K. Janssen - Hampton Manor

“You’re right. I could be ready by noon tomorrow.”

I haven’t seen any strange cars around, so we should be able to make a clean getaway.”

“You make it sounds like we’re desperados taking it on the lam.”

“Well I did promise you a life full of adventures. Let’s make this our first one.”

Kane poured the last of the second bottle of wine and asked, “How did things get so out of whack?”

“I’ll tell you how. It’s because we’re involved with Adam Hampton.”

Marcia sat back with the last glass of wine. As she did, trepidation swept into her brain and guided her thoughts, . Adam Hampton is bringing out the worst in me. I’ve got feelings rolling around inside of my head that I never thought I could entertain. That man should have backed off when he had the chance. Now he’s going to see a side of Marcia Bloom that he’ll wish he hadn’t awakened. Nothing is going to stand in the way of my happiness with Kane.

Chapter 27

“Mister Masterson, this is Tom Bertilomi at Messenger, Carson & Wilson. I’m afraid have some bad news for you.”

Messenger, Carson & Wilson is a New Haven law firm that Kane retained for his personal legal matters for over the past four years.

“Who did you say you were?”

“Tom Bertilomi at your attorney’s office.”

“What happened to Bert Wilson, he usually handles my legal matters?”

“That’s true, sir, but Bert is in the hospital with an emergency appendectomy. He expects to be away from the office for the balance of the week. He asked me to call.”

“Look, Tom, I was just getting ready to drive back to my home in Wooster Square. Can whatever it is wait until later this afternoon?”

“Well, sir, I’ll let you decide. It’s about a pending Securities and Exchange Commission investigation of fraudulent transactions connected with your stock dealings at Preston Industries.”

“What are you talking about. I haven’t heard anything from the SEC? How would you guys hear about it?”

“An attorney at Hampton Industries owed Bert a favor and gave him the heads up. Bert tried to reach you at your hotel early last evening and they told him that you had checked out. That was right before his appendicitis attack.”

“This is ridiculous. It sounds like something Adam Hampton would conjure up in that sick mind of his. It’s a witch-hunt. Have you done anything to trace the rumor?”

“Well, Mister Masterson, we believe that it’s more than just a rumor. We made a preliminary pass at the SEC. They are definitely working on something, but they won’t comment on it until they begin an official investigation. Public Relations at Hampton refuses to comment, as well.”

“Now there’s a surprise. Look, Tom, this is a lot of bullshit. What am I supposed to do, sit around and wait until they finish checking these false allegations?”

“I’m afraid that that’s the way it works, sir. If they’ve already started an inquiry at Hampton/Preston then they should be close to making it official. I know that you haven’t asked for my advice, but it would probably be better if you didn’t leave town at this time. The investigation will be conducted out of the SEC’s Regional office in Boston. Since all the vital securities records for Preston are now housed in Old Brooking, they will no doubt conduct their hearings there. It would help expedite matters if you were available for questions within minutes rather than hours.”

“Can’t they ask their questions on the phone or over the internet? I thought all these agencies were highly automated.”

“One would think so, but many of the documents they look at are corporate records that require on-site viewing. Most of them are current and may not as yet be recorded. It’s too interactive a process not to be done in-person. Of course, I’m going by what they’ve done in the past. It’s always possible that they may not want to talk to you for several weeks or maybe not at all. That will depend, of course, on their initial findings and the pace of their inquiry.”

“Who will I be dealing with at your office? Will you be my point man?”

“Actually, I’m just a para-legal. If anything happens this week, Mel Thurber will be the man. After that, Bert expects to be back handling things for you.”

“Okay, I’ll stay put, but this better be resolved soon. I can’t get out of this town fast enough.” He gave him Marcia’s address and the cell phone number.

He went to the kitchen and gave Marcia the news. She was angry at the turn of affairs that was keeping them from leaving. He poured a large glass of orange juice and went out on the balcony. He sat down on one of the cushioned chairs to mull things over. All he could think about was getting revenge against Adam Hampton . It looks like Adam wants a showdown. Apparently he’s not happy just acquiring Preston Industries , he wants to draw blood too. Well, that isn’t going to happen, Adam. I’m going to stop you before you do any more harm. I’m going to blindside you with a massive pre-emptive strike. I know things you don’t know. That puts me in the driver’s seat. You and your father won’t know what hit you until it’s too late. You shouldn’t have messed with me.

Chapter 28

“Don’t worry, I’ll make sure I get them both. Call me as soon as the money has been deposited.” The Assassin was accustomed to conversations like this. In his line of work he was known as the best; a man who took great pride in his profession. His legit business, a construction company in East St. Louis, Illinois, was a perfect front for the techno-killer.

“I heard you talking. Who’s the target this time?” an associate asked, as he entered the office.

“There are two of them; Adam Hampton III and his father Adam Hampton II. Both live in Old Brooking, Connecticut. My client was specific that he wants both of them dead and their Manor destroyed. Apparently Hampton Manor is symbolic of something.”

“They want you to burn down the mansion with the two of them in it? What the hell is that about? Sounds like some kind of a vendetta to me.”

“It certainly does. I don’t have any of the detail and I don‘t really want to know. I’ve been waiting for an exciting challenge like this for some time.”

“They didn’t happen to specify what they wanted the victims to be wearing at the time, did they?”

“There is no need for sarcasm,” the Assassin answered. “I do my best work under the pressure of rigid client specifications. We’ve got two weeks and a lot of planning to do, so let’s get to work. First I’m going to need the schematics for the Old Brooking Municipal Water System. I’ll need the location of their pumping stations, reserve tanks and the water main system. See if you can affix construction dates to everything.”

“What do you need all that stuff for?”

The Assassin rolled his eyes. How do some people make it through life with just enough gray matter between their ears as it takes to lace up their shoes ? He smiled as he realized that the invention of Velcro strips even made that task less challenging for some. Patiently, he explained, “If our fire is going to accomplish what we’re setting out to do, the odds will improve greatly if attempts by the Old Brooking’s Fire Department to extinguish it, are unsuccessful. Especially, if they are out of business.”

“You mean that you’re gonna knock out their Fire Department?” the associate asked, in disbelief.

“Not the Fire Department, stupid, just the water they need to extinguish the fires.”