Morning, Noon & Night

by Sidney Sheldon

  “I’m about to buy a yacht.”

  “You’re not on something, are you, Judge?”

  “On…? No, no! I’ve just come into some money. A lot of money.”

  “St.-Tropez, huh? Yeah, that sounds great. Sure, I’d love to go with you.”

  Tyler felt a deep sense of relief. “Wonderful! Meanwhile, don’t…” He couldn’t bring himself even to think about it. “I’ll be in touch with you, Lee.” He replaced the receiver and sat on the edge of his bed. “I’d love to go with you.” He could visualize the two of them on a beautiful yacht, cruising around the world together. Together.

  Tyler picked up the telephone book and turned to the yellow pages.

  The offices of John Alden Yachts, Inc., are located on Boston’s Commercial Wharf. The sales manager came up to Tyler as he entered.

  “What can I do for you today, sir?”

  Tyler looked at him, and said casually, “I’d like to buy a yacht.” The words rolled off his tongue.

  His father’s yacht would probably be part of the estate, but Tyler had no intention of sharing a ship with his brother and sister.

  “Motor or sail?”

  “I…er…I’m not sure. I want to be able to go around the world in it.”

  “We’re probably talking motor.”

  “It must be white.”

  The sales manager looked at him strangely. “Yes, of course. How large a boat did you have in mind?”

  Blue Skies is one hundred and eighty feet.

  “Two hundred feet.”

  The sales manager blinked. “Ah. I see. Of course, a yacht like that would be very expensive, Mr…er…”

  “Judge Stanford. My father was Harry Stanford.”

  The man’s face lit up.

  “Money is no object,” Tyler said.

  “Certainly not! Well, Judge Stanford, we’re going to find you a yacht that everyone will envy. White, of course. Meanwhile, here is a portfolio of some available yachts. Call me when you decide which ones you’re interested in.”

  Woody Stanford was thinking about polo ponies. All his life he had had to ride his friends’ ponies, but now he could afford to buy the finest string in the world.

  He was on the telephone, talking to Mimi Carson. “I want to buy your ponies,” Woody said. His voice was filled with excitement. He listened a moment. “That’s right, the whole stable. I’m very serious. Right…”

  The conversation lasted half an hour, and when Woody replaced the receiver, he was grinning. He went to find Peggy.

  She was seated alone on the veranda. Woody could still see the bruises on her face where he had hit her.

  “Peggy…”

  She looked up, warily. “Yes?”

  “I have to talk to you. I…I don’t know where to begin.”

  She sat there, waiting.

  He took a deep breath. “I know I’ve been a rotten husband. Some of the things I’ve done are inexcusable. But, darling, all that is going to change now. Don’t you see? We’re rich. Really rich. I want to make everything up to you.” He took her hand. “I’m going to get off drugs this time. I really am. We’re going to have a whole different life.”

  She looked into his eyes, and said tonelessly, “Are we, Woody?”

  “Yes. I promise. I know I’ve said it before, but this time it’s really going to work. I’ve made up my mind. I’m going to a clinic somewhere where they can cure me. I want to get out of this hell I’ve been in. Peggy…” There was desperation in his voice. “I can’t do it without you. You know I can’t…”

  She looked at him a long time, then cradled him in her arms. “Poor baby. I know,” she whispered. “I know. I’ll help you…”

  It was time for Margo Posner to leave.

  Tyler found her in the study. He closed the door. “I just wanted to thank you again, Margo.”

  She smiled. “It’s been fun. I really had a good time.” She looked up at him archly. “Maybe I should become an actress.”

  He smiled. “You’d be good at it. You certainly fooled this audience.”

  “I did, didn’t I?”

  “Here’s the rest of your money.” He took an envelope out of his pocket. “And your plane ticket back to Chicago.”

  “Thank you.”

  He looked at his watch. “You’d better get going.”

  “Right. I just want you to know that I appreciate everything. I mean, your getting me out of prison and all.”

  He smiled. “That’s all right. Have a good trip.”

