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Diminishing Wrath of Jackie Stone

123

CHAPTER 1

The words 'bright, sullen, clever, devious and tough as old boots' would have described Jackie Stone as a young girl perfectly. She really was a mixed bag. Until Jackie turned ten she was a pretty and rather cute energetic youngster thriving under her mother's care and protection but during that year cancer was diagnosed and months later Rebecca Stone died.

The boys began the teasing, perhaps hitting out of the loss of their mom who'd displayed the greatest share of her love for Jackie. Pete aged fourteen and Drake sixteen intensified their teasing and often it turned bad enough to border on mental cruelty. Initially her father Terry reprimanded the boys but he became lazy about that and eventually joined in on the baiting and Jackie's bright personality disappeared behind enveloping sullenness.

But miraculously Jackie endured and in her final year at high school had escaped being nothing worse than bitter about her home life. School support including expert counseling had ensured Jackie didn't fall through the unseen safety net installed at schools and then there was the happiest day in her life each week, Sunday.

Jackie was totally focused on college but her father grumbled the boys hadn't gone to college so why should she. By the time the decision had to be made Drake, now twenty-four still lived on the farm but worked in their small town as a vehicle repair technician. He callously proposed Jackie should stay at home and look after them. Without thinking about fairness or what his late wife would have wanted, Terry agreed and ruled out college. Jackie was told that adamantly and advised she'd receive a small housekeeping wage.

The family hadn't counted on Jackie being stubborn and devious. She went to her maternal grandfather, a small town bank owner. The business was almost as old as the town. He'd long lost interest in the males of Jackie's family because of their unfriendliness and mean ways. For years every Sunday morning Jackie cycled to Grandpa Jack Gates' house and stayed on to cook the widower's dinner.

After dinner Jack would drive her home and wave and say howdy to the guys who'd line the front porch most times and stand like statutes. Jackie would collect her bicycle next day after school and cycle the seven miles home.

It was Saturday, an hour after breakfast, when the final decision was made that college was out for Jacki. She cycled to town and found her grandfather in the vegetable garden scratching around. After the exchange of greetings she went in and make coffee. Jacki poured herself a soda and they sat on the swing seat where grandpa used to sit with grandma during warmer times of the year.

"Gramps will you finance me through college and keep that news from my family?"

That was a big ask but then being a banker Jack was used to being dumped with people's problems and he knew what this was about. "I'll think about it."

The next Sunday he said yes, he'd do that. He'd found that Jackie rather than her parents was required to sign the application forms and she could name him as next of kin and guarantor. He handed her the forms and after reading them Jackie went on to the college website and checked out courses, mostly confirming information received at high school.

Jack gave her papers to sign. "I'm opening a bank account for your and you'll be issued with a credit card and checkbook linked to that account. Your father should be doing this but I know how he thinks and find his stance unacceptable."

Three months later Jackie departed for college.

She left a note for her father simply stating, "Gone to college.

Jackie worked in her grandfather's bank during college breaks and sometimes saw her father or brothers in town but they refused to speak to her. She eventually gained an MBA and invited her family individually to conferment but none of them showed up or bothered to reply. The college was just less than 100 miles from the farm.

Their no-show really hurt Jackie but her proud grandfather who attended her big day told her, "Forget that pack of assholes." But who can forget hurt that deep?

Jackie secured a marketing position with a company 250 miles away. On the Saturday she was booked to leave by train for her new city, Jackie cycled from her grandfather's home out to the farm knowing the three men would be out on the farm somewhere.

She was delighted they were not around the house and even more delighted to find Pete's rebuilt 1950s Harley-Davidson in the barn, along with Drake's cut-down bright red 1939 coupe and her father's two-year-old Mustang. She rode the bike out and parked it on the dirt road clear of buildings and then parked the other two vehicles in a line behind it. She cheerfully doused the vehicles with gas and set them alight and rode off not looking back.

Jackie had thought of leaving a note, "Aren't I a big tease" but decided if no one had seen her cycle up to the farm or cycle away the criminal responsible for that arson attack might never be solved.

