Voices From Within (Book 2)

Chapter Twenty-Nine

"They drove me back today, but I do not know if the Senator will need them any longer.

"Well, they should receive their week's wages, nonetheless. Now what about the groomsmen the groomsmen, Oscar Watkins, Jenkins Palmer, and Piper Smith? Are they all still working for the Senator?"

"No sir. Mr. Baldwin dismissed Jenkins and Piper and refused to pay them their week's wages for sitting around the hotel waiting for the Senator to get better. 

"What happened to Marvin?"

"He had a heart attack."

"He's pulled that trick before to get out jams."

"No. This time the heart attack weakened him, and he has been in bed rest all week."

"But I bet he is well enough to be calling the shots," said the lawyer, knowing his client he had served for too many years all too well.

"Because of the bad check, the senator has no money to pay wages or even the hotel bill because they won't accept a check from the senator's account. That is why Mr. Baldwin sent me with instructions to bring back money to straighten out their account."

Mr. Hillsborough wrote the amount for their weekly wages for the men still on payroll. The rest of the afternoon, the two men worked on their necessary paperwork. Mr. Willoughby handed the lawyer his testimony and agreed to return to the senator's office on Monday to work until further notice. Mrs. Hillsborough arranged with the bank for the wages to be sent to his office from the Senator's account.

After the bank messenger arrived, the two men took the Senator's carriage to the Winthrop estate to talk to Mrs. Randolph. Their head groomsman, Milton, greeted them. Carrying their leather satchels, they walked to the large front door. Timmons, the Winthrop's butler, opened the door and welcomed the gentlemen into the large foyer of the home.

"Is Mrs. Randolph available? We need to speak to her in private," said Mr. Hillsborough.

"Yes, sir. Follow me."

The butler gathered the men's winter capes and hats and then showed them the way into the parlor where Mrs. Randolph and her sister, Mrs. Winthrop, the women's grandfather, Senor Melachora, and a guest were having drinks before dinner.

"Mrs. Randolph. Mr. Hillsborough wishes to speak to you, Ma'am," said Timmons.

Constance Randolph stood up and walked toward Mr. Hillsborough to greet him.

"Evan, how nice to see you," said Constance as she extended her hand to the lawyer. "Mr. Willoughby."

She acknowledged her husband's aide with politeness.

"How can I help you?"

"May I speak to you in private?" asked Mr. Hillsborough.

"If this is concerning my soon-to-be ex-husband, feel free to speak," said Constance. "Of course, you know my sister, Carmen, and my father, Gaspar. Allow me to introduce our friend Senor Maxwell Alvarez from Mexico City."

The men greeted their guest, and her sister invited them to join them. She ordered drinks to be brought to the men. Carmen's husband, John, arrived home from work and joined the guests in the room. Small talk had ended when Constance broke the tension in the room.

"Well, what has Marvin done now?"

"Constance, I don't even know where to begin," admitted Mr. Hillsborough, looking to Mr. Willoughby for direction.

"I believe the beginning is a good place to start," said Mrs. Winthrop.

Mr. Willoughby told them everything from the beginning and questions of clarification peppered the story as they tried to make sense of the events. When the senator's aide reached the part of Charlotte's kidnapping, Constance gasped, and her sister moved over on to the settee to comfort her as they feared the worse.