Chapter One #2
“The likelihood of beating the charges isn’t good. If no one takes the deal there is a real chance each of them could go away for the maximum and be in prison even longer,” stated Henry grimly.
“Do Michael and Naoh know about the deal?” quietly asked Gabe.
Max nodded. “I’m sure the lawyers are probably talking to Jake and Dillon right now as well.”
“They can’t take this deal. There has to be another way,” decided Everett. “There is no way to choose who sacrifices their home life over this. It’s impossible.”
“It’s worse than we initially thought,” revealed Henry with a sigh.
He reached for his coffee cup then realized it was empty.
“The accountants, lawyers, and financial investigators have been going through Ramesly Hotel’s records.
Gerrit and Nate financially profiteered from the drug money.
My father at least kept the money within the company so Mom should be okay.
However, Nick’s trust fund is now in question. ”
Henry paused then decided he might as well tell them everything that had happened.
“I have removed Gerrit from the company. As he is no longer a member of the board, his shares were liquidated at current market value and redirected between Ben, Addison, and myself. This was done to protect the company from having further assets frozen and as a step to rectify our public appearance. As it is, we are facing some rough times.”
“Gerrit is going to believe you betrayed him,” softly whistled Max.
“Maybe I did. He will need the money for his defense anyways,” said Henry as he rubbed his eyes a moment.
He was so tired and yet he didn’t have time to rest. “It hardly matters when he used the company for criminal activities. Gerrit needs to focus on getting himself well. He’s currently at a rehab center.
His only defense could be that he was influenced by Nate who was acting as head of the company in my father’s stead for some time. ”
“Do you believe that?” asked Gabe, a troubled look on his face.
“I don’t know. He should have stopped it as soon as he could. I like to think the addiction was influencing him but I just don’t know,” stated Henry. His heart felt tight and for a moment Henry wondered if it was physical or emotional pain.
It felt like a large part of the world was resting on him.
His doctors told him not to do anything stressful, but there was little choice.
He was the oldest of the family and was doing what he could to keep the family business afloat with the help of his sister Addison.
His brother Ben was helping all of the Ramesly businesses with an influx of cash.
Henry pulled himself away from his thoughts to listen to Gabe.
“I wasn’t going to say anything but perhaps I should,” began Gabe.
“We caught Gerrit at Mercy Hospital with a drug a few months ago. He said he had been mistaken for me by a doctor. There was a mass casualty accident that day so it was chaotic. Gerrit was asked to get a particular drug from the dispensary, given the code, and went to get it. It was the wrong drug. He says he gave it to the nurse and didn’t worry about it again.
The problem is that the drug was never returned to the dispensary. ”
“Was he stealing for his addiction?” questioned Henry softly. He briefly closed his eyes. Never had he imagined Gerrit might turn to thievery to feed his habit.
Gerrit had been struggling with pain ever since a surfing accident that had left him perilously close to being paralyzed. He had been overprescribed addictive painkillers. It had been a problem much of his adult life even as everyone tried to keep the matter quiet.
“No. It wasn’t that type of drug. It was a cardioplegic concoction that is designed to stop the heart,” revealed Gabe. He leaned towards the screen of his computer, pausing before gravely continuing. “Uncle David’s heart stopped. Nate’s heart stopped.”
“Nate had a heart attack,” whispered Henry even as he knew the FBI had exhumed Nate’s body and were conducting an autopsy.
“You aren’t saying Gerrit killed my father,” flatly stated Max, a hardness in his voice.
“I don’t know what happened. Maybe he did.
Maybe he gave the drug to someone else who did.
Maybe it was exactly as Gerrit said, one huge coincidence that happened during the chaos of the emergency at the hospital.
I don’t know. However, I’m not inclined to believe Gerrit,” retorted Gabe in frustration.
“Not anymore. Too much has happened and it’s too likely he was involved somehow. ”
“I’ll speak to him,” decided Henry. He saw Max about to protest so he repeated his words, adding some steel behind them. “I will speak to Gerrit.”
Henry had access to Gerrit at the rehab center. He would go and get to the bottom of these allegations.
“Anything else?” questioned Max tightly.
“Ilsa Tremblay. I hate to be the bearer of bad news but she has only gotten worse,” Gabe updated them. “Her prognosis isn’t good. I’m expecting to hear that she has passed away at any moment.”
