Final Act of a Tortured Soul.

Chapter 28

John Childs stared at the almost empty bottle on his desk as he replayed over and over again the conversation with his informant. The man had been a strong supporter of the Hartwell Ministries, and with this phone call he had not only provided John with what most likely was the most chilling and frightening information, but he had also made it very clear that he no longer wished to be in contact with anyone involved with the Hartwell’s.

In some respect he couldn’t blame the man, after all given the information he had just been told, he wasn’t so sure that he too wished any more association with them, but then for some inexplicable reason, he still was denying the mounting evidence before him, still somehow believing that it wasn’t true, that all that was coming to light was lies and fabrications but when he searched his heart, he knew it was all true and yet still he fought to deny it.

During the last six weeks since his world came crashing down in a hail of gunfire in the courtroom, John Childs had retreated once more to his safe haven, the bottle and he knew he was becoming more of a drunk than a help to his employers but he just couldn’t get through the days any longer without at least some ‘bottled courage’ and maybe that too was a way for him to deny the truth that kept pounding at his door.

In the six weeks, he had gone from being an influential person to one begging secretaries to put his calls through to people who used to leap at the chance to talk to Jerry Hartwell’s right hand man, now they were all unavoidably occupied if they were polite, but many had even thrown that façade aside and had simply told him, they weren’t interested and to stop bothering them. Big time contributors didn’t exist anymore and they had lost about 70% of their station feeds and the mail room still received mail, but no longer filled with people’s hard earned cash.

Jerry Hartwell “My God, are you sure of this John?”

The press, once their staunched ally, had now turned on both Janice Hartwell as well as Jerry Hartwell, and he knew it was because they could smell the blood, and there was nothing like a good dirty story about a man of God to excite and make them drool. Funny, if it was about a television reporter or some other media type the story rarely got published, never mind making it the six o’clock lead but then he never did like the press, to him they were nothing but vultures preying on people’s innocent naïve minds.

All the catch phrases, the titillating headlines they would come up with that really had nothing to do with the facts of a story, or worse, how they actually wound up manufacturing a story to fit their vision of what the story should be. It was like, well the lead story wasn’t that a gunman had shot a gay basher, instead one headline had read ‘Hartwell’s Get out of Jail Card Shot Dead’ and while he knew it was actually true, there was no way that reporter knew that, hell at the time even he really didn’t know it for sure, but still it was just one of many such headlines.

The press had hounded him too, dredging up his past drinking problems, and the hay day they had when it was announced that a material witness had come forward still brought him a deep sense of pain. For weeks now they had been harping on just who this material witness might be, and with the last phone call John Childs knew and so instead of accepting the truth, he reached once more for the bottle of brown liquid on his desk and took another swallow, no longer even bothering with the pretence of civility and using a glass. He just put the bottle to his lips and let the fiery liquid course down his parched throat.

John Childs, 53 and a true believer from before there was a ministry knew the end was at hand, he could feel it deep inside of him and he lifted up his eyes, as if seeking divine guidance but he knew that the answers were in his heart and yet he couldn’t find the strength to go there anymore. It was all gone and as he took another drink he saw the folders on his desk, the dwindling accounts in the Cayman Islands, money being quickly absorbed with the mounting costs of attempting to stem the tide of justice that was coming for Jerry and Janice Hartwell, and for him too, for his hands were no cleaner than Jerry’s.

He glanced at the ornate desk clock, a gift in happier times from none other than Janice Hartwell and he ran his finger along the carved outer shell, tracing the outline and he didn’t feel it this time, not even a glimmer of the pride that he used to feel whenever he just looked at the clock, never mind how it had made him feel when he touched it. All that was gone it seemed, just as was all hope for what he and Janice had carefully built up over the years. It was all gone because two kids had refused to back down, because one had finally become the man that both he and Janice had hoped would always remain buried and forgotten.

Taking one last long pull on the nearly empty bottle, he gathered up the three folders and stood up, he reached for a breath mint and then, looking at the package, he shrugged and let the package fall back to the desk. So what if they could smell it, wasn’t like they didn’t know and besides, he just didn’t care any longer and so he slowly made his way out of his office, seeing how the few remaining staffers in the hallway looked at him from under their eyes, no one even trying to make eye contact. 

How they had fallen, Jerry, Janice, and himself, from a time not all that long ago when people jostled to just see them walking by, and now it was all like it had never happened. Voices whispered, as he would walk by now, eyes always cast downwards and it made him feel even dirtier than he did, and it also made him angry. Sure, things were not exactly how any of them wanted it, but there was a chance, an outside chance that some sort of deal might still be possible, but everyone it seemed was willing to write them all off and as he walked down the hallway to the main conference room, he knew they weren’t doing anything that he himself wasn’t doing. He too had written them all off but at least it was from knowledge, not rumor or innuendo but then the rumors were pretty close to the truth.

Entering the large conference room John was struck by how silent it was, how empty it felt and he knew it was merely an illusion, but then nothing really seemed the same anymore as he took his place on the left of the main chair, the one Jerry Hartwell always use, and to the right of the chair he noticed that while Jerry’s chair was the central one, the one to the right was far more ornate, far more opulent and he had never noticed that before, but then Janice had always been the real brains of the organization, so maybe it was fitting she have a nicer chair, only now, well now it just seemed garish and out of place. She may have indeed been the driving force and brains behind the success of the Hartwell Ministry but she was now its Judas, its Pontius Pilot as it was her bizarre life that was bringing them all down, even Jerry himself wasn’t immune from the stink that was coming from Janice’s past.

