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The Gate House :: Demille Nelson
Страница: 460 из 490Or should I twist?
“John… do you think he was… insincere? Or that he’ll renege?”
“He will do no such thing.”
“But… I just don’t understand-”
“Susan, I believe that your father had… well, an epiphany. I think, when he was sitting alone in his car, that it just came to him that he was wrong, and maybe he was moved by the Holy Spirit. I mean, I couldn’t believe it myself when I saw him from the window, getting out of the car with this rapturous look on his face, then coming into my office, and saying, ‘John, I would like to speak to you.’”
What he actually said was, “How dare you insist that I come into your office?”
Well, I apologized to him, of course – or did I tell him to sit down, shut up, and read the letter? In any case, as he read the letter, he went from livid to pale, and it was sort of interesting to see someone’s skin color change that quickly. I wish I’d had a video camera. Also, his hands trembled. After that, the negotiations were rather easy. He did bluster now and then, saying things like, “No one will believe the ramblings of an old woman on medication,” and so forth. So I suggested we show the letter to his daughter and his wife to see what they thought, then pay a visit to Mrs. Cotter at the nursing home to see if she could clarify any of this. That shut him up, of course, but he did utter the word “Blackmail.”
I know this is blackmail, and I’m a lawyer, and this goes against all my beliefs and principles. What William had done – or what he is alleged to have done – was not only despicable, but also a crime, though unfortunately the statutes had run out on his crimes years ago. So if he was to pay for these crimes, then it would have to be in another way. The Bar Association and the courts might have another view of this, but at least Ethel would speak up for me when I stood before the Final Court.
Susan said to me, “He looked… pale. Shaken.”
“Did he? I didn’t notice.”
“And my mother seemed confused that he’d had this sudden and complete change of heart.”
“Well, she hadn’t shared his divine revelation.”
“John…?”
“Yes?”
“Did you… threaten him with something?”
“What could I threaten him with?”
“I don’t know… but-”
“Can we change the subject?” I asked, “Whose turn is it to get beer?”
She stood and went into the kitchen.
I finished my beer and thought about Ethel’s letter.
“John… do you think he was… insincere? Or that he’ll renege?”
“He will do no such thing.”
“But… I just don’t understand-”
“Susan, I believe that your father had… well, an epiphany. I think, when he was sitting alone in his car, that it just came to him that he was wrong, and maybe he was moved by the Holy Spirit. I mean, I couldn’t believe it myself when I saw him from the window, getting out of the car with this rapturous look on his face, then coming into my office, and saying, ‘John, I would like to speak to you.’”
What he actually said was, “How dare you insist that I come into your office?”
Well, I apologized to him, of course – or did I tell him to sit down, shut up, and read the letter? In any case, as he read the letter, he went from livid to pale, and it was sort of interesting to see someone’s skin color change that quickly. I wish I’d had a video camera. Also, his hands trembled. After that, the negotiations were rather easy. He did bluster now and then, saying things like, “No one will believe the ramblings of an old woman on medication,” and so forth. So I suggested we show the letter to his daughter and his wife to see what they thought, then pay a visit to Mrs. Cotter at the nursing home to see if she could clarify any of this. That shut him up, of course, but he did utter the word “Blackmail.”
I know this is blackmail, and I’m a lawyer, and this goes against all my beliefs and principles. What William had done – or what he is alleged to have done – was not only despicable, but also a crime, though unfortunately the statutes had run out on his crimes years ago. So if he was to pay for these crimes, then it would have to be in another way. The Bar Association and the courts might have another view of this, but at least Ethel would speak up for me when I stood before the Final Court.
Susan said to me, “He looked… pale. Shaken.”
“Did he? I didn’t notice.”
“And my mother seemed confused that he’d had this sudden and complete change of heart.”
“Well, she hadn’t shared his divine revelation.”
“John…?”
“Yes?”
“Did you… threaten him with something?”
“What could I threaten him with?”
“I don’t know… but-”
“Can we change the subject?” I asked, “Whose turn is it to get beer?”
She stood and went into the kitchen.
I finished my beer and thought about Ethel’s letter.