Page 38 of The Facilitator, Part 2

Christopher leaned back in his chair. “I can’t condone or offer any advice on any illegal activity.

However, I can say this. If you signed those documents , Vivienne, as Mackenzie said, that is your money and you are fully entitled to recover it.

Whatever you decide to do, I’d suggest you do it quick. ”

“Is there a huge rush?” I asked.

“Tomorrow news of the loss of the government contract is going to hit the media. I think that will cause Addison and Daniel to panic. We now know she, at least, has other money from Jerry, but if he has willingly given that to her, he can kiss it goodbye, legally. All we can hope is they were stupid enough to put the money in Cayman National Bank.”

As if on cue, Mackenzie’s mobile rang. He stood and walked to the other side of the office as he answered. He didn’t speak much; he nodded and then remembered to add a verbal confirmation before disconnecting.

“It appears there is a bank account in the name of Collingsworth Trust with trustees listed as Ms. Collingsworth.”

“Addison impersonated Momma?” Gabriella asked.

“Possibly. Although, she’s a Collingsworth legally.”

“I’m not sure there will be a lot we’ll know unless the pair decide to confess all, and that is unlikely to happen. In the meantime, I need to know if I am contacting the police now or later,” Christopher said.

“Will you give us a day?” Vivienne asked.

He nodded. “In the meantime, what’s left in the trust is frozen. And of course, Vivienne, you have the Lockhart trust,” he said.

Both Mackenzie and Gabriella looked at Vivienne. She held the handkerchief to her lips.

“My mother was wealthy; your daddy didn’t come from money but he worked hard and he made a lot.

My mother didn’t like him because he was poor, but I loved him and she respected my wishes.

However she wasn’t kind to him. When she died, her money was locked into trust and I haven’t touched a cent of it.

I didn’t want it. It’s been with Christopher until I die, then the distribution of funds are as per my will,” she said.

No one responded and I took it Gabriella hadn’t known her grandmother. Vivienne turned to Gabriella.

“Daniel knows nothing of this money. I don’t want you to worry about what we’ve lost. I just want to make sure I can live in my home until I die.

Christopher, I want an immediate change to my will.

Daniel will inherit nothing more from me.

Nothing.” She turned to Mackenzie. “I understand what you’ve said, maybe I could recover that money, but I’m not sure I want it back.

Addison was never going to buy my house, that was simply to fool your friend; they were going to steal it from me,” she looked at me as she spoke.

For a moment she just stared, and I wondered what was running through her mind.

Then I saw a little spark in her eyes. She placed her handkerchief in her handbag and she straightened in her chair.

She smoothed down the folds of her skirt and she crossed her ankles.

Mrs. Collingsworth, as I knew her, was back.

“However, here is what we will do. I will demand a transfer of funds, enough to cover the loss your friend, Jerry, has incurred, if that much exists in the bank account. I highly doubt it does. Christopher, please call the bank and arrange for that to happen,” she said. She sat back with a smug smile.

“It’s not quite as simple as calling a bank and…” he started to say. Mrs. Collingsworth raised her hand.

“Whatever is needed, let’s get it done. Be sure to remove Daniel from all and everything I own or manage. He doesn’t exist as my son. I don’t ever want to see him again.”

I wanted to wince and I was sure Gabriella did. Despite what he’d done, despite how appalling he had behaved over the years, to be dead to a parent was about the worst thing I could imagine.

“What happens now?” I asked.

“All accounts are frozen anyway, so he can’t get any more money from the trust. The trustees have been made aware of the forgery, and we'll be looking for new members. This should never have happened, and I hold both myself and Christopher responsible for that,” Mackenzie said, looking at Christopher.

“I resign my position immediately,” Christopher said in response.

“No, neither of you will. You are the only two I want to manage it all from now on. However, Mackenzie, you won’t know this, but you are also a beneficiary, so it might be best for you to step down. Put someone else in your place.”

“I don't want your…” Mackenzie started.

“I don’t care for what you want; it’s my decision and it stands,” she replied.

“I’ll have a new will drawn up by tomorrow afternoon. Perhaps Alex would like to witness it?”

“Yes, we won’t be leaving for Boston until this is resolved,” Alex said. He then turned to Mackenzie. “I’m sorry. I’ve spoken to them; everything is covered over there.”

