Tudor Reunion Tour

by Jamie Salisbury

  “I’m not blaming you guys. Just do what you can. I’ll get that stuff to you, and I’ll handle the other guys as I hear from them. I’ll be looking to hear from you or Amadeus Monday then.”

  “Okay, Red. One of us will be in touch.”

  I powered down the phone. Amadeus and I needed to discuss this and digest just what we might be facing. It was starting to spiral out of control. And it was going to be ugly.

  “Zara, I knew something was wrong, but I had no idea…”

  “Don’t beat yourself up about it. There’s nothing you or anyone else can do about it now. We just have to be prepared for the worst.”

  “Let me contact Joe Franco and see what he has to say about this latest turn of events. I’m sure because she resided in the area, it would become their jurisdiction, if it’s not federal. He can advise us.”

  “I’m not sure, Zara. But if I had to guess…”

  “Don and Julia are involved. And by involved, I don’t just mean in a business sort of way.”

  “Yep, you’re right about that, love. Looks as though we may be staying a while longer in Seattle instead of back home to Scotland,” he replied, drawing me into his arms. “I’m sorry, Zara.”

  “Sorry for what? Your instincts are proving to be true, as were mine. Julia was up to something. How much is just a matter of time before we find it out. No, don’t be sorry. Once we get the ball rolling, we’ll be back in Scotland.”

  I leaned up and kissed him, trying to reassure him. I then pulled out my cell phone and dialed Franco’s number. The call went to his voice mail. I left a detailed message.

  With being at a dead end on that road, I padded into the office and fired up the desktop. I needed to set up a spread sheet for what Amadeus and I were about to have to do. Pay the crew. Though their pay should technically now come from a policy, I had no access to it nor did Amadeus. I knew Amadeus wouldn’t let the crew down. We would pay each one of them out of our personal funds.

  Amadeus followed me in, wandering around the room as though he’d never been in there before. “Is there anything I can do to help, Zara?”

  “Yes, two things. Find me the contract you signed with Julia and her firm. Then call Angus or Damien. Let them know the latest, and tell them we’ll come over for a visit tomorrow.”

  “Okay. Is that all?”

  “That’ll do it for now. Thanks, sweetie,” I replied as I focused my attention onto the screen in front of me.

  A few minutes later, he reappeared with my briefcase and his iPhone. I opened the case and found the file folder I was after. I placed it on my desk, intending to scan it into the computer and also onto a thumb drive as well. I glanced over at him as he sat in one of the extra office chairs waiting for one of his brothers to answer on the other end.

  I tried to block out the conversation as I scanned the papers. My mind was whirling enough already. I knew this thing was huge, bigger than I could handle alone. In fact, there were probably some areas an attorney was going to have to step in and take over.

  Placing the document back into its folder, I turned my attention to composing a brief email to our attorney. I knew in order to try and get reimbursed, each of the crew and band would need to file some sort of document. Joshua Keating, our go-to attorney, would be able to advise and direct us. It was also highly likely a lawsuit would have to be filed against Julia’s company. I doubted it would result in any sort of reimbursement or compensation. No, she and Don had probably sucked that dry, and I could about bet their website was taken down. I’d take a look in a minute. I attached a copy of the contract and waited for Amadeus to finish his call. I wanted him to approve it before I hit send.

  “Here, read this before I send it to Josh.”

  He leaned over me. I caught a whiff of his masculinity, his body wash, his cologne. The scent always had a soothing effect on me. Large hands began to massage my shoulders as he read. Then he kissed me on the cheek. “Looks good to me. Send it.”

  I hit the enter key, and the document was gone in an instant. He stood back up and cocked his head towards the door. “I think someone is awake.”

  I sighed, twirling around in my office chair. I began to get up, but he stopped me. “Lunch time.” I offered.

  “She can wait a minute. Let me tell you first what Angus said. We’re on to go over and visit tomorrow. I told him briefly what had happened to Red and probably the entire crew, and that we needed to discuss that among a whole bunch of other things.”

