“What a horrible way to die.” Kendall shuddered.
“Did you talk to this Kaminsky person?” Tyler asked.
“Unfortunately, no. By the time I arrived in Corsica, he had left.”
Fitzgerald said, “The captain of the yacht had advised your father not to sail into that storm, but for some reason, he was in a hurry to return here. He had arranged for a helicopter to bring him back. There was some kind of urgent problem.”
Tyler asked, “Do you know what the problem was?”
“No. I cut short my vacation to meet him back here. I don’t know what—”
Woody interrupted. “That’s all very interesting, but it’s ancient history, isn’t it? Let’s talk about the will. Did he leave us anything or not?” His hands were twitching.
“Why don’t we sit down?” Tyler suggested.
They took chairs. Simon Fitzgerald sat at the desk, facing them. He opened a briefcase and started to take out some papers.
Woody was ready to explode. “Well? For God’s sake, did he or didn’t he?”
Kendall said, “Woody…”
“I know the answer,” Woody said angrily. “He didn’t leave us a damn cent.”
Fitzgerald looked into the faces of the children of Harry Stanford. “As a matter of fact,” he said, “each of you will share equally in the estate.”
Steve could feel the sudden euphoria that swept through the room.
Woody was staring at Fitzgerald, openmouthed. “What? Are you serious?” He jumped to his feet. “That’s fantastic!” He turned to the others. “Did you hear that? The old bastard finally came through!” He looked at Simon Fitzgerald. “How much money are we talking about?”
“I don’t have the exact figure. According to the latest issue of Forbes magazine, Stanford Enterprises is worth six billion dollars. Most of it is invested in various corporations, but there is roughly four hundred million dollars available in liquid assets.”
Kendall was listening, stunned. “That’s more than a hundred million dollars for each of us. I can’t believe it!” I’m free, she thought. I can pay them off and be rid of them forever. She looked at Marc, her face shining, and squeezed his hand.
“Congratulations,” Marc said. He knew more than the others what the money would mean.
Simon Fitzgerald spoke up. “As you know, ninety-nine percent of the shares in Stanford Enterprises was held by your father. So those shares will be divided equally among you. Also, now that his father is deceased, Judge Stanford owns outright that other one percent that had been held in trust. Of course, there will be certain formalities. Furthermore, I should inform you that there is a possibility of another heir being involved.”
“Another heir?” Tyler asked.
“Your father’s will specifically provides that the estate is to be divided equally among his issue.”
Peggy looked puzzled. “What…what do you mean by issue?”
Tyler spoke up. “Natural-born descendants and legally adopted descendants.”
Fitzgerald nodded. “That is correct. Any descendant born out of wedlock is deemed a descendant of the mother and the father, whose protection is established under the law of the jurisdiction.”
“What are you saying?” Woody asked impatiently.
“I’m saying that there may be another claimant.”
Kendall looked at him. “Who?”
Simon Fitzgerald hesitated. There was no way to be tactful. “I’m sure that you are all aware of the fact that, a number of years ago, your father sired a child by a governess who worked here.”
“Rosemary Nelson,” Tyler said.
“Yes. Her daughter was born at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Milwaukee. She named her Julia.”
The room was thick with silence.
“Hey!” Woody exclaimed. “That was twenty-five years ago.”
“Twenty-six, to be exact.”
Kendall asked, “Does anyone know where she is?”
Simon Fitzgerald could hear Harry Stanford’s voice. “She wrote to tell me that it was a girl. Well, if she thinks she’s going to get a dime out of me, she can go to hell.” “No,” Fitzgerald said slowly. “No one knows where she is.”
“Then what the hell are we talking about?” Woody demanded.
“I just wanted all of you to be aware that if she does appear, she will be entitled to an equal share of the estate.”
“I don’t think we have anything to worry about,” Woody said confidently. “She probably never even knew who her father was.”