CHAPTER 19: ALMOST NO PLACE TO HIDE, JEALOUSY AND A FATHER’S ‘GRIEF’…

TAYLOR ELECTRONICS – LATE SUNDAY EVENING

OFFICE

CRAIG

The first thing that attracted my attention was the sudden brightness, followed by voices calling my name.  Still feeling befuddled, I made my way to the main door and opened it.

“Mr Taylor!  Mr Taylor!  What do you have to say about your behaviour? Are you now stating that you’re a racist as well as a homophobe?!”

The questions are flying at me and I wasn’t quick enough to shut the door as they surged into the building.  In my haste to get away, I fell over but managed to scramble up and into the office and lock it.  My mind is racing; I need to get out of here!

ZEON

Thomas and I are giggling like loons and then a thought strikes me.  “Get out!”  I order.

“What?”  Thomas looks astonished.

“Get out, I can explain!  Quick!”  I whisper hoarsely   “And keep filming!”

Quickly starting the engine I manage to get around the back of Taylor Electronics and my hunch was right. He’s making his way out back.  I wait until he’s on the street before driving past him and park…and there it is, the knocking on my window.

I wind down the window and scowl at him.  “My light was off!  I’ve just clocked off man!”

“I know, I know!  I’ll pay you $200 if you can do me a favour?  Please!”

“What’s the favour?”  I ask warily. I can handle myself but this man is desperate.

“Check that a store, it’s called Taylor Electronics is empty for $100 and then drop me at a hotel afterwards for another $100?  Please!”

“Money up front!”  I demand and he peels off the bills.

Taking the keys out and locking it, I glare at him as he scrunches down along the seat, he waves at me to get going.

I run round to the front of the building and find the camera crews leaving but a considerable crowd has grown.  I dash across to Thomas, who looks rightfully pissed.

“Taylor is in my cab.”  I explain quickly.  “I had a feeling he would go out back, I’m sorry babe but I had to check.”

He looks somewhat mollified.  “So now what?”

“I’m taking him to some hotel.  But you keep filming this, I’ll be back as soon as I can.  Don’t move from here.  Okay?”

“Okay but hurry!  You have a lot of making up to do. It’s fucking freezing out here!”

I run back to the cab, he’s still cowering in the back.

“Well?”  He demands before I even get seated.

“It’s empty but open and there’s a crowd.”  I hide my smile.

“Fuck!”  He rasps and then sighs.  “Fuck it, let them have what they want!  Drop me at this hotel…”

Twenty minutes later, I’m back to find Thomas pacing trying to keep warm.  I beep the horn and he runs to get in.

“Get in the back.”  I order and hand him the hot chocolate when I get in.  “Not going anywhere until you warm up a bit.  There may be Taylor cooties but we can always burn our clothes when we get home.”

“Oh we are definitely doing that!”  He shivers and I rub his arms, then hold him tightly to me.

HOTEL COURTYARD SHADYSIDE – MONDAY LATE MORNING

CRAIG’S ROOM

I call Schoepen’s cell and judging by his tone, it appears that the disaster in San Francisco has not reached him.

“Unfortunately, there’s been a break-in at my store so I need to handle that.  Can we reschedule for some other time this week?   Oh great, yes Wednesday is fine.  Same time?  I look forward to it.”

I sag in relief and decide to have a well-deserved bath.

LUTHER’S CONDO

OFFICE

LUTHER

I’m a bit pissed off that Talon is not here to greet me.  I know she’s meeting this Mallory or whatever woman but she could’ve done that this afternoon.

I check my emails and there’s nothing that I need to deal with, though I’m surprised that Zander is holding out as much as he is.  I can move more money from my stocks if needs be but I would rather not.  They are looking very healthy indeed.

“Ralph!”

“Yes sir.”

“I would like something to eat, scrambled eggs on toast.  You know how I like it.”

“Yes sir, I certainly do.”  He gives a small bow and leaves.

KITCHEN

RALPH

I mix the scrambled eggs for his lordship and feel not a jot of guilt.  I certainly do know how you like it Mr Stark.  I put in the special ingredients of bacon salt and then cook it in pork lardo fat and add chorizo spice powder.

As I head back up to his office, I watch him take a hearty bite and nod his approval.   He waves me away and I head back to the kitchen thinking it’s a shame he doesn’t like pork!

LUTHER’S NO. 2 CONDO

LOUNGE

LYNDSAY

Michael hasn’t spoken to me since we left Martha’s Vineyard and to be honest, I’m actually not bothered by the silence.  It beats the sound of his chewing, turning of pages of his comics and his squeaks and squeals as he gets to a good bit in a cartoon or a film he’s seen a thousand times!

I head to the kitchen to get some wine and I hear a huff of breath behind me.

“Well?”  He demands.

“Well what Michael?”  I sigh and pour myself a glass.

“Want to explain your behaviour over the weekend?  Billing and cooing over Grady, it was embarrassing and unseemly!”

“He didn’t seem to mind.”  I reply coolly.