Off to one side of the long mahogany table he noticed a small group of men, which he hadn’t even seen upon his own arrival and he glanced over towards them, to see one staring at him, a frown of disgust on his face and he realized that the young man wasn’t even attempting to hide it from him and that shook him even more as it all came flooding in to him, he was finished and he no longer held any power over anyone. Not long ago a mere look from him could end a persons career and now he couldn’t even plead for his own future, let alone save it.

The conference room slowly filled up with the people, most of them either part of the accounting team or legal team, and other than a secretary no one from the actual Ministry were present. He knew that this was a strategy session, one that would either determine if they would fold their tents and run or if they would stay to fight and hope for a successful outcome. The bean counter people were all hand picked people but not by him, not even by Janice, but by Zechariah Smith, the lawyer. He had now become ‘the man’ around the organization and John Childs had bristled at his intervention. The way the man had so calmly ordered staff cuts of 40% and then a further 30% all to insure that there were sufficient funds for his coffers, not for the Ministry or its various missions, which he also had begun to close down.

Everything was slowly being liquidated, even many of the priceless gifts were quietly being sent off to private auction, all in the guise of restructuring, but John knew the truth. The Hartwell’s were getting ready to run and Zechariah Smith wasn’t about to be caught without sufficient revenues to pursue his own legal challenges. The new DA that had taken over from Victor Neilson was a pit bull and he had already filed proceedings against Smith, claiming tampering and withholding of material evidence, which might be proven, in which case Zechariah Smith himself might need a good lawyer.

In the past, every detail of the operation was known to him, now he didn’t know three quarters of the senior staff in place, all of the new ones hired directly by Smith or his associate. The great man himself hardly showed up, only at the weekly finance meeting did he attend and that too was a sure sign that things were no longer viable for him or the Hartwell’s. Smith was extraditing himself from being seen as too close to them and he knew that he was even ducking the press, a rarity in the life of Zechariah Smith but it was just one more proof that all he had worked for was coming to an end.

John Childs heard the click of the door as it opened, and lately no one had really bothered to stop their conversations to acknowledge the arrival of Jerry and Janice Hartwell but this time they did which made him turn in his seat to see why. He was surprised to see not only Janice and Jerry but also the great man himself, Zechariah Smith come from thru the private entrance. He didn’t even know that Smith was here let alone with Jerry and Janice but then, that too was no longer abnormal and he sighed, wishing he had brought a bottle with him as the three came into the room. 

Jerry looked haggard and his eyes were darting to every face, as if trying to ferret out enemies and yet in fact maybe everyone present was an enemy of his, because he doubted if any of the people seated around the plush wooden conference table were there to save Jerry Hartwell, that would be a by product only and wasn’t even a consideration, of that he was certain. He sighed once more, knowing that what he would say would only be the final nail in the coffin and deep in his heart, he knew it was always going to be him that would provide the end to what he had thought would be the world’s salvation, its shiny example of man’s glory when in fact it was nothing more than a scheming business enterprise, ripe with corruption and greed, the worse of man’s character, and the pain in his chest grew as he waited for the beginning of what would be the end.

Zechariah Smith stared at the faces arrayed around him as he walked with the Hartwell’s to the fancy table. He liked the way the old wood felt to his touch and every time he had been in this room he had felt his breath taken by the beauty of the table and he smiled, running his hand down a piece of it as he knew than in ten days or so this table would have a new home, in his own plush offices back in Dallas. It was fitting too, or so he thought and besides, the Hartwell’s certainly wouldn’t need such a table anymore, not if that new DA had his way and it certainly looked like he would, but it would take time, time that might work to his advantage if he could just play it out long enough. His bank account in Bermuda and Switzerland were already earning him interest on what he had managed to secure from the slow and methodical dismantling of the Hartwell Ministry and today would only hasten that demise.

It no longer mattered to him what or how private the liquidation was, as the DA was about to file new charges against Janice Hartwell and those charges would name Jerry Hartwell as co conspirator. Naturally he would defend the charges as baseless and frivolous but he knew the truth, that in fact the charges were true but he doubted if Richard Stephen Lanier could prove one word of them, at least he was fairly confident he couldn’t but the kid was something else. He had taken to the case like a duck to water and at first Zechariah had merely thought it was a new kid trying to make a name, but as the documents started to arrive, he realized that this kid knew his stuff, knew the law and was not going to be a pushover.

What was worse was that the kid knew how to use the media, but Zechariah smelt the handy work of Norm Cochrane behind that and he cursed that politician roundly each chance he could, but the man was smart. There had been no outward sign that the two were even aware of each other let alone working together. Richard Lanier had made no claim for political office, and in fact in every check made, the man didn’t even have any record of political association, he was truly an unknown and that made Samuel Zechariah Smith tremble a little for there was nothing more dangerous than an unknown.

John watched the way Sam brushed his hand along the top of the table and he felt sick inside, because this table had been a symbol of something, it had been one of the first real purchases that the ministry had made and he could tell that it too would soon be gone, replaced by what? He shook his head and his eyes narrowed a little as the hatred for Smith and his ilk came rushing up from deep within and yet he knew that if he was in Smith’s position or was Smith’s key advisor he would be urging the same rape of the Ministry as was happening. 