  “Good. How’s Damien doing? Did he say?”

  “He didn’t go into details. I told him we’d be over late morning tomorrow.”

  “But he’s okay? I worry about this taking its toll on him, and what it could do to his health.”

  “I’m sure if anything was amiss, Angus would have told me. Anyway, I told him it would only be a day trip because you had too much to do here.”

  I sighed, wrapping my arms around him. I needed his warmth and strength right now. “Figuring out what to pay everyone is going to be a monumental task since I have no access to Julia’s records. That’s another reason I need those check copies and stubs. I know we haven’t sat down and talked this over, Amadeus, but we have to pay the crew and band out of our own funds. We have it, let’s do it.”

  “I agree one hundred percent, Zara. We’ve never left them out in the cold, and we won’t do it now. If we get reimbursed somehow down the road, fine. If not, no one can ever say that Amadeus Tudor didn’t take care of his band and crew.”

  ****

  I awoke the next morning to the sounds of a very happy baby. Amadeus had heard her awake in her crib and got up to take care of her. When I made my way to the living room, I found him tossing her up over him, Elizabeth screeching with laughter and wanting more.

  “I hope you haven’t fed her yet, or you’ll be wearing her breakfast,” I said, watching the two interact.

  He laughed, placing the baby on the floor as he pushed a wayward lock of dark brown hair out of his matching eyes. “No, we were just on our way to get it started. You want to make some coffee while I get her a bottle?”

  “But of course,” I replied as I approached and kissed him. “You slept well last night I take it. You look rested this morning.”

  “When I was able to sleep,” he quipped, grabbing me on the rear end. “You know you ruined me for any other women years ago, Zara.”

  “I certainly hope so. And I might add you totally ruined me for any other man, because there is no other man for me, Amadeus Tudor.”

  “There better not be,” he joked. “Or else I’d have to hunt the poor bastard down.”

  We sat at the small kitchen table, coffee mugs in front of us. Amadeus was attempting to clean Elizabeth up after her breakfast of baby cereal and banana.

  “Would you like some breakfast?” I inquired, admiring the sight before me. Not just Amadeus, but at the picture of him and his daughter.

  “Why don’t we grab something on the way?”

  Sitting inside the SUV during the ferry ride, I turned in Amadeus’s direction. He was attempting to make himself comfortable for the trip across the sound, but Elizabeth was having none of it. He reclined his seat back, only to be attacked by her feet and laughter.

  “Why don’t we go up top and stretch? I have a hat to cover her ears.”

  “We might as well. It beats getting kicked in the head by those shoes of hers,” he quipped, as he quickly turned and tickled Elizabeth with his hand causing her to cackle with laughter.

  I had a carrier to put her in, even though she hated it. One of those where you carried her next to you. She was getting a bit big for it, but on a ferry I thought it the safest way to take her anywhere. She was far too curious. Amadeus offered to take her, knowing there’d be less fuss from her than if I took her.

  We wandered on deck and stood watching the boats skim across the water. I stood close to Amadeus, entwining my arm around his as we pointed out different boats to the baby. I was still exhausted
from the long plane ride, and knew Amadeus must be too. It felt good to just have some quiet time together. It wouldn’t last long.

  As we disembarked the ferry, Amadeus maneuvered the SUV through the small town and headed towards Damien’s compound. Of course, the baby decided now was the time to take a nap. Secretly I hoped she wouldn’t wake up so the four of us could get down to business without her distracting everyone.

  The gate at the end of Damien’s driveway swung open as we stopped. Amadeus drove through and down the long secluded drive lined with trees and forest growth until we came to a small clearing where the house sat. As he put the SUV in park and shut off the engine, both Angus and Damien appeared. They were both clad in water proof jackets as the weather had turned to drizzle. I grabbed my stuff along with the baby’s bag while Amadeus got Elizabeth. The four of us sprinted to the front door of the main house just as the rain started.

