “I wonder what he could want?”

“I don’t know, but there is only one way to find out.” He picked up the phone. “Daniel McKnight, here.”

The voice at the other end was hesitant. “Er, my name is Luke Martin. I don’t think you know me, but up until yesterday I worked with the horses at the country club.”

The silence at the other end prompted Daniel to interrupt, “I believe I do remember you. You help every year with the Club’s horse show. You do a grand job.”

“Yeah, that’s me.”

Daniel glanced at Lauren and shrugged. He noticed that she seemed uncomfortable with the call.

“What can I do for you Luke?”

“Well, like I said, Mister McKnight, I don’t work at the club anymore. I got laid off yesterday. I’ve worked there since I was in my teens. They didn’t care about that.”

“Well, how can I help you? Are you looking for a job with one of my teams?”

Luke hesitated for a few seconds. “No, it’s nothing like that. You see, they have an unwritten rule at the club that ‘what goes on there, stays there’. You know, like in Vegas. I’ve respected that up ‘til now, but since I don’t work there anymore, I don’t feel like I’m bound by that rule anymore.”

Daniel was getting impatient. “Can you get to the point, Luke? What’s this secret of yours and what does it have to do with me?”

On the mention of the word “secret” Lauren’s face drained. She reached out for a chair and fell into the cushions. Daniel had his back to her at the time and her distress went unnoticed.

“I’m gettin’ to that. You’re not going to like what I’m about to tell you.”

“I’ll be the judge of that. Spit it out.”

“Okay! Well a few years back Lauren Hampton and I got it on. That child she miscarried was mine. I didn’t even know that she was pregnant until the accident. When she found out, she told me it had to be mine ‘cause she wasn’t doing it with her old man at the time. She had planned to let him think it was his. That didn’t work out of course.”

Daniel turned to Lauren and he could tell by the look on her face that Luke was telling him the truth. He shot her an assuring smile.

Lauren simply lowered her eyes to her clasped hands.

“That’s quite a story Mister Martin. What evidence do you have to support your allegations?”

“I’ve got it all on tape. She came to me several months after the accident and spelled it all out. She told me she couldn’t ever see me again. At the time I understood.”

“So, why are you calling me? If it’s about work, the job I was talking about before, might be possible, if you’re interested?”

“No, it’s nothing like that. You see, I’m tired of working and I need a change of scenery. I’d like to go someplace where it’s warm all year, but that costs lots of money. The problem is that I’ve never been able to save very much. I thought you might want to help me out there. I could live pretty nice with a nest egg of, let’s say, a hundred grand. I’ll give you the tape and you have my word that there are no copies. You can trust me, after all, I already proved that I’m trustworthy by keeping quiet for all these years.”

“Even if I had that kind of money readily available, which I don’t, I would never pay anything to you. How can you threaten to ruin the reputation of an upstanding woman who just made a mistake. A woman who you obviously have a lot of respect for. She’s had enough heartbreak in her life. You shouldn’t be trying to profit from it?”

“I haven’t threatened anyone and don’t act so high and mighty with me, Mister. I’m willing to bet that she wouldn’t have gotten that cushy divorce settlement from her husband if he had known about her affair with me. She’s profited plenty. I just want some of that money to keep my mouth shut. I think that’s very fair,”

“Perhaps you haven’t given it much thought, Luke, but blackmail will get you a change of scenery that you won’t enjoy too much.”

“Do you think I’m stupid? Do you think I haven’t thought this thing through? Well, I’m betting that you and your lady won’t want the kind of publicity you would get if that ever happens. Look, I’m not in the mood to play games with you. If you aren’t interested, maybe Adam Hampton will be, or as a last resort, I can get a few bucks selling my story. Dirt on the Hamptons will sell. After all it’s my story too so I can tell it to anyone I want to. There’s no crime in that is there? You’ve got ‘till noon tomorrow.”

Daniel looked at Lauren. Through the tears that were flowing down her cheeks she made it clear that she didn’t want him to make any deal with Luke.

With that assurance, Daniel concluded the call, “There won’t be any money coming from me, Luke. I hope that you have a change of heart and do the decent thing. You’ll never find any peace in your life by coercing people into giving you money like this. I wish you the best.” Daniel didn’t wait for a response. He hung up the phone and went immediately to Lauren’s side.

She spoke first, “I’m sorry, Daniel. I should have told you, but it was so long ago that I never thought it would surface again. It only lasted two months. It was really at a low point in my marriage. I was vulnerable and Luke was available. I’m so ashamed.”

He took her hands in his. “You’ve done nothing wrong, Lauren. None of this matters to me. I love you for who you are now, not who you were. I wish I knew what’s going to happen next. I suspect he’ll go to Adam with his tape, and maybe Adam will think about using it as a wedge to reduce or cancel your support payments. Of course if he did, he would risk exposure of the fraud he committed. More than likely, regardless of how tempted he is, he will probably send Luke packing just as I did.”

“What will Luke do then?”

“He threatened to sell his story to the media. It would be a much smaller payday or him, but from the short conversation I had with him, I think he’s vindictive enough to do it. We’ll just have to wait and see what happens when he talks to Adam. I’m pretty sure Adam will call you as soon as he hears about it.”

Daniel put his arms around her and held her close. “I love you too much to let anyone smear your good name. Just as a precaution I’ll call Walt Madding at Palentine and ask him to do a quick check on Luke Martin. Let’s see who we’re dealing with before we do anything more.”

He called Walt with the details. Walt promised to do a quick probe of Luke.

As Daniel was concluding his call with Walt, Lauren’s cell phone rang. She saw that it was Adam calling. She answered the call and got a three minute tirade from him about infidelity and how he was faithful throughout their marriage. He finished with the wish that he had known about her affair before he agreed to pay her the exorbitant amount of support he put out every month. When his venting was over, she asked him to hold for a minute. Daniel had finished his call and was urging her to let him talk to Adam. She handed him the phone.

“Adam, Daniel here.”

“What do you want, McKnight? This has nothing to do with you. Don’t you think that you’ve meddled enough in my business?”

“I beg to differ. What concerns Lauren, concerns me, now. Besides, when she gets a call asking for a hundred thousand dollars, it becomes my business.” He stopped for a second to collect his thoughts. “Look, Adam, there’s nothing to be gained by rehashing the past. I think we need to work together to figure out how to deal with this weasel.”

Adam had no immediate response. There was reluctance in his voice when he finally spoke, “He asked me for the same amount. I told him I had no interest in dealing with him.”

“I told him to take a hike, too. He threatened to call you and if that didn’t work he said that he’d sell his story to a gossip rag.”

“I’m going to level with you, McKnight, I don’t give a rat’s ass what he does. Don’t try to make her sordid affair my business. I’m the one who was cuckolded and she has a lot more to lose by a scandal than I do. I’ll take my chances.”

“I don‘t disagree with you, Adam. Does that mean that you’re washing your hands on the entire situation, even if it means bad publicity for Lauren and for you?”

“She made her bed, or should I say hay stack, let the cheatin’ bitch sleep in it. Don‘t call me again.” Adam hung up.

Daniel turned to Lauren and updated her, “He wants no part of it. He’s very bitter. It looks like we’re going to have to handle this by ourselves.”

“I guess he has every right to be upset. What are you going to do?”

“I’m going to call Walt again. We need to stop Luke from going to the media.”

Adam’s face was fiery red as he slammed the phone down. The nerve of those two expecting me to help them cover up her affair. So McKnight wants to be her “knight in shining armor”. Well, we’ll see. Maybe it’s about time to topple the high and mighty Daniel McKnight. Adam picked up the phone and set up a meeting.

Two days later Daniel met Lauren in his office to update her on the “Luke Martin” situation. She could tell from his relaxed demeanor that he had good news.

“Well, it’s over,” he said as he handed her the tape.

“The little pissant decided to surrender the tape and take a bus to Florida with ten thousand dollars in his pocket. I think he was very happy to put Old Brooking behind him.”

“How did you get him to do that?”

“Walt borrowed two of my three hundred pound Wildcat line backers and paid Luke a visit at the room where he was staying. He traded the tape for the ten thousand dollars, a one-way ticket to Miami and two unbroken legs. Walt says he seemed happy with the arrangement. It turns out he has a long arrest record as a minor, which the club never knew about. Walt found a small quantity of cocaine in his room, which he claimed they planted. He had prior convictions as a juvie, it would have put him away for a while. The bottom line is that he’s on the bus and is out of our lives for good. He’s lucky that Walt is a nice guy. Luke swears that this is the only copy. Walt warned him that if anything ever came out about the affair, that he would find him and finish the job. I had to play the tape to make sure it was the right one.”

She looked at the tape in her hand. “Again, I‘m sorry, Daniel, that you had to get involved in this. I guess the only thing left to do is to destroy this.”

Daniel found a “butt can” in a supply closet. They went out to the practice field. He squirted lighter fluid on the tape and dropped a match on top. They both watched silently as the tape twisted and squirmed as it surrendered to its inevitable expiration. In minutes it was a molten mass at the bottom of the can.

“Should we call Adam and let him know?

“No, let him sweat. We don’t owe him a thing.”

Chapter 15

Adam guided the delivery men into the den. They carried a two by three foot painting covered with a canvas cloth. He gave each man a twenty dollar bill and asked if they would do him a favor by removing the portrait of his grandfather that hung over the mantle and delivering it to John who was waiting at the door to the West Wing. They were happy to oblige. When they were gone Adam carefully removed the covering and held the painting at arms’ length. A small brass tag tacked on the bottom of the frame read “THE CONTENDER.” The picture was of a young British boxer with fists raised in a threatening manner. The signature in the lower right corner identified it as the work of Terrance Wellington, an obscure nineteenth century British artist.

Adam carried the painting to the mantle and mounted it on the hooks. He stepped back to admire it. His eyes focused on the fighters nipples. They were the same shape and size as Marcia’s. Adam had purchased the painting solely for the purpose of having a lurid representation of them available to dwell upon at will; his own private voyeurism. As he looked at the picture he became aware that he was aroused. The feeling felt good to Adam. It would have to do until he could get to see her again.

Chapter 16

Kane met Marcia in the parking lot of the Elegant Sportswear Communications Center at 7:50 a.m. “Good morning, Miss Bloom.”

“Good Morning,” Marcia answered, “I’m glad to see you’re on time. Let’s get started,” she said, as she headed towards the entrance. “I got here early and met with the Lead Foreman, John Marshall. We’ll be using the conference room as our base while were here.”

“That’s a good idea. We have a presentation that we show to major customers and suppliers. I can have them set it up.”

Marcia stopped abruptly at the front door. “Let me remind you of something. You are persona non grata on Preston property. For you, there is no ‘we’. You are here strictly as an advisor. You don’t arrange anything unless I tell you to. Is that understood?”

Kane was taken aback. Whoa! Where did that come from? What’s with this woman? Doesn’t she realize that I’m here to help her? Then, not realizing how close to the truth he was, he concluded his thoughts with, She must have had a bad night.

“I was only trying to help.”

“That may well be, but I believe Mister Hampton made your role very clear.”

Whatever, he thought. Why does she have to make this so difficult?

An attendant opened the door and handed them badges. Kane knew the man quite well, but decided not to say anything that might set her off again.

She continued, “For your information John already recommended that I view the presentation. It is set up and waiting for us in the conference room. Now, let’s start.”

Yes, boss!

The conference room was a thousand foot square room with a long highly polished conference table and seats for twelve. Two places at the end of the table were set up with coffee and sweet rolls and a large binder. They faced a wall-to-wall screen at the far end of the room.

Kane just nodded to John when he entered the room. He waited for Marcia to choose which seat to occupy and settled down in the other.

John Marshall rose from a chair in the corner. “If you are ready I will start the presentation.”

Marcia nodded and he turned down the lights.

The narrator had a slight British accent which harmonized well with the musical background:

Three years ago Elegant Sportswear hired a consulting firm to put together a video presentation that would illustrate the dramatic metamorphosis that the garment industry has undergone during the past one hundred years and tout the advances made at Elegant. The video required extensive editing and thirty six revisions to get it down to the total running time of thirty nine minutes.

Within the first ten minutes, with pictures of thread making, massive looms, cutting rooms and sewing sweatshops, the narrator deftly moved from the industry tableau to modern day Elegant Sportswear.

As the presentation neared completion the camera zoomed in on models wearing Elegant’s patented Neo-Weaves. These one-piece knitted sweaters and skirts rocked the industry when they were first introduced at an international exposition earlier in the year. An entire plant is dedicated to their production. Demand was so high that the company developed a new back-order system just to log orders for these non-seasonal garments.

When the video ended, John asked Marcia, “So, what did you think?”

This was a question that Kane would have normally asked, but he was glad that John had taken the lead. He assumed that he was only to speak when he was spoken to.

Again, whatever!

“Very impressive. I can see why Elegant has done so well. I’m from a trading company at Hampton and I haven’t had the opportunity to see many manufacturing processes, but I doubt that Hampton Sportswear is anywhere near as modernized as you are here. That alone speaks well for the merger.”

Kane remained expressionless, but his thoughts were running rampant. Not even close, sister. Elegant runs circles around you guys. It’s the one thing that might save your sorry asses when the shit hits the fan.”

Marcia returned to her notes. Her head was down when she asked, “What’s next?”

Kane looked at John, who was looking at him. Neither knew to whom the question had been directed.

Sensing their dilemma she raised her head and looked directly at Kane. “That question was for you.”

“Well you may want to start the tour with a walk-through the plant next door. That is where the fiber and fabrics are produced. It starts with materials from natural sources, like cotton and wool, from regenerative cellulose material like rayon and acetate or entirely synthetic like polyester and nylon. Elegant is unique in that they manufacture all their own thread and the fabrics are produced solely for their own consumption based on demand from confirmed orders. The processes are highly automated. Natural fibers must be cleaned, carded, combed, drawn, roved and finally spun. Manmade fibers such as rayon and acrylics are wet spun. Acetates and spandex are dry spun, Polymerics are melt spun.”

Kane observed that the technical information was beginning to overwhelm her. “Maybe we should save the fiber manufacturing plant for last. Since it’s just next door it would be the perfect place to end.”

“I think that’s a good idea. Let’s make the tour a cursory walk through for now. Any decisions we ultimately make will be based mainly on which Elegant lines we decide to continue. It will be marketing, not manufacturing, driven.”

Kane didn’t reply. Being a numbers guy he was used to making decisions based on the bottom line regardless of the which division was affected. This gal is in way over her head. What was Hampton thinking of when he put her in charge? She’s from a trading company for god’s sake. She doesn’t know squat about manufacturing. Well, it really doesn’t matter who he chose. When this house of cards collapses every one of their divisions will be affected. He looked down at her legs to see what type of shoes she had worn. He was distracted momentarily, by her shapely legs. Finally he said, “I’m glad to see you wore walking shoes. This tour covers over seven and a half miles and it’s all concrete flooring. One of our six cafeterias is around the half-way mark in case you want to stop for a quick lunch. You may want to bring along a bottle of water or juice from the table over there.”

Marcia looked over the assortment and chose one of the energy drinks. Kane picked up a bottle of water.

She thanked John for setting up the presentation and asked him to reserve the conference room for the next two days, momentarily recalling Kane’s original advice. She put the binder in her attaché case, gave the combination lock a spin and placed it on top of the conference table.

She turned to John and said, “I’ll be back for this later.”

“I’ll lock up here for now. Just have me paged when you need access again,” he answered. “I’ll be nearby.”

Marcia picked up her notebook and turned to Kane. “Lead on.”

It would require seven hours to tour the seven garment facilities. Elegant’s production plants were separated by major product lines, jackets and outerwear, combinations (suit jackets, slacks and skirts), dresses, Neo-Weaves (sweaters, suits, dresses and skirts), wraps (scarves and shawls), tops (blouses and sweaters) and bottoms (slacks and skirts). At each plant they viewed the fabric production (weaving, knitting or fusing) that was unique to the garments being produced and the measuring, cutting, sewing and finishing, all under CAD/CAM control in a continuous automated process mode. Most of the machines in the plants were Swiss built with a low incidence of down time.

Half-way through the circuit they stopped at one of the cafeterias catered by a local banquet company. Marcia nibbled on a salad and drank a cup of black coffee, Kane had a burger and a bottle of water. Conversation between them was minimal, and mostly limited to technical questions that she needed cleared up. When they left the cafeteria she picked up another energy drink.

The Neo-Weaves plant was second to last. Kane knew that Adam Hampton considered the line the “crown jewel” of Elegant Sportswear. He could tell that Marcia was impressed by the production of an entire garment as one continuous piece. Knit sweaters were on the production line when they arrived.

“Seamless one-piece construction provides the structural integrity of a single piece of fabric. Bulky stitches on conventional knit sweaters are gone, providing fit and comfort superior to any other textile product,” he proffered in his best tour guide voice.

“I’ve seen the advertising in magazines, but there is nothing like seeing and feeling an actual garment. It’s almost biblical; like Jesus’ robe. I can see now why Adam is so excited about the line. Seeing it makes you want to go buy one on the spot.”

“It’s Elegant’s fastest growing line, by far.”

Kane let his thoughts roam again. One of those knits would sure look great on that fabulous body of yours. Every curve would be accentuated. He caught himself, Where did that come from? I better keep my mind on business. Still, that’s one fine shape.

Marcia asked, “Is anyone even close to matching Elegant’s technology?”

“There are a few would be copycats, mostly Asian producers. They’ve mastered the design part of it, but they aren’t anywhere near automated manufacturing. Without machines to maintain integrity, they’re right back at item-to-item and batch-to-batch inconsistencies between runs, something that most high-end retailers won’t tolerate. I would guess that Neo-Weaves has a two to five year lead over the rest of the industry. The plant is struggling right now to fill orders within a two month lead time.”

“What will happen when a competitor finally puts it all together?”

“From an operational point I think Neo-Weaves would still have the edge. Quality remains the key issue. Elegant uses the finest fibers and their CAD/CAM processes assure integrity within sizes and batches. Also, Elegant is already experimenting with fabrics other than wool and cotton to expand the Neo-Weaves process to their other product lines. When they pull that off, it will be a real coup. No one will be able to catch them.”

They left the Neo-Weaves plant and moved next door to the last building on the tour. The Fiber Production Plant, nicknamed “FIPP” by the garment plants. The plant required the most environmental control due to the cleaning, carding, combing, drawing, roving, spinning, dying and drying of natural fibers and the chemicals used to produce manmade fibers. Huge fans were mounted in the ceilings of each process room. Exhaust from the fans was directed to a filter shed where the air was purified before it’s release into the atmosphere. Liquid washes and water used in production are piped to a treatment plant housed in the center of the Elegant complex.

“Well here we are. This is where it all begins.”

“Does it always smell so bad?” she asked, wrinkling up her nose.

“That’s a good question. It’s not usually so pungent. Let me find out what the problem is.”Kane walked over to one of the machinists, nodded his head a few times and returned to the entrance.

“It seems that their having a problem with the ventilation. The exhaust fans are designed to function regardless of wind flow, but lately, whenever the wind comes out of the east, the air backs up and the suction cuts down. They have tried several engineering changes, but so far nothing has worked. We can do this another time if you prefer.”

She thought about it for a few minutes. Plant workers as far as she could see didn’t seem to be bothered too much by the smell. “I guess if the employees working here can stand it, I can too. I’m sure that coming in from the outside probably makes it seem worse than it really is. Let’s give it a shot.”

Half an hour later they were back in the conference room. It was 4:30. Marsha offered, “That pretty much does it for today. Let’s meet back meet here tomorrow morning at 8 a.m. to document the production and maintenance records for all the plants and break those out by season. I’ll have the Hampton Sportswear files delivered here.”

They left the Communications Center and headed toward the parking lot. Marcia started to slow down. Kane hadn’t noticed that she was falling behind until he heard her gasp. He spun around just in time to see her start to swoon. He reached out to grab her shoulders just as she was starting to collapse.

“Whoa! That was close.” Kane half carried/dragged her to a bench and propped her up. She looked at him with a blank stare.

“What happened?” he asked.

“I’m not really sure. Suddenly I felt faint. It must have been the chemicals finally getting to me.”

“Or possibly it was all the caffeine you’ve been sluggin’ down all day. Too much of that stuff and not enough water will dehydrate you. Especially being on your feet for so many hours.”

“Perhaps you’re right. I did drink a lot of them.” she said softly.

“Will you be all right while I go back into the Center for some bottled water? I saw a machine in the lobby. A few bottles and you should feel a lot better. It happened to me once when I was jogging. I fell flat on my face and split my lip open.”

“Yes, I’ll be fine. Thank you.”

Kane returned a few minutes with five bottles of spring water. He sat down next to her as she drank the water. Ten minutes and three bottles of water later, Marcia was feeling well enough to get up and resume the walk to the parking lot. “I don’t know what I would have done if you weren’t here. Nothing like that has ever happened to me before.”

“Well, I’m glad I was here. I’d be careful about consuming so much caffeine. Those energy drinks are loaded with it. They can sneak up on you. Try regular water when you’re going to have an active day. You’ll be a lot better off.”

“I’m sure you’re right and those fumes probably contributed too.”

“That’s true. Are you going to be okay to drive?”

“Yes. I’m feeling a lot better now. I’m sure I’ll be fine.”

“Here, take these two extra bottles of water. I’ll follow you back to Old Brooking, just in case.”

“You can if you want to, but I’m okay now.”

“I’ll see you in the morning, then. Try to get some sleep. Your body has had a mild shock. It needs rest.”

“I will. Thanks again, Kane.”

“You’re very welcome, Marcia.”

The use of first names went unnoticed by both.

Kane followed her car until she turned off the highway. Satisfied that her driving was not impaired by her brief bout with dehydration, he headed back to his hotel.

When she arrived home, Marcia headed for the shower. Before she finished undressing, her phone rang. She could see that it was Adam calling. I hope he doesn’t want to see me again. I’m not ready to turn him down, yet. I hope he will lose interest after I say no a few times. She picked up the phone on the third ring.

“Marcia, how is it going with that loser, Masterson?”

“Very well, Adam. Elegant is quite a prize, especially the Neo-Weaves line. It’s incredible. I got to handle a few garments. I’ve never seen anything like it. Tomorrow we’ll be going over the operating figures for both companies.”

“Yes, Neo-Weaves is an incredible innovation. I can’t wait to see your projections for the combined companies. I knew I put the right person in charge. Look, I was wondering if you would like to get together for a drink later.”

“Not tonight, Adam. I had a spate of dehydration about an hour ago. Probably too much caffeine and being on my feet for over seven hours. I’m completely exhausted. I need to get some rest. I have to be back in New Haven at 8 a.m. tomorrow to start reviewing the operating data. There’s a lot of work ahead .”

Marcia was glad she had a legitimate excuse to turn him down. She hated to lie and didn’t want to hurt his feelings; he couldn’t help being what he was.

“Well maybe later in the week. I’m anxious to see you again.”

“We’ll see how the schedule goes. There’s a lot to this merger. I want to give it my best shot. I may be able to get back to the office at the end of the week to give you an update. I’ll see you then.”

That wasn’t the kind of response that Adam expected He had an uncomfortable feeling during their conversation. Maybe I’m assuming too much. After all, how much do I really know about her. Maybe she’s seeing someone. Just because she gave into my charms a couple of times, doesn’t mean that I’m the only one in her life. A woman with a body like that must have dozens of men after her. I better not make too many assumptions. I need to find out more about Marsha Bloom. He picked up the phone again, this time to call a private detective he used occasionally.

“Chuck, this is Adam Hampton. How have you been?”

Chuck Meredith operated a private detective agency in New Haven. Adam used his services to spy on Lauren when she filed for the divorce. Unfortunately, at the time, Chuck didn’t find out anything; the affair with Luke Martin was missed at the time.

“Great, Mister Hampton. It’s been a while. What can I do for you?”

“I have a surveillance job for you. It’s on one of my vice-presidents. Her name is Marcia Bloom. I want to know where she goes and who she sees. She works at Bretton Trading and lives at the Sedgwick Arms Suites in the Breighton subdivision.”

“If you want pictures, I’ll assign one of my top operatives.”

“Only if they’re relevant. Much of her time is spent in the office, but she has an assignment that will require field work out your way. I’m mostly interested in how and where she spends her time. She’ll be working with a man who’s staying at the Belmonte. His name is Kane Masterson.” Adam hesitated for a moment and then added, “This may last a few months. I have something important going down and I just don’t want to be blindsided.”

“I understand perfectly. We’ll be set up by 6 a.m. tomorrow. How do you want me to report? Usually we take a few days to get the logs printed and pictures developed. Then I contact my client and turn over copies of whatever we’ve uncovered.”

“This is a very private matter, Chuck. Call me at home or on my cell. Unless something unusual happens, every couple of days will do. I’ll leave that up to you.”

“What do you consider unusual, Mister Hampton?”

“If she sees anyone at her residence, find out who it is, pictures and all. Let me know immediately.”

“I understand perfectly Thanks for the assignment, Mister Hampton. I’ll be back to you.”

Chapter 17

Lauren and Daniel boarded the shuttle bus to the short term parking lot. Their return flight from Vegas was three hours late, but they didn’t care. Both were still reeling from the six day honeymoon that followed their spontaneous decision to elope. The bus dropped them off in the parking lot in front of Daniel’s Escalade.

“I’ll bet your glad to be back,” Daniel said as he loaded the suitcases into the trunk.

“Yes, I am. I can’t wait to spread the news that I’m Mrs. Lauren McKnight.”

“I’m sure most people will be happy for us. I don’t think it will be a big surprise to most people. I can only think of one person who may get his nose out of joint over this.”

“Well I certainly don’t care what he thinks. He knows we’ve been seeing each other”

“Lauren, do you mind if we stop by the office on the way home? I want to see if the new Wildcat programs were delivered.”

“I don’t mind at all. I’m anxious to show my ring to Judy and the rest of the staff.”

Daniel turned off the highway at the downtown exit. As they approached the McKnight stadium they were confronted by a noisy crowd of picketers carrying signs that read ‘WILDCATS UNFAIR TO WORKERS.’ The chant lowered several decibels when they recognized Daniel’s car. Several workers turned their heads aside; their signs lowering several inches as they did.

“What on earth’s going on?”

Daniel got out of the car and walked up to the first man he recognized. “Karl, what’s going on here?

“I’m not sure, Mister McKnight. Our local called us in this morning, gave us the signs and told us to get out here and picket. There are some guys out at the Arena too. I’m real sorry, but you’ll have to talk with the hall.”

Local 33 of the Sports & Entertainment Workers Union (SEWU) represented ninety three workers at Daniel’s sports stadiums including security, ticket takers, maintenance workers, groundskeepers, equipment handlers, electricians, food and beverage vendors and souvenir sellers plus concessionaires at dozens of other sports venues within a forty mile radius; four hundred twenty five workers in total. The football schedule at McKnight Stadium ran from late September to February. The stadium was then used for baseball from May to early September. The Blizzards skated at McKnight Arena from October to April. Some employees worked both locations, but most were exclusively at one or the other.

Daniel returned to his car and gave Lauren a quick update. The crowd of picketers opened a path to allow him to drive into the parking lot. Judy met them at the door.

“Mister McKnight, I’m so glad you’re here. I tried to reach you,” she said excitedly. “I couldn’t get through to your cell phone. This started about an hour ago, after we all got to work. I hope there won’t be a problem when we go home this afternoon.”

“I’m sorry about the phone. I left my charger behind and my batteries went dead. I wouldn’t be concerned, Judy. Right now I need to talk to Gil Parsons at the Union Hall. Try to locate him for me, please. I’ll be in my office.”

