by Ashley Woods
Robert was hesitant, “How am I to know that you aren’t trying to meet me, just so you can bring someone with you to rough me up?”
“Oh, come on, you paranoid twit. You two can be very valuable to our plans. We can’t pull this off without you. We know that in your current situation that you wouldn’t be in any position to reveal what we are up to.
He now tried to be more convincing,
“We are talking big, big money. The easiest you will ever earn, and time is of the essence. It can only happen at a certain time. As for me, it is only about the revenge.
His voice grew softer, “Just hear us out. Bring a gun with you if you are so afraid. Reggie knows he can trust me, just ask him. Is he going to be there?”
Robert grudgingly answered, “OK, this all sounds pretty good, I guess I can trust you too. Yes, of course Reynolds will be there. I’ll text you from a burner phone and tell you where we are staying as soon as I board the plane.”
The ramp crew had finally finished hooking up the tunnel, and the stewardess now opened the gate.
Robert leaned over and unzipped his Burberry carry-on bag. He began frantically rummaging through it, looking for a pack of gum to chew for take-off.
He felt a firm hand on his shoulder and looked up. Five men in trench coats stood before him. One produced a pair of handcuffs.
“Robert St. Germain, you are under arrest for 6 counts of securities fraud, and you are also in violation of the RICO act.” He then began reading Robert his rights.
Robert began laughing and doubled over in his seat.
“Please stand up sir. This is nothing to laugh at.”
One of the men put a hand under his coat to ready his gun.
Robert jumped up and put his hands high in the air.
“I surrender, I surrender!” He laughed again.
“Come on fellows, who put you up to this? Was it Reggie? What a great prank.”
The men remained silent, and Robert was turned around so the cuffs could be administered. When he heard them click, his expression now turned to fear.
His mind began racing. Who could have betrayed him? Only three people knew he was boarding a flight at O’Hare Airport today for the Maldives; a country with no extradition agreement with the United States.
He knew it wasn’t his lawyer Reggie. He also was sure it wasn’t his girlfriend, since she never had a clue about any of his business dealings.
Jeannie was back at her apartment caring for their daughter who had just been born three days ago. When St. Germain left her that morning, he failed to mention that it was a one-way ticket, and that she would be now raising his unwanted off-spring without him. And, on his way to the airport, he stopped by the bank to clean out her checking account.
St. Germain knew that it had to be Kristen! He still owed her a lot of money, and Robert knew that she was mad at him enough to do this to him. He could not believe that after all these years of being a con man, that he finally got caught.
Robert walked proudly as he was led through the airport, and into an unmarked sedan. The agents behind him were stuck carrying his luggage.
Who Robert completely forgot to suspect, was Anne…
One hour earlier, his phony Vice-President was at her condo in the suburbs, when she heard a knock on the door.
“Who is it?” She glanced out a window and saw two official looking cars in front.
“It is the F.B.I. Open the door.”
With a look of horror on her face, Anne slowly opened the door. Her small dog began barking as two agents entered into her living room.
“We are in a hurry and you need to tell us right now the whereabouts of Robert St. Germain. There are several charges that we have him on.”
Anne was scared, and she instantly declared,
“He is probably at his girlfriend’s house which is about 10 minutes from here. He lives with her. That’s all I can tell you. I have not spoken to him in a long time. I barely know him.”
The agent gave her a very stern look.
Anne flinched, “OK, that’s not the whole truth. He is actually at O’Hare airport by now. He is leaving for the Maldives for a short vacation. He is taking a United flight to New York for the connection.”
The agent instantly dialed on his cell phone as he began to walk back out the door.
“Please have a seat over there. The other agent will be staying with you until Mr. St. Germain is taken into our custody. We don’t need you calling to warn him.”
Anne blurted out, “Hey, I am the one that reported him! You don’t need to worry about me. That scum bag took me for a lot of money. I told my girlfriend all about it, and she told her SEC boyfriend. They said they would never reveal that I turned him in.”
The agent laughed, “Well, contacting the Securities Exchange Commission was the right move. They got right on it and let us know.”
The agent went out to his car and drove off.
The other agent said, “From what we know, you have also been implicated in many of your friend’s dealings. You were a key component in his organization. We are in the process of obtaining an arrest warrant for you too.”
He added, “I suggest that you refrain speaking further about this with me, until you have a lawyer present. This is a very serious case. We have been looking for this clown for years.”
Anne took his advice and sat in silence. Two more agents entered her home and sat down on the couch. It was very awkward, as they all avoided eye contact with her, and typed on their laptops.
Anne stared blankly out the window. What a mess Robert had gotten her into. She had fallen quickly in love with him, to the point that all rational thinking had vacated her. She fell even farther for his bag of tricks. He was truly a pathological liar, and she now feared greatly for her safety, since he was so unpredictable.
Robert in a cage would be a force to deal with, and she had never been more scared in her life…
8 FOR A NIGHT LIKE THIS
Kristen was having a great start to her summer, but she hopelessly watched as the balance in her checkbook grew smaller and smaller. She thought again, about how much the $75,000 that she lost to St. Germain would really help her out now.