Spending most of the afternoon with her grandfather before he drove her and her luggage to the train station, Jackie had expected to see a deputy-Sheriff drive up at any moment; the longer she waited the more relaxed she became.

"Bye Gramps. I'll email you my address when I settle into my apartment and will then expect you to visit me. Take care."

"Goodbye pretty lady. I'll miss your company. Now don't take too long finding a young man worthy of you and who doesn't tease, or if he does so, he only does it good naturedly."

The next day in her temporary accommodation in a rooming house Jackie received an email from her grandfather: 'There was an arson attack at your family farm on Saturday with no witnesses and no sign of a suspect or suspects. Do you have any knowledge of this my dear?'

Jackie replied in a way her grandfather would understand: 'No grandfather. I have no knowledge of Pete's bike, Drake's pride and joy coupe and dad's Mustang being taken out of the barn, lined up and set alight. I wonder who the big tease was? Jackie.'

Grandfather Jack visited Jackie three times during her first year at college and they spent a week at a lodge that first autumn where Gramps taught her to fly fish. They had such a great time. Two months later he suffered a major stroke and died two hours before Jackie arrived at the hospital. She stayed for the funeral, making sure her family were advised of the day, time and place of the service, but none of them turned up.

Meanwhile an elderly guy in a dark suit called on Jackie, who was staying in her grandfather's house. She recognized him as one of Gramp's friends Mr Mason who was also his attorney.

Over a glass of ginger beer Cecil Mason said it was his pleasant duty to advise Jackie she was the sole beneficiary of her grandfather's estate. She was advised two parties were interested in buying the house and four senior bank officers were preparing an offer to buy the bank as a going concern.

"My dear I must warn you that your father and your two brothers are likely to dispute the will."

"Yes that was likely. That has to occur before probate doesn't it?"

"Yes. My present reckoning is after everything disposed of according to your instructions and settles, the residual value of the estate will be in excess of $2,240,000."

"That much? Oh my. Before I leave I'll come to your office and leave documented instructions and sign power of attorney to arrange the sale of both the house and the business to maximize returns and should my family contest the will you are to oppose that, using any resources you require to accomplish that."

"Expressed very professionally young lady. Would you care to join my wife Annie and me for dinner at the Village Restaurant this evening? We both would enjoy reminiscing about dear Jack with you."

"I would be honored Mr Mason."

As soon as he'd left Jackie fell on to the sofa, her heart beating hugely. "Two million bucks. Holy fuck! Thanks a million, for every million Gramps. I so loved you."

Jackie cried but had some great memories running through her mind.

* * *

With the struggle gone out of her life Jackie became more relaxed and felt free to do as she wished. She had sufficient money never to have to work again but at twenty-six she thought the only two choices for a worthwhile life were remaining in business or living in a cottage somewhere in the wilderness and doing needlework and tending a garden. She grimaced and chose business.

On the first day back from the funeral, Jackie as department manager called in her assistant manager.

"What do you want Jackie, I'm busy?"

"Please close the door David and sit. Thank you."

"Now this is for your own good and hopefully to produce a more tranquil working life for me. The general tone of my department is not good as a result of your overbearing manner arising from arrogance or is it stupidity? I want you to face these options: you are to modify your behavior and act like part of a team or leave here Friday and work somewhere else."

"Go to hell Jackie. I'm competent at my work."

"Please sit down David. I have yet to extract assurances from you."

"Should I leave Jackie," her frightened looking PA said.

"No Liz, you are here as a witness. Sit down please David."

"Go to hell you stupid bitch."

"Go to HR immediately David. You're fired."

David's uncle owned the business and two hours later after Jackie had been advised David had not arrived to go through the termination process, his uncle Charles Wakefield called Jackie to his office suite.

"Good morning Jackie," he beamed. "I believe there has been a misunderstanding. This is Miss Crockett, my nephew's family attorney."

"Good morning Miss Crockett," Jackie smiled. Turning to Charles she said coolly, "I fail to find anything not understandable about the term, "You're fired."