“Yes, sir. I’ll make the call right away. I’m glad your back. I hope you both had a nice trip.”

Daniel turned to Lauren. I guess we’ll be here a little longer than I planned. Is that okay?”

“Of course it is. You go do what you have to do. I’ll show off my rings to the girls.”

Lauren caught up with Judy and Daniel heard a squeal as she showed Judy her engagement and wedding ring. Judy turned back to him and mouthed congratulations. He was at his desk thumbing through the new Wildcats program when Judy buzzed to tell him that Gil Parsons was on the phone.

“Gil, what’s going on? You can’t set up picket lines without a formal strike notice.”

“If you weren’t out gallivanting around the country you would know what’s going down. In your absence we delivered the strike notice to your attorney.”

“For your information, although it’s none of your business, I wasn’t gallivanting around the country, as you put it. Lauren and I got married in Las Vegas and we took a few days for a honeymoon. As for the negotiations, I thought we had an agreement that your members would stay on the job as long as we were bargaining.”

Gil ignored Daniel’s wedding news and continued their discussion. “I’ve always acted in good faith. Then you disappear for a week, leaving us to deal with your attorney. He has the right to be served in your name, so we did just that. He doesn’t seem to be very empathetic to the plight of the working man. The bottom line is that unless you’re ready to meet our demands right now, you can kiss Saturday night’s opener goodbye.”

“Aren’t you acting rash. I know that we haven’t always seen eye-to-eye on issues, but I thought we had made considerable headway towards a new contract at our last meeting. You can’t just pull a strike on me like this.”

“Can and did. We agreed to work past the expiration date of the last contract because you led me to believe that you understood where we’re coming from. You violated the agreement, not me. You seem to forget that whether your teams win or lose, the workers from Local 33 are the backbone of your business. Without us your teams would be nothing but a bunch of bozos playing games on a sandlot field.”

“Get off your soapbox, Gil. This is Daniel you’re talking to. This doesn’t sound like your doing. Who is really pulling the strings?”

“I’m president of this local and I answer to no one but the Sports & Entertainment Workers Union and they authorized the strike. Settle or shut down, it’s your choice.”

“We’ll see about that,” Daniel answered as he slammed the phone down. He buzzed Judy. “Get me Harrison on the phone.”

“Mister Harrison’s office delivered an envelope first thing this morning. Did you look at it yet? It’s in your in-box.”

“Okay, hold the call until I get a chance to look at it. Ask Lauren to come in.”

“She’s right here and on her way in. I’m so happy for both of you. I wish you all the best.”

“Thank you, Judy.”

Daniel gave Lauren a brief update on the situation. “I think I’m going to be here a while. Why don’t you go on home and do what you need to. Take the car. I’ll get a ride from Judy. I’m going to try to find out what’s really going on. There’s more to this than just the labor negotiations. I have the feeling that Adam is involved in this somehow. Maybe I’m a little paranoid, but when I was talking to Gil, I sensed that he wasn’t leveling with me. I think that there’s more to this than meets the eye. I got a nagging feeling that Adam has something to do with this.”

“Trust your instincts, Daniel, they’re usually right. I wouldn’t put it past Adam to do something mean spirited, especially if he somehow got wind of us getting married. You remember how nasty he got with that Luke Martin mess.”

“Well, you run along and leave this to me. I don’t want you to worry your pretty little head about anything. We’ll get past this.”

Adam answered the phone on the second ring. “Gil, how did it go with McKnight?”

“Okay, so far. The pickets really ticked him off.”

“Well, that’s the whole idea, isn’t it? What’s the attitude of your members?”

“They’re ambivalent about it. There tossed between higher wages and their loyalty to Daniel. It was a tough sell, but the promise of a retro on the wage increase made all the difference.

“Well, two weeks should do it. That should be enough time to teach that bastard a lesson.”

“Whatever you say, Mister Hampton. When will you be ready to move forward on our agreement?”

“Very soon, now. All the paperwork is completed for the transfer of ownership. I’ll be able to deliver at least four thousand workers to UNITE within two weeks.”

“That’s all I could ask for. Keep me informed.”

Gil Parsons has been President of Local 33 for six years. When Adam approached him with his offer, Gil saw a chance to advance his position with Sports & Entertainment Workers Union management. The SEWU could score big points with UNITE (Union of Needletrades, Industrial and Textile Employees) by arranging for the delivery of four thousand garment workers formerly employed by Elegant Sportswear, workers from non-union plants. Adam promised that Hampton Industries would not resist any organizing attempts at the new plants, virtually making the unionization of their facility a fait accompli. The number of members, those paying dues, was the essential measurement of a labor union; especially when the numbers were growing at a significant pace. Often deals were made that did not provide any tangible benefits to the workers, but which added to the membership count. and it was not unusual for unions to make “sweetheart deals” with management in order to accomplish this goal; the workers be damned.

Chapter 18

Marcia looked at the stack of folders on the desk. Each had a bright yellow label identifying it as belonging to the Elegant Sportswear/Hampton Sportswear amalgamation. One month’s worth of detailed analysis was in the folders. A month of painstaking comparative study, elbow-to-elbow with Kane Masterson. She was gaining respect for the man. They were even on a first name basis now. She thought it remarkable that he could set aside any resentment he may harbor to assist in the orderly disintegration of Elegant Sportswear, his favorite Preston division. He’s quite a guy.

Marcia ignored the phone when it rang. She decided to let it go to the machine, but over the sound of the answering machine’s message she heard Adam’s voice. “Pick up if you’re there, Marcia. I’ve got to speak with you, immediately.”

She waited for the end of the pre-recorded message and beep, before picking up the phone. “Adam, what’s up?”

“Legal just called. A number of Preston’s customers have cancelled their purchase agreements and switched to other manufacturers. They’re all effective the first of next month. That’s just two weeks from now. Take down these names. Norton Wholesale, Wellington Clothiers, Carson-Manners, Mesa-Verde Outfitters and Leighton& Sons. Did you get that?”

“Yes I did. As I recall, these are some of Preston’s largest customers. Probably all of our garment divisions will be affected. What do you want me to do, Adam?”

“This whole thing just doesn’t make any sense. Nobody can match Preston’s designs or quality. I want you to check with their buying departments to find out what triggered this, but before you talk with them, find out what their terms were with Preston. When you speak with them see if the door is still open for negotiations. It’s not fair for them to arbitrarily switch vendors without even giving Hampton a chance to compete. Also check to see if Masterson knew anything about this. I can’t believe he didn’t have any inkling of a change this big. Lastly, if these changes are irrevocable. I’ll need to know the impact the losses will have on our projected bottom line.

“I’ll get right on it, Adam. All five are west coast companies. It’s mid-afternoon out there. I should be able to reach them today.”

“I need this information fast. There may still be time to reverse their decisions. There was no way I could have seen this coming, but I’m wondering if these companies are bolting because Hampton took over Preston. Maybe, for some reason, they don’t want to do business with us. If that’s the case, I want to know the details that went into their decisions.”

“That could be it, but companies of this caliber are usually driven by quality of product and the bottom line, personal likes and dislikes aside. Still, it’s always possible that they’ve gotten some bad information about us. I’ll try to nail them down.”

“Thanks, Marcia. If you need any help from Finance, IT or Legal, just contact them. I’ll alert them right away and then I’ll be at home if you need me.”

“I’ll get back to you as quickly as I can. It may be tomorrow morning though, before I can put all the figures together. The bottom line impact will take time to re-calculate.”

“That’ll be fine. Just do it as quickly as you can and get back to me,”

Marcia spent the next two hours hunting down the appropriate contact at each of the companies. A picture slowly formed about what had happened. Each of the companies had been contacted by representatives of a consortium of European Common Market producers and offered supply agreements and designer contracts too good to turn down. The five year contracts were going into effect within two weeks, the decisions were irrevocable. Marcia was assured by each company that no one at Preston Industries could have had any prior knowledge of the negotiations or contracts. Everything had been done under a cloak of secrecy at an Italian villa.

Marcia slumped in her chair. She glanced at the stack of files she had brought home. They represented untold hours of painstaking research. How much of that work is worthless now? The production and profits estimates require a stable sales base with a plus or minus variable of six percent. These five customers represent more than that; we’re screwed. She reached for the “Sales Projection” folder. Ten minutes later after a quick check of her original calculations she confirmed that the loss of the five companies would impact sales by at least thirty percent. How could Preston have allowed a small group of customers to have such a major impact on their sales and profits. Marketing was her strong suit and she knew that when a company or group of companies dominate the sales base, special customer support is required. Why didn’t Kane have a preferred customer list? Ones that he handled personally as “house accounts”. While she had assurances that no outsider could have known about the change, someone as sharp as Kane should have had contingencies for the possibility of aggressive competitive bidding.

He should have known that the contracts with the five were nearing expiration. Personal agreements with the appropriate decision makers at the prime accounts would have assured that Preston would have had a chance to out-bid the competition. Maybe he is not the business genius that he is made out to be, or he just got too complacent. Damn! This is the worst thing that could happen now.

Marcia tried several times to reach Kane, but his cell phone was busy. She pushed her worksheets aside and leaned back in her chair. What the hell are we going to do now? I’ve got to reach Kane. I’m going to need help with this mess. She tried his cell again. This time he answered.

“Kane?”

“Yes. Is that you, Marcia?”

“Yes, and we’ve got a very big problem.” She spent several minutes updating him on what happened.

He smiled when she mentioned that every customer assured her that only the negotiating parties had any knowledge of the agreements prior to today’s announcement. He felt bad that Marcia was getting caught up in the middle of what was supposed to be his private retaliation against Adam and Hampton Industries. He was just beginning to see past her tough veneer and was liking what he saw.

“How can I help?”

“I’m not exactly sure. I know that much of the data we compiled is meaningless in the light of what will be a major hit on our sales and earnings. I did a quick scan of the effect this would have on our sales estimates. It looks like it’ll be almost thirty percent.”

“Ouch! Look, why don’t I meet you? We can redo our estimates and put together a tactical plan. Maybe with some additional production cuts, we can keep the sales loss from having too great an impact on profit margins. We put a very generous cushion in our figures for anticipated increases in demand. We could back those out entirely.”

“I guess you’re right. It’s getting late, but I don’t think I could get any sleep anyway, not with this on my mind. Are you willing to work on it tonight?

“Absolutely! Are you still at the office? I can meet you in about twenty minutes.”

“No, I’m at home. Why don’t you come over here? I’ve got all the files we need except those that you’re working on.”

“Good! I’ll gather them up and bring them over.”

Marcia gave him directions and set about straightening up the room she used as a home office. She considered calling Adam, but at the last minute decided not to. He doesn’t need to know everything I do. Meaning, that she didn’t want him to know that she had invited Kane to her place, especially since she has turned him down three times since their last time in bed together. She reasoned, I can work better if I’m not being second-guessed on my approach. Meaning, that she knew Adam wouldn’t approve. He would want to join the meeting or suggest that it be moved to his office. He would just get in the way.

Marcia made a quick change into a v-neck sweater and jeans. She applied a dab of cologne on her wrists, neck and between her breasts. She returned the bottle to her make-up table, wondering, Why did I do that?

Kane showed up about twenty minutes later with a box of files. He didn’t notice the gray sedan parked about a half block from her entrance. The driver held a cell phone to his ear giving the impression that he had just pulled over to make a call. It was a perfect cover for the investigator Adam hired.

“I grabbed everything I thought might be relevant.”

She pointed toward the den. He placed the box on the floor and returned to his car which was parked next to hers in the carport. This time he carried in a bag from a local coffeehouse. He grinned as he said, “Given your history with this stuff, I was hesitant to bring it, but I think we’re going to need it the next few hours to keep us sharp.”

Marcia smiled, but didn’t reply. She was busy forming a new impression of Kane Masterson. He was wearing jeans and a white turtleneck that appeared to be molded to his body. At work he either wore a suit or dressed business casual with sports jackets and slacks, but she was always too busy to pay much attention. He’s quite a hunk. I wonder if he’s got anyone back in Wooster Square. He sure has a nicer disposition than Adam. Oh, well, back to business.

They spent hours reworking the merger plan. The changes didn’t improve the situation much, extending to at least three years the time required to absorb the impact of the lost customers. Hampton Industries would have to exert a major customer relations effort to assure that there were no additional defections of customers.

Kane left at 3 a.m.

The gray sedan that was parked near the entrance to the Sedgewick Arms Suites remained there long enough for the driver to complete his report. He checked the pictures he took of Kane’s arrival and departure. The date and time were recorded with the digital image.

Chapter 19

Adam paced his bedroom deciding what to do about the information that Chuck had just given him. 3 a.m.? What the hell were they doing until 3 a.m.? Is she having an affair with Masterson? Is that why she’s given me the cold shoulder for the last few weeks? I knew there was something peculiar in the way she was acting .I can’t let on that I know anything. I need her for this merger deal. Why did I ever accept Masterson’s offer? If he wasn’t around I ‘d stand a much better chance with Marcia.

His cell phone rang. Marcia’s name appeared on the screen. He hurriedly pressed the talk button. “Marcia, what did you find out?”

“I worked on the figures all night. I have some good news and some bad news.”

“Give me the bad news first.”

“All five customers have irrevocable agreements with a European consortium. They negotiated a fifteen percent cost reduction. Unless we make certain strategic moves in the next month the hit on us is going to be twenty percent of our projected sales for the combined companies and lower our margins by up to twenty percent.

Adam appeared to be unmoved by the figures. “What about Masterson? Did he know this was going to happen?”

“I received assurances from all the companies that the agreements were negotiated in private at secret meetings in Italy. There is no chance that any outside party could have learned the details prior to the announcement.”

“So, what’s the good news?” His voice took on a sarcastic tone.

“Well, actually, it’s the effect that this will have on our bottom line. Unfortunately, Preston has the highest margins, so projected profits will only be impacted by slightly more than twenty-eight percent.”

“You call that good news?”

“Well, yeah, considering that it could have been significantly higher. I’m proposing that Hampton switch two-thirds of their sportswear production to Preston’s newer and faster machines, immediately. According to our three year projections, we’ll recoup the loss mid-way through the third year. Sportswear will benefit the most since the defecting companies were only marginal buyers.”

“Our three year projections?”

“Yes, Kane and I worked on these projections until 3 a.m. this morning. We had to re-do the work we’ve done over the last four weeks. I couldn’t have done it alone.”

Adam was quiet for a few minutes. At least she’s admitting they were together. Finally he said, “You better meet me in my office at ten o‘clock. I want to go over those figures. There must be a better way to limit our losses. Bring Masterson with you.”

Adam went down to breakfast at his usual time. As he sipped his coffee, Milton came to the table to tell him that John wanted to speak to him, privately.

“I’ll go over there now. Hold my breakfast.”

“Yes, sir.”

John escorted Adam into his office.

“What’s so important, John?”

“Well, Mister Hampton, It may be nothing, but I thought I should tell you this in person. We had a specialist in to check your father yesterday. Being new, he went through the usual litany of questions for his records. He asked your father how many children he had. Your father answered that he had two grown sons.”

“Are you certain?”

“It’s right here in his report and I checked the transcript. That is exactly what he said.”

Adam skimmed through the papers until he located the “Personal Information” section. He stared at the paper for a few minutes.

“There must be some mistake. Perhaps he heard wrong.”

“That’s certainly possible, but he was very accurate about the rest of the information and the transcript is also very clear. I just thought you would want to know.”

“You did right, John. I tell you what, I want to ask my father about this. Would you let me into his bedroom, and do me a favor and turn off all the recording devices.”

“Certainly, Mister Hampton.” John went to the monitoring desk and flipped several switches. The screen for Adam’s room turned black. “Everything’s off.” John ushered Adam to his father’s bedroom. He unlocked the door and stepped aside.

“I want to see him alone.”

“Of course, sir,” he said. He closed the door behind Adam and returned to his office.

Adam II’s bedroom was dimly lit. Adam could see that his father was awake but lying quietly in his bed. He flipped a wall switch and the room became illuminated with the soft glow of the recessed lighting.

His father reacted by sitting up in his bed. “Who’s there?”

Adam stepped closer to the bed hoping that his father would recognize him.

“It’s me, dad. I need to talk to you.”

Adam II squinted to see his visitor more clearly. “Adam? Is that you, son? Is something the matter?” he asked in a halting voice.

Adam smiled at his father’s recognition of him. That was an important breakthrough attributed to the new medicine and far better than the last time. He pulled a side chair up close to the bed. “I have to ask you a really important question. Take your time answering.”

“Of course son. You can ask me anything, like you always did as a young child. You always wanted to know about everything. I couldn’t keep up with you. We used to spend hours in my library as I showed you pictures or read to you.” He smiled as he briefly recalled some of these memories.

“Yesterday, during your exam you told the doctor that you had two sons. Why did you say that?”

He was hoping that his father would tell him that he had made a mistake, or that he had misunderstood the question, but apparently that wasn’t going to be the case.

Adam II sat stoically. His eyes locked on his son.

“Did you hear what I said?”

Finally his father answered. He looked remorseful. “I heard you. I just don’t know how to say this. You know that I wasn’t always faithful to your mother. Over the years I was with a lot of whores and I kept several mistresses. It was the early seventies and everything was different then. Your mother knew about them, but she didn’t care as long as I provided for you and her. This is hazy, now, but I recall that back in ’74 I had an affair with a married woman. She got pregnant and had a boy. She said it was mine and somehow I knew she wasn’t lying. I broke things off and made her promise never to tell anyone about our affair or try to contact me again. I paid for the expenses through my lawyer. She never contacted me after that and I let the matter go. She gave the boy her husband’s name. I was really fortunate that it didn’t turn into a scandal.” His eyes filled with tears and his voice quivered. “I’m not very proud of those years, son.”

“I’m not judging you, dad, but I think that after all these years it would be all right to talk about it. I don’t give a rat’s ass about your infidelities. I screwed around when I was young too. What I do care about is that you’re saying that I have a half-brother. Who is he and who is his mother?”

Adam II was slow to answer his son. “It was such a long time ago. There were so many I can’t remember all their names. I still have trouble remembering simple things.”

“Try, dad. This is important. Surely you can remember the name of a woman who had your son.”

His father began to tremble. His face turned ashen and saliva began bubbling in the corner of his mouth. His body was shaking uncontrollably as he fell back against the pillows.

Adam reached for the call button.

Seconds later John and another nurse entered the room with a cart. “I called Dr. Seagrams, he’ll be here in five minutes. I’m going to give him a sedative for now.”

Within a few minutes his father was breathing normally.

“Do what you have to do. We were having a discussion when he suddenly started shaking. What could be wrong with him? I thought the Arecept was helping.”

“I can’t say for sure, but sometimes Alzheimer patients have episodes when they recall periods that were emotional plateaus in their lives. It may not have anything to do with the medicine. He’s been trying hard to remember things. It probably has more to do with a painful memory. He’ll need to rest for a few days, then he should be back on track.”

“Thanks, John. Keep me informed with his progress.”

“I certainly will, sir.”

Adam left his father’s bedroom in an agitated state. Questions raced through his mind as he made his way back to the main house. Do I have a half-brother somewhere? Would he have any legal claim to the estate if this gets out? Does he know who his real father is? I sure don’t need this now, with everything else I have to deal with. Life’s a real bitch sometime. I’m going to have to follow up on this, with, or without, my father’s help. My instincts tell me that there is something more to this.

Milton approached him in the foyer. “Are you ready for breakfast now, sir?”

“No, Milton. I’m going to skip breakfast today. Just bring some coffee to my den.

“Right away, sir.”

When the coffee arrived he closed the doors to the den and took out his cell phone. “Chuck, I’ve got another job for you. I need an extensive background check done.” He explained that he needed some information dating back to 1974.

“Wow! That’s a long time. You’re talking thirty seven years ago. It won’t be easy to access records going back that far.”

“I understand that. You’ll just have to do your best.”

“Who’s the subject?”

“My father, Adam Hampton II. That should make your job easier. I need you to look at his activities for that entire year. I should have all his personal papers for that year in storage. You just have to sort through them.”

There was silence on the other end. Then finally, “You want me to investigate your own father?”

“That’s right. Does that present a problem for you?”

“No, of course not, it just caught me by surprise. Is there something specific you want us to look for?”

“Yes! I want you to look into every relationship he had with women, especially with married women. I want to know their names and everything you can find out about them and their families. This will be a monumental job, but my father kept meticulous records. You’ll have file copies of memos, personal papers, his bank statements and appointment calendars. to go through. He was away from home for long periods at a time when I was young, From what I’ve heard, he was hell raiser back then, but what I am looking for should be in evidence somewhere in those papers.”

“It sounds like I’ll need to assign a lot of people to this. It’s gonna be costly.”

“I don’t care about the expense. Get me those names, and make sure that this is kept on the q.t. I’ll make his private records for that year available for pick-up at our long-term storage facility. You’ll need to check them very carefully.”

“We’ll do the best we can, but this kind of an investigation will requires a certain amount of candor.”

“Don’t tell anyone any more than you need to and do it as quickly as possible.”

“You can count on me Mister Hampton.”

Chapter 20

Adam was the first to reach his office. Marcia and Kane showed up with three bankers boxes full of files slightly before 10 o‘clock.

“Good Morning, Adam”

“Good Morning, Marcia.”

The men nodded perfunctorily. Coffee service was wheeled in and all three filled their cups, picked up a donut and chose a seat at the round meeting table. Marcia presented the sales and revenue projections. She was interrupted several times by Adam as he rechecked the data on a hand held calculator. Her analysis was flawless and brought them to the same conclusions that she had given Adam earlier that morning.

Adam sat quietly for a few minutes ruminating over what the next step would be. He glared at Kane and finally said, “Masterson, do you expect me to believe that you didn’t know that this was going to happen. Any executive worth his salt would have foreseen a defection of this magnitude. It doesn’t make any sense that you missed it.”

Marcia, looked at Adam with disbelief. Why did he say that? I told him that Kane couldn’t have known anything in advance. All the companies verified that. Sometimes Adam has a real stubborn streak in him. I don’t like him when he’s like this. I hope that he doesn’t do anything stupid to assuage his bruised ego.

“I’m sorry you feel that way, Mister Hampton. I wish I had known. We might have been able to save them. I am as shocked as you are about this. They were all good customers. They paid their invoices on time. That consortium made them a damned good offer to get them to turn. One good thing is that only one of them was a Neo-Weaves customer. Any more and it would have been a disaster. This change must have been in the works well before Hampton announced that they had enough stock to take over Preston. So don’t blame yourself for them leaving. It is obvious that there wasn’t any way either of us could have prevented it from happening.”

Adam heard him out, but the flushing of his face presaged what was coming. “Spare me the speeches, Masterson. I’m not buying it. Why should I blaming myself for anything, but I know in my gut that you hand in this, somehow. I’ve decided that your continued involvement in the merger is counterproductive. So, I’m releasing you from your commitment to us. I want you off our property immediately. Get out, now!”

Marcia stood up and glared at Adam. “What are you doing,? Kane has worked harder than anyone during the past month to make this merger work. I told you that I was assured that he couldn’t have known about this in advance. I need his help to maximize the potential of the expanded Hampton Sportswear line.”

“I’ll give you all the additional analysts you need them, but I want that man out of here, now.”

Kane gathered up his personal laptop and headed for the door. He turned to Marcia. “I thank you for being the civil one at this company. Keep on in the direction you’re headed and it will all work out. This company will do just fine in the long run because of people like you and in spite of its unstable upper management.”

He smiled at Adam, turned and left the office.

Marcia wanted to go after Kane, but thought better of it. Instead she turned to Adam. “What the hell is wrong with you? Do you realize how much more difficult it is going to be without his input Without the VP and now Kane, I’m going to have one hell of a time making this merger work. Sometimes I don’t understand what motivates you.” She left the office and asked Adam’s secretary to have the file boxes moved to her office.

Adam called the security desk to check that Kane. He followed up with strict instructions that Kane was banned from ever entering the building.

Kane returned to the Belmonte and switched his room billing to his personal account. The front desk had already prepared the new signature card when Adam called to cancel any future charges to the Hampton account.

Adam’s impulsiveness had taken Kane by surprise. He hadn’t expect to be cut loose, especially by the man who had warned him that he planned to extract every last drop of his blood. He wanted to see Marcia before he made any concrete plans, but decided against talking to her at her office in the fear that Adam would find a way to penalize her as well. Instead, he called his mother to give her an update on his experience with Adam Hampton.

Evelyn Littleton didn’t take the news graciously. “I warned you to be careful with that son-of-a-bitch. I don’t know how you kept from punching his lights out.”

“There was nothing to be gained by doing that, although I must admit that I was tempted to wipe that smug look off his face. There’s more satisfaction in knowing that he’s going to have his hands full when more customers jump ship. The word will get around fast. They’ll find out, over time, that Hampton isn’t as nice to do business with as I was. Well, that’s behind me now. I’ve got to move forward.”

“So, what are your plans, now?”

“Well first, you’ll be glad to know that I have a love interest in my life. Her name is Marcia Bloom. She’s the lady I’ve been working with on the merger.”

“How could you be interested in her when she’s working for that man?”

“What? Did that just come from the woman who’s been bugging me for years to date more. Aren’t you the one wants more grandchildren running around? Look, I’m no longer obligated to Hampton and she can go out with anyone she wants to. She turned out to be a very special lady, she’s nothing like him. Besides, I’m thinking of moving away from Connecticut. I can start a new business anywhere in the country. I think that this could be the woman I want to spend the rest of my life with. We haven’t talked about anything like that, but I felt a closeness growing as we worked together over the last month. I’m hoping that she’ll want to go with me. I intend to find out tonight.”

Evelyn was quiet for a while. Finally she asked, “When did you decide all this?”

“I’ve been thinking about it since I lost the company. I’ve got to do something with my life. I don’t see any opportunities in New England that interest me. Anyway, it’s probably best for me to make a fresh new start away from Connecticut. Having Marcia with me will make it that much sweeter.”

Her voice had an air of sadness as she said, “I guess I’ve always known that one day you’d be leaving Connecticut, but I’ve dreaded the day it would happen.” She got quiet for a minute and then finally spoke, “Of course, you’re right. You go get that girl and make a life for yourself. Goodness knows you deserve it.”

Evelyn was careful to mask her real feelings as she thought, I’m sure going to miss him, but he needs to spread his wings. He’ll do all right whatever he decides to do.

“Thanks, Mom. You know I’ll come back as often as I can and you will always be welcome to come and visit. It would do you well to get out of this town more often.”

“Have you thought about what you will do if your young lady doesn’t share your plan for the future?”

“If that should happen, I’d be heartbroken, but I know that either way, I have to get out of this town.”

“Well, let’s not borrow trouble. She’d have be out of her mind not to want to run off with you.”

“I hope your right. Let’s get together for lunch tomorrow. We can talk more.”

“I’d like that. Why don’t you come over here. We can order in like we used to.”

“Sounds great, Mom. I’ll see you tomorrow, then, around noon.”

Kane took a shower and watched a talk show on TV until 5 p.m.. By 6 he was parked in front of the Sedgwick Arms. He buzzed Marcia’s suite but there was no answer. He was prepared to wait as long as he had to. At six thirty Marcia drove up next to his car. Her face lit up when she recognized him. She waved and motioned for him to follow her in. He parked next to her in the carport.

The gray sedan parked a block away in its customary out-of-the-line-of-vision location.

“I was going to call you, but I thought it was best not to make waves for you at your office. I thought it would be better if I met you out here.”

“I was going to call you at your hotel, but I was afraid that they might tell me you checked out and left town. I don’t know what I would have done, then. I hoped you would come here.”

