CHAPTER 216: Big Mal (Downfall part 4)

 

"Thank you, Leonard, you can drop me off here"

"Would you like me to wait for you, sir?"

"No.  I'm staying here for a while.  You can go home now, thank you and here's a little bonus for you" the old man sat in the back of the Cadillac limousine reached in to his jacket pocket and pulled out a wallet.  He handed the chauffer a $20 bill.

"Thank you, Mr Landgraab"

The old man, whose full name was Malcolm Landgraab III, stepped out of the car and watched the limo drive off before he strode purposefully towards Affluista Mansion.  Once it had been his home and now he had business there...

"Mom, a big limo just pulled up outside our house...who is it?" said Malcolm Landgraab IV.

"It's your grandfather" replied Nancy.

"Oh...this is going to be...interesting" the youth replied.

Nancy went dowstairs to answer the door, Malcolm Sr did not look happy.

"Daddy!" she said, enthusiastically.

"Nancy..." he said, walking straight past her and in to the mansion.  "I find myself being dragged from my retirement in Sulani to deal with this mess you've found yourselves in.  Where's Geoffrey and the boys?"

"Geoffrey's at the company building and Malcolm's here" she replied.

"And Jonathan?" asked Mal.  Nancy looked downwards and said nothing.

"Oh, we still don't talk about Jonathan, is that it?" said Mal, gruffly.  "Fetch Young Malcolm, here, what I have to say affects him."

Young Malcolm was not far away and heard everything his grandfather had said.  He took two steps to make his presence known.

"Grandpapa" he said, in a flat tone.

"Drug dealing, eh?" said Mal.  "Is that your 'independent business' is it?"

"I applied the lessons of business that you taught me, Grandpapa:  See a market, exploit a demand..."

"You forgot lesson number 3:  Don't get caught" said Mal.  "Who is this Suzy Kent?"

"A muck-raking journalist..."

"They're all muck-raking, boy.  Is there some personal connection between you and her that's gone sour?"

"What?  No!  I've met her twice in person but she's one of those moralistic busy-bodies, thinks she's clever and oh-so moralistic.  I can have her dealt with, Grandpapa."

"Like you dealt with your former business colleague?  I know what you've been up to; I have my spies in the company who keep me informed.  You've outsourced your problem solving to Them, haven't you?"

"They have methods we don't..." Malcolm began to explain but Mal cut him off.

"I know that!  I've dealt with them long enough but you always keep them at arms distance!  I never let them get inside my head...please tell me you haven't let them inside your mind!"

"No!" Malcolm said, lying to his grandfather.  He thought the old man just didn't understand how powerful he could be with the Visitors' help.  Malcolm had seen what he could do with his followers that day at the Orchid A-Go-Go club when he got them to stare down Suzy Kent or Humphries or whatever that witch was called now.  

"Good to hear...you NEVER let them inside there.  You must maintain the power dynamic with them:  They need us, need our resources and can't save themselves without our help so you don't let them gain advantage over you.  I think you turning to them for help in dealing with your problems risks inverting that dynamic, young Malcolm.  Your father shares the same weakness, unfortunately..."

"They can be very persuasive, Daddy.  You've not seen things from where we're standing right now but they've become...more demanding of late." said Nancy.

Mal didn't directly respond to what Nancy said.  He looked between his daughter and grandson and then spoke.  "One thing remains unanswered:  How did this Suzy Kent know about our activities and family history?"

"She obviously bribed or cajoled my former business associate, Madelyn Buchanan...backstabbing bitch that she is!" exclaimed Malcolm.

"That Buchanan woman only knows about your drug dealing, Malcolm.  Did either of you two bother to read Kent's article?" asked Mal.  Nancy shook her head.

"Why would I waste my time reading that nonsense?" said Malcolm, contemptuously.  

"Because it's very revealing, boy!" snapped Mal.  "She mentions Dirk Landgraab starting the company, our family history and makes reference to my father and where he found his wealth!  No one outside of this family knows about these things so where did she find this out from?  Hmm?  Any guesses....apparently not."

"Let's bring her in and use the machine on her, Grandpapa"

"I agree with Malcolm; we can break her will in a few hours" added Nancy.

"This family is facing massive fraud allegations and two murder enquiries and you want to add kidnapping to the list.  YOU TWO ARE NOT THINKING!" Mal bellowed.  He took a moment to calm down whilst the others stood by, not saying a word.

