“Hi, mom! Did you call to console me?”
Kane planned to carry on the pretense of being a defeated man, even with his mother. He couldn’t risk telling anyone about his plan, especially Evelyn Littleton who wasn’t exactly tight lipped when it came to juicy gossip, especially about the Hamptons.
“I’m so sorry, Kane. Is there anything I can do for you?”
“It’s not so bad, mom. Actually, I’m quite fortunate. The bastard made me a very rich man by bidding up Preston stock. Finally all those stock bonuses are paying off.”
“When can you walk away and leave it all behind you?
“It’s going to a while. I agreed to work with them for at least six months, that is if they can stand having me around that long. I’ll know better in a couple of hours. I have a noon meeting with the big man himself. It’s a one- on-one so I guess that by the time the meeting is over, I’ll know where I stand. Actually, I’m looking forward to it.”
Evelyn was quiet on the other end.
“Mom, are you still there?
“Yes, I’m here dear. I was just thinking what a shallow victory it must be for them after all these years. From what I hear, his father has a very advanced case of Alzheimer’s disease. I doubt that he can even comprehend what has happened. Although, I can’t say, that under the circumstances, I really feel any sympathy for him or for his family.”
“I understand your feelings, mom. But you also need to understand that if his father hadn’t made the initial run on the company several years back, I probably wouldn’t be where I am today. I realize now that all we did was postpone the inevitable, but since that time our stock price has doubled. They’re paying a very high price with the three shares-for-one formulation for the remaining shares outstanding. To me it looks like their drive for revenge led them into making some unwise business decisions that will come back to haunt them. It’ll take years to make the merger pay off. I don’t know that their Board of Directors will have the patience to wait for a return on their investment. Their stock will eventually reflect the high cost of their decision to buy up Preston’s shares.”
“That’s the other thing I wanted to talk to you about. Would you do me a favor and call Jerry? Have him sell the new shares of stock I’ll receive from the takeover. I don’t want to own any part of that company, even for one day.”
Kane had given his mother blocks of Preston stock for the past five years in deference to her persistent refusal to provide a list of gifts he could get her for mother’s day, her birthday and Christmas. Much to his surprise and relief, she was pleased with his choice. This morning Evelyn Littleton’s fifteen hundred shares of Preston Industries had grown to forty-five hundred shares of Hampton Enterprises.
“Sure, mom. I’ll take care of that as soon as we’re finished. Do you want to leave the proceeds in the account or should I have Jerry cut you a check?
“Oh, you can leave it there for now. We’ll find something else to invest in. Maybe you’ll start up your own company and need a few investors. I’ll always be there for you.”
It got quiet again. Kane’s mind raced for something else to discuss with her. He suspected that her spirits were low because of her pending divorce, but preferred not to venture into those waters. He took the safe path, instead.
“What’s going on with my sisters?”
“Nothing much. I haven’t seen or heard from either of them in several weeks. I think Melanie is away on a trip, so I don’t expect to hear from her until she returns. She never sends cards or anything. Bridget is taking some courses during the day. I think she wants to get a teaching certificate. That’s about it.”
“How about those darling grandchildren of yours? Do you see much of them?”
“They’re as precious as ever. No, I don’t get to see them as much as I used to, but when we do get together we have a lot of fun. They haven’t tired of visiting their “nana” yet. Tell me, what else is new with you? What will you do with yourself when this is over? Have you made any plans?”
“Once my obligatory time is done, I’ll have to find something to work on. I’ve sent out a few feelers, but I don’t have anything specific yet. New England is kind of tight right now due to the economy. I may have to make a move to the west coast.”
“Oh, I hope not. I would miss you terribly. What about your love life? Are you seeing anyone special?”
“Not right now, mom. I was dating someone from an economics research firm. She was a very bright lady, but a real Jekyll and Hyde. She was all business during the day, but at night she turned into a swinger, complete with drugs and sexual deviation. I survived one night with her and made a clean break. When I find the right one I promise that you’ll be the first to know.” He hesitated for a moment. “I think I’m going to have to cut this short, mom. My meeting with Adam Hampton is at twelve and I have to put some last minute figures together for the meeting.”
“Well, don’t you let him put anything over on you. I hear he’s a slick one. That whole family has a bad reputation when it comes to dealing with people. The less you have to do with him, the better.”
“Don’t worry about me, mom. I can take care of myself. I’ve dealt with shrewder people than he will ever be.”
“Well I certainly hope so. Take good care of yourself, son. Don’t take any nonsense from those people. I’ll be praying that everything works out well for you. Bye for now!”
“Bye, mom!”
He made a hurried call to his mother’s broker and placed an order to sell at the market.
Kane was now ready to take on Adam Hampton III. It was an encounter he has looked forward to with anticipation for the past three months. Things were going according to plan.
Chapter 7
Evelyn Littleton placed the phone back on the cradle. She always felt good talking to Kane. He seemed to understand her better than her two daughters did.
Evelyn was in the midst of her fourth divorce. She’s being sued by her husband Donald Bartley for twenty thousand dollars a month support, claiming a disability that prevents him from supporting himself in the style to which he became accustomed. She decided not to contest the divorce in spite of the substantial evidence she had that Donald was a homosexual and was planning to move in with his lover of several years as soon as the monthly payments began. Evelyn had the worst luck when it came to men. Her first husband ran off with his secretary. The second disappeared thirty five years ago and the third died in prison while serving a thirty year sentence for mail fraud.
Evelyn Littleton is one of Old Brooking’s social elite. The family is “old money”, first moving to town in 1836 and into the current residence in 1930. In addition to Kane, she had two daughters, Melanie thirty-eight, from her first husband John Cadbury and Bridget, thirty three, from her third, Bruce Mason. Her daughters, both married, have produced four grandchildren. Kane on the other hand was wedded to his work and seemed to have little interest in marriage or children. His birth certificate shows him to be the son of Evelyn’s second husband, Peter Masterson who disappeared without a trace in nineteen seventy four, three months prior to his son’s birth. Evelyn was glad that Kane never showed much interest in his biological father. Whenever she allowed her thoughts to go back to those days, a tsunami of painful memories flooded in. Her belief was that it was best to let sleeping dogs lie.
Chapter 8
Adam Hampton III handed his gold embossed card to the receptionist at Preston Industries two minutes before noon. She nervously reached out for the card and dropped it on the counter. Adam picked it up and held on until he was certain that she had a good grip on it.
“These gold ones are a bit heavier. They take some getting used to,” he quipped, giving her comforting