Slowly the three made their way to the center and in disbelief he watched Sam Smith take the center seat, and he just stared at everyone, as they too noticed the change. It was a clear signal to everyone in the room at just who now called the shots totally and John could feel his chest heaving, the strain becoming almost too much as he struggled for his breath, gradually calming his beating heart. His head turned to see the look of anger on Jerry’s face and it was something he had seen before, the rage inside of the man but this was different, it was almost as if he was showing anger out of rote, as a sop to those around but that inside he just didn’t care, and that was even worse, at least in John’s opinion.

Janice on the other hand looked the same, her hair in place; her make up impeccable as always and her look too was the same, a small spark in the eyes but other than that, a blank look that hid her emotions and her thoughts. She still showed to the world the cool calm vision of an innocent person but John knew different, he always had but only now did he even admit it to himself, never mind speak it to anyone else.

She took her normal chair, smiling a thin wisp of one at the others and she even managed to nod slightly in his direction but other than that she was emotionless, and he watched Jerry, the way he stood a few seconds longer, as if uncertain of where to sit and then he took a chair, to the right of Janice, not next to Samuel Smith. The shift of power was now complete as Samuel Smith waited a few moments longer before bringing the meeting to order.

Smith “Brother Tobias I believe will start us off, Brother Tobias?”

Tobias “Thank you Brother Smith, well the final figures are in and it is as we suspected, broadcast expenses far outweigh the revenue coming in these days, and given our current circumstances, it is no longer viable to maintain our own in house production team or studio’s. 

We do have an offer that is actually quite enticing and its our recommendation that we accept that offer before end of business today.”

Jerry Hartwell “Just out of curiosity Brother Tobias, just what is the offer amount?”

Tobias “Uh, well, it works out to about 23 cents on the dollar, however if we wait any longer, and if we try the open market, it is doubtful if we’ll get even 10 cents on the dollar, so really this is a good offer Brother Hartwell, we shouldn’t let it pass.”

Jerry “I see, but surely if we open it to outside sources we should get much more than this offer, and even if we piece out the items, that would make the net return much higher, or am I missing something?”

Sam Smith “You have an excellent point Brother Hartwell, do you have an answer for us Brother Tobias?”

Tobias “Yes I do, that while Brother Hartwell is correct in his assumptions, they are only valid in the normal course of business, and this is far from normal, buyers are not lining up to spend any money on a failed organization in which there might be the perception that the funds would go to defend someone accused of the charges which Brother Hartwell and Sister Hartwell are, it just goes against their nature for starters, secondly its not a good selling point to their own boards, no matter the potential savings, and while the amount of this offer sounds low, may I remind everyone that the final figure would be in the area of around $25 million dollars, and that is a sum I think we can live with.”

Smith “You are quite right Brother Tobias, that is indeed a sum we can live with, close the deal by end of this day, unless there are any other objections?”

Samuel Smith made it a point to start from one side and work his way down the entire table, making certain he held everyone’s eyes for a second or two and then he came to Jerry Hartwell. They stared at each other and this time John Childs could see the real anger inside of Jerry, and he could almost feel the hatred oozing from every pore of the man he once considered the worlds’ salvation.

Smith “Good, Brother Tobias you have your authority to close the deal, now next on the agenda is to discuss the latest round of charges that the District Attorney is rumored to be bringing. Has anyone managed to get a hint at what is being planned?”

Everyone had a blank look and few of them could look at Smith directly, because it was the one area where Smith was unreasonable. He had expected to know long before it made its way to the courthouse what charges would be brought and what the evidence sheet showed, but the new guy had somehow managed to clamp down on everything, there just wasn’t any leaks and Smith didn’t like that one little bit, and he made his displeasure known in no uncertain terms.

Smith “No one? Not one of you bright people has found a way to penetrate this new DA’s wall of silence? Surely some of you have friends, or is that a reach for you people?”

John Childs looked around the room and he saw how everyone was cowering, as if Samuel Zechariah Smith was God coming down from the mountain to smite the Israelites for worshipping at the feet of the golden calf, but he was just a man, a greedy lying man and John had enough. He pushed himself up from his chair and walked over to the credenza, where the liquor was stored. 

Every eye turned towards him and watched as he reached for a crystal decanter of something and poured himself a large shot of whatever it was. He sighed a bit as he tossed down the entire glass and realized he had poured rum, well it didn’t really matter now did it? He reached out and splashed more of the liquid into the glass and then turned to face the angry eyes that held him in their gaze. He stared at each one, just as Sam had done before and this time he didn’t feel afraid, this time he just had a small smile on his face as he sipped now at the burning liquid.

John “I still have friends, and I know exactly what is coming, of course, if there is anyone else here who has this information, I don’t mind letting them have the credit, anyone?”

Once more he made the rounds of the faces at the table and this time most failed or simply refused to hide their disgust with him. Fine, he thought, who cares what they think anyways, because when it came down to it, he was still able to pull out what was needed, and his own disgust for them now showed, especially as he finally let his eyes rest on the smoldering embers that was Samuel Smith’s own eyes. He could almost taste the man’s hatred for him but he didn’t care anymore, besides, he was rather enjoying his last moment in the spotlight.

Smith “Well, are you planning to let us in on this information you have Brother Childs?”

John “First of all, it is Deacon Childs, but I am sure you’ll correct that oversight shortly, won’t you Mr. Smith?”

Smith “Oh yes, I am certain that we can accommodate you on that… Brother Deacon.”

John “Haha, true to the end aren’t you Sam? Well so be it, so be it.”

Smith “I think we are all under a strain, your drinking isn’t a help you know.”

John “I suppose not, but Sam I have known you for a long time, a lot of money from this organization helped you when you needed it, one would have expected some consideration from you for past services rendered, wouldn’t one?”