Charles' face darkened. "I want you to withdraw that threat to my nephew."

"No. This morning he once again proved himself unsuitable as a team player and unacceptably insubordinate as well."

Charles said grimly, "Now you listen very carefully Jackie..."

"Mr Wakefield. Perhaps I could add something here."

"Go on Jill."

"Miss Stone, there is no way we can accept this dismissal as being justified."

"Are you are in full possession of the facts Miss Crockett, I mean the alleged facts from both sides?"

The attorney's face darkened.

"Enough of this nonsense," Charles thundered. "I'll give it to you straight Jackie. Either back down over David or else the person being fired will be you."

"Very well I accept your directive," Jackie said, seething, but kept her voice reasonably calm.

Charles appeared ready to smile until she added, "I will vacate my office immediately and return tomorrow to complete my termination process and Charles, I'm warning you to present me with a healthy bonus on top of all entitlements otherwise I take you on for unjustified dismissal, employing a team of attorneys specializing in business law."

Charles just sat staring at her, face now ashen, as Jackie turned and said sweetly to Miss Crockett, "Thank you for being my witness darling."

At 11:00 next morning, with her strategically situated studio apartment already brining in offers to the Realtor, Jackie left her former workplace with a good reference, full entitlements and an extra payment already in her bank account of $30,000. Charles and his nephew had been nowhere in sight when she called to say goodbye to everyone in her department.

As she left in a cab, her company car already back in possession of the company, Jackie had the last laugh. Three months ago she'd been asked to study a complete reorganization of the company's production, marketing and distribution strategies and had done a huge amount of work that lay detailed in her office computer, encrypted under quite superior software, and still without final conclusions and recommendations.

Jackie came close to laughing hysterically when thinking about the moment when Charles Wakefield realized his double folly, unable to extract that hugely valuable information to the company and having his nephew run down the marketing department through having personnel resign almost en mass. It wasn't her fault she smiled, and thought what you have done to poor Mr Wakefield is such a huge tease; he'd pull his hair out expect he was very bald.

* * *

Almost a year later Jackie was a 7.65 million dollar woman. On the instructions of Jackie, whose resentment against her family was thawing, her attorney Mr Mason not only paid the legal expenses of the failed attempt of her family to contest the will but he was instructed to pay her brothers $20,000 each and paid off the farm mortgage for her father. Acting on instructions, Mr Mason established a Jack Gates' Community Trust to pay fees of needy college students from an endowment of $500,000. Jackie sought no kudos for establishing the trust when it was made and received none; all the publicity focused on her late grandfather.

Mr Mason wrote by hand to Jackie about her endowments. "I regret to say your brothers failed to respond to your generosity but I had face to face dealings with your father over the early repayment of the farm mortgage. When the process ended he blew his nose and said, 'Jackie always was a good girl, much like her mother.' That was all."

Reading that Jackie bawled uncontrollably.

She was doing fine in Los Angeles. She'd passed through three relationships with rather lovely guys and was now head of marketing for an importer of Italian high-class shoes. It was a huge operation. The company had established it's territory as the ten adjoining states bounding California to roughly in line to the western boundaries of North Dakota and through to the eastern line of New Mexico and excluding Texas.

Jackie had long confirmed her father and brothers were quite mild compared with some of the scumbags in business. She worked from the top with line managers responsible for sales teams and market preservation and penetration while she mainly reported to the company president and acted as troubleshooter. Because this was LA no one really questioned how Jackie could afford to live in a more expensive house than the company president and have a cook/housekeeper and pool man/gardener/maintenance man and a weekend chauffer who drove her personal car, a white top-of-line Mercedes soft-top with personalized lime green leather seats. The chauffer wore a lime green cap and Jackie declined to answer anyone who asked why. Women assumed it was simply color coordination and were relieved that Jackie never wore lime green. Her friends only ever received a smile when asking did she ever have to buy shoes.

Jackie had become well-established and displayed a keen interest in the arts and the only organization she was on was as a board member on a trust dedicated to assist college students struggling with fees. Jackie denoted a quarter of her monthly salary by automatic payment to the trust.

