Dangerous Inheritance

by Shirley E. Watson

  Derek hoped he could pick up work here if needed. He knew $10,000 wouldn’t take him far. It was just a stake so he could get on his feet. He pulled on jeans and his sweater, and put on his jacket. Coming from the South, he felt the cold up here. He had no food in the house, so he went along to a nearby diner for something to eat. It was now 10 AM but the diner served breakfast all day long. He’d heard about places like this and was thrilled to find one so close. It was designed to look as though the year was 1957 or at least, that’s what it said on the menu. It had chrome and red plastic-seated chairs, a large juke box and friendly waitresses in pink uniforms. He was suddenly very hungry and ordered a full breakfast with eggs, fries, bacon, coffee, toast. The cheerful clatter of dishes and old songs from the jukebox was relaxing and homey. It made him recall his Mom clattering around in the kitchen. Once his hunger abated a little, he began to think about his situation. He’d given the lawyer his goal for the year. That was supposed to get them some more money, wasn’t it? That would be good. No telling how much, though, which was a little difficult. He guessed the idea was that they were supposed to lay out their program and make a start on it. It was almost like the games kids played: If you won a million dollars, what is the first thing you would do? Well, now he was really in that situation. Not winning a million dollars, but pretending what he would do if he could do anything he wanted. Didn’t that sum it up?

  The jukebox cranked out one fifties song after another and he sang along to one. The waitress came to refill his coffee and said, “You’ve got a nice voice. You should sing professionally, hon.”

  “I’m thinking about it,” he said, smiling at her. He was starting to feel better now with the food inside. He paid and left the diner. Which way was the water, now? Oh, yeah, down the next street. He walked along at a good pace and breathed in the air. He’d heard people say the air somewhere was like wine, and he’d thought they were kind of nuts, but this air really was. He couldn’t get enough of it. A lungful of this crisp, cool air with the tang of the sea was like the first taste of a glass of good wine. It lifted you up and made you want to ….well, maybe sing. It was several long blocks to get to the seaside. Actually, maybe a mile. But he found it didn’t seem that long. He got more energy as he went along.

  Coming out onto the sea front, he saw a long beach with a closed up building on it, most likely a bathroom/concession stand. Across the road from the beach was an old one-story hotel and private houses. He crossed over to the beach and went down onto the sand. The beach wasn’t wide and he walked along the water, idly picking up objects like driftwood and shells to examine them, then tossing them into the water. He passed people walking their dogs, some sitting on rocks sunning themselves, and older people walking in pairs. He wondered if his mother had ever come to this beach when she was a little girl. The idea made him feel a connection to her.

  There was a strong briny smell of the sea here and the small waves broke very gently on the shore. Finally he turned and walked back. In the distance, he glimpsed sailboats and a white ferryboat. So this was New England, his mother’s home.

  By the time he got back to Main Street, it was mid-day. He had decided to see if there was a music store around. He needed a few supplies. He walked down the street. There were quite a few stores here of all types. A tiny hardware store, a florist whose pots of flowers spilled out onto the sidewalk, colorful orange, purple and dark red mums, several restaurants, real estate offices. He stopped to look in the real estate office window and was shocked by the prices on what looked like small cottages. Finally, after a couple of blocks, he found the store he wanted and went in. It was a store that sold guitars, and other instruments and offered lessons. The proprietor was a friendly older man who found everything he wanted and he paid for the items with his new card and left. He wasn’t hungry – the large breakfast had taken care of that. There was a branch of the bank here where he had opened his checking account so he used his ATM card at it to get some cash. In his pocket was enough to take care of his few needs for a week. He strolled along, feeling flush. It was so unusual a feeling, he just couldn’t seem to get used to it. Usually, he’d be worrying about getting the check he was owed from one of many bar and grills. There were several benches along Main Street and he sat down on one in the sun. It was still warm enough so you could do that. He closed his eyes. He’d almost fallen asleep when he heard someone say. “Hi, fancy seeing you here!”

  He opened his eyes, startled, ready to fend off a bill collector. That was who usually managed to sneak up on him, ready to repossess his car or threaten to throw him out of his room. But the face he saw looking at him was of the girl he’d met in Boston, Colleen.

  “Hello,” he said, warily. “What brings you down here?”

  She grinned, throwing her long dark hair back. “Wasn’t I the one who told you about this place? I’ve got lots of friends here. I came down to perform with a couple of them tonight. Saturday night, remember?”

  “Oh, yeah, right. I’ve been settling in. It’s been great, really.”

  “If you’re not otherwise occupied, why don’t you come down to the Gunk Hole and see us. 9 PM.” She was about to walk off when he said, “What? Did you say, Gunk Hole?”

  “Yes, it’s a sailor’s term for a safe haven. Come on down.” She walked off gracefully and Derek watched her into the distance. There was something about her voice and that walk that triggered a memory, but what was it? She hadn’t said where the place was, so he’d have to ask or look it up. Since it was getting later in the afternoon now, he found the Irish Pub which was called McCormick’s, and asked the bartender for a Sam Adams.

