Blood Money: Book I

By Rose Marie Ash

Miriam Cordell would do anything to protect those closest to her, especially her family, if put in a position to do so. Many years would pass before she would be put in such a position. Her thinking of protection would include doing things above the law. She had no qualms of doing what she had to do.

Her marriage to Jack Cordell provided her and their children a very comfortable and happy life. This fairy-tale existence would abruptly come to an end. After visiting her sister, she started that long drive down a dark road in their Hollywood Hills home. Miriam picking up a hitchhiker started the chain of events that would affect the lives of the Cordell family for the next three decades—a child ignored by a father, bribery, sibling rivalry, a mother’s mistrust, and secrets kept.

Even when the Cordell sons grew into men, Jack continued his animosity toward the younger son, Trace, while twins Jack Jr. and Al were doted on by their father. Miriam was aware her husband’s treatment of their youngest son was because of that night she was attacked. Jack Jr. and Al had blond hair and blue eyes like their father, while Trace had dark-brown hair and brown eyes like his mother. It just added into Jack Sr.’s belief that Trace was not his son. Miriam would bide her time for the right time and place to make Jack believe differently.

The end of WWII bought espionage, infiltration, and bribery to the forefront to prove Jack’s true paternity to Trace and to free Miriam from explaining her deceptions.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Apr 25, 2019
• ISBN: 9781796018172

Book preview

Chapter 1

1946

Multi-colored beach umbrellas dotted the white sandy beach; Brian was lying under one of these umbrellas. He was being very careful not to get too much sun. At this time of year, the sun was sending its strongest ultraviolet rays directly over this tropical isle. Brian’s fair skin had a tendency to burn easily. His fair complexion was like a curse to him. He had a head full of red hair and deep green eyes, and exposure to the sun’s rays caused havoc on his fair skin.

Back in Los Angeles, Brian had told the travel agent that he wanted to go to a sun-drenched island as far away from civilization as possible. The islands on the Fijian chain sounded like a wonderful place to get away to. Brian had chosen his destination from the many brochures that the travel agent had shown him. At that time, Brian did not think about the effects of the sun’s rays upon his fair skin, but only to get as far away from Los Angeles as possible. He had told the agent that money was no object. Brian had selected one of the most elegant-looking hotels right on the beach. This hotel offered a lot more amenities, a lot more, than the other hotels on the same beachfront.

You see, my aunt just passed away and left me with a considerable amount of money. Brian lied. He had seen no reason to tell the travel agent anything more about his windfall. It wasn’t the travel agent’s business anyway.

When he first arrived on this island, he was excited. As Brian exited the limousine that had met him at the airport, he caught sight of the hotel and held his breath. The brochures picturing of the hotel he had seen did not do it justice. The hotel’s edifice glistened in the bright sunlight. Each one of the rooms had a balcony with an awning, giving shade to the guest. Some were sitting on lounges and sipping their drinks; some were leaning against the railing and admiring the view from their vantage points. The building was ten stories tall. Two huge columns of pink-colored granite supported the portico in front of the hotel’s entrance. White, ivy vines of alabaster snaked their way up the massive columns. A wide sweeping fan-like stairway made of white marble greeted the guests of the hotel as they made their way under the portico to the entrance of the lobby. The hotel’s front doors were massive and were made of bronze. Each was twelve feet high and six feet wide. They were decorated in relief depicting the history of the island people. These doors never closed.

Brian stood transfixed, not unlike all the guests, as they exited from the mode of transportation that brought them to the hotel’s entrance. As Brian passed the massive doors, two doormen greeted him and each guest. Each of the doormen sported white short-sleeved shirts with golden buttons running down the front that caught the sun’s rays and almost blinded Brian. Gold braiding ran down the length of their short pants at the sides. On the top of their heads, each sported a white pith helmet, also decorated with gold trim around the brim, and, a gold emblem depicting the image of the island’s logo attached to the front of the helmets.

