Chapter 5
MELBA THORN
The next day I got a call from Dan Kelley. It seemed Kurt had another deal in the works and needed me to come by in the morning. I agreed, figuring I would take care of Kurt the next day, Thursday, and go to Cisco on Friday. Suddenly I had plenty of work to do but I was still broke and it would be at least three more weeks until I could even bill my new clients. It was kind of depressing, but I didn't have time to feel sorry for myself. For now, I had to dig out my oil and gas textbook and figure out the difference between a royalty interest and a working interest and figure out how to spot one from the other by the language of the deeds and oil and gas leases. It would be another long day of research and preparation for my next task.
While I was pouring over my oil and gas text, the phone rang. I was beginning to dislike the sound of the phone because of who and what might be waiting for me on the other end of the line. I let it ring three times and then I reluctantly answered it.
"Attorney's office."
"Hello, this is Melba Thorn. I need to talk to Stan Turner."
"This is Stan Turner."
"I'm so glad I found you! I've only a minute to talk. Someone is looking for me."
"Where are you?"
"They've already taken my property and now they want to lock me away in a sanatorium. You've got to help me!"
"How did you get my name?"
"You know, I used to be a rich woman. I owned the Chronicle Building downtown. It was worth millions."
"I'm sorry, but you'll need to come in if you want a consultation."
"When they find me they're going to lock me up and I'll be a prisoner," she said. "You've got to help me."
"Where are you?"
"I never thought I would see the day when my own flesh and blood would turn on me. After all the sacrifices I made for them all they can think of now is how to get rid of me and steal my money."
"Ma'am, if I'm going to help you, I need to know where you are and what you would like me to do."
"Oh no, here they come. You've got to help me. No . . . no leave me alone. Please help me," she said and then the phone went dead.
I looked at the phone and shook my head. About that time the door flung open and General Burton walked in."
"Stan, you're back. I haven't seen much of you lately."
"Yeah, I've been pretty busy. I never dreamed attorneys had to make house calls."
"You don't look so good. . . . What's wrong?"
"Some lady just called me and said she was being held prisoner and wanted me to help her."
"Who was she?"
"She said her name was Melba Thorn."
"Melba Thorn? I know a Melba Thorn."
"You do?"
"Yeah, I served with her husband, Howard Thorn, in the South Pacific during World War II. I stayed in the Army after the war but he went on to make a fortune in real estate."
"I wonder if it's the same person?"
"I don't know."
"When did you see her last?"
"We stayed in touch over the years and got together from time to time until Howard died a few years ago. I've kind of lost track of the family since then."
"Did he own the Chronicle Building?"
"It wouldn't surprise me if he did. . . . I wonder how she got your name?"
"I don't know."
"What are you going to do?"
"I don't have the foggiest idea. I probably should just forget she called, but what if she has been taken hostage by her children and is being held captive?"
"That's pretty far-fetched," General Burton said. "She had two children as I recall, a boy and a girl. The son was a bit of a problem but nothing major and their daughter was an angel."
"Do you know where I can find them?"
"I don't know, but let me do some checking, perhaps I can come up with something."
"Great. Thanks a lot."
"Well, I'm getting the hell out of here before that phone rings again."
"That's probably a wise idea. You look like you need a good night’s sleep."
When I got home I immediately crashed on the sofa. Rebekah sat down next to me with a sympathetic look on her face, obviously sensing I’d had a bad day.
"Are you okay, honey?" She said.
"Yeah, I'm going to survive."
"What happened?"
"I wouldn't know where to begin."
"Just start anywhere."
"Some lady just called me and said she was being held hostage by her children and wanted me to help her."
"Sounds like a loony."
"Well, I would tend to agree but some of the things she said checked out according to General Burton."
"Really?"
"Yeah, she was from an old wealthy family that owned a lot of real estate and she described some of that property to me."
"What are you going to do?"
"Nothing, I guess, I don't know where she is and she hasn't really retained me to do anything."
"Well, you can just forget it then."
"I wish it were that easy. She just seemed so desperate. She asked me to help her but I don't know how I can."
"Don't worry about it, honey, there's nothing you can do."
Rebekah snuggled up next to me and laid her head on my shoulder. Suddenly she began sniffing my shirt.
"You smell like perfume."
"What?"
"You heard me. Oh . . . that. You remember Gena don't you?"
"Gena? You mean the girl that met you in the parking lot?"
"Yeah, well I filed her bankruptcy today but I didn't have time to call the bank and advise them about it. Unfortunately, they decided to repossess her Corvette today."
"So what does that have to do with you smelling like a perfume factory?"
I told her everything that had happened. "I guess her perfume was so strong my clothes absorbed some of it."
"Are you done now with that little slut?"
"Well, almost. I still have to go to her creditor’s meeting."
"You better stay clear of her Stan Turner. I can't believe this. You can bet she’d love to get her hooks into you."