Smith “I am here, isn’t that enough?”

John “No, you are here to rape and pillage, but then that is the nature of the beast, isn’t it Sam?”

Smith “I don’t care for your tone John, now if you please, just what is it that you have to say about the matter at hand?”

John “The matter at hand is this Ministry, or am I mistaken? No? Yes? Oh well, maybe you are right Sam, maybe it is all the same, didn’t used to be but I guess maybe I just wasn’t smart enough to see that…”

Smith “Can you spare us the retrospective of what you thought or didn’t? We have other pressing matters to deal with before this meeting is finished, so…”

John took another sip from his glass and peered over its top at Sam Smith. He could feel the hared, and he really had expect nothing less but as his eyes turned to stare at Janice Hartwell, he was rather surprised to see the very same anger and hatred as he had in Sam Smith’s eyes. Well, now doesn’t that just take the cake, the one person who he had thought might still have some feelings for him really didn’t, at least not anymore but then, if he was honest with himself, she never had, she was incapable of feeling for anyone but herself.

If he was to ask her, he knew her answer would be that no, she had nothing to do with all the troubles that the Ministry was facing, that it wasn’t her fault and that if anyone was to blame it would be the people around her, It would be Jerry’s fault for whatever reason, even Paul and Terry’s fault because they simply had been born, not her fault at all and yet he knew that she was the one who had manipulated and pulled all of the strings. He was even fairly certain that the abuse of the boys wasn’t Marcus Jamison’s own thought, but hers, her way of proving who really was in charge of that family and just as it had been her idea to turn Jerry’s ministry into a televised spectacle, so too was its demise due to excesses her fault, but no, she would never admit to that. In fact he doubted if she even thought about it.

John Childs “On Monday afternoon, assistant District Attorney Richard Lanier will go before the grand jury, he will seek indictments against one Victor Neilson current assistant District Attorney. The charges will be that he knowingly engaged in improper negotiations for monetary gain, also he will name Norm Cochrane on similar charges.”

John “I have more Jerry.”

Jerry “More? There is more?”

Smith “Be quiet Jerry,  go on John.”

John “Oh yes Jerry, there is a great deal more, he will be bringing additional charges against both you and Janice, for conspiracy to bribe a public official, specifically one Victor Neilson, assistant District Attorney and before you ask Sam, Victor is testifying, he’s already turned over a signed and a video taped confession, and it is only the beginning.”

Sam “There is more, go on”

John “Yes, he is also charging you with conspiracy to bribe an official of the court, but I’ll get back to that, he is bringing more charges against Jerry and Janice on sexual child abuse, several added counts, and he is including that both of you engaged in a conspiracy of murder and intimidation.

You never told me Janice that Terry had called you before he was attacked, you really should have you know, but it is too late now, isn’t it?”

Janice “I don’t know what you are talking about, John this can’t be happening, you have to do something to stop it, Sam? Can’t anyone stop this madman from ruining us? We didn’t do anything wrong, John?”

John “Janice he is charging you with attempted murder, and he is charging you with murder, three counts by the way for the assassination of three abortion doctors, all killed by one Marcus Jamison, your former husband.”

Janice “He’ll never prove it, it’s a witch hunt, he can’t prove any of this, none…”

John “He can Janice, he has not only written documents, in your handwriting, but he has a witness too.”

Janice “He can’t, there are no witnesses.”

John “Janice, Marcus has been in the DA’s custody since just after that day at the courthouse, he has been talking non stop for the last six weeks, he has the evidence he needs Janice, and he will be seeking the maximum under the law.”

He could see her face go absolutely white as the words sunk in. She was no longer just facing jail time, she was facing death and like many, she really didn’t want to die, at least not by lethal injection and he knew he should feel pity for her, but he had nothing left inside to feel with. All of his years of working for her and Jerry had robbed him of any feeling, any real compassion and instead had replaced it with spite and revenge. John wasn’t sure if the calm he was feeling was because he had finally turned the tables on everyone, had surprised everyone with his information or if it was in anticipation of what he still had to impart to the stunned faces arrayed around the large mahogany table.

Janice “Sam?”

Sam “Are you certain of this Childs?”

John “As certain of it as I am certain that I no longer work here, that is one of the other items on your agenda isn’t it Sam?”

Sam “Yes”

John “I thought as much, for what it is worth Sam, I would have gotten rid of me too, but I know too much Sam, aren’t you afraid I’ll be the next one singing to the DA?”

Sam “Will you?”

John “Hmm, now that surprises me, didn’t think you would dare ask, but, then maybe that is part of what made you successful, too bad you believed your own press Sam.”

Sam “You haven’t answered me, will you?”

John “Does it really matter whether I say yes or no? You will still send someone or find someone or come up with some way to insure that I can’t.”

The shocked look on many faces was rather pitiful actually. None of them really had any business in being here, they just weren’t ruthless enough in their thinking to be part of something as big as the Hartwell Ministry had been, and might still have been if they had anyone but Samuel Zechariah Smith as their legal council and confidant. He was just far more ruthless than even Janice, though maybe not by much but at least he had more class in how he handled his ‘problems’.

Even the narrowed eyes glaring could still all of the buzz in the room, and John could see that for the first time, even Sam was a bit taken aback by his lack of control, and that rather made him feel a bit of hope, maybe not for his own position or even the Ministry’s, but for man. If people like those stooges who had all fawned over Sam could feel the uncertainty, could feel the horror of what their master was, then perhaps there was hope after all, but as the voices gradually subsided, he knew that for him, it was just too late.

