Crown Jewel (24 page)

“Make yourself useful and do the toast. I like mine…”

“On the dark side. Gotcha. You all packed?”

“I'm packed and ready to go. I called the car service when I got up. They'll pick us up at three-thirty. Listen, Ricky, I can handle things. I know you want to see this through.”

“Yes, of course, I do, but I can't get obsessed over it. That's what I was doing, Roxy. Mrs. Farquar is our best chance to reach the vice president. There's no way in hell I could get through to him. If Mrs. Farquar doesn't call soon, I'm going to call her after I finish this wonderful breakfast to find out if she's heard from Nolan and if he's going to attend the memorial service. Look, if all else fails, I'll sic Gracie on the VP. I bet he'll sit up and take notice if she gets on his case. Let her pester him. I can hire a good firm of private dicks if I have to. Whatever it takes.”

“Okay, if you're sure. It will be a shame if we get all the way across the country only to have to turn back.

“Roxy,” Ricky said, tapping his chin with his forefinger, “I wonder if when Mrs. Farquar called the vice president and left a message, she identified herself as Mrs. Armand Farquar, or as Lorraine Farquar. Lorraine is not a common name. In fact, I don't know a soul named Lorraine. Do you?”

Roxy shook her head.

“Well, don't you think the vice president might…remember the
real
name of Notch Number 7 on his belt?”

“He probably doesn't even know that Notch Number 7's name was Lorraine. I heard her say she was called Laney back then. Young girls always have nicknames. Look at me. They started calling me Roxy when I was five years old, and it stuck with me. You can't say that about the vice president, though. He told Mrs. Farquar his name was Vincent. He very deliberately left off the name he was known by, which was Adam.

“So, if what you're asking is, does he know Lorraine Farquar and Laney Woodworth are one and the same, I'd have to say, no, he does not. I'm also sure the man did not ever think about her again once he walked away.”

“But he left the baby there to die.”

“Yes. If you had done such a terrible thing, wouldn't you have blocked it out of your mind? He had a political life to lead. He came from a political family. Scandal was the last thing he wanted. Back then, it was boys will be boys. He said he'd get his buddies to swear they all had her for two bucks a pop. Now, whether those buddies would have followed through is anybody's guess.”

“You know what, Roxy, I'm going to put bloodhound Gracie on this. She can go back to his college years, get his yearbook, see who he hung out with, that kind of thing. I can make some phone calls and put the wheels in motion just in case Mrs. Farquar doesn't get to first base. College buddies are college buddies forever. Presidents and vice presidents alike tend to drag their old buddies out for pictures to make themselves look good. I'll call them all or, better yet, have Gracie call them. At least one of them will still be in touch with him. Hey, that's the way it happens in the movies. Forewarned is forearmed. Who better than Gracie to do this? What do you think?”

“I think it's one of the best ideas you've ever come up with. Go talk to Gracie. I'll stay here in case Mrs. Farquar calls. Plus, I have to clean all this up. I am so proud of you, Ricky. Philip would be proud of you, too,” she said, kissing him full on the mouth. “Hmmm, you taste good.”

Ricky backed off and wagged a finger under her nose. “None of that. We have work to do. When I get back, remind me to call Angie Garrison.”

“And who might Angie Garrison be?” Roxy asked, glaring at him.

“Angie Garrison is a screenwriter. I called her a while back in the middle of the night. She actually took my call. She's a great lady. You're going to love her when you meet her. I told her Philly's story; she knows mine. I told her everything I knew but the outcome. I know it now. All she has to do is fill in the blanks. If I can't get a studio interested in the project, I'll produce it myself. I think Sandusky can pull it off. My tribute to my brother.”

“See, that's why I love you,” Roxy said. “People will get hurt, you know that, don't you?”

“Me, you, my boys, your daughter, we can handle it. Mrs. Farquar and her new family will handle it. I think she might fight me to put up the money if it comes down to my producing the movie. Maybe we can be partners. Mr. Adam V. Nolan is the one who will be hurt. He deserves whatever comes his way. Yes, his family will suffer for fifteen minutes, then they'll get on with their lives the way we all had to get on with ours. The way Mrs. Farquar had to get on with her life. I'm going to play the part of Philly. I know each and every member of the cast. I'm going to do it, Roxy. I swear to God, I'm going to do it!”

“I'll be right there with you, Ricky. Every step of the way.”

“We make a good team, don't we?” Ricky said, his eyes sparkling.

“The best.”

Ricky was halfway to the guesthouse in search of Gracie when she walked out of the garage. “Hey, Mr. Lam, what are you doing up so early?”

“I'm looking for you. I have another assignment. Are you up for it?”

Gracie clapped her hands. “I'm up for it. By the way, Max called again. I'll be going to Carnival. I'm buying my own ticket, though.”

“Gracie, I'm buying you a first-class ticket for this job you are about to undertake. Now, sit down and let me fill you in.”

Gracie listened raptly. “Sure, I can find them if they're still alive. I even know how to get their phone numbers. There's more, right?”

“Oh yeah! A lot more. I want you to call every gossip columnist you know. I want you to tell them all I am coming out of retirement to produce a movie, starring myself as my brother. You know what to say. I want you to call
Variety
and every other paper you can think of so it gets picked up and printed as soon as possible. I want things like,
NEWS FLASH
,
THIS JUST IN
! I know who I want in the film with me, and I'll be making my calls in a few minutes. You're going to be my press agent from here on in, so give everyone your phone number. The script is finished except for the names. I'll give you Angie Garrison's phone number before I leave. If it gets dicey, you know, those Washingtonians coming after you, have them call me. You really can handle this, can't you, Gracie?”

“You bet.” Confidence rang in Gracie's voice.