Then, almost without warning, her life practically fell to pieces. She'd met this guy at an art gallery opening of a new display and after further drinks at a bar she took him home simply because he'd spent so much time stroking the inside of her leg from his barstool.

She took him home by cab in great expectations but once inside the house he showed his evil side. She'd totally read him wrongly.

Ronald Arnold slammed her against the wall and pulled a gun.

"I have no wish to fuck you bitch. I have a real hot baby who is more than I can handle. I want money and jewelry."

"I have very little around because of thugs like you and may I advise you are showing excellent profiles on security cameras."

Ronald slugged her with his gun barrel and fled.

After recovering Jackie went to bed with her own gun under her pillow. In the morning she called a private investigator and he played the tapes, having asked why hadn't she called the police and the strange answer he got was 'Because."

"Because what?"

"I answered."

"Oh you don't like the thought of cops swarming all around here. Fair enough. These are good mugshots of his face in several angles, especially full on and that's what we like. If he has a record I'll identify him by running these through a special computer."

"Fine Rex. Bring me the results, if any, and say nothing about this to anyone."

"You're the boss, Miss Stone. Are you related to Sharon Stone?"

"Sorry I don't know a Sharon Stone."

Next morning the housekeeper advised at 7:10, "A Mr Vince Brady is here."

Jackie went down in a dressing grown and Ida served coffee.

"God Vince, this is Saturday. I never get up till 9:30."

"That's your problem, not mine. I have that guy positively identified plus a full report on him."

"Oh god, brilliant Vince."

"He's scum Miss Stone but with the extra appendage of sophisticated scum."

"Yes that's definitely him. I'm absolutely sure about that. See the tiny scar from his left nostril to the side of his mouth""

"Yeah of course I noticed that. You have good security cameras."

"Well thank you. This report details everyone about him."

"I can get him quietly arrested if you wish and then place through the process without media attention because you are not a VIP."

"No thank you Vince. Just leave this report with me. That's you job done. How much do I owe you"

"Four hundred bucks."

"You said $400 a day. This is the second day."

"I wasn't hired until yesterday at 10:00. It's short of twenty-four hours since you hired me."

"Well let's not argue over that. Here's a thousand. You have done brilliantly Vince. Without you I would have still been in meltdown."

"That is too much money Miss Stone."

"God Vince, don't be ridiculous. This is LA."

Jackie phoned two local Realtors. She knew both of them and said she wanted to quit her home. Both said they had buyers in the wings, whatever that meant. Angels?

She drove the Mercedes to the dealer where she'd purchased it. The sales manager said, "This is a landmark vehicle Miss Stone. Leave it here with me now and I'll give you more than what you paid for it."

Jackie returned home by cab.

She was required to work for another three weeks before her the company released her. But that was fine, because Jackie had other loose ends to finalize. She resigned from the charity board, donating $250,000 and saying that was it.

Never in her life had Jackie felt so empowered and thought that must be like military personnel felt, er most of them, when drafted to go to war. As soon as the farewells were over Jackie simply disappeared.

Jackie could have hired people to do this but she wanted to do it herself. That bastard had made her feel insecure in LA and had to pay.

CHAPTER 2

Jackie rented a room for five nights and insisted it be on the west side high up. She had to wait a day before it became available. Knowing she was two levels above the seedy apartment of scumbag Ronald Arnold Jackie looked through a pair of binoculars she'd purchased and bingo, should see a woman dressed only in panties in the lounge, sitting back and watching crap on TV. Yeah, if this was indeed the apartment the woman really did look like one hot bitch.

Two hours later Jackie came out of dozing, checked the apartment and right on!. Her target Ronald Arnold was handing his one hot bitch something and she unwrapped it and hugged him. Oh god, it was a pair of Playboy panties. How pathetic!

Jackie spent the next three days tracking the thug's movements. He was dumb enough to use his real name in attempted robbery so she had thought his movements would follow a pattern rather than be random and that proved correct. However it was providing tedious and exhausting and she began to wish she'd hired professionals to do this stake-out.

123
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