"Right.  This is not a time to double down on what has got us to this point" Mal started to explain.  "We need to consolidate, close ranks and not pour gas on the fire.  This Kent woman can wait for now.  What do we know of your whistleblower, Jeremy Saint?"

"He's middle management, we thought we could trust him...he underwent security checks and we had him subjected to the machine for treatment." said Nancy.

"And why would you do that if you trusted him, eh?  Why brainwash someone who's already on your side...unless?" said Mal.

"Well...because...we had to groom him for our purposes, Daddy." 

"But you said you trusted him..."

"Eventually.  But...but..."

"He's friends with Suzy Kent, Grandpapa" interjected Malcolm.

"Well, well, well, he's friends with Suzy Kent.  And you let this man rise through the company ranks, knowing who his close associates are."

"But we used the machine on him to make him hate her and another friend of his:  Detective John Action."

"Clearly that didn't work otherwise HE WOULDN'T HAVE TURNED OVER OUR COMPANY SECRETS TO THAT SAME DETECTIVE ACTION!" Mal yelled.  "Incompetence!  You should have had Saint monitored at all times!  The machine can only break a person's will for so long...we haven't figured out how to make the brainwashing permanent yet.  Was this all your idea, Nancy?"

"No...it was...it was..."  she began to speak but found it difficult to say the words.

"I can guess...it was Geoffrey's idea." said Mal.  "Leave us, Malcolm, your mother and I have to have a discussion in private."

"Mom...I'm so sorry about my role in this but I can explain!"

"Later, perhaps, son.  You leave your grandfather and I to talk."

"Is the upstairs lounge still there or have you converted it into something else?" Mal asked Nancy.

"It's still much the same as the last time you were here" she replied.

"Good." said Mal, heading straight upstairs.  Nancy followed him.

As soon as he had reached the top of the stairs, to the only room on the third floor, he sat down in one of the lounge chairs.  Nancy felt anxious about what her father wanted to say to her and, in a defensive action, went and stood by the easel where she had begun a figure painting only the day before.  She couldn't sit down with all the nervous tension she felt.

"You're looking well, Nancy.  Very well.  You've kept yourself in good shape, I can see you maintain your looks and it hasn't escaped my notice that you've had some 'enhancements' as well."

"Thank you...Daddy" said Nancy, nervously.

"Geoffrey looks tired by comparison.  Based on what I see of him in the news." continued Mal.

"He has a lot to deal with"

"Yes, I'm sure he does.  Are you still committed to one another or do you find yourself heading in different directions?" 

"Father!  Everything's...fine" said Nancy, shocked.  She didn't mention her growing suspicion that Geoffrey was infatuated with their cleaning lady.

"I want to see how the land lies around here" said Mal.  "You see, there will be some changes soon..."

"Changes?"

"I'm afraid, Nancy, that we can't just ride out the crisis out this time.  Too much information has been leaked now and not even our army of extremely well paid lawyers can make it all go away."

"But they'll mitigate the damage, certainly" said Nancy.  "The police and press don't know even a fraction of what we do.  My side of the company is still functioning well and hasn't been implicated."

Mal shook his head.  "What is needed is a scalp to throw at the authorities.  We need a fall guy..." he said.

"We've got a couple lined up; middle manager types who have done some 'delicate' work for us in the past and who will we will compensate handsomely..." replied Nancy.

"No.  That won't do." said Mal, coldly.  "It's an election year in the city, the D.A. is desperate to get a win in a big case to help his gubernatorial chances.  The press won't settle for a middle manager being thrown to the wolves either.  Someone higher up needs to take the fall.  Someone with the Landgraab name..."

Nancy went pale and started to feel nervous.  "Not Malcolm!  Not my boy!"

"What young Malcolm needs is firmer guidance and coaching.  One day the company and all that's in it will be his.  He is the future." said Mal.  "You are the present.  Geoffrey is the past."

"You mean one of us must go on trial..." said Nancy, gulping.

"Geoffrey must" said Mal, blankly.  "It was on his watch that all of this has happened.  He made serious errors of judgement.  You have always been headstrong and impetuous, my dear, so I hold you to a different standard.  Geoffrey has been logical, methodical and calculating over the years but his touch has deserted him recently.  Can you not see that?"

"He has let things slide...father, I believe Geoffrey might be having an affair with one of our staff"

"That wouldn't surprise me.  It's common with the modern executive with all their reliance on gadgets, secretarial pools and opportunities to stray more than in my heyday.  I have thought about this hard, Nancy, and I don't want to have to do this but I feel I must for the sake of everyone else."

