Chapter Six
Henry was escorted to a private visitors room. It was a nice enough place, he supposed, with comfortable chairs and a small table with a few magazines on it. A leafy plant was in the corner and the room was painted a cheerful yellow.
The furniture was bolted to the floor, Henry noticed as he took a seat. There was also no window or pictures on the wall. He wondered if the plant was fake or real and if the pot was screwed down to the floor as well.
He didn’t have the opportunity to investigate as one of the orderlies let Gerrit into the room.
His brother was pale with dark circles under his eyes, his cheeks sunken in.
He wore the plain gray scrubs and soft slippers all guests of the facility wore.
He gave Henry a dull look before sitting down in one of the chairs.
“How are you doing?” asked Henry, trying to determine what sort of mood his brother was in. The last time Henry had visited, Gerrit had been in the throes of withdrawal and the response had been a snarled ‘ How do you think?’
“I’ve been better,” came the bitter answer. Gerrit shifted in his seat with a wince. “The back is killing me.”
“I’m sorry to hear that,” replied Henry.
Gerrit had a short and unamused laugh. “Somehow I doubt that.”
Henry paused, not quite certain how to proceed. He knew Gerrit was in pain and while Henry had been sincere, Gerrit was obviously annoyed with him for having orchestrated Gerrit’s intake into rehab. “I really am sorry. I only want what’s best for you.”
“And just who determines that?” Gerrit tipped his head to the side, regarding Henry shrewdly. “Apparently a judge, some lawyers, and my brother. Do I have the right to make my own decisions anymore?”
“You agreed to this, Gerrit,” Henry slowly reminded him. “It may make a difference in the court case and was a strategic decision as well as a health decision. You agreed that it would be best if you were sober and off the painkillers.”
“That was a bad decision,” grunted Gerrit as he leaned back in the chair, closing his eyes a moment before regarding Henry. “Why are you really here?”
“There have been some developments that I think you should be aware of. First, the lawyers believe that the FBI might welcome a plea deal. One person from each company agrees to plead guilty and the other can go free,” explained Henry.
“Which doesn’t work in my case unless you or Addison face charges,” grimly stated Gerrit. “I made sure Addison wasn’t involved. Nate wanted to move the money through her paychecks too, but I didn’t let him. You were overseas so you can’t be involved. I guess I’m on my own.”
“They won’t offer you the deal,” agreed Henry.
Gerrit gave a short nod. “What else is going on?”
“The board and I have removed you from Ramesly Hotels. You are no longer a board member, share member, or employee. Your shares were liquidated at fair market value and the money put into your account,” Henry informed him.
He didn’t like that it had been done, but he didn’t see any alternative.
It was a necessary step to protect the company.
Gerrit stared at him. “Fair market value? When the stocks have tanked due to the FBI investigation. You son of a - “
“It wasn’t what I wanted,” interrupted Henry with some steel to his voice. “It was what was necessary. If our positions were reversed, you would do the same.”
“We’re family,” bit out Gerrit. “You don’t turn on family.”
“Again, there was no choice,” reiterated Henry. “If I could have done anything different, I would have.”
“You could have defended me,” ground out Gerrit.
“How? How can I defend your laundering drug money through the company and profiteering off it? How do I defend illegal activities? How?” harshly questioned Henry.
He glared at his brother. “That’s not all.
Now I hear you may have stolen a drug from Ramesly Hospital and Medical Corporation.
Gabe said they know you took a drug from the hospital. What do you have to say about that?”
Gerrit snorted. “Gabe and his big mouth.”
“Gerrit, you stole a drug!” exclaimed Henry in frustration.
“You took a drug that stops people’s hearts.
Uncle David died of a heart issue. He may have been murdered.
Now the same thing has happened with Nate.
He may have been murdered and his heart was stopped.
How am I supposed to defend you when you won’t take any responsibility for your own actions? What happened with the drug, Gerrit?”
“Nate died of a heart attack,” shot back Gerrit. “He was my brother and I loved him. I had nothing to do with his death. Why don’t you talk to Cora? Maybe she killed him. She was going to leave him. She was having an affair. Nate didn't even think the baby she’s carrying was his.”
