Chapter 36

When Carver and I got to the study, I motioned for him to close the door and switched the cell to speaker phone. I told Jerry we were in my study and he could speak freely.

"Well, the news isn't good, Jon. Someone broke into Bill's office and made a mess. Even the safe was pried open. I know he never kept his important papers in it, because he always said it wasn't strong enough for that. They did take the cash he had in it, but his secretary said she couldn't find anything other than that missing. Your hunch about the uncle was right, Jon, his fingerprints were all over the place in the hotel and the office. I now have heavy security on his home, and all the alarms have been upgraded. Jon, the funeral will be tomorrow at four in the afternoon. Since it will have to be a closed coffin, we will all meet at the funeral home and go directly to the cemetery. Jon, I have another problem I need help with. This is going to be a full Military Honors Funeral, and I was wondering who should receive the flag since he doesn't have any family."

"Well, Jerry, you are his godson, so why can't you accept it as his closest relative?"

"Jon, I hate to say this, but as you know, I come from a family of war heroes like Bill was. But, I ah, well, I vehemently abhor war in any form, and I wouldn't feel comfortable accepting it. I loved that man like a father, and to me it would be a dishonor to him for me to accept it. Jon, can we have Myrna be the receiver? She and Bill were friends for over twenty five years, and I know he would be proud to see her accept it for his family. I don't know if he ever told you, but he and Myrna were engaged at one time, way back when they were in college. I don't know the whole story, but I do know they were friends and she was the maid of honor at his marriage."

"Whatever you think is right, Jerry, but I need to let Myrna know. I don't think it would be fair to her to spring it on her at the last minute. You know how she is, and both of us would have to move if we did something like that. Has the FBI found any traces of the uncle?"

"No they haven't, and they are mad as hell that they can't seem to get a lead on him. It's like he disappeared into thin air. Not to change the subject Jon but we opened his will this morning and to say there were some surprises would be an understatement. Is Carver in the study with you?"

"Yes he is, since he is part of this household now."

"Well this concerns him and Myrna, so I'm glad he is the one that has to tell her this news, because she is gonna explode. He left his home and property to them both as a wedding present. It's already been deeded over and has been for two days. Jon, he left Sally two million dollars in a trust fund for her education. It all comes to her when she graduates from college. He made allowances for her to attend Princeton and has already paid for her first four years. I have a hand written letter I'm supposed to give to her tomorrow before the funeral. He also left five million in a special account for you to use to help the kids you save and their families. Jon, he left me his business and twenty five million to use to make my business larger, and with explicit instructions that I was to use it to help the indigent as much as possible. Oh, you're the only other one, besides me, who decides who we help. Jon, there are a couple of surprises for you in this too. Sally is now your daughter. It's all legal and filed in D.C. in the Federal Court. I have no idea how he swung that one and bypassed the waiting period. I also have a complete expungement of records for Tiny, which is also legally filed in DC. Jon how did he know you asked me about this? These are dated a year ago, so I wonder why he never told Tiny about them."

"Jerry, I haven't known Bill that long, but I do know he was always full of surprises. It seemed that he could do the impossible, whenever he set his mind to it. If he were still here, we would be in a big argument because I would have had a fit about him leaving me money."

"Yeah, I know how you feel. Jon, he also left his partnership papers to Jeb's business, signed completely over to him along with a half million to keep it operating. Did you know he and Jeb were partners?"

"I just found out myself, and it was a surprise to me too."

"Well, I have another one for the sheriff tomorrow. Bill prepaid for four years of college for the sheriff's little girl Judy to attend Princeton with Sally. Did you know Judy was adopted?"

"Yeah, I was told so by the sheriff the other day. She and Sally are best friends, and have been since Sally came to live with me. Jerry, this is a lot for all of us to take in at one time. If you have any more surprises, would you wait for a few days before you spring them on me?"

"I'm sorry, Jon, but dammit, I can't believe he's gone, and now he's left me as executor. I am at a loss as to whether I should be happy about his business acumen, or cuss him for getting killed. Jon, he was a father to me, even more than my real one was. Did you know he paid for my college and pushed me to become a lawyer? He put up with a lot from me when I was younger, and was always there to support me. He was the one who got me the job as a Federal Prosecutor, and was the first to support me when I got disgusted and quit. Jon, I just don't know what I'm going to do, now that he's gone."

"Well, Jerry, you were always close to him. Why don't you go have a drink and think about what he would want you to do? Think about all the good times you two spent together, and it will come to you. If you concentrate hard enough, you will hear him in the background, giving you advice like he always did. That's what I would do, Jerry. I am going to let you go, and see if I can get a few words with Myrna before tomorrow. We'll all see you at the funeral tomorrow, my friend."