“I could never leave without talking with you first. It might sound a little corny, but I thought we were kinda hitting it off. If it wasn’t for the constant scrutiny by Adam, I would have asked you out for dinner weeks ago.”

“Well, you’re a free man now. There’s nothing stopping you from asking me.”

Kane’s heart skipped a beat. He blurted out, “Would you go to dinner with me?”

Marcia smiled as she answered, “Your car or mine.”

“Mine, get in.” He reached over and opened the door.

The gray sedan followed at a safe distance. On the way to the restaurant she updated Kane on what happened after he left.

“I told him something to the effect that he was a jerk. Then I stormed out of his office. I don’t know how I got through the day. It wasn’t the same without you. I couldn’t wait until the day was over. Fortunately, Adam was smart enough to stay away from my office for the rest of the day.”

They agreed that when they got to the restaurant, business talk would be off limits. They had dinner at a supper club near the harbor. It took two bottles of wine to fully clear their minds of all of the day’s unpleasantness. They walked barefoot along the sandy beach and marveled at the crescent moon and sky full of twinkling stars. The figure in the shadows went unnoticed and the sound of the camera shutter went unheard. The chill of the night finally brought the stroll to an end and they returned to his car. As the car warmed up he turned to her and asked, “Have you ever given any thought to moving away from Connecticut?”

“I’ve lived here all my life, except for the time I was away at college. No, I’ve never really given it a thought. Why do you ask?”

“I was just thinking. Now that I no longer own Preston Industries, I’ve got nothing to hold me here. I’ve spent most of my life in Connecticut, too, but there’s a great big world out there, full of opportunities. It’s time for me to explore them. Time to make a fresh new start.” Kane hesitated a moment and continued. “I thought that maybe you might want to share your future with me.”

She answered, hesitatingly, “Are you asking me what I think you‘re asking?”

“If you’re thinking that I’m asking you to make a life changing commitment, the answer is yes. During the last month I got to see the real Marcia Bloom. You were a bitch at first, I’ll give you that, but I know now where that originated. The day when you collapsed I started to see past the tough facade to the soft and gentle person that you really are. I knew then that we could hit it off together if given half a chance.”

“Shut up and kiss me,” she said, as she leaned forward.

It was a long passionate kiss. He reached forward and pulled her close. When they separated she looked out the window and noticed that a couple was watching the car.

“You better take me home before we get arrested.”

Kane put the car in gear and drove to her place.

The driver of the grey sedan put down his camera and followed. He was parked in the usual spot when he was relieved at four a.m. by an operative driving a blue coupe.

Inside the suite, Marcia’s head was nestled on Kane’s chest, both sound asleep after hours of unbridled passion. Their hunger for each other was satisfied, but future issues still remained unresolved.

Marcia left for work at 8 a.m. Kane followed a few minutes later. He noticed the blue sedan fall in behind Marcia’s car. He decided to join the procession to see if she was being followed. After a few minutes he knew that that was indeed the case. He called Marcia’s cell phone.”

“Yes, Kane.”

“Don’t do it right away, but in a few seconds, check your rear view. There’s a blue coupe that’s been on your tail since you left your suite. He’s made every turn you have since we got on the highway.

“Okay, I see him.”

“Is it anybody you recognize?”

“No, I don’t believe so. The sun is reflecting off his windshield, so I can’t get that good a look. I don’t recognize the car either.”

“Well I think I’ll pass him and slow him down some.”

“Do you think that’s a good idea? There’s so much road rage nowadays.”

“Well we’ll soon find out,” he said as he accelerated and cut in front of the car.

The driver of the blue coupe recognized Kane’s car and decided that it was prudent to curtail the pursuit. His orders were to avoid personal contact. He took the next exit and phoned in his decision to abort. He was pretty certain that her eventual destination, would be Hampton Industries.

“It looks like he got the idea. It should be okay for you to go on to your office. I’m headed to the Belmonte.”

“If he shows again, please don’t take any unnecessary chances. It may just be a coincidence, anyway.”

“You could be right, but I wouldn’t bet on it. I don’t think he’ll be back, but there is no sense in taking chances.”

“Who would care about where I went?” It didn’t take her long to come up with a name. It must be Adam. “Do you think that Adam is having us followed?”

“He’s the obvious culprit. Maybe you shouldn’t go in today. If he’s that desperate, then he’s stepping over the line. Your private life is none of his business.” Now it was Kane’s turn to have the obvious thought. Or is it? Could they have been lovers before I came along? If so, why hasn’t she told me?

“I might as well tell you, because you’ll eventually find out.”

Kane pulled off the road. He switched the phone to his left hand to lessen the interference from the traffic noise.

Miles down the road, Marcia pulled over as well. She looked down at her cell phone as she pondered how to word the next few sentences. They were going to hurt Kane, but she had little choice at this point. She blurted it out, “Adam and I slept together. It happened only twice. It was a mistake. I know that now. I decided a while back not to see him again. I haven‘t had a chance to tell him, but by now he’s probably figured it out for himself. That may be what’s behind this.”

Kane anticipated the admission. He felt guilty for pushing the issue. Hell, I didn’t even know her then. It must be very awkward trying to cut things off when you have to work with the guy, especially when he’s the boss. I better cut her some slack.

“Look, I’m sorry. I had no reason to pry, but that would explain why he might be having you followed. He’s got no right to meddle in your personal life. That’s clearly harassment. He could find himself in a lot of trouble.”

“Don’t worry, Kane. If it is Adam behind this, I’ll make him stop. It is time, anyway, for me to be up front with him. If this is any indication of how he handles rejection, it can’t be soon enough.” She hesitated before asking, “Now that you know everything, is your offer still good?”

“Are you kidding? How soon can you get away from that place?”

“I’ll put in my two weeks’ notice as soon as I get to the office. I think he has an appointment out of town this morning, but I’ll hand him my resignation as soon as he gets back. With any luck, he’ll get pissed and send me packing right away, too. I know that’s a bit much to expect, but I can dream can’t I?

“Look, I’m having lunch with my mother. Call me on my cell as soon as you know anything. If he gives you a hard time, call me.”

“Don’t worry about it. I’ll be okay. Say hello to your mother for me. I can’t wait to meet her. She sounds like such a neat lady.”

“She is. I know you two will hit it off.”

“I‘ll call you as soon as I know anything. I Love you.”

“I love you too. Later!”

Chapter 21

Kane arrived at noon on the dot. Evelyn’s mansion is in the historic section of Old Brooking two blocks from the knoll that Hampton Manor is built on. Her three children were raised in the house. Kane had fond childhood memories, with a with a few minor exceptions, namely his two sisters, Melanie and Bridget. As an adult he felt genuine affection for them, but it took him until the age of eleven to rise above the tyranny of the two as they conspired daily to make his life a living hell, as sisters often do. It all changed one day when he finally reached his limit and decked Melanie with a right cross to the jaw and after that they never bothered him again. Evelyn went through the motions of admonishing Kane, at the time, giving him a stern lecture about never hitting women, but deep inside she knew that Melanie had gotten what she deserved.

They settled down in the Florida room. It was tastefully decorated with colored wicker and bamboo furniture. Kane sat at one end of a wicker sofa with floral patterned overstuffed cushions, his mother at the other end. They agreed on Thai food which would be delivered within the next half-hour. He looked around the room at the dozens of picture frames, mostly holding pictures of his two nieces and two nephews over a span of a half-dozen years. There were a few of him from his college days; nothing more recent.

“Gosh, those kids are sure growing up fast.”

“Yes they are. Much too fast! Both Jason and Colby are starting to sass me back when I correct them. By the time they grow out of it, the other two will start up. I love being with those kids but I’m always relieved when they go home.”

“Methinks you protest too much,” he said, watching to see how she would respond.”

True to form his mother smiled and said, “You’re right. I really do enjoy having them around. They make this old spirit feel young again.”

While they waited for the food to be delivered, Evelyn poured two glasses of Riesling. Kane was pleased with her choice of the wine.

“Here’s to you and your young lady. What was her name again?”

“Marcia.”

“Okay, here’s to you and Marcia. May you both find the happiness you so richly deserve.”

They clinked their glasses and took a sip of the wine.

“This Riesling is a delightful white wine,” he said.

“I’m glad you like it. I started drinking it at the Club about a month ago. It’s very mellow. Now, tell me about your date last night.”

Before he could begin telling her, the food arrived. During the next half hour they dined in silence on the Pad Thai Tofu noodles, Thai prawns covered with a seasoned pineapple sauce and Thai stir fried vegetables. When the last noodle disappeared from Kane’s plate he sat back with his glass of wine and filled her in on his date.

“Then this morning, while we were on the road, I spotted a blue car following Marcia. He stayed with her, making every turn, for about fifteen minutes. Finally I got in front of him. I’m sure he recognized my car and we made eye contact for a brief moment. I guess he decided that it was wise to back off, because he got off at the next exit.

“You think Adam Hampton was behind it, don’t you?”

“I don‘t just think it, I know. Who else would care?”

“That seems a bit over-controlling, don’t you think?”

“Well, there is more to it. It turns out that Marcia had a couple of dates with him.”

Evelyn got silent. The look on her face mirrored her disapproval. “It wasn’t very smart for her to get involved with her boss, especially Adam Hampton.”

“She knows that, now. It was only two dates and she decided to end the relationship a while back.”

“Around the time you came on the scene,” she astutely observed.

He smiled as he replied, “I do have that powerful animal magnetism. I think I got that from you, but actually she says she decided before I made the scene.”

“This is no laughing matter. You’re messing with a very dangerous man. I warned you about that family when you first told me that you would be working with them. You should never have agreed to such an arrangement. You weren’t obligated in any way. You should have just walked away from the company.”

“I know, mother, but I felt duty bound to look after my employees and some of our vendors. They’ve been with us a long time. I know many of them personally. I’ve visited with them and met their families. Besides, I never would have met Marcia if I hadn’t stayed.”

“I’ll give you that, but I’m also a firm believer that if it was meant to be, it would have happened, somehow.”

“Perhaps! Right now I just want for us to get far away from Hampton Industries as quickly as possible.” He set his cell phone down on the cocktail table. “I asked Marcia to call as soon as she turns in her resignation to Hampton. She’s giving him two weeks’ notice.”

“Under the circumstances, why doesn’t she just walk out? That’s what I would have done.”

“It’s different with company officers. Vice-Presidents are bound by an unwritten code of conduct and usually by employment contracts. Normally the time frame would be a months’ notice or until a replacement is found. She feels that because of his outrageous behavior she is justified with the two weeks’ notice. Marsha wants to get out of there as soon as she can. Trust me.”

“That’s fine for her, but what kind of code does that man live by?”

“That’s beside the point. Marcia feels strongly about this. My only hope is that he will act irrationally and fire her on the spot. I’m keeping my fingers crossed.”

“I hope you’re right.”

“So, in the meantime, what have you been up to, mother? I haven’t seen your name in the gossip columns in a long time. Are you deliberately keeping a low profile on the social front?”

“Not everything I do makes the papers, you know, but if you’re really asking if I’m seeing anyone since I got rid of Donald? No, I’m not. I think four husbands is my limit. I’m getting too old for this romance stuff. It’s the big seven-oh coming up for me this year, you know.”

“You don’t have to marry them to enjoy their company. There must dozens of seniors who would enjoy being in the company of a sophisticated lady, such as yourself.”

“What would I want with a senior? If I took up with anyone, he’d be a young buck. I’ve still got a lot of life left in me yet, you know.”

He laughed. “Mom, you never change. On a related subject, Marcia was asking me about my family and she found it strange that I didn’t know anything about my father. It got me to thinking. I’ve got plenty of time now. I’m thinking about putting out a trace on Peter Masterson. I may actually meet up with him. I’m curious as to why he would leave you when you were carrying me. I want to see for myself what kind of a man would do that? I’d like him to tell me the truth, to my face.”

Evelyn turned ashen. Her voice was faint as she asked, “Why would you go and do that now, after all these years? Obviously, that man never cared about you.”

“Perhaps so, but suddenly there is something that I feel inside that is urging me to find out about him. I’m about to make a major commitment in my life. I’d like to clear up that one question before I do. Besides, what’s the harm? If I find him, he may even refuse to talk to me. What can you tell me about him?”

Evelyn didn’t answer him; she couldn’t. Tears began pouring down her cheeks. She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. She started sobbing and averted Kane’s gaze. “I don’t want you to speak with Peter.”

“Why on earth, not?”

“There’s nothing to be gained by dredging things up” Evelyn’s tears turned to sobs.

He slid across the sofa and took her in his arms. He said nothing. He simply held his mother, patting her gently on the back, determined to wait her out. Minutes passed before Evelyn’s sobbing quelled. She sat back against the cushions, her eyes unfocused, as she gathered her thoughts.

She spoke softly. Kane had to strain to make out the words. “I hoped and prayed that this day would never come. Kane, Peter Masterson is not your biological father. Peter and I had a marriage in name only. I had an affair with a married man and got pregnant. We both knew Peter wasn’t the father. The day after he found out about you he disappeared and I have never heard from him again. When you were born the hospital assumed, from the forms that I had to fill out, that Peter was the father. That is how you became a Masterson. Everything else I’ve told you about your father has been a lie.”

Kane sat quietly, in disbelief. Eventually he asked, “How could you deceive me all these years? I had the right to know the truth.”

“Well, now that you know the truth, does it really change anything? Are you any better off? Your sisters are still your sisters and I’m still your mother.”

“Yes you are, but right now, I’m very angry with you. I know that I rarely asked you about him. It wasn’t because I didn’t care, that I didn’t miss doing all the things that sons do with their fathers, because I did.” He looked directly into his mothers eyes as he said, “I didn’t ask because I didn’t want to remind you that he ran off because you were pregnant with me. I felt responsible. When I got older, I didn’t ask because I was too wrapped up in myself to really give a damn. I want to change that now. I don’t want to start a new life when my old one is incomplete.”

“I’m so sorry, Kane. I thought I was doing the right thing. After a while I came to believe it myself. Lying does that to a person sometimes. I thought I was protecting you. When I married Bruce Mason, you were only two years old. He accepted you and Melanie as his children. Unfortunately, when Bridget came along he turned all his affection towards her. She was such a beautiful baby. He was so proud that she was his.”

“That’s beside the point, mom. If Peter Masterson isn’t my father, then who is? I have a right to know.”

“I just can’t tell you that right now, I’m sorry, Kane. Someday maybe I’ll be able to, but not right now. You’re just going to have to trust me on this.”

“That’s ridiculous. I’ve been trusting you all these years and you have betrayed me. I want no more of your lies.” Kane got up and stormed out of the house. He sat in his car waiting for Marcia to call; his world in total disarray.

Evelyn sat alone on the sofa, her mind filled with feelings of regret. Those evil Hamptons. First the father walks out on Kane. I should never have let him get away with that. Why was I so proud? I could have made his life miserable. I guess what’s really important is that Kane made it on his own, without being tainted by that family. But, now, that bastard Adam Hampton III is hell bent on destroying Kane. Well I won’t let that happen. I know how to stop him and get even with his father at the same time. I’ve waited long enough for my revenge. I’ll wait no longer.

Adam sat with Chuck Meredith in a booth in the back of Ye Olde Taverne. Enlarged photos and a detailed report of Kane and Marcia’s date were spread across the table leaving no room for the tankards of beer when the waiter arrived. Adam moved the photos to one side to make the room and handed him the menus.

“We won’t be having anything to eat, thank you.” He turned his attention back to the photographs. His face turned crimson as he looked at the pictures of them kissing in the car and walking on the beach. He noted the times recorded on the report, especially the hour of their departure in the morning.

“This is good, Chuck. You did a good job. I’ll take it from here. I want all your efforts on the investigation of my father. What have you found out so far?”

“It’s slow going. I sent a truck over to your storage vault. We pasted a logo on the truck for a document shredding company; a perfect cover. We picked up forty seven storage boxes that covered all of 1974. We moved them to a warehouse space that I rent on a month-to-month basis. It has good lighting and A/C. I set up a bunch of tables and hired some college kids to do the initial sort. I told them it had something to do with a pending lawsuit. I have them going through two consecutive month’s folders at the same time. They’re trying to link phone calls, credit card receipts and your father’s personal day planner using the same first and last name. For example, if your father’s day planner shows that he planned to meet Mary Jones for lunch, they will look for a corresponding phone record and credit card receipt. Any matched records will be clipped together and set aside. Due to the sensitivity of this investigation the initial matches will not be gender oriented. My second level team will make that separation. Right now we have twenty students working around the clock. The manpower for each team is determined by the size of the files. A few of the months required two and three people due to the high volume. I had a devil of a time getting a copy of a 1974 phone book. Luckily, I have a good friend at the phone company who I persuaded to loan it to me for a while.”

“Have your people isolated anyone yet that can be moved to the one-on-one investigation?”

“Yes, sir, we have. Two operatives are checking on women that showed up repeatedly early that year. The first, Sarah Gershwin, apparently went with your father during April and May. They had dinner at a hotel at least eight times. On five of those occasions your father reserved a suite at the hotel. The second lady, Alice Wentworth, saw him during July through November. She might have been from out of town because they always met in New Haven; sometimes staying at a hotel for a long weekend. We haven’t located either of these women yet, but we have a number of leads that look very promising. There is a third possibility. Your father just used the initial “E” in his day-timer. He had at least ten late afternoon meetings with “E” during January and February. There were no corresponding records of hotel or meal expenses tied into these appointments, so maybe they won’t amount to anything. ‘E’ could be a business associate, a man or woman who might have picked up the tab. Could live locally too.

There’s just no way we can tell anything for certain, yet. ‘E’ never shows up after that in the day-timer.”

“How are you handling that one?”

“I’ve assigned one of my top men to go through his phone records for that period of time. Your father spent a great deal of time on the phone. It’s highly unlikely that he could have so many meetings with a person without ever talking with them on the phone. There are over fifteen hundred calls to sort through. This is real tedious work. We don’t want to overlook anything.”

“Well let me know when you have something concrete. I realize that it was a long time ago, but my father was well known. Somebody has to know something.”

“It might help if I knew why you want to locate this woman.”

Adam put his beer down and glared at Chuck.“You know all that you have to know,” He snapped. “This is a very personal matter. I thought I made that clear when we started this search. If I thought you needed something more, I’d provide it. You have plenty enough to work with already.”

“I’m sorry, Mister Hampton. I didn’t mean to pry. It’s just that the more information we have the less money this search will cost you.”

Adam calmed down, “Chuck, don’t think I don’t appreciate that. I’m sure you are not the only one who wonders what is behind this investigation, but don’t forget that I use your company because I know I can depend on your discretion. I expect you to be pro-active in squelching any speculation by the people you hired to go through those records. If you ever need more, I’ll provide it. For now, work with what you have. Understood?”

“Perfectly, Mister Hampton. I ’m taking every precaution. That’s why I have people working at only one level. Once the sorting and matching is done, the students involved will be released. The correlating is being done by my junior people and only my most trusted operatives will be assigned to work on the individual investigations.”

“Okay, then. Call me day or night when you have something concrete.” Adam swallowed the last of his beer and left the tavern.

Chapter 22

January 8, 1974

“I don’t know why we keep meeting like this. I can’t see any future in it for either of us. Two married people meeting on the sly is so cliché.”

“Come on now, we’re like Adam and Eve after the apple episode. What could be more natural? It’s biblical, right?” He propped himself up on his elbows and gazed into her eyes. “Have I ever told you that you have such beautiful green eyes?”

“Don’t change the subject. I know the sex is great, but I hate sneaking around on Peter, even though I know he’s banging that waitress at the club. I still feel very uncomfortable doing it my own house and in our own bed.”

“Hell, if it wasn’t for me there wouldn’t be any action on this mattress. How long did you say it was since you two got it on? Four months, I think you said.

“That’s beside the point. There’s also your wife to consider. I know Peter wouldn’t care, but your wife is a different story. What if she finds out about us, Adam?”

Evelyn got up and slipped on a robe. She had just turned thirty-five. Her measurements were the same as when she was twenty-one, her weight a constant one hundred and twenty five pounds. Peter was her second husband; a rebound mistake if there ever was one. It didn’t take her too long to discover that he wasn’t the faithful kind, so when the opportunity to sleep with Adam Hampton II, the richest man in town, came around, she jumped at it. He was attentive, good looking, a damn good lover and there were no strings attached. Then there was the fascination of the “Adam and Eve” thing.

“How’s she going to find out? She’s so busy spending my money, she has no time to think about what I‘m up to. She thinks I’m busy at the office. Anyway, she seems to have lost her interest in sex. It’s been at least five months since I boinked her.”

“Don’t be so crude, Adam.”

He reached out and tried to grab her robe, but she gathered it tight and evaded his reach. “I’ll show you what crude is. Come on, you know you want it. Spread ‘em”

She gave in and she wasn’t disappointed with the results. She never was. Adam Hampton II had many faults, but his lovemaking was the best she had ever had.

February 18, 1974

“How could you let this happen? I thought you were on the pill.”

“I started the day after our first time. I guess it happened then.”

“You should have told me,” he shouted, “I would have used something if I had known.”

“Don’t yell. When I met you, I didn’t know we were going to land up in bed. We were all over each other before I knew what happened.”

“Get rid of it.”

“You know I can’t do that.”

“Why not?”

“I don’t know for sure. It just doesn’t seem right to me.”

“How long have you known that you were knocked up?”

“About two weeks.”

“Why didn’t you tell me then?”

“Because I was afraid you’d act like this.”

Adam glowered at her. “Let me tell you something, Evelyn. I want nothing to do with this mistake of yours. That was never a part of our arrangement. I don’t care what you do, just leave me out of it. When I leave here today, it’s over. I don’t ever want to see you again. As far as I’m concerned the last six weeks never happened. If you try to involve me in any way, I’ll destroy you and your reputation. Do you understand?”

“How can you be so cold. This is your own flesh and blood we’re talking about.”

He ignored her question. “I’ll have my lawyer contact you about your expenses. If you insist on having that baby, you will have to take full responsibility. My conscience is clear about this. Goodbye, Evelyn.”

Adam walked out of her house and out of her life.

Eight months later, on October 6, 1974, Evelyn had a baby boy. She named him Kane. A nurse came to her while she was in a semi-sleep state and asked if the baby’s father was Peter Masterson. She said yes without giving it any thought. Peter had fled the scene months earlier with his waitress friend. That was the last time she heard from him.

Chapter 23

Adam returned to Hampton Industries at one o’clock. He immediately called Marcia into his office, but before he could confront her, she handed him her resignation. He read it quickly, folded it in half and tossed it on his desk.

“I won’t accept this,” he said calmly. “You have too much work yet to do on this merger to be so cavalier about your responsibilities to Hampton Industries.”

“You don’t have any choice. I delivered a signed copy to Personnel before I came here. I am not going to quibble with you, Adam. My decision is final.”

“What’s wrong with you, Marcia? Why such bitterness all of a sudden? I thought we had a much better relationship than that. Doesn’t our personal time together mean anything to you?”

“You know what’s wrong. Did you think you could have someone spy on me and I wouldn’t find out? You have no right to pry into my personal life. What I do away from this office is strictly my business. You’ve stepped way over the line and if you try to stop me from resigning, I’ll file a harassment suit against you before you know what hit you.”

Adam started to deny her accusation, but thought the better of it. For him a small embellishment of the truth would suffice. “I never had anyone follow you. It was Masterson who I had followed, not you. I’ve had his movements watched since he got here. This merger is for high stakes for me. I was just protecting my investment. I had no idea that you were seeing him. Unfortunately, you were just in the wrong place at the wrong time. Are you having an affair with Masterson or needn’t I ask?”

“That’s none of your damn business. What I do on my own time is private.”

“I know that, but what about us?”

Marcia held back the laugh that was begging to get out. “Don’t you get it, Adam, there is no us. Just because we jumped into the sack a couple of times doesn’t mean that we have anything permanent going on, because we don’t and we’re not going to.”

His voice softened as he said, “I thought we had something special going on.”

Marcia had no reason to be cruel, so she answered, “Adam, we had a couple of dates and we had some good times, but it just didn’t feel right for me.”

“Is it because of that misunderstanding about the CEO job?

“It’s got nothing to do with that.”

“Is it because of Masterson?”

“I had already made my decision before anything started with Kane.”

Adam moved to his desk and slumped into his chair. It took a few minutes for the full impact of her words to register. He regained his composure. “Of course that’s up to you to decide, but you don’t have to leave the company over this. You’ve done a great job on this merger and when it’s complete I plan to move you up to CEO of Bretton Trading. It’s the promotion you’ve always wanted. It’s still possible. I promise that the job is yours. Please reconsider. You can’t throw away an opportunity like this.”

“I appreciate that and under different circumstances, I would be grateful, but my mind is made up. I’m going to pack my bags and leave Old Brooking forever.”

“Are you running off with him?”

Marcia was getting annoyed by his line of questioning. “As a matter of fact I am, not that it’s any of your business.”

Adam fidgeted in his chair. He already suspected that Kane knew in advance about the customer defection and now this. How can that loser be getting the best of me? “You’re making a big mistake, you know. I can offer you so much more than Kane Masterson ever can.”

“Everything isn’t about money, Adam. Please don’t make this anymore difficult than it already is. My resignation stands. I’m sure that if you think about it you’ll realize that. it’s for the best.”

Adam’s cool quickly turned to anger. “You ungrateful bitch. You’re no better than he is. You both can rot in hell. You’re fired! Get your things together and be off the premises in one hour.” Adam’s face turned red as he gestured toward the door. “Get out!”

Marcia had a shocked look on her face, but inside she was thinking, Oh, my god. He did it. I’m free! She stormed out of Adam’s office and slammed the door for effect.

Marcia was out of the building in fifteen minutes. Within another twenty-five she joined Kane in the front seat of his car which was still parked in front of Evelyn Littleton’s house. They were anxious to tell each other their news. He let her go first.

“It went just as we were hoping it would. He actually fired me, but not before he admitted that he had someone following you. He said that you’ve been watched since you first arrived in Old Brooking and that I just got caught in the crosshairs.”

“I don’t believe that for a minute. I think I would have spotted a tail right away if they were following just me. Well, that doesn’t really matter, now. Does that mean you’re ready to shake this town?”

“The sooner, the better. Now tell me, how was lunch with your mother?”

“Well, that’s a whole other story. Unfortunately it took a totally unexpected turn. It wasn’t entirely her fault, though. It was mostly of my doing.”

“What happened?”

“Well, do you remember that I told you that my father ran off before I was born? Well it seems that Peter Masterson ran off, alright, but he was not my real father. My mother says that she had an affair with a married man and that I’m the bastard son of a mystery man. Worse than that, she flat out refuses to tell me his name.”

“She must have a good reason, Kane, although, after all these years, I can’t imagine what it might be, except, perhaps it might be someone you know.”

“She’s obviously covering up for someone and she’s very adamant about disclosing his name. I haven’t a clue as to who it might be. What should I do?”

“I think you have to respect her wishes. I’m sure it was hard for her to admit as much as she did. You need to cut her some slack. When the time is right, she’ll tell you.”

“I‘m not so sure. I could see that it was tearing her apart just talking about him.”

“That’s all the more reason for easing off. What are you going to do, now?”

“I’m going to try to locate Peter Masterson. Maybe he can shed some light on this.”

“I’m not surprised. May I suggest that you don’t tell your mother what you’re planning to do. She’s upset enough as it is.”

“Don’t worry, I’m just going to make some discreet inquiry into his whereabouts. That way I can keep my options open.”

He leaned over and kissed her. “She wants to meet you, you know.”

“I’m anxious to meet her too. She sounds like a remarkable woman.”

“She is,” he said, “But she’s also stubborn and very proud.”

