Page 122
Story: All That Glitters (Landry 3)
"Look," Beau said, squeezing my hand again, "what possible motive could we have for Ruby pretending to be Ruby? First, we will be exposing our deception to the world, and besides, everyone who knew Gisselle knew how self-centered she was. She wouldn't want to win custody of a child and be responsible for the child's upbringing."
Monsieur Polk thought a moment. He turned his chair and gazed out the window.
"I'll play the devil's advocate," he said, continuing to gaze down at the river. Then he turned sharply back to us and pointed at me with his cigar again. "You said your husband, Paul, inherited oil-rich land in the bayou?"
"Yes."
"And built you a mansion with beautiful grounds, an estate?"
"Yes, but--"
"And has wells pumping up oil, creating a large fortune?"
I couldn't swallow. I couldn't nod. Beau and I gazed at each other.
"But, monsieur, we are far from paupers. Ruby inherited a tidy sum and a profitable business and--"
"Monsieur Andreas, you have at your fingertips the possibility of inheriting a major fortune, a continually growing major fortune. We're not talking now about just being well-to-do."
"What about the child?" Beau threw out in desperation. "She knows her mother."
"She's an infant. I wouldn't think of putting her on a witness stand in a courtroom. She would be terrified, I'm sure."
"No, we can't do that, Beau," I said. "Never." Monsieur Polk sat back. "Let me look into the hospital records, talk to some doctors.Ill get back to you."
"How long will this take?"
"It can't be done overnight, madame," he said
frankly.
"But my baby. . . Oh, Beau."
"Did you consider going to see Madame Tate
and talking it out with her? Perhaps this was an
impulsive angry act and now she's had some time to
reconsider," Monsieur Polk suggested. "It would
simplify the problem."
"I don't say this is her motive," he added,
leaning forward, "but you might offer to sign over any
oil rights, et cetera."
"Yes," I said, hope springing in my hear
t. Beau nodded. "It could be driving her mad that
Ruby would inherit Cypress Woods and all the oil on
the land," Beau agreed. "Let's drive out there and see
if she will speak with us. But in the meantime . . ." "I'll go forward with my research in the matter,"
Table of Contents
- Page 1
- Page 2
- Page 3
- Page 4
- Page 5
- Page 6
- Page 7
- Page 8
- Page 9
- Page 10
- Page 11
- Page 12
- Page 13
- Page 14
- Page 15
- Page 16
- Page 17
- Page 18
- Page 19
- Page 20
- Page 21
- Page 22
- Page 23
- Page 24
- Page 25
- Page 26
- Page 27
- Page 28
- Page 29
- Page 30
- Page 31
- Page 32
- Page 33
- Page 34
- Page 35
- Page 36
- Page 37
- Page 38
- Page 39
- Page 40
- Page 41
- Page 42
- Page 43
- Page 44
- Page 45
- Page 46
- Page 47
- Page 48
- Page 49
- Page 50
- Page 51
- Page 52
- Page 53
- Page 54
- Page 55
- Page 56
- Page 57
- Page 58
- Page 59
- Page 60
- Page 61
- Page 62
- Page 63
- Page 64
- Page 65
- Page 66
- Page 67
- Page 68
- Page 69
- Page 70
- Page 71
- Page 72
- Page 73
- Page 74
- Page 75
- Page 76
- Page 77
- Page 78
- Page 79
- Page 80
- Page 81
- Page 82
- Page 83
- Page 84
- Page 85
- Page 86
- Page 87
- Page 88
- Page 89
- Page 90
- Page 91
- Page 92
- Page 93
- Page 94
- Page 95
- Page 96
- Page 97
- Page 98
- Page 99
- Page 100
- Page 101
- Page 102
- Page 103
- Page 104
- Page 105
- Page 106
- Page 107
- Page 108
- Page 109
- Page 110
- Page 111
- Page 112
- Page 113
- Page 114
- Page 115
- Page 116
- Page 117
- Page 118
- Page 119
- Page 120
- Page 121
- Page 122 (Reading here)
- Page 123
- Page 124
- Page 125
- Page 126
- Page 127
- Page 128
- Page 129
- Page 130
- Page 131
- Page 132
- Page 133
- Page 134
- Page 135
- Page 136
- Page 137
- Page 138
- Page 139
- Page 140
- Page 141
- Page 142
- Page 143
- Page 144
- Page 145
- Page 146
- Page 147
- Page 148
- Page 149
- Page 150
- Page 151
- Page 152