20.1 For Someone Special

“Savy!” she called, “Are you home?”

“In the bathroom, honey!”

“You’ve got mail!” she dropped off her mules by the door and closed.

“From whom?”

“Hulsen & Quinn! Do you know them?”

“From where?”

“Madison!”

Savon reached Heidelinde and took it from her, “Lawyers!” he read, “What’s all this about?” He opened it and read;

“This is to notify about your mother’s Last Will, dated 18^th December 1981, that bestows the property of 69 Church Street and all her belongings to Savon Martin upon her death. However, 69 Church Street in Charleston, SC, has not been claimed by your mother since she died in November 1982 before your father who died recently in June 1983. Therefore, Mr Cyril’s sons and daughters are claiming it back. However, if you submit the original Will written by Mr Anton Benedict Cyril, registered at Carmen Law Office, dated 28^th January 1981, we will be having the power to claim the house for you included and provided a meeting with Mr Thomas Cyril should take place. Dates will be informed accordingly.”

“Wow! What is all this about?” grunted Savon, “I don’t need a house. I want the car.”

“Let me see!” Heidelinde took the letter and read it aloud. She said, “There must be a will your mother was keeping with her.”

“Do you think so?”

That very day they drove to Whiting and arrived late in the afternoon. It was cold in October. All the trees turned burgundy. They stopped outside his late mother’s home on Reese Avenue. A narrow brick house with stairs to reach the floor level, a low mesh fence and no vehicles parked in the lawn. All were taken away by Carmen Law Office.

The light was out in the first floor. They sneaked to his mother’s bedroom and turned on the light. Savon opened the lockers. There was nothing inside. Heidelinde pulled the drawers looking for a clue. All were empty.

Then Heidelinde noticed the wardrobe furniture piece made of walnut had a ‘toe kick’ area with a recessed bottom that gave enough depth. She pulled out a bottom drawer completely. And there it was a document bag – a fireproof, water resistant, silicon-coated white bag with a zipper and a strap. Along with a deep purple, hard cover album, a highly embroidered transparent purple lingerie and a black masquerade mask with purple feathers. In the document bag they discovered the holographic will.

“I have seen that bag before,” Savon articulated, “I didn’t know it contained a will.”

“Protected by Carmen Law Office.”

“Cindy Lockwood!” he read, “This lady died few days ago here in Whiting.”

“Do you know them?” asked Heidelinde.

“Yes.”

“Let’s call Hulsen & Quinn,” said Heidelinde, “we have the will here.”

“I don’t know.”

“I will call.”

Heidelinde Klutz called Hulsen & Quinn and the person on the line said, “Be here in Madison on Tuesday 25^th October. We cannot keep Mr Thomas Cyril waiting. When he arrives, I will give a call and Savon Martin must be able to come in five minutes.”

The Renault supermini parked in the car park in front of Saint Patrick’s Church. She climbed down and walked to the payphone to call H&Q. Heidelinde passed the booth number, dropped the handset and those deep-set eyes scanned the cars in the parking lot looking for a silver Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme. She spotted it in the third row. Her eyes were sharp, focused and intelligent to detect. She returned to the small car and they waited for the call, “Don’t be nervous!”

Meanwhile, a taxi stopped outside H&Q. Thomas Cyril entered the tinted glass, grey-colour office. Doherty grabbed him aside and frisked him. He pulled out a wallet and phone, left them with the counter girl. “He’s clean!” assured Doherty.

They had been waiting for one and a half hours and then the phone began to ring. Heidelinde dashed to pick the phone.

Shortly, she ushered Savon Martin out of the car. “Here’s the document bag. Don’t leave it there. Don’t say yes to anything. Say, you need to think. Buy time!”

She stood watching Savon Martin walk towards Hulsen & Quinn. She wore a red beanie, faux fur coat, long dress and gloves, hands in coat pockets. When he entered the framed building, she moved towards the silver colour Oldsmobile. She opened the passenger door and stepped in, “Where’s Curtis?”

“He’s gone to take some photographs. I told him to go out and smoke,” replied Clancy.

“When are you going to pay me?”

“You keep this five,” he pulled out his wallet and took some cash, “You did a good job. I was thinking, you could do the same with Savon Martin.”

“Savon?” she cried.

“Yes,” he shrugged, “That is the end of the game. Without him, we don’t get nothing. We are talking here of millions.”

“How much are you offering?”

“Fifty-thousand dollars.”

“Fifty!” she cried, “Wow! What do I do?”

“Just like you did to Lockwood,” Clancy said, “A tiny prick when he sleeps. And he’ll go unconscious. You collect the will, the H&Q letter we sent and leave the door open. Get into my car. Curtis will go in and finish the job. Five minutes, we drive off to Chicago. You have to book a room one day earlier.”

“I grew up in Chicago. I know where to stay.”

“I pay you that half and fifty more.”

“I can do it,” said Heidelinde taking five-hundred dollars from him.

“You can always call me if you need help.”

“I need the money.”

“I will pay you a bunch tonight.”

“There he’s coming,” said Heidelinde, “I must go! Give me a call at seven.”

“Okay! Get out!”

She ran behind the vehicles to the Renault just before Savon Martin reached the car.

“What did he say?” she asked as he climbed in.

“Half a million dollars!”

“Half a million dollars!” she cried, “For what?”

“To surrender the will and waive off my claim.”

“That must be a house!” she began to reverse the car, “What did you say, Savy?”

“I want to think,” said Savon, “I have never been to South Carolina. I do not know how this house looks! I don’t know what it’s worth!”

“Don’t worry! We go see it for ourselves.”

“I must call Mrs Hudson.”

That evening when Clancy called Heidelinde, she argued about this half a million dollars which was too big for his take. Clancy replied, “You know what will happen to Savon. He’s not getting anything and you’re not getting anything. You take my offer. You get something. Come to my hotel, I will pay you.”

“He called Laura Hudson,” she told him.

That night he gave ten thousand dollars in cash to put Heidelinde Klutz into the trap.