Kane’s mother answered the door with a big smile on her face. Her eyes still showed a slight puffiness from the tears that flowed so freely an hour earlier. Evelyn reached out and drew Marcia into a close hug, catching her off-guard, but since she came from a family of huggers, it felt comfortable.

After several moments, Evelyn released Marcia and held her at arm’s length.

“Look at you, you’re more beautiful than Kane said you were.”

“That’s kind of you to say. I’ve so looked forward to meeting you.”

Evelyn opened the door wider as she said, “Well, don’t just stand there, you two, come on in and bring me up-to-date on everything that happened with Adam Hampton.”

The rest of the afternoon went well and by six, Kane and Marcia were back in his room at the Belmonte. Kane phoned his attorney, Bert Wilson at Wilson & Schirmahorn.

“I need the name of an investigator who can trace someone down.”

“Give Ted Andreason a call. I use him for skip-tracing. He’s good and he’s discreet.”

Kane wrote down the number. “Thanks, Bert.”

Ted Andreason returned his call within an hour. Kane gave him the few facts that he had.

Three hours later the investigator called again with a report on Peter Masterson.

“Here’s what I’ve got on Peter Randolph Masterson. When he left Old Brooking in 1974 he headed for Los Angeles. He married Joan Farley in 1976 and divorced her two years later. Then he disappeared for twenty years and reemerged in Las Vegas in 1998 as the owner of a small restaurant. I have his business and home phone numbers. I can dig more into the “lost” years if you can give me more time. He’s an open book, one of the easiest traces I’ve ever had.”

“No, Ted,” Kane replied, “That won’t be necessary. You did great. Thank you.”

The phone rang several times before he answered, “Peter Masterson. Who is this?”

“Kane Masterson, Evelyn Littleton’s son.”

At first it was quiet at the other end then, “Well, I’ll be damned. Why are you calling me? Has something happened to Evelyn?”

“No, it’s nothing like that. I’m calling because my mother recently told me that you were not my real father and that I got your name by accident. I’m trying to locate my real father and I thought maybe you could help. My mother refuses to tell me who it is, but I believe that I have a right to know.”

“Your mother is a very stubborn woman. I think I know why she won’t tell you and I’m not sure I should either.”

“Then, you’re admitting that you know who it is.”

“Of course, I know. That’s why I left town. I wasn’t going to be made a fool of. She was not only having an affair, but she got pregnant on top of it. Tell me something about yourself. What have you done with your life?”

Masterson was obviously stalling for time, but Kane decided to go along with it for now.“Well, I was CEO of my own textile business until recently. I’m planning to get married soon and move away from Connecticut, but before I do that I want to clear up any loose ends in my life. This thing about my real father is one of them.”

“That makes sense. Sounds like your mother did a good job raising you. You seem to have both feet solidly on the ground. Tell me, how is your mother doing these days? I always admired the woman, but I just couldn’t forgive her infidelity. So I left and never looked back.”

“Mother is definitely her own person. She married two more times after you, searching for some idyllic person to make her happy.” Kane was getting anxious. He sensed that Peter Masterson wanted to level with him, but it was like pulling teeth to get him to divulge the name. Finally in desperation he said, “Look, Peter, this is my life we‘re talking about. Please, man to man, help me out here.”

The reluctance in Peter’s voice was evident.”Okay, but you have got to forget where you heard it. Your father is Adam Hampton II. Somehow he cast a spell over your mother and you’re the outcome. It’s a credit to her that she was strong enough to walk away completely from that family. That mix up with my name at the hospital made everything easy all the way around. I never protested, because, to tell you the truth, I couldn’t have kids. Knowing you were carrying my name somehow made me feel more manly. Now that I’ve spoken with you, I’m glad I kept quiet about it.”

It was fortunate for Kane that Masterson rambled on, because he was at a loss for words. Oh my god! Adam Hampton II is my biological father? I would never have thought that was possible. That means that Adam Hampton III is my half-brother.

“Are you certain of that? Could there be a mistake?”

“Very certain. I never saw them together, but people that I trust, did. Not just once but many times. I found this out afterwards. I also found out he picked up her hospital bills. When I confronted her she made it very clear that it was Adam Hampton II that got her pregnant.” She made me promise to keep everything a secret. I agreed. At that point I didn’t really care. I knew I had to get away from her as quickly as I could.”

“You must have been devastated.”

“I was, Kane and I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you, but under the circumstances I wouldn’t have been much of a father.” He ended the conversation by switching the subject. “Look, if you’re ever traveling out this way I would like to meet you. You seem to be a very remarkable man. I’m proud that you bear my name.”

“I appreciate your saying that, Peter. After hearing what you just told me I’m equally proud to carry your name. I understand now, why my mother wouldn’t tell me his name. Thanks for leveling with me.”

“Glad to help. Good Luck!”

Kane sat back in utter dismay. Thoughts began to fire off in his head. How ironic it is that my arch-enemies turn out to be my father and my half-brother? This adds a very personal note to my plans. I have nothing but contempt for them both. They think they stole my business from me. Well we’ll just see about that. I’m going to get it all back and then some or my name isn’t Kane Masterson.

Chapter 24

Daniel dialed the offices of Local 33. The call went to the machine. “Gil, this is Daniel. When you get this, call me. It’s been two weeks now. I’ve tried to get a sit-down with you, but your secretary keeps making excuses. You’re not acting in good faith.” He stopped speaking for a few seconds, then continued. “If you won’t sit down with me I’ll have to go to SEWU. I don’t want to do that, but you’re leaving me little choice. Am I making myself clear?”

At the other end of the call, Gil was laughing as he listened to the message. He was tempted to pick up the phone and tell Daniel that he already had the full support of SEWU, but decided to let him stew for awhile. He looked at the check on his desk. It was for twenty-five thousand dollars made out to the Local 33 Welfare Fund, signed by Adam Hampton III. All that was asked for in return was an additional two to three weeks of the strike. Gil’s union members didn’t mind as long as they received weekly support payments from the union and the promised retroactive increases from the new contract. A few of them even went on a two week cruise and were in no hurry to return to work. Gil had no concerns about his parent union. As long as Local 33 didn’t request strike funds from them, SEWU didn’t care how long it took to settle the strike. The overture that Adam made regarding the smooth transition of Preston workers into Hampton’s UNITE unions was already showing promise. It would provide UNITE with financial capital and SEWU with future political capital. To a union local the size of Gils, a “marker” of this type has immense value.

It was a win-win for all parties with the exception of Daniel McKnight.

Lauren found Daniel at his desk with a stack of files strewn in front of him. She couldn’t tell from the expression on his face whether or not it was a good time to approach him. During the past week she often found him to be ill-tempered, especially regarding the subject of the strike.

Daniel owned two stadiums and three teams. The Old Brooking Indians and Old Brooking Wildcats played their home games in McKnight Stadium, an outdoor stadium. The Old Brooking Blizzards played on the ice at McKnight Arena, an indoor arena. When Daniel purchased the franchises for the three teams, he was contractually obligated to assume the union contracts for the two stadiums. His twelve person office staff remained non-union.

Cautiously, she asked, “So what’s happening?”

He snapped out of his funk, “Actually something good has come out of this mess with Local 33. I spoke with the Owner’s Associations at the Football and Hockey Leagues about the lack of cooperation I’m getting from SEWU. They were both very sympathetic. They asked if I would consider a schedule change for the Wildcats and the Blizzards to play their next two games at the opponent’s stadiums. I thought that that was a great idea. They just called back to tell me that it was all set up with the other teams, including sharing concession revenues. That last part really threw me for a loop. Do you realize that that means that we do not have any games scheduled at our stadiums for the next four weeks. How do you think Gil Parsons will like that? It sure weakens his position.”

“That’s really good news. Speaking of Gil Parsons, do you know any more about why he’s refusing to bargain with you? It’s such a turnabout from his usual behavior.”

“Not a thing. He keeps trying to put the onus on me because I left town for a few days when we got married. I still have an uneasy feeling about his stubbornness. There’s a lot more to this than meets the eye. My gut tells me that Adam Hampton is mixed up in this somehow. I wish I knew for sure what was behind his reluctance to bargain in full faith.”

“What reasons could Adam possibly have to make trouble for you?”

“Are you serious? Hell, you were married to the man. You know what he’s like. That man doesn’t need much incentive to make trouble for someone. It could be something as simple as you and I getting married, or maybe he’s still brooding over that tape. Who knows with him? Actually, I really don’t care. I’ve got something more important to discuss with you.” Daniel looked pensive as he gestured for Lauren to sit down next to him.

“Since all this started, we haven’t had much chance to discuss our future plans, but I’ve been giving a lot of thought to selling the teams and moving away from Old Brooking for good. When I was speaking to the Owner’s Associations I asked if there were any investors inquiring about purchasing franchises. Apparently, even though the economy is in the trash heap, there is still money out there looking for a good home.

They know of three investors interested in buying sports teams on the condition that the teams would move to New Haven, Bristol or other medium-to-large cities within the league’s province; someplace where the fan base would be better and where unions would not be a problem. The Association looks favorably on this, so why not?”

Lauren pondered Daniel’s words for a few minutes before she spoke, “I don’t want you to give up the teams. They’re like children to you. They’re your life blood.”

“I know what you’re saying, Lauren. The thought of giving them up really saddens me, but I don’t think we can go on like this.”

“Whatever you decide will be okay with me,. You know that. I just want to see you involved in something that you love doing, without this stress all the time.”

“I knew you would say that. Unfortunately the environment for entrepreneurs has changed over the last few years. Only some of this can be blamed on unions. Their membership numbers are dwindling due to companies moving their production overseas so while unions still target a few big employers like Wal-Mart, mostly they seem to be concentrating on small and medium sized businesses, like mine. I wouldn’t even be thinking about getting out if it wasn’t for the union. They came with the deal when I first bought the teams. I was too new to understand all the ramifications.”

“Since then we’ve had two negotiations and both times I’ve had to surrender more of my rights, just to get them back to work. Philosophically, I’m sympathetic to the basic tenets of collective bargaining and unions, but I’m also a realist when it comes to the practices of today’s union organizations. Once sweetheart contracts became a part of the collective bargaining process, there was no turning back. It’s just too easy to give in and pass the higher costs on to the consumer. This has finally caught up with them and now non-union companies, here and abroad, are eating their lunch.”

“I’ve never really thought about unions and I had no idea you felt so strongly.”

“Most people believe that the labor movement’s basic purpose is to benefit workers by assuring that they have proper working conditions, are paid a living wage proportionate to the output of their labor, are guaranteed employment during the contract period and are protected against unfair labor practice by their employers. That’s true for the most part, but I’ve also observed that unions don’t always protect the rights of their members. For instance, it’s very common for union funds to be used to sponsor lobbyists, support politicians and engage in other activities that aren’t relevant to their organizing objective. Sometimes these activities are contrary to the wishes of the rank and file. My main beef with them is that they protect less productive workers often at the expense of highly productive ones.

“Another issue I have is that collective bargaining is not just about money or working conditions. In addition to wages, health insurance, pension benefits, dues check-off, vacations and holidays are commonly brought to the bargaining table. Any of these can be repressive to a small business. In multiples, they can be devastating.”

Daniel reached over and took Lauren’s hand. “I just don’t want to run a business in that kind of environment any longer. If I knew when I bought the franchises, what I would be going through today, I would never have purchased them.”

“You know, what I don’t understand is why workers join a union if the company they work for provides most of the benefits you just mentioned?”

“That’s a good question. There are a good many companies today that are wondering exactly that. They operate for years thinking that they are doing good by their employees, when all of a sudden, out of the blue, they are blindsided by a union led by overzealous organizers who make grandiose promises to the employees to convince them to vote the union in. Often it just takes some layoffs to trigger interest in the rank and file.”

“Some companies attempt to bribe their workers into rejecting the union, by offering them new benefits, but it often backfires when the union uses it to point out that if it wasn’t for them, the company wouldn’t be implementing the changes in the first place. Also, once a union gets a foothold, it’s very difficult to de-certify them.”

“I thought that the rank and file vote for their leadership? Why wouldn’t they vote out the bad guys if they weren’t happy with the deal they’re getting or suspect that the union leaders were padding their own pockets with sweetheart deals?”

“Once union leadership takes power, they are in a strong position to hang on to their jobs. As in most positions of leadership subject to voters approval, the incumbent usually has the advantage of being able to make strategic moves to sabotage their competition. It’s not uncommon for unpopular union leaders to retain their leadership for decades. Challengers usually don’t stick around too long. It’s less prevalent today, but there was a time, not so long ago, when violence was used to eliminate any complainers. It’s a lot safer to knuckle under than resist. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not implying that that’s true of all unions or even that that’s what I’m dealing with at Local 33. Actually, when he’s away from the union office, Gil is a churchgoer, very active in community affairs and fun to just sit down and have a beer with on a Friday night, but when it comes to collective bargaining he puts his union’s agenda before all else.”

Lauren took a deep breath and waited a few minutes before she spoke again.

“I can tell by the way you’re talking that you are very close to making a decision, but even if you wanted to move the teams right now, how can you do it when you’re in the middle of negotiations? Aren’t there some rules against doing that?”

“This is a totally different issue. The union contract is tied to the operation of the stadiums, not the sports teams.”

“Then why are you thinking about selling the teams? Why not just move them into a non-union market and continue to operate them? If, as you say, there are investors out there willing to buy your Franchises, it would make just as much sense for you to move them for yourself and take advantage of a friendly growth market.”

“I haven’t thought that part through, yet, but that makes sense. I just found out an hour ago that the leagues were amenable to the teams moving. I can see where they are coming from. The fees paid to the Leagues are partially based on franchise revenue. If I move to New Haven or Bristol, where there is a greater fan base, they will get a nice bump in income. It would be great opportunity for all of us.”

Excitement returned to his voice. “Lauren, you know, you’re absolutely right. Why should I sell out, when I can just change location? That’s exactly what we’ll do. How would you feel about relocating?”

“What time do the moving trucks get here?”

Daniel laughed. “I should have known that you wouldn’t have a problem leaving this town.”

“What would happen with the two stadiums, then?”

He grinned as he answered, “The new owners, most likely, would take the name ‘McKnight’ off the signs. I think that’s a given.”

“Don’t be a smartass. I’m serious, what would happen?”

“If I pulled the teams out and put the stadiums on the market, Gil would probably make a sweetheart deal with the new owners to assure that the stadiums weren’t empty for too long. That would make the stadiums even that much more attractive. Then the cycle will start all over again. In the long run the new owners and stadium employees will get screwed once again. It’s an unfortunate scenario, but until we make some major changes in this country, it is the way things will continue to happen.

“I’ve got another plan that I need to discuss with my CPA. I’ll let you know how that works out. In the meantime, you should start thinking seriously about packing.

“Daniel, you sure know how to sweet talk a girl.”

“At your service, ma’am.”

An hour later Daniel slammed the phone down and turned to Lauren.“That was the police. They vandalized the stadium and the arena last night.”

“Who did?”

“Who else? It had to be those union thugs.”

“What did they do?”

“They shorted out the power grid and ripped the scoreboard to pieces at the stadium. They disabled the Zamboni at the ice arena.

“That doesn’t sound like the work of any of your employees. They would be hurting themselves by doing that much damage. Even though we’re having differences at the moment, some of them are like family. I’m even thinking that Gil Parsons would have more to lose than to gain by involving Local 33 in something this destructive. It’s too much of a risk.”

“You do agree then, that this was no random act of vandalism. I’ll bet it was in retaliation for the schedule change.”

“It’s too coincidental that both the stadium and the arena were hit. They’re a good ten miles apart. Did the police have any other reports of damage near either of the locations?”

“From what they know so far only our property was involved. Thank goodness we’re covered with our Property Insurance”

“It’s obvious that this vandalism was personal. It’s either an act of revenge or a warning; maybe both. I know we can’t prove either, but you and I know that Adam is behind this..The question is, what can we do about it?”

“Not we, Lauren, just me. I don’t want that man directing any more of his vindictiveness toward you. You two have a rough enough history as it is.”

“What are you talking about, Daniel. When I said the vandalism was personal, I meant that it was aimed at the two of us. We’re in this together. A lot of what’s bothering him happened between Adam and me well before you came on the scene. He hates that we’re together. He hates that we live in the same town. We are his target, not just you.”

“I still don’t want you to be involved.”

“I took on Adam Hampton before and won. I’m ready for round two. This nonsense has to stop. We’re going to have to fight him together. I’m not backing down on this. Do you know what you‘re going to do?”

“Yes, I’ve made up my mind. First, I’m going to announce that I’m moving the teams out of town. Then I’m going to make the town of Old Brooking a gift of the stadium and the arena. That should prevent any further vandalism. I’ll get a nice tax write-off, the town will get a new source of revenue. Local 33 may be replaced by municipal workers, but that’s Gil’s problem.”

“Does that mean that we can move soon?

“As soon as I iron out all the details, but it won’t be long.”

“I’m amazed at how quickly things are happening.”

“Well, actually I’m making decisions on the fly. I got a call from the hockey league business office about an hour ago. It seems that the town of Westfield, Massachusetts is ready to open a new hockey arena. They would welcome the Blizzards and can accommodate our schedule starting in two weeks. Think of it, Lauren, a brand new stadium and no responsibility for operating it.”

“What kind of a town is Westfield? I’ve never heard of it.”

“It’s a quaint town with a population of about forty-five thousand. Its history dates back to the sixteen hundreds. There’s plenty of housing available according to the real estate listings and it’s over sixty five miles from here. Do you need any more?”

“It sounds too good to be true. Will the change in location interfere with the travel schedules of the other teams?”

“Actually, since they all travel by bus, many of the teams will be closer. As for our own team the players expect to move around. It’s common when you play sports.”

“I think we should do it. We’re never going to get another offer that good. What’s happening with the football and baseball leagues?”

“I talked to both right after I heard about Westfield. They’re sympathetic to our plight. When I told them about the vandalism, they both said that, under the circumstances, they would not allow any future games to be played in the stadium as long as the situation remains unresolved.”

“I guess I don’t blame them. They have to consider the safety of all the players, officials and the fans.”

“Are they amenable to you moving the teams?”

“Yes for football, no for baseball.”

“The hockey league office gave me a number to contact to explore opportunities for semi-pro football teams in the Westfield metro area. They feel the prospects are good. I have Judy looking into moving the Wildcats to a stadium up that way. In the meantime, the league agreed to re-schedule the last three games as away games, so for all intents and purposes the Wildcats and the Blizzards are taken care of for this season. As for the Indians, I think it’s time to either sell the team or just shut it down. The season is still a few months off, so I have time to decide which it will be. The team’s not a money maker and attendance sucks so I won’t have any regrets either way. Without them, I’ll land up with time on my hands. Maybe I’ll start a girl’s volleyball team. They usually have a big fan base.”

“That’s one idea you can get out of your head right now,” she said with a smile. “Are you sure about the rest of it, though?”

“I’ve never been more certain of anything in my life. Of course, you know that I was just kidding about the volleyball thing.”

She smiled as she said, “Yes I know, but you did have me going for a few seconds. Then I realized that since you’ve got me, you’d never need a bunch of young female bodies jumping around on a volley ball court.”

“Just think about what this means, Lauren. We’ll have a four month hiatus between seasons to travel or do whatever we want. It’s the best of both worlds. Oh, incidentally, I asked Judy if she would come up to Westfield with us if the company moved and she said yes. I say let’s do it.”

“Do you have the phone numbers for those realtors handy?”

Hours later, Lauren sat alone in her bedroom. She found herself tossed between joy-filled feelings of making a fresh start in Westfield and her resentment of Adam Hampton that she has harbored for years. Ambivalence was new to her, but no matter how much she tried to resist, something took possession of her whenever she heard his name or entertained a thought about him, her thoughts vacillating between the pain and suffering he inflicted on her prior to their divorce and his current attempts to hurt her and Daniel.

Lauren started thinking of Adam, You’re not going to get away with it, Adam Hampton. Maybe Daniel is willing to turn the other cheek, but I’m not. You ruined our lives in so many ways. I know you won’t let 65 miles stop you, so before I leave town, I’m going to repay you, in spades. I’m going to put a stop to your harassment, once and for all.

Daniel sat alone in his office. During the past hour he had received a proposal for renting a football stadium ten miles north of Westfield. He turned over all the information about the team franchises and stadium deals to his attorney to work out the remaining details. He was finally ready to leave Old Brooking. He sat back with a drink and reflected on the early days with the three franchises. Those were really fun days. I can still remember sharing the ups and downs of the teams with Adam. We had so many good times watching the games from the owner’s box; drinking, flirting with young ladies and trash talking with each other. How could things turn one hundred and eighty degrees in such a short time? Why is he so bitter? Why is he so hell-bent on hurting me? Is it just because of Lauren? Why should he care? It seems like something is driving him. I don’t know if he’s more interested in hurting me or Lauren, or maybe it’s both of us, but either way, I’m not taking any more chances. I’m not going to sit around and wait for him to make another move against us. I need to be free of the Hamptons for good. I don’t like doing this, but I have no choice.

Minutes later he had Walt Madding on the phone. “I’m going to need that number we talked about the other day. I’m going to need some help.”

Chapter 25

Adam sat in his favorite chair in front of a roaring fire, a “Rusty Nail” in his hand. Bootsy was resting on his left side contented by the warm fire. Occasionally, the crackling fire would cause her ears to perk up. On the other side of the chair Flopsy gnawed on a large rawhide bone. At the edge of the fire, on the hearth, was a small metal plate. As the flames flickered the inscription “THE CONTENDER” was clearly visible.

As he watched the painting burn, Adam thought, I can’t for the life of me understand whatever possessed me to buy that piece of trash. His eyes shifted to the portrait of his grandfather which had been returned from its temporary exile in the West Wing. A warm glow overcame him that couldn’t be attributed to the scotch. There was a great man, a real empire builder. I can’t let him or my father down. I’ve got to do everything in my power to preserve my heritage. Why did I let myself get so distracted by that tramp? She isn’t the only woman in the world with a great body. I guess I inherited that from my dad’s lust for life, but there will be no more tail chasing. From now on I’m going to be more like granddad.

That last thought bounced around his subconscious for a moment. He was trying to forget about the conflict raging in his life. Adam mixed another drink. The scotch/drambuie combination always relaxed him; helped him gather his thoughts. He settled back in his chair to ponder what his next moves would be.

The first thing he needed to do was name a replacement for Marcia Bloom at Bretton Trading. That wasn’t going to be easy. There were no candidates on the succession horizon. That two-bit whore. I’ll make sure that any monies due her are frozen for as long as I can. We’ll sue her for breach of her employment contract. It’s her word against mine that I threw her out. Maybe we’ll spread some nasty rumors about her taking drugs. A few threatening phone calls wouldn’t hurt either. That bitch will rue the day she messed with me.

The merger of Hampton Industries and Preston Industries was about sixty-five percent complete. Adam decided to take personal charge of the remaining planning, which mostly involved the UNITE organizing effort at a handful of Preston Industry plants and the sale of the British toiletry factories and Italian fashion shoe lines. Only loose ends remained to be handled. That’s another thing. I need to settle the score with that trouble maker Kane Masterson. I think I’ll send an anonymous tip to the media that an audit of Preston’s books showed that Masterson siphoned off millions before he was forced out. When the press comes to me I’ll tell them I can’t comment because of an ongoing investigation. That should be enough to trigger an SEC probe that will keep him tied up for months to come. I want him to stick around so I can see him suffer He and the tramp won’t be going anywhere for a while. It couldn’t happen to a nicer couple.

Adam’s thoughts. shifted toward Daniel McKnight. I know that bastard Daniel was instrumental in Lauren’s divorce proceedings. Then he ups and marries her and parades her around town like one of his sports trophies. It’s very humiliating having them living in the same town. I guess that union ploy wasn’t enough to discourage him. McKnight found ways to circumvent it. Apparently I need to send a stronger message, one that tells him in no uncertain terms that he is no longer welcome in Old Brooking. I know just the thing. Before I’m finished with them, they’ll be happy to say goodbye to this town.

Finally Adam got to his last concern. The admission by his dad that he had fathered another son. Adam picked up the phone and dialed the West Wing. “How’s my father tonight, John?”

“He’s much better , but not fully recovered. Dr. Klein expected him to snap right back from his episode by now, but your father still has some issues. and continues to have difficulty remembering our names. The Doctor is quite sure that in a weeks’ time he’ll be much better.”

“I think that it’s best that I stay away until then, especially since it was probably something I did or said that triggered the episode.”

“That’s probably a good idea, sir. What a shame though, he was making such good progress on that new medicine. Is there anything I can do for you?”

Adam knew very well that his father’s condition was caused by his aggressive questioning about his potential half-brother. The search being conducted by his private investigators was moving much too slowly. I need answers now, even if it pushes the old man over the edge. I can’t wait any longer. There’s too much at stake.

“Actually, there is, John. Would you ask my father if he remembers who ‘E’ is?”

“Excuse me, sir. Did you say just the letter ‘E’, sir? You mean like in Elizabeth?”

“Yes, just ‘E’. Let me know anything he tells you about it.”

“Well, sure, but if it’s all right with you, I’d like to wait until after he takes his medicine.”

“I‘ll leave the timing up to you, John. Just let me know what he says as soon as you can.”

“I’ll do just that, Mister Hampton.”

His mental list being completed, Adam finally relaxed. A memory of his mother flashed into his mind. He didn’t think of her often. His father had gone out of his way to assure that she had little contact or influence over his upbringing. Mom was always nice to me. Even though dad treated her cruelly, she never spoke ill of him. Still, see where her softness got her. She was weak and dad squashed her. Pity, though, she was so soft and gentle. She never found fault with anything I said or did.

Adam finished his third drink and began to feel drowsy. The alcohol and the comforting heat from the fire had a relaxing effect. He needed to escape from all pressures that had found their way into his life. It took only a few more minutes for him to enter a deep sleep.

Chapter 26

“Who is this,” Marcia demanded. “Stop calling here! This isn’t funny any more.”

Once again there was no response, just silence until, in desperation, she finally hung up the phone. It was the seventh call within the past four hours. After the first two, Marcia let the calls go to the tape. She stayed close to the machine listening for the sound of a familiar voice, but there was none. The caller didn’t hang up until the machine beeped and made its request for a recorded message. The caller ID screen showed area codes from multiple locations, all within a twenty mile radius of Old Brooking. It was as though the caller was circling his prey. Marcia finally called Kane’s cell phone. He was in his room at the Belmonte watching TV. When she told him about the harassing calls, he told her to call 9-1-1.

“Look, I’m going to check out of this hotel and move in with you. I know you have tight security in your complex, but that wouldn’t stop a pro. This might just be some kids messing around. I did a lot of that when I was a kid. I can’t recall why I thought it was fun to annoy or even frighten other people, but, anyway I’ll feel a lot better if I’m there with you.”

“You may be right. It’s probably just somebody playing a joke.” As she thought more about it, her mind raced back to the day Adam gave her the Preston assignment. The day he joked about “punking” Kane.

“Why the sudden silence? What are you thinking?”

“I think I know who’s behind the calls. It wouldn’t surprise me if Adam is having someone do it. He’s got that sick kind of mind. Marcia told him about the plan Adam had to embarrass Kane by having an overtly homosexual man accost him in the men’s room at Hampton Industries.

“I see what you mean. It does sound like the kind of thing that his sick mind would dream up. Why can’t he get it in his head that it’s over? With all he has to do with the merger, how can he waste time on such petty nonsense? Now, I’m definitely coming over there. Go ahead and call 9-1-1 and I’ll be there in about thirty minutes. I’ll stop and pick up some wine on the way.”