"Oh, before you go, he asked that you and Carver wear your dress uniforms and be the head pallbearers."

"We would be honored, Jerry. See you tomorrow."

I hung up and looked over at Carver and he looked like he was in shock.

"You ok there, Carver?"

He looked at me and I could see the inner conflict in his eyes, like he was fighting something inside and didn't know how to handle it.

"Carver, listen to me! This is what Bill wanted, and besides, it's too late to change it now. I don't think you and Myrna could ask for a better wedding present. When you move in, I guess I will be looking for another house keeper."

I had just been kidding with him, but when he looked at me, I could see I could see the anger in his eyes.

"Jon, don't even try to kid about something as serious as this. It's gonna break Myrna's heart. Jon, she will never leave here as long as you and Sally are alive. She even told me what you said about going back to France to live, and told me I could go with her or stay here, because she wasn't leaving you and Sally. Have you ever been to Bill's house?"

"No, can't say as I have, because he was always over here mooching meals from Myrna. Why do you ask?"

"I worked with Pete over there for two weeks when I first came down here after I retired. Jon, that place is huge. He took us through it when we bid on the job, and it has over thirty bedrooms and as many baths. It's three stories high and has everything that any person could ever want to live in luxury. Why the hell would Myrna or I even want that, with just the two of us? Your caretaker's cottage has three bedrooms, and it's better than the house I was raised in. That house of his has an intercom in every room and every room has its own television and computer. Can you imagine us living in something like that? We love where we are at, and I have to admit, other than my sisters, I finally found something I never thought I would. A good woman that I can love, and an extended family that I have had more fun with than I have had in more years than I care to think about. No way in hell will we move, and I know Myrna is going to feel the same way, Jon."

"Carver, don't blow up on me, because I am not saying you have to leave. It would break my heart to lose Myrna after all these years. Sally would have a fit because like I told you before, to her, Myrna is her surrogate mother. There is no way I am stepping into this one. That's between you and Myrna, what you decide to do. You both are welcome here as long as you want to stay, and that won't change."

"Sorry Jon, I didn't mean to get mad at you. I know it's not your fault, but what am I going to tell Myrna?"

"Ha, don't ask me. I think if you two decide to, you might talk to Jerry about leasing it to him. He has kids, and also his is one of the largest law firms on the east coast. It would be a good place for him to live and host parties for all his important clients. I know he has been looking for a bigger place for a couple of years now. I think he would love to have his godfather's place to live in. You might want to run it by Myrna when you tell her about it later. Speaking of later, I feel like I haven't eaten for hours. Let's go out and remind the women the men are hungry and they need to cook some food."

He was laughing as we got up and looked over his shoulder at me as we went out the door saying; "Good luck with that one."

When we got to the kitchen, it was like we had stepped into the middle of a hen party. Myrna was waving her arms, and Kat and Sally were laughing up a storm. I cleared my throat loudly to catch their attention and got a glare from Myrna.

"You don't suppose we could break up this little gossip meeting and talk someone into fixing us something to eat, could we?"

Myrna glared at me and Sally was sniggering again. That's when I got the distinct impression Myrna was talking about me. I don't know why, but I just seemed to have that feeling all of a sudden.

"It's too late for dinner and too early for supper. I guess both of you will have to settle for a hunk of cinnamon crisp and some coffee. That should hold you over until I get supper ready. What was the phone call about? Was it news about the funeral?"

"It's going to be tomorrow afternoon and we have to meet Jerry around four in the afternoon. The rest of it, I will let Carver fill you in on while I go outside to get some air and enjoy my food."

With that, I beat a hasty retreat out of the kitchen, leaving Carver to fend for himself. I was grinning to myself as I went out the door and sat down in one of the chairs. I set my coffee on one of the little tables and dug into the apple crisp. I could taste the cinnamon on it, and it was delicious. I had never had anything like this before, and I wondered if I could talk her into making it again. I was down to the last bite and when one of the Rotties showed up. He came up and put his head on my knee, begging for the last piece. I debated on eating it, but felt sorry for him with his sad look, so I leaned down and let him lick the plate. It was gone before I was straightened back up in the chair. He lay down at my feet as I sipped my coffee, wondering how Carver was handling this one. I had to admit, it felt good for a change, not to be the one on the spot with Myrna. I leaned back in the chair and almost dozed off, thinking about the funeral tomorrow and if I should put my medals on or just wear the plain uniform. I knew my Kepi Blanc was clean, and was as white as it could be. They had a tendency to turn a brownish yellow if not cleaned correctly. I dozed off thinking about the Legion Honor Code.