Ken Follett: The Third Twin: chapter 62

8.10. - 5.11.09

Chapter 62: “Theviewof Berrington“

I did not sleep very well, because of the meeting with Michael Madigan. This meeting would be so important! With the money I would earn, I would not have to work any more!

I got up at a quarter to eight a.m. And went into the room of my son Harvey. I knew that he hated to stand up that early and knowing that I grabbed his shoulder and shook his large muscular body in the best way I was able to! He woke up slowly and looked at me with a disoriented gaze. Then his gaze cleared. “Dress smart for the press conference, please,” I told to him in the same voice I always talk to him. “In the closet you'll find a shirt you left here a couple of weeks ago.

Marianne laundered it. Come to my room and pick out a tie to borrow.” After that I walked out of the room, went through the hall and entered the kitchen. Marianne was standing at the counter and was holding out a plate with bread and fried bacon. I sat down at the table, switched on the TV, zapped through the channels until I found CNN and began to eat my breakfast.

After a while I heard my son's footsteps at the door. He stopped for a moment, but in that second, an anchorman started to talk about the takeover of Genetico. I raised a hand to keep him quiet and concentrated on the following scene on the TV.

The anchorman started to speak: “Michael Madigan, CEO of Landsmann North America, said last night that the disclosure phase had been satisfactorily completed, and the deal would be signed in public at a press conference in Baltimore today. Shares in Landsmann rose fifty Pfennigs on the Frankfurt exchange in early trading this morning. General Motors third quarter figures .”

I hit the mute button, when I heard the doorbell ringing. I looked out of the window to see, who was in front of the house. When I saw the police car outside , I told Harvey this. He froze in his movements. I got up to go for the door. When I reached the doorway, Harvey said anxiously: “What if they're after me?” I turned around and looked into the scared face of my son. “I'll tell them you're not here.” Then I left the kitchen to talk to the police.

When I opened the door I looked into a beautiful young face of a woman and in the police car I recognized another woman. I tried to concentrate on the face in front of me without thinking about her as the beautiful woman under that uniform.

“Hello sir. Excuse the early disruption . I want to ask you some questions.”

“What's the matter then?”

“Three of your neighbours have visited by a thief last night. Do you miss something yourself?”

“Normally I do not look whether something is stolen, but no windows are broken and I didn't sleep well last night. I think I would have heard something, if someone had entered my house.”

“Then, did you hear something unusual last night? If you didn't sleep, maybe you heard a window breaking?”

“No, I don't think that I had heard anything unusual, but I have listened to music to get to sleep.”

“OK, that's all for this moment. You can call me, if there is something you have forgotten or remember later .”

She handed me her card with her name and phone number.

“I will.” I answered.

“We will see.” She said with a smile. “Good bye, sir.”

I closed the door and went back into the kitchen. Harvey sat there at the table, all muscles tensed. I smiled and said: “Three of our neighbours were robbed last night. I guess we got lucky.” Harvey relaxed slowly and we went back to our breakfast.

After we finished eating, I went to my room to put on my clothes for the press conference. I chose a blue chalk stripe with a vest over a white shirt with French cuffs. One of my old-fashioned, but effective sets. At eleven o'clock I left my room and put on my suit coat.

“Let's get going,” I said and Harvey put on his tweed sport coat and followed me out of the house.

When I got out in the sun, I knew that I was overdressed, but it was necessary for this morning. This was very important to me, Preston and Jim. Everything we had done in our early times, would be forgotten in the end.

We got into the silver Lincoln and turned on the air conditioning. I liked this car and I liked to drive fast, one of the reason that I had gotten into quite some trouble with the police. I headed downtown, thinking about the coming hours and the first steps as a millionaire . >I think I will give the sweet police officer a call and go out with her into the most expensive and best restaurant.<

I parked in the hotel garage and entered the elevator.

“Genetico hired a public relations outfit to run this event,” I said, when the elevator started upwards. “Our in-house publicity department has never handled anything this big.”

We were headed for the Regency Room until a smartly coiffed woman in a black suit talked to us. “I'm Caren Beamish from Total Communications,” she said brightly. “Would you like to come to the VIP room?” We followed her into a small room where snacks and drinks were laid out.

We were the last missing members to this little meeting. Everyone else was already there: Preston, Jim and Preston's bodyguard were already drinking and eating some snacks. We went towards Michael Madigan.

“Good morning! I want to introduce you to my son, Harvey.”

“Well, this is your son . I hope he is as intelligent and sympathetic as you!”

“Do you have any questions about our deal?”

“No, everything is right. It is an honour to work with your company.”

“That's brilliant!”

I took a glass of wine and gulped it down nervously. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Harvey looking at his watch. First I wanted to say something to him, but then Caren interrupted.

I turned to Harvey and said:“ See you sooner, Montezuma.” I waited for the right answer, but all he said, was “Sure.” I grinned, hemade a joke. “What do you mean, 'sure'? Give me the rest of it!”

