Something Rotten, Ch. 08
Image by Jörg Husemann from Pixabay
My phone rang when I got inside my car. Seeing the call was from Angela, I answered.
“Hello,” I said.
“Jimmy, Angela here. Got some really good news for you,” she said.
“What’s that?” I asked.
“I just got the report from the DNA lab. You’re a father. Twice over,” she said. “Congratulations.”
I couldn’t help but smile, as that was the best news I had gotten since the weekend.
“Thank you,” I said.
“Are you still meeting with Max this evening?” she asked.
“Yes, I am,” I told her. “I’ve got just about enough time to clean up and change before I meet him.”
“Alright,” she said. “I’ll see you then. I’ll be with Detective Gibbons. And I understand another detective will be there as well, so I’ll be in very good company.” We said our goodbyes, and I went back to the hotel.
I got to Luigi’s about 15 minutes before Max, and was ushered to a booth in a back corner, as I had requested when I made the reservation. I saw Sam, Detective Simmons, and Angela sitting at a table not too far from me. They saw me at the same time, but pretended not to know me as we had planned. I pressed the button on the pen the way Sam showed me and put it in my pocket.
I was contemplating the menu when I saw Max and two rather large, burly men come into the restaurant. The two men were seated at a nearby table. They watched me closely, and I felt a bit uncomfortable. Max came to my table and offered his hand, which I refused. He got the message and sat down.
“Hello, Jimmy,” he said with a sneer.
“Max,” I said in response. “What’s with the goons?” I asked after a few seconds.
“They’re just here to make sure nothing goes sideways,” he said. “So, have you made up your mind yet?” he asked as he looked over the menu.
“I was looking at the shrimp scampi,” I said.
“Excellent choice,” he responded. “I think I’ll have the same.” We gave our orders to the waitress and took a sip of water.
“So, Max, this is your meeting,” I said. “Let’s hear what you have to say.”
“Straight to the point, eh, Jimmy?” Max asked. “Alright, if that’s the way you want it. First off, I want to express my condolences over the loss of your father. I know the two of you were quite close.”
“Thank you,” I said.
“Anyway, you were right. About everything. I’m screwing your wife. In fact, I’ve been screwing her since before you got married. You remember that Christmas party when you said she was out of your league?”
“Yes, I remember that,” I said.
“I asked you if you’d ever asked her out or spoken to her. You said, no, that you didn’t even bother because you knew she wouldn’t be interested in you. Well, I beat you to the punch, kiddo. In more ways than one.
“You see, Jimmy, I DID talk to her. And I DID ask her out. And yes, we fucked like rabbits. Then she fell in love with you and got married. But we never stopped. We got together whenever we could, mostly while you and your father were out making money with your business. Rebecca loved you at the time, and she didn’t want to hurt you, so we were very careful to cover our tracks, very... discreet.
“Mom knew about it, of course, and she approved. We stopped for a while after she got pregnant. When little James was born, Mom had a DNA paternity test done. Told me James was definitely my son. A couple of years later, she got pregnant again, with Elizabeth. Same thing.”
“Did you ever see these test results for yourself?” I asked.
“No, didn’t need to,” Max said. “Mom said they proved my fatherhood, and I could see it in the kids’ eyes. They’re mine, all right.”
“So, you have your children,” I said. “Why continue your affair?”
“Well, that’s easy,” Max said. “Truth is, I enjoy screwing Rebecca. She’s a much better fuck than anyone I’ve ever been with. And she really knows how to suck a dick. I’m sure you already know about that. And there’s one other fringe benefit.”
“What’s that?” I asked, gritting my teeth to keep from punching this son of a bitch in the face. Just then, the waitress brought our food and put the plates in front of us.
“That’s one of the things I like about this place,” Max said. “The service here is quite good.”
“Yes,” I said. “I agree.” After the waitress left, I continued. “So, what’s this fringe benefit you spoke of?”
“Making you my cuckold,” he said with a sneer. “Hell, that’s half the fun of it. You have no idea how many times I’ve fucked your wife in your bed. We’ve often talked of having you join us – just to watch, of course. I don’t believe in sharing.”
“No, you just take what isn’t yours,” I said. “Why not find your own woman?”
“Again, that’s easy,” he said. “You see, some men are born to lead. Like me. Others are born to serve. That’s you. Which brings me to the reason for this meeting.”
“Which is?” I asked.
