85-year-old Tarquin Ludlow IV got a phone call, and had a mixed reaction to the news … sorrow for the death, dark amusement about the how.
Lofton County's third richest man, Kevin Chanson, had been out to see the properties he had financed that morning having been taken off the map by Hurricane Mneme, had heard the news about every corner he cut to save money exposed with the foundations to the world, and then went to go buy cheap liquor at Big Discounts for Your Loft, be smiled at by unbothered Black billionaire Thomas Stepforth whose properties and people all escaped serious harm, and have a massive stroke at his car and fall all over the cheap liquor in his basket, his blood and the liquor mingling.
“The man's blood wasn't worth anything, but with all he just left behind, he ought to have not let himself be caught dead in the bottom shelf of wines,” Tor Ludlow, 64-year-old eldest son of Tarquin IV, said.
“No death ever befit a man so pettily wicked,” the father said, and the son chuckled.
“I can't even argue with that, Papa – the bottom-shelf libation for the bottom-shelf way he treated everyone and everything around him – I can't even argue with that. So, what's the plan?”
“Well, it is 9:30am. We will be decent and wait an appropriate amount of time – that is, let people get up and hear and absorb the news – and then we will delight his first, second, and third ex-wives by calling to express our condolences and the tangible comfort that if they can sit their children down and convince them that we are going to give them the best fair offer for all the land scoured of all their father's miserable works, we will cut them back in with a finder's fee.”
“It will be done by 1:30, Papa.”
“By that time I will call through my list of appropriate partners for the purchase – and I will tell you that I am glad to have lived so long, because what Kevin Chanson financed in defiance of all progress and thus led to the deaths of of hundreds of people too young to even be part of the foolery – it will never be done again in this county. Not like this. We will be sure of that. All the stories will be told, straight and true.”
“What about Roy Garter and his bet that he just lost – that Kevin Chanson was going to outlive you and if he didn't, he would pay you $1 million with interest?”
“I never took the bet, Tor. I told him to shut his mouth and sit his hind parts down because the last thing he wanted was to see me on this day that he lost that bet and not have that money ready with the interest rate I wanted – and he still can't afford it and is over in his house about to have a heart attack himself remembering his own folly. Leave that old fool right there.”
“Done, Papa.”
“Tell Teresa I will have the partners list to her at 1:00 – then you two do what you do so well.”
“Done, Papa.”
“Give my love to Dora and the family, and we'll talk later.”
“Yes, Papa.”
Tarquin IV got off the phone with his eldest son and then went back to breakfast with his wife, Agatha.
“Kevin Chanson died this morning,” he announced.
Agatha twitched, and then smiled.
“Has anyone checked on Roy Garter?” she said.
“Like I told Tor, I never took that bet with him,” he said. “He still can't afford it, with or without the interest.”
Agatha laughed.
“I don't think he is going to enjoy his breakfast quite so much,” he said.
“He's not,” Tarquin IV said, “but he is welcome to try. Everyone thinks I'm an engineer of bad outcomes for my enemies, but no: I mind my business and let other people realize the trouble they would be in if I chose to make myself their enemy, or just let them realize that they are their own worst enemy and address that before it does them in.”
“Or, just wait until not addressing it does them in,” Agatha said with a sigh. “I know his ex-wives are rejoicing, and it is so sad when the women in a man's world are glad he is dead.”
“That is sad,” Tarquin IV said. “So many layers of tragedy.”
“How is Tor today?” Agatha said.
“He and the family are well, and send their love,” Tarquin IV said. “He and I and Teresa have to get some work done until about 3:00, but we will make the family Zoom hangout on time.”