He kept quiet! >Why doesn't he answer the answering part of the old family tradition? He swears?! What's going on?<

“You can't have forgotten it,” I said.

“Of course I haven't,” the one in front of me answered, too quickly. >That is not Harvey!< In that moment I was sure about that, but I gave him a last chance .

“So give me the rest of it” I gazed at Proust'sbodyguard and he reacted like I wanted him to do. He tensed and was ready to hold this twin, if he tried to escape.

Harvey's twin tensed, too and said: “In an hour Eisenhower.” >He is not Harvey! Which one is he? I think it is Logan! But when he is here in the hotel instead of Harvey . Where is my son? I think they kidnapped him and keep him close to Ferrami and Ferrami would not stay away from Logan! She must be in the hotel.<

A moment of silence had passed and I decided to play Logan's game. I answered him in a chattering voice: “That's a good one!” And laughed. Steve relaxed and that was the reaction I had hoped for . He would not try to run, because he felt safe. This press conference was more important than anything else at that moment.

“Showtime, everybody,” said the publicist.

>Jim has understood. He walks towards this false snake and makes a joke, that is perfect!< “This way, you don't want to walk out onto the stage.” Jim said. He opened a door and Steve stepped through it like a silly dog, who was told what to do.

It was the little bathroom, but when Steve understood, he was already caught! He turned around and said: “No, this is .”, but Jim's bodyguard was in the doorway right behind him. He caught him in a half nelson. In less than one second. Steve was trapped in a catch. “Make a noise and I'll break your fucking arms,” the bodyguard, hissed to him.

“You young punk,” I hissed. “Which one are you? Steve Logan I suppose.” >Steve tensed at the sound of his name on my lips. So I was right in the end .< He tried to keep up the pretense and said in a false voice: “Dad, what are you doing?” Now I was angry! “Forget it, the game's up – now where is my son?” I shouted and he did not answer. Then Jim touched my shoulder and asked: “Berry, what the hell is going on?” I tried to calm down, but it did not work very well. “This isn't Harvey,” I said quietly to him. “This is one of the others, probably the Logan boy.

He must have been impersonating Harvey since yesterday evening. Harvey himself must be locked away somewhere.” Jim paled. “That means that what he told us about Jeannie Ferrami's intentions was a blind!” I nodded. >Yes, that is the case. Jeannie Ferrami is somewhere and maybe .< “She's probably planning some kind of protest at the press conference.” I spoke my thoughts aloud.

Jim reacted the way I felt. “Shit, not in front of all the cameras!” He guessed my fears. “That's what I'd do in her place – wouldn't you?”

He thought it through for a moment. “Will Madigan keep his nerve?” I shook my head and told him the truth: “I couldn't say. He'd look pretty foolish, canceling the takeover at the last minute. On the other hand, he'd look even more foolish paying a hundred and eighty million dollars for a company that's about to be sued for every penny it's got. He could go either way.”

“She might have checked into the hotel.” I used the phone, which was next to the toilet. >I'll find her. She cannot hide without having been seen!< I dialled the number one to call the reception. “This is Professor Jones at the Genetico press conference in the Regency Room,” I said in my most authoritative voice. ”We're waiting for Dr. Ferrami – what room is she in?”

“I'm sorry, we're not allowed to give out room numbers, would you like me to connect you?”

“Yes, sure.” I heard the ringing tone for a while until someone answered. It was an elderly voice of a man, maybe in the sixties. I had to improvise:“ Your laundry is ready, Mr. Blenkinsop.”

“I didn't give out no laundry.”

“Oh, I'm sorry, sir – what room are you in?” I held my breath .

“Eight twenty-one.”

“I wanted Eight twelve. My apologies.”

I hung up. “They're in room eight twenty-one,” I said excitedly. “I bet Harvey's there.”

Jim said: “The press conference is about to start.”

“We may be too late.” I hesitated, torn. >I don't want to delay one second of the announcement! But it's better to stop Jeannie Ferrami than to start the conference in time! I have to stop her whatever she's planning .<

“Okay.”

I looked at Steve. “ I'd be happier if I could take your security man with me. But we can't let Steve loose.”

“The bodyguard said: “No problem, sir. I can handcuff him to a pipe.”

“Great. Do it.” I answered.

Jim and I returned to the VIP room to explain our strange behaviour. Madigan stood in front of the door, which led onto the stage and looked curiously at us. “Something wrong, gentlemen?”

Jim was faster than I: “A minor security question, Mike. Berrington is going to handle it while we go ahead with our announcement.” He was not quite satisfied, so he asked: “Security?”. So I had to explain without risking the signing and pulling up old stories about our company.

“A woman I fired last week, Jean Ferrami, is in the hotel. She may pull some kind of stunt. I'm going to head her off at the pass.”

He looked pleased: “Okay, let's get on with it.”

Madigan, Preston and Jim went into the conference room. The bodyguard came out of the bathroom. He and I hurried out into the corridor and pressed the button to summon the elevator. I was apprehensive and worried .