She spoke to a lawyer friend about pursuing the rat, but he said if there were drugs involved, she should leave the whole fiasco alone. Kristen assured herself, that when she got her big money, she would then go after him with a team of high-powered attorneys.
Nevertheless, she was curious where Robert was lately, and she saw that someone actually had an internet blog about him. It was unbelievable!
He had been going across the country for years and had a long list of victims. No wonder why he was so good at it. Men, women, hotels, and large corporations, had all been charmed, and then coerced by his exploits.
Kristen regretted that she never researched Robert when she first met him. If she had, both her bank account and her sanity would still be intact. And, because his name was an alias, Kristen and the other victims would never know that he had finally been stopped.
She wondered now if anyone else had the special treat of seeing him in his red skirt? She could only venture guesses why his buddies were so willing to risk their livelihoods’ hanging out with him. He was the biggest nut that she had ever met.
Kristen decided to take her mind off the past, by cleaning out her closet. She was knee-deep in a pile of shoe rejects when her phone rang. There was a long silence and then he spoke.
"Kristen, I have sensed that all is not well with you. Are you alright?"
Kristen held the cell closer, as she removed a painful stiletto sticking in her hip, and answered, "Karl? Is that you?"
An impatient voice replied, "Why do you always ask? You know that it is."
Kristen became flustered, "It's just that I didn't expect to ever hear from you again. You made that quite evident the last time we saw each other."
"Circumstances have changed. I am not one to abandon a friend. Plus, I have my own r
easons for calling..."
Kristen jumped in, “Are you back in town?"
Karl was displeased at her disruption, "Seriously Kristen, you need to stop acting so eager. It is quite the turn-off. It won't be much longer, before I quit tolerating your childish behavior altogether. You seriously embarrassed me in front of my acquaintances and you know that is why it ended."
Kristen was ready to start arguing with him but held back. She was curious as to why he wanted to talk to her.
Karl scolded her a bit more, and then his voice took on a smile, “Kristen, I would be honored to have you accompany me to a small dinner with the Ambassador to Britain. He will be in Chicago tomorrow.”
He chuckled, "I know how you like handsome men. Here's another chance to go international. Or would you rather stick with me?"
Kristen laughed, "The jury is still out on that one Karl. You are not the easiest person in the world to please. I really have moved on. But, I do accept your offer, because I feel that this would be a creative outlet for me. I just don't know if I can afford the correct outfit for it."
Karl stiffened and replied, "You know that is never an issue. I enjoy dressing you. I will have an associate of mine find you something, and then I will come over tonight to put it on you."
Kristen became excited again and started bubbling, "Oh Karl! I would love to see you. I can hardly wait!"
On the other end, Karl shook his head and smiled. He would never let on to her in person, but he really did enjoy the little girl in her. He ended on an upbeat note, "Kristen, I will be happy to see you again too. I will be there at 6 PM."
Kristen abandoned her closet project, and spent the following hours straightening up her place for Karl's arrival. She felt her range of emotions changing course again, and she was surprised that Karl now strangely made her think of Gregory. They seemed to be cut from the same cloth.
When it came to Karl, she was still waiting for the passion to surface. She knew it was deep inside him somewhere, but the wait seemed eternal.
Kristen showered and dressed and had barely enough time to finish putting on her make-up, when her doorbell rang at precisely 6 PM.
Karl made a grand entrance wearing an evening suit and sporting a slender and beautiful woman on his right arm. He met Kristen's dismayed look, with a smirk.
"This is Anna Marie. She is going to a party with me after we drop your outfit off." Anna Marie was carrying the goods. She had a wardrobe bag, and a few small packages containing what Kristen hoped, were expensive shoes, and perhaps an evening clutch. Anna Marie looked bored and held them straight out in front of her.
Kristen inquired, "Are you two going to one of those parties?"
Karl did not answer as he took the articles from his date. He pointed to a chair and Anna Marie obediently went to sit. Karl unzipped the dress bag with a flourish and brought out a gorgeous couture cocktail dress. Kristen rushed over to see who the designer was.
Karl looked disapprovingly at her, "Can't you just appreciate the beauty? Why are you so crazy for labels?"
Kristen stepped back and knew not to cross over the boundary line that Karl had created between her and the dress. But she was feeling bolder around him now, and tactfully replied, “I am sorry Karl. You know how I love fashionable clothes. It has nothing to do with labels. You seem to have some off-kilter ideas about me.” Karl looked amused.
Kristen then glanced over at Anna Marie, who registered no reaction. Kristen leaned closer to her, and noticed that she had a glossy appearance, and didn't even seem to be human. Her long black tresses were shiny, like doll hair. It was entirely possible that she was a mannequin, she had yet to speak.
Karl laid the other bags down on the couch. He smiled, "Kristen, we must be leaving now. I will send a car service for you tomorrow, at 7 PM sharp. Please be out front to receive him. Kristen was still unhappy that Anna Marie was with him and was now half-tempted to tell Karl that she had no interest in accompanying him and being used as a social accessory.