  Amadeus and I followed them through the bare house, out the glass doors to the back facing out on the sound. From there we were able to stay dry as we hurriedly made our way inside the small guest house the boys were now calling home.

  Leading us to the small bedroom, Damien and Angus had the baby’s pack and play open in mere seconds. Amadeus slowly and quietly laid her down in it as the rest of us exited the room. I held my breath, seeing her stir, but she quieted down and stayed asleep.

  As everyone settled in, I made my way into the tiny kitchen, found the coffee container, and began to make a pot of coffee. I needed something hot, something to keep me alert. While it was brewing, I grabbed my backpack and took out my lap top and a legal pad. Over the course of the next couple of hours, the four of us discussed everything we knew from the planning of the ill-fated tour to the last night. All during the discussion I was making notes, trying to put the pieces together.

  The conversation came around to the financial mess Julia had left everyone with. Without hesitation, Amadeus informed his brothers of what we knew and what we were doing. Paying everyone out of our own personal funds.

  “Geez, that’s got to be a huge amount of money,” Damien exclaimed. “It’s not right that the two of you have to do that.”

  “It’s not that we have to, Damien, we want to. By paying the crew and the band, it means they will remember they were taken care of, and they’ll come back and work for us in the future,” I replied, catching a glimpse of Amadeus out of the corner of my eye. He sat across from me, absentmindedly scrubbing his unkempt scruff with his hand.

  “What about you Angus? Are you going to be okay?” Amadeus asked. None of the brothers were supposed to have been paid until the end of the tour. Amadeus had worked out details with Damien to hold him over. Now it was Angus. He and his wife Ashleigh were split up now, and neither of us knew what obligations he had to meet with her.

  “Well, everything we had agreed on has been purely verbal. There’s nothing in writing, no papers signed. She’s trying to be patient, but she knows what’s really going on because she’s taken a few calls from the crew and stuff.”

  “How much is it going to take to hold her over until either we go back on the road the end of next month or something comes in?”

  Angus sat there for a moment in silence before he spoke. “Let me ask her.”

  “No,” I replied curtly, causing three sets of eyes to focus on me. “Tell her this is what you can do, and make sure she knows where the money is coming from and that there is nothing more until the band is back on the road.” I pushed a piece of paper with a figure Amadeus and I had earlier agreed on towards him. He picked it up, studied it for a second, and nodded his head.

  After a grueling couple of hours, it dawned on me that I was starving. Amadeus never had stopped as planned for something quick to eat. I mentioned something to the boys, and Damien and Angus smugly began bringing out deli lunch stuff. Good pastrami, roast beef, and scads of other meats. A variety of breads and cheeses and condiments, add chips and we had a meal. I had to laugh to myself at the two new bachelors and how they dealt with eating.

  Sitting around the small living room in the guest house, we all quietly enjoyed our masterpieces. I was glad we had most of the serious business out of the way. It was far from over, and the flood gates were probably only beginning to break open, but I felt good that we were all on top of it.

  Damien had been quiet for a while and finally sat back in his chair and looked at both Amadeus and me. “I have a proposition to make. Don’t give me an answer either way today, but just think about this.”

  “Sure thing,” Amadeus replied. “What’s on your mind Dame?”

  “The two of you saved my ass paying this place off like you did. Otherwise the bank would have it.”

  “Well, we were happy to help,” I added, glancing over at Amadeus.

  “I have a proposition, and I’ll get right to the point. What would the two of you say to swapping homes? I give you this place in exchange for your condo in Seattle. This place has too many memories, and frankly, I’d be better nearer the city. I can put the girls in school there. It’s more manageable for me to handle.”

  I knew how much Amadeus loved the place, always had, but we had never been around long enough to seriously look for a place of our own in the area. Instead we had moved to Scotland. This would change everything.

  “Tell you what, Damien. Zara and I will take your offer under consideration. Let her, and me, get everything under control with the tour, what Julia’s done, and get the makeup dates firmed up. By then school will be about out for the girls, and once we finish the tour, we’ll all sit down again and talk.”