He balls his fists at his side and glowers at me.  “Have you forgotten Lindsay that you’re a lesbian?”

“Michael, I know precisely what I am and my sexuality is nothing to do with you.  But if you have a problem with my bisexuality then do feel free to find somewhere else to live!”

“Bisexuality?  You’re bisexual now?!”  He’s incredulous.

“Yes.  And that’s all I am prepared to discuss with you.  Understand?”

He just nods as I stalk away from him.

MICHAEL

Bi-fucking-sexual!  You have got to be kidding me?!  Well if she thinks that she’s taking Grady away from me she’s got another think coming!

I check where she’s flounced off to and she’s not in the lounge, so I close the door and dial Grady’s number and it rolls to voicemail.

“Grady, it’s Michael.  Look I just want you to know that I understand that you were being polite to Lindsay over the weekend.  Give me a call so we can arrange for us to meet up.  Bye.”

LUTHER’S CONDO – LATE AFTERNOON

OFFICE

LUTHER

I’m channel hopping waiting for Talon to come home.  Finally I hear the door open and her calling my name.

“In the office!”  I yell, she can come to me.

“Okay be right there!”  She yells back.  “Need to speak to Ralph for a minute!”

Ralph!  Since when the fuck has Ralph been more important than me!  I get up and march to the kitchen and push open the door.

“Since when has Ralph been more important than me?”  I demand and they whip round and gawk at me.

“Luther!  Honey, please leave. You’ll ruin the surprise!”  She begs as they stand in front of the table.

“Surprise?  What surprise?”  I smile at her and try to look round them.

“Honey please?”  She pleads.

“Fine.  How long do I have to wait for this surprise?”

“A couple of hours maybe three.”  She replies.

I huff in annoyance.  “But…”

“The quicker I start the quicker you get it.”  She purrs.

“Fine.  Do I get a hint?”

“No.”  She winks at Ralph and I have to smile. This playful side of her is new and I like it!  “Oh did you sort the Craig Taylor issue out?”

“Not yet, but I will.  I’m flying to Pittsburgh tomorrow night to see him on Wednesday to talk to him about that.”

“Okay, now you need to be gone so we can get you surprised.”

“I look forward to it!”  I smirk at her and head back to my office.

TALON

Ralph and I exchange looks as he saunters out.  I put my fingers over my lips.

“Luther you had better not be standing behind that door when I kick it open!”  I shout.

“I’m going!  I’m going!”  He declares.

I push the door.  “Fuck Talon!”  He yelps as it hits him hard.

“Now go!”  I order sweetly whilst relishing the pain he’s in and watch him head back to the office.

“So Talon what exactly are you surprising him with?”  Ralph asks.

“Coq au vin.”  I reply and smile at his look of disappointment.  “Be right back.”

I come back up holding a bottle of red.  “Meet the $4,000 a bottle vin part of the meal!”

Ralph gapes at me.  “He’s going to notice the empty bottle!  He checks them weekly.”

“Not if you refill it with this and reseal it with that little kit I bought.”  I chuckle.  “Oh and Ralph, I brought two bottles up.”

“You delightfully wicked woman!”  He guffaws and we get to work.

CRAIG TAYLOR’S RESIDENCE – WEDNESDAY MORNING

LOUNGE

CRAIG

I’ve decided to stay at home using the looting as an excuse not to open.  I’ve not heard from Luther so I’m breathing easy.

“Excuse me Mr Taylor?”  Eva interrupts my morning read.

“Yes what is it?”

“There’s a Mr Luther Stark to see you.  Shall I show him…”

“I’m already in.”  Luther drawls.  “Craig how have you been?  How was San Francisco?”

He strides into the room while talking and takes a seat on the sofa.  “Now my dear, I would like a cup of coffee please.”

Eva looks at me for confirmation and I nod.  “Make it two thank you.”

He waits for her to leave and close the door behind her.

He glares at me his voice wrathful.  “You want to explain to me what the fuck you were thinking destroying my brother’s property!”

I put up my hands in a placating gesture.  “Luther, I thought it was Justin’s work.  That’s what I bought tickets for and…”

“So you didn’t double check the fucking location!”  He snarls throwing a paper at my feet.

With shaking hands I pick it up and read what it says.  His show was in Paris!  Emblazoned across the front page is a picture of them going up the stairs arm in arm; my stomach rolls.  I read his statement and am furious but smug that I got out when I did.

“Luther as I said.  I thought it was in San Francisco.  And…”

“How much of the money I gave you for your business do you have?”  He interrupts.

“Almost all of it, why?”  I ask nervously.

“I want you to offer it to my brother as a form of restitution and…”

“But…”

“I got you out of there so you could…”

“You got me out of there?”  I look astonished.  “Why?”

“If you shut up and listen you’ll find out!”  He hisses at me.  “You give him the money and issue a statement of contrition, there will be lesser charges to face in San Francisco. I’ve seen to that.”

“How?”  I’m incredulous and relieved.