As Brian stepped into the lobby, the decor kept to the same promise of grandeur as the exterior of the building did. At first, it seemed like the lobby continued forever, but it was an illusion made by mirrors on the walls reflecting back and forth against each other. The guests were met with, again, five sweeping steps of marble, downward this time, fanning out in a half-moon design. The carpeting was a sea green color that gave Brian the illusion of stepping into the ocean as he made his way to the front desk of the hotel. Four more pink-colored columns with the same ivy pattern were strategically placed on the lobby floor, supporting the ceiling. Brian’s eyes moved up. He stopped and gaped at the ceiling. The ceiling was painted to look like the sky outside. At the apex of the columns, there was draped translucent voile-like fabric that gave the appearance to the columns of disappearing into clouds. Brian almost lost his balance at the last step as he continued to gaze upward, but amazingly, someone helped him get his balance back. It was another white-clad doorman like the ones who greeted him at the entrance to the hotel. He headed toward the front desk to check in.

Yes, Mr. Douglas, we have a nice suite for you on the sixth floor, said the desk clerk. You have a balcony overlooking the pool and the beachfront beyond. Your luggage check, sir? Brian turned over a ticket that he was given when he exited the limousine in exchange for his luggage. The desk clerk then hit the bell hop’s bell twice. In an instant, a bellhop appeared. Justin, show Mr. Douglas to suite 609. He turned over the ticket to him and he went to retrieve the luggage from the claim check area.

Brian was nursing his third piña colada as he lazily gazed out towards the sea. He was getting tired of doing nothing but staring at the ocean, hearing the sound of the waves hitting the beach, and the sight of the cloudless azure colored sky, day after day, for the past two and a half years. The nightly life wasn’t that much different. Brian visited the local nightspots, dining and dancing with the female tourists and local girls. At almost every night spot he frequented, he was known by sight. The waiters and bartenders were eager to please a generous tipper. After spending another month on Fiji, Brain decided to leave. His pocketbook had been getting a beating in the last few years. He went up to his room to pack. He had made reservations to fly to Hawaii. I have to make plans. I’m running out of money. Hawaii is a lot closer to the mainland and to my benefactor, Brian thought.

He left a very nice tip at the front desk. The manager was very grateful. Brian needed to keep up the pretense of being important. Money bought everything and everybody, so Brian thought.

Thank you, Mr. Douglas. We appreciate this. I will divide it among the staff, said the manager said with a widehuge grin.

Brian was taken to the airport by the hotel’s limousine.

Chapter 2

1917

Jack Cordell walked into the factory, passing fellow employees, waving and saying good morning, in greeting, as he made his way to his office that also served as his workroom. He was one of the lucky ones to return from the Great War. Jack counted his blessings every day and did not want to waste a single minute of each passing day. He had seen some terrible things, while he was in France, and, for a long time, images of the war and its horrific savagery it inflicted upon people haunted his dreams. He was sent home before the war ended to recover from wounds he received. He finished college and started to look for work in order to pay his student loans. Jack’s architect instructor asked his brother-in-law if he knew of anyone hiring or interested in hiring a kid right out of school. He told him all about Jack.

Leo, this kid is great. He is tops in all aspects of blueprinting and specifications. Leo, he needs a break. No parents, needs a good job to pay back loans, and–

Okay, Stu. I heard enough. If this kid is as good as you say, I’ll try him out. Now what project do you have up your sleeve?

Leo, you sure don’t miss a beat. They continued to talk over their lunch.

Chapter 3

1919

Jack’s blond hair, piercing blue eyes, and slim build caught the eyes of the ladies in the office. His manner was not so much of a come-on, but more like a friendly tease. He had no intention of dating anyone at work. Jack was determined to make his mark and then, maybe, settle down with the right girl, but that was way in the future–so he thought.

Jack. Mr. Leo Pearson, the owner of the factory, called him from the offices above the factory floor. After the war, the factory was converted back to producing parts for drills and machinery, rather than ammunitions. Jack was in charge of drawing up the blueprints and to design the molds to make the parts. Come on up. I want you to meet someone, Pearson called down to Jack again. Jack made his way up the wooden staircase to the offices above the factory floor.

