There Must Be A Mistake Ch. 25

"That was the best thing that happened to my marriages Jack, not one of them ended with a child. I wouldn't have minded, and neither would my wives, but I would have hated the thought of leaving a kid in a broken home."

"I keep wondering why Gretchen doesn't go out and try again. She is still a good-looking woman, in her late 30s, but her only contact in the outside world seems to be other women."

"Maybe she switched to the other team?"

"It's always a possibility, but I don't think so."

Let's get inside, I'll introduce you to the rest of the team, and tell you what my plan is, and see if you can make it better."

After the introductions were made, they waited for the aircraft to take off and head for Burlington, about 40 miles west of Montpelier, the capital of Vermont.

"All right people, this is a non-lethal assignment. I owe this as a personal favor to Doctor Joe Finch for saving Margaret Post. With the equipment they had in Temple, there was no way for them to see her heart problem. It was discovered too late in Austin for them to do anything about it. That is why we lost her."

This is a challenging project, so listen up. The subject is a woman named Sandra Finch. She goes by Sandy, the Doctor's former wife. She divorced him, and took him for everything he had, including his children. He never did anything wrong. I checked to verify his story. The doctor's he worked with called him 'Mister Clean', because he never messed around. The nurses said the same thing about him. He was either at work, or at home.

His daughters are 9 and 11, and if they agree, the three of them will become passengers on the spacecraft. If not, we still have a vacancy for a Doctor.

I am going to give you my thoughts on this subject, and then we can discuss it, change it, make it better, or disregarded totally. We have to do this 3 times over a short period of time. Remember, these are my ideas. You can rip them apart; change any part of them where you see a hole in it, and do anything to them that will make any portion better."

"Rory, Lucy is going shopping again. Try to keep your mouth closed this time."

"Are we going to be married, sharing a room, with a single bed?"

"I would break it in half before it touched me."

"Do you see what I mean Colonel; she can't wait to hold it in her hands."

"You two can start doing push-ups, or you can listen to me. It's your choice?"

The banter stopped.

As he went through the plan, it seemed everything depended Sandy's Mercedes.

Paul said, "Sir, do we have access to a lot of cash?"

"Why do you ask Paul?"

"If it's a relatively new Mercedes, we are going to need a 'Singer' to get into it."

"You've got me Paul, what is a 'Singer'?"

"That's what they called it in San Diego. It's a device that goes through all the unlocking/locking codes of expensive automobiles. Some of the new cars use digital technology that can run up to 1 million digits before it opens. You can't do it manually, but it takes forever. These 'Singers' are quick, but they are very expensive."

"Define very expensive for me Paul?"

"They can go for between 10 and 20 grand."

"Where do you get one of these things?"

"There are several ways, but getting one from your local neighborhood Mercedes dealer is best. The problem there is they want to see your car, or registration for the vehicle; that's where the money comes in."

"Take out the case underneath the computer console please."

Paul pulled out the case, and Lucius opened it. There was nearly $500,000 in $100 bills inside it. He handed each member of the team $10,000, but he handed Lucy $20,000.

Rory said, "Why is she getting more money than we are?"

Lucius looked at him, and Rory said, "Never mind."

"Don't flash this money around. It is much more than we will need on this trip, but I don't want any of you to be caught short. I don't want any of you to use plastic either. Jack; you are going to be renting a six wheeled work truck with an open back. Rent 10 sawhorses, with road closed imprinted on them, and orange flashers. Buy two sets of good socket wrenches, and two really good shovels. We may have to bury Rory when this is over, because of erections that lasted more than a week."

Lucy laughed.

Rory didn't."

"Lucille, I want you to buy an expensive suit for Rory. Then add a few jackets, slacks, shirts, socks, and shoes. I've seen his taste in clothes; so please take care of that for me."

"She's not my mother."

"Which one of you was drooling, when we were flying from Lima to Austin?"

"I don't know sir. I was waiting for that plastic wrap to melt."

"It was not plastic, it was leather."

"You should've seen it, Jack. There amount of leather they used on that dress, was so little, the cow didn't realize it was missing."

"That was not funny Rory."

