Sidney Sheldon's After The Darkness Part 7

DONNA S SANCHEZ SAID GENTLY, "ARE YOU sure you're ready, Mrs. Brookstein?" sure you're ready, Mrs. Brookstein?"

Grace nodded. It doesn't matter. This is all a dream, a nightmare. When she pulls back the sheet, I'll wake up. It doesn't matter. This is all a dream, a nightmare. When she pulls back the sheet, I'll wake up.

"We'll do this very quickly. Try to focus on the hand. If you recognize the wedding ring, that's all we need."

Donna pulled back the sheet.

Grace threw back her head and screamed.

JOHN M MERRIVALE STARED AT THE DOc.u.mENTS in front of him, rubbing his eyes with exhaustion. in front of him, rubbing his eyes with exhaustion.

"There must be some m-m-mistake."

Harry Bain lit another cigarette. The smoke made John Merrivale feel nauseous. "No mistake, John. This is Lenny's signature. And this is Grace's. You don't think we had them checked?"

The doc.u.ments were legal instructions, changing Quorum's owners.h.i.+p structure. They transferred John's entire equity stake in the fund to Grace. They were dated June 8, the day before the Quorum Ball. Both Lenny and Grace had signed them.

"Face it, John. The Brooksteins ripped you off. They were planning to grab what was left of the money and run."

"No. Lenny wouldn't d-do that. N-n-not to me."

"Read it, John! It's right there in black and white. He did it. John! It's right there in black and white. He did it. They They did it, together. Don't you think it's time you stopped protecting them?" did it, together. Don't you think it's time you stopped protecting them?"

John squeezed his eyes shut tight. It was so hard to think. How long have I been in this room? Three hours? Four? How long have I been in this room? Three hours? Four? He thought about Grace, alone at the morgue. The police had refused to let him go with her. The poor girl would be terrified. He thought about Grace, alone at the morgue. The police had refused to let him go with her. The poor girl would be terrified.

"Lenny had a l-legal right to restructure the company any way he chose. Quorum was his business."

Harry Bain looked at him in disbelief. "You're saying you don't mind don't mind that Lenny Brookstein robbed you blind?" that Lenny Brookstein robbed you blind?"

"I'm saying he didn't rob me."

"But he did. It's right here in black and white."

"He m-must have had his reasons then. Lenny's dead. He's not here to explain, to d-defend his good name."

"His good name good name?" Harry Bain laughed out loud. "Lenny Brookstein? The man was a crook, John. So was his wife. That much we know. The question is, what don't don't we know? What are you hiding from us?" we know? What are you hiding from us?"

"I'm not h-hiding anything."

"Why are you protecting him?"

"He was my friend." My only friend. My only friend.

"He wasn't your friend. He used used you, John. He used you from the beginning. Why do you think a brilliant guy like Lenny needed a schmuck like you on the team, huh? D'you ever ask yourself that question?" you, John. He used you from the beginning. Why do you think a brilliant guy like Lenny needed a schmuck like you on the team, huh? D'you ever ask yourself that question?"

All the time.

"Because you gave him legitimacy, that's why. Because you were dumb and adoring and blindly loyal. Like a dog."

John looked up. It was Harry Bain's face sneering at him, but the voice was Caroline's. You're a lapdog, John. You're pathetic! Stand up and be counted! You're a lapdog, John. You're pathetic! Stand up and be counted!

"No. I wasn't Lenny's d-d-dog. It wasn't like that."

"No? What were you, then? Because the way I see it you're either a f.u.c.king moron who couldn't see what was going on right under your nose. Or you knew."

"No. I d-didn't know anything."

"I don't believe you. Where's the money, John?"

"I don't know."

"Where'd you stash it, huh? You and your good friend good friend Lenny Brookstein. The guy who trusted you so much. Who relied on your advice. Where'd you put the cash?" Lenny Brookstein. The guy who trusted you so much. Who relied on your advice. Where'd you put the cash?"

"I've told you. I don't-"

"Maybe it's Andrew Preston we should be talking to. Was Preston the one Lenny really really trusted?" trusted?"

"Of course not. Lenny was always much c-closer to me than to Andrew."

"So close that he gave your shares to Grace?"

A high-pitched whistle in John's head was getting louder, like a boiling kettle.

"Where is it, John? Where's the money? If you weren't Lenny's little dog, prove it."

The whistle was so loud, he thought his eardrums would shatter.

"WHERE'S THE f.u.c.kING f.u.c.kING MONEY, JOHN?" MONEY, JOHN?"

"I DON'T KNOW!" Slumped over the table, John Merrivale broke down in sobs. "For G-G.o.d's sake, what's the matter with you? I don't know."

On the other side of the two-way gla.s.s, Angelo Michele turned to the psychologist.

"What do you think?"

"I think he's telling the truth. He doesn't know anything. When he saw that partners.h.i.+p doc.u.ment, it blew him away."

Angelo Michele nodded. I agree. I agree.

I wonder if that automaton Williams is having any more success with Grace?

