Stepping Out on a Limb

by BobA. Troutt

  *****

  Stepping Out on a Limb

  Junction 447, US Highway 10

  It was pouring down rain one night in 1970 as John Rose was approaching Junction 447 in Stone County, Kentucky. Just up ahead he could see the flashing lights of the police cars and other emergency vehicles up ahead; there had been a wreck at the intersection. As he slowly drove by, he glanced over at the two cars involved. One of them was a limo that had burned and was still smoking from where the firemen had put it out. The driving rain blew sheets of rain across the road, making it hard for him to see. Apparently, the other car had run the stop sign and plowed into the limo. They were putting one body into one of the ambulances; it was completely covered with a sheet. They were also putting another body in the other ambulance. John couldn’t help but notice that the limo looked like Samuel’s limo. Samuel was his half-brother. But, before he could get a good look, the officer directing traffic motioned for him to keep moving so the ambulances could get out.

  Deep into the night sky, the thunder roared and the lightning tore its way through the darkness leaving a flicker of light on the wreckage behind. The ambulances left the scene and took both victims to Patterson High East Memorial Hospital. John drove on toward the Rose’s mansion which was located a few miles down the road from the intersection. It just so happened, John was running late for a family meeting that Samuel had called. If he had been on time, a few minutes earlier, he might have been involved in the wreck.

  Samuel had called the family together to discuss his will. Upon arriving, John noticed several members of the family were already there. When he entered, he noticed everyone was sitting around talking and drinking some of Samuel’s prime stock of whiskey. He could tell right off when he entered the room that it was full of pride, greed, jealousy and the atmosphere was arrogant. They didn’t care anything about Samuel. All they wanted was his money and what he had, which was a lot. John wasn’t any different. Samuel had done well for himself and John thought it would be nice to have a little to play around with for himself. John kept moving around the room trying to see if Samuel was there, but he didn’t see him. He asked a couple of people if they had seen him. All they could tell him was that he’d be there shortly. Then John saw Ron, Samuel’s full-brother and his half-brother. A few years ago Samuel’s ex-wife married Ron.

  “Why, hello, John,” welcomed Sandra, Ron’s wife. “I’m so glad you made it.”

  “I bet you are,” replied John. “Good to see you again, Ron.”

  “Likewise,” stated Ron.

  “Is Samuel here yet?” John asked.

  “Oh, you know Samuel has to make a grand entrance,” she said. “You know I was married to him for twenty-three years.”

  “Yeah, I remember,” he said. “And you’re still after his money.”

  “Now, John,” replied Ron, “we’re all guilty of that don’t you think.”

  “Probably so,” he said. “By the way, I came upon a wreck at the intersection just down the road from here.”

  “You did,” Sandra replied.

  “The limo involved looked like Samuel’s,” he stated. “But, it was raining so hard I couldn’t tell for sure.”

  “Oh, I hope it wasn’t Samuel,” replied Ron.

  “Me, either,” Sandra responded.

  “I bet,” John said sarcastically.

  “Excuse us,” they said, “there is some of the family we haven’t seen in a long time. We’ll see you later.”

  “Sure,” John replied. “You all may want to spread the word that Samuel may have been involved in a wreck.”

  Shortly, John heard someone across the room say oh my God, I hope not. He slowly sipped on his whiskey as he looked across the room. He saw Stella, his niece who was a stripper, Samuel’s playboy son, Roger, Becky, his daughter, who was always strung out on something, cousin Dale who liked the men and Samuel’s stepson, Chase, who probably owed every bookie from there to Florida.

  What a circle of people, he thought to himself as he swallowed the last drop of whiskey from the glass. As he raised his arm, he motioned with his hand for the waiter. “I’ll take another over here.”

  The word had spread quickly around the room that Samuel may have been in an accident. About that time, the phone rang. A hush fell across the room. Everyone was afraid to answer the phone.

  “Hello,” John said when he picked up the receiver.

