“All of them.”
She took a deep breath. “You have a deal.”
“Good. I’ll get the money to you as quickly as I can. I’ll be going back to Chicago in the next few days.” He took a key from his pocket and handed it to her. “Here’s the key to my house. I want you to stay there and wait for me. And don’t talk to anyone.”
“All right.” She tried to hide her excitement. Maybe I should have asked for more, she thought.
“I’ll book you on the next plane out of here.”
“What about the things I bought…?”
“I’ll have them sent on to you.”
“Good. Hey, we both came out of this great, didn’t we?”
He nodded. “Yes. We did.”
Tyler took Margo to Logan International Airport to see her off.
At the airport, she said, “What are you going to tell the others? About my leaving, I mean.”
“I’ll tell them that you had to go visit a very good friend who became ill, a friend in South America.”
She looked at him wistfully. “Do you want to know something, Judge? That yachting trip would have been fun.”
Over the loudspeaker, her flight was being called.
“That’s me, I guess.”
“Have a nice flight.”
“Thanks. I’ll see you in Chicago.”
Tyler watched her go into the departures terminal and stood there, waiting until the plane took off. Then he went back to the limousine and said to the chauffeur, “Rose Hill.”
When Tyler arrived back at the house, he went directly to his room and telephoned Chief Judge Keith Percy.
“We’re all waiting for you, Tyler. When are you coming back? We’re planning a little celebration in your honor.”
“Very soon, Keith,” Tyler said. “Meanwhile, I could use your help with a problem I’ve run into.”
“Certainly. What can I do for you?”
“It’s about a felon I tried to help. Margo Posner. I believe I told you about her.”
“I remember. What’s the problem?”
“The poor woman has deluded herself into believing she’s my sister. She followed me to Boston and tried to murder me.”
“My God! That’s terrible!”
“She’s on her way back to Chicago now, Keith. She stole the key to my house, and I don’t know what she plans to do next. The woman is a dangerous lunatic. She’s threatened to kill my whole family. I want her committed to the Reed Mental Health Facility. If you’ll fax me the commitment papers, I’ll sign them. I’ll arrange for her psychiatric examinations myself.”
“Of course. I’ll take care of it immediately, Tyler.”
“I’ll appreciate it. She’s on United Airlines Flight 307. It arrives at eight-fifteen tonight. I suggest that you have people there at the airport to pick her up. Tell them to be careful. She should be put in maximum security at Reed, and not allowed any visitors.”
“I’ll see to it. I’m sorry you had to go through this, Tyler.”
There was a shrug in Tyler’s voice. “You know what they say, Keith: ‘No good deed, no matter how small, goes unpunished.’”
At dinner that evening, Kendall asked, “Isn’t Julia joining us tonight?”
Tyler said regretfully, “Unfortunately, no. She asked me to say good-bye to all of you. She’s gone to take care of a friend in South America who’s had a stroke. It was rather sudden.”
“But the will has not been…”
“Julia has given me her power of attorney and wants me to arrange for her share to go into a trust fund.”
A servant placed a bowl of Boston clam chowder in front of Tyler.
“Ah,” he said. “That looks delicious! I’m hungry tonight.”
United Airlines Flight 307 was making its final approach to O’Hare International Airport on schedule. A metallic voice came over the loudspeaker. “Ladies and gentlemen, would you fasten your seat belts, please?”
Margo Posner had enjoyed the flight tremendously. She had spent most of the time dreaming about what she was going to do with the million dollars and all the clothes and jewelry she had bought. And all because I was busted! Isn’t that a kick!
When the plane landed, Margo gathered the things she had carried on board and started to walk down the ramp. A flight attendant stayed directly behind her. Near the plane was an ambulance, flanked by two paramedics in white jackets, and a doctor. The flight attendant saw them and pointed to Margo.