  “Thanks.”

  He watched her go upstairs to pack. The game was over.

  Check and checkmate.

  Margo Posner was in her bedroom finishing packing when Kendall walked in.

  “Hi, Julia. I just wanted to—” She stopped. “What are you doing?”

  “I’m going home.”

  Kendall looked at her in surprise. “So soon? Why? I was hoping we might spend some time together and get acquainted. We have so many years to catch up on.”

  “Sure. Well, some other time.”

  Kendall sat on the edge of the bed. “It’s like a miracle, isn’t it? Finding each other after all these years?”

  Margo went on with her packing. “Yeah. It’s a miracle, all right.”

  “You must feel like Cinderella. I mean, one minute you’re living a perfectly average life and the next minute someone hands you a billion dollars.”

  Margo stopped her packing. “What?”

  “I said…”

  “A billion dollars?”

  “Yes. According to Father’s will, that’s what we each inherit.”

  Margo was looking at Kendall, stunned. “We each get a billion dollars?”

  “Didn’t they tell you?”

  “No,” Margo said slowly. “They didn’t tell me.” There was a thoughtful expression on her face. “You know, Kendall, you’re right. Maybe we should get better acquainted.”

  Tyler was in the solarium, looking at photographs of yachts, when Clark approached him.

  “Excuse me, Judge Stanford. There’s a telephone call for you.”

  “I’ll take it in here.”

  It was Keith Percy in Chicago.

  “Tyler?”

  “Yes.”

  “I have some really great news for you!”

  “Oh?”

  “Now that I’m retiring early, how would you like to be appointed chief judge?”

  It was all Tyler could do to keep from giggling. “That would be wonderful, Keith.”

  “Well, it’s yours!”

  “I…I don’t know what to say.” What should I say? “Billionaires don’t sit on the bench in a dirty little courtroom in Chicago, handing out sentences to the misfits of the world”? Or “I’ll be too busy sailing around the world on my yacht”?

  “How soon can you get back to Chicago?”

  “It will be a while,” Tyler said. “I have a lot to do here.”

  “Well, we’ll all be waiting for you.”

  Don’t hold your breath. “Good-bye.” He replaced the receiver and glanced at his watch. It was time for Margo to be leaving for the airport. Tyler went upstairs to see if she was ready.

  When he walked into Margo’s bedroom, she was unpacking her suitcase.

  He looked at her in surprise. “You’re not ready.”

  She looked up at him and smiled. “No. I’m unpacking. I’ve been thinking, I like it here. Maybe I should stay awhile.”

  He frowned. “What are you talking about? You’re catching a plane to Chicago.”

  “There’ll be another plane along, Judge.” She grinned. “Maybe I’ll even buy my own.”

  “What are you saying?”

  “You told me you wanted me to help you play a little joke on someone.”

  “Yes?”

  “Well, the joke seems to be on me. I’m worth a billion dollars.”

  Tyler’s expression hardened. “I want you to get out of here. Now.”

  “Do you? I think I’ll go w
hen I’m ready,” Margo said. “And I’m not ready.”

  Tyler stood there, studying her. “What…what is it you want?”

  She nodded. “That’s better. The billion dollars I’m supposed to get. You were planning to keep it for yourself, right? I figured you were pulling a little scam to pick up some extra money, but a billion dollars! That’s a different ball game. I think I deserve a share of that.”

  There was a knock at the bedroom door.

  “Excuse me,” Clark said. “Luncheon is served.”

  Margo turned to Tyler. “You go along. I won’t be joining you. I have some important errands to run.”

  Later that afternoon, packages began to arrive at Rose Hill. There were boxes of dresses from Armani, sportswear from Scaasi Boutique, lingerie from Jordan Marsh, a sable coat from Neiman Marcus, and a diamond bracelet from Cartier. All the packages were addressed to Miss Julia Stanford.

  When Margo walked in the door at four-thirty, Tyler was waiting to confront her, furious.

  “What do you think you’re doing?” he demanded.