Paul said, "Jack in any non-Latin country she would've been arrested for indecent exposure. We were in Peru, and there were women prancing around in dresses shorter than she was wearing. The only thing Rory didn't do was lie down on the floor to see if she was wearing anything underneath that dress. If he did, Lucy would have stomped on him, before she shot him."

"Lucy as soon as you get him squared away, you can start your shopping. Three nights as a woman on the prowl, and one night with your husband, who works in New York City, for a Private Equity Firm. I will take care of getting your admittance into the club."

"Yes sir, and you know how much I hate shopping."

"Remember all these clothes go to a charity of my choice, when we are finished."

"Please sir, don't do that to me."

"If you want to take the price of the clothing off of your income from this operation you can keep them. Just remember the clothes have got to be top-of-the-line."

"Yes sir, I know."

"Prepare for landing."

"Pick up every scrap of paper. I don't want one thing left on this airplane that would indicate we were here. Take the waste paper bags with us. We will dispose of them, when we get to the lounge."

************************

According to Doctor Finch, living in Montpelier is like living in the book, "A Tale of Two Cities."

"The blue-collar, and middle-class lived on the east side of the Winooski River.

THE CORPORATE ELITE, and THE WEALTHY BY NAME, lived on the west side of the Winooski River.

There were no through roads or highways on the west side of the Winooski River. Therefore, there was no call for any undue traffic from the blue-collar side of the river to be on the WHITE COLLAR SIDE, unless they were on a service call.

The rich and powerful looked upon the Winooski River as their personal 'Moat.' It kept their underlings on their side of the river where they belonged, in their crowded cottages, with their unkempt children.

However, there was one worm in that perfect apple, one thorn in the side of the rich and privileged: The Montpelier Public Golf Course. It is on the west side of the Winooski River. Groups from the west side of the river offered exorbitant sums of money for that piece of real estate, the people on the east side of the Winooski River would not allow the city fathers to sell it to the residents on the west side of the river.

One offer would have paid the city's entire budget for one year. The vote was put out for a public referendum. Of the 8027 Montpelier residents, 3629 were registered voters.

When the vote was tabulated, 3266 residents voted: 831 voted for the sale of the golf course. 2435 voted against the sale of the golf course. The Registrar of Voters announced that there were 824 registered voters west of the Winooski River, letting everyone wonder which seven members from the east side of their community voted for the sale."

****************

The 'Members Only' Barré Country Club/Nightclub, is on the east side of the Winooski River. The main drawback for 'THE RICH AND PRIVILELED PEOPLE' WAS THE 42-MILE DRIVE TO GET THERE, AND THEN RETURN HOME. The drive was mainly on a one lane, which is tilted outward from the center for drainage during the winter season. It challenges the best drivers on their best days, to stay focused on their driving, and it forces normal drivers to reduce their speeds to below the posted limit as a safety precaution.

When you are driving through this area during the daytime, the scenery is glorious. In spring, the trees blossom with their new leaves. They burst forth from winter's grip, and bring bright green leaves back to the forests. As the leaves drink in the summer sun, they turn heavy with the elements of new life, and their green deepens to Emerald. At the first burst of a cool northwest wind, autumn's finest show begins. The leaves turn into bright oranges, gold's, reds, yellows, and blues. Only Mother Nature can put on a show like this, and she outdoes herself every year.

For trees, this is the cycle of life, death, and renewal. However, for drivers, an oncoming car is not your only adversary. A moose, bear, or deer crossing the road will cause you serious harm just as seriously as the car coming at you.

In Montpelier, this is 'Main Street.' On maps, it is designated as US 2.

As we looked down a stretch of it, Jack said to me, "We don't have to stage an accident here, this piece of road is an accident waiting to happen."

"Wonderful news Jack, we will save this one for last. It's the most highly traveled, and we want her kids in the car with her for that one.

***************

Dan Morgan received a call from his bank. He knew he couldn't be overdrawn, because it was connected to his savings account. They said he was being connected to the investment banking area and he could not understand why they would bother with him, because there was not enough money in his accounts to warrant it.