Jerry “I don’t like the inference of that statement John, I really don’t.”

John “Jerry, grow up will you? You are so out of your league that it is really pathetic, but then why should I be so surprised, a strong man would never have let happen what you let happen, no matter how sweet her voice was in your ear, or how warm her touch was in your bed, so just grow up Jerry, there is no escaping this, even Sam will have to admit to that, won’t you Sam? Or perhaps you might cut your own deal, turning Jerry and Janice over to save your own hide?”

He really didn’t know why he said that, but as he did he saw the look cross over Janice’s face and he realized just how evil she really was. How could he have been so stupid as to think he was in love with her? He had let his own manhood suffer at her hands, had given his own heart to someone who didn’t care what it cost a person to serve her, as long as they served. That was her bottom line and he could see the anger now, see it coming from her towards him, and in that instant he knew it wasn’t really Sam that he had to worry about, it was Janice.

It wasn’t a pleasant thought either, because it meant he had to admit to his own foolishness, his own naivety or worse, his own lack of judgment. He too had been fooled by her soft whispers and gentle touch when all the time she was merely using him to get what she wanted, which wasn’t money but the power that opulent wealth could bring with it. He had played right into her hands, he knew that now and it didn’t comfort him one bit that soon her power would cease, because the damage it had already reaped was too much for him.

Jerry “You are drunk, you can’t seriously tell me that…”

Janice “Shut up Jerry, let the Deacon have his say, I am sure he is merely trying to salve his own guilt, isn’t that right John?”

He looked at her with absolute clear eyes now, his vision clear for the first time since they had met and he could see the evil in her. There wasn’t a single ounce of passion in her, not one shred of decency inside her cold heart and he felt suddenly sorry for her, because he doubted if even at the last moment that she would understand how wrong she had been, or how evil. Someone had told him that at death’s instant it all became clear and that it was only then that man made their final choice, either they were for God or not and he knew that when that split second came for Janice, she would not realize it had come, she will have blinked and the moment will have passed her by.

John “My own guilt? Perhaps but I am under no delusions Janice, I will pay for my guilt, from now and all thru eternity I suspect, and yes it does frighten me somewhat, but I am resigned to it, maybe that is why I can stand here and speak the truth, they say there is nothing as uplifting or as soul freeing as speaking the truth, never really believed that but it does seem to be correct, because I do feel so much calmer now.”

Jerry “Well good for you, so you condemn us in order to be free of your own guilt? How nice for you John, and after all both Janice and I have done for you”

John “Done for me? Well I would suppose that is how you need to look at things, but no, all those back room deals, all those night time meetings to find new and more clever ways to pocket the money the innocent fools kept sending in, that really wasn’t doing me any favors, and yes I took it, I have my own secret bank accounts or at least I did…”

Sam “Did? And just what have you done with all that money John? Gotten religion?”

John “Haha, no Sam, I haven’t gotten religion, least not in the way you mean it, I gave it away, every single cent of it, and this time, well this time around I think that it will have a much better chance at accomplishing what the people who sent it in wanted it to accomplish.”

Sam Smith suddenly felt a strange chill crawl up his spine as he sat there, feeling the richness of the wood while John Childs had spoken, and now his hands were still, his face slightly ashen in colour as the words penetrated his sharp mind. He had seen it before, the calm before the storm and with John’s admission that he had cleaned out his bank account, Sam knew that it was the act of a man who had come to a final decision, one that wouldn’t need anything that money could buy him.

He stared at John and he realized that no, the man wouldn’t be talking to the DA and he breathed a sigh of relief at that, but still the doubts were inside, gnawing away at his self confidence and he still needed to try and figure out just what was it that John was up to? If he wasn’t going to turn state’s evidence, what then was he going to do?

There was little doubt that Janice would be long gone from the country come Monday and he really couldn’t care less about that, after all he had managed to secure a fair amount of her squirreled away resources over breakfast. It had been a most stimulating meeting he thought but still the cold fear kept at him, kept gnawing at his heart and he wondered why, he was safe, and if worse came to worse, he could plead client privilege, and it wasn’t like either Jerry or Janice would dare contradict him on that one, besides he was certain that the DA would be satisfied with the sacrificial lambs that would be made available to him.

For a brief second he thought about adding one more name to the list, but as the thought came to him his eyes moved across Jerry to stare into Janice’s face. He could feel her thoughts and he shivered a bit, knowing that he would not be adding any other names to the list, and he turned back to gaze at John Childs. It really was amazing how calm the man was and even more amazing was that he was just sipping at the drink in his hand. Miracles maybe did happen after all, and he felt a small smile curl around his lips as he sat back in the luxurious chair that was the throne of the Hartwell Ministry.

Sam “We really have other business to attend to John, care to wrap it up for us or are you going to regale us further with what should have been or could have been?”

John “I think Sam that if I were you, I’d be a bit less pompous and a bit more silent, after all I haven’t even gotten to the best part of what the new DA has in store.”

He didn’t know why he didn’t lash out and just end it all, maybe it was the calm cool way in which John Childs spoke or maybe it was more of what he hadn’t said that kept Sam silent. His eyes narrowed and he managed a quick glance at Janice and Jerry and while Jerry seethed with rage, Janice looked cold and calculating. Maybe John was right, maybe he should casually see if there was a way to make sure that John couldn’t discus the matter with the DA, but as he stared briefly at Janice Hartwell, he knew he could leave that matter into her most capable hands. After all, she did have a lot more practice at that sort of thing than he did.