“I’ll cook up some hors d’oeuvres to go with it. See you later.”

Marcia heard a “call waiting” click on the line while speaking to Kane. She ignored it, Maybe if the caller thinks I’m reporting the calls, he’ll stop. She started the pre-heat on the oven and removed a box of hors d’oeuvres from the freezer.

The screen showed “Unknown Caller”. Marcia grabbed the phone and pressed the “TALK” button. She screamed into the phone, “Listen, you sick son of a bitch, I’m calling the police, you’d better stop calling here.”

There was no response. She pressed “END” and let the handset slip back into its cradle. She sat quietly for a few minutes, regaining her composure. She took a deep breath, picked up the phone and dialed 9-1-1.

Kane arrived at the gate exactly thirty minutes after their phone conversation.

“You’re amazing, Kane Masterson. A person could set their clocks by you,” she said as she buzzed him in. She met him at the door, took two bottles of wine from him, placed them on a table by the door and returned to give him a hug. The embrace was long and needful. When they separated, tears were streaming down her face. Kane cupped her face in his hands and wiped away her tears with his thumbs. Then he drew her face close to his and kissed her gently on the lips as he kicked the door closed.

Marcia suddenly remembered that she was warming up the oven.

“Hold that thought,” she said as she broke away and headed for the kitchen. “I’ll go shut the oven off.”

“That would probably be a good idea.”

Half an hour later they returned to the kitchen. Her kitchen had a cozy nook with a small table and two chairs. Marcia set up the glasses while Kane returned to his car to fetch his three suitcases. He returned to open the bottle of Riesling.

With all their needs sated, they moved to her living room to review where things stood. Marcia began, “I didn’t think it would be this hard. People resign from companies every day. I’m sure that they don’t go through this much shit. I don’t know whether to be afraid or angry.”

“Probably a bit of both is in order. That’s why I’m here. Did Adam give you any warning that he was going to behave like this?”

“Not directly, but when I called accounting today to tell them where to send my last paycheck and the proceeds from my pension and stock accounts, the manager told me that all my funds are frozen pending review of my employment contract.”

“Can he do that?”

“I’m afraid he can. They can hold payments back for up to two weeks. If Adam tries to make it longer, I may have to take legal action. It’s obvious that he’s going to make it as hard as he can for me, even if firing me was his idea.”

“I’m glad I got my release in writing. It’s bad enough that one of us has to go through this. How did you make out with 9-1-1?”

“That turned out to be another hassle. They hooked me up with the Police Department. I explained in detail about the calls. They told me that it followed the pattern of juvenile prank. They said they get dozens of reports like mine every month. They can’t do anything to investigate the calls unless the caller makes a direct threat against a person or property. In other words, they don’t intend to do anything.”

“Gee, it’s comforting to know that Old Bookings’ finest are out there protecting their citizens. That’s an interesting policy towards crime prevention.”

“The good part, if you can call it that, is that the calls have stopped. The phone rang right before I called 9-1-1 and when I answered it I told them that they had better stop because I was calling 9-1-1. There was no reply, but since then the phone hasn’t rung.”

“I guess we should take that as a good sign. Just to be safe, though, why don’t you disconnect your land phone and we’ll only use our private cell phones. I wonder what that bastard is going to do next to harass you? I can’t believe that he has the time to spend on this when his whole world collapsing around him.”

“I can’t imagine anything else he can do to me.”

“You know, we don’t have any reason to hang around this town. There is no need for us to be sitting ducks for that sicko. Anything we need to do, we can do from anywhere. Why don’t we go to my place in Wooster Square?”

Marcia thought about his offer. She knew that they would run off somewhere, eventually. Why not now?

“You’re right. I could be ready by noon tomorrow.”

I haven’t seen any strange cars around, so we should be able to make a clean getaway.”

“You make it sounds like we’re desperados taking it on the lam.”

“Well I did promise you a life full of adventures. Let’s make this our first one.”

Kane poured the last of the second bottle of wine and asked, “How did things get so out of whack?”

“I’ll tell you how. It’s because we’re involved with Adam Hampton.”

Marcia sat back with the last glass of wine. As she did, trepidation swept into her brain and guided her thoughts, .Adam Hampton is bringing out the worst in me. I’ve got feelings rolling around inside of my head that I never thought I could entertain. That man should have backed off when he had the chance. Now he’s going to see a side of Marcia Bloom that he’ll wish he hadn’t awakened. Nothing is going to stand in the way of my happiness with Kane.

Chapter 27

“Mister Masterson, this is Tom Bertilomi at Messenger, Carson & Wilson. I’m afraid have some bad news for you.”

Messenger, Carson & Wilson is a New Haven law firm that Kane retained for his personal legal matters for over the past four years.

“Who did you say you were?”

“Tom Bertilomi at your attorney’s office.”

“What happened to Bert Wilson, he usually handles my legal matters?”

“That’s true, sir, but Bert is in the hospital with an emergency appendectomy. He expects to be away from the office for the balance of the week. He asked me to call.”

“Look, Tom, I was just getting ready to drive back to my home in Wooster Square. Can whatever it is wait until later this afternoon?”

“Well, sir, I’ll let you decide. It’s about a pending Securities and Exchange Commission investigation of fraudulent transactions connected with your stock dealings at Preston Industries.”

“What are you talking about. I haven’t heard anything from the SEC? How would you guys hear about it?”

“An attorney at Hampton Industries owed Bert a favor and gave him the heads up. Bert tried to reach you at your hotel early last evening and they told him that you had checked out. That was right before his appendicitis attack.”

“This is ridiculous. It sounds like something Adam Hampton would conjure up in that sick mind of his. It’s a witch-hunt. Have you done anything to trace the rumor?”

“Well, Mister Masterson, we believe that it’s more than just a rumor. We made a preliminary pass at the SEC. They are definitely working on something, but they won’t comment on it until they begin an official investigation. Public Relations at Hampton refuses to comment, as well.”

“Now there’s a surprise. Look, Tom, this is a lot of bullshit. What am I supposed to do, sit around and wait until they finish checking these false allegations?”

“I’m afraid that that’s the way it works, sir. If they’ve already started an inquiry at Hampton/Preston then they should be close to making it official. I know that you haven’t asked for my advice, but it would probably be better if you didn’t leave town at this time. The investigation will be conducted out of the SEC’s Regional office in Boston. Since all the vital securities records for Preston are now housed in Old Brooking, they will no doubt conduct their hearings there. It would help expedite matters if you were available for questions within minutes rather than hours.”

“Can’t they ask their questions on the phone or over the internet? I thought all these agencies were highly automated.”

“One would think so, but many of the documents they look at are corporate records that require on-site viewing. Most of them are current and may not as yet be recorded. It’s too interactive a process not to be done in-person. Of course, I’m going by what they’ve done in the past. It’s always possible that they may not want to talk to you for several weeks or maybe not at all. That will depend, of course, on their initial findings and the pace of their inquiry.”

“Who will I be dealing with at your office? Will you be my point man?”

“Actually, I’m just a para-legal. If anything happens this week, Mel Thurber will be the man. After that, Bert expects to be back handling things for you.”

“Okay, I’ll stay put, but this better be resolved soon. I can’t get out of this town fast enough.” He gave him Marcia’s address and the cell phone number.

He went to the kitchen and gave Marcia the news. She was angry at the turn of affairs that was keeping them from leaving. He poured a large glass of orange juice and went out on the balcony. He sat down on one of the cushioned chairs to mull things over. All he could think about was getting revenge against Adam Hampton. It looks like Adam wants a showdown. Apparently he’s not happy just acquiring Preston Industries, he wants to draw blood too. Well, that isn’t going to happen, Adam. I’m going to stop you before you do any more harm. I’m going to blindside you with a massive pre-emptive strike. I know things you don’t know. That puts me in the driver’s seat. You and your father won’t know what hit you until it’s too late. You shouldn’t have messed with me.

Chapter 28

“Don’t worry, I’ll make sure I get them both. Call me as soon as the money has been deposited.” The Assassin was accustomed to conversations like this. In his line of work he was known as the best; a man who took great pride in his profession. His legit business, a construction company in East St. Louis, Illinois, was a perfect front for the techno-killer.

“I heard you talking. Who’s the target this time?” an associate asked, as he entered the office.

“There are two of them; Adam Hampton III and his father Adam Hampton II. Both live in Old Brooking, Connecticut. My client was specific that he wants both of them dead and their Manor destroyed. Apparently Hampton Manor is symbolic of something.”

“They want you to burn down the mansion with the two of them in it? What the hell is that about? Sounds like some kind of a vendetta to me.”

“It certainly does. I don’t have any of the detail and I don‘t really want to know. I’ve been waiting for an exciting challenge like this for some time.”

“They didn’t happen to specify what they wanted the victims to be wearing at the time, did they?”

“There is no need for sarcasm,” the Assassin answered. “I do my best work under the pressure of rigid client specifications. We’ve got two weeks and a lot of planning to do, so let’s get to work. First I’m going to need the schematics for the Old Brooking Municipal Water System. I’ll need the location of their pumping stations, reserve tanks and the water main system. See if you can affix construction dates to everything.”

“What do you need all that stuff for?”

The Assassin rolled his eyes. How do some people make it through life with just enough gray matter between their ears as it takes to lace up their shoes? He smiled as he realized that the invention of Velcro strips even made that task less challenging for some. Patiently, he explained, “If our fire is going to accomplish what we’re setting out to do, the odds will improve greatly if attempts by the Old Brooking’s Fire Department to extinguish it, are unsuccessful. Especially, if they are out of business.”

“You mean that you’re gonna knock out their Fire Department?” the associate asked, in disbelief.

“Not the Fire Department, stupid, just the water they need to extinguish the fires.”

“Oh! Now I get it.”

The Assassin smiled. He gets it. The Planet can rest easily now. “Get to work and get me those blueprints and maps. Then I’ll show you how it’ll be done.”

The next morning a pile of paper rested on the Assassin’s desk. He spent four hours poring over the network of water mains, periodically referencing the list of construction dates. A brochure from the Old Brooking Water District boasted about the use of concrete water mains chosen for their ability to withstand corrosion and internal and external pressure, minimizing the likelihood of ever cracking or leaking. On the downside concrete mains were more difficult to shut down should that ever be necessary. The decision as to whether a water main or the pumping station should be taken out was a difficult one for him to make. The water main section supplying water to the Hampton mansion was only twelve years old and was constructed with steel reinforcements, making it difficult to create a structural collapse. The pumping station, on the other hand, was “ancient” by any standard. No improvements had been for over thirty years due to budget restrictions. A spate of recent breakdowns made the Old Brooking Municipal Pumping Station an “accident waiting to happen.”

Finally, the Assassin settled on a two-pronged approach. The last pump between the station and the mansion was “jerry-rigged” to supply water through a seventy-five foot section of twenty foot diameter conduit which was only ten feet below the ground and not reinforced by steel. Damage to this section, some of which was directly under the electrical control panel, would effectively shut down the station and the town’s water supply for at least several weeks until water could be diverted from nearby towns.

He decided on taking out the electrical grid starting with one of the transformers. The resulting explosion would set off a chain reaction throughout the grid and cause the pump to implode down into the main. Failure of the electrical grid would automatically cut off the flow of water from the reservoir. Reserves stored in the town’s water towers would drain quickly into the streets. Within an hour Old Brooking would run dry. All that would be needed to complete step one would be twenty five pounds of strategically placed Nitrex and given the absolute lack of security at the facility, that would be the easiest part of the job.

He was counting on the fact that Nitrex was a powerful explosive that could be set off by a remote control device. It was mostly used at construction sites to remove large boulders. His construction company had a supply on hand. Over the years he falsified the inventory records so that he would have an untraceable supply of Nitrex for his private use. Nitrex was also difficult to detect before and after use, making it a perfect choice for high impact explosions. Best of all it wouldn’t leave his “signature” behind.

The fire at Hampton Manor required more elaborate planning. He would first need to torch a building on the opposite side of the town for a diversion. With the water supply shut off, what little water was in the system or in storage would soon be depleted by that blaze. He chose, as his target, an abandoned warehouse that was once a lumber yard. The proximity to other businesses meant that the fire department would make it a priority to contain the fire, rather than just let it burn to the ground; a catch 22 for them.

Up-to-date blueprints of Hampton Manor were easily obtained from the Old Brooking Planning Commission since, several years back, blueprints were filed for the major reconstruction to the West Wing of the mansion to house Adam Hampton II. The Assassin spent over three hours poring over the prints, looking for the weak spots. The first was a narrow shaft between two bedrooms on the second floor that dropped down to a space behind the control room in the West Wing. It could be accessed from a panel in the wall of a closet in one of the bedrooms. The interior of the shaft was one foot wide and two feet long with an eight inch diameter pipe in the center. More than enough space remained to lower a Nitrex package into the wing. The oxygen and nitrogen tanks, known to be stored nearby, would assure that the wing would be an inferno within minutes.

The search for a second bomb site took longer and required some ingenuity on the Assassin’s part. It would have to be a Pyro/Nitrex bomb that would create enough heat to ignite wood, plastic and some metals on contact. To work best it needed to be placed near the East Wing somewhere between the front and back doors so the conflagration would spread quickly through the main living space and the East Wing, simultaneously. No obvious location was evident on the prints. Out of frustration he tossed the highlighter he was using down onto his desk, knocking over a half filled Styrofoam cup and sending a stream of black coffee down onto the blueprints of the first floor. He grabbed a napkin and began sopping up the coffee. As he did he noticed that the spill ended at the bottom of the broad staircase leading up to the second floor. It was as if providence was pointing at the answer to his dilemma. Of course, that’s it. There has to be a space under the staircase. That would make a perfect location, but why isn’t a door or panel shown anywhere on the prints? I’ll have to check on that.

Two days later, in the guise of a reporter from an Architectural magazine, the Assassin was given permission to roam about Hampton Manor to take photographs. He located the panel on the second floor and the entrance to the space under staircase. He had was sufficient time to plant the Nitrex devices he had stored in his backpack. A late night visit to the Old Brooking Water District’s pumping station and the abandoned warehouse completed the preliminaries of his plan.

He needed the Hamptons to be together, preferably, after dark. There was always more confusion at nighttime fires. This required an inside contact to alert him when the father and son were together in the West Wing. Ten thousand dollars bought him that contact in the person of Neil Gilbert a young Registered Nurse employed by Adam Hampton. All that was left to do was to wait for the right opportunity. Hopefully that won’t be too long.

He took a room in a rundown motel at the edge of town. It was a perfect location for what he had in mind. From there it would take only minutes to be within the range of the remote detonator that would destroy the pumping station and set off the warehouse fire. Ten minutes later he could be driving past Hampton Manor where a press of the last button would finish the job for which he would be paid a cool one million dollars.

Chapter 29

Lauren sat on a box in the storage area of her house. Packing was not going well. She started two days ago but has made little progress. There were too many memories attached to the items she picked up. At this rate it’ll take me a week to pack. I’ve got to stop reminiscing about everything I touch. Hell, half of this crap should go in the trash can. I think I’m going to have to go by the rule that if I haven’t used it in the past three months, or plan to use it in the next three, it goes to the poor or out in the trash. That should help move things along.

With her new resolve she emptied the storage room within two hours and returned to the kitchen for a glass of wine. Daniel walked into the kitchen just as Lauren was ready to uncork the bottle.

“When did you get back?”

“Just a few minutes ago. I was at my lawyer’s office signing the last of the contracts. Everything is on schedule. We’re free to go. That is if I can get you to finish up here. Hell I had all my stuff packed two days ago. You’re still days away.”

“I’m sorry it’s taking so long, Daniel, but I am making progress. I just finished going through the storage room.”

“That’s great. How can I help?”

“Actually, I think you can help. I made a decision that will help me weed through everything faster. I’m going to build a big pile of things I’m not going to take. You could go through it and separate what is good enough for Goodwill and what has to be trashed. That will help me a lot.”

“At your service, ma’am. I’ll get a box of large trash bags and build some cartons. I’ll be ready to go in about five minutes.”

Lauren uncorked the bottle and poured him a glass. “Sit and have a glass of wine with me, first.”

“Don’t mind if I do,” he said as he pulled up a chair. “You know, if you wanted to, I could get someone in to pack everything up and you can go through the boxes at your leisure up in Westfield. They’d mark what is in each box so if you really needed something, you’d be able to locate it quickly. It would relieve a lot of pressure on you. We have lots of space up there to store the boxes until you can get around to unpacking them.”

“That’s a very tempting offer, Daniel, but I wouldn’t want to have a stack of boxes piled up reminding me that I had to go through them. I only want to take the things that can be used when we get there. We’ll probably have to move only twenty or thirty percent of this stuff. I just have to concentrate on the job at hand.”

“Okay, but the offer is open in case you change your mind. It would allow us to move sooner and that ain’t all bad.”

Lauren sat back in her chair and gazed up at the ceiling. A pensive expression appeared on her face as her mind abandoned the mundane chores at hand and traveled to a deeper place.

“You look like you have something on your mind besides moving. Am I right?”

“Yes, but it’s nothing I can talk about.” There’s no way I can tell him what I‘m planning. I can‘t believe that I’ve stooped so low as to play by Adam Hampton’s rules, but I don’t feel that I have any alternative. She answered, “You know how sometimes you have to do something even though it goes against everything in your nature. It’s like that.”

Daniel thought for a moment about what she said. Man, if she knew what I did, she’d be very disappointed in me. This is one secret that I best take to the grave. I led her to believe that I was taking everything in stride, but I couldn’t sit idly by while that man undermines my livelihood. “I think I understand what you’re talking about. I’ve had to do some things in my life that I’m not very proud of, but, as you said, sometimes there is no way out. The decision is often taken out of our hands.”

“I’m glad you understand. I don’t ever want to have this discussion with you again. I just want us to get on with our lives.”

He raised his glass in a solemn toast, “Here’s to secrets, best left untold.”

Chapter 30

Bert Wilson was slow in responding to Kane’s question. “I don’t know how to advise you. I know it’s been a week since we got word about the SEC investigation, but the wheels of government move slowly. They either have a case and are being careful to dot all the ‘i’s’ and cross all the ‘t’s’ or they can’t find anything and are trying to find a way to justify having spent tens of thousands of dollars of the taxpayer’s money on a wild goose chase. Either way, my contacts tell me that a statement is due out tomorrow morning. We’ll just have to wait until then.”

“It’s the damn waiting that is getting to me. I want to leave this town, but I can’t until this matter is cleared up. Don’t you have any clue about which way they’ll go?”

“None whatsoever. I just got back to the office, but Tom kept me current while I was recuperating. Once an official inquiry begins, even the most reliable contacts clam up. They all have their careers to worry about. Thanks to some recent bad press, the SEC is taking leaks very seriously.”

“I hear you, but I don’t like it one bit. Call me as soon as you hear anything. I guess I can be patient for one more day. By the way, shouldn’t you be taking things easy for awhile? It’s only been six days.”

“Thanks for your concern. It seems they do things differently these days. They want you on your feet as quickly as possible. They figured out you heal better with some activity than without. Don’t worry, I’m following my doctor’s orders to the letter. As long as I limit my physical activity, I’ll be fine. I’ll call you the moment I hear anything. Thanks for being so patient, Kane. I’m betting they’ll drop the investigation soon and you’ll be free to get on with your life. Say hello to Marcia and your mother for me, and thank them for the get-well cards and flowers. They were really appreciated.”

“You bet!”

Kane was finally alone with his thoughts, This SEC nonsense will be over soon. I just have to play along for a little while longer and continue to look like the abused party. I can do that. One thing , is for sure, I’m going to leave Old Brooking with Marcia, but I’ll be back and when I am, I’ll be in the driver’s seat.

Kane called his mother and Marcia to update them. Neither were surprised by the lack of definitive news. They both knew that Adam Hampton was behind the bogus investigation and that he would continue to do all he could to muddy the waters in an attempt to destroy Kane’s reputation.

Evelyn was especially unsettled by the news. Her mind became a fertile ground for retribution as she contemplated taking justice into her own hands. That man can’t help himself. He just doesn’t know when to stop. He thinks he can terrorize people and they won’t fight back. Well, Kane may be too much of a gentleman to fight dirty, but being a good mother, I will stop at nothing to protect my son, which the Hamptons are about to find out.

Marcia was not surprised that the attacks by Adam continued. During her several years at Hampton Industries, she observed that Adam’s II and III could be ruthless in their dealings with people. It didn’t matter whether it was a customer, friend, employee or business associate that was involved. If they felt that someone crossed the line, they struck back with a vengeance totally disproportionate to the alleged transgression. Once she asked Adam why he was being so harsh with a female employee who had only misplaced a file. His reply was, “I don’t ever want her to forget the lesson that I’m teaching her. There is no place in this business for slipshod work.”

Well, two can play that game, Marcia thought, as she mentally pondered what had transpired since the problems with Adam began just a few days ago. I’m the target of some pretty vicious rumors. I’ve had harassing phone calls, money I have coming to me has been frozen indefinitely, Kane is accused of stock fraud and someone has been following us again. Maybe what I have in store for the Hamptons is disproportionate to all that, but according to their rules, it’s the only way to assure that they learn their lesson.

Chapter 31

Adam had a busy morning on the phone with customers and suppliers of Elegant Sportswear. He was using the den as his office, hoping to take advantage of the time usually spent commuting, to tackle the growing list of concerns. The merger between Hampton Industries and Preston Industries was going well with over half of the companies fully integrated, but Elegant Sportswear’s consolidation into Hampton Sportswear was not one of them. When he fired Marcia, Adam attempted to tackle the remaining work himself but discovered very quickly that he had been away from day-to-day operations too long. He was having difficulty grasping the work-flow differences between the two companies, especially since Elegant was years ahead, technologically. To make matters worse, the vice-president of Elegant had left the company two weeks after the takeover announcement was made and Adam’s decision to push for the unionization of the surviving Elegant workers resulted in work slowdowns on several of the garment lines. Worst of all, the production at the Neo-Weaves plant was involved.

Adam spent ten minutes on the phone with Porter Stinson, CEO of Hampton Sportswear, reviewing where things stood. When the call was finished, he dialed Bill Somerset, their vice-president of sales.

“What can I do for you Mister Hampton?”

“Well, for one thing, you can start by calling me Adam. I was speaking to Porter about re-assigning your work on the sportswear merger to someone else. I need you to be the new CEO of Bretton Trading. What do think of that?”

“I don’t know what to say, Adam.”

“A simple ‘yes’ will suffice.”

“Well then, yes, of course. I appreciate your faith in me. Bretton is a real opportunity. When I heard that Marcia Bloom resigned I knew that a hugh vacuum had been created. I never thought I’d be considered to move over there.”

“Porter is assigning Walter Turner to cover your current responsibilities. Get on over to Porter’s office right away. Make sure that Turner has all the files he’ll need to finish the sportswear merger. See me first thing in the morning and we’ll get started on Bretton. Call me at home if you have any further questions.”

Adam felt confident about the promotion. Having a proven executive to pick up at Bretton Trading would reduce many of the demands for his time. He visited the bar in the corner of his den and mixed a Rusty Nail. After several sips, it was back to business. I better get to this list while I still have my wits about me.

The first call was to Gil Parsons to advise him that the unionization at the Elegant Sportswear plants was now back on track. He listened to Gil’s protests about the loss of representation at the Old Brooking sports stadiums. He assured him that he would make it up to him with a generous check made out to the union’s rainy day fund. Lately, calls to Gil ended up with a donation to something or someone.

Call two was to his contact at the SEC. Unfortunately the investigation of Kane Masterson was winding down. The decision to close their inquiry had already been made. All that was remaining was the official statement that would be released the next day. What else can I do to that sneaky bastard? Once he’s cleared of any wrongdoing, he and that whore will leave town. I’m not quite finished with them, yet. I’m convinced that he propped up the price of Preston’s stock by not divulging the pending loss of key customers. He had to know about it. I just need to sow some seeds with the SEC to get them to reopen their investigation. For all I know, Marcia may have been covering for him all along. I relied on her to check on his integrity and all the time she was going to bed with him. Why didn’t I realize that sooner. She was spending all that time with him while making excuses as to why she couldn’t see me. What a blind fool I was. Well, I’m going to get back to the SEC. They need to investigate that European Consortium. Washington is interested whenever the U.S, suffers a loss of business to overseas companies. The SEC will get to the truth and when they do, those two will get what they deserve. He made the call and received assurances that the there would be a full scale investigation into the new charges.

The third call was to Chuck Meredith to get an update on the search for the “mystery heir”. By now they should have located Sarah Gershwin and Alice Wentworth and must have found out something about “E”.

“Chuck, I haven’t heard from you. What’s taking so blasted long?”

“We’re going as quickly as we can, Mister Hampton. It was so long ago. People have moved away, some have died and others can’t remember even when some green is offered to jog their memory.”

“I don’t want to hear your excuses. I’m paying you for results. This is taking much too long and is costing too much. It’s been a week now since you told me about those two women. What’s the story on them?”

“We found something, but I was waiting until my guys finished the trace. What we know so far, is that Sarah Gershwin was married to Mark Gershwin at the time she was meeting with your father. They divorced in July of that year. She died in childbirth that September. The baby was stillborn. It was a boy.”

Could she be the one? Maybe dad didn’t know the baby died. This could all be a wild goose chase. Maybe I’ve been getting myself worked up for no reason.

“What happened to the husband?”

“He remarried in March of the following year. Both he and his new bride were killed in a boating accident while they were on their honeymoon. We’re still looking.”

“Okay, look, don’t waste any more time on that one. If the baby died there is no reason to continue the search. What about Alice Wentworth?”

“That search is proving even more difficult. Their time together was so short. The hotel they frequented a few times burned to the ground five years after their stay there. It wasn’t part of a chain or anything and it was never rebuilt. Any records of their stay were lost in the fire and there is no of record of employees. All businesses adjacent to where the hotel used to stand are less than twenty years old. Believe it or not, a name search comes up with twenty-seven Alice Wentworths within a two hundred mile radius of New Haven. It’s like looking for a needle in a haystack and we’re not even certain that we have the right haystack. We start our check by phone. Half of the time we have to leave a message or there just isn’t any answer. Some numbers we’ve called a dozen times and still no answer. We’ve sent a few men out to check at the addresses, but that didn’t help either. The next thing will try on those few is an official looking letter . We’ll see how that works.”

“Put the people from the Gershwin trace on this one too.”

“It’s not just a manpower issue, Mister Hampton. We really don’t know what to look for next.”

“That’s all the more reason for you to complete your search for Alice Wentworth. Why not place some discreet ads in the personal section of the daily papers. Maybe that will flush somebody out, or check Google for lost schoolmates. There’s got to be someone out there that knows what happened to this Alice Wentworth.”

“That’s a good idea. I’ll get some people right on that right away.”

Adam shook his head. He should have thought of that. Am I the only one with an imagination? What the hell am I paying him for, anyway?

“What about the specific search for “E”? Are there any leads there at all?

“None yet, but we still have a lot of phone records to go through. You know it occurred to me that the “E” initial may have been some sort of a code rather than the first initial of a first or last name.

“That’s a good point, but that’s all the more reason to follow up on all leads.

Put more people on this if you have to. I want answers, not more excuses.”

“Yes, sir.”

Adam slammed the phone down and mixed another drink. He sat down in his favorite chair in front of the fireplace. He ran over his mental list of things to do. I haven’t heard from John about what my father remembers about “E”. He should have something by now.

John answered on the first ring. “Good afternoon, Mister Hampton. What can I do for you?”

“I’m just checking up on my father. Milton’s said nothing about it at breakfast.”

