Winds of Fire

by Kira Chase

  “You have a one track mind,” Johanna said with a chuckle as she bent and pulled a file from the filing cabinet.

  “How can I help it with my beautiful partner back with me? Life is good. No, I take that back. Life is perfect.”

  “Yes, it is,” Johanna agreed as she closed the filing cabinet and walked back to her desk. She began flipping through the file as she seated herself.

  “What are you looking for?”

  “I'm going to do an in-depth background check on Thatcher Longman,” Johanna replied.

  “If there was anything suspect in Longman's background, don't you think some reporter would have dug it up and been all over it the minute Longman started sniffing around Kendall?”

  Johanna shrugged. “You never know. Sometimes they don't dig deep enough. If what Kendall says is true, he most likely acted differently in public than he did behind closed doors.”

  “Hopefully you can find something we can use to bring him down if we find out Kendall Longman was actually here in the flesh. I have my doubts anything negative concerning Thatcher Longman will pop up though.” Frankie stretched then picked up the phone. “I'm going to call Alec Oakman. Before we get too involved with this, we'd better check out her story.”

  Johanna's brow puckered. “I hope he doesn't tell us that the woman I assume to be Kendall Bronson Longman is lying and is an imposter with a fascination for Thatcher Longman.”

  “Just because she had Kendall Longman's ID still doesn't mean it isn't stolen. If we'd only gone by the picture, then of course I'd have to say it isn't her. She doesn't even have the same hair color and she wasn't dressed like a wealthy heiress would be.”

  “What about the check? She would have had to go to extraordinary lengths to give us a bogus check. It would have been nearly impossible and what would be her motive?” Johanna asked.

  “I don't know.” She shook her head. “If Alec says he never sent anyone here to talk to us, I'm sure he'll want to pursue it since his firm handles the Bronson’s legal affairs. He's not going to let someone get away with trying to impersonate Kendall Longman.” She grinned wickedly. “Even if this is a case of stolen identity, we'll still have a captivating case finding out why this woman is posing as Kendall.” She lifted her eyebrows. “He'll definitely want to hire us to get to the bottom of it and hunt her down.”

  Johanna shared her enthusiasm. “You're right. I never thought of that. Well, you call him while I see what I can dig up on Thatcher Longman. Even if Kendall turns out to be an imposter, I still want some background info on Thatcher Longman if for no other reason than to appease my curiosity.”

  Frankie punched in the number, and when the receptionist answered, gave her name. A couple of minutes later Alec Oakman came on the line.

  “Hello, Frankie. I was expecting your call,” Alec Oakman greeted her cheerfully. “I take it Kendall Longman was in to see you this morning to give you the retainer check.”

  Her eyebrows drew together. “Good morning, Alec. So she is the real Kendall Bronson Longman.” She nodded to Johanna. “Johanna and I have quite a few questions as you probably assumed we would have. What I don't understand is why you didn't contact us directly instead of sending her over. You usually leave the clients out of our investigations,” Frankie replied as she tapped a pen absentmindedly against her notepad. “And of course we were surprised by the looks of her. What's up with that?”

  “I know. I'll explain it to you, but not on the phone. This case is highly unusual, Frankie, as you've obviously concluded.”

  “That’s putting it mildly.”

  “I'm taking every precaution since Kendall's situation is very sensitive.”

  “We informed Kendall that we'd begin our surveillance this evening. But, of course, we hadn't planned to do anything until we spoke with you first. I have to tell you, the mention of your name caught me off guard. As I've said, we have quite a few questions before we begin anything.”

  “The sooner you find out what Thatcher Longman is up to the better. Let me check my schedule.” Frankie waited and listened to a rustling sound she assumed was Alec flipping through his day planner. He was an old-fashioned guy and would never totally relinquish control of his daily planner to modern technology. “I'm free for an hour this afternoon. Would three o'clock work for you and Johanna?”