  She smiled. “I needed a few things. After all, your sister has to be well dressed, doesn’t she? It’s amazing how much credit a store will give you when you’re a Stanford. You will take care of the bills, won’t you?”

  “Julia…”

  “Margo.” She reminded him. “By the way, I saw the pictures of yachts on the table. Are you planning to buy one?”

  “That’s none of your business.”

  “Don’t be too sure. Maybe you and I will take a cruise. We’ll name the yacht Margo. Or should we name it Julia? We can go around the world together. I don’t like being alone.”

  Tyler thought for a moment. “It seems that I underestimated you. You’re a very clever young woman.”

  “Coming from you, that’s a big compliment.”

  “I hope that you’re also a reasonable young woman.”

  “That depends. What do you call reasonable?”

  “One million dollars. Cash.”

  Her heart began to beat faster. “And I can keep the things I bought today?”

  “All of them.”

  She took a deep breath. “You have a deal.”

  “Good. I’ll get the money to you as quickly as I can. I’ll be going back to Chicago in the next few days.” He took a key from his pocket and handed it to her. “Here’s the key to my house. I want you to stay there and wait for me. And don’t talk to anyone.”

  “All right.” She tried to hide her excitement. Maybe I should have asked for more, she thought.

  “I’ll book you on the next plane out of here.”

  “What about the things I bought…?”

  “I’ll have them sent on to you.”

  “Good. Hey, we both came out of this great, didn’t we?”

  He nodded. “Yes. We did.”

  Tyler took Margo to Logan International Airport to see her off.

  At the airport, she said, “What are you going to tell the others? About my leaving, I mean.”

  “I’ll tell them that you had to go visit a very good friend who became ill, a friend in South America.”

  She looked at him wistfully. “Do you want to know something, Judge? That yachting trip would have been fun.”

  Over the loudspeaker, her flight was being called.

  “That’s me, I guess.”

  “Have a nice flight.”

  “Thanks. I’ll see you in Chicago.”

  Tyler watched her go into the departures terminal and stood there, waiting until the plane took off. Then he went back to the limousine and said to the chauffeur, “Rose Hill.”

  When Tyler arrived back at the house, he went directly to his room and telephoned Chief Judge Keith Percy.

  “We’re all waiting for you, Tyler. When are you coming back? We’re planning a little celebration in your honor.”

  “Very soon, Keith,” Tyler said. “Meanwhile, I could use your help with a problem I’ve run into.”

  “Certainly. What can I do for you?”

  “It’s about a felon I tried to help. Margo Posner. I believe I told you about her.”

  “I remember. What’s the problem?”

  “The poor woman has deluded herself into believing she’s my sister. She followed me to Boston and tried to murder me.”

  “My God! That’s terrible!”

  “She’s on her way back to Chicago now, Keith. She stole the key to my house, and I don’t know what she plans to do next. The woman is a dangerous lunatic. She’s threatened to kill my whole family. I want her committed to the Reed Mental Health Facility. If you’ll fax me the commitment papers, I’ll sign them. I’ll arrange for her psychiatric examinations myself.”

  “Of course. I’ll take care of it immediately, Tyler.”

  “I’ll appreciate it. She’s on United Airlines Flight 307. It arrives at eight-fifteen tonight. I suggest that you have people there at the airport to pick her up. Tell them to be careful. She should be put in maximum security at Reed, and not allowed any visitors.”

  “I’ll see to it. I’m sorry you had to go through this, Tyler.”

  There was a shrug in Tyler’s voice. “You know what they say, Keith: ‘No good deed, no matter how small, goes unpunished.’”

  At dinner that evening, Kendall asked, “Isn’t Julia joining us tonight?”

  Tyler said regretfully, “Unfortunately, no. She asked me to say good-bye to all of you. She’s gone to take care of a friend in South America who’s had a stroke. It was rather sudden.”

  “But the will has not been…”

  “Julia has given me her power of attorney and wants me to arrange for her share to go into a trust fund.”

  A servant placed a bowl of Boston clam chowder in front of Tyler.