“There’s been a slight improvement. The doctor’s optimistic that the effects of his seizure will be gone in another day, but we’re on a high state of alert, watching for any sign of a relapse.

“I’m glad to hear that. I miss my time with him. By the way, John, did you ever get a chance to ask him about ‘E’?”

“Yes, I did, and he reacted in a strange way. I saw recognition in his eyes, but he shrugged off the question and changed the subject. I decided not to push it then, but if you want me to, I’ll broach the subject again.”

“Yes, John, I’d appreciate that.” Lying about his motivation, he added, “I think it may be important to his overall recovery. It may be an important link to his past.”

“Okay, I’ll try it again tomorrow morning. I’ll let you know immediately how it works out. It sure is comforting to see the progress he’s made so far.”

“Yes, it is. I appreciate everything you’re doing for him. I’ll wait to hear from you.” Adam sighed. More waiting. Lately it seems that all I do is sit around and wait. I used to be the mover and shaker. He looked up at the portrait of his grandfather. When this is all over, there is going to be a metamorphosis. Adam Hampton III will once again be a force to contend with.

Chapter 32

The Assassin paced the floor as he waited for the phone to be picked up.

Finally, Neil Gilbert answered, “Neil, here.”

“Neil, why did you page me?”

“Well, there may be a problem. My hours have been cut while they’re training a new nurse.”

“Has that ever happened before?”

“It’s happened to me twice in the last three years. It usually lasts only a week.”

“What are your new hours?

“Monday, Wednesday and Friday from eight at night to six the next morning.”

“Before he had the seizure, did his son visit much with him at night?”

“I checked the logs, like you asked me to. About half the visits were at night, around eight o’clock. Right after his son finished his supper.”

“How does the old man look to you?”

“He’s much better than he was a week ago. I saw the report on the Doctor’s visit this afternoon. They think he’s almost recovered from the seizure. If that’s true, he should be able to have visitors again any day now.”

“Look, Neil, I need you to be vigilant. I don’t want to miss any opportunity to catch them together. Keep an eye on the appointment logs.”

“I know that it’s none of my business, but why is it so important for them to be together? Is it like you need to serve them both with a subpoena or something?”

“Something like that, but as you said, it is none of your business.”

“They have sleeping facilities right above the West Wing. I can stay here during my time off. That way I’ll know if there is any change in the visiting hours. I’ll call you the minute I know anything for sure.”

“See that you do. I’m paying you for results.”

The Assassin looked around the dingy room where he was holed up. It was this part of his work that he usually dreaded. Weeks, often months of preparations all hinged on last minute details that could ruin all his work; someone getting cold feet, bombs being discovered accidentally or the target never showing up. All of these had happened at one time or another over the thirty years he has been in the “business”. Only one had a bad ending and it cost him three hundred thousand dollars in out-of -pocket expenses and a black mark on his record that took five years to erase.

Chapter 33

Adam Hampton II sat alone in the library of the West Wing. He was experiencing a period of cerebral clarity. Scrambled circuits and a mix of medications made clear thinking difficult for the several years. It was now or never for the execution of his plan. Ever aware of the multiple monitors that observed and recorded his every activity, Adam II sat staring blankly at the rows of books on the far wall. They can watch and listen all they want, but they can’t know what I’m thinking. They can’t know how much resentment I harbor over what has happened to me. I’ve been stripped of everything including my dignity by a son set on controlling Hampton Industries, at any price. I know I was sick for a while, but that happens to a lot of people. They take medicine for a while and then they get to feeling better, as I do now. I wasn’t even given that chance. Now I’m trapped in this prison with no way out. If I try to prove that I’m lucid, I know that my son will have them give me some pills that will permanently scramble my brain cells. Adam says he’s doing everything out of love, but I know that he really fears me. He’s so afraid of losing control of the Hampton estate. Look at how he’s reacting to the threat of a co-heir. He’s going bonkers with worry. If he only knew my little secret, if he only knew that I not only remember who “E” is but I know who his half-brother is as well. He’s fearful that someone will challenge his position as heir to the Hampton fortune and I’m fearful that another heir might muddy-up any chance that I have to reclaim what is rightfully mine. Somehow this will all play out. The better man will win and I intend to be that man.

I was known as a “Captain of Industry.” When my father killed himself, I took over the company immediately and grew Hampton Industries to new heights. We were one of the most well known companies in the world. My picture was on the covers of magazines. I don’t know what went wrong, maybe there’s something with the genes. My father must have been very depressed to take his own life. I remember saying goodbye to him the morning he shot himself. He appeared to be in good spirits.

What happened to me the day I lost it? Was it the same malady that suddenly struck me down, and why did I suddenly come out of the malaise, after two and a half years, only to discover that I was classified as too mentally ill to handle my own affairs? They try to keep me sedated. What are they so afraid of? Is my behaving rational that much of a threat to them? The joke’s on them, though, because even with all their surveillance they haven’t caught me tonguing my medicine. I can’t imagine how I would feel if I had swallowed all those pills. There must be a lot of tipsy rodents running around in Old Brookings’s sewers.

Adam entered a survivor mode as he continued to plot. So here I sit, staring at a fucking bookcase, instead of performing my duties as CEO of Hampton Industries, sitting here like a zombie instead of directing my company. Here I am, having to fake seizures in order to buy time. How long will it be before my son’s investigators find out who “E” is? I need to act before then; to divert them somehow. I know what I’ll do. I’ll make up a name and send them off in a false direction for a while. That will give me much needed time. They think they’re so smart, but I’ll have the last laugh. It’s amazing what you can get away with when you’re thought to be incompetent. There has to be a way for me to contact Nelson Platt. He was my attorney through all the tough years after my father died. Adam fired him, so I’m sure he isn’t in with them. I know he’d be an advocate for me if he knew I was being held here against my will. He could get me another competency hearing and I could reclaim what is rightfully mine. I’ve got to find a way to get the word out to him. The game is about to start and it isn’t going to be pretty.

His optimism took a sudden turn to despair as he thought, Hell, I don’t even know if Nelson is still alive. He was in his early seventies when I knew him. Shit, I hate being like this; so totally out of control. This is like in the movie Snakepit. Maybe I’d be better off giving in and living out the rest of my days in here? It is cushy, it could be much worse. Or maybe I could save up the pills for and take a super dose.

Oh god, what am I thinking. I’m not going to let Adam win. Hell, he can’t even hold a candle to his half-brother. If only I could find a way to pit one against the other for control of the company. In the confusion that would follow, I’d have the opportunity to make contact with the outside world. Then I could turn the tables on both of them and reclaim the company as rightfully mine. A faint undetectable smile appeared on his lips as he reflected on the scenario. This is going to be the greatest challenge of my life. I’ve got to do something and this looks like the best time.

Adam Hampton II hatched an escape plan that would require an award winning performance on his part. These fools want “E”, well I’ll give them what they want. He pressed the button that summoned John. When John entered his room, the act began.

“John, the other day you asked me about “E”. I think I know how to find out who it is, but I will need to talk to my attorney, Nelson Platt. He knows things that no one else knows. Attorney privilege will prevent him from disclosing anything to anyone other than me, so I must have a private meeting with him. I’m sure that if I could have a few minutes with him we could clear up this “E” thing right away. Will you arrange it?”

John was quick to respond. This was the break they had been waiting for. “I will have to clear that with your son, but I don’t see why he would object. He seems a bit anxious to help you find out who “E” is.”

“Do the best you can, John. I want to help as much as I can.”

As he left the room, John replied, “I will. Thanks for telling me about it.”

John went immediately to Adam’s den to fill him in on this latest development.“He wants to speak with his attorney. He says that Nelson Platt can help him remember who “E” is. He seemed pretty sure that that would work.”

Adam thought for a moment before responding. Now what do I do? Nelson Platt, of all people. He fought me tooth and nail during the competency hearings. I threw him out of the Manor and threatened him with disbarment if I ever saw his face anywhere near my dad. This is an unforeseen predicament. I don’t like the idea, but Chuck doesn’t seem to be making any progress with his investigation. I guess I’m going to have to take a chance with Nelson Platt .I don’t see any downside in it.

“I’ll handle it from here. Tell my father that I’m looking into it. Thanks again for your discretion, John. These are difficult times. I wish we knew how to really help dad.”

“No problem, I just want what is best for your father.”

“As do I, John, as do I.”

His father worked on the rest of his plan. He chose the bathroom in the West Wing where there were no video camera, to construct a note that he planned to smuggle to Nelson Platt. He was confident that the carrot he was dangling in front of his son would be sufficient to give him that opportunity. He wasn’t sure if the ultra-sensitive microphones in the bathroom could isolate the sound of a pen or pencil against paper, but he wasn’t going to take any more risks than necessary. If his attempt at freedom was discovered, he knew that they would return to daily medication aimed at pacifying him.

He chose as his paper, a blank page from the back of a novel, one that he selected with his body blocking the overhead cameras while he performed the dissection. His writing instrument was a felt tip pen that one of the nurses had carelessly left behind during his last physical exam. These were the only tools he would need.

The message required some thought. How do I convince Nelson that my note is not the ramblings of a senile old man? There is no love lost between Adam and him, but still, Nelson is a realist. I’m sure he wouldn’t expose me, but he may choose to ignore my appeal for what he would view as my own good. Still, he’s the last chance I have. I’ll make it as short as I can and avoid any sign of desperation. He wrote the message, folded the paper into quarters and put it into his back pocket. He flushed the toilet and pushed the pen in between the tank and the wall in case he would need it at a future time.

Much to Adam III’s surprise Nelson Platt agreed to come to Hampton Manor for a meeting the next day, at noon. Pratt was in his late seventies and had been retired for several years. Time did little to diminish his stature. He was six-four, lean and lithe. A shock of gray hair surrounded a jet-black mane, giving him a very distinguished look. He hadn’t changed much since Adam had seen him last.

He greeted him at the front door and escorted him to his den. “Can I get you something to drink?”

“I’ll pass. I’m anxious to meet with your father. Adam was a client, but I always considered him a friend as well. I was happy to hear that he wanted me to visit.”

“We’ll get to that in a minute. First I would like you to scan the results of his latest physical exam. It’s important that you understand his condition before you see him. He’s making some progress, but occasionally he has episodes which set him back. Try not to make any promises to him without clearing them with me first.”

“I agree.” The attorney spent several minutes looking over the report, before he spoke, “It looks as if he has made some significant progress of late.”

“Yes, but there are still some issues that he is struggling with. That’s why I asked you to come. He’s trying to remember something in particular which seems to be a missing link for him. It goes back to the ’70’s and has something to do with someone he met several times. Someone he remembers only as “E”.

Platt showed no signs of recognition, but his instant recall immediately flashed the name Evelyn Littleton onto his memory screen. So this is what this is all about.

Adam continued, “I realize that there may be an attorney/client privilege involved here, so I won’t ask you if that initial means anything to you. My father wants to meet with you and I will honor his request.” That said, Adam rose, escorted Platt to the den in the West Wing and returned to his own den to await the results. He would find out everything he need to know later, when he reviewed the tapes of the meeting. He thought to himself, I sure hope this works. I need to get to the bottom of this mystery heir business.

When Adam II entered the den, he made immediate eye contact with Nelson that the attorney recognized as a warning sign to be careful of what he said. Platt greeted him with a big hug. Adam whispered softly as soon as he was close enough. “I have to whisper. They have microphones everywhere. When we shake hands later, I’m going to slip you a note. Please believe everything that’s in it. When I ask about “E”, tell me that you recall the actress Eleanor Bentley in the early ’70’s. This is important to me, Nel.”

They broke the hug and took chairs opposite one another. Platt spoke first, “It’s really great to see you again, my friend. How are you feeling, my friend?”

“I’m feeling better. I still have a problem remembering some things, but the doctor say that my condition is much improved.”

“I’m so glad to hear that. I retired two years ago and regretfully I’ve lost touch with many of my good friends. I especially miss you. I inquired a few times, but that son of yours wouldn’t allow any visits. After a while I stopped trying. I would have really enjoyed sitting with you reminiscing about the old days. You really kept me hopping.”

Adam smiled. “It’s funny you should mention the old days. Part of my recovery is based on my recalling events in my life. Occasionally I hit a brick wall, like the other day. The letter “E” came up. Apparently, in my mind, I’m blocking the name of someone whose first or last name starts with ‘E’. I don’t know if it was a business associate, a lover or what and I can’t figure out why, in my mind I reduced the name to a single letter. What am I trying to hide from myself? Can you help me jog my memory?”

As an attorney, Nelson Platt had a flair for the dramatic. He smiled and shook his head. “Adam, I know you had a lot of women in your lifetime, but I can’t believe you forgot Eleanor that easily. Eleanor Bentley, the actress. You had a fling with her that I had to fight tooth and nail to keep out of the papers. She was a real looker, that one. She used to sweep into town for a few hours at a time disguised as young man. You used my apartment for your little affairs.” He smiled again, seemingly recalling the times. “I sure envied you, but at least I was able to buy a new ‘74 Mercedes with the fees you paid me to keep everything hushed up. Don’t you remember anything about those days? I don’t see how you could ever forget Eleanor.”

Adam sat quietly, ruminating over Platt’s revelation. “Eleanor, of course. Now I remember. God, I used to enjoy making love to her. She was so open; so willing to try new things. We only got together about a half-dozen times and then it was over, almost as soon as it began. She couldn’t tell me to my face. She just called me at the office one day, said we were through and hung up. Her manager wouldn’t let any of my calls to go through to her.” He hesitated for a moment, “I wonder why I suppressed her name.”

“That’s easy. It was one of the few times that the great man had been rejected. You never did take defeat very gracefully. I don’t mean that critically, but as I remember the situation, you took it pretty hard.”

“I remember. I was devastated, but, eventually, I did move on, even if it did hurt a lot. She was such an exciting woman; so energetic, so passionate ”

Platt grinned as he said, “Yes you did. You always were a ladies’ man, Adam. I don’t mind telling you that I was so jealous of you. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve been married to Virginia for forty-nine years now and I’ve never strayed, not even once. I guess if I have any regrets at all, it’s that I didn’t sow a few more wild oats before I settled down, but that’s water under the bridge.”

“Nelson, I’m so glad you were able to help me with my missing link. You can’t imagine how frustrating it is knowing that buried somewhere in your head is stuff that you once knew like the back of your hand. But, it was so long ago and with all the medications that I’ve had to take, I guess some of the circuits have been destroyed. I don’t see how it’s going to help, but my son feels that every connection to the past that I can uncover is relevant to improving my health I hope he’s right.”

“I’m glad I could help, Adam.” He looked at his watch. “I’m afraid I have to cut this short. I have to meet my wife at the club in a half hour, but if your son will allow it, I would like to come back another time and spend a more time with you.”

“I would like that, too, Nelson. There’s a lot of people around here, but it isn’t the same as a dear friend. Don’t be so hard on Adam, he means well. It’s not easy to take care of a demented old man when you have a billion dollar business to run. He’s up to his armpits with snakes, from what little I hear. He’s doing his best under the circumstances and he always makes sure that I have the best of care here. Thanks so much for coming to see me.”

Adam got up and extended his hand to Platt. As they shook hands, Adam drew Platt close enough to shield the exchange that took place.

John met Nelson Platt as he left the den and escorted him to the front door.

“Thanks for coming, sir. I’m sure Mister Hampton enjoyed your visit. Have a good day.”

Adam III reviewed the tapes, wrote “E’s” name on a pad and returned to his den.

He dialed Chuck Meredith’s office. “Chuck, her name is Eleanor Bentley.

Apparently she was an actress back in the early 70’ s. I don’t know if she was in the movies or the stage. They met at his lawyer’s apartment five or six times, then for some reason she stopped it. Neither my father nor his lawyer appeared to know the reason why. Find out everything you can about her and make it quick.”

“That shouldn’t be too hard to check. I’ll get right on it. Thanks for the lead.”

Three hours later, Adam had an answer, but not the one he expected.

“I found out everything I could about her, but you aren’t going to like it.”

“What do you mean? Get to the point, damn it.”

Eleanor Bentley was born in 1943 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Her real name was Eleanor Ford. I guess she thought the name Bentley was classier. In her twenties she migrated to Hollywood and got noticed right away. She made ten grade ‘B’ movies, mostly playing a blond femme fatale. She even got nominated for a supporting role in 1973. I spoke to her agent and he swears that he never knew much about her private life. He said she was a handful to manage, disappearing for months on end. She never married and never had any children, as far as anyone knows. She must have paid cash when she traveled to hide her identity. I can’t find any credit card or bank records. She died in August, 1974 from cervical cancer. She’s buried in Lancaster. The tombstone just has her name and dates. There was nothing about having a husband, a son or any child for that manner.”

“That’s it? That’s all you could find out?

“That’s all!”

Adam slammed the phone down and mixed a drink. Now what the hell am I supposed to do? We’re out of leads. We’re never going to find this mystery heir.

Adam let his mind go blank as he sat back and enjoyed the Rusty Nail. Then a thought came into his head. What if that old man is jerking me around? I’m spending a fortune hunting for a half-brother that may not even exist. Could he have recovered enough to plot something that devious?

Adam’s reverie continued. All this business with Nelson Platt, that convenient seizure. It may all be a act. That new medicine could be restoring his competency. He may be looking for ways to get the estate back. I can‘t let that happen; I’ve got too much invested in this. That thought frightened him. John will follow orders. Maybe I’ll have him switch the pills so my father’s improvement comes to a halt. I’m just not sure what to do. Once I do that all hope of certainty about a step-brother will be lost.

His reason returned. Then again, what if he’s telling the truth? That’s an entirely different threat. Then there might be two of them trying to take over Hampton Industries. I need to know. Once I find out for certain, I can make sure he won’t be in the way. In the meantime, I guess I’ll just have to play along with his little game.

No, I have to find out now. I have to make him tell me the truth. I’ll offer him a choice. He’ll either tell me who my half-brother is or he can be a vegetable for the rest of his life. It’ll serve him right for messing with me .I’m tired with this run-around.

Okay, I’ll let him enjoy his latest ploy until I find out what I need to know. Nelson Platt, of all people. Was I supposed to quake in my boots? That pompous shyster is no match for me. Well, I hope my father enjoyed having a visitor, because no matter how this works out it’s the last one he’s ever going to have. That old man is pushing me to my limits, but I will rise victorious.

It was decision making time for Adam. He picked up the phone and dialed Chuck Meredith. “Chuck, I’ve decided to shut down the investigation. Destroy all of your personal paperwork. Repack my father’s records and return them to our storage center.

“May I ask why the sudden change of heart?”

“That shouldn’t be so hard to figure out. Everything you’ve done so far has turned out to be a dead end. I think the whole thing is a wild goose chase and I don’t want to spend another penny on it. I finally realized that the search is fruitless.”

“We did the best we could, Mister Hampton,” Chuck said, apologetically.

“Look, I’m not blaming you. It’s hard to locate someone who may not even exist. You guys did your best. I know that, but it’s like looking for the proverbial needle in a haystack. I think it’s best if I handle this matter directly with my father. Thanks for your help.”

“Okay, then. I’ll close it down. Thanks for the opportunity. I’ll make sure all your vital records are returned to the storage facility. If you have any more jobs, give us a call.”

Adam thought, Yah, you’d love to take more of my money, but he answered, “I’ll do that.”

Next, Adam buzzed for John, who appeared at the den door in less than a minute.

“What can I do for you, sir?”

“John, I’ve got a busy day ahead of me, so I won’t be home tomorrow night until around seven o’clock. I’d like to have a private meeting with my father in his den around eight-thirty. I think it best that you don’t tell him about it, before hand. Hold off any medicines that would sedate him. I need him to be to be as sharp as possible and I want you to turn off all recording equipment while I’m there with him. Understood?”

“Yes, sir. Everything will be ready for you at eight thirty, tomorrow night.”

Adam was apprehensive about meeting the with his father, but it was time for a showdown, I don’t like being made a fool of. I’ve taken care of that old man since his breakdown. He’s gotten the very best care. How could he even consider taking back what is now rightfully mine. I know that that’s what this is about. He’s trying to rock the boat hoping that I’ll slip up somewhere. Well I’m on to him. I’ll make him tell me who my half-brother is; if he even exists. It’s time I put an end to this nonsense. You’ve met your match, old man. By tomorrow night all the suspense will be over. I can’t wait.

He mixed a double Rusty Nail and settled back in his Lazy Boy to re-think everything. Was it an accident that dad mentioned to the doctors that he had two sons or was he deliberately creating doubt in my mind by the casual mention of another son? Either way, what does he expect to gain? Maybe he just wants to make trouble for me because I shut him up in the West Wing? Is that any way to repay my kindness? Well, I’m going to get to the bottom of it. He’ll tell me who “E” and my supposed half-brother are or I’ll put an end to this maddening search, order a change in his medication and let him sink back into infirmity. I just don’t have time for this nonsense. I’ve got an empire to run.

Chapter 34

Nelson Platt sat in his den holding the scrap of paper that Adam Hampton II smuggled to him during his visit. He read and re-read the grim message unsure of the emotions that were welling up inside. He felt a solitary tear flow down his left cheek as feelings of concern, fear, dismay and anger roiled in his mind. If only I had worked harder on his behalf he might not be in this predicament. I should have appealed the hearings. Why did I trust his son? There was so much more I could have done. Instead of being loyal to him I fell for his son’s story of how much he was going to do to make sure his father would always have the best of care. What a fool I was. Adam, my friend, I’m so sorry I let you down. I hope it’s not too late to help you now .I’ll try my best.

Nelson Platt was Adam’s attorney when he suffered from what was diagnosed as spontaneous dementia, Adam’s sudden irrationality and violence, requiring restraint. His son hired a team of specialists who ran four days of intensive tests on his father and concluded that the neural damage to Adam Hampton’s brain was irreversible. This would prove to be damning evidence if he could arrange for another competency hearing.

Adam Hampton III had a team of specialists testify that they had never observed such a rapid deterioration in an individual, especially one that was previously involved in a multitude of mentally stimulating activity. They concluded that Adam Hampton II, due to mental deficiency, was incapable of managing his personal affairs or of discharging the duties of CEO of Hampton Industries. Nelson also had a panel of experts review the test results. They concurred that the prognosis for Adam was a lifetime of monitored care. With proper treatment, consisting of the latest drugs, they predicted that Adam would live anywhere from ten to twenty additional years without any hope of reversing the neural damage. His son presented, to the court, his plan to provide the best of care for his father.

At the time, Nelson accepted the inevitability of his client’s fate. Reluctantly, he acceded to Adam Hampton III’s request to be named as guardian of his father’s estate. The petition outlined elaborate plans to renovate Hampton Manor to provide a protected environment for his father. He was convinced that it was the solution at the time.

Adam Hampton II’s majority ownership of Hampton Industries was adjudicated independently from his personal affairs. In a separate decree, Adam Hampton II was found to be mentally incompetent to continue as CEO and Adam Hampton III, then Senior Vice-President of Operations was named to operate the enterprise as acting CEO and has been at the helm of Hampton Industries since that day. The company has prospered under his leadership, restoring the prestige that was Hampton Industries’ during its glory days.

Immediately upon securing the judgments, Adam’s son fired Platt and cut him off from any contact with his father; even going as far as to threaten him with disbarment if he attempted to make any contact with his father. In retrospect, Nelson realized that a red flag should have been raised when Adam III shut his father off from all contact with the outside world. Why didn’t I see what he was up to?

That was water under the bridge. Nelson had to base his decisions on what was in the best interests of his client, now. I wish I had had the foresight to provide for contingencies, especially with the research being conducted in the area of mental health. That file I saw the other day on Adam’s progress, proves that courts need to provide for periodic testing and not be so quick to accept judgments by so called “expert witnesses” that a condition is irreversible. I’m so sorry I let you down, Adam. Now I can only hope that I can prove to them that another competency hearing is justified. Well, here goes.

He dialed the number of Michael Dennison, the senior partner at his old firm, Dennison, Platt and Stevens of New Haven, Connecticut.

“Mike, Nelson, here.”

“Nel, it’s so great hearing from you. How’s retirement suiting you?”

“So far so good. Look, Mike, I’m going to need a favor from you.”

“Ask and it’s yours.”

“I need to comeback for one more case; something I left undone.”

“Tell me what I can do.”

Platt spent the next few minutes bringing Michael up to date with Adam’s situation.

“I think I understand. What do you want me to do?

“Set up some space for me. Any corner will do. I’ll need a phone, access to a computer and a para-legal that’s familiar with competency cases.”

“That’s easy. I have an empty office. I’ll have it set up in about an hour. Anything else I can do?”

“Yes there is. Time is precious in this case. I need to get a hearing set up for Adam in the next two days and I want to get him out of Hampton Manor immediately and under the care of a court sanctioned medical facility. I don’t trust his son. If he gets wind of his father asking for a competency hearing, there is no telling what he might do. Changes in his medicine got him out of his dementia, it could just as easily put him right back in. He needs to be at a neutral facility. Please do what you can to make this happen.”

“I’ll see what I can do. I know a few judges that are sympathetic to situations such as this. Familial abuse is very common today. It will probably take me a few days, though.”

“Do the best you can. I’m on my way over there now. If you need to contact me, call on my cell phone.”

Nelson was within a mile of the office when he heard from Dennison.

“Yeah, Mike, what have you got for me?”

“Not good news, Nel. The docket for competency cases is full for at least two weeks. I stressed the urgency, but I was told they were all urgent. The supervising judge was implacable on the matter.”

“Damn, I was afraid of that. How about getting him out of Hampton Manor? We need to protect him from any harm while we’re waiting.”

“He also told me that the court would need more than your scrap of paper to take him out of his house. They certified the facility at the time Adam was released from the hospital. There is no viable evidence that his care has deteriorated, quite the contrary from what you tell me. They take all that into consideration in cases like this. You’re just going to have to keep your fingers crossed.”

“I know your right, Mike, but I can’t just sit idly by while he might be in danger. Please keep searching for a case we can use as a precedent.”

“You don’t have any choice. If you try to intervene before the court is ready to act you will put him into the jeopardy that you’re trying to save him from. In the meantime I’ll try a few more contacts. I have Bert Jenkins checking for any precedents we can use to skirt the waiting list. I’ve assigned him to assist you. I’m sorry I can’t do any more than that right now.

“I know you’re doing your best. I’m pretty sure that Hampton doesn’t suspect anything. Adam and I put on a good show for him. I just hope that there is enough time for us to get him out of there once his son finds out what we’re up to. He’s got a lot to lose if we’re successful. I can’t shake the feeling that he’ll stop at nothing to prevent us from succeeding.”

“We’ll just have to risk that.”

Chapter 35

The Assassin looked at his pager. Neil Gilbert’s number was displayed on the screen. He dialed the number and waited.

“Neil, what have you got for me?”

“I’ve got what you’ve been waiting for. They’re having a meeting tomorrow night at eight-thirty. I overheard my supervisor John making arrangements to shut down the security cameras and audio. They don’t do that very often. He also check with me to be sure that I would be able to work. He said he would not honor any requests for shift changes. I told him that it wasn’t a problem. I hope that was okay. I thought you might prefer to have me on site when things go down. That way I can help in case there are any last minute changes.”

The Assassin smiled as he realized how fortuitous it was that the only link to him would be in the center of the conflagration. One less loose end for me to be concerned with.

“That’s fine Neil. I appreciate the extra effort on your part. If everything goes well there’ll be a bonus in it for you. You said that the two will be meeting in the West Wing at 8:30 tomorrow night. Are you absolutely certain of time and location?”

“Yes, sir. I even checked the time log to be sure.”

“That’s good. Remember now, not a word to anyone about our arrangement.”