"General Morgan, this is Jaclyn Smith. I am the vice president and general manager of investments of the Southern region of Wells Fargo Corporate Trust Division. I would like to meet you at your convenience to discuss moving some of your assets out of your general banking accounts and into a more growth oriented position. What would be a good time for you?"

"Miss Smith, are you talking to the right Daniel Morgan?"

"I'm sure I am. You put a deposit into your accounts of $50 million yesterday, and that amount is not covered under the FDIC."

Dan yelled, "I am going to kill that dumb son of a bitch."

"What dumb son of a bitch would that be general?"

"That bastard told me he was going to do it. He has cost me more aggravation during my military career than I know what to do with. He is getting even with me for getting him kicked out of the Army."

"Don't you think it's a strange way for him to get even with you?"

"You have no idea how strange this man is Ms. Smith. If I sent this money back to him, he would send me $100 million next week. There is no way to win with him, and believe me Ms. Smith I've tried. What is a good day for you to travel here to Temple?"

"Would Thursday be convenient?"

"I can clear my calendar from noon on."

"That will be wonderful. My associate, Mister David Doyle, will be driving down from Dallas with me."

"I will inform security the two of you are coming."

"We will see you around noon on Thursday general."

"Goodbye Miss Smith."

*****************

"Alyssa, get Jayden on the phone."

"Morning General, is there going to be another drill?"

"No I have something better for you to do. First, Thursday around noon I am expecting two guests: Jaclyn Smith, and David Doyle, from some bank in Dallas. Second, as soon as Colonel Canyon comes back from his assignment, I want the senior agent on property to put a bullet through his ear."

Jayden laughed. "What did the good Colonel do to you this time Sir?"

"He put $50 million into my bank account."

"I'm sorry sir, would you repeat that."

"That bastard put $50 million into my bank account."

"He put $50 million into your bank account, and you want to kill him?"

"Since when did you become hard of hearing Jayden?"

"Are you worried about the taxes sir?"

"No, I'm tired of him being a pain in my ass."

"With all due respect sir, if it wasn't for the Colonel you would have three people remaining in your security department. The rest of us would have quit."

"Why would everyone have quit?"

"With all due respect sir, you are the biggest pain in the ass we have worked for."

"I am not a pain in the ass. I am an efficient senior officer."

"Sir, we all miss Margaret, and I would not bandy her name around just for the sake of conversation, but she always used to say that you were the biggest pain in the ass she ever knew."

"She was talking about our love life."

"No sir, she differentiated between the two. When she was talking about your lack of a love life, she called you a real prick. When she talked about your command style, she called you a pain in the ass."

Dan looked up into the air. "I'm not finished with you Margaret. You wait; when I get there I'm going to give you what for, and an awful lot more."

Jayden said, "General, if you keep talking about killing people, you are never going to see Margaret again."

"Jayden, you are ruining my day."

"I'm only trying to help out general."

Dan slammed down the phone, and growled.

He looked at her ashes, sitting on the shelf. "Margaret, I have a mind to flush you down the toilet."

Out of nowhere, a blinding bolt of lightning struck the building by his office window, followed by a roar of thunder loud enough to deafen in elephant.

Dan ducked for cover in the far corner of his office. He thought he was under attack by a rocket-propelled grenade.

His secretary knocked on the door, opened it, and walked in.

"General, are you hiding?"

"Get down Alyssa, the building is under attack, didn't you hear the explosion?"

"I'm sorry general, but everything's been quiet. Do you want me to check with security?"

"Yes, call the switchboard. See if there any reports of suspicious activity on either of the properties."

Alyssa picked up the general's phone and asked the switchboard operator the questions.

The operator said, "Everything is too quiet; the guards have been doubled just in case."

Alyssa relayed that information to the general, and he felt as foolish as a plebe at West Point. He stood up and asked Alyssa what she wanted when she walked into his office.

Alyssa said, "I came in here to see if you had anything for me to do. I am so far ahead on all the paperwork that needs to be done, I'm sitting out there twiddling my thumbs. What did Margaret do on days like today?"

"It always seemed that Lucius would walk in the door, and Margaret and he would have a great deal of fun at my expense. If that didn't happen, Margaret would call my sister in law, and they would talk for hours."