  “No problem. We'll see you then.” Frankie clicked off the phone and looked at Johanna.

  “What did he say?” she asked peering over the top of her computer screen.

  Her eyes narrowed. “Apparently Kendall is telling the truth. Alec is going to explain everything to us this afternoon.”

  Johanna's eyes lit up. “Good. Did he mention why she was dressed the way she was?”

  She shook her head. “No, he'll explain everything when we meet with him. All I know for certain is that she didn't want to be recognized. Or if what she told us is true, it's not a disguise. I don't know what to think at this point. I'm totally baffled.”

  Johanna rubbed her hands together. “We're going to have quite an adventure with this case. In my opinion, Thatcher Longman is one of the most despicable men to ever walk the earth.” She exhaled loudly.

  Frankie was all ears. “What did you find out? I hope something to give us a head start.”

  “Sorry. Nothing yet. I'm just thinking about the lost look in Kendall's eyes.” She grunted. “But now that we know that Kendall was telling us the truth, I'll bet Longman preyed on her when she was at the lowest point in her life. She'd been devastated by her fiancée's death, followed by her father's, had a breakdown, and then Thatcher shows up out of the blue like her knight in shining armor to help her through her pain...and her fortune. I can just picture a creep like him wining and dining her, making up a story about his own social standing and wealth. After a whirlwind courtship he convinces her to marry him.” She paused as she waited for Frankie to process what she had said.

  “There's only one problem.” Frankie propped her chin on a hand. “Why didn't he convince her not to have a pre-nup?”

  “Simple,” Johanna stated as she leaned back in her chair. “To persuade her that he wasn't interested in her money. What better way? Then he could charm her, and after he gained her complete trust, get her to add clauses to the pre-nup. When he got everything he wanted, he could move in for the kill and blindside her.”

  “Hmmm...then how did he gain access to her accounts and cut her completely out?”

  “He probably convinced the courts that she can't control her vast accounts and received power of attorney over them in the guise of desiring to protect her vast holdings. With her prior hospitalization, the odds were already stacked against her. And the way she looked when we saw her, if that’s what's he's reduced her to, well, maybe he used that to prove that even her hygiene isn't up to par. What do you think a judge is going to assume about her mental state if he saw her the way we did?”

  Frankie was thoughtful for a minute. “Makes sense. I'm sure he acted like a loving caring husband in front of the judge, only wanting what is best for his wife. It makes his case that her accusations about any infidelity on his part is unwarranted if she brings that up.” Her lips tightened. “Unless we can also prove that he's taking vast amounts of money out of her accounts. He'd have to justify each transaction.”

  Johanna laughed. “Alec would have known and done something about it. That is not what we were hired for, Frankie. We're only trying to prove his infidelity.”

  “I know, but it wouldn't hurt to snoop around a bit.”

  “Who knows what we may learn. I agree that there's more to this than just a cheating husband. I can't wait until we meet with Alec. He has to be working some kind of angle.”

  “But how is Longman getting away with it? Kendall's company surely has a team of financial advisors who would question any unusual withdrawals or transfers.”

  “Possibly someone in the company is working with him,” Johanna replied. “There has to be a close confidant of Kendall's who ca
n give us some insight. Someone who knows her well enough to see that her husband has been emotionally and mentally abusing her.”

  Frankie peered at her thoughtfully. “Men like Thatcher subtly isolate their girlfriends and wives from their friends and family, convincing the victim no one cares about her but him. He probably used those tactics on Kendall several years ago, gaining her total trust. That's the only way he could win complete control over her. But something inside of her didn't let him succeed in taking total control, though. Who knows how long Thatcher's been cheating? Maybe he's had a woman on the side the whole time he's been with Kendall. He most likely kept his mistress quiet by supplying her with money and the finer things in life while he stayed married to Kendall for several years to convince everyone in their social circles that Kendall and he had a loving stable marriage all the while slowly chiseling away at her emotional and mental wellbeing. By staying with her, through all of her emotional ups and downs, it would make him look like a saint in everyone's eyes. Just when he gets her where he wants her, he makes his final move. And we need to stop him before he succeeds.”