Ilsa was the daughter of drug king Tremblay who had kidnapped Molson Colborne’s girlfriend Holly. Molson was a half-cousin to Henry, a half-brother of Max, and one of David’s many illegitimate children.
It was a mess.
Since Michael, Noah, and Max were in the pharmaceutical industry and Molson was a doctor, Tremblay had pushed them into a corner to try an experimental treatment on his daughter for the rare disease that she had. His directive had been simple. Saving Isla meant saving Holly.
“They followed Noah’s protocol, right? Is there anything that can be done?” questioned a concerned Max.
“Everything was done that was remotely possible. It just didn’t work,” shrugged Gabe, running a hand over his face. “Isla isn’t going to live. We need to prepare ourselves and Molson for that fact.”
“Is there any update on finding Holly?” questioned Henry.
Everett shook his head. “The police, Drew, Sterling, plus Bree and I have been doing everything we can to find her. Tremblay may have hidden her out of state. At this point, we have followed every clue. It’s like Holly simply vanished.
We are raiding another empty set of warehouses tonight to see if we can find her. ”
Drew was Molson’s brother and a detective with the local police force. Sterling had connections as a former tabloid reporter and was Jake’s wife. Everett’s girlfriend Bree was a private investigator and bounty hunter. Each of them brought a special skill set to the search for Holly.
Henry wondered if the reason they couldn’t find Holly was because she wasn’t alive anymore. He tried to dismiss the gloomy thought.
“I need to go,” finally said Max. “I need to talk Michael and Noah out of doing anything stupid.”
The group said their goodbyes and Henry was left staring at a blank screen. He shut his laptop and glanced at his watch. The meeting had run later than he had hoped.
Getting up, he grabbed the empty coffee mug. After a drink of water at the suite’s kitchenette. He set it in the sink before leaving the hotel room. Padding down the hall in his sock feet, he knocked at a door.
Cora opened it. Henry gave her a tired smile. “Sorry I’m late.”
“The boys are already in bed but they are looking forward to you spending some time with them tomorrow morning,” she said as she let him in. “I know they are old enough to look after themselves but I feel better with you with them while Addison and I spend some time together.”
“I’m looking forward to it,” responded Henry. He enjoyed his time with his nephews Oliver and Nick.
“Do you want something to eat or drink?” asked Cora as they made their way to the living room area of the suite.
“I’m good. I ate just before the lawyers came,” replied Henry. He had a seat on the couch, noticing that there were a couple glasses of water and two cans of a nutrient shake. He gave Cora a knowing look as she lowered herself beside him, careful of her pregnant belly.
“What? The doctors have said that both of us need to gain weight,” stubbornly insisted Cora. “I’m having the chocolate one. You will have the vanilla.”
She grabbed the remote, working the television until she had the recording ready of The Gorgeous and the Botoxed ready on the screen.
“Tell me what I missed last time,” requested Henry.
He pulled the nearby throw over both of them as they settled back to watch the daytime soap drama.
They had settled into a routine of watching the daily show during the evenings.
Henry always managed to fall asleep part way through the episode so he had Cora give him a summary of what he missed before they started the next episode.
“Tex woke up from his coma but conveniently can’t remember who attacked him or why,” mentioned Cora with a roll of her eyes. “I think he’s lying and just wants to get revenge.”
Henry nodded. “You’re probably right.”
“Everleigh told Carol what happened at the park. Oh, and Georgie was caught stealing from the till of the store,” nodded Cora. “I think that’s it.”
“Then we can watch tonight’s show,” replied Henry, trying to stifle a yawn. He intended to stay up this time. He enjoyed the moments he got to spend with Cora. It was worth staying awake for.
“Not until you drink the nutrient shake,” decided Cora. She leaned forward, grabbing both cans and passing one to Henry.
Henry decided not to argue. He held the can out. “Cheers.”
Cora knocked her can against his and they both opened them. She made a face as she sipped hers. “It tastes awful.”
“Agreed,” said Henry as he had another sip.
Leaning back, Cora pressed play.
Henry made it maybe twenty minutes into the episode. He remembered finishing the nutrient shake, leaning back against the couch cushions, and his eyes getting heavy.