  “Know where there’s a place called The Gunk Hole?” he asked, taking a swallow.

  “Sure I do. It’s on the end of Main Street going away from here towards the West.”

  “Which way is West?”

  “Och, now aren’t you a stranger in town. When you go out of here, turn right. Are you tired of my place, then?”

  “No, it’s not that,” Derek laughed. “A friend of mine is singing there tonight.”

  “Ah hah! A lady friend, is it?”

  “Well, now that you mention it, that’s right.”

  The bartender teased him some more and Derek told him what he knew, asking him to send anyone there who was looking for entertainment.

  The bartender nodded. “I’ve often thought of hiring somebody to entertain but I don’t really know anybody that’s good.”

  Derek said, “I can sing and play myself, you know.”

  The bartender smiled tolerantly as though every drunk had told him that. “Well, come back some time and we’ll talk about it.”

  Derek thanked him and refused a second drink. No sense drinking too much here. He’d be having one at the, what was it called? Gunk Hole, later. Or more than one. He hoped the place wasn’t too lame.

  CHAPTER 10

  Clifton Montville arrived at his office, hung his cashmere overcoat in his closet and threw the Burberry scarf over the hanger. Klara came in.

  “Coffee is brewing in the conference room, Clifton. I’ve got your documents ready for signing. What do you want to start with?”

  “Oh, I’m going to ease into the day, Klara, and have coffee first. Not a lot to do, really. My first appointment called me on my cell phone and said he’d be a little delayed. Have you heard anything from our three friends?

  “You mean Everett’s grandchildren, don’t you? No, I haven’t heard anything from them.”

  “I suppose it’s too early to have them requesting more money. They probably don’t even know what they’re going to do.”

  “The two women seemed to be level- headed enough. I’m not sure about Derek, though. He struck me as somewhat immature.”

  “And you’re exactly right, as usual. He is young, though. What is he, 23 or so?”

  “He’s 25 but he acts younger. He did get a good education. His father provided a college savings account so he could attend school. That’s the on
e thing he did for him, it seems.”

  “So, he has a college education, yet he was singing and playing in second rate bars in the Southwest?”

  “I think, Sir, if you asked him, he’d say he was just following his fortune.”

  “That would be an extraordinary thing for you to imagine, Klara. No doubt he made that remark to you?”

  “Yes, he did, among other things. He likes to talk.”

  “I hope his outgoing nature will take him where he needs to go. So, you think the ladies have it together, then, as the saying is?”

  Klara looked thoughtful. They had walked into the conference room and poured themselves a cup of the excellent coffee. “Neither one seems to have a lot of self-confidence. In other words, I think they have more “on the ball,” as you say, than they realize. It is to be hoped they can put their ability to work this year. It should mean a lot to them.”

  The lawyer sipped his coffee. “Well, we have our orders. We are not to suggest anything to them. We are not to help any one heir any more than the rest. That’s not going to be easy”

  “They did give us their written goals. So all we have to do is compare these with their final reports. And verify them. It doesn’t seem too difficult, does it?”

  “Well, maybe not for you, and not for me. We do this kind of thing all the time, don’t we? But these three people may have never thought to actually set and achieve a goal like this. So many people live day to day with no real plans for their future. It never ceases to amaze me, Klara. I hope it doesn’t throw them. You know what has happened to some lottery winners.”

  “Well, at least they don’t know how much money is involved. I believe they think it might be something like another $10,000. Not to mention that they have no idea that Mr. Woodson thinks one of them will become like himself and take over.”

  “Yes, that’s the part that really gives me pause. Do you think any of these three is capable of that much responsibility?”

  “I’m afraid I can’t answer that one. I prefer to wait and see. I would say you might hope to be surprised. “ She watched Everett over the rim of the china cup. “Anyway, whoever is chosen, they’ll have plenty of help. Mr. Woodson set it up well, didn’t he?” Klara put down her cup.

  The lawyer laughed. “With my help, of course, Klara, with my help!”

  Clifton and Klara walked together back to the office. “Well, just let me know if you hear anything. I would be very interested to know how this is progressing.”

  “Yes, Sir. I will be very interested myself.”

  CHAPTER 11

  Lee Girard and Cassie Connor were having lunch. Cassie was listening, horrified, to Lee’s story of what had happened to her.

  “You can’t let him get away with this, Lee!”

  “Sorry, but it’s easy for you to say. You’re not the one involved in the situation. You have no idea how frightened I am. What if Stevie had been there?”

  “You went to the police station and filed a report, though, didn’t you?” Cassie gripped her sister’s hand across the table.

  “Yes, I did, Cass.” Lee’s face felt hot as she recalled the handsome Detective Whiton. “They really were very kind and helpful.”

  “The police were? Well, I’m glad. So, you’re staying with Andrea now?”

  “Yes, I decided to take up her offer of the spare room.”

  “What about your apartment? Did you ever go back to it?”

