until she got to the part about the spider. I didn't buy that. How could a spider survive in a motel room when it's vacuumed and cleaned each day? But someone or something had poisoned or drugged him and I couldn't see Tehra doing that. It was obvious she cared about Stan and wouldn't want to see him hurt. Something was going on though, and it was killing me that I couldn't figure it out.
29
Nightmares
Stan Turner
Rebekah's reaction to my revelation was first joy and excitement, but quickly turned to anger and bitterness. She couldn't accept the fact that Peter was alive but she would never be able to see him again. She had many questions and it took nearly two hours to explain what had happened to him and why he had been taken to Tarizon. She cursed the CIA for forcing me to work for them and the government for trading human lives for technology. She was quiet and introspective when we returned to the motel room. She picked up my belt and stared for a moment at the chip Tehra had embedded into the leather, then she shook her head and went to bed without a further word. For a long time she just laid there, her eyes glazed over.
Despite her obvious confusion over what I'd told her, I felt greatly relieved that she now knew the truth. I just hoped I'd done the right thing in telling her. I looked over at her and noticed she was weeping. I crawled over to her, dried her eyes with my fingers, and then put my arms around her. She put her head on my shoulder and I held her tightly until she went to sleep.
For a long time I just stared into the darkness wondering what lay ahead for us. Eventually, when I fell asleep, I found myself back in Hillsboro with Tehra. She was sitting with her legs crossed on the bed and I was sitting across from her mesmerized by her strange and exotic body. She wanted me and I wanted her but I didn't dare touch her. The consequences of such an encounter would be catastrophic. I looked away trying to retain control.
She smiled in amusement and then leaned forward and whispered in my ear. "Give me a child?"
I woke up with a start. Rebekah stirred but only turned over and went back to sleep. Fear shot through my veins like hot lead. I swallowed hard. Had I been dreaming or was the scene I'd played in my head a memory that I'd somehow suppressed? Could I have made love with Tehra? I cringed with horror at the thought.
In the morning I could feel nothing but dread and uncertainty. How would Rebekah be when she woke up and remembered the bizarre story I had told her? I feared she'd sink back into depression and all the progress we'd made these last few day would be lost. And what did Ralph Herman have in store for Ben and Alice today in court? Would it turn out to be nothing or did he have another grenade to throw in our faces?
Rebekah finally got out of bed and stretched. I opened my eyes and studied her. She smiled faintly and then walked into the bathroom. I yawned and then looked at the clock radio. It was 7:47 a.m. "If we hurry we'll have time to grab some breakfast at IHOP."
"Good. I'm starving," she replied.
At breakfast she was in such a good mood I wondered if she remembered what I had told her the previous night. Of course, I couldn't ask her about it. I just had to assume the knowledge that Peter was alive and well overshadowed the fact that we'd never see him again. On the way to the courthouse I caught Rebekah smiling at me several times. Finally, she said, "I'm sorry I've been so distant. I hope you'll forgive me."
I shook my head. "There's nothing to forgive. You've been through a lot."
When I looked over at her, she was focused on my belt where the listening chip was located. She looked up with a contorted look on her face and gestured at the belt with her middle finger. I burst out laughing.
We got to the courthouse about fifteen minutes before the hearing and found a seat in the gallery. We were number thirteen on the docket which I feared was a bad omen. A few minutes later Ben and Alice showed up and sat next to us. As we were waiting I noticed the bank's attorney, Vincent Hunnicutt. He motioned to me, so I got up and joined him outside the courtroom.
"So, have you heard from Herman this morning?"
Hunnicutt gave me a solemn look that made me nervous. "Listen," he said, "your client has been a good customer at the bank for a long time and he and Mr. Stenson have become good friends. That's why I'm going to suggest you might want to withdraw your cash collateral request. I'm afraid if the judge sees the evidence that was handed to me today, he'll want to refer the case to the FBI."
"What!" I gasped. "What for?"
"Bankruptcy fraud," he said softly.
"Bankruptcy fraud? That's ridiculous."
He raised an eyebrow. "I'm not so sure. I've been given a signature card and bank statement from the Royal Bank, Grand Cayman Islands, for a bank account in the name of Stover Enterprises, Ltd. As of close of business on July 31st there was $107,332.00 in it. Today, of course, it's got but $52.08. Mr. Stenson said if you withdraw your cash collateral motion and move to dismiss the case, he'll give Ben forty-eight hours to bring the account current. Once the bankruptcy is dismissed, however, he'll want the note paid off."
