Family Secrets

“Al told me about the trouble you’re having.  What can I do to help?”  Babs couldn’t imagine what advice she could possibly offer, but she liked Lane and would do whatever she could.

Lane smiled.  It was such an unbelievable situation.  She reached into her Brahmin bag and got Uncle Vi

“When I was four years old, my father and I were in a car accident.  The accident was caused when a drunk teenager crossed the centerline and hit us.  I was uninjured, but my father died a few months later as a result of his injuries.”

“Lane, I am so sorry.  That must have been difficult.”

“Thank-you.  It was made more difficult because my mother who had ovarian cancer died just weeks after my father died.  I was raised by my mother’s younger sister.”

Babs looked at the card Lane had handed to her.  She still didn’t know why Lane was in her office or why Lane had given her Vincenzo Luciano’s card.  She reached out and took Lane’s hand.

Lane gave a half smile.  “I learned yesterday that the young driver came from a very wealthy family.  His father put 1.5 million dollars in trust for me.  Vincenzo Luciano has been administering that trust all this time.  Apparently, it’s grown substantially.  I’m here because I want to discuss the trust.  I’m not sure what to do with it.  Mr. Luciano suggested that I talk with my own advisor before I make any decisions.”

“I see.  Let me call Mr. Luciano’s office and have the details sent to me.”

Babs stood and walked to her desk.  She dialed the number on the card, gave her name, and her client’s name to the person on the other end of the line.  Seconds later Mr. Luciano was on the line.

“Mr. Luciano, My name is Barbara Burns.  I represent Lane Parker.”

“Yes, I’d appreciate that,” she said before she gave her fax number.

“Yes, what can you tell me about the specifics of the trust?”

“Yes, as a matter of fact Mrs. Parker is in my office.”  She put the call on hold and looked at Lane.

“Mr. Luciano has suggested we meet him at Bellini’s for a late lunch meeting.  Are you free at one o’clock?”

Lane nodded.

“Yes, Mr. Luciano, we’ll be happy to meet you there at one.” Babs disco

Lane looked across the desk.

“Babs, Vi

“The entire situation is … complicated, I guess.  The man I found dead was the teenaged driver who killed my father.  Ben and I had lunch yesterday with his uncle who told us about the trust.  I understand that my aunt knew about the trust, but refused it.  Apparently, Mr. Gardino had them hold the money in trust anyway and Mr. Luciano was supposed to find me when I became of age.  He knew me as Angelique Valle – but my Aunt had begun calling me Lane.  Even though he said he did try, it was impossible.  So it was quite by accident that it all came out at lunch yesterday.”

There was a rap at the door and Bab’s assistant brought in the fax from Mr. Luciano’s office.

“Let me look all of this over.  Perhaps we can meet in an hour at Bellini’s.  That would give us half an hour to talk before we meet with Mr. Luciano.”

Lane smiled.  She’d felt a little under dressed during her meeting yesterday with the Luciano brothers.  The uncles were wearing Gucci shoes and Brioni suits which retail in the thousands. She thought she’d like to go home and put on a suit of her own before the meeting even if it would take at least ten of her suits to equal the price of the one Uncle Vi

Ben had been extremely anxious to get her out of her house, and she had to admit that he had a point.  She called him from the parking lot of Babs’ office.

“Red, how did the meeting with Babs go?”

“Uncle Vi

“Lane, I don’t want to sound like an old woman, but I really would feel better if you aren’t alone at your house until this is resolved.  I can’t get away right now.  I’ll send Ta

She couldn’t decide whether to be angry, but then again, she had called Ben and she’d done it because she knew he had a point about it being dangerous to be alone at her house.  She agreed to wait for Ta

Safety.  Suddenly it dawned on her that the kids would be back tomorrow.  If it wasn’t safe for her to live in her house right now, how was she going to keep the kids safe?  She’d talk to Ben.  Maybe they could get the police to add an extra patrol or something.

She drove to her house and was surprised to find Ta

“Go ahead and change.  I’ll wait in the hall.”

Lane went into her bedroom and quickly selected not a suit, but a dress.  It was a tailored, linen, sleeveless sheath in black and cream.  She dressed quickly with nude hose, and black and cream shoes.  She quickly transferred some things into a black and cream striped Brahmin bag and then grabbed up her discarded jeans, blouse, and sandals and put them into a duffle bag as she walked into the hall.

“Hope I didn’t keep you too long.  Are you supposed to follow me to Bellini’s or am I on my own now?”

Ta

Sometimes it was easy to forget Ben was 12 years younger because he had always acted as if he was the older brother, father, uncle.  She laughed a bit.  It made her think about her little cousin Ha

She sat in her SUV and called Ben.  Her cell was co

The phone had barely rung when he picked up.  “Red, Ta

Lane smiled.  Of course Ta

Lane knew Ben had a trial starting Monday and since she’d taken up so much time this week, she suspected he might be working late doing prep for it.