"What will happen to the rest of us?" asked Nancy, with trepidation.

"You will be kept out of this and continue to help run the company.  I will come out of retirement to act as interim CEO and Malcolm will be kept on a shorter leash but will be gradually given more responsibility and put on the correct path.  And we must come to an accommodation with Jonathan..."

"No, father!  He is not part of this family anymore!  He will not take one step into this house!" said Nancy, defiantly.

"I don't know what happened between you and him but he's going to be put under immense pressure by our enemies and the press to spill the beans about our family and as things stand he has no incentive to be kind to us!  I will figure something out with him"

"You don't know what he did!" declared Nancy with venom in her voice.

"Whatever it was it's nowhere near as bad as the situation we find ourselves in now!"

"That is my plan, Nancy, and we will stick to it.  As for Geoffrey, I will make sure to mitigate the trouble he will go through."

At that moment Malcolm had appeared at the top of the stairs.  "Grandpapa" he said "there's a Visitor at the door."

"Tell them to go away" replied Mal.

"No...I mean a Visitor."

Mal realised what young Malcolm was referring to and he nodded and said "I'll be right down"

When he got to the front door he found a solemn looking young man lurking out the front of the house and Mal figured this was the Visitor in question so he approached him.

The young man spoke first.  "What we have heard concerns us greatly, Malcolm Landgraab the Third"

"Ugh, why can't you people ever use contractions?  Call me Mal Landgraab so you don't confuse me with my grandson...and to save time as well."

"You have returned from your retirement, Mal Landgraab, we are troubled by what we have observed in the newspapers."

"I'm here to sort the matter out so you have no need to worry"

"But we do worry, Mal Landgraab.  We have an arrangement."

"My arrangement with you was made through John, I shall speak with him"

"John Tom O'Connor has returned home, Luke Kendall is now in charge.  My name is James Sprague and I act as liaison"

"Well, you go and tell Luke that I have things firmly in hand.  Oh, and in future, under no circumstances are you to involve my grandson in your schemes."

"He came to us, Mal Landgraab."

"Nevertheless, if he tries to contact you again, say no to him.  And then refer the matter to me.  Do you understand?"

"I understand, Mal Landgraab"

With that bit of business done, Mal returned to the mansion.  Now the next pressing bit of business was to wait until Geoffrey came home.

Geoffrey arrived in the early evening, exhausted.  He found Malcolm doing his homework in the kitchen.  Usually when he arrived home his son would greet him with a shrug or indifference as he had his head buried in either homework or some personal project of his own.  This time Geoffrey found Malcolm to be more attentive when he entered the room.

"Hi Dad...we have a guest with us." said Malcolm.

"Oh yes, who?"

"Grandpapa"

That news wasn't warmly received by Geoffrey, although he did his best to hide it.  If Big Mal was here, it must be serious and Geoffrey knew why:  News of the scandal had reached Sulani already.

"Where is he right now?" asked Geoffrey.

"I'm here, Geoffrey my boy" came Mal's voice as he entered the kitchen.  "Geoffrey, good to see you.  How are you bearing up?"

"As well as can be expected.  How much do you know?" asked Geoffrey.

"Virtually all of it."

"OK then, well at the moment I'm trying to keep a lid on things the best I can" said Geoffrey.

"Isn't it a bit late for that?" said Mal, knowingly.

"What do you mean?" asked Geoffrey, suspiciously.

"Sit down, Geoff..." said Mal, motioning Geoffrey to one of the dining chairs.

"I'm not going to sugar coat this..."

"That's not your style, Mal"

"For sure.  It's like this, Geoff.  This is the biggest challenge this company has ever faced since the Civil War.  Things got ugly back then with Congressional hearings, threats of indictments and the company being ruined over war profiteering.  I needn't bore you with the details, you know the family history.  We're in those times again even though the charges levelled against the company...and the family...are different."

"We just have to ride it out, Mal.  I've got top men...top men...in the legal department..."

"You don't have to tell me, I hired half of them in the first place.  Now listen here, Geoff, you've done a lot of good work here since I retired.  For many years before that you were my right hand man..."

"I thought you didn't want to sugar coat things..."

"I'm just stating a fact.  You were groomed as a young man to be in the inner circle of this family; I know it was hard growing up without much whilst your cousins were living in mansions, I get it.  You had ambition and I saw the potential in you.  And you've done well in keeping Nancy in line whenever she gets impulsive and threatens to wreck everything through her greed.  But you've lost your touch in the last couple of years.  No, let me finish.  Jonathan gets banished, Malcolm indulges in crimes far beneath his station in life, Nancy is once again making decisions based on pure emotion and not sense and you're turning increasingly towards the Visitors for help.  And I know about you and the cleaning lady"

"What?  I've not cheated on Nancy with her!  Honest, Mal!"