“You can count on me. Is there anything else I can do? I’ll be here, so I‘ll be glad to help in any way I can”

“I tell you what, Neil. You’re absolutely correct that things can change at the last minute. If that happened it could cost me a lot of money. Just to be safe, why don’t you page me three times in rapid succession as soon as Adam Hampton is with his father. That way I’ll know for sure that he’s there. If, for any reason, he should leave, page me twice right away. If that happens, I’ll call you back to find out what the problem is.

“You bet, but I hope that everything goes well for you the first time.”

“So do I, Neil. Have a good night.”

“You too, sir.”

It was time for the Assassin to check his equipment and set up a timetable for the next day. He put fresh batteries in the remote detonator and started on the list. The Old Brooking Water System would be first to go; he would set off the Nitrex at 7:15 p.m., effectively leaving the town without running water. The million and one-half gallons of water stored in the town’s lone water tower would immediately begin emptying at 0.43 PSI of pressure from the gaping hole in the conduit caused by the collapse of the pumps. He counted on them being unable to close off the main valves in time. Streets surrounding the station would be under water for hours until the sewer system could drain the excess away. The vantage point he chose would protect him from the explosion, implosion and sudden surge of water onto the streets. He would then move to his second base where he would detonate the Nitrex at the abandoned warehouse at 7:30. Once again, being at a safe distance, he could admire his handiwork prior to moving on to his last destination.

The final observation point is the parking lot of a two-story condominium complex where there were always empty “visitors” parking spots. From there he could see Hampton Manor, his final target. His plan was to arrive there about 8p.m, wait for the three beeps from Neil, set off both devices and watch the flames in his rear view mirror on his way out of town. By the time he put enough distance behind him, news of the fire should be available on the local “all news/all the time” radio station.

In the event that the water system failure or warehouse fire delayed the meeting of father and son, he was prepared to go ahead with his plan to destroy Hampton Manor. From a professional standpoint he would be reneging on his promise to assure that they were together when the bombs went off, however, there was little likelihood that the client would find out. Anyway, even though they might not be physically together, they were certain to be in the Manor when the bombs went off. Any delay would put the entire plan in jeopardy and he couldn’t allow that to happen. It had to be done tomorrow night, one way or the other.

With the timetable complete there was nothing for the Assassin to do but wait. It all comes down to everyone playing their roles. He could feel his heart pumping faster as he looked over the timetable and equipment once again. God, I love this business. What other profession gives a person such complete control over their work?

Chapter 36

Marcia used a public telephone to make the call, not because she was hiding anything, but because she was unsure of the security of her cell phone. It took several minutes before she got through to Robert Sewell.

“Have you caught up with him yet?”

“Not yet. Hampton has several layers of protection around him at all times and he moves about quite a bit. It’s almost as if he knows I’m after him.”

“He has a lot of informants. He probably knows that you’re looking for him. This isn’t the first time he’s been targeted. Keep at it until you nail him. I want this matter closed soon. I’m anxious to leave this town and I don’t want to go as long as this issue is still open. Have you tried to catch up with him at the Barbiere club? He likes to stop there for cocktails sometimes and to ogle at the dancers.”

“No I haven’t, it wasn’t on my list. I’ll give that a try. Don’t worry Ms. Bloom. He can’t evade me forever. Don’t worry, you’ll have your day in court, yet”

“I hope so. All my funds are tied up. He owes me eighty thousand dollars in back salary, fifty thousand for a bonus I earned and access to my retirement fund. I want him nailed for harassing me as well.”

“It would be lot simpler if you would allow me to go after Hampton Industries rather than Adam Hampton III. I could get that suit filed as early as tomorrow morning.”

“No, Bob, I want the suit to be against Adam. I want him to pay for what he’s doing to me and I want punitive damages. I can’t allow him to hide behind a corporate structure. I’ve been through too much to let him off the hook that easily. He’s personally responsible and he’s going to pay. Big-time! I looking for justice, here.” If you absolutely can’t locate him then serve his personal attorney, Matthew Scheiber. He can accept a summons on Adam’s behalf if necessary.

“Okay, I’ll keep trying to serve him. I’ll put a few more people on it. Maybe I need to employ a femme fatale to get him to drop his guard.”

“Make sure she’s stacked. If there is one thing I know about Adam, he’s a sucker for a nice shape and a big pair of boobs.

“Then, I think I know just the right person for that. I’ll let you know how it works out.”

Chapter 37

Evelyn Littleton sat in her kitchen trying to sort out all the ramifications of what had transpired in the past forty-eight hours. Her plan to settle her score with the Hamptons was in full swing.

Using her connections with the Greater New England Alzheimer Association, which she supports with a generous check every year, she obtained a DNA sample from a recent test conducted on Adam Hampton II. Using the sample and saliva from a glass recently used by Kane, Evelyn arranged for a private paternity test. The test came back showing conclusively that Adam Hampton II was Kane Masterson’s father. That should be the finishing touch. Just the proof I’ll need to establish Kane’s right to the Hampton Estate. I’m sure glad I didn’t tell Kane about his real father. He probably would have done something rash and messed up all my plans. His time will come, but not yet.

She now had scientific proof of the truth she had known and concealed for the past thirty-five years. That being done, she was slowly formulating a plan as to how to best use the information to benefit Kane and at the same time do the most harm the Hamptons. Evelyn ran a scenario through her mind, First, Kane will have to file a claim as a rightful heir to the Hampton estate. The court would most likely exculpate Adam Hampton III from any wrongdoing since at the time he was unaware of Kane’s existence. Kane’s claim might be weakened by my failure to disclose his legal right as an heir at the time of the competency hearings.

Why did I have to be so proud? Why was it so important to me that Kane be kept at arm’s length with the Hamptons? That decision has just made this business that much harder. Of course I know the reason. I didn’t want to have a scandal connected to Kane’s name. He was already making a name for himself. at Preston Industries. He didn’t need to be mixed up in this mess. The Courts can’t hold that against him. That was entirely my doing. Look at the results. I couldn’t have raised a finer man. This is getting to be too much for me to handle alone. I ‘m going to need some help with this if I’m going to pull it off successfully.

Ten minutes later she dialed an estate attorney recommended by her lawyer.

“Mister Jennings, you were recommended to me by Taylor Carson. He says that you’re the best in the business when it comes to estate claims.”

“That was kind of him. I’ve known Taylor for over twenty years. We started our careers at the same law firm. What do you need help with?”

Over the next five minutes, Evelyn explained the situation and made an appointment to visit the offices of Lawton, Jennings & Barth. She intended to put all the pieces of her plan together before mentioning anything to Kane. She was risking their relationship, but in the end he would understand why she did what she did.

Chapter 38

Lauren McKnight thought long and hard before she signed the papers. Years earlier she made an verbal agreement with Adam that helped her secure a divorce and generous settlement. The agreement implied, but did not specify that she was to “look the other way” regarding Adam’s theft and sale of her Antique Jewelry collection It was claimed at the time that the jewelry was beyond retrieval. Lauren’s lawyer wanted the loss of the collection to be listed as one of the causes in the divorce decree, but Adam’s lawyer refused to include it because doing so would be tantamount to Adam admitting to the larceny. That left it open to be litigated at a later time.

The “later time” had finally arrived. Together with everything else, Lauren was confident that Adam Hampton III would finally get his comeuppance. It was only a matter of time, now. And it couldn’t happen to a nicer guy.

Since Adam was playing dirty, she decided it was time to fight back with all the guns in her arsenal She authorized her lawyer to file a complaint for the recovery of the jewelry and to make sure the information was leaked to the media.

Adam may view this as just a shot across the bow, but it will be unpleasant enough to teach him a lesson. Maybe nothing will come of it, but it should act as a warning to him to stop messing with her and Daniel. Why does it always have to end up in a confrontation with him. It makes me furious every time I think about the way he treated me. Whoever said “revenge is sweet” was absolutely right. I feel so elated.

Chapter 39

Daniel smiled as he read the report from Palentine Investigations. He asked Walter Madding to investigate a possible link between Adam Hampton, Gil Parsons at Local 33 and SEWU.

Walter left a message on his phone. He had traced several large payments from Adam’s personal accounts to Local 33. That was just the thing Daniel had hoped for. He dialed Walt. “Good morning Walt. Good job on that investigation. That was the link I was looking for. It explains why Gil Parsons went south on me.”

“Thanks, Daniel. We’re talking about some serious charges here.”

“I know. Adam won’t be able to worm his way out of this. We nailed him. How should I proceed with this information?”

“Look Daniel, I’m not an attorney, but there appears to be a clear violation of the National Labor Relations Act. The feds shouldn’t have any problem charging him with bribery and an attempt to use a union as an enterprise. Best case, if he’s convicted he’ll serve some time at a Federal facility and pay some pretty stiff fines. The current administration in Washington takes a dim view of tampering in union affairs.”

“Couldn’t happen to a nicer guy. Would I have to stick around to testify? I’m trying to close up shop in Old Brooking and move up to Westfield.”

“I really can’t say. Your dealings with Local 33 are a matter of record. The violation comes from Adams trying to influence the union. Talk to an attorney. They can advise you on what to do. They will contact the proper federal authorities to get things moving. You can remain anonymous if you want to. Whatever you decide, good luck. If you need me to check out anything else, give me a call.”

“Thanks, Walt. Give my best to Shirley.”

“You do the same with Lauren.”

Daniel thought about his next step, I guess it’s “shit or get off the pot” time. I hate doing this. It goes against the grain. But I don’t really have much choice if I want to live with myself.

He got out his phone directory and dialed the law offices of Terwilliger & Benson.

Chapter 40

“Adam, I’m glad I caught up with you.” The caller was Matthew Scheiber, senior partner at Scheiber, Scheiber and Cox, the law firm Adam retained for his personal affairs.“I’m sorry to bother you, Adam, but this is important They told me you were here in New Haven visiting one of your plants and I wanted to catch in case you might want to stop by here on your way home to discuss something that happened earlier today

“What on earth are you talking about?

“I accepted a subpoena on your behalf. Apparently process servers have been trying to serve you for a week or more. Did you ever have a Marcia Bloom working for you?”

“Why? Is she the litigant?”

“Yes, She is. She claims that you owe her back pay and access to her retirement fund. Her subpoena is for Hampton Industries corporate records. I sent that on over to your legal department. In a separate motion, she accuses you of harassment and seeks punitive damages of five million dollars. You have been ordered to appear three weeks from today at 9 a.m. here in New Haven. I can’t be there on your behalf. You have to appear in person.”

“That’s preposterous! Sure, I held up her money, but that was just to teach her a lesson. She left me high and dry by suddenly resigning right after the merger.”

“That was several months ago Did she perform her duties properly?”

“Yes, but she only gave me two weeks’ notice. I was so pissed I sent her packing. She’s got a hell of a nerve suing me.”

“How long ago was that?”

“About three weeks ago.”

“Adam, you can’t hold her money like that. Were there any questionable business practices that would justify holding her money?”

There was a noticeable delay in Adam’s reply, “Not really, although that bitch was having an affair with someone she was supposed to be riding herd over. I suspect she that she held back important information from me.”

“Suspecting her of wrongdoing and having concrete evidence are two different things. Are you withholding monies due her strictly on your suspicions?

“Yeah, I guess so.”

“You can’t do stuff like that Adam, you must know that. Look, I advise you to contact your accounting department and release those funds immediately. The longer you delay, the worse this situation is going to get. Call me when it’s done and I’ll do what I can to squash this subpoena.”

“What about the punitive damages? Can she still go after that after we’ve squared things with her funds?”

“She can. It’s a separate issue entirely, but this is just an initial hearing for fact-finding. The courts usually don’t like delays at that level. I don’t think you should try to mess around with that hearing.

Matt could hear the frustration in Adam’s voice.

“Look, Adam, why not let me talk to her attorney. Once she has her money, she may not feel it’s necessary to push the envelope any further. Or maybe she’ll settle for a token amount so she feels you’ve been taught a lesson. A suit for punitive damages is usually filed to fuel action on another issue entirely. It usually works, too. Pay her the money you owe her and let’s see what transpires.”

“Well if you think so.”

“I do. You relax and let me handle everything. Release those funds right away, and let me do what you pay me to do.”

“Okay, Matt, I’ll call the office as soon as we hang up. She’ll have her money by noon tomorrow. Personally the sooner I have her out of my hair, the better.”

“Well, Let’s hope that’s soon enough. I’ll keep you informed. Before you go, Adam, I got an odd call from one of the partners at Lawton, Jennings & Barth. He said he was doing some preliminary fact finding into your father’s estate. He wanted to know who handled your father’s defense at the competency hearing. I told him it was Nelson Platt.”

“Why did you tell him anything?”

“It’s called professional courtesy. Anyway, It isn’t confidential, it is a matter of public record, after all.”

“Still, the less information you give out, the better. Let them do the searching.”

“I’m sorry Adam. I should have checked with you first.”

“That’s okay. I guess I’m just extra sensitive on the subject. My father asked to see Platt the other day on another matter. I didn’t see any harm in it, so I let him visit for about fifteen minutes. I had his visit recorded. As far as I could see, there was nothing going on there but a trip down memory lane. Still it is odd that his name comes up again. I wonder if he read something into my father’s behavior. I showed him a file on my father’s last visit with his doctor. It showed remarkable progress from the level of dementia that Platt saw at the time of the competency hearings. Could he have seen that as an opportunity to re-open that can of worms again?”

“That’s always possible. I thought that Platt was retired. Still, it is strange that someone would inquire after all this time. You know you shouldn’t have recorded their meeting without informing at least one of them that you were doing so.”

“Tough shit. I’ll testify that I told my father. Who’s going to prove otherwise. Anyway, Platt wasn’t there for anything official. It was a personal visit.”

“That doesn’t matter. Well, it’s water under the bridge. Just be more careful, please. You’re taking too many chances. Sometimes you’re your own worst enemy. Be sure to clear legal matters with me. Stop being such a loose cannon. You’re going to get yourself into a mess where I’ll be unable to help you.”

Adam could sense the displeasure in the attorney’s voice. “I will, I promise.”

“I’ll make some discrete inquiries about Platt and get back to you.”

“I appreciate that. I’m going to leave here in about an hour. I plan to visit with my father tonight, so anything you find out will be appreciated. Use my cell phone number for the next three hours if you need to.”

“I’ll do that, Adam.”

An hour later Matt called Adam.

“Matt, did you find out anything?”

“I did, but you’re not going to like it. It seems that today is get Adam Hampton day.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Well I did a sweep of any open inquiries regarding Hampton Industries or you personally. It seems that your ex-wife has taken out a complaint claiming you willfully sold her personal antique jewelry collection without her permission. I seem to recall that that issue came up during your divorce negotiations.”

“It did, but she made a bigger issue out of the mortgage deed forgery. Once we made our offer, the issue of the jewelry was dropped; or so I thought. Isn’t there a statute of limitations on that kind of thing? It’s been years since that happened.”

“Not where a felony is concerned. This could be very serious.”

“What’s going to happen now?”

“I expect that they’ll issue an Interrogatory. That’s a written list of questions that must be answered and returned by a specified date.”

It got very quiet on Adam’s end, so Matt continued, “Let’s wait until we get the papers. Then I’ll ask that the claim be dismissed on the basis of a verbal agreement between you two. We’ll tie her up legally for as long as we can. If there’s something else behind this move, on her part, there will be time for it to shake out.”

Matt took a deep breath and continued, “There is one more thing. Right now, all I know about this, is a heads-up that I got from a close friend at Terwilliger & Benson.”

“Spit it out! It can’t be any worse than the rest of this shit you’ve been telling me. What is it?”

“Local 33 of SEWU has been in negotiations McKnight Sports, Inc. You apparently made two rather large payments to SEWU while the negations were ongoing. There is a possible violation of the National Labor Relations Act.. That could mean imprisonment and some hefty fines if they get a conviction. Either way there could be some nasty press when it becomes public, It’s hard to contain these things once they start filing legal papers.

“What are you talking about? That’s ridiculous. I made two contributions to Local 33. That was for the best interests of the community. My record of cooperation with labor unions is an open book. Who’s behind these allegations?”

“I don’t know for certain. It’s possible that Daniel McKnight is behind it, but from what I’ve heard he turned ownership of the stadiums over to the city. That would seem to make this a non-issue, but you can never tell with the Feds. That’s as much as my friend was willing to tell me. The whole matter may be dropped before it gets anywhere, so, once again, I suggest we just wait and see.”

“What about Platt? I hope you don’t have more bad news for me.”

“I couldn’t find out anything except he’s setting up an office at his old firm. That’s all I know. I’ll keep my ears open and let you if I hear anything,”

“Damn, what a day. I’m sure glad I have you running interference for me. It’s like I’m swimming around in a pool of sharks. I’m glad I have you watching my back.

“Remember that the next time we sit down to negotiate my retainer.”

Adam chuckled. Don’t you blood suckers get enough, he thought; five hundred thousand a year and special charges.

The pressure was building, All this and then I have to deal with my father tonight. If I didn’t have to drive, I’d stop and have a drink. I could sure use a Rusty Nail right now. He looked at his watch, Only two hours more hours to go. Time to get home, have supper and spend some time getting my thoughts together. Matt can take care of Marcia, Lauren and McKnight. I’ve got enough to do to take care of the old man and his mysterious bastard son.

Chapter 41

The Assassin checked out of his motel. He drove to a nearby park where he removed the disguise he used since he checked into the motel. He replaced the Pennsylvania license plates with a pair of Maryland plates and headed off to Old Brooking.

A clipboard with a timetable rested on the passenger seat next to three remote handsets, marked “A” , “B” and “C” and his pager.

He looked at his watch. It was 7 p.m., time to get in position at the Water System. He parked at the top of the hill with his car heading in opposite direction. The excitement began to rise as he reached for the first remote. At precisely 7:15 his thumb flipped the safety switch to the right, returned and pressed the button. At first he could only see sparks flying into the air from one of the transformers. Now for the rest. Within seconds the entire electrical grid burst into flame and a thunderous explosion rocked the one square block station. The center of the building imploded from the weight of the pumping equipment and broke the casing around the water main located directly below. As it did, a geyser of water flumed thirty feet into the air and sprayed water over the rim of the fire extinguishing most of it. Water flowed into the surrounding area as gravity emptied the town’s water towers. The area surrounding the pumping station complex had the lowest elevation in town and the water level in the streets began to rise disproportionate to the sewer drains ability to drain it away. Within minutes the area was under one foot of water and the Old Brooking Water System was out of operation. The town of Old Brooking, Connecticut was without their water supply. Perfect execution!

The Assassin smiled as he checked the box next to “A” on his timetable. He started up his car and took a last look in his rear view mirror. He could see people heading toward the perimeter of the manmade lake, a few even wading into the water with their pants rolled up as he used to do as a small boy. The people seemed to be fascinated by the water. Enjoy it. It will be around for a while, only you’re not going to be able to have water where you really need it; at home.

He checked his watch, 7:20. Time to move on to the warehouse. During the short drive he had to pull over to let an emergency vehicle pass. Good luck, fellas, a lot of good you’re going to do. As he passed a residential area people were at their front doors trying to figure out what caused the loud explosion several minutes earlier. It wouldn’t take them too long to figure it out once they tried to run water in their houses.

It took him only five minutes to arrive at his second observation spot. Again he had a clear view of his target. He picked up the remote marked “B”, followed the same procedure as before and at 7:30,on the dot, the abandoned Parker Brothers Lumber warehouse became an inferno. He knew he could linger awhile and observe how the Old Brooking Fire Department handled the fire without a fresh supply of water.

The “fleet” consisted of only four pumpers, since the one tanker they had suffered major engine problems and the town voted against the funds to replace it. The remaining apparatus was less than two years old. The pumpers were each equipped with thousand gallon tanks.

The Assassin watched as they approached the blaze, amused by the flurry of activity. They must know by now that the hydrants are dry. This will be like taking a leak on a forest fire. He smiled as he thought, You guys must be wishing that you had three miles of hose so you could pump water from the new lake in the center of town. I bet your next request for a Fire Department levy will pass overwhelmingly. You don’t have to thank me. Glad to be of help.

The two thousand gallons that the two pumpers carried dissipated quickly as they hosed down the adjacent buildings even though they were vacant; that was the protocol. After that, all they could do was direct traffic and watch as the flames enjoyed the feast of aged wood. The sirens of the remaining two engines could be heard in the distance You guys should have brought some marshmallows. It’s a crying shame to waste such a nice fire.

He looked at his watch, then back at the firemen doing their thing. He couldn’t help but think, So much for Old Brookings’s rendition of the “Keystone Firemen”, but I must be off. The Assassin had a deep respect for police and firemen and all those who put their lives on the line, but this was business. He checked the “B” box on his timetable. It’s time for the coup de grace.

On the way to Hampton Manor he encountered more pedestrian and vehicular traffic than he anticipated including a five minute delay for an accident caused by two gawkers more intent on watching the fire than they were driving their cars. One driver paid with his life for this lapse in judgment. There is always the risk of collateral damage with any job; innocent people in the wrong place at the wrong time. It just couldn’t be anticipated or avoided.

Mayhem was the order of the day in the town of Old Brooking.

Chapter 42

Adam arrived home about seven. Milton met him at the door.

“You look as if you’ve had a particularly difficult day, sir” he said as he reached for Adam’s coat and briefcase.

“You can’t even begin to imagine. I’m going to freshen up first and have a drink before dinner. I’ll be in about 7:30. I’ll be in the den until then.”

“That’s fine, sir. Is there anything else I can do?”

“I don’t think so. I know you told me at breakfast what were having tonight, but it slipped my mind.”

“Roast duckling in a plum sauce.”

“I remember now. I’m looking forward to it. Would you do me a favor and remind John that I’m visiting with my father at 8:30 tonight.”

“I’ll take care of that right away, sir.

Adam washed up and went to his den. He made a Rusty Nail and sat back in his recliner. He wasn’t surprised that Bootsy and Flopsy were already playing bookends with his chair. Bootsy was always on the right and Flopsy on the left. He smiled as he thought about how some things never changed. As he got settled he heard the sound of the explosion at the water system and a felt a mild tremor. He looked at the clock; it was 7:15. The dogs started barking and ran out the door towards the kitchen passing Milton on his way to the den.

“What on earth was that noise?”

“I have no idea, sir. It felt like a mild earthquake, but that noise sounded like something exploded. I’ll make a few calls, and let you know.”

“Thanks, Milton,” he said as he returned to his chair and drink”

He returned ten minutes later. “I’m afraid I have some rather bleak news. I spoke with Jim Wesson, the head of the Town Council. He said the pumping station exploded and broke the main water conduit. The water towers drained into the hole. Downtown is about a foot underwater right now. The town is without water and Jim thinks it may take several days to restore service, but, he was just hazarding a guess. He hasn’t spoken to any of the system engineers yet.”

“You better check on the back-up generators in case the flood waters knock out the town’s power. I remember what happened when we had that hurricane.”

“Yes, sir. I’ll do that right away. I’ll tell the staff to conserve water until service is restored. I took an inventory of the bottled water the other day. We have twenty five-gallon bottles stored under the grand stairway. We’ll need to ration them until we know the status of things.”

“I know I can count on you to manage things. Do the best you can. If it’s going to take too long, we’ll just move out until things return to normal. The West Wing will be a problem, though. Tomorrow, when we know more, we’ll see if we can move my father to a private facility. In the meantime let’s not keep that duck waiting. Suddenly I have a ravenous appetite.”

At 8:30, Adam entered the West Wing. John greeted him and Adam filled him in on the water situation and plans to evacuate the wing if the water problem became prolonged. “See Milton about getting some extra water bottles for the toilet tanks. Set the floaters lower to preserve what little water we do have.”

“I’ll take care of that right away. I’ll bring four bottles and store them in my office.”

“Adam picked up his father’s chart, scanned it for any warning flags, and motioned to John that he was ready to meet with his father.

John turned to one of the nurses. “Neil, will you make sure Mister Hampton is ready to visit with his son.”

“Sure, John.”

As Neil was leaving the reception area, John turned to Adam. “I shut off the recording devices as you requested.”

“Thanks John. Why don’t you keep the dogs here with you tonight. They distract my father sometimes and I need his full attention.”

“Not a problem. I have some dog biscuits and some squeaky toys that should keep them amused for a while. I enjoy their company.”

Neil returned, and held the door open for Adam.

Adam headed back to his father’s den determined that by the time he left he would know the name of the “mystery heir”.

Adam was surprised to find his father dressed in a blue suit with a red “power” tie. His father gestured to Adam to sit in the chair opposite him. John should have warned me. The old man is acting as if he’s holding the meeting. I don’t like the look of this.

He looked into his father’s eyes.“I asked you to meet with me today because I need to get a few things straight.”

His father looked surprised. “What on earth are you talking about? I called this meeting and I’ll thank you to sit there quietly until I’m finished. You can speak then, but I warn you that I won’t tolerate any insubordination from you.”

Adam was startled by his father’s behavior. What the hell has gotten into him? This wasn’t going to be as simple as he thought it would be. Why does everything have to be so difficult.

Chapter 43

Neil Gordon waited until he saw Adam enter his father’s den. He closed the door and reached for his cell phone. As he hit the “on” button, he heard John call his name.

“Neil, I need you to help me with something.” It was John and he was standing at the door to the main building.

“In a minute, John. I have to make a quick call.”

“Now, Neil,” John said with a firm tone. “You should know that personal calls are not permitted in the West Wing during Mister Hampton’s visits. Put that phone down and give me a hand. The water system is out and we have to bring in at least four five-gallon bottles of water as backup for drinking and for the toilet tanks.”

Neil placed the phone on John’s desk and reluctantly headed for the door.

John saw the look on Neil’s face and added, “Look, as soon as we get the water in here, you can take a break and make your call, but you’ll have to make it fast and from the main building.”

“Thanks, John. It’s important or I would wait until my shift is over.”

“Okay, then, let’s get this job done.”

They made their way to the faux panel under the main staircase. John pushed the panel and slid it one side. He flipped the light switch and a dim light filled the room. It was a credit to Milton’s housekeeping that the bottles of water and boxes stored there were free from dust and cobwebs as one would expect. The bomb that the Assassin planted was immediately above their heads, expertly concealed by slats of wood.

The bottles were heavy and it took them a few minutes to carry them down the hall to the door of the “wing”. John had to put his bottle down to unlock the door.“John, why don’t you just prop the door open with one of the bottles?”

“Can’t do that. Mister Hampton would have my head. The door must be closed and locked at all times. It can’t remain open longer than sixty seconds. If the sensors they set up detect any threat the “wing” acts as one big “panic room.” All doors and windows lock down and can’t be released until either Milton or Mister Hampton deactivate the system. Fortunately we’ve never needed to use it, although it’s tested every month.”

“Wow, I’ve never heard of anything like that. I guess if you’ve got the bucks you can get the best protection that money can buy. Where should I put this bottle?”

“We’ll put them against the wall over there, for now.”

John hoisted his bottle to his left shoulder as he shifted his body to hold open the door. As he did, the keys slipped from the his fingers and fell silently to the plush carpeting. His foot kicked them behind a wastebasket as he moved quickly to the wall.

“Boy, these mothers can be hard to handle if you don’t get a good grip on them.”

“You got that right.”

“Let’s get two more. Then you can take that break.”

They stepped through the door and it closed automatically behind them. They picked up two more bottles from storage and when they arrived back at the door, John began a frantic search for his keys, patting each pocket several times.

He turned to Neil and asked, “Do you have the keys?”

“No. Why would I have them? You must have dropped them somewhere. I’ll go back to the storeroom and look around.”

“I think that we would have heard them if they dropped on the concrete floor. They probably dropped out of my pocket in the office.”