“To lay down the ground rules,” he said. “With your father gone, it’s just you against the three of us – Rebecca, Mom, and me. Your father won’t be there to protect you any longer. And with him gone, that leaves me as the patriarch of this... family.
“So, from now on, you answer to me. I will become your lord and master. I will have exclusive access to Rebecca at any time I choose. Any time. You will sleep in the guest bedroom and be responsible for supporting any children Rebecca and I have.
“You will feed them, clothe them, take care of them, pay for their education and medical expenses. Basically, all the things a father would normally provide for his children. Except they will all be my children. You will do as we say, without question, no matter how demeaning it may seem to you at the time.
“Moreover, you will not file for divorce, nor will you seek female companionship outside your marriage. If you step out of line, we will take whatever action is necessary. That could mean any number of things. I understand Rebecca has been researching male chastity devices. Now that’s something I’d love to see – you in a cock cage,” he said, laughing.
“I’m glad you’re amused,” I said. “And what if I decide not to go along with this little plan of yours?”
“That’s where it gets really interesting, Jimmy, old boy,” he said. “You’ve already seen my colleagues. As you may have surmised, they’re not much in the brains department, but they have lots of muscles. Very big ones. And they love to use their fists.”
“That sounds like a threat,” I said.
“Just an observation, Jimmy,” Max said. “There’s something else they’re quite good at. They’re very adept at taking care of little problems. Like your father.” I looked at him, shocked. I hoped Detective Simmons caught his sly admission. I decided to press him a bit further.
“So, you had my father killed?” I asked.
“Let’s just say, I simply made sure things happened a certain way. I have a knack for that kind of thing.” He pulled a USB drive out of his pocket. “It’s amazing what these little things can hold. Do you have any idea what happens to child molesters or child pornographers in prison, Jimmy? Trust me, it isn’t pretty.
“I don’t need to have you killed, Jimmy. Although that could be an option. The fact is, I can destroy your life with the contents of this little device,” he said with a sneer.
“So, let me see if I have this right,” I said. “You, Rebecca, and your mother intend to make me your slave. You expect me to raise your children as mine, support and provide for them with no financial help from you. You expect me to willingly let you control every aspect of my life, and you expect me to live in a loveless marriage as a willing cuckold and slave.
“And if I step out of line or decide I can not live the way you want, you’ll either have me murdered or framed for crimes I never committed. Have I got it right?”
“Why, Jimmy, it seems you’re even smarter than Mother says you are,” Max said. “I think you’ve got the gist of it.”
“And when does this begin?” I asked.
“It can start any time. Tonight, in fact. We can go to your house and celebrate the first night of your new existence,” Max said.
“I don’t think so, Mr. Foreman,” Detective Simmons said as he, Sam, Angela, and two uniformed officers stepped up to our table. Max looked up, shocked. The two goons started to get up and were stopped by four more uniformed police officers.
“What’s the meaning of this?” Max demanded.
“Stand up, Mr. Foreman, turn around, and place your hands behind your head,” Detective Simmons said. “You’re under arrest for attempted extortion, conspiracy, fraud, the murder of Mr. James Foreman, and conspiracy to murder James Foreman. I’m sure we’ll have other charges before we’re finished.” Simmons turned to the uniforms at the table. “Book him,” he said.
“Wait,” Angela said, stepping forward. She held a manila envelope and put it in Max’s coat pocket. “Mr. Maxwell Foreman, you’ve been served,” she said with a smile.
“Take him away,” Simmons said. “Along with his colleagues,” he added, nodding to the two goons. The officers cuffed Max’s hands behind his back and read him his rights.
“By the way, Max,” I said. He turned to look at me, his face red. “The children are mine. Both of them. Your mother lied to you about the tests she took, and I have DNA proof showing that I’m their biological father. You may want to have your swimmers checked out.”
“You son of a bitch,” Max growled. “I’ll get out of jail, and when I do, I’ll fucking KILL you myself!”
“That sounds like a threat to me. I suppose we can add another charge to the list,” Sam said. “Assuming you want him charged, Mr. Foreman.”
“Absolutely,” I said.
“Take him away,” Simmons said. They led Max and his two goons out of the restaurant, their hands cuffed behind their backs.
“Thank you, Detective,” I said, handing him the pen.
He took it and shook my hand. “No, thank you, Mr. Foreman,” he said. “I know that wasn’t easy for you.”
“What will happen to him?” I asked.