  “Ah,” he said. “That looks delicious! I’m hungry tonight.”

  United Airlines Flight 307 was making its final approach to O’Hare International Airport on schedule. A metallic voice came over the loudspeaker. “Ladies and gentlemen, would you fasten your seat belts, please?”

  Margo Posner had enjoyed the flight tremendously. She had spent most of the time dreaming about what she was going to do with the million dollars and all the clothes and jewelry she had bought. And all because I was busted! Isn’t that a kick!

  When the plane landed, Margo gathered the things she had carried on board and started to walk down the ramp. A flight attendant stayed directly behind her. Near the plane was an ambulance, flanked by two paramedics in white jackets, and a doctor. The flight attendant saw them and pointed to Margo.

  As Margo stepped off the ramp, one of the men approached her. “Excuse me,” he said.

  Margo looked up at him. “Yes?”

  “Are you Margo Posner?”

  “Why, yes. What’s…?”

  “I’m Dr. Zimmerman.” He took her arm. “We’d like you to come with us, please.” He started leading her toward the ambulance.

  Margo tried to jerk away. “Wait a minute! What are you doing?”

  The other two men had moved to either side of her to hold her arms.

  “Just come along quietly, Miss Posner,” the doctor said.

  “Help!” Margo screamed. “Help me!”

  The other passengers were standing there, gaping.

  “What’s the matter with all of you?” Margo yelled. “Are you blind? I’m being kidnapped! I’m Julia Stanford! I’m Harry Stanford’s daughter!”

  “Of course, you are,” Dr. Zimmerman said soothingly. “Just calm down.”

  The observers watched in astonishment as Margo was carried into the back of the ambulance, kicking and screaming.

  Inside the ambulance, the doctor took out a syringe and pressed the needle into Margo’s arm. “Relax,” he said. “Everything is going to be all right.”

  “You must be crazy!” Margo said. “You must be…” Her eyes began to droop.

  The ambulance doors closed, and the ambulance sped away.

  When Tyler got the r
eport, he laughed out loud. He could visualize the greedy bitch being carried off. He would arrange for her to be kept in a mental health facility for the rest of her life.

  Now the game is really over, he thought. I’ve done it! The old man would turn over in his grave—if he still had one—if he knew that I was getting control of Stanford Enterprises. I’ll give Lee everything he’s ever dreamed of.

  Perfect. Everything was perfect.

  The events of the day had filled Tyler with a sexual excitement. I need some relief. He opened his suitcase and, from the back of it, took out a copy of the Damron Address Book. There were several gay bars listed in Boston.

  He chose the Quest on Boylston Street. I’ll skip dinner. I’ll go straight to the club. And then he thought, What an oxymoron!

  Julia and Sally were getting dressed to go to work.

  Sally asked, “How was your date with Henry last night?”

  “The same.”

  “That bad, huh? Have the marriage banns been posted yet?”

  “God, forbid!” Julia said. “Henry is sweet, but…” She sighed. “He isn’t for me.”

  “He might not be,” Sally said, “but these are for you.” She handed Julia five envelopes.

  They were all bills. Julia opened them. Three of them were marked OVERDUE and another was marked THIRD NOTICE. Julia studied them a moment.

  “Sally, I wonder if you could lend me…?”

  Sally looked at her in amazement. “I don’t understand you.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “You’re working like a galley slave, you can’t pay your bills, and all you have to do is lift your little finger and you could come up with a few million dollars, give or take some change.”

  “It’s not my money.”

  “Of course it’s your money!” Sally snapped. “Harry Stanford was your father, wasn’t he? Ergo, you’re entitled to a share of his estate. And I don’t use the word ergo very often.”

  “Forget it. I told you how he treated my mother. He wouldn’t have left me a dime.”

  Sally sighed. “Damn! And I was looking forward to living with a millionaire!”

  They walked down to the parking lot where they kept their cars. Julia’s space was empty. She stared at it in shock. “It’s gone!”

  “Are you sure you parked your car here last night?” Sally asked.