Richard Greener - The Knowland Retribution

“Isobel, I would really like you to check your messages and return that call while I talk to Walter. Please?”

“Sure,” she said, getting up and walking into the house, closing the glass sliding doors behind her.

“I have a message for your employers,” Leonard said when he and Walter were alone.

“Best I can figure, there’s only two of them left.”

“Yes, that’s quite correct. And it’s possible they may stay alive, die of natural causes in their old age.” He reached down and picked up an attache case he’d carried with him to the patio. Walter could not help remembering Wesley Pitts doing the same thing, reaching for his money-laden, million dollar case, in exactly the same place. His better judgment told him to keep such a remembrance to himself. Meanwhile, Leonard removed a file folder, stuffed with papers, and placed it on the table. “Stein and Maloney,” he said, “will each make a contribution to a named nonprofit foundation with which I am completely unconnected in any discernable way, and that will allow them to live. Additionally, the companies of Stein, Gelb, Hector amp; Wills, SHI Inc., which used to be known as Second Houston Holding, and Alliance Industries Inc. will make similar contributions. I realize that Christopher Hopman, Billy MacNeal, and Pat Grath are already dead, and I acknowledge that those now running these companies share none of their culpability. The current senior officers and directors of those companies, however, still maintain and benefit from the proceeds derived from the sale and effective combination of the two companies. Therefore, they are to make contributions equal to the amounts of money they made in, and as a result of, the IPO of Second Houston, just as Stein, Gelb will and just as Stein and Maloney individually will. Failure of these executives and directors to comply with this requirement will have the effect of making them accessories after the fact. I make no immediate threats against them, but they hold the fate of Nathan Stein and Tom Maloney in their hands. Their failure to respond according to my instructions, even if Stein and Maloney comply, will result in the deaths of both men. What happens afterward is yet to be determined.” He picked up the folder from the table, took a long drink of his lemonade, and looked at Walter. Walter looked back at Leonard Martin in amazement. Leonard Martin may be the most dangerous person he’d ever known. But he just changed the rules. Killing him was out of the question, totally unnecessary. The pressure on Walter had been relieved. He had nothing to say, and so said only, “After the fact?”

“You’ll find the amounts for each contributor spelled out on the cover sheet, and the basis for them in the documents in this folder, which I’ll leave with you. This will give all concerned the specific details as to how these amounts have been arrived at. These numbers are nonnegotiable. No one at the foundation, or anywhere else, will be authorized to make changes. I appreciate that this amount of money has implications that go well beyond the contributors. I have no desire to see the ramifications damage innocent people. Believe it or not, I grieve for the families of those I’ve killed. I do. Specific terms of payment-when, where, and how-will be worked out later, but it will be necessary for one half of one percent to be donated, in cash, within thirty days, and another one half of one percent within ninety days. After that, arrangements can be made with the foundation for delivery of the remaining funds. There will be a time limit. We’re talking about a large sum of money. Assets will have to be divested. I understand that. Nevertheless, half of the total must be delivered within three years. The rest of the money must be in the possession of the foundation within one additional year. If, at that time-four years from now-if the full amount has not been paid, the agreement will be deemed to have been broken. Nathan Stein and Tom Maloney, and possibly others whose bad faith in this matter may make them responsible, will die. These payment requirements are also stipulated in the cover letter. Finally, it’s important that all contributors know that any attempt to shift assets to a wife, a relative, an offshore subsidiary, for example, or to any entity, will be viewed as an attempt to avoid payment. Assure them that I will know if they try to bury it in their backyard or stuff a safe-deposit box in Malta. I will know and I will consider the arrangement broken. I will act accordingly.” He paused and looked very carefully at Walter. “Any questions about what I’ve said?”

“Isn’t this extortion?” Walter said matter-of-factly. “You can’t get away with this. How can you expect something like this-”

“Extortion is a legal term, Walter. To be extortion I would have to receive the money or the foundation would have to be seen as acting as my agent, with a benefit accruing to me. Neither condition exists. There might be an element of blackmail in it-I grant you that-as it relates to me. It’s no doubt accurate to say I’m making ‘terroristic threats,’ and, of course, killing someone is always illegal-even threatening to kill someone. But the foundation will not be a party to any of this information. They will just receive the money. No, this is more like a drug dealer getting ripped off by someone who gives the money to charity.”

“That makes no sense at all.”

“Sure it does. Don’t thieves, even murderers, give money to charity? If a thief sent the United Way a thousand dollars or a million dollars, wouldn’t they be free to accept and use it? Or what if somebody earned money and didn’t report it, in fact didn’t even file a tax return, but donated ten thousand dollars to the American Heart Association-would they be free to accept and use it? Of course they would, provided they have no knowledge of any illegality that either prompted the contribution or involved the source of the contributor’s money. Enron made charitable contributions. Did they all give the money back?”

“And just how do you deal with all this without everyone knowing everything?”

“I won’t tell. You won’t tell. Stein, Maloney, and the two corporations won’t tell. Instead, they will hold very public press conferences, admit to their ill-gotten gains, express their deepest sorrow and remorse, speak movingly of their desire to atone for the sins of previous directors, and then… then they will donate this money in the manner I’ve prescribed. They have stockholders who must support these noble efforts. And I’m sure they will. They must be seen to act willingly, openly, and publicly. Except, however, there will be no mention whatsoever of my role in this.” The puzzled look on Walter’s face merely encouraged Leonard to go on. “You will deliver these instructions to Nathan Stein and Thomas Maloney. They face the task of telling the key people-all of whom are named in the documents-at SHI Inc. and Alliance Industries Inc. to do their part. Under the circumstances, I don’t think there’s any chance at all anyone will name me in this matter. I’m sure the history of my ‘bad acts’ thus far will help Stein and Maloney convince their friends.” Walter said nothing.

“As for Nathan Stein and Thomas Maloney,” Leonard went on, “an attorney in New York-a lawyer who knows nothing, not even who his client is-will open a checking account for each of them. Every week he will deposit five hundred dollars in each account. That is all the money Stein and Maloney can use. If they spend a dollar more than that, I will consider that they have used hidden funds, worked for money, borrowed money, or received gifts-none of which are allowed-and I will kill them.”

“Christ,” said Walter, scratching his head, running both hands through his hair and down the back of his neck. “What if they refuse?”