  It was Billy, Samuel’s chauffeur. He called to let everyone know they had been involved in a wreck and Samuel was in the hospital in ICU. He told him the doctor said it didn’t look good. John informed everyone of what Billy said. They all quickly got their hats and umbrellas and headed to the hospital.

  “I hope he’ll be alright,” one of the family members said.

  “Oh, you know Samuel,” said another, “he’s tough. He won’t ever die. He’s too low down and mean.”

  When they arrived at the hospital, Billy was waiting for them in the waiting room. He gave them the details of the wreck and told them what he could about Samuel’s condition. He warned them that it didn’t look good and that Doctor Bentley, Samuel’s personal physician, would be out shortly to talk to everyone. As they waited, talk was short amongst them. John knew they were all vultures waiting for Samuel to die so they could get his money. He noticed that not one tear had fallen from their eyes, not even a sniffle or clearing of anyone’s throat. It just didn’t seem like they were too concerned about Samuel’s fate. In fact, Chase continued running his numbers with his bookies. One of the nurses even had to come out and take care of Becky because she was having withdrawals. Finally, Dr. Bentley came into the waiting room. Sandra immediately ran over to him.

  “How is he, Dr. Bentley?” she asked.

  “Not very good,” he replied. “He’ll be lucky if he makes it through the night.”

  A few tears filled her eyes and then as she fell back into Ron’s arms.

  “He has been burnt over sixty percent of his body, mostly the top half. We had to do emergency surgery and put him in a medically induced coma to keep him comfortable.”

  “Can we see him?” she asked.

  “For now, only you and Ron,” replied the doctor. “The others will have to wait until sometime tomorrow. I warn you Sandra, he’s covered in bandages and he has tubes everywhere. You will not be able to recognize him.”

  “Okay, Dr. Bentley. I think I’ll be alright; I just want to see him.”

  Sandra, Ron and Dr. Bentley disappeared down the hall to ICU. When they entered his room, he was covered in bandages from head to toe with all kinds of tubes running in him. Sandra started to reach out and touch him but Dr. Bentley stopped her. She couldn’t recognize the man she had shared several years of her life with. She couldn’t change those years. But, she hoped her future, in her heart, would be brighter. Ron never said a word as he took Sandra in his arms and led her out. The others asked Sandra how he was doing. But, she could only repeat what the doctor had said earlier; it didn’t look good.

  The long night in the waiting room started to take its toll upon them. John wondered if they were really there out of concern for Samuel or if they were waiting it out to get their share of his money. It was about ten minutes after two in the morning when a warning alarm went off in ICU. It startled everyone. They tried to see what was happening but all they could see were the doctors and nurses running down the hallway. About twenty minutes later, Dr. Bentley came into the waiting room with a look of despair on his face.

  “I’m so sorry, Samuel has passed away.”

  A hush fell over the room as everyone looked at each other.

  “Ron it’s time to go home,” Sandra said.

  Luckily, the rain had moved out. One by one, they left. John was sure they were all rushing to call Samuel’s lawyer, Donald Creekmore, to find out when the reading of John’s will would take place. He knew them all too well. He also knew that Creekmore wouldn’t g
et much sleep that night.

  “John, do you know who you would like to contact to take care of the body?” asked Dr. Bentley.

  “Yes, I’ll see to it,” he replied.

  The hospital pronounced Samuel dead and the funeral home took his body to be cremated. John picked up the ashes, went to a bathroom, dumped Samuel’s ashes into the commode and flushed them away. He had fulfilled Samuel’s request. After the death of Samuel, Billy, Samuel’s chauffeur, left. He had been with the Rose family for thirty years. But, after Samuel’s death, he felt it was time to move on.