"Maybe not yet but it's on your mind.  I know also that Nancy's been going to fancy events without you.  But bigger than all that is the witch hunt that is forming amongst our enemies and I can tell you let things slide, which has led to the current mess.  You let a fashion journalist, a negro cop, a mild mannered functionary and a home brewing drug dealer who works for a pornographer get the better of you.  Stop me if I say anything that isn't true, by the way."

Geoffrey said nothing.

"I've come up with a plan that will save the company and protect the family.  I will not see Nancy and Malcolm out on the streets in poverty or being humiliated."

"But as for me..."

"As for you, someone has to take the fall.  There's no other way.  It has to be someone prominent and close to the top, if not the top.  It has to be you"

"What's your plan for me?  I get arrested and go to prison for the rest of my life?"

Mal shook his head.  "Not the rest of your life.  Plead guilty to the fraud, blame the murder attempts on some fictitious flunky who doesn't exist but who we'll say has fled the country and Malcolm does community service for his part in the drug dealing.  As you said, you have top lawyers:  We can get that sentence down from life to 20, I'll make sure you are sent to an open prison and you'll be out in 7 to 10 with a very handsome renumeration for your loyalty and dedication to the family."

"That's it?  That's the deal?" exclaimed Geoffrey.  "I'm paying for the mistakes of others here!"

"Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown, Geoffrey.  You nearly cost us the kingdom:  In less enlightened times they'd cut your head off for treason.  You're lucky:  Take the hit, bide your time and you'll be out to enjoy retirement."

CHAPTER 215: EXPOSE (DOWNFALL PART 3)

"Our top story this morning...Police have seized documents at the Landgraab Corporation building in the ongoing investigation into fraud and murder allegations connected to that company.  There have been no arrests so far but police say that given the strength of the evidence they have so far it won't be long before some, or more, people in the company will be arrested.  Police also refuse to confirm or deny rumours that members of the Landgraab family themselves will be taken into custody..."

"Suzy, darling...come and see this!  It's all happening with the Landgraabs!" said Neil

She walked over to the sofa where he was sitting, watching the TV.

"Jeremy..." she said, softly.

"What's that?" asked Neil.

"Jeremy.  He must have found something really incriminating.  This is huge...when they say 'murder' that must relate to the attempts on Madelyn Buchanan's life and that murder case Action is working on.  That's going to drag Malcolm Landgraab into the investigation.  Wow.  This is it, Neil, the unravelling of all that family has been doing."

"And your article is going to hit the newsstands any day now..." he said, looking knowingly at her.

"The significance isn't lost on me..." she replied.  "I might get called in to be a witness"

At that moment the telephone rang.  "That might be the D.A. now..." said Neil, half joking.  Suzy went to pick it up; she had a knot in her stomach through nerves.

"Hello...Suzy Humphries speaking" she said.

"Hey, Suzy...it's Alan Cuffe here..." said the voice at the other end of the line.  Suzy let out a sigh of relief that it was Alan and not the authorities.

"Alan, nice to hear from you, it's been ages since we last spoke."

"It has, Suzy; far too long.  Say, have you got some free time today to drop round the mansion?  I want to talk with you about...recent developments.  I don't want to say more over the phone, you never know who's listening."

"Erm...I'm due in the office today but I can swing by your place this morning.  Sure."

"Great.  See you then." and he rung off.  Suzy turned to Neil and shrugged her shoulders.

"That was Alan Cuffe of all people" she said.  "Wants to see me about 'recent developments'"

"How did he sound?" asked Neil.

"Quite positive, almost happy." she replied.

"Could be a good sign...another who's happy that the Landgraabs are getting their just desserts." he said, turning back to watch the news.

Suzy grabbed her handbag and house keys and kissed Neil just before we left.  "I'll see you later, darling.  I'll head straight to Alan's and then to work." she said.

She rang the doorbell but instead of a butler appearing at the door it was Alan Cuffe himself.  He was smiling and seemed genuinely pleased to see Suzy.  

"Suzy, wonderful to see you, just wonderful.  Come inside...actually, let's go out the back to the garden because it's a beautiful day" he said, welcoming her enthusiastically.

"I see you're in fine spirits, Alan" she noted.