Janice “I think we have heard enough, maybe you want to sit here and let this drunk insult you Sam, for myself I think not.”

John “Oh don’t leave just yet Janice, I have saved some of the best for the last, you would absolutely hate yourself if you missed hearing it first hand, and you know me well, you know how my warped mind works, so please, humor me for one last time, okay?”

Sam stared at John and he felt strangely unsettled, even more so as once more John had mentioned this ‘one last time’ phrase, almost as if no one would ever see him again and while he wouldn’t shed any tears at that, he just wished he knew how it was to happen. Was John suicidal and if so, how could he use that to his own advantage, and maybe Janice had been right this morning, maybe they could actually pull off a miracle, if John was to appear to be the fall guy, if he was made to look like he had done the cooking of the books without the Hartwell’s knowledge, well they might be able to save some of it, and who could judge what the future would hold, but if they still held onto the basics of the organization, well anything was possible, or was it?

Janice had no intention of leaving, but it was all part of her façade, her charade to keep aloof, despite the mounting terror within her. Somehow she had to find a way out of this mess, this crazy mess created by her two boys. She wished many times over the last six weeks that she had not been so frightened of having an abortion, it would have at least maybe prevented all this now. Paul was a big disappointment to her, she had plans for him but he never did seem to take to her ideas and Terry, well Terry was someone she really wouldn’t have cried over had he not recovered. He was just too free spirited, to much of a his own person and she couldn’t stand that. 

To think that that little conniving brat had managed to hide some of the photo’s was almost too much to bear, but to think he did it for all those times, without her knowing or without Paul warning her, that was something she was really having trouble accepting and now Marcus. How the hell did that punk Lanier get to Marcus? He at least she understood and she had done her best to keep him silent, but once again she had been let down, and now she was most likely going to have to pay the price for someone else’s incompetence. Well, she still had a few tricks up her sleeve and she stared at John Childs, a look of complete calm coming over her face, the terror and anger hidden for now, until it was time to unleash it, then we will see Mr. John Childs who can have the last word.

Jerry Hartwell was angry, not so much at John Childs but at his wife and Sam. He knew they had a breakfast meeting, but they didn’t include him in it and from past experiences he knew that somehow it wouldn’t bode well for him or his ministry. The pain inside at the imminent loss of his power, of his prestige, of his beloved Ministry was tearing away at his soul and he prayed constantly for God’s guidance, but so far no angels had appeared to direct him, to help him come from out of the darkness that evil people had surrounded him in. 

He really didn’t understand Paul or Terry or even Janice for that matter. He just couldn’t understand how she could have had kids like those two and now they were the one’s guiding Satan’s minions as his ministry was near extinction. He had to have done good, least so he thought, otherwise why would Satan spend so much in trying to destroy it and him? There had to be no other reason and yet, deep in his heart he knew something was wrong because if Satan was so insistent on destroying him, why then wasn’t God sending his own army to help? Surely God wouldn’t abandon him and all the good work he had done?

Okay, maybe he had allowed things to cross over, but it wasn’t his doing, he never took an interest in the way the money was handled or at least not in front of the board so why then was he being singled out so much by those who were once his friends? He watched the nightly news and he cringed each time the smiling face on the screen mentioned his name, anger took hold of him too because that smiling jack ass got his start in his, Jerry Hartwell’s studio, doing voice over’s for commercials for the ministry and now he was leading the charge of the press in supposed indignation at some alleged excesses by him and his wife. They weren’t so excessive when he had visited with his family and gone on a all expense paid sojourn to Cancun, but there was no mention of that and Jerry Hartwell grew even more angry as he stared at his supposed friend, John Childs and in a flash he wished that God would smite John down, send him to the hell he so richly deserved.

Jerry “Why don’t you just get on with it John? You really, oh never mind, just get on with whatever it is you have to say, we have important things to attend to.”

John “Yes, I am sure you do, such is the plane reservations for one or two to Argentina? Oh don’t look so shocked Janice, after all I was second in charge for some time, I know where the bodies are buried.”

Jerry “Argentina? Janice?”

Janice “He’s drunk, ignore him Jerry”

John “Yes Jerry, ignore me and when the police come for you on Monday you can ask yourself then why Janice is no where to be found, right Janice?”

Janice “Whatever you say John, I refuse to get into a debate with a drunk, and worse, a non believer.”

John “Like anyone in this room is a believer Janice? Tsk tsk, that might work for the cattle but everyone here is a practical person, they aren’t here to listen to your sermons, they are here to dismantle and divide up the spoils before anyone else can, but then, that doesn’t surprise you, you did your own share of looting, and I helped, God forgive me but I helped.”

Janice “YES YOU HELPED YOU PIOUS DRUNK!  So save your own sanctimonious crap for the jury, maybe they’ll buy into it and give you a lighter sentence.”

Sam “Uh, I think we should maybe adjourn this meeting, maybe John will be good enough to join us later, after tempers have cooled?”

John “NO! No later Sam, let’s just finish this, after all, you do have my walking papers all neatly signed and stamped I am sure, even dated and timed, hate to make you change your plans on my account.”

Janice “Oh let the drunk have his say Sam, and yes John your termination papers are all set, and I took a great deal of satisfaction in signing them too.”

John “I am sure you did Janice, oh well I would have expected nothing less from one as cold and calculating as you, I am sure you didn’t have a single twinge of regret either, now did you?”