  Johanna listened intently. “Makes sense.” She suddenly snapped her fingers. “I just thought of something.”

  “What?”

  “We need to see a copy of the pre-nup and go over it with a fine tooth comb to see any added clauses.”

  “Alec would certainly have advised her against anything that could harm her down the road. But love is blind.” Frankie's eyes slanted. “I think you're on to something, though. He's trying to drive her mad in order to gain permanent control of her assets.” She bit her bottom lip.

  Johanna looked pointedly at Frankie. “We'll just have to wait until we see what information Alec gives us and take it from there.” She stretched. “After all, Alec would have had to add any clauses she insisted on.”

  Frankie exhaled loudly. “Let's hope she didn't add any.”

  Johanna started to chuckle.

  “What's so funny?”

  “I keep forgetting that we are only supposed to tail Thatcher. We weren't asked to do anything else.”

  Frankie looked sheepishly at her. “I know, but when have we ever stayed on track?”

  “Never.” Johanna rolled her eyes at Frankie. “I have a feeling it's going to be a long day and night. Since we're meeting with Alec at three, we might not have time to go home before we begin our surveillance. Good thing I keep some comfortable clothes here. I'd hate to wear this all night cooped up in the car.”

  “You don't have to change,” Frankie said as her eyes met Johanna's. “I might enjoy running my hands up and down your legs. Give me something to do while we're sitting alone in the car in the dark, fighting boredom.”

  “A one track mind. You'll never change, Frankie Barker,” Johanna said with a laugh in her voice.

  “Why would I want to when I'm going to be sitting in the car in very close quarters with the sexiest woman on earth?”

  Johanna shook her head. “Hey, didn't you promise me a breakfast sandwich? I'm starved.”

  * * * *

  Johanna settled into one of the oversized leather chairs facing Alec Oakman's large masculine desk. Frankie sat in the other chair. Johanna was always amazed at this office. It was lavishly decorated to impress the wealthy clientele his office catered to. Alec dressed in the finest suits, ate at the best restaurants, and socialized with the right people. His late grandfather had founded the firm, and Alec's father had managed to make it one of the most elite firms on the east coast. The elder Oakman still consulted on some cases, but Alec had taken the reins from him and now the firm boasted a myriad of attorneys and paralegals to handle whatever problems befell their affluent clientele.

  Alec sat in his chair, which matched Frankie and Johanna's, but it was slightly larger. His eyeglasses were perched on the end of his too-long nose as he flipped through a file. He was in his mid-fifties and wasn't an attractive man, but what he lacked in looks he made up for in personality. Even with all of his wealth and fame, he didn't have a snobbish bone in his entire body and was recognized in the community for many of the same charitable contributions and humanitarian programs his clients were associated with.

  Alec ran a hand through his dark brown and gray close-cut hair. “I should have given you a head's up. It must have been quite a shock when Kendall Longman came to you seeking your help.”

  Frankie lifted a wary eyebrow. “It was.”

  “She insisted she wanted to meet with the both of you. I intended to get together with you before she did on Friday, but I was in court all day. I had no idea she'd actually gone to your office until she called me Saturday morning. Since you'd asked her to bring the retainer, Frankie, I arranged it and waited for your call.” He smiled weakly as he shook his head back and forth. “Her case is complicated. I need to tell you up front that it's not going to be easy. I've spent the past few weeks going over every angle and the only solution was to enlist your services. Keep in mind that no matter what you need or have to do, money is no object. You have an open ended expense account.”

  Johanna's brow puckered. “So everything Kendall said about Thatcher Longman is true?”

  “Unfortunately, it is.”

  “Unbelievable.” Frankie leaned forward in her chair. “Why couldn't you convince a judge to unfreeze her accounts?”