“Okay, when I get to the airport, I'll buy your ticket and have them send it on to you. Unless you want one of those electronic ones.”

“Nope. I like to hold something in my hand. Thanks, Mr. Lam. Gee, this is exciting. Can I go to the premiere of the movie?”

“Front-row seat, Gracie. Your brother and sister, too.”

Gracie high-fived him before she sprinted off to the guesthouse to get to work.

Ricky looked upward. “I'm doing it, Philly. I'm going to make it right. It might not be the best plan in the world, but it's the only way I know how to do it. The end will justify the means.”

 

It was after noon when Ricky made his last phone call. He leaned back in the kitchen chair and smiled at Roxy. “Okay, here's where we stand right now, this very minute. Mrs. Farquar is going to wing it. She realizes she won't have a chance for any kind of private conversation with the vice president. When his press secretary called her, she said that the vice president would have to return to Washington right after the service. Her new family is attending the service with her, which I think is very nice. She said that Philly and Lee Ann's youngest daughter looks exactly like the vice president's daughter.

“Angie promised to have the script faxed here no later than two o'clock. She's hand-delivering it to the studio for me. The studio said they would have a decision for me on it by the end of the week. They only agreed to my timetable because Sandusky told them I was prepared to produce it myself. I got a top-notch director who's willing to work on the project, got verbal okays on the actors, who will have to clear things with their agents. It's going to work. I can feel it. Gracie is putting the word out there. Everything is in place. All we need are the college buddies. If things go according to schedule, we should be able to start filming the first day of the new year. The Crown Jewel will be up and running, and we'll be on easy street, timewise. I can't believe it's all falling into place.

“There is one thing bothering me, though.”

Roxy pretended horror. “What could possibly be bothering you? Everything is working out perfectly. Whatever it is, you're probably imagining it,” Roxy said soothingly.

“No, I'm not imagining this. I think we should suggest to Mrs. Farquar that she take her new family and go off somewhere for a vacation.” Ricky looked down at his watch. “We have time, we can make the reservations, and they can be on their way by nightfall. I say we send them to Aruba or Antigua. For as long as it takes to get all of this under control. The stakes are really high, Roxy, and I think we both know how things work in Washington. Mrs. Farquar is no match for those people. Give me your honest opinion.”

“Look!” Roxy said, pointing at the television. The one o'clock news was just beginning. The lead story was Armand Farquar's memorial service. “Look at his face! Oh my God! She must have said something. Did you see his expression, Ricky? Did you!” Roxy all but screamed.

The phone was in Ricky's hand before the scene switched to a five-car pileup on I-5. Lorraine Farquar answered the phone herself on the first ring. “Oh, Mr. Lam, I was just talking about you to my granddaughters. I said only nice things.”

“Mrs. Farquar, I want you to listen to me very carefully. I'm assuming your whole family is there with you, am I right? Good. I just saw the film clip of your husband's memorial service this morning. What exactly did you say to the vice president, Mrs. Farquar?”

The voice on the other end of the phone suddenly turned jittery. “The vice president said my husband was a fine man and would be sorely missed. Then he said he regretted that we had never met over the years. I said, ‘Oh, we met, Mr. Vice President, and I'm sorry you don't remember me.' I said, ‘My name at the time was Laney Woodworth.' At that point one of his aides or his agents moved him forward. The line was very long. I guess I wasn't supposed to say that, is that what you're implying? It's too bad. I had to say it. I couldn't hold it in one more second.”

“The people in Washington don't play by the rules most people play by, Mrs. Farquar. I'm going to make some plane reservations right now for you and your family. You're going to go to Antigua and stay at my resort. My son will take care of you and your family. Carnival will be starting soon. Don't pack anything. I want you simply to walk out of the house and have your driver take you to the airport. Don't tell him or your other servants where you're going. Simply say they'll see you when they see you, that kind of thing. The same goes for your family. I want you just to walk away. Can you do that?”

“I…I…yes, yes, I can do that. A man in his position wouldn't…would he…?”

“The long and short answer is, yes. Now. I want you to leave
now.
Will your chauffeur keep quiet?”

“Of course. He's been with us since he was a young man. He was devoted to my husband. You're beginning to frighten me, Mr. Lam.”

“I know, and I'm sorry. Leave now and keep checking at the Continental counter for your tickets. I'll call you later.”

Ricky repeated Lorraine Farquar's explanation of her meeting with the vice president.

“Oh, Lord, she really told him her name was Laney Woodworth? Tell me you're being an alarmist, Ricky.”

“I am
not
being an alarmist. We have a bit of an edge at the moment. They don't know about
me
. Yet. There's a lot at stake here, and people tend to panic when the stakes are high. They go to extraordinary lengths to cover up things that could derail their ambitions. Accidents happen. Unexplained accidents. Grief-stricken widow isn't watching what she's doing and slips and falls to her death. Things like that happen all the time. Don't you read, Roxy?” Ricky asked sharply.

Roxy stared at the man she'd fallen in love with. Ricky wasn't one to panic or become melodramatic even though he was an actor. She forgave him his sharp tone. “It's just that this is like something out of a spy novel.” The sunflower on the front of her muumuu heaved with the weight of her mighty sigh. “All right, all right, I believe you. I'll make the reservations. Coach versus first-class so as not to draw attention to them, right?”

Ricky nodded.

“Check on Gracie while I do it. I still have a credit card under Roxanne Nelson. I'll charge it on that.”

Ricky nodded again as he ran across the yard to the guesthouse. He banged on the door. The dogs came running, barking shrilly as though to say invader, invader! “You got anything yet, Gracie?” he bellowed to be heard over the barking dogs.

“Give me twenty more minutes, and I'll be over. I just need to double-check a few things.”