Mr. Pearson’s grandfather, Leonard Pearson, had founded the mill in a small town outside of Minneapolis-Saint. Paul, Minnesota during the Civil War. Then, too, the factory was converted from manufacturing of farming machinery to producing arms for the North. Old Nathaniel Pearson, Leo Pearson’s father, had used his natural, easy manner to his advantage by making friends with the U.S. Army and Naval personnel at his smoking club, to secure military contracts. By the time his son, Leo, took over the business, the company had grown and prospered. The floor plan of the building had not changed much, but for installing lighting and indoor plumbing. As the town grew around the plant, the senior Mr. Pearson bought several acres adjoining the main building. He had built storage barns and extended the main building to accommodate modern machinery in order to meet his contract’s deadlines.

Jack, I would like you to meet my wife’s niece, Ms. Miriam O’Donnell. She is staying with me and Mrs. Pearson until she finds a place. Miriam stood smiling at him, waiting for him to say something. Jack for once in his life, was lost for words. All Jack could do was to stare at her. Miriam started to giggle.

Why, I hope you do not have laryngitis. You know this is the flu season.

I, I, I beg your pardon. I surely do not have laryngitis. It is that I was not expecting to meet someone as, as… Jack again was at a loss for words.

What were you going to say?

I meant to say as pretty as you. Miriam’s jet-black hair, large brown eyes, slim waist, and nice smile had caught his attention.

She was not one to blush. Why, thank you, Mr. Cordell. It is Mr. Jack Cordell, am I right? My uncle said that, that is your name. Jack took her extended hand to shake it with his, but by impulse, he bent over it, and kissed it instead. All the other ladies in the office stopped what they were working on and stared at Jack. Why, Mr. Cordell, I had not expected quite a welcome. Jack kept holding her hand as Miriam turned to speak to her uncle. Uncle Leo, is this how Mr. Cordell meets and greets new employees? Mr. Pearson also had not expected Jack to do what he had done.

Why, no, my dear. I guess, Jack is very impressed by you. Jack, my niece will be working on the books. She is highly regarded by her previous employer who recommended her after he sold his business, and I needed someone right away after our bookkeeper retired.

Can I have my hand back? Miriam smiled at Jack as he reluctantly let her hand go. Leo Peterson took Miriam into his office, while Jack headed back downstairs. The ladies in the office were a-buzz about what had just taken place.

Later that day, Jack was working on a set of very difficult instructions for gear housing when Miriam came up behind him with a stack of papers. Mr. Cordell? Jack jumped up from his chair, in surprise, when he heard her voice. I didn’t mean to startle you, and I have these invoices that are signed by you but there are no matching work orders attached to them.

I wasn’t expecting you to have come down here. Jack was annoyed with himself for being so jumpy, especially with her.

Well, it is part of my job to clean up the books. I need to have the matching orders. She was enjoying his discomfort.

I’ll get them to you by lunchtime. Jack had figured that he really liked Miriam, but he would have to get to know her better. Going to lunch would not be considered a date, but a friendly overture to a new employee he thought. Jack was thinking about his approach to ask her out to lunch. Straight approach was the best bet. She was leaving his office, so he blurted out, By the way would you like to go to lunch with me? Miriam stopped and turned around.

Yes, I’ll go to lunch with you. She smiled at him, turned around and left his office. He watched her walk away and then turned to the stack of invoices she had left; he got busy going through them. After that day, they went out to lunch on a regular basis.

Chapter 4

Jack had been dating Miriam for almost ten months. Tonight he was going to ask her to marry him. He did not believe in short engagements. His parents were married right after graduating from high school, and eventually they divorced when Jack was about three years old. His mother passed away while he was in college. He felt that he needed to know the person he would eventually marry really well. He did not want his children to grow up without a father like he did, but he was in love with Miriam. Jack was taking a chance that he wasn’t wrong about her. Again, taking chances was something that Jack did not enjoy doing.

Miriam was wearing a blue satin dress. A string of pearls adorned her neck. She also wore a pair of matching pearl earrings. He had told her that they were going to the fancy restaurant by the lake. The dress she was wearing was one she had worn before, and Jack liked it very much. He said that it reminded him of the sky. While growing up, he had spent hours on the rooftop of the apartment building where he lived, staring at the sky, the clouds, and at night, the stars.

You look lovely, Miriam. He told her when he came to pick her up from her uncle’s home.