“Well, I’ll check the storeroom anyway. We’ve got nothing to lose.”

“You do that, Neil. In the meantime, I’ll find Milton. He has a backup set. God, how could I be so careless? This is so embarrassing. It has never happened to me before.”

They went in opposite directions. Neil to the storeroom and John towards the kitchen, where he knew Milton would be planning the next day’s meals.

Neil checked his watch. Perspiration began to appear on his forehead as he realized that it was almost eleven minutes since Adam Hampton III had gone into his father’s den. What if he finishes early and leaves. What can I tell the man. He may want his money back and half of it is spent already. I should have kept my phone with me. I’ll never make that mistake again He looked around the storage area, but couldn’t find the keys, so he returned to the West Wing door to wait for John.

John rushed up with the backup keys in hand. He pushed open the door and scanned the floor. He quickly retrieved his keys, helped carry the remaining two bottles in and turned to Neil.

“Go ahead, kid. You can take a break now, but be back in five minutes. Oh, by the way, don’t say anything about this key thing to anyone. It’ll be a secret between Milton, you and me. Okay?”

“Sure thing, John. Mum’s the word. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

Neil picked up his phone and walked to the bathroom down the hall. Only John knows that I made this phone call. If a bunch of cops or process servers come bursting in here, he is sure to connect the dots, but if I can keep his secret, he can sure keep mine.

Neil’s thumbs keyed in the pager number. He waited a minute and dialed again. Finally, he made the third call. There, my part is done. He looked at his watch; it was almost 8:48 and the two Hamptons were still together. He had made it.

He urinated, washed his hands and headed back to the West Wing much more relaxed than five minutes earlier and very pleased with himself. This was the easiest money I’ve ever made. I’m going to buy my mom a real nice present.

Chapter 44

The Assassin arrived at the condominium parking lot at 8:05 p.m., five minutes later than he had planned to be there. No harm done. It sure was beautiful to watch. He drove into one of the visitor parking spots facing Hampton Manor and shut off the engine. He lowered the window several inches and lit up a cigarette. The Assassin was not a smoker, but smoking was a good cover for being alone in a car in a parking lot. Sometimes he’d put a cell phone to his ear and have a pretend conversation. His head was pointed away from Hampton Manor, but his eyes were busy taking in the sporadic on and off of lights in the building. He breathed a sigh of relief when the lights were turned on at the two windows he knew to be in the den. That’s the logical place for them to meet. That must be John getting things ready. I hope everything goes off on time. I want to split this burg as soon as I can. This whole thing took a lot longer than I thought it would. Well, with a payoff this big, I shouldn’t complain.

A car pulled into the empty spot on his right. He heard the beep-beep of the remote and the shadow of a man passing behind his car on the way to the condos. He was carrying some beer. His eyes followed the man as he climbed the stairway and moved down the walk-way to the last unit on the left. Those two six-packs will keep him occupied for the next several hours. I wonder if there’s a big game on tonight. This is Red Sox country, I think.

Back to the surveillance. It was now 8:20. We’re getting close. Don’t let me down, Neil. He looked at the third remote; the one with the “C” written on it by indelible black marker. This one was special. It was jerry-rigged to send an initial signal and then to follow through seconds later with a signal at a different frequency; a genuine two-fer. Back to the watch. That’s a real nice looking building. Too bad it will be a pile of smoldering rubble in just a few hours. I wonder what my client has against those two. It must be something pretty important that he has to have them both together when they die. It really doesn’t matter, but I’m curious. I guess there is no way I’m ever going to know.

Another glance at his watch, 8:29. Well this should be it. Do your job, Neil.8:31, no beeper. 8:33, 8:35, 8:40, still no page. The Assassin looked to make sure that the pager was on. Check that. 8:45, still no signal. Maybe the lines are overloaded because of the flood and fire. He dialed the motel and the desk clerk answered. He disconnected. That’s not it. What the hell is going on?

At 8:47 the first message showed on his pager. He erased it and waited. The second arrived and was also erased. He waited anxiously for the third message. Only two might mean that the meeting was aborted. There’s got to be a third.

He would not be disappointed. At 8:48 the last message showed up on his screen. Bingo! The Assassin picked up the remote, flipped the safety switch to the side and pressed the button. Within seconds the first device went off with a thundering boom. The flash from the blast lit up the den’s street-side windows with a brilliant ultra-violet light before changing to orange/red. Within seconds the tanks of gas, located near the flash point were detonated by the peak adiabatic temperature of the nitrex and the perfect stoichiometry of the oxygen and nitrogen joined the explosive force sending shockwaves across the west wing. Interior walls collapsed, security glass in the windows blew out and flames enveloped all contents regardless of their composition, structure or design.

John and the dogs were reduced to charred remains within seconds, never knowing what hit them. Down the hall Adam Hampton II and III were thrown to the floor as flames engulfed their bodies. They expired within minutes as the flames eagerly fed on their flesh.

In the hall, Neil Gilbert was nearing the door to the west wing as the first explosion occurred. He felt the vibration from the blast, but saw nothing as the reinforced concrete wall absorbed the impact. The shock felt like a mini-earthquake. Neil had only a second to think about what was happening before the second bomb was set off. A section of the staircase struck him in the back and propelled him into the steel front door. As the door separated from the frame his body fell onto the front porch of the manor. He was dead on impact, his clothes and skin burning brightly.

Moments before detonation of the device in the main house, Milton Cavell left the kitchen to retrieving the spare set of keys from John. He felt the tremor from the first bomb, but it was the shockwave from the second that threw him backwards onto the spear of one of several statues of aborigines that adorned the narrow hallway. There, impaled and afire, he became a human shish kebob.

Within five minutes Hampton Manor was engulfed in flame. The fire’s high temperature melted metal, vaporizing plastic and consumed all manner of structural and decorative materials as the Nitrex did its job. Two maids working on the second floor at the time were quickly overcome by smoke and perished within minutes. One of the male nurses, asleep in a room over the West Wing, was struck by a collapsing ceiling beam, pinned to the floor and succumbed to the encroaching flames. What remained of a chef’s assistant who was working in the kitchen at the time of the blast was found near the entrance to the cupboard. The Medical Examiner would have a difficult time determining the cause of her death, with so many factors were involved. This fire was going to cost the town a lot of overtime hours.

The Assassin admired his work from his vantage point. Perfect execution. That Nitrex is the best explosive and natural accelerant I’ve ever used. Good choice!

He observed a woman with a small dog walking in the road past the entrance to the Hampton house. She looked up the driveway, stopped dead in her tracks, removed a small cell phone from her pocket and pressed a few buttons with her thumb. 9-1-1, no doubt. Then her lady friends for sure. She’ll be talking all night. This kind of news will spread quickly, but, of course, not as fast as my fire will. When she completed her call she returned the phone to her coat pocket, picked up the small dog and scurried back in the direction from which she came, carelessly leaving her dog’s poop on the sidewalk. I guess being a good citizen just goes so far. Have a good night lady.

While the West Wing took the biggest hit, the explosive placed in the main house was so strategically placed that it travelled quickly down the center hall and the East Wing was now totally engulfed in flame. A perfect job if I have to say so myself. His watch read 9 p.m. I’ve stayed too long. It’s such a beautiful sight, but it’s time to leave Old Brooking and head for home. As he exited he noticed that several cars were heading up the short driveway to the parking lot adjacent to where he was stationed, looking for a vantage point to watch the inferno. Even Mister six-pack had left whatever he was doing to gape at the fire.

He could hear police and fire engine sirens heading his way. He wasn’t surprised that a fire at Hampton Manor would take precedent over an empty warehouse that was a goner from the get-go. They can’t have much water left. Boy, are they’re in for a long night. He started his engine and backed out. As he began to roll forward he noticed that the large steel gates that blocked access to the Manor were still closed. With no one and no way to open them from inside the house, the gates would remain locked. I’d love to see how they deal with that, but I’ve got to move along. The dastardly deed is done.

The Assassin planned to stay overnight at the Happy Days Motel in New Jersey where the original license plate would be put back on the car and the cell phone, pager and remotes would be thrown at half-mile intervals into a nearby lake.

The Manor gates would turn out to be a minor inconvenience compared to the long list of contraventions the Fire Department would endure before the night was over.

Chapter 45

As the Assassin slowly closed the book on his assignment, the drama at the fire site was just starting to unfold in his wake. Fires rank very high in the list of spectator sports. As observers, men usually outdraw women at these “events”. The blaze underway at Hampton Manor would be no exception. Old Brooking was being inundated by a series of what appeared to be random events. First the water system failure, then the old Parker Brother’s lumber warehouse going up in flame and now Hampton Manor ablaze. The town was having a genuine “three-fer.”

Townsfolk jockeyed for position to ogle the spectacle. Some came on foot, some by car others via bicycles. Several teens traveled over on their skateboards. The Assassin was missing the big show, but at a time like this it was best not to be a strange face in the crowd, even one with a partial disguise. People in small towns tend to recall strangers during catastrophic events. It’s not wise to be in the wrong place at the wrong time when that happens.

Among the several hundred spectators throughout the night, were Kane Masterson, Marcia Bloom, Lauren and Daniel McKnight and Evelyn Littleton, each fixated on the fire and the hapless efforts of the brave men fighting it; each having different feelings about the relevance of what they were seeing

Hampton Manor, sitting atop a knoll could be viewed from almost every part of town. For over seventy-four years it has been a symbol of the affluence that made Old Brooking one of the most picturesque towns on Connecticut’s southern shore. Now afire from wing to wing it gave the appearance of a giant bonfire at a football rally.

Two police cars were the first responders to the scene, followed by the Police Chief’s unmarked car. The Chief stepped from the car and walked over to gate. He looked up at the blazing building, flames completely engulfed the outer shell. He made his assessment and returned to the vehicle. His driver saw the look on the Chief’s face. It was going to be a long night whatever the Chief decided to do. He asked, “What’s next?”

“I don’t think there is much we can do. The town doesn’t have any equipment to take out that gate or any munitions to take out the lock. We’ll have to do around it, through the hedges on both sides. We’ll have to wait for one of the fire engines. Those hedges would rip up our undersides.” He talked on the phone with the Town Administrator and Fire Chief and dispatched his men to set up barricades and tape to create a clear path for the first two of the town’s fire engines that were within earshot.

“When they get here tell them to go right on through the hedges. From the looks of that blaze, no one is going to fault us for damage to the landscaping. That’ll be the least of anyone’s concerns. The Chief says they called for backup from the surrounding communities, so expect two trucks from Minton and two from Treebrook to come rolling in behind ours.”

The two town fire trucks easily rode over the hedges, one on each side, followed by two police cars. They quickly made their way to the front of the building, The firemen were off the rigs before they came to a stop. One of the firefighters was Old Brooking’s Chief of twenty years, John “Buck” Carlson. The look on his face told the story. Without sufficient water, there was no way they could even approach the building. The brick and stone exterior walls were already charred from the flames and the thick black smoke. The building’s size presented a formidable challenge. It was over two hundred and fifty feet long by one hundred feet deep in the main building; the wings were about fifty feet deep. The flames were evenly spread over the two story building.

The windows along the West Wing silhouetted the metal bars, installed for security reasons, against the backdrop of flickering flames. The bullet proof one-way glass that was intended to hide them from public view was blown out by the initial blast, exposing them to onlookers. The second explosion had damaged the front door which eventually fell from its frame.

The heat and smoke kept the firemen from coming any closer than thirty feet of the structure. Several firemen headed for the attached garage intent on checking for keys to move the six vehicles parked there. The roof of the garage was already in flames and their Chief signaled for them to back off. At this point the threat of a ceiling collapse and gasoline tank explosion outweighed saving a few vehicles.

The frustration they felt at the warehouse fire was returning. Water was their most potent weapon, but their tanks were now empty. The surrounding towns were sending help, but the only thing that they would accomplish would be to put out the flames. Any thought of salvaging the Manor was long since gone. The job now was to extinguish a fire that covered over eighteen thousand square feet.

A rescue vehicle and a tanker from the Minton Fire Department arrived and the Fire Captain aboard the tanker sought out “Buck” for orders on where to dispense their precious cargo of twenty five hundred gallons of water. The Chief decided that preventing the cars from exploding was a priority. As the water doused the flames, the garage roof collapsed and steam from the dying embers filled the air. The cars were totaled by the weight of the roof, but at least they had prevented an additional explosion.

Within minutes a pumper and a tanker with a total of thirty five hundred gallons of water arrived from Treebrook. Chief Carlson conferred with their Fire Captain and they concentrated the water on the front entrance; their intended point of entry into the Manor when the danger subsided.

The crews from the three communities withdrew fifty feet and waited. It was already 10:00 and the fire was starting to run out of material to consume. From experience the fire professionals knew that their vigil would continue for several more hours. They also knew that when it was over, very little of Hampton Manor would be left. It was a classic case of “too little, too late.”

The heat lessened within twenty minutes and the two neighborhood tankers emptied their cargo of water on the main house entrance. and hallway. Occasionally they heard small explosions from within the Manor as stored oxygen or nitrogen tanks exploded. It would be at least an hour before it would be safe for the crews to venture into the building.

The Treebrook engines finally left at 11.00.; the rescue truck and tanker from Minton an hour later. Buck thanked them for their help and pledged to assist them in the future, should the need ever occur. That was one favor they all hoped would never have to be repaid. Chief Carlson accepted Treebrook’s offer to allow the four Old Brooking pumpers to return with them to refill their tanks.

During the night, the police were busy controlling the gawkers. A crowd of several hundred had gathered in the street and remained until the early hours of the morning. This spectacle was the most exciting thing that had happened to Old Brooking in several years. Clergymen of several faiths were in the crowd in case they would be needed. They prayed for the victims of the fire as they waited patiently for the flames to die down.

Channel 36, a 24 hour a day news station from New Haven, was covering the fire. The police allowed them to set up their equipment just inside the unopened gate. One camera was fixed on Hampton Manor as it slowly burned to the ground. Dreams of award winning footage danced in the head of the cameraman. A mobile unit, complete with a field reporter, was engaged in interviewing some of fire watchers that were eager to have their “moments of fame.”

The first interview was with a neighbor, Debra Waterton, who had returned to the scene. “I was walking Gunther, my miniature Schnauzer, around 9 o’clock I heard a popping noise that sounded like an explosion and then I saw flames in the windows. Then I heard a second pop that sounded the same as the first. I called 9-1-1 immediately, picked up Gunther and went home. I gave a statement to the police. They took my name and address in case they need to talk to me again.”

The reporter inquired, “Did you know the Hamptons?”

“I met Adam the second, several times at charitable events in town, but I ever met his son. They kept to themselves, mostly. I never saw any women living over there, but I’ve only lived in town three years.”

“Well, thank you, Miss Waterton. I appreciate you taking time to speak to us.”

“You’re welcome. I just wish that 9-1-1 had responded faster, but I guess with the water supply out, it wouldn’t have made much difference, anyway.”

The reporter waved to the cameraman and moved to a teenager holding a skateboard.

“Did you ride over here on that board?”

“Yeah! Chris and me got here around ten o’clock,” he answered pointing at the young man standing to his right. “Is this gonna be on TV?”

The reporter answered, “I intend to submit it, but it may get edited. No guarantees.”

“That’s cool”, one of them said as he playfully poked his buddy in the back.”

“Have you ever been to a fire as big as this?”

“We were over at the Parker Brothers warehouse fire a while ago. It was awesome, but nothing like this. They couldn’t put that one out either. All they could do is hassle us for wanting to get up close. What a bummer.”

“I can imagine.”

“This is like Rome burning. You know, Nero and all that stuff.”

“Well, let’s hope not.” Thanks for speaking with us,” the reporter said as she stepped back and went on camera “There you have it, the neighbor the fire and the view from a young listener. This is Meredith McKenzie broadcasting from Old Brooking at the scene of a tragic fire at Hampton Manor.”

At 12:30, as the fire continued to burn out in the rear of the East Wing, a six man crew entered the Manor through the hole that was once the main entrance. The charred remains of Neil Gilbert were immediately discovered and removed by several men from the Rescue Team.

The crew approached the wall of the West Wing. The three foot thick concrete wall encasing the section was intact. They used a door rammer to knock down steel door leading into the reception area. As the firemen entered the room they found the charred remains of Bootsy and Flopsy, the family dogs, and several feet away the skeletal remains of a man decapitated by the initial blast. The door rammer was ineffective against the second door which was reinforced with tempered steel. A circular saw was used to cut a hole large enough for a fireman with equipment and an air bottle to crawl through. The first two inside removed enough debris to open the door about three feet. The grim job of the investigation team began. Two more bodies would be found in one of the rooms.

Kane Masterson, watched as walls began to crumble. He and Marcia remained long after most the crowd had dispersed, giving him an unobstructed view of the fire. He could hardly control his jubilation. The expression on his face showed concern, while his heart was jumping for joy.

Lauren and Daniel watched for about an hour in utter dismay as to what was happening. They did not speak to each other, preferring to ponder the situation and how it could be connected to their actions of previous days.

Evelyn Littleton heard the news on the radio and decided to avoid the crowds she was certain would congregate outside Hampton Manor.

The next evening Channel 36 ran an in-depth follow-up piece on the fire.

“This is Meredith McKenzie, continuing the report we brought you late last night from the tragic fire that completely destroyed Hampton Manor in Old Brooking. Earlier today, the Old Brooking Police Department confirmed that nine bodies were discovered in the charred ruins of the mansion along with the remains of the two family dogs. Forensic testing will be required to determine the identities of six of the victims, however, two of the bodies, identified through dental records, were those of Adam Hampton II and his son, Adam Hampton III. A third body identified as Megan Porter, a chef’s assistant hired only last week was identified this afternoon by her mother Mrs. Mildred Porter a long time resident of Old Brooking.”

As she spoke the screen was filled with footage of the conflagration showing Hampton Manor as it was slowly reduced to a pile of charred embers. In the upper left corner was a small picture of the Manor as a reminder of its past splendor.

“Fire companies from three towns battled the fire for over five hours with only a short supply of water, due to the town’s water supply being cut off earlier in the day by a severed water main. While the cause of the fire is still undetermined, Fire Marshall Edward Nelson has declared the fire to be of suspicious origin. A witness at the scene of the fire reported hearing several loud noises which she described as sounding like an explosions. The site has not been certified safe enough for the Fire Marshall to complete his investigation. A spokesman for Hampton Industries has declined comment. One thing is for sure, the town of Old Brooking has been shaken by the loss of two of its native sons.”

Channel 36 will be following-up on this story as it unfolds. For now, this is Meredith McKenzie with News at Eleven.”

Chapter 46

A distraught Evelyn Littleton stared at the morning paper.

HAMPTON MANOR LEVELED BY MASSIVE FIRE.

Nine bodies were removed from the rubble. No identifications have been released by the Coroner’s office, but, two of the bodies are believed to be those of Adam Hampton III and his father Adam Hampton II.

What an awful way to die. As much as I hated both of them, I would never wish that on them. And all the others, I hope they identify them soon so their families can have closure.

She sipped her coffee as she thought about how this tragedy would impact Kane’s legal claim to the Hampton fortune. She looked at the kitchen clock. 9:30 shouldn’t be too early to talk to the attorneys. She dialed the offices of Lawton, Jennings & Barth.

“Wayne Jennings, please. Tell him Evelyn Littleton is calling.”

Several minutes later Jennings was on the line, “I bet I know why you’re calling.”

“Am I correct that if both Adam II and III are deceased, the way is clear for my son’s claim as the only living heir to the Hampton Estate?”

“I wish it were that simple. If Adam III died intestate the way would be clear for Kane’s claim as the sole remaining heir to Adam II’s estate, but If Adam III, left a will, Kane could only claim a half of the estate. That’s all based on the assumption that the Coroner will determine that the father, being older, succumbed to the fire first. I don’t see how he could do otherwise with a disaster of that magnitude, but stranger things have happened. This probably sounds confusing to you; all this legalese.”

Evelyn laughed, “You’re right. Do you think you could skip all the ‘party of the first part’ stuff and get to the bottom line?”

“Okay. First, we need to wait for both of the death certificates. Then we need to clear up the issue of a possible will. Lastly a judge will have to rule on the results of the DNA tests you had run. This is going to take time, Evelyn. I’ll let you know when the Coroner releases the certificates. In the interim, I’ll start a dialogue with Matthew Scheiber, Adam III’s personal attorney. The Attorney/Client privilege shouldn’t be an issue now. With no heirs and no known relatives in the picture he may agree to partner with us for Kane to take over the Hampton Estate. That is unless the Board or Legal Department at Hampton Industries has already approached him. Then all bets are off.”

Evelyn laughed again, “Thanks for simplifying it. Look, Wayne, you do what you need to do, but hold off telling anyone about Kane until tomorrow. I need time to break the news to him. I’m concerned that if too many people get involved someone might leak the information. I certainly don’t want him to hear it from anyone except me.”

“That’s not a problem. I won’t call Scheiber until you call me, but remember that in this case, time is working against us.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll speak with him today.”

The fire was also the topic of discussion at the McKnight household. Lauren and Daniel read the account of the fire several times and had tuned into Channel 36 as soon as they got up.

“I can’t help shaking my head every time I think about that fire. I mean, like what are the odds that a fire would break out and spread so fast that none of the nine people could escape. It’s too eerie. And that thing about two explosions. That fire had to have been set deliberately, but who would do such a terrible thing?”

“I’m sure that’s what they’ll find,” Lauren replied. “It was sad to see the firemen just standing there, unable to do anything. Even the few fire trucks from other towns only brought in a small supply of water. All that did was slow the fire down for a few minutes. Did you notice the outline of the bars on the windows of the West Wing? Anyone inside didn’t stand a chance.”

“That’s another thing. It’s very suspicious that the fire broke out within hours of the town’s water supply being cut off. It almost looks like a coordinated terrorist attack.

“I’m sure glad we’re leaving this town. Let’s get out of here today. When we get to Westfield we can make arrangements to have our stuff packed and moved.”

“I’m all for that. It’s weird being without water. I’m glad you have a case of bottled water in the garage. It’s one thing to be without electricity for a day or two, but water to shower with, no way.”

“By the way what are you going to do about getting your jewelry back, now that Hampton’s dead?”

“You know, Daniel, I haven’t even thought about that. On the one hand it seems petty to go after something after someone passes away, but those pieces mean a lot to me.

Walt Madding told us that the items were unrecoverable. I believe him when he says that the buyer is under no obligation to return the jewelry. What I’m not convinced of is that he won’t sell the items back if the price was right. It would have been Adam’s responsibility to recover the pieces regardless of the cost. Now I think his estate should have to deal with it. I think I should sue the estate as soon as all the legal matters are cleared up. I want that jewelry back. They should have plenty of money to meet the owners demands.”

“Well, that’s what we will do then.”

“Speaking of legal matters, what about the actions that Terwilliger & Benson were pursuing against Local 33 and Adam?”

“I don’t know what will happen there. Local 33 and SEWU could still have to pay punitive damages for their illegal acts. I’ll let Bob Terwilliger follow up on it. If he doesn’t think it’s worth the effort, then I’ll drop it. I want to leave all this stuff behind and make a fresh start in Westfield.”

She leaned over and kissed Daniel, “I agree. The sooner we put this all behind us the happier I’ll be.”

He put down the coffee cup, shut off the TV and led Lauren to the bedroom. “There are a lot nicer things to occupy our time than worrying about what happened to the Hamptons.” He reached out for her hand. “Let’s make this our last memory of this place.”

Chapter 47

“Who was that on the phone?” Marcia asked as she came out of the shower.

“My mother. She wants me to come over to discuss something.”

“Did she say what it was about?”

“No, but she asked me to come alone.”

“Maybe the death of the Hampton’s reminded her of her own mortality. She might fear that something will happen to her before she tells you her big secret. That kind of remorse happens a lot when people die.”

“That could be what it’s about. I suppose. I should only be about an hour.”

“Well you go on, Kane. Say hello to your mother for me. I’ll go over there later and we’ll have some girl talk. She may need a shoulder to cry on.”

“You always know the right thing to do, Marcia Bloom. That’s one of the reasons why I love you so much.”

Twenty minutes later Kane was at his mother’s house. She greeted him at the door, “Thanks for coming right over. You look so tired. Come in and sit down. Can I get you some coffee or tea?

“I’d love a cup of coffee. I’m beat. Are you all right, Mom?”

“I’m fine,” she said, as she led him out to the sun porch.”

She poured two cups of coffee and gave one to Kane.. In the background he could hear a Channel 36 reporter discussing the latest news about the fire. Evelyn turned her head towards the set.“Isn’t that just awful. They identified two of the bodies as those of Adam and his father. The police think that the fire might have been started by a bomb. How awful. Who would do something like that?”

Kane looked at the set and back at his mother. “Yes it certainly is. That’s why I’m so tired. Marcia and I were over there last night. We didn’t get home until two this morning. It was the most awesome thing that I have ever seen. Why you asked me to come over?”

“I’ve been thinking about our last conversation and I’ve come to realize that it isn’t right for me to withhold your father’s name. You have every right to know and I will put my feelings aside and tell you his name. I had good reasons for what I did and when I tell you his name, you’ll realize what they were. I just want you to remember that when I was raising you I always had your best interests at heart.”

Kane raised his hand to stop her.

“I thought that that was what you had on your mind. Look, mother, it really doesn’t matter anymore. I respect your right to keep his name to yourself. You must have a good reason and I had no right to insist that you reveal his name. I really don’t want to discuss it.”

Confused by his sudden change of heart, Evelyn looked deeply into Kane’s eyes. What she saw caused a shudder to pass through her. She was suddenly overcome with a strong sense of foreboding. She knew instantly what had happened.

Terror stricken, she blurted out, “Oh, my god, Kane. What have you done?”

– THE END –

Author’s Notes:

According to Karl Jung, there is a “shadow aspect” that is part of our unconscious mind. It is the “Hyde” part of “Jekyll and Hyde”—the alter ego. The Shadow is composed of all the reprehensible characteristics that men tend to deny. We readily see these traits in others, but generally refuse to acknowledge that we too harbor them. The popularity of the Robert Louis Stevenson novel “Dr. Jekyll and Mister Hyde” was due to the fascination that our society has with the co-existence of two deeply contrasting personalities within the human psyche. A healthy ego balances the conscious and unconscious elements of the psyche. A damaged ego embodies the dark, chaotic, uncivilized animal qualities which we generally try to hide from others.

The Shadow, as part of man’s basic instincts must team up with the ego in order to function. The Shadow possesses a magnetism that acts as a fatal attraction, provoking actions that are naturally abhorrent and usually deeply regretted. These actions are sometimes repressed because they are unacceptable to the conscious mind and the individual’s station in society.

According to Carl Jung, The Shadow takes over a person’s actions when their conscious mind has been shocked, is confused or in a state of flux. When the ego is weak or threatened it becomes the Shadow’s natural breeding ground.

It was in this milieu that Kane Masterson, under the influence of his Shadow, orchestrated the deaths of Adam Hampton III and his father.

Ken’s venture into his life-long dream of writing began with his retirement from a successful business career as a Logistics executive. His other novels include Blood Money, Fatal Dose and Everyman, Revisited. His short stories also appear in several online publications. He and his wife Jeannette and dog Gunther live in an Ohio suburb and can be contacted at kjans3@yahoo.com

Kindle: 978-1-58124-503-5

ePub: 978-1-58124-504-2

©2012 by K.J. Janssen

Published 2012 by The Fiction Works

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All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced without written permission, except for brief quotations to books and critical reviews. This story is a work of fiction. Characters and events are the product of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

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Janssen K. J. Hampton Manor