“It helps to know people.  Once you’ve paid my brother then we go back to our original deal but with one slight change.”

“What’s that?”

“I want you to give me Taylor Electronics.”

“What?!  You want me to do what?!”

“Listen I got you out of your clusterfuck, you owe me and this is what I want and besides it will be a big fuck you to your son, won’t it?” He straightens his cuffs.  “You give me Taylor Electronics or you will be taken back to San Francisco in cuffs.  Your choice.”

“But I have a business meeting, with investors this afternoon!”  I bluster.

“Then it’s a good job I’m here then, isn’t it? As the new owner I get to meet them.”

I sink back into my chair in resignation and nod.  “The meeting is at four. They are coming here.”

BROHOUSE – THURSDAY EARLY EVENING

LOUNGE

ZANDER

“How’s mom?”  I ask Zeus.

“She’s with Uncle Luc and Aunt Dee; they’re going to bring her over tonight.”

Menno sighs and wipes his eyes.  “Papa and mama are coming because Faal is going to need all the help he can get.”

“So what happens now?”  Zeon, of all of us right now he’s hurting the most.

Ted clears his throat.  “Nothing, Tobias said we leave it to the authorities for now.  Everything was set in place, seems they were just waiting for that one piece that would tie it all together.  I think the entire family need to be here for them, especially Zee.”

Blake nods and picks up his phone.

“Okay let’s start calling but not them, let them be a while.  Thank God Matt and Hunter are on the island.  Hopefully this will all be over when they come back.”

TREEHOUSE – PITTSBURGH – SATURDAY MID-MORNING

FAAL

Zee is slightly pissed off and it’s down to Drew, Brian, Emmy Lou, Justin and me.  She finally nailed the lamb terrine dish only for it to be vetoed by us and second vetoed by Brian and Emmy Lou.  And then Justin took it home with him last night.

She’s went to the fish market at the crack of dawn this morning and is in her workshop, which can only mean one thing.  Well I hope it means that one thing…king crab, fresh king crab!  I saw three large boxes and she said it would be surf and turf tonight.  And she has that grin!

I can’t take it anymore and head to her workshop and find her cursing up a storm.

“Fuckety fuck and fuck!”

“Problem darling?”

“Get the happy dance out the way and help me with this.”  She huffs.

“Yes!” I fist pump and wiggle my ass much to her amusement.

“Are you done now?”  She chuckles.

“Wait.”  I pump my hips twice.  “Now I’m done.  What do you need me to do?”

“The icky part.”  She steps back out of the way.

Twenty minutes later I have despatched them and they are ready for cooking.  I can’t resist a handful and she nudges me in reproach.

“I thought the guys were coming later.”  She frowns as Debs comes down the stairs.

“Me too.”

As we get back into the kitchen it’s not just the family, but all her brothers, Uncle Luc, Aunt Dee, her mother, my parents…whatever this is it’s fucking huge.

“Come on let’s go into the lounge and talk okay?”

Uncle Luc takes her hand and I notice that Zeon is crying.

“Who’s died?”  I demand.

“We don’t know what’s going on honey, Ted just said we had to be here.”  Debs tells me quietly.

LOUNGE

ZEUS

I hate him so fucking much!

“Just get on with it!”  Faal demand.

I clear my throat.

“When you asked me to look into the merger and said to go deep that’s what I did.”  He takes a steadying breath.

“We found about 20 accounts in the name of his stepfather. It seems that’s where the money is going.  The last payment was last Sunday for $1 million paid after Craig Taylor was bailed.  And now the courts are considering a misdemeanour charge as opposed to desecration with intent as he has offered to make partial restitution to Uncle Luc to the tune of $5 million.”

Justin hisses a breath.

“There’s more.”  I take another breath.  “Solly and Menno went to meet with Craig to discuss the takeover of Taylor Electronics on Wednesday.  Zee had it in mind to do what you did for her with Stark.  But when they got to the meeting, it turns out that Taylor Electronics has a new owner…”

“Luther?”  Brian growls.

“Exactly.  But he wasn’t calling himself Luther.”  Ted interrupts.  “Zeus I think it’s best I take it from here.  Obviously, he’s never met Solly or Menno before so they wouldn’t know him, so when he introduced himself as Zebadiah Stark it was a bit of a surprise.”

“Zebadiah Stark, why on earth would he call himself that?”  Zee asks confused

Zeon starts to cry harder and Thomas rocks him gently.

“He’s been using Zebadiah’s name to hide money.  Zebadiah is on the board of Bergenfield Berdenstrade as a minority stakeholder.  And like Copthorne, he’s got accounts with millions of dollars in them all in Zebadiah’s name but with him as the trustee...”  Ted trails off.

“But-but he’s…he can’t have done this…he can’t have…”  Zee stammers.

“I’m sorry Zee but he has and it seems he’s been doing it for the last 15 years.”

“Mom…”  She gasps.

“He registered the birth and the death or so I thought…”  She sobs.

“No!  No!  No!”  Zee screams.  “No for fuck sake no!”