The local newscaster chimed in, saying, “Yes, Anthony, we are now in front of Harold Steinwood’s home, where the FBI has surrounded the garage and is removing five stolen high-end sports cars.”
London
Every radio station and TV channel interrupted its regular programming for a bulletin. “This just in. The offices of Live-Life-Long here and in the United States have been raided by the FBI in the US and Scotland Yard here. Dr. Julian Marcus, who operated the office in London, was found severely beaten in an alley and was taken to a hospital. Police are trying to ascertain if the doctor’s beating and the drug raid are connected. His partners in the US, Dr. Harold Steinwood of Aspen and Dr. Raymond Corbett of New York, have been taken into custody, and all Live-Life-Long property has been seized, including a large parcel of land in the state of Michigan, where, it appears, there is a manufacturing plant for the drugs the doctors allegedly prescribed to their patients. More on that later.”
Michigan
“This is Greg Langley from FOX Two Detroit. We’re here in a rural area outside Detroit, where, as you can see, FBI helicopters are overhead and SWAT teams are on the ground.
“This remote area houses a seemingly abandoned warehouse, which appears not to be abandoned at all. Sources say that the building was being used as a pill mill to manufacture drugs for the Live-Life-Long organization. Other sources have reported that the three offices of Live-Life-Long have also been raided, and two of the alleged perpetrators, Harold Steinwood of Aspen and Raymond Corbett of New York, have been taken into custody. Julian Marcus of London has been found severely beaten and was taken to a hospital. We’ll be following this story tonight on our nightly news.”
Pinewood
Screams and howls of laughter echoed off the walls in the war room, and there were fist pumps, high fives, hugs, and some tears.
Myra stood with her arm around Annie. “That was quite a spectacle. Everyone and everything getting busted across televisions everywhere.”
“It’s all in the timing.” Annie chuckled. “Almost every newspaper in the country is going to run the headline BITTER PILL. But we now have to put the second phase into action.”
“Yes, we do,” Charles added. “We are getting the information from all law enforcement agencies as to where and when they are going to transfer the prisoners.”
“Let’s not forget Interpol,” Fergus reminded them. “When the original painting is returned to France, there will be a reward. Do we have a plan for that, and who will get the money?”
Myra looked at Annie, who in turn looked at Fergus. “When don’t we have a plan?”
More laughter ensued.
“We have a plan for everything!”
Nikki spoke up. “As I mentioned a few days ago, Lizzie and I were able to find most of the Live-Life-Long patients, and we are about to launch a class-action suit against the individual men and their assets.”
“But they were seized, right?” Yoko asked.
Charles spoke next. “We, as in us, and our contacts can unfreeze them, but we want to wait until the snatch is complete.”
“I must confess, I have what one could call contraband.” Annie plunked several velvet bags on the conference table. It was the real jewelry from Norma’s safe. “I think if we pool all the resources, we should have a nice sum to divide up among the families. There will be the reward from the motorcars and the reward from the painting.”
“How do we determine who gets the reward money?” Kathryn asked.
“We gave the name of Marjorie Brewster’s sister to the FBI for blowing the whistle on Steinwood’s garage,” Charles explained. “She’ll get that reward money for the recovery of the stolen cars from the various insurance companies. Steinwood’s real cars will be auctioned by Christie’s, and the money will go into the kitty.”
“And Victor will get commissions on those.” Annie folded her arms and nodded.
Charles added, “There is also a reward for blowing the whistle on the Michigan property. That, too, will be added to the fund.”
“What do we do about the painting?” one of the sisters asked.
“Maggie is going to call Lorraine Thompson’s daughter and instruct her to go to the local flea market in Huntington on Saturday. She is to look for booth one-twenty-nine, where she will ask for Rudy. Rudy will sell her the Chagall for twenty-five dollars. She’ll take the painting home, and Mrs. Spencer from MoMA will pay her a visit. Mrs. Spencer will authenticate the painting and arrange for it to be returned to France. France will give Lorraine’s daughter the reward money.”
“Whatever is left, such as the doctors’ homes and personal property, will be part of the class-action suit against each individual. It is a civil suit, so we don’t have to wait for convictions,” Nikki added. “We just need to prove harm and ask for damages. Their attorneys will represent them at the hearing. That is, if their attorneys will work pro bono!”
“I’m not too sure about Marcus. I think we are holding the only assets he had. The wife was like a sponge, soaking up his earnings, and the drugs took care of the rest.” Annie patted the bags. “But we have this. Speaking of Marcus, any word on him?”
Fergus tapped a few keys on his laptop. “Seems like he’s going to be in traction for several months. Several major bones were broken. If he ever recovers, he’ll have a serious limp. And all his teeth were knocked out.”
“I don’t think we could have done a better job,” Annie exclaimed. “Maybe we should keep Franny on retainer,” she said jokingly.
“Okay, ladies.” Myra reeled everyone in. “We need to move to the next stage. Charles? Fergus? Are the arrangements made?”
“Yes. The transfers are day after tomorrow. The rooms are ready,” Charles replied.
* * *
The next morning, the whole gang met for breakfast. This time it was a big fry-up. Everyone fixed a plate and took a seat at the long kitchen table. Myra asked Nikki to open her laptop and Skype Charlotte. The singsong theme played as Charlotte’s face came into view. She was howling with laughter as everyone waved at the screen.
Maggie held her overloaded plate up to the camera. “Sorry you’re missing this. So I’ll eat for both of us!”
Everyone laughed, and the dogs barked their opinion of the whole matter.
Charlotte started. “I am at a loss for words. Imagine. A writer. No words. That could put me permanently out of business! How on earth? What in the world?” Charlotte was referring to the breaking news, which in the UK was already old news, about Live-Life-Long.
The sisters doubled over with laughter. Maggie almost spit out her eggs. The hilarity lasted a couple of minutes, as half of them wiped tears from their face. Maggie wiped her chin.
Myra was the first one to speak. “My dear friend Charlotte. Do you realize what a hero you are?”
“Me? But you people did everything!” Charlotte protested.
“Think about it,” Myra said. “You came to me with a very personal problem. Something that was embarrassing, humiliating, and very costly. Because you had the courage to speak up, we were able to take down three despicable men who preyed on vulnerable women and to bust a pill mill that was also supplying drugs to teenagers.”