"I am feeling very well thank you.  As you may have heard I had to go into a private hospital to undergo some treatment brought about by overwork, stress and some fever the name of which I can't pronounce.  Ha-ha.  And Madelyn and the Kittens have been taking very good care of me in the interim."

"I bet they have..." said Suzy, knowingly.  There's nothing Alan loved  more than to have all his Lothario Kittens, in their skimpy cat outfits, fawning all over him.

Suzy was impressed by the garden.  "It's mainly a project of Madelyn's" he said.  "I'm not much of a horticulturalist but she is"

"So I've heard..." said Suzy.  During her research into Malcolm Landgraab, Madelyn's name was often mentioned in relation to drug cultivation and sales.  It made sense that she 'grew her own'.  "It's lovely out here, Alan, and I can see a painting in progress on that easel.  Do you paint?"

"I do.  Something I've taken up recently in order to help my state of mind.  I know your husband is a very talented artist who has found some success."

"Neil is so gifted as a painter...and, yes, his work is now selling enough that he was able to quit his day job.  He paints mainly landscapes...that view over the lake and the mountains here must provide plenty of inspiration for painting." 

"I paint mainly nudes" he said.  Suzy was not at all surprised.

"Did you want to see me about something specific, Alan?" Suzy asked.

"Yes.  As you know I own a significant stake in your magazine, Hey Wow.  When your article about the Landgraabs was read by the editorial board there were....shall we say 'mixed' feelings about whether to publish it or not.  The key issue in the sceptics minds were what the legal ramifications for the magazine would be if the Landgraabs sued."

"I can assure you, and the editorial board, that everything I wrote in that article has a credible source."  said Suzy.

"I'm sure it does, Suzy.  That's why I'm confident the magazine would win if it went to court.  I think the Landgraabs have overstepped the mark in trying to silence me and my close associates and the city would be better off if they had their wings clipped.  That is why I'm going to personally foot the bill for the legal defence of the magazine...and you."

Suzy was taken aback and didn't respond immediately.  Eventually she managed to say "that's very generous of you, Alan."

At that moment Madelyn Buchanan appeared and she too seemed happy to see Suzy.

"I'm so glad you were able to come" she said.  "As you can see, Alan and myself are entirely at ease with...recent developments." she said, trying to sound cryptic but Suzy knew she was referring to the troubles the Landgraabs were currently going through.

"Have you spoken with Detective Action, Madelyn, about his recent investigations?" asked Suzy.

"That there have been two attempts on my life, specifically?  Yes he has.  Sadly, we can't rest easy until this McGregor woman is behind bars but at least her paymaster might soon be." replied Madelyn.

"The article Suzy wrote is damning evidence against Malcolm, that's for sure" said Alan.

Madelyn looked at Alan and nodded approvingly.  There was something in her expression and body language that outwardly seemed calm but betrayed an underlying anxiousness as well.  You're still concealing something, Madelyn... Suzy thought.  

She also suspected that Alan was unaware of Madelyn's secret that she was holding back.  She may be his right hand woman, a confidant and much of the reason why the Lothario company was a success but whereas she knew all of his life, he had still much to discover about hers...

Suzy didn't want to dig deeper at this stage.  Alan's offer of legal protection if the Landgraabs threatened to sue was very generous and his influence in getting her article to be published couldn't be understated.  To now dig up dirt about the goings on of his personal assistant would be ungenerous of her after Alan had been so helpful.  Unprofessional conduct for a journalist?  Maybe.  But Suzy felt that Madelyn's secrets didn't have the same amount of maliciousness and destructiveness of the Landgraabs'.

"Well, I must be getting to the office now.  Alan, Madelyn, thank you so much for your hospitality and generosity.  Goodbye."

Within the hour Suzy had arrived at the offices of Hey, Wow! and found a flurry of activity there.  Photographers, advertising reps, printers, staff writers and about a half a dozen gophers were all scurrying around the place.  One of the sub-editors called Suzy into his office the moment she arrived.

"Suzy, sit down, I have to brief you on what's going on today" he said, motioning towards the sofa opposite his desk.

"What's up?" she replied as she sat down.

"You.  You're what's up"

"What's going on?  It seems like everyone is on panic stations" she said.

"They are.  It seems your article is causing a stir and the issue's only just hit the news stands.  We've got press from all the major newspapers and TV networks pestering us for a comment and...an interview with you."

"Wow." she said, shocked.