We went to the eighth floor and ran to the room eight twenty-one. I rapped the door and a man's voice, the same as on the phone called: “Who is it?”

I answered with a manipulated voice: “Housekeeping.”

“We're okay, thank you, sir.”

“I need to check your bathroom, please.”

“Come back later.”

“There's a problem, sir.”

“I'm busy right now. Come back in an hour.”

“Can you kick this door down?” I whispered to the bodyguard.

He looked pleased as if he had waited for this question. But then he looked over my shoulder and hesitated. I turned around to see what he had seen . Leaving the elevator there was a elderly couple with shopping bags. They walked slowly along the corridor toward 821. We waited until they passed and disappeared behind the door of the room 830. Then the bodyguard kicked against the door.

The frame cracked and splintered, but the door held. I could hear rapid footsteps from inside. Then after that, he kicked the door again and it flew open. We rushed inside, the bodyguard two inches in front of me. I turned around the corner and faced a huge antiquated pistol in the hands of the elderly man with the fitting voice.

I raised my hands. >That's the end. I'll die in front of my son's eyes . Jeannie will break into the conference and everything I've lived for will be destroyed in a couple of seconds .< Then I looked at the face that would be my murderer . But the man turned around like a lightning and . no . His pistol now faced my son. He catapulted off the bed he had lain on. All I could do was to scream: “Nooo!”

The old man moved too slowly for my young one, luckily. Harvey's bound arms knocked the pistol out of his hands. The bodyguard leapt for it and snatched it up from the carpet. Standing up, he pointed it at the old man.

I started to breath again and the old man raised his arms in the air. While the bodyguard was calling for the hotel security, I ran towards my son. I freed him from the gag over his mouth and loosened his hands. Then we fell into each others arms.

“What happened? Where have you been?”

“After you had sent me to this woman I tried to do my job as good as I could. But after I had called you everything got complicated. She wanted to speak to the police again and I had to stop here. So I gave her what she wanted. I kissed her, but then I did this little gesture” He smoothed his eyebrows with the tip of his index finger. >That's one of my typical gestures .< “She knew it and wanted me to go, but I couldn't.

I wanted them to untie me, but they only stuffed the dishcloth in my mouth. This morning they brought me here. The woman left once in the morning and again 15 minutes ago. She wants to break into the conference with a few of my 'Doppelgδngers'.”

“ That would be our end . I have to stop her!”

“ But what has happened to you? I only know that my twin went to our house to impersonate me .”

“I'll tell you later . First I have to stop Jeannie!”

I ran out into the corridor without greeting the security men, who were passing me. I had only one thought. “Be faster than Jeannie and the clones!” I jumped into the elevator and prayed that this fucking machine would be faster downstairs. When the doors opened I ran towards the door leading into the Regency Room.

I burst open the door. I saw Jeannie in front of the publicists, but no clone was with her. Breathlessly after the unusual running I started to speak to the audience: “Ladies and gentlemen, this lady is suffering from a nervous breakdown and has lately been dismissed from her job. She was a researcher on a project funded by Genetico and bears the company a grudge.

The uniformed security guard, who stood in front of the door, strode into the room. He told me, that the old man was under arrest and that he wanted to escort the young lady in the front out of the building.

Behind me I heard the low voice of Jeannie speaking directly to Michael Madigan. “I see you have the legal papers in front of you, Mr. Madigan,” she said. “Don't you think you should check out this story before you sign? Just suppose I'm right – imagine how much money those eight women could sue you for!”

Madigan smiled and responded: “I'm not in the habit of making business decisions based on tip-offs from nutcases.” The journalists laughed, and I felt even more confident. The security guard approached Jeannie.

She turned to the audience. “I was hoping to show you two or three of the clones, by a way of proof. But . they haven't showed up.”

The reporters laughed again and the security guard took her firmly by the arm and pushed her toward the door. She passed me and I smiled. >I win! At last everything is fine.< Jeannie was near to crying, but that was her fault not mine. I turned around and walked through the room, when Caren Beamish said: “Mr. Madigan, if you would care to resume your remarks?”

All the cameras swung away from the platform and pointed at the newcomers. Light flashed as photographers began to snap the incident.

She cried in triumph “ I told you! Now ask them about their parents. They're not triplets – their mothers nether met! Ask them. Go on, ask them!” She sounded too excited so I started a last possibility to rescue my future. I raised my voice to drown the noise in the room. “ Ladies and gentlemen, if we could have your attention, please!” I tried to calm down, but I couldn't. “We would like to continue with the press conference!” There was no way.

No one wanted to listen to long, boring speeches! Everyone wanted to hear the story about the clones . Jeannie's story . Jeannie was giving an interview and I knew this was the time to disappear. I went slowly towards the door in the back, following the others.

The following day I saw the picture on the front page and I knew my life as a famous professor was over .

Harvey was sent to jail for five years, because of arson and rape and I was dismissed from Jones Falls, from MY university! Now I'm living in California on a small allowance from my ex-wife.