The Estate

To say Silas Coltrane was a cold-hearted bastard would be an understatement. In the business of collateral finance, he's destroyed more businesses that would make Satan blush. Coltrane always seemed to win out in the end. Either the person never raised enough money to get their property back or they died leaving Coltrane with their business or home which he closed or merged with his own. He once closed down an orphanage because they were late on payment. But what made Silas Coltrane even more miserable was winter and the holiday season. He hated winter and loathed the holidays.

One morning, Coltrane walked into his office only to find it considerably cold and only his secretary working.

"Where the blazes is everyone and why's it so damn cold in here?"

"I don't know sir, and the heating system must've turned off last night and hasn't kicked back on because it's so cold out.", she says

"Unacceptable! I want it back up and running before the hour ends so Miss Tabor I suggest you get your scrawny behind down there and fix it or get on the phone with someone who can!"

"Yes sir, right away"

Coltrane takes off his hat and coat and places them on the coat rack. He then sits down at his desk and immediately sinks into it. Just as Miss Tabor goes to reach for the phone it rings. She answers as Coltrane watches her talk.

"Yes, yes I'll let him know. Thank you, goodbye.", Miss tabor says hanging up the receiver.

"Who was that? Someone calling out?"

No sir, it was someone at Mr. Harrington's firm. He passed away this morning."

"Harrington, dead? Wow! I knew he was ill but I didn't think it was serious. I thought if there were anyone who would get back their assets from me it was him. Oh well. That's what you get for bankrupting your business and putting it into financial ruin. He's lucky I threw him a bone to gnaw it or otherwise he'd have died a lot sooner."

Miss Tabor is mortified by the vulgar statement but keeps her thoughts to herself.

"Well, is there anything else you want to tell me, or are you going to keep standing there like someone pissed on your wedding dress?"

"I..err...-

"Come on, out with it!", Coltrane says getting slightly enraged.

"That means you now own Harrington Incorporated, sir."

"Yes, I suppose it does, doesn't it?"

"Yes, so are you going to merge them with us or close them as you did to poor Mr.Bishop?" she asks.

"Poor Mr.Bishop? Ha! Don't make me laugh. Ben Bishop was laundering money and sleeping with every cocktail waitress from Las Vegas to Atlantic City. Poor? Yes, and by his own doing!"

The rest of Coltrane's workers slowly begin coming in. Each one later than the one before them. Coltrane berates the first two but then becomes so angry that it's exhausting him to even keep bothering. When the office looks like it's going to be as full as it can get Coltrane tells everyone what he wants done. Miss Tabor answers the phone as it rings again. This time she has a perplexed look on her face as she listens to the person on the other end speak.

"Hmm, okay yes. By noontime today? That would be fine. Thank you."

Coltrane doesn't look up as he asks Miss Tabor who called.

"That was someone from Koolrevo realtor company."

"Who? Never heard of them.", Coltrane says

"They said your great Uncle Jebidiah has died and you've inherited his estate.." she says waiting for it.