Sex, Lies & Serious Money

18

Laurence and Theresa took the elevator down to the garage. “I’ve something to show you,” he said, taking her hand and walking her around a corner. “You like it?”

Theresa put a hand on the Porsche and walked around it.

“The dealer delivered it this afternoon.”

“It’s gorgeous,” she said.

Oliver was waiting beside the Bentley.

“Theresa, something popped into my mind after the police left. Your brother, Butch, was in the apartment that day when you put away my clothes.”

“That’s right, he was.”

“Would he have had access to a key to the place?”

Theresa thought about it. “No, someone from the front desk walked us upstairs and let us in. Neither of us had a key. The door locked itself when we left. I hope you don’t suspect Butch of anything.”

“Oh, no, I was just trying to think of who else might have a key.”

“And my key was in my purse the whole time we were in England.”

“That’s right.”

Oliver drove them to a restaurant farther uptown, Caravaggio, where Stone and the Bacchettis awaited them, at Laurence’s invitation. He introduced them to Theresa.

“I hear you’ve had a problem,” Stone said.

“Yes, someone got into my apartment and stole some checks from my checkbook. They got three hundred thousand while we were in England.”

“I didn’t know you were in England.”

“Yes, my stepfather had a heart attack and bypass surgery. I went to be with my mother while he recovers, and he’s doing well. We had planned just to fly around the country, but we went across the Atlantic.”

“Did the airplane do well?”

“It did very well indeed.”

“How about you?”

“My mentor pilot said that he could be of no further use, so I’m on my own now.”

“Laurence,” Dino said, “did you have any further ideas about how someone could have gotten a key to your place?”

“The only thing I can figure is that some member of the hotel staff used a pass key.”

“My people ran a check on everybody who might have had access,” Dino said. “Nobody with a criminal record, and most of them are longtime employees.”

“Well, I’m just going to have to let it go,” Laurence said. “Let’s order.”

They did so.

“Are you going to do any more flying soon?” Stone asked.

“I thought, if Theresa can take some more time off, I’d run down to Palm Beach and make sure the house is in order. It’s being painted in my absence.”

“I had a month of vacation time built up,” Theresa said, “but we’ve used ten days of it. How about I take another week?”

“We can get a lot of miles under our belt in a week,” Laurence said. “Stone has kindly offered us his house at the Arrington, in Los Angeles. We could start there, then maybe pop up to Napa and stock up on wines.”

“Sounds good,” Theresa said.

They landed at Palm Beach International and took a cab to Laurence’s father’s house. When they turned into the driveway, they found a police car parked there.

Laurence opened the door and put their bags in the hallway; he could hear voices. Hilda, the housekeeper, came out of the study. “Oh, Mr. Laurence, I’m so glad you’re here.”

“Why the police, Hilda?”

“Someone’s been in the house. I found your father’s desk ransacked.”

Laurence went into the study and found two detectives waiting. “Was anything taken?”

“I don’t think so,” Hilda said.

“It appears they were looking for something,” a cop offered.

“They were looking for me,” Laurence said. “A policeman friend warned me this might happen.”

“Why were they looking for you?”

“I came into some money, and it made the papers.”

“Ah,” the detective said, “you’re the Powerball guy.”

“Powerball?” Theresa asked.

“I’ll explain later.”

“What could they have found here?” a cop asked.

“Perhaps my address in England, but that’s about it.”

“You think the press is hunting you down?”

“That’s what I think.” He turned to Hilda. “Are the painters done?”

“Yes, yesterday, and they did a beautiful job, cleaned up after themselves, too. And by the way, I want to thank you for giving me your father’s car. I just love it.”

“I think that’s what he would have wanted,” he said.

Laurence thanked the cops for coming, and he and Hilda took their bags upstairs.

“Powerball?” Theresa said, when she had gone.

“That’s where the money came from,” he replied. “I hadn’t gotten around to telling you.”

“No reason why you should have,” she said.

“Dino warned me this might happen. I think we should go on to L.A. tomorrow. I don’t want to be seen here.”

“That’s fine with me.”

They left the house early in the morning for the airport and took off half an hour later. They made Santa Fe, where they stopped for fuel, then continued to Los Angeles, landing at Santa Monica Airport, where Stone had sent an Arrington Bentley for them. Soon they were ensconced in a guest room in the handsome house.

Shortly afterward, Laurence’s cell phone rang. “Hello?”

“Laurence, it’s Mom. Something very odd is going on here.”

“What is it?”

“We’ve had two newspaper reporters on the property today, and the phone has not stopped ringing.”

“Uh-oh.”

“We’re baffled. They’re saying you won some sort of lottery?”

“I’m sorry, Mom, I should have explained while I was there. The story is true, but you don’t need to confirm or deny it to anyone, just hang up if they call again, and call the police if they come onto the property.”

“What sort of lottery?”

“It’s called Powerball, and I won several hundred million dollars.”

“That’s astonishing!”

“Yes, it is. Theresa and I are traveling right now, so I’m hoping all this will blow over before we return to New York.”

“How did they get our names and number?”

“They broke into Dad’s house in Palm Beach, and they must have found his address book or some other paper with my English address. I was told this might happen, but I didn’t believe it.”

“All right, we’ll follow your instructions. Give our love to Theresa.”

“I certainly will. Goodbye, Mom.” He hung up.

“They’re harassing your parents?”

“Yes, I’m afraid so.”

“Are they likely to track you to New York?”

“Perhaps. Dino warned me this might happen. At least no one knows where we are now.”

“Thank God for that.”