For a moment I just stood there in stunned silence. Finally, I cleared my throat and asked to see the signature card and bank statement. He pulled copies out of his briefcase and handed them to me. They looked legitimate and were as damning as Hunnicutt had claimed. I wondered why Ben and Alice had hidden this from me, and where the money had been transferred. I couldn't imagine them doing something like this. It was a serious bankruptcy crime to conceal assets of an estate. They could both go to jail for many years and be fined hundreds of thousands of dollars.
I sighed. "Let me talk to my client," I said and excused myself. I went over to Ben and Alice and asked them to join me out in the hall for a chat. Alice turned white when I told them what Hunnicutt had said.
"It's not true," Ben protested. "I didn't set up this account."
I showed him the signature card but he continued to deny knowledge of the account. Alice shook her head and insisted it wasn't their account. "Before today you had no knowledge of this account or the money in it?" I asked urgently.
"No!" Ben replied. "But I bet I know who set it up."
I sighed. "Ralph Herman."
Ben nodded. "That's where he put the money he stole from us. Of course, he's moved it by now. This is all a game he's playing. The son of a bitch!"
"Damn it!" I moaned. "Now what are we going to do? If this comes up in the hearing the judge will have no choice but to get the FBI involved."
"No. We can't have the FBI snooping around," Alice warned. "No telling what other traps Ralph has set for us."
Hunnicutt motioned that our case was being called. "Okay, what do you want me to do? They're calling our case."
Ben shrugged. "We have no choice. Take the bank's offer. We'll dismiss the chapter 11."
I groaned at the thought of letting Herman win again, but Ben's decision was the right thing to do. Once the FBI and a federal prosecutor got on your butt, your life could go to hell in a hurry. I swallowed hard and made my way into the courtroom.
"Mr. Turner. Are you ready?" the judge asked.
"Yes, Stan Turner for the debtor-in-possession."
" Vincent Hunnicutt for Waco Commercial National Bank."
"Your Honor," I said. "The debtor has decided to withdraw its motion. The debtor is going to file a motion to dismiss their case."
"Very well," the judge said. "The motion is withdrawn."
"May we be excused?" I asked
"You may," the judge said. The judge nodded to the calendar clerk for her to call the next case.
"Star Bakery, Inc.,” she read in a monotone, “Motion to Lift the Automatic Stay filed by Ford Motor Credit. . . ."
I turned and walked quickly out of the courtroom with Alice and Ben close behind. Rebekah was waiting for us and stood up when she saw us. "So, how did it go?" she asked.
"It was disaster," I said. "It seems Mr. Herman has struck again."
"Oh, no," Rebekah moaned. "I'm so sorry. That guy is really a bastard."
"Yeah, you're just lucky your banker likes you or it could have been a lot worse."
Just as I said that, two grim faced men approached us. One of them said, "Ben Stover?"
Ben nodded warily. "Yes."
The man pulled a badge out of his vest pocket and flashed it in front of us. "I'm deputy Charles Stanfield from the U.S. Marshall's office. I'm afraid I have a warrant for your arrest."
Ben's mouth dropped open and Alice let out a scream. "No! We didn't do anything." Alice started to attack the officer, so I grabbed her by the shoulder and restrained her.
"Don't interfere, Alice. There's nothing you can do now."
By this time a crowd of attorneys and spectators had gathered around. One of the marshals read Ben his rights while the other one cuffed him.
"Is that really necessary?" I asked. "I'm his attorney. Let me take him to your office and I'll surrender him there."
The Marshall brushed me aside and said, "Sorry, this is standard procedure."
I looked around and saw Rebekah with her hand over her mouth in shock. I motioned for her to come, grabbed Alice by the hand, and headed for the elevator. The marshals wouldn't let us ride down with them, so we had to take the next elevator. By the time we got down to the bottom floor the Marshals were gone. Then I realized they'd gone down to the basement which was restricted to law enforcement personnel.
Alice sobbed all the way back to her place. I told Rebekah to stay with her while I went to the Marshall's office to see about getting Ben out of jail. When I stepped into
Act Normal, A Stan Turner Mystery Vol 9 Page 29