Well you look handsome too! She countered. For a while all that Jack could do was gaze at her. He thought she might disappear before his eyes. He could not think that anyone would have this effect on him. Jack, Jack, it’s a bit chilly out here. Shall we go before we freeze? Miriam stood there on the porch smiling at him.

Oh, yeah, sorry, he said sheepishly. He then helped her on with her coat. They walked to the car and Jack opened the passenger door to help her slide in, closed the door, and went around to the driver’s side, got in, and started the engine.

It took about twenty minutes to get to the restaurant. They went over a wooden bridge to get to the restaurant across the lake. The owner of the restaurant had strung strings of lights along the buildings edges, railings, and around each window. The lake shimmered with the reflection of the lights, enhancing the romantic air of the restaurant. The owner named the restaurant the Crystal Lagoon. It featured an outdoor porch that faced the lake. There were tables and chairs set out so the patrons could sit out there to dine and see the sun setting over the lake. Wildlife was abundant and one could hear the loons calling out to each other. Once in a while, during late fall, flocks of geese and ducks could be seen flying overhead in their V formations heading south for the winter. The weather had turned cold suddenly, a forecast of winter coming soon, so they sat inside this time, but at a table by a window.

The restaurant was fancy by Jack’s taste, but he did enjoy the food, and of course, nothing was too good for Miriam. He would not have ordinarily come to this restaurant to dine. Since he had been dating Miriam, he wanted to impress her and show her he had some class. Miriam, on the other hand, knew exactly what Jack was trying to do, but she did not want to spoil it for him. She knew she was in love with Jack. She had seen him at his best and at his worst. Working closely with him at the factory showed her his strong no-nonsense approach to life. She knew it was partly due to his war experiences in the trenches in Meuse, France, during WWI. Miriam thought about their relationship, and even though it was going smoothly, there were some points that they did not agree upon.

She decided that they could be worked out to both their satisfactions later, in Miriam’s mind much later.

She was enjoying their courtship. Miriam knew that she did not have a ring on her finger yet, but she did sense one was coming. Jack had been questioning her about several things, like how many children would make an ideal family, where would she like to live, in a city, or in the outskirts of a town, or in the country. Miriam had found out that Jack wanted a large family, but he was not sure if this would hold him back with his business plans. This was one of the points that he and Miriam had a disagreement on. Sure, she wanted children, but later and not many.

Dinner was almost over, and Jack had not gotten up the nerve to pop the question. He was not one to procrastinate, but he had not been keen on the idea that Miriam just might not accept his proposal. The dinner dishes were taken away by the waiter and soon after wheeled a cart of sample desserts. They selected the chocolate cake. I’ll bring your selections shortly. He returned with their selection, placing the dessert plates in front of them.

Thank you, the cake looks positively decedent, Miriam told the waiter. Thank you, madam, the waiter replied and left. Miriam excused herself to visit the powder room. She placed her napkin on the table after Jack helped her up. This was a perfect time for Jack to place the box containing the ring on her plate. He had the waiter take the cake away and bring an empty dessert plate in its place. He put a small box and covered her plate with her napkin. Jack had arranged earlier for a solo violinist to come over to the table and softly play a favorite piece of music that Miriam liked. If Jack could move heaven and earth for her love, he would. Miriam came back and was a little surprised that the violinist was playing one of her favorite pieces of music. Miriam thought it was very thoughtful of Jack to arrange the romantic mood. Jack held her chair out for her as she sat down.

Why, thank you, Jack.

You’re welcome, Jack responded. Jack went to his chair and sat down. Miriam took her napkin off her plate and placed it on her lap. Miriam then saw the small box on her plate.

What is this? She asked him while her eyes remained looking at the small box.

I guess it’s your dessert! Jack was feeling very nervous now.

I’m sure I didn’t order a box for dessert. Miriam stared at Jack quizzically.

Maybe you should open it. Miriam picked up the box and very deliberately and slowly took the ribbon off the box. She was watching Jack while she untied the ribbon. Jack’s eyes were only focused on her hands. His facial expression was one of anticipation. He was excited about what her reaction would be when she found out what was in the box. As Miriam opened the box, Jack’s eyes moved to hers. She gasped. He got down on one knee, taking the ring out of the box, and slipping it on her finger. His voice