September 1989
Anton eased his rental car in the parking space at the Royal Hotel on Century Boulevard. Thankfully the low watt overhead lights did little to brighten the shabby cracked asphalt lot. Even if he tried, he couldn’t ignore the beat-up old automobiles filling many of the available spaces. With the demise of his family’s fortune, Anton had fallen. He was extremely thankful he hadn’t fallen this far. And under normal circumstances he’d never step into the likes of this flea infested hotel.
It was a place where whores and junkies rented rooms by the hour. For some it was a living, for others – their death. It was the last place in Santa Monica anyone would expect a Rawls to stay. For that reason and that reason alone, it is where Anton safely stowed his step-grandmother.
Technically, Marie wasn’t his step-grandmother any longer. Nathaniel suffered a massive heart attack four months ago. His death came two months before the completion of his sentence. The news sent shock waves through Anton’s family like a 7.0 earthquake.
Prior to Nathaniel’s passing, Samuel Rawls sought legal declaration voiding his father’s marriage to Catherine Marie London. While few states allowed third party challenges to marriage, New York had a unique rule allowing the ability to annul a marriage and defeat the property consequences of said marriage. Both Nathaniel and Marie fought Samuel’s efforts. Despite Nathaniel’s incarceration, his power managed to keep Samuel’s allegations out of court.
Although Samuel never visited his father in the minimum security prison, the moment he learned of Nathaniel’s passing, his attorney successfully filed the necessary paperwork. Because Samuel had begun the annulment prior to his father’s death, the legal action survived.
In order to void a marriage, one of the following situations must be proven: fraud, duress, mental incompetence (either permanent or temporary), undue influence, sham, jest, and underage (voidable in a majority of jurisdictions). Samuel’s suit claimed mental incompetence and undue influence.
It wasn’t property from the marriage Samuel sought. Most of the family assets were gone, seized by the federal government. Rawls Corporation was sold. It no longer existed as a whole but parted out to many different procurers. The contents of the large home in upstate New Jersey were auctioned to the highest bidders, and the estate now belonged to a prominent sports star. The resulting proceeds sat in trusts, waiting to be funneled to those wronged investors. Of course, the attorneys would take their share first. What was left would eventually make its way to the people taking part in the claims and various class action suits.
Thankfully, Samuel wasn’t aware of Nathaniel’s overseas money. Samuel’s main objective was Marie’s name. His case was only to strip Rawls from her title. Vindictive, yes, but Samuel Rawls learned from the best. In one bold move, he punished Marie for replacing his mother and Nathaniel for wronging their family.
Anton tried to act as mediator. His father was not receptive. It didn’t matter to Samuel that Marie loved his father, that she had sat through every minute of his trial, and that she visited Nathaniel every week for twenty-two months.
Nathaniel had always been gruff and commanding, but there were times a softer side emerged. In Anton’s memory those instances usually involved his grandmother or Marie. Anton remembered one of his last visits with his grandfather. They were in the dingy pale green visitor’s room, and Nathaniel was giving Anton business advice.
“Boy, when I’m out of here we’re going to start new.”
“Yes, Sir, I told you about the project I’m working on with a friend.”
Nathaniel answered, “Yes, something about computers and getting information fast.”
“Yes, it’s called a search engine. We have some great ideas...”
“I don’t know about that. I do know you need money to make money. I know you can begin this start-up computer search thing and when it hits – move on. Buy, invest, sell, and just remember, it’s the bottom line. Your father always worried about people.” Nathaniel stood and paced behind the table. A habit he had when he was thinking, especially when the subject agitated him. It reminded Anton of watching a caged lion. “Where are those damn people now?” Nathaniel asked. Not waiting for a response, he continued, “They’re gone! They don’t give a damn about me, Marie, you, or even your damn parents. Do you think any of them give a shit if you have the money to grow this idea of yours?”
“No, Sir, but that doesn’t matter. I will make this work.”