Mackenzie nodded. “I guess, at the moment, there is nothing more we can do here. Christopher, leave the bank transfer to me. I have a man over there who can help. Tomorrow, Daniel and Addison will know about the government contract, but I might have a pre-press release sent to all shareholders, giving them fair warning of the news. It’s going to blow up tonight,” he said.

Gabriella took a deep breath in. “Call the police to get an order to keep him away, or whatever it’s called. I don’t want Daniel near the house. He threatened me at my party and I fear for my life. Lauren witnessed that,” she said.

We all looked at her. She gave a very subtle shrug of her shoulders and a sly wink.

“Yes, I saw that,” I added, praying I actually wouldn’t have to give a statement.

Mackenzie nodded and instructed Christopher to attend to that.

Mrs. Collingsworth was a very well-respected woman, so I was under no illusion she wouldn’t be looked after by the local law enforcement.

We followed Mackenzie’s lead and stood when he did.

I forwarded the emails from Jerry to Christopher, then closed the lid and gathered the notes.

“The shit’s going to hit the fan, isn’t it?” I whispered, as we left the office.

“Big time,” Mackenzie replied. “Big time.”

Mrs. Collingsworth gave me a hug. Despite her insisting I called her Vivienne I still alternated. Mackenzie told Alex he would call him soon, once he’d dealt with the bank end of the matter. He was yet to explain how he was going to do that, and no one asked.

Mackenzie held my arm as we crossed the road to his car. We didn’t speak again until we were on our way back home.

“I still can’t believe two things. That they got married, and he was able to get past the board without anyone questioning him,” I said.

“My exact thoughts, which is why I also know there was someone on the inside who helped him.”

I looked over to him, but he kept his eyes on the road.

“You didn’t want to mention that earlier?”

“Not until I know who. I don’t believe it to be Christopher, so that leaves Father Dickhead. That’s going to upset Vivienne; she is very fond of him. He also happens to be her brother-in-law.”

“Jesus wept. Hang on, Addison is their cousin so, is Addison’s dad Dickhead’s brother or was it…”

“Addison’s mother, who divorced her husband years ago and left, is Dickhead’s sister, also sister to Vivienne’s husband.”

“It’s all so bloody complicated,” I said, slumping down in my seat. “So this second trust…?”

“I had no idea about it. She’s a sneaky one is Vivienne. I guess I’ll discover more in the next day or so. In the meantime, we need to figure out what to do about Jerry.”

“He said he’s skint, you know, he has lost all his money,” I said, giving an explanation of the word skint.

“Lauren, I’ve lived in London for a few years now, I know some of the local lingo. Pie, mash and liquor, which isn’t alcohol, and all that,” he said, with a smirk.

We had turned into the driveway for the house.

“I didn’t ask; how did it go with your dad?”

“Good, we talked lots. It was…nice,” he said, as he climbed from the car. I didn’t wait for him to open my door, opting to do it myself.

“Nice?”

He placed his arm around my shoulder as we walked to the front door.

“I haven’t spoken to him in twenty-five years, maybe more if you take my horrible teenage years into account.

I didn’t know what to say. It was odd, awkward, we stumbled over words we shouldn’t have, and it felt like we were only just now getting to know each other. It was nice. It was a start, I guess.”

He took his laptop from my hands and sat at the table.

He opened it and his fingers flew across the keyboard as he sent emails and instructions to his faceless team.

He checked time zones and cursed. For a half hour he worked.

He then told me he’d instructed for the pre-press release to be sent to all shareholders.

Of course, the email would go to the offshore company so there was no telling when it would be seen.

He also told me he had all the bank details he needed to make the transfer.

I didn’t ask him how he had obtained it; I knew for sure, it wouldn’t have been by legal means.

He closed the laptop and walked from the kitchen area to the living room.

Mackenzie slumped into the sofa; he placed his arms on the back and rested his head back then closed his eyes. I stood behind him and ran my hands through his hair.

“Mmm, that’s nice,” he said.

Not that I had any idea of how to massage properly, but I added some pressure and encouraged him to lean his head forward. He rested his chin on his chest and I kneaded out the knots in the back of his neck. His body was so tense.

“You need a proper massage. Take off your shirt and undo your jeans,” I said, quietly.