"Don't worry, honey, I wish I had never taken her case."
"What does she look like anyway?"
"Oh, she's not that great looking."
"Is she fat?"
"Well, no."
"She's good looking isn't she? Come on, admit it. I can tell by the look on your face that she's gorgeous."
"Come on, honey, you're getting ridiculous now."
From the back bedroom I could hear our arguing had awakened Marcia. She was crying.
"Go take care of your daughter," Rebekah said.
"Okay," I replied.
Rebekah didn't talk to me the rest of the night. I guess she had a right to be upset, but I didn't feel like I had done anything wrong. I wished there was some way to get rid of Gena because, somehow, I was afraid the worst was yet to come.
That night I didn't sleep well. My mind played over the events of the day and the week. Finally, I faded off into a shallow sleep and began to dream.
I was sitting in my office alone working on something when the door opened. It was Gena. She walked into my office, took off her sunglasses and sat down. She was wearing a little fit and flare dress with wide flaps and buttons down the front. She crossed her legs and gave me a seductive smile.
"What's going on Gena? Why are you here?"
"I just got off the phone with my mother?"
"Yeah, how is she?"
"We had a big fight and now she won't send me the money for your fee."
"Oh no . . . you've got to be kidding!"
"I wish I were, believe me."
"What about your business? Haven't you been able to generate any income yet?"
"Tony has called all my customers and told them I filed bankruptcy. None of the regulars will do business with me anymore."
"What an asshole!"
"I am so embarras
sed."
"Embarrassed? . . . Why?"
"That I can't pay you."
"Oh well, I'll just have to put the entire fee in your plan? I'll get paid eventually."
"No, I promised you I would pay you."
Gena stood up and tossed her long black hair from one side to the other. "No, a promise is a promise," she said as she began unbuttoning her dress.
"What are you doing?"
"Giving you your down payment," she said as she slipped off one strap exposing a succulent breast. "I think you'll find this much better than money."
"Gena, you can't do this. Come on. Button up you dress."
Gena gave a little wiggle and her dress fell to the floor. My pulse quickened as my eyes devoured her splendid body. Then she casually began to climb up on my desk beckoning me to take her. I struggled to keep my distance but I was drawn toward her by a force so strong I could not resist. Our lips were about to touch when, suddenly, the door opened. Startled I looked up and was horrified to see General Burton. He glanced over at Gena crawling naked on the desk and blinked like he was looking at a mirage. Then he took a look at me, shook his head and continued into his office. Gena began to laugh hysterically and . . . ring . . . ring . . . ring.
Rebekah leaned over and grabbed the phone. "It's for you Stan." I looked over at the alarm clock and saw that it was 2:03 a.m.
"Who in the hell is calling me now?" I said as I grabbed the phone from Rebekah. "Hello."
"I only have a minute?" a voice said.
"They haven't missed me yet but they will soon. They have someone watching me twenty-fours a day."
"Who is this?"
"Melba Thorn."
"How did you get this number?"
"Please help me Mr. Turner. . . . You've got to help me!"
"Where are you?"
"I don't know."
"How can I help you if I don't even know where you are?"
"Stop it you bastards, . . . leave me alone, . . . help me . . . no . . . no!" The phone went dead. I shook my head, handed the phone back to Rebekah and fell back onto the bed.
"What was that all about?" Rebekah asked.
"It was that woman again, Melba Thorn."
"How did she get your number?"
"We're in the phone book."
"Do you think she's crazy?"
"Maybe, but I really can't tell. She seems genuine enough."
"Well, since you don't know where she is, there's nothing you can do."
"I guess not. I am sorry she woke you up. I never dreamed practicing law would be like this. The responsibility that is suddenly thrust upon you is unrelenting. All of a sudden you're expected to be some kind of God. Perfect strangers walk into your office and tell you their most intimate secrets. They expect you to be an expert on everything, not just the law, but business, politics, religion, psychology; . . . and they just dump their problems on you and expect you to somehow miraculously solve them over night."
Rebekah rolled over on her side and put her arm around me.
"I know it's been hard on you, honey. I'm sorry I yelled at you earlier. I know you would never cheat on me. After all that we've been through together, the one thing I'm sure of is that I can trust you."
I grabbed Rebekah, pulled her on top of me and began to caress her lips with mine.
"Maybe it's a good thing the phone rang," I said as I caught my breath.
"You'd think you'd let a poor girl sleep at night," Rebekah said as she sat up, unbuttoned the top to her satin pajamas and tossed them onto the ground. I rolled her over and pulled off the bottoms.
"Sleep? Who needs sleep?"
"You better find some protection or you'll have another kid to put through college," Rebekah advised.
I leaned over and fumbled through the night stand drawer.
"Oh God, please let there be one more Trojan left,
"Ah....Eureka," I said.