  “Fair enough,” he replied.

  “It’s not that we don’t want to do it, you just need to be one hundred percent sure this is what you want to do, Damien.”

  “You’re both right. I didn’t even take into consideration that you might prefer to stay in Scotland.”

  “Well,” Amadeus added, “for now it’s looking as though Seattle’s going to have to be our home base. But Zara’s right, we would want you to be one hundred percent with the decision.”

  Monday I made a beeline to the bank. Amadeus accompanied me as I needed his signature to move money, and he watched over Elizabeth. For the next hour, I had bank drafts made out to everyone on the tour. All the crew and the band were paid. I already knew who wanted to pick up their checks in person and who wanted them sent overnight delivery. From the bank, I sent out a group email telling those who were picking theirs up when and where, and the rest to expect them the following day. Our next stop was the nearest FedEx location.

  Not bad work for a Monday. The vendors would have to wait. Julia and Don’s names were on all the tour documents. The attorney, along with Peter’s brother-in-law, Steve, insisted we let things go through the motions. If it came down to one of them trying to sue any or all of the brothers, the situation would be dealt with.

  Joe Franco had been quietly looking into Julia and Don’s comings and goings, trying to find a common thread. Some piece of the puzzle that, when traced backwards, would lead to where they were. Now, you say that’s easy, check airline passenger manifests or customs. All had been checked and all had come back empty. Not too surprising as well planned as her disappearance appeared. The world of private jets, yachts and such would make finding her that much more difficult. Joe had found nothing, but he wasn’t one to give up. He kept Amadeus and me up to date via emails, texts, and phone calls.

  While our attorneys were piecing together a lawsuit, they had involved the feds for some laws the pair broke in their greediness.

  Chapter Eight

  One afternoon, a couple of weeks, later Amadeus received a phone call from his personal attorney that would change the course of our lives. Elizabeth had just gone down for a nap when the call came in. When I returned to the sunroom where Amadeus was still talking on the phone, I noted the color had drained from his face. My first thought was of Grace and Peter.

  He held up his hand, indicating to me not to speak
. “Zara, I need you to call Ashleigh and see if she or one of the girls can watch Elizabeth. Now, immediately.”

  “Why? What’s going on?”

  “Just do as I ask, Zara, please. I’ll explain as soon as you have everything set up.”

  I pulled my cell phone out of my pocket and began making calls as Amadeus stood looking out the windows at the sound. He didn’t move until it was obvious to him that Destiny would be over within the hour to watch Elizabeth.

  “Okay, babysitter is on the way. Now do you want to tell me what this is all about while we get ready?”

  “I’ll tell you. Don’t ask questions, Zara, because I know few answers. Just humor me on this until we get all the facts, okay?”

  “Okay.”

  “It seems I have a son, Zara. He’s about twelve years old. Dick said he was in a car wreck last night with his mother and some other people. He’s the only one who survived. He was airlifted to children’s hospital. That’s where we’re headed.”

  “You knew nothing about him? Are they sure…”

  “No, I knew nothing about him, and yes, they’re sure he’s mine. That’s about all I can tell you. Dick is meeting us there. Now let’s get ready, shall we?”

  He raked his hand through his hair in total shock, going through the motions. I imagined his mind had to be running a mile a minute. I knew it was best for me to sit back and observe, take things in. He won’t remember things and I need to be his ears.

  The boy was the product of some long ago affair. I was surprised the mother never came forward wanting child support or some kind of monetary compensation. Perhaps she simply had not been that sort of woman. Perhaps the child wasn’t Amadeus’s. Perhaps it was all a horrible mistake.

  We arrived at the hospital at the specified floor Amadeus’s attorney had directed us to. We rode in silence the entire trip. Amadeus took my hand as we approached his attorney, Dick.

  “Why do they think I’m the father?” Amadeus inquired as we sat down in a small waiting area.