She had lost her composure, something she had always prided herself on and it rankled her still that someone like John Childs could get to her like this. She looked around the room and she could tell that there wasn’t a single one there who had the balls to defend her, not one of them had the nerve to just go up and slap some sense into that old drunk that she had taken out of the sewer and turned into a very prosperous hatchet man. Well, so be it, she would still have the last laugh because yes, she was leaving that evening for Argentina but that wasn’t her final destination, she had her secrets too and besides, she hadn’t gotten as far as she had by being obvious.

It took a great deal of effort but she managed to get herself calmed down and once more the mask was in place. No one could look at her and imagine that only minutes earlier she had been spitting fire or that she could even be guilty of all that everyone was saying she had done. No, her mask was intact as she held tightly onto the hard wooden arms of her chair, leaning back now, as if signaling that she no longer was interested in the conversation that was taking place.

Sam on the other hand wasn’t quite so willing to ignore John’s barbs. The needles inside continued to prod at him and he still felt the icy chill flowing up and down his back and no matter how hard he tried, he just couldn’t figure out what was John’s game. First of all why was he telling them what he found out about the DA’s plans? If he had been angling to keep his position, well okay then he could understand that, but the personal attacks against all three of them, that weren’t in character with someone trying to hold their position, so what were John Child’s plans? Why was he so calm too, he wasn’t even sweating and unlike past meetings, the man wasn’t guzzling down drink after drink, in fact other than the first drink, he was still sipping at the second, so no, there had to be something else, something that he, the great legal mind of his century, hadn’t thought of. Sam began to sweat a little because there were doubts, and this time he couldn’t ignore them because every time he tried, John managed to raise them even higher.

Sam “No one is leaving the country John, both Jerry and Janice have definite plans to defend themselves in the courts and are confident of their vindication, something you might want to keep in mind before you say much more.”

John “Haha, ever the actor huh Sam? Defend their actions? I don’t think you really paid much attention, Lanier has Marcus Sam and what is more, Marcus wasn’t the stupid foil that Janice thinks, he too kept stuff, receipts, letters, telegrams, all sorts of things that not only corroborates his statements but which are things a jury will eat up, and you know that Sam.”

Sam “He what? Janice?”

Janice “He’s bluffing Sam, there are no notes, no letters or anything else.”

John “Doesn’t matter if you believe me or not Sam, besides, I rather doubt if you will have much time to worry about Janice or Jerry there, after all you too are going to have to answer to Mr. Lanier, and you know, I’d almost pay to see that case go before a judge.”

Sam “Now John I know you are drunk, he has nothing on me whatsoever, nothing.”

John “Nothing? Oh I suppose then that the phone calls to Adam’s home town, to the local hospice, the arranging of transportation is nothing? You know, I thought you were smarter than that Sam, guess even you  can be careless at times.”

Sam “Now just a minute, of course I called Adam’s home town, he was my client, I needed his family background, neither you nor the DA can make anything more out of that.”

John “Oh I know I can’t, not good enough really, but Richard Lanier, now there is someone who is a match for you Sam, yep, now him I think I would back over you, and maybe he won’t get a conviction, but that won’t matter, because just hauling your ass up in court on those charges will be enough to discredit you and end your own illustrious career, so, yeah I definitely think I’ll back the new kid.”

Sam “I’ll grant you that it might be uncomfortable for a bit John, but he can’t prove anything and so what if business is slow for a bit, I need a holiday anyways, it won’t last, you know that.”

John “Oh now Sam you are forgetting a few things, one is that Norm Cochrane is too much of a veteran not to cut a sweet deal, he knows where too many bodies are buried and he’ll use every one to avoid time, and he’ll sing too, you know that and as for Victor, well we all saw how much of a man he is at the trial didn’t we? So I think the only trip you will take will be to a state run hotel, not some swanky spa in South America.”

Sam “you seem like you know something, but I think you are just guessing, and like Janice has said, there really isn’t anything for them to prove, now is there?”

John “Oh I know a lot Sam, more than any of you ever gave me credit for”

Janice “Is that a threat John? I thought you were above that stuff?”

John “Haha, no its not a threat, not in the least, besides it is just too late for all those silly games, time was that maybe once I might have tried it, but one thing I have always been Janice is a pragmatist, you and Sam there are just way to high above my league, so no Janice, no threat, besides, there just isn’t any time left.”

Sam “Time left for what John?”

John “Doubt if you would understand Sam, but there just isn’t any time left to make amends, its gone, and so is my chance at redemption I guess, but I have at least tried, at the end at least I have tried.”

Jerry “What end? What are you talking about John?”

Sam “I’d say that our friend the Deacon here is planning his own trip, aren’t you John?”

John “Trip? Yes, I suppose in a way I am but, well I have done a lot of thinking these last six weeks, oh I know what you are going to say Janice, that most of my thinking was out of a bottle, but you know, one thing about us drunks, we can sometimes hold our liquor, but then again, you should realize that for what has seemed a lifetime, I have worked closely with you Janice, and as much as I hate to say it, I learnt a great deal from you, so no my thinking didn’t come from a bottle, that was merely the show, the dog and pony act as you once referred to Jerry’s part in all this, remember that Janice?”

She couldn’t contain her interest, she did indeed recall that conversation, it was when John and her had discussed ways to insure that their personal income was properly ensconced in a safe haven, and they were wondering how long they had on this gravy train. He had asked her then if Jerry was in on it all or was he merely the shill, and she narrowed her eyes now, and for the first time she felt frightened of John Childs and what he might be up to.