"Yeah, 'wow' just about describes it.  Now the editor has said that you're not to do any interviews until we've checked things through with our legal department first.  You're to lie low here, in the office, until it's time to go home.  You don't answer the phone, you're not available and we'll bring lunch to you so you're not ambushed by reporters if you go out."

"So what am I supposed to do in the office all day?" she asked.

"You were hired as a fashion journalist...do some fashion journalism for a change!" he said and with a wave of his hand he dismissed her from his office.

As she went back to her desk she saw Gillian, a teenage aspiring model, parading around the photo studio.  A few months ago Suzy had provided her with contacts in the fashion industry in exchange for information about Malcolm Landgraab.  It seemed Gillian had put those contacts to good use because she was here modelling clothes for the in-house stylist.

"OK...give me more, sweetheart!  Give me your left!  Now your right!  Turn and look over the shoulder!  Look up!  Look down!  Great!  I'm loving it!  Now I'm spent...OK, Gillian, take 5.  Sharon, I want my coffee now!  SHARON!"  Today's photographer had a voice that bellowed throughout the office and Suzy wondered if he would end up shattering a window.  Gillian stepped away from the backdrop and lights and came over to greet Suzy.

"Suzy!  Hi there!" she said with a big smile all over her face.

"Gillian, you're looking great.  How's this gig going?" Suzy replied, looking all around the photo studio.

"Oh this is the best!  I'm going to feature in next month's issue!  Suzy, thank you so, so much for giving me a start in my dream job!"

"That's alright.  You've taken to it well"

"Gillian, love, we need you in the next outfit:  Number 6" called out the photographer.

"Oops, that's me!  Gotta go!" said Gillian to Suzy.

"Well, I'm meant to help out here so I'll be hanging around.  See you after you've changed.

"OK, give us more attitude, Gillian...challenge the camera...defy it!" said Suzy, trying to coax a particular look out of her.  "That's it!  That's what we're looking for!"

"OK, Suz, I've finished the roll" said the photographer. 

"Perfect, Gillian, you're a natural." said Suzy.

When the work day ended, Suzy went to leave the office building by the main front door but she could see that there were reporters out the front, presumably there to try and doorstop her with questions about her article.  She was worried and hesitated about going out through that door as other work colleagues were pestered by the reporters as they left.

There was a noise behind her.  "Psst!"  Suzy looked around and saw Neil standing at the other end of the reception lobby.  "Suzy...this way, we'll get you out via the loading bay!" he said in a loud whisper.  She didn't hesitate to take him up on the offer of escape.

"Neil, what are you doing here?" she asked as he maintained a 5 foot lead on her, checking left and right to see the coast was clear.

"The TV news has been running a LOT of stories about the Landgraabs and you made the midday news.  I knew the press would be down here like a pack of wolves trying to catch a wounded deer so I thought I'd act as your bodyguard."

"It's greatly appreciated, love!" she said, admiringly.

"I say we don't head straight home; the press are probably camped out there as well.  We need to lie low for a few hours, go somewhere where they'd never think of finding us..." said Neil.

"Do you have anywhere specific in mind?" asked Suzy.

"The Romance Festival!" he declared.

"This is a great idea...no press and only a handful of middle aged couples; as it always is.  Absolutely the worst place for a single person under the age of 40 to meet another single person." said Suzy, giving Neil a kiss out of appreciation for his concern for her and quick thinking.

"Hey, we met at the Romance Festival" He protested.

"Oh yeah...so we did.  But how random was that?"

"Not random...providence!"

They got some exotic food from a vending stall and sat down to eat and discuss things.

"The article gets published tomorrow..." said Suzy.

"Great publicity for Hey, Wow...and you of course.  Are you ready?" asked Neil.

"I've been ready for months now.  The more I've learned since the beginning of the year, the more I've been horrified by what that family has done...not just recently, but for the last 150 years.  But I feel I've barely scratched the surface in this investigation." 

"More about the Landgraabs?  We still don't know what's underneath that mansion nor what Gregory Landgraab's role in it all was."

"Not just that...the book alludes to dark secrets of the Feng family.  Once the fallout from the Landgraab article settles you can be sure two smart cooklies like Lily and Victor Feng will have their guards up."

"That's for another day to think about..." said Neil, raising his glass in cheers.  "Hey, there's the Goths over there and...do my eyes deceive me?  They're smiling and having a good time!"

"They are smiling!  I've never seen Mortimer smile before and I've seen him twice and the Humour and Hijinks festival where he did not even crack a grin.  I wonder what they're so happy about?"