Henry’s stomach turned sour from Gerrit’s accusations. He frowned at Gerrit. “What did you do with the drug you took from the hospital dispensary?”
“Nothing. I gave it to a nurse. She said it was the wrong one and she would bring it back,” he ground out. “I already told Parker all of this. Why don’t you go talk to him? I had nothing to do with it.”
“I don’t know whether or not to believe you anymore,” admitted Henry.
“Well then, if you can’t trust me, then I don’t know why you bothered to come,” said Gerrit as he stared at Henry. “Parker said he has it all on video surveillance. Go look for yourself.”
“I will,” decided Henry.
“Good. Now get out,” demanded Gerrit, his face set in determination.
Henry was surprised by the vehemence in Gerrit’s voice. “Gerrit - “
“Get out,” repeated Gerrit. “I’m done with you.”
“Gerrit, I’m not just going to leave like this. We need to come to some sort of resolution,” tried Henry.
Gerrit abruptly got up from his chair. He grabbed the arm of Henry’s seat, leaning over him.
“I don’t care about Uncle David. Certainly not enough to kill him or even make the effort to.
I loved Nate. He was my brother and he was the only one who understood my pain.
I would never have hurt him. Yes, I have a drug problem.
You have your back broken in tiny pieces and multiple surgeries then tell me how I’m supposed to live in agony all the time without any relief.
The doctors got me hooked on painkillers then suddenly they grew consciences and refused refills.
So I took some of Uncle David’s drug money to buy from dealers when the doctors wouldn’t prescribe anymore.
Well, Nate was the only one who supported me.
He looked after me and I would never betray him.
“I did the best I could in the circumstances I had. You don’t understand anything.
I protected Addison by making sure her income wasn’t funded by the laundered money.
I made sure Ben wasn’t in the family business at all.
Nate would have continued to bully him. I followed the edicts of Nate’s will, even as I didn’t want to.
I offered Cora funds to try to help her.
She was the one who turned them down. I tempered Nate’s worst habits.
I made him a better person, even when he didn’t want to be.
He had his flaws but he was my best friend. Never once did he let me down.
“You weren’t here, Henry. You have no idea what was happening so you have no right to judge me.
Am I perfect? Far from it. Yet I did what I could and here you are, trying to pretend righteousness.
Trying to make me into some sort of villian when you are the one who has kicked me out of my rightful place with the company, my inheritance, and traded my shares for a fraction of their real value.
As far as I’m concerned, we are done. Don’t come back,” warned Gerrit.
Henry watched as Gerrit walked out the door, slamming it behind him.
Left in the sudden silence of the room, Henry leaned forward, putting his head in his hands.
He hated confrontations, always had. Even as a child he would go out of his way to resolve people’s disputes, or avoid a fight.
Henry supposed he was a lot like Nick in that respect.
However, maturity and life had taught him sometimes conflict was necessary.
Yet in this case, it didn’t feel like it had resolved anything.
Gerrit was angry, possibly rightfully so on some matters, yet defensively guilty on others.
There was nothing Henry could do about the shares, they were already sold and redistributed.
He could top up the funds but would rather wait until the FBI levied their fine against Gerrit.
Then Henry might be able to help his brother monetarily afterward.
However, would that be a mistake if Gerrit refused to stay sober?
Henry didn’t have any answers. The only thing he could take any form of action on was to talk to Parker about the video surveillance. Maybe he would be able to see for certain if Gerrit took the drug out of the hospital.
At the very least, he might be able to clear Gerrit’s name on murdering anyone.
As for Gerrit’s accusation about Cora cheating, Henry didn’t believe it.
Cora had been terrified of Nate. There was no way she was going to risk an affair.
That was Gerrit parroting Nate’s vile beliefs.
Gerrit was also trying to strike out at those who were hurting him in defense of his own pain.
He did that often when he had been growing up, Henry recalled.
Which meant Gerrit knew he could hurt Henry by attacking Cora verbally.
As long as Gerrit didn’t do anything further, like spread his suspicions to the FBI through his lawyer, then Cora would be okay.
Henry resolved to talk with Gerrit’s lawyers, to make sure that any information they had should come through Henry before brokering any sorts of deals.
He needed to control any damage his brother was thinking of doing.