  His lips drew together in a thin line. “It's impossible.” He threw the file on his desk. “I know Longman is probably cheating, most likely has been even before Kendall married him. But what Thatcher Longman has been doing to Kendall's holdings goes much deeper than that.”

  Johanna frowned. “She said he signed a pre-nup. My understanding is that the pre-nup should assure her that he gets nothing in the event of divorce. I thought that was the reason for having one in the first place. So why not just divorce him?”

  “Kendall's pre-nup is a bit unusual. Longman was adamant about signing a pre-nup. Over the years, he convinced Kendall to make minor adjustments to the agreement, which he was quick to sign. Some of the changes stated if she decided to end the marriage, he would receive a substantial settlement.”

  “What if he wanted out?” Johanna asked.

  “He'd get nothing. Also, another clause states that in the event of any infidelity on his part, she can end the marriage and he is left out in the cold. Kendall had that one added herself.”

  “Did he object?” Johanna asked.

  “How could he? It would throw suspicion on him.”

  “Well, he's obviously trying to get her to file for divorce,” Frankie said. “It still doesn't explain why she was dressed like she's penniless though.”

  He exhaled loudly as he removed his glasses and set them on top of his desk. “There's more going on; something much bigger than a man cheating on his wife and freezing her accounts.”

  “And you obviously don't want him to find out that Kendall came to you for help. That way he won't suspect he's being watched.” Frankie's eyes narrowed. “Makes sense.”

  “No. I want him to know that Kendall came to me, but I need to convince him that the firm refused to listen to her quite unfounded allegations.”

  “I'm confused. Won't that only make him more suspicious? Why would you turn her away when your firm has had the Bronson account for decades?” Johanna asked.

  “We need to convince Thatcher that we believe Kendall is losing control of her mental faculties and something needs to be done since her holdings need to be protected.”

  “How will he know she came to you in the first place?” Frankie asked.

  “We'd be the first place she'd go. He knows that. But I'm going to be placing a call to him to let him know to bring this to a head.”

  “Did he come to you for help in having Kendall proved incompetent to handle her accounts?” Johanna studied the attorney as she tried to make sense out of this case. So far, nothing was adding up. “How was he able to get control of her accounts?”

  “No, he sought the services of a firm
in Philadelphia.”

  “And you didn't find that odd?” Frankie's eyebrows shot up.

  Alec ran a hand over his jaw. “No, because she'd signed power of attorney papers along with the pre-nup stating that if she was ever unable to competently handle her affairs, Thatcher would be given immediate control. He could do whatever he pleased.”

  “He could have pulled the Bronson accounts from your firm, then. Correct?” Johanna asked.

  “No. Kendall's father had put that safeguard in place many years ago. Only in the event of the demise of my firm could the accounts be transferred. Kendall herself can't even change firms unless it was proven we'd done something disreputable.” His eyes narrowed. “Thatcher Longman can never have the accounts transferred, but he can seek the assistance of another firm for anything pertaining to the accounts. That ties our hands.”

  “Now I'm totally confused. He can't get control of the accounts, but he can control how they're handled?” Johanna pursed her lips. “It doesn't make sense.”

  Alec's jaw tightened. “As I've said, it's complicated.”

  “Didn't you go to court to try to defend Kendall when he began taking control? I can't believe you would allow her to suffer like that, Alec,” Johanna said heatedly. “That doesn't sound like you.”

  Frankie was surprised at Johanna's outburst. It proved how Kendall's situation had affected her. “I'm sure Alec will explain if you give him a chance, Johanna.”

  Alec held up a hand palm out. “It's all right, Johanna. Actually, I'm pleased that Kendall made such an impression on you. That's why I brought you two in on this.” He smiled warmly as he looked at Johanna. “Our hands were tied. She'd been institutionalized. The courts cited her own conditions of power of attorney and ruled against her. The good news is that the accounts can't be transferred to another firm so we can still keep an eye on them for anything we deem suspicious.”