"A rival gone?  Or at least going?" suggested Neil.

Mortimer noticed Suzy and Neil and he looked at them both.  He just stared for two seconds and then smiled, nodding at the pair.  Suzy nodded back in acknowledgement.

"I think you maybe right, Neil" she said.

CHAPTER 214: The Whistle Blower (Downfall, Part 2)

It was at the 11am coffee break time that Jeremy slipped out of the office to have another clandestine meeting with his colleague, Darrin.  He had meant to find out the contact details of the Landgraab's cleaner but he could only find out her name:  Beulah Boutee.  When he went to visit George and Edna Sneedley to find out where he could find her he found George acting strangely defensive and evasive.  It had been playing on his mind since that day:  What was George worried about him asking him for a cleaner's phone number?  What was he covering up?  Does he know the Landgraabs well and is acting to protect them?  So many questions...

Darrin looked more positive when they met.  "So, Jeremy, any luck?" he asked.

"I got the cleaner's name; Beulah Boutee, but that's about it.  No phone number, no address, no way to contact her."

"Beulah Boutee?  Is that even a real name?" Darrin said, shaking his head in disbelief.  "So your contacts came up short handed then?"

"Yeah, and the weird thing about that is how defensive they were...he was.  The husband.  He really did his best to avoid giving me any information and was scared by me even asking about this cleaner."

"Hmmm, maybe he's having an affair with her?" mused Darrin.

"George Sneedley?  Co-chair of the League of Decency having an affair?  Sounds a little out there if you ask me" said Jeremy.

"All is not lost, Jeremy..." continued Darrin  "We have a name, and an unusual one at that.  She's bound to be on the system.  Maybe even in the personnel files.  That's your department; can you handle that?"

"Yeah, sure..." said Jeremy with a resigned sigh.

"Attaboy..." replied Darrin, tapping Jeremy on the arm with a folder he was carrying.

Attaboy was what his first boss, J.J. Gotcha, used to say to him a lot when Jeremy was working at Dewey, Cheathem & Howe and it was usually said just after he had been given a particularly onerous task.

Jeremy returned to the office building and started looking around in the personnel files for any mention of Beulah Boutee.  The name was to be found in a file marked "supernumeraries", which contained a list of one-off contractors, seasonal workers, occasional employees hired on an ad hoc basis and those who were hired to perform tasks for the Landgraab family themselves without being Landgraab Corporation employees.

The file itself had been difficult to find, tucked away in a murky and almost unnoticeable corner of the records section.  It was such an obscure section that not even Alice, the member of the usually hyper-efficient secretarial pool that spied on Jeremy's and Darrin's every move, knew about it...but Jeremy did.  Months of digging around for dirt about the Landgraabs had led him to some of the hidden areas of the company.

He took all the files that referenced Beulah Boutee and took them back to his office so he could inspect them in detail.  It meant pushing aside his regular workload for the moment but he figured he could make up that up at some point; he was driven by Darrin's cajoling to find some juicy information.

After nearly an hour of scanning the files he found a name...but it wasn't Beulah Boutee; it was another name, familiar and sinister.

Leanne McGregor...for services rendered.  Paid in kind.

Leanne McGregor!  The mysterious assassin who Action was intent on finding.  She was linked to assassination attempts on Alan Cuffe, Lily Feng and Suzy.  So the Landgraabs had paid her to do various jobs, and more than one, by the looks of it, thought Jeremy.  There was a recent payment as well for "client removal", whatever that meant.  Jeremy had a sinking feeling that it wasn't going to be good.

Using his accountancy skills he noticed that company funds were being channelled to an account owned by Malcolm Landgraab IV; the son and heir apparent.  But Malcolm's legally a minor, he can't have a business account like this, thought Jeremy.  And it showed that Malcolm was paying Leanne for more 'client removal' and illegal surveillance operations.

Oh my!  This is it!  The smoking gun!  These files implicate the family in illegal money transfers, hiring wanted criminals and other financial misdeeds...The significance of what he held in his hands now truly sank in.

What to do?  What to do? He thought.  He shut the file he was reading and put it in his briefcase.  Then he went to meet Darrin to tell him what he found...

"So we can turn this information over to the police now!  We've done it!" said Jeremy, enthusiastically.

"Or we can push for more now we know their weaknesses!  If you go to the cops now, Jeremy, sure there'll be an investigation but with their lawyers they'll just shift the blame on to some middle management flunky.  If we build in what you've discovered, lay low and bide our time we can bring the entire company down!" Darrin said with intensity in his eyes.