But, she knew that Karl was definitely not the person to react to in that manner, so she stifled it. There was something about him that was frightening. She still didn't know what it was, or why he had that effect on her. He was a genuine mystery.
She barely managed a weak "Good Bye Karl", as he gave her a brief kiss on the cheek.
He then smiled again at her and gave her a light pinch that made her stand straight, “You had better be a good girl. I will see you tomorrow. Please wear your hair up. I have provided a lovely jeweled clip for you."
He walked out with Anna Marie, head down, following directly behind him.
Karl then stepped back in the doorway, "By the way, is there someone that you would like me to speak to for you?" Kristen looked puzzled. She immediately wondered if he was referring to Robert St. Germain. She had a gut feeling that Karl knew about what had happened between them, but of course, that was not possible. Still, she felt weird, and shook her head.
Kristen answered, "No Karl. There is no one. Everything is fine." Karl looked disappointed, "Very well then, until tomorrow." He nodded politely as he exited.
Kristen walked through her living room and gathered up her new items. She placed them in her closet without giving the dress a second glance. It was like an evil spirit was warding her away from it.
The next morning Kristen met up with Suzie to go to the fitness club. They were very competitive and liked to jog side by side on the machines. Suzie was jealous, when Kristen told her she would be meeting the British ambassador that evening.
She pleaded, "Oh, come on! Get him to find me a date too. I want to meet the Ambassador. He is so cute and he is available! He recently got divorced."
Kristen looked at her in disbelief, “Since when do you know about the British government? Did you start reading newspapers?"
Suzie gave her a rude laugh, "No. Of course not! I read it in Vogue. Complete with glossy pictures of him."
Kristen mockingly acted relieved, "Oh, good! I would hate to think that you actually cared about what goes on outside your world." Suzie reached over to Kristen's treadmill and turned up the speed.
"Diva! You should talk. Run! You need to work it girl.”
Kristen had a great session and felt enough ounces lighter to fit into her new dress. When she returned home she pulled it out of the closet and slipped it on. She still did not want to know who it was by, but it fit perfectly, like it was created for her.
It took much finesse to gather her hair and wind it sleekly up on top of her head. She gasped as she viewed the clip that Karl had given her. It looked like an heirloom and was encrusted with diamonds and rubies. She looked beautiful, and she knew he would be impressed.
As instructed, she met the limousine on time, and was rushed off to her special evening with Karl. The lights of the city blended into a dazzling display as they drove through the streets. The car then headed down Lake Shore Drive and turned west on Walton Place. She now realized that the party was being held at the Drake Hotel. This was a classy affair and she was ready!
Kristen strode gracefully through the front door, and Karl was standing in the front lobby waiting to greet her. He looked very handsome in a black tuxedo, and she was daunted by his appearance. Her nerve endings began tingling with excitement as he took her hand and walked her into the banquet room. He smiled, "You look ravishing my dear."
From the polished silver gleaming under the lights, to the beautiful tapestries on the wall, the room was old-world magnificent, as only the Drake could do. There was a receiving line for the Ambassador, but Karl led Kristen straight up to him.
The dignitary was very attractive with a firm build, and straight, thick hair. He looked to be in his early 40's.
"Thomas, I would like you to meet Miss Kristen Kenworth. She is the young lady that I mentioned to you."
Thomas pulled away from a group that he had been greeting and bent down to kiss Kristen's hand.
"Miss Kenworth, it is my great honor to finally
meet you." Kristen was taken slightly aback by his special attention. She wondered why Karl had even talked to him about her. Why were his friends so interested in her? Just exactly what did she mean to Karl?
Kristen smiled at Thomas, and then couldn't help herself looking up into his eyes. He gazed back into hers and she felt an immediate connection. She felt her breath leave her, as he pulled her toward him to kiss her on the cheek. His demeanor was seductive.
Thomas then held tightly to her hand and had her stay by him while he continued greeting his guests. Kristen knew it would not be polite to step away, and she wanted to be with him, in fact, she felt compelled.
Curiously, Karl seemed more than alright with this, and stood off to the side with his back turned to Kristen, while he chatted with a few men.
The guests gave their fond greetings to Thomas, and as they walked past Kristen, she could not help noticing how perfect they all seemed to appear. The men were relatively the same age, with their handsome faces frozen in time, with no hint of aging. Their partners were much younger, with the same lustrous skin as Anna Marie. They all seemed to be matched sets! Above all, they seemed at peace.
The Ambassador dominated Kristen's attention throughout the evening. He had her placed next to him at the long dining table, and Karl was seated at the other end with two gorgeous women adorning each side. He seemed quite happy with the arrangement. Kristen enjoyed the Ambassador's attention, but still didn't understand why this was happening.
Occasionally, Karl would look toward Kristen as if he was evaluating her and Thomas. He seemed as if he was acting more like a matchmaker than her date. It was too strange how this was all taking place, as if it was planned.
After dinner, there was some light dancing taking place, and at this point, Thomas departed from the room. Kristen was left sitting at the head of the table by herself. She was glad to see Karl's familiar face as he walked up to her. He held out his hand leading her to the dance floor.