  John was right. Creekmore told him that all of the family members called him the night Samuel died wanting him to read the will as soon as possible. Unknown to them and a little odd, Samuel had already set a date for the reading of his will. However, there had been rumors that Samuel had cancer so that may be why he had everything arranged in advance. John was astonished with Samuel, a self-made millionaire. John was a little different than the others in the family and Samuel knew it. Out of all of them, John was Samuel’s favorite. John respected Samuel, but he didn’t always agree with him. They had butted heads more than once through the years. The one thing that John remembered about Samuel was that when anyone asked him how he felt, he’d always reply that he felt like a quarter. Samuel, as long as John could remember, always had a quarter in his hand that he rubbed and rotated with his thumb and forefinger.

  About a week after Samuel’s death, they found Stella dead. She was found in her car in the back of a strip joint with one end of a hose hooked to the tailpipe and the other end inside the window of the car. There didn’t seem to be any foul play; she died of an apparent suicide. Stella had been raped when she was a teenager by some boys in high school. She never could get over it, especially since the law let the boys go. After Samuel’s death, there were two more unusual accidents that happened. Chase’s luck ran out on him; he owed a lot of people. He was found shot to death in an alley and the police believed it was a mob killing. Roger, the playboy, was killed while he was in bed with another man’s wife. Not long after that, John got a call from Becky. She wanted him to meet her at a little community restaurant called the Butter Bean. After she hung up, John had a good idea that she wanted money for drugs. A few hours later when he pulled up in front of the restaurant, he saw Becky standing by the phone booth. She looked awful; she had dark circles around her eyes, her hands were trembling and she had a troubled look in her eyes. He told her he’d buy her something to eat. When the waitress brought her plate, a meat and three vegetables, she started cramming the food in her mouth. She sensed John staring at her so she stopped and started picking at the rest of it. She didn’t have a lot to say. She figured John knew why she called him. He tried to get her to go to rehab to get some help. She paid his advice no never mind.

  “Let me take you home,” he suggested, “so you can at least get cleaned up.”

  But, she shook her head no.

  “How much do you need?” John asked.

  Becky never answered. She pushed the plate back, stood up quickly and rushed toward the door.

  “Becky!” he yelled.

  It was too late; she was already out the door. He looked out the window and saw her get into a car with a couple of boys. John wandered why she acted so strange. Thinking back on it, he sort of believed that she was setting him up to be robbed but changed her mind.

  The week slowly went by and the time for the reading of the will arrived. Donald Creekmore had everyone meet in his conference room for the reading of Samuel’s will. Sandra, Ron and John were the only family members left and they couldn’t find Becky. When John arrived, Creekmore told him and Sandra that Dale had been hit by a car while he was changing a flat tire the night before; the accident seemed suspicious and was being investigated like the other killings that had taken place. The police were baffled with the case, but suspected his death was accidental.

  “I’m glad you all could make it. It is a bizarre situation regarding the other heirs, don’t you think,” he stated. “Samuel and I have been friends for years and I’m glad to share with you his last will and testament,” he said as he opened a sealed envelope and brought out several documents. “I Samuel David Rose III of sound mind have left the following to my ex-wife, Sandra, and her husband, Ron, the total sum of $250 each. John shall receive the remainder of my estate.”

  Sandra slammed her hand down on the desk and cried out, “That’s it; that’s all! Can you believe that, Ron? Two hundred and fifty measly dollars is all I get. I was married to him all that time and he thinks no more of me than that. Where did it all go, Creekmore, in yours and John’s pocket? I want to contest this will!” she yelled.

  “Now wait a minute,” Creekmore replied, “Samuel’s wealth had diminished over the last fifteen years. Most of it went to back taxes, bad business deals, lavish spending, bad loans and bad overseas investments. His fortune was nearly bankrupt and destroyed by fly by night deals.”

  “You have got to be kidding me,” she said.

  “I thought he was a better business man than that,” declared Ron.

  “He was at first,” John said. “Through the years he took too many chances on risky deals, especially on the foreign market. His back taxes alone took depleted most of his fortune.”