"Every day we do that, Darrin, we risk getting caught!  I say what we've got is good enough.  It'll cost them millions in legal fees, there'll be bad publicity and maybe Geoffrey, Nancy or Malcolm will be arrested and put on trial.  The Landgraab Corporation will take a huge hit that will take years to recover.  If we go to the police now it'll certainly shut down many of their activities...including plans to redevelop Foundry Cove because that project is being funded by their illicit activities.  Come on, Darrin...we've done more than enough, let's quit whilst we're ahead."

"But we can do so much more!  Give it more time, Jeremy, so we can finish this job!"

Jeremy drew a deep breath and sighed.  "Darrin, I'm tired.  I'm tired of living a double life, tired of being a corporate spy.  I have a girlfriend who I want to marry and a life completely outside of the business world that I want to keep.  If I turn this file over to the police, then that's it for me at the Landgraab Corporation.  That's probably going to be the end of my career in business but do you know what?  I'm fine with that.  I'm going to include a personal witness statement from me plus some extra evidence that I have about their brainwashing machine and turn it all over to my friend in the force.  Darrin, I wish you all the best of luck in your investigations but my part in this is done."

Darrin said nothing but just looked off into the distance whilst throwing his hands up in the air in a mixture of resignation and frustration.

"Good luck and have a nice life" he said before walking off back to the office.  Jeremy let out a sigh and took a few moments to gather his composure.  He put the files he'd shown Darrin back in the briefcase, shut it and locked it and then instead of heading back to the office, he left the area completely to head downtown.  This was noticed by none other than Geoffrey Landgraab, who was taken aback by seeing one of his main employees leaving in the middle of the work day.  Maybe it was nothing, some personal errand that needed his attention, Geoffrey thought, but there was also a sinking feeling in his stomach; a harbinger of some unforeseen doom...

WILLOW CREEK

"...So I headed straight downtown to the police and handed all the files I had to Action.  So that's it.  It's done.  I've blown the whistle." said Jeremy to Barbara when he got back home.

"Does this mean it's over?  Your investigations?" Barbara replied, wide eyed in amazement at this sudden development.  She had hated Jeremy risking his life and safety to try to bring the Landgraabs down.

"It's over...well, my part is at least" he replied.  "It's the police, FBI and Justice Department's responsibility now.  I've given an official statement to the police as well so, yeah...I'm free"

Barbara looked upwards at the ceiling, threw her arms up and smiled.  "Oh that goodness!  You made it!" she looked back down at Jeremy and there was pure joy in her expression.

"I have!" he replied.  He stood up and grabbed her hand to get her to stand with him.  "We have, darling" and with that they embraced each other tightly, both of them letting all that tension flow out of them.

"I want to celebrate!" said Barbara, excitedly.  "Let's go out...doesn't have to be elaborate, nowhere where we have to book ahead...let's just go out, get some drinks, maybe dance a little and somewhere far, far away from those Landgraabs."

"How about the Salty Paws Saloon?  That's somewhere they never go." suggested Jeremy.

"Perfect" Barbara replied.

"OK...and to draw a line under my former job and the rest of my life, I need to change out of this suit!" he said, smiling.

BRINDLETON BAY

Jeremy was a changed man by the time they'd got to the saloon.  He was smiling now, light hearted and ready for a fun night out with his girlfriend.  Barbara hadn't seen him this happy for months and she felt a wave of relief that the burden he had been under had been finally lifted.

They drank and danced and for a moment the cares of Jeremy evaporated but he suddenly became serious looking again and Barbara wondered what had happened.

"I just thought of something" he said to her.  "I haven't got a job!  Tomorrow morning I'm going to wake up and....not have a job to go to!"

She smiled.  "There are other jobs.  Why not take a break before getting a new one?" she said.

"I think I've burned my bridges in the business world.  No other company is going to want to hire a stoolpigeon."

"A what?" sometimes American slang wasn't all that obvious to her French-Canadian ear.

"Stoolpigeon.  A snitch.  A tittle-tattle."  

"Oh that.  I didn't realise..."

"So I'm afraid all our plans to move house and get married are going to have to go on hold while we live on the profits of the boutique."

"You're good at business and accounting.  Why don't you work at the shop with me?  With Toni that'll be three of us to handle the increased business, we won't have to hire an accountant and your business savvy will come in handy....PLUS I get to see you all day!" she said with a big smile on her face.

"I know nothing about fashion" he said.

"Oh you'll learn, my dear, you'll learn"