Her fear rose too as she realized that John knew where all of her money was tucked away, every last cent which was something no one else knew, not Jerry and certainly not Samuel Smith. It was her private nest egg and she had needed John’s help in setting it all up and now she felt a bit of panic, wondering just what had John done, and why was he so blasted calm? That irritated her more as he stared at her, seeing her fear and she hated him even more but she still managed to keep herself from lashing out, least for now.

Sam could feel the tension rising in Janice, something he rarely noticed in her and if he wasn’t already well married, he would consider her a worthy choice to being a partner but then he shook his head at that concept, because he knew they would always be trying to out maneuver the other and besides that, she was as cold and as calculating as they came, and he really didn’t think he’d be safe married to her, least with his present trophy wife he had nothing to fear on that score.

John “I see you remember Janice.”

Janice “Yes I do, so, what of it?”

John “Does Sam know about those accounts Janice? The one’s you and I set up so many years ago, and does Jerry know just how much went into them?”

Janice “Ask them”

John “No, no need to, doesn’t really matter anyhow, they have been empty for some days now, if they had known or if you had been a little less greedy, you would have known that, but see, I learnt well from you Janice, I knew you wouldn’t try to access them, not even to verify what funds there were, for fear that either Sam or Jerry would find out.”

Janice “Empty? How… John Childs I’ll see you rot in hell for this!”

John “More than likely Janice, but don’t be so upset, I have put that money to very good use, who knows it just might buy us both a small reprieve from the horror of absolute judgment”

Sam “Janice? You holding out on us?”

John “Now Sam did you really expect less? And here I thought you were a smart man”

Sam “Damn you Childs, I have had about enough of your wise cracks, yes I am a smart man, if you know of other resources, then you owe it to us to tell us, it might make a difference in whether we win or not in court.”

John “But you see Sam that is exactly why I did secure this funds and insure they went to a worthy cause, because I know you are smart, and I sure as hell know how smart and devious Janice is, so don’t you see, it was my duty to make sure neither of you could get your hands on that money.”

Janice “Are you insane John? Do you realize how much money there was in those accounts?”

John “To the penny Janice, to the penny and I must say, your choice of investments was, well as usual in very good taste. You turned that money into a very nice nest egg, but somehow I just don’t think that all the people who worked for that money would really have wanted you enjoying champagne and caviar at their expense, no, I think that how it will be used now will at least give them some satisfaction, but at least it won’t help buy your way out of this, and that is why I did it, I just couldn’t take that chance.”

Sam “You couldn’t let her? Listen John, maybe it isn’t too late, maybe we can uh strike a deal here, how much are we talking about?”

Janice “It was over 50 million”

Sam “What? That much, but how did you, damn it, that would have done the trick, John listen, with that kind of money behind us, we could rebuilt this Ministry, we could do it in such a way as to ease your conscience, now that is much better than anything you could come up with, don’t you agree? Come on man, don’t throw this chance away, use your head for Christ’s sake.”

He looked at Sam and he could see the drool as it curled around the corner’s of the man’s lips. John knew that he was only stalling, that his mind was working overtime trying to figure out how he could lay his hands on that money but they hadn’t bothered to listen, none of them really ever had except when it suited them and now, well now it was just too late. He had gotten ‘religion’ as they had joked about all the people who flocked to Jerry and his Ministry, but in his heart he knew that what he had was retribution and a last gasp at some satisfaction for all the things he had gone along with.

John “It is too late, the money has long since gone, and I did my work well, took my time at it so that is so well laundered that it squeaks as it gets spent. It went through so many hand that not even the most powerful computer around will find all of the sources, and where it has gone is damn clean, so Sam you can just forget about it, besides you have made one fatal mistake, you actually think I want to save this Ministry. Well… I don’t.”

There had never really been much that had ever made Janice Jamison Hartwell feel lost and totally frightened, not the actions of her husband, Maurice or Jerry, and not even the thought that she could face death by lethal injection seemed to scare her too much, oh it concerned her but it was more of a practical matter, one she thought she had covered with the money that she had John put away for her, and that obviously had been a mistake and it was that realization, that she had made a mistake that had her frightened for the first time.

Janice “Now John, you know that it is never too late, we can work something out, maybe you can recoup some of that money? Surely you couldn’t have disposed of it all that quickly, not if you say you sanitized it so completely?”

John “Haha, always angling aren’t you? You deserve Sam, the both of you, but know its all gone Janice, and I don’t need any money, least not where I plan on going, but there was one problem that I needed to solve, and that was to make sure that you couldn’t escape your own judgment, and I also knew that Sam here was pretty good, and as his own future was at stake, well there is nothing as dangerous as someone who might be at risk of losing all he has built up, so you see, I had a major problem to contend with, one that really has a simple solution.”

Sam “Now John, I have done nothing wrong, maybe some of the things Janice and Jerry did were excessive, but you can’t really hold yourself up to be jury and judge, you owe them and yourself too a chance to let the system do its thing.”

John “You are good with the words Sam, but they really are pointless right now, see I took out some insurance, or maybe that isn’t the right word, maybe the word is that I left a record behind, so that while I didn’t spare my own complicity in all this, I also will not be remembered as the man who took the fall.”

Sam “DAMN YOU! I knew you would run to the DA, I just knew it!”

John “Haha, oh Sam you may be a smart man but you really don’t understand, I didn’t go to the DA or the police or anyone like that, but seeing as how I am feeling generous, I’ll tell you what I did do.”

The fear was getting worse inside and he could feel the walls of his chest closing in on his heart and he s