Stanford struggled violently, trying to come up for air, but he was no match for the giant. Dmitri held him under while the seawater got into his victim's lungs, and finally all movement stopped. He stood there, 201 breathing hard, then staggered into the other room. Dmitri went over to the desk, fighting the rolling motion of the ship, picked up some papers and slid open the glass door to the outside veranda, letting in the howling wind. He scattered some of the papers OPI the veranda and threw some overboard. Satisfied, he returned to the bathroom once more and pulled Stanford's body out of the tub. He dressed him in his pajamas, robe and slippers, and carried the body out onto the veranda.
Dmitri stood at the railing a moment, then heaved the body overboard. He counted to five seconds, then picked up the telephone and shouted, ' overboard!' Listening to Dmitri recount the story of the murder, Tyler felt a sexual thrill. He could taste the seawater filling his father's lungs and feel the gasping for breath, the terror. And then nothingness.
It's over, Tyler thought. Then he corrected himself. No. The game is just beginning. It's time to play the queen.
Chapter Seventeen
The last chess piece fell into place by accident. Tyler had been thinking about his father's will, and he felt outraged that Woody and Kendall were getting an equal share of the estate with him. They don't_ deserve it. If it had not been for me, they both would have been cut out of the will completely. They would have had nothing. It's not fair, but what can I do about it? He had the one share of stock that his mother had given him long ago, and he remembered his father's words: ' do you think he's going to do with that share? Take over the company?" Together, Tyler thought, Woody and Kendall have two-thirds of Father's Stanfordunterprises stock. How can I get control with only my one extra share? And then the answer came to him, and it was so ingenious that it stunned him. ' should inform you that there is a possibility of another heir being involved ... Your father's will specifically provides that the estate is to be divided equally among 203 his issue. Your father sired a child by a governess who worked here ...' If Julia showed up, there would be four of us, Tyler thought. And if I could control her share, I would then havefifty percent of Father's stock plus the one percent I already own. I could take over Stanford Enterprises. I could sit in my father's chair. His next thought was, Rosemary is dead, and she probably never told her daughter who her father was. Why does it have to be the real Julia Stanford? The answer was Margo Posner. He had first encountered her two months earlier, as court was called into session.
The bailiff had turned to the spectators in the courtroom. ', oyez.
The Circuit Court of Cook County is now in session, the Honorable Judge Tyler Stanford presiding. All rise.' Tyler walked in from his chambers and sat down at the bench. He looked down at the docket-. The first case was State of Illinois v. Margo Posner. The charges were assault and attempted murder. The prosecuting attorney rose. ' Honor, the defendant is a dangerous person who should be kept off the streets of Chicago. The State will prove that the defendant has a long criminal history. She has been convicted of shoplifting, larceny, and is a known prostitute. She was one of a stable of women working for a notorious pimp named Rafael. In January of this 204 year, they got into an altercation and the defendant willfully and cold-bloodedly shot him and his companion.' I Did either victim diet Tyler asked. ', Your Honor.
They were hospitalized with serious injuries. The gun in Margo Posner's possession was an illegal weapon.' Tyler turned to look at the defendant, and be felt a sense of surprise. She did not fit tho-image of what he had just heard about her. She was a well-dressed, attractive young woman in her late twenties, and there was a quiet elegance about her that completely belied the charges against her. That just goes to prove, Tyler thought wryly, you never know. He listened to the arguments from both sides, but his eyes were drawn to the defendant. There was some- thing about her that reminded him of his sister. When the summations were finished the case went to the jury, and in less than four hours they returned with a verdict of guilty on all counts. Tyler looked down at the defendant and said, ' court cannot find any extenuating circumstances in this case. You are herewith sentenced to.
five years at Dwight Correctional Center. Next case.' And it was not until Margo Posner was being led away that Tyler realized what it was about her that reminded him so much of Kendall. She had the same dark gray eyes. The Stanford eyes. 205 Tyler did not think about Margo Posner again until the telephone call from Dmitri. The beginning chess game had been successfully completed. Tyler had planned each move carefully in his, mind. He'd used the classical queen's gambit: Decline opening, moving the queen pawn two squares. It was time to move into the middle game. Tyler went to visit Margo Posner at the women's prison. ' you remember met Tyler asked. She stared at him. ' could I forget you?
You're the one who sent me to this place." are you getting along?" Tyler asked. She grimaced. ' must be kidding! It's a hellhole here."
"How would you like to get outt ' would I ... ? Are you serioust ''m very serious. I can arrange it.", that ... that's great! Thanks.
But what do I have to do for itt ', there is something I want you to do for me.' She looked at him, flirtatiously. '. That's no problem."
"That's not what I had in mind.' She said, warily,'What did you have in mind, judge?" want you to help me play a littlejoke on someone.'- "What kind of joke?" want you to impersonate someone.' 206 "Impersonate someone? I wouldn't know how to -"'s twenty-five thousand dollars in it for you.' Her expression changed. ',' she said quickly. ' can impersonate anyone. Who did you have in mindt Tyler leaned forward and began to talk. Tyler had Margo Posner released into his custody. As he explained to Keith Percy, the chief judge, ' learned that she's a very talented artist, and she's eager to live a normal, decent life. I think it's important that we rehabilitate that type of person whenever we can, don't yout Keith was impressed and surprised.