Hampton Manor

don’t see how it’s going to help, but my son feels that every connection to the past that I can uncover is relevant to improving my health I hope he’s right.”

“I’m glad I could help, Adam.” He looked at his watch. “I’m afraid I have to cut this short. I have to meet my wife at the club in a half hour, but if your son will allow it, I would like to come back another time and spend a more time with you.”

“I would like that, too, Nelson. There’s a lot of people around here, but it isn’t the same as a dear friend. Don’t be so hard on Adam, he means well. It’s not easy to take care of a demented old man when you have a billion dollar business to run. He’s up to his armpits with snakes, from what little I hear. He’s doing his best under the circumstances and he always makes sure that I have the best of care here. Thanks so much for coming to see me.”

Adam got up and extended his hand to Platt. As they shook hands, Adam drew Platt close enough to shield the exchange that took place.

John met Nelson Platt as he left the den and escorted him to the front door.

“Thanks for coming, sir. I’m sure Mister Hampton enjoyed your visit. Have a good day.”

Adam III reviewed the tapes, wrote “E’s” name on a pad and returned to his den.

He dialed Chuck Meredith’s office. “Chuck, her name is Eleanor Bentley.

Apparently she was an actress back in the early 70’ s. I don’t know if she was in the movies or the stage. They met at his lawyer’s apartment five or six times, then for some reason she stopped it. Neither my father nor his lawyer appeared to know the reason why. Find out everything you can about her and make it quick.”

“That shouldn’t be too hard to check. I’ll get right on it. Thanks for the lead.”

Three hours later, Adam had an answer, but not the one he expected.

“I found out everything I could about her, but you aren’t going to like it.”

“What do you mean? Get to the point, damn it.”

Eleanor Bentley was born in 1943 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Her real name was Eleanor Ford. I guess she thought the name Bentley was classier. In her twenties she migrated to Hollywood and got noticed right away. She made ten grade ‘B’ movies, mostly playing a blond femme fatale. She even got nominated for a supporting role in 1973. I spoke to her agent and he swears that he never knew much about her private life. He said she was a handful to manage, disappearing for months on end. She never married and never had any children, as far as anyone knows. She must have paid cash when she traveled to hide her identity. I can’t find any credit card or bank records. She died in August, 1974 from cervical cancer. She’s buried in Lancaster. The tombstone just has her name and dates. There was nothing about having a husband, a son or any child for that manner.”

“That’s it? That’s all you could find out?

“That’s all!”

Adam slammed the phone down and mixed a drink. Now what the hell am I supposed to do? We’re out of leads. We’re never going to find this mystery heir.

Adam let his mind go blank as he sat back and enjoyed the Rusty Nail. Then a thought came into his head. What if that old man is jerking me around? I’m spending a fortune hunting for a half-brother that may not even exist. Could he have recovered enough to plot something that devious?

Adam’s reverie continued. All this business with Nelson Platt, that convenient seizure. It may all be a act. That new medicine could be restoring his competency. He may be looking for ways to get the estate back. I can‘t let that happen; I’ve got too much invested in this. That thought frightened him. John will follow orders. Maybe I’ll have him switch the pills so my father’s improvement comes to a halt. I’m just not sure what to do. Once I do that all hope of certainty about a step-brother will be lost.

His reason returned. Then again, what if he’s telling the truth? That’s an entirely different threat. Then there might be two of them trying to take over Hampton Industries. I need to know. Once I find out for certain, I can make sure he won’t be in the way. In the meantime, I guess I’ll just have to play along with his little game.

No, I have to find out now. I have to make him tell me the truth. I’ll offer him a choice. He’ll either tell me who my half-brother is or he can be a vegetable for the rest of his life. It’ll serve him right for messing with me .I’m tired with this run-around.

Okay, I’ll let him enjoy his latest ploy until I find out what I need to know. Nelson Platt, of all people. Was I supposed to quake in my boots? That pompous shyster is no match for me. Well, I hope my father enjoyed having a visitor, because no matter how this works out it’s the last one he’s ever going to have. That old man is pushing me to my limits, but I will rise victorious.

It was decision making time for Adam. He picked up the phone and dialed Chuck Meredith. “Chuck, I’ve decided to shut down the investigation. Destroy all of your personal paperwork. Repack my father’s records and return them to our storage center.

“May I ask why the sudden change of heart?”

“That shouldn’t be so hard to figure out. Everything you’ve done so far has turned out to be a dead end. I think the whole thing is a wild goose chase and I don’t want to spend another penny on it. I finally realized that the search is fruitless.”

“We did the best we could, Mister Hampton,” Chuck said, apologetically.

“Look, I’m not blaming you. It’s hard to locate someone who may not even exist. You guys did your best. I know that, but it’s like looking for the proverbial needle in a haystack. I think it’s best if I handle this matter directly with my father. Thanks for your help.”

“Okay, then. I’ll close it down. Thanks for the opportunity. I’ll make sure all your vital records are returned to the storage facility. If you have any more jobs, give us a call.”

Adam thought, Yah, you’d love to take more of my money, but he answered, “I’ll do that.”

Next, Adam buzzed for John, who appeared at the den door in less than a minute.

“What can I do for you, sir?”

“John, I’ve got a busy day ahead of me, so I won’t be home tomorrow night until around seven o’clock. I’d like to have a private meeting with my father in his den around eight-thirty. I think it best that you don’t tell him about it, before hand. Hold off any medicines that would sedate him. I need him to be to be as sharp as possible and I want you to turn off all recording equipment while I’m there with him. Understood?”

“Yes, sir. Everything will be ready for you at eight thirty, tomorrow night.”

Adam was apprehensive about meeting the with his father, but it was time for a showdown, I don’t like being made a fool of. I’ve taken care of that old man since his breakdown. He’s gotten the very best care. How could he even consider taking back what is now rightfully mine. I know that that’s what this is about. He’s trying to rock the boat hoping that I’ll slip up somewhere. Well I’m on to him. I’ll make him tell me who my half-brother is; if he even exists. It’s time I put an end to this nonsense. You’ve met your match, old man. By tomorrow night all the suspense will be over. I can’t wait.

He mixed a double Rusty Nail and settled back in his Lazy Boy to re-think everything. Was it an accident that dad mentioned to the doctors that he had two sons or was he deliberately creating doubt in my mind by the casual mention of another son? Either way, what does he expect to gain? Maybe he just wants to make trouble for me because I shut him up in the West Wing? Is that any way to repay my kindness? Well, I’m going to get to the bottom of it. He’ll tell me who “E” and my supposed half-brother are or I’ll put an end to this maddening search, order a change in his medication and let him sink back into infirmity. I just don’t have time for this nonsense. I’ve got an empire to run.

Chapter 34

Nelson Platt sat in his den holding the scrap of paper that Adam Hampton II smuggled to him during his visit.