The Iron Tiara

"As you probably already know, the Chapmans have two children. They've both been receiving sizable distributions from their trust since they were sixteen. The oldest, Richard, squandered his yearly stipend and Bobbi cut him off before he was twenty."

"But the daughter, she's a smart one," Pete broke in. "In the last four years, Christy Chapman managed to invest her yearly allotments. Aside from being a generous philanthropist, Miss Chapman is one of the biggest real estate holders on the Gulf Coast. Who'd have guessed?" he asked, his high-pitched squeal grating on Anthony's nerves.

"But you'd never know it," Dan piped up. "She lives simply and wisely. She's never flaunted her wealth. She's already worth millions and hasn't even come into her real inheritance yet. Up until now, she's been getting allotted draws on her trust. When she turns twenty-one next year, she gets it all."

Anthony tilted his head to the side and could see that Pete was chomping at the bit to tell him the amount. When the man couldn't contain his excitement any longer, he blurted out a dollar figure that caught even Anthony by surprise.

"What does Van want from me?" Anthony asked.

"Van, um...Mr. Chapman knows about your camp and your gang," Pete said, looking away from Anthony.

"So?"

"Well, he knows about the type of women that hang out there," Dan added.

Anthony’s forehead creased.

"Mr. Chapman wants you to find his daughter and bring her to your camp. You'll have to restrain her, but he's certain you can introduce her to enough drugs that after a short amount of time, she'll be dependent on them. And of course, he would expect you to use her and share her with your men." After not being able to read Anthony's expression, Dan looked away uncomfortably.

"The end result is what's important," Pete said. He'd taken a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped his sweaty forehead. "Mr. Chapman can have her declared incompetent to handle her trust. It shouldn't take long before we can have her committed to a facility and make sure that her father is legally in charge of her estate. He's willing to write you a check for a million dollars as soon as this happens. All you have to do is find Christy and help ruin her."

"And you two will take care of the rest? All the legalities?" Anthony asked, looking from one of the men to the other. He tried to camouflage his disgust as profound interest.

Pete's excitement was palpable. He sat up. "Exactly!"

Anthony nodded as if he was on board. "What if I find her and she's done something crazy, like say...run off and eloped with someone? Wouldn't her husband be in line to run her estate?"

Both men looked at one another and then back at Anthony. Dan stammered, "Well, yeah, but that's not likely."

Anthony didn't need to ask why. He remembered Nadine sharing with him that Christy didn't have any friends, let alone a boyfriend. If Nadine had suspected that Christy might've been gay, it’s possible these men did too. They probably hadn't heard about her older lover from so many years ago. It didn't matter. The plan was beyond ridiculous, and it showed how desperate and evil Van Chapman really was. It was a rotten thing to do, even to a stepchild. No wonder Christy hated him.

"Where are the Chapmans?" Anthony asked.

Dan cleared his throat. "We're not at liberty to reveal that."

"I don't plan on going after Van," Anthony told them. "I'm curious as to where they've been hiding."

Pete shrugged his shoulders. He could tell Anthony where they'd been without revealing their exact location. "Vivian is somewhere in the middle of the ocean on a six-month cruise with enough prescription meds to kill a hippopotamus."

Anthony nodded and looked at Dan.

"Mr. Chapman has been in an out-of-state drug rehabilitation facility. He's cleaning himself up so he can better manage his late mother-in-law's dealerships and—"

"And his daughter's finances," Pete interrupted.

"Tell Van he has a deal," Anthony said, his face unreadable. "I'll find Christy Chapman."

Both men stood then, their relief obvious.

"And the rest? You'll make sure she becomes...incapacitated?" Dan asked.  Without giving Anthony a chance to respond, Dan quickly said, "And we'll take care of the rest. You can get in touch with us at Mikkelson & Germaine. We're in Tampa," he added. "When the time is right we'll handle the paperwork." He pulled out a business card which he handed to Anthony. Without looking at it, Anthony tossed it aside.

"Oh, I'll find Christy Chapman, but I won't be taking her to the camp to get her hooked on drugs or raped."

The two men exchanged glances and Pete once again retrieved his handkerchief.

"Well...what? What are you going to do with her?" Pete stammered, his voice an octave higher.

Anthony gave them a slow smile. "I'm going to marry her."





Chapter Twenty-Three





Naples, Florida 1978





The look on the attorneys’ faces was almost comical as Anthony gave them a smug smile.

Pete seemed to muster up some false bravado. "Marry her? Christy Chapman? Even if you do find her—"

"When I find her," Anthony interrupted.

"Even when you find her," the harried man continued, "I can't see her marrying you."

"And why is that?" Anthony asked, his voice gruff and his stare intimidating. He stepped closer to them.

Pete took a step back. "Not trying to offend you, but even if she was into you, which I'm sure she wouldn't be, you're not exactly the kind of guy a decent woman like Christy Chapman brings home to meet the family."

Sensing that Pete may have overstepped his welcome, Dan started to say something, but Anthony waved him off.

"So, you're saying I'm not decent? Is it because of what you've heard about me?" Anthony didn't even mention the fact that the man admitted Christy was a decent woman and therefore should know that what Van was asking them to do was low and dirty. They were both agreeing to this ludicrous plan which told Anthony they were as despicable as Van.

"Well, yeah, I guess that, but you know..." Pete took a nervous swipe at his brow and looked around.

"No, I don't know." Anthony glared at him, his brows knitted together in a fierce scowl.

"I think what Pete is trying to say, and not too clearly, is obvious," Dan interjected. "C'mon, let's not tiptoe around the elephant in the room. We're all adults here, and we both know that you and Christy Chapman don't belong together. She's a woman of wealth, privilege and class and you're..." His words died off, and the tension in the air was so thick it could snap.

"Say it," Anthony growled.

"You know what I'm trying to say," Dan said, standing up a little straighter in an attempt at boldness.

"Yeah, I do know, but I want to hear you say it."

"You're an Indian, and you don't belong with a white woman," Dan practically screamed.

Pete shrunk back at Dan's outburst and waited for Anthony's retaliation. When there was none, both men fidgeted.

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