  “Andrea had a friend who went with me to get a few of my things and I notified the landlord also that I might be leaving. He said it’s going to cost me some money to break the lease, but I just can’t go back there now. What if Jay showed up again?”

  “Did the police ever catch up with him?”

  “No, that’s what worries me. It seems like he’s disappeared. What is he up to now?”

  “Maybe he’s just gone on somewhere else and found some other poor woman to beat up.”

  Lee shuddered. “I hope not. If the police find him, he may be arrested.”

  “All right, let’s forget him now. Try to put all the negative influences out of your mind. Hopefully, you’ll never see him again. How are you getting on with the Challenge?”

  Lee relaxed and laughed. She picked up a chip and dipped it into the salsa. “Isn’t it crazy? I still feel it’s not real, but it’s like a windfall. Why not take advantage of whatever comes? I’m just getting ready to apply for school for the two year nursing program. If I can make it through that, I’ll go on for the four year RN degree and who knows what after that? I’m going to call Klara at the lawyer’s office to ask if they can help me get into school if I need it. They said they’d help us with that kind of thing.”

  “Sure, why not? Are you still going to be waitressing?”

  “Yes, of course. That $10,000 is nice to have but it’s not going to pay all my expenses. I want to give Andrea some money but of course, she’ll probably refuse it. I am a little short having lost that $2,000 to Jay. So, I’ll waitress as much as I can outside of class. It should be OK.”

  “That’s good. I have applied to school already. My boss said I can continue to work at the library. She’ll give me shifts that will accommodate my classes. I just can’t wait to get started!”

  Lee laughed. “Me, neither! If I never get another cent, I’ll be happy. I still can’t believe it. They said all our tuition will be paid for whatever we want to study. All we have to do is send them the bills. And that goes for as long as it takes. Not just for a year. Isn’t that incredible? It’s really a huge pile of money, isn’t it? Thanks, Grandfather, whoever you are!”

  Jay Jackson was sitting across the street from the restaurant where Cassie and Lee were having lunch. Behind a fly speckled and dirty window, he was invisible, sitting at a greasy table. It was a dump of a bar, perfect for his purposes.

  He’d managed to get only a measly $2,000 from Lee Girard. Usually, his scores were bigger, and he resented it. The bitch had told the cops, too and he’d get her for that. His landlady had told him he’d better leave. Somebody had come looking for him. A detective, no less.

  He could have blown town, but Jay had smelled money. Bigger money. That lawyer that Lee was going to see was somebody that only the very rich employed. He’d checked him out when Stella called him about this job. And he could have sworn that Lee would come back with a nice haul that he could get his hands on and take off, the way he usually did. But all she had was a measly small check. Not even any jewelry. Well, he wasn’t going to let it go. When the money came in, he’d be there. He was sure there would be more money. He had some ideas about how he’d make the big score.

  CHAPTER 12

  Derek walked up Main Street going West, as the barkeep had said. The setting sun made the Western sky a rich pink with the small clouds wine colored. He could see the sky between the low buildings. The air was cool and once again, he was glad of his jacket. He wondered what this place, the Gunk Hole, would be like. He’d worked in plenty of dives. In fact, now he thought of it, he seemed to specialize in dives and run down honky tonk bars. The thought crossed his mind that maybe that wasn’t the way to fame and fortune. Again, he tried to visualize his Mom in this New England setting. Maybe not here, exactly, but somewhere between here and Boston. He saw her pretty face with its delicate features, and fair straight hair. Yes, she could have belonged in this setting. So, why did she go South? To Tennessee, first, and then down to Texas. Because she had nowhere to go after the divorce? And what help was her father? He wished he had asked her before she was gone and he would never be able to ask her anything again. A deep pang of longing swept over him but he shook it off.

  All his Mom had talked about was wanting to have a singing and musical career. In Nashville, she got some work, but nobody wanted to hear her own songs. She was a backup singer for a lot of music. It paid the bills, of course. Then a boyfriend came along. The bills started to get paid and they went down to Texas, taking 8 year old Derek along. The boyfriend didn't last long and th
en they were on their own. His mother got a job and her hopes began to be centered on Derek instead. His father seemed to be out of the picture.

  He’d been able to see his father once or twice a year when they lived in Tennessee. His Dad had come down and taken Derek fishing and to ball games and talked about what Derek wanted to do in life. But when they moved to Texas, his Mom seemed to lose touch with his Dad. And he hadn’t seen him again. Derek kept expecting that his Dad would turn up but he never did, so finally, he gave up hope. If his Dad had really wanted to, he would have kept in touch, wouldn't he? Maybe he was being bought off. His Mom said a college fund had been set up for him years ago and when he was 18, he got to choose where to go. He picked a local college and majored in having fun. That’s what his mother complained about, anyway. His official major was the history of music. He’d always sung along with his Mom when she was practicing and in college, he learned that someone who knew how to strum a guitar and sing was a popular party guest. Fortunately, he’d managed to graduate. He wished he’d paid more attention now and made his Mom proud with good grades. She always said he had talent but she worried about his laziness.