  “If $250 is all that I’m to get, you can keep it. I spend that much alone on shoes a month.”

  “I’m sorry,” Creekmore replied. I didn’t know myself until about a month ago.”

  “How much is John’s share?”

  “Well, I really don’t know. The entire estate has to be sold and everything has to be paid before I know for sure. Oh, yes, I nearly forgot. John here’s an envelope that Samuel asked me to give to you at the reading of his will.”

  John took the envelope in his hand and slowly opened it. Sandra watched as he took the worn quarter and rolled it between his thumb and forefinger.

  “I feel like a quarter,” he said.

  Sandra and Ron got up and stormed out of the conference room.

  “It will be a while before I get everything cleared up,” Creekmore said. “I’ll let you know as soon as I’m finished.”

  “That’s fine,” he replied. “Take your time; I’m not in any hurry.”

  Within minutes after John got back home, the police were knocking at his door.

  “May I help you?” he asked.

  “Are you John Rose?” the officer inquired.

  “Yes, I am,” he replied.

  “We have found your niece, Becky, dead from an apparent overdose.”

  “Where at?” he asked as he dropped his head.

  “About a mile down the road from the Butter Bean Restaurant., we need you to identify the body,” the officer requested.

  “Okay,” he agreed.

  There never seems to be an end, John thought. So many lives touched by others and such a waste of lives.

  While on his way back from identifying Becky, he stopped off and told Sandra.

  “It was just a matter of time,” Sandra said. “I expected it at anytime. The whole family is screwed up. Why in God’s name did I ever marry into it?”

  He thought to himself, the money, but he didn’t say it out loud. Three weeks went by and Creekmore, with the help of some friends, settled the Rose’s Estate. John did better than he thought he would. Everything was kept concealed, except Sandra and Ron’s inheritance and they are still raising hell over it. However, there was nothing either of them could do about it. John received quite a little nest egg and Samuel’s lucky quarter; he was pleased.

  It had been three years and life in the south of France couldn’t have been any better for Samuel and Billy his chauffeur. The two of them and Samuel’s doctor had staged Samuel’s death so Samuel and Billy could have a life together. They had been lovers for years. Samuel had lost some money through the years but he was smart enough to stash a little nest egg in one of the foreign
banks under an alias name. The two were inseparable. They enjoyed the high class living, the wine and their privacy. Billy was the reason Sandra, Samuel’s ex-wife, left him. She had caught them in bed together. The staged death couldn’t have gone off any smoother without the help of Samuel’s doctor. Through the years Samuel had donated a lot of money to the hospital and had also paid off several malpractice suits against his doctor. There was only one loose end in their plan. Dale, Samuel’s cousin, had been having an affair with Billy. Dale somehow found out that Samuel was still alive and living in the south of France with Billy. When Billy found out Dale knew, he went back to the states and killed Dale to keep their secret from coming out. After Dale’s death, more suspicions were raised about the other family members that had been killed. Did Samuel stage revengeful accidental deaths for them all? It would be hard to prove considering the situations and circumstances of the deaths. Eventually, the cases became cold cases and forgotten about.

  While in France, Billy found a new love; a French woman named Ezibella. He had been having an affair with her for a year with Samuel’s knowledge. When Samuel found out, he threatened to tell her everything and destroy the relationship between her and Billy. Billy was not going to let that happen. So, he arranged for Samuel to meet him on the rocky coast near Marseille. They got into a fight and Billy pushed Samuel over the cliff to his death. But, Billy was unaware that someone witnessed the entire confrontation and was later arrested. When he was arrested, he made a plea bargain with the French authorities for a lesser sentence. He told the whole story to the authorities of Samuel’s staged death. The French authorities contacted the US authorities about the case. In the states, Samuel’s doctor was arrested, tried, convicted and sent to prison. Billy was tried and convicted of second degree murder. Under French law, he received thirty years in prison. When he finished serving his time in France, he was sent back to the states and tried for the death of Dale.