"WHERE WERE YOU WHEN YOU SIGNED these doc.u.ments?" these doc.u.ments?"

Grace tried to focus. Still reeling from the shock of seeing Lenny's body, she found it hard to remember where she was. The gruff, gray-haired man sitting opposite her was from the FBI. He'd arrested her as she left the morgue and driven her somewhere, but she couldn't remember where, or how long it had taken. Now she was in a white, windowless room. Images of Lenny's mutilated corpse flashed through her mind like a horror movie. The man kept talking.

"They're dated June eighth."

Lenny's skin, waxy and white, like the stuff that covers the skin of a newborn baby.

"Mrs. Brookstein, these doc.u.ments prove that you knowingly made yourself a partner in Quorum International LLC, with a view to profiting illicitly from illegal trades, made between 2004 and 2009."

Lenny's swollen finger, the skin bursting around his wedding ring.

"What do you know about the whereabouts of the profits from the following transactions: 2005, Innovation Management's six-year fund of funds, executed in Grand Cayman?"

"I don't know anything." Grace's voice was barely a whisper.

Gavin Williams leaned across the table till his face was millimeters from hers. Grace smelled his sour breath. "Don't lie to me, Mrs. Brookstein. You will regret it."

Grace looked up and saw the compa.s.sionless void in his eyes. A cold stab of fear ran through her. "I'm not lying."

"You were a partner in your husband's fund."

"A partner? No. You're mistaken. I was never a partner. I don't know anything about business. It was Lenny and John."

"Do you deny this is your signature?"

Angrily, Gavin Williams shoved a piece of paper across the table. Grace recognized her own writing. But she couldn't for the life of her remember what the doc.u.ment was, when she'd signed it or why. Lenny handled all of that.

"I don't deny anything. I...I'm confused."

Gavin Williams was shouting. "Two thousand and five, Innovation, Grand Cayman!"

"I want my attorney present." Grace was shocked to hear the words come out of her own mouth. I sound like a bad episode of I sound like a bad episode of Law & Order. Law & Order.

"What?"

"I...I said I need a lawyer."

Gavin Williams seethed with frustration. He'd hoped that by catching Grace at such a vulnerable moment, he'd be able to bully her into a confession, get her to break down. But if she wanted a lawyer, he could not deny her one. b.i.t.c.h. b.i.t.c.h.

"Interview terminated. Turn off the tape."

With a look of disgust, Gavin Williams left the room.

THE FOLLOWING MORNING, NEWS OF G GRACE Brookstein's arrest and the recovery of Lenny Brookstein's body was splashed all over the papers. Brookstein's arrest and the recovery of Lenny Brookstein's body was splashed all over the papers.

Honor Warner shook as she read the report. "They've found Lenny's body."

"Yes, I know," said Jack, deadpan. "I can read."

"How can you be so calm about it? The FBI has arrested Grace. Have you seen the list of charges? The things they're accusing her of: securities fraud, money laundering...Grace can barely add two plus two! What are we going to do?"

Jack smiled. "Do? We're not going to We're not going to do do anything." anything."

"But, Jack..."

"But Jack, what? We're going to wash our hands of your little sister and walk away."

Honor looked horrified. Jack laughed at her.

"Oh, please. Don't try to pretend to me that you care care about Grace. It's a little late for that, darling. Did you think I couldn't see through you all these years?" about Grace. It's a little late for that, darling. Did you think I couldn't see through you all these years?"

"What do you mean?"

"You think I don't know how much you hate your sister? How much you've always hated her?"

Honor looked away, ashamed. It's true. I do hate her. But to let her go to jail? It's true. I do hate her. But to let her go to jail? She tried another tack. "All right. Let's forget about Grace. What about us, Jack? If Grace goes on trial, there'll be questions. Questions about Lenny's business affairs, his a.s.sociates, what happened the day he disappeared. What if the police find out?" She tried another tack. "All right. Let's forget about Grace. What about us, Jack? If Grace goes on trial, there'll be questions. Questions about Lenny's business affairs, his a.s.sociates, what happened the day he disappeared. What if the police find out?"

"They won't."

"But what if they do?"

Jack looked at her coldly. "Do you want to be first lady, Honor?"

Honor did want it. More than anything.

"Do you want to see me in the White House?"

"Of course. You know I do."

"Then stop panicking. Keep your mouth shut and your head down. Lenny's dead. He can't hurt us anymore. But Grace could. G.o.d knows how much the old man may have told her."

Honor s.h.i.+vered. She hadn't thought of that.

"Your sister going to jail could be the best thing to happen to us. Now pa.s.s me the coffee, would you? It's getting cold."

MICHAEL G GRAY WAS HORRIFIED WHEN HE heard the news. Instinctively he put his arms around Connie. "I'm so sorry, honey. Is there anything I can do?" heard the news. Instinctively he put his arms around Connie. "I'm so sorry, honey. Is there anything I can do?"

Connie shook her head. "What can anyone do, Mike? Obviously, Lenny and Grace were not who we thought they were."