"Sir, I don't know your sister-in-law. I'm going shopping. If you need me, call me on my cell."

"Okay Alyssa, just don't go to Austin to shop."

Dan thought, "When did I start losing control of this place?"

Margaret whispered, "You never had control of this place. I did, with Lucius help. All you did was sign the papers I drew up for you, just as you did when you were a shiny new Lieutenant."

Dan held his head in his hands and said, "I'm sorry Margaret, I'm sorry for everything."

***********

"Lucius, this is Clark. Sandy just left the Country Club alone and the top is down. I'm right behind her."

"Okay Jack, let us know if she takes the turn on Clark Road."

"Shit, she took the turn on Clark, and nailed the pedal to the floor. She has to be doing over 100 miles an hour already."

"Close the road, and put the warning sign back up. Then check in with me, and I'll tell you if we need your help or not."

"You got it Lucius."

***************

Sandra Finch had taken this road hundreds of times. She knew it like the back of her hand. She was doing 130 miles an hour in her SL 550 Roadster, waiting for the sign that would tell her to slow down for the upcoming turn.

She had a wonderful time this evening. She met two very eligible bachelors. Steve Austin was a Senior Vice President with Hartford Insurance, who did not meet the standard insurance executive profile. He was polite, and he was funny as hell. Unfortunately, for him, Sandra had not gone to bed with any man since she got in her divorce. She still loved her husband, Joseph, and she could not get that out of her head.

Benjamin was a little pushy. He apologized when he got her on the dance floor.

He said, "That other guy was monopolizing you, and I did not see a ring on your finger or his. I took a chance and hoped both of you were single. I wanted to hold you in my arms and get to know you. You are an extremely beautiful woman, and I would have done anything short of starting a fight to hold your body against mine. How many children do you have, one, or two?"

"How do you know I have children?"

"A woman can do a lot of things to her body, but she cannot hide the results of the pregnancy. You have tried extremely hard to conceal it by exercising, and you look absolutely phenomenal. I am a pediatrician, and I have seen what pregnancies do to the muscles of a woman's body after a pregnancy. I would put you in the top 1/10th of one percent."

"Why thank you Doctor. Where is your practice?"

"It's in a really terrible area. My grandmother left me her home in her will. It was a real fixer-upper. I could walk five blocks north to Massachusetts General Hospital, and one block south I am in Beacon Hill.

He smiled, "It is really a terrible location."

"Yes, it does sound dreadful."

"Sandra, if you'd like I can give you a personalized tour of my home and office. You have no idea how much I'd love to get your body on one of my examining tables. You have never felt hands as soft and gentle as mine."

"I hate to tell you this Benjamin, my former husband was a plastic surgeon. I have never felt hands on my body like his."

"Why did you divorce him?"

"In order to pay off his student loans we went to this place in Texas that was underserved. My parents didn't like me being so far from home, and not being able to see their grandchildren.

Finally, they said, "If you don't come home we are going to write you out of our Will, leave everything to your sister, and nothing to your children."

I didn't care about me, but I did care about my kids. I also cared about who they were going to give the money to, my sister. If they gave to charity that would've been fine with me. However, they knew exactly where to hit me. They had not talked to my sister in nearly seven years, because of what she tried to do to my daughters. I was given no choice, and said 'Okay.'

They hired a lawyer, and he took Joseph apart. I got everything he ever had, plus our children."

"That's what lawyers are paid to do."

"Yeah, I guess, but the look on Joseph's face, when we left the courtroom, still haunts me."

**************

As she came out of her daydream, her high beams picked up the beginning of the turn.

"Oh shit." She slammed on the brakes, and tried to make it into the turn. She began to think she might make it, when she saw a car, with its lights on, stopped on the siding of the road. It was the last thing she saw as her airbag exploded into her face, the front of her car crumbled, and her seatbelt retracted holding her in place. She was barely conscious, and thought she smelled something being pressed against her nose and mouth, as she went into a deep dark sleep.

"Jack put up the sign."

"Roger that."

"Rory let's get the mixture into her."

"Lucy, bring us the towels please."