“If the DA gets his way, Mr. Foreman will end up on death row,” Simmons said. “He’s been wanting to stick it to Blumenthal for a while now. By the way, you may want to take that meal to go. Officers will be picking your wife up any time now. Good luck, Mr. Foreman. We’ll be in touch.” We shook hands, and the detectives left.
“How are you feeling, Jimmy?” Angela asked after they left.
“Like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders,” I said. I saw the waitress and motioned for her to put my food in a carry-out container. “I guess I’d better get to the house and see to the kids.”
“That would be a good idea,” Angela said. “I’ll have Rebecca served at the jail. Let me know if there’s anything I can do for you.”
“Thank you for everything,” I said. “I’ll be in touch.” With that, Angela left. I paid for the two meals, grabbed my food, and left. I got to the house just as Rebecca was being led out in cuffs by two police officers. She didn’t look too happy.
“What the hell have you done?” she cried.
“I’m setting some wrongs right, Rebecca,” I said. “By the way, I filed for divorce. You’ll get served soon enough. And the kids are mine, not Max’s. Goodbye, Rebecca.” The officers shoved her in the back of a police cruiser and left. I walked in the house and suddenly found myself in the arms of two distraught children. I held them until they settled down, which took some time.
“Where are they taking Mommy?” James asked.
“She’s going to be away for a while, son,” I said.
“Why?” Elizabeth asked.
“She did something bad, sweetheart,” I said. “Very bad.” I held them a bit longer and talked to them, hoping to help them understand that actions have consequences. When they settled down enough, I got them ready for bed and tucked them in. I knew this was just the beginning of a very long road – for all three of us.
…
Epilogue:
As promised, Angela had Rebecca served with divorce papers in jail. I was there with the process server when it happened. She didn’t look good at all. The DA had filed multiple charges against her, and she potentially faced several decades in prison.
“Why, Rebecca?” I asked. “I thought we were in love.”
“I’m sorry, Jimmy,” she said. “I did love you, but Max and his mother were very... persuasive. I never wanted you to be hurt.”
Bullshit, I thought. “And this crap about making me your slave and cuckold. Did you honestly think I would just sit still for that?” I asked.
“That was mostly Max’s doing,” she said.
“But you went along with it,” I said. “According to Max, you were looking into male chastity devices.”
“Again, that was mostly his doing,” she said. “But his mother encouraged it. Said it was something she had considered doing to your father.”
“But you knew what he had in mind, didn’t you?” I asked.
Looking down, Rebecca nodded her head. “Yes.”
“By the way, the DNA test came back – I’m the kids’ biological father,” I told her. “Mary lied about that as well. So much for his superior seed.” I stood and looked down at her. She looked so forlorn, but at that moment, I didn’t really care. “Sign the papers, end this sham of a marriage. I’ll let the kids write you and come visit you from time to time.” With that, I turned and left. I could hear her sobbing, but I didn’t care. She made her bed...
Max went on trial, having been charged with even more crimes than I was aware of. Apparently, state and federal agencies were also very interested in some of his rather shady dealings. By the time it was all said and done, he was disbarred and sentenced to death. He now sits on death row as his appeals make their way through the court system.
Mary was also charged as an accomplice to Dad’s murder and received a life sentence. Rebecca was found guilty of being an accomplice and was also sentenced to life in prison. Both of them would be eligible for parole in 15 years, I was told.
The case prompted a media circus after Max’s parentage became known. Blumenthal denied any connection to Max, but the allegations made it all but impossible for him to remain on the bench. He eventually retired, but was still dogged by the media.
Unfortunately, little James and Elizabeth were hit the hardest. In a very short period of time, they lost both their Mom-mom and Pop-pop, their names for my parents. They also lost their Uncle Max, who they loved dearly, and their mother. Angela and Julie arranged counseling for them – and for me.
Being a full-time single dad and the owner of a successful business is no easy matter, as I quickly learned. I hired a nanny to help with the kids as I worked, but realized that was no substitute for a mother. I tried dating, but found I suffered from serious trust issues and was unable to connect with anyone the way I had with Rebecca.
Maybe one day, I’ll find a woman I can love – and trust. But I’m not pushing the issue. Right now, I’m happy to be alive and to have my two children. I suppose in the long run, I’ll just keep doing what I have been doing – making it up as I go.
…
Fade to black...
Read more here:
I believe that I mentioned elsewhere
about Louis L’Amour’s villains discounting everyone and everything that do not fit their plans. Max fits that mold perfectly.
The only thing that could have made it better is if Max had been shot resisting arrest. I love it when Karma comes around and bites the jerks in the butt.