Family Secrets

Louise Pierce Perkins has blamed all of her misfortunes erroneously on her former friend, Vivian Black Williams, and has tried to either ruin or destroy her for several years. As the grand-niece, by marriage only, of the wealthiest woman on the eastern US coast, Belle Coleman, Louise has used her beauty, charm, lies, and money to manipulate people since high school. Her latest scheme involved the cruel mix-up of identification of Vivian’s newborn daughter with a sick infant that died. Vivian and her husband, John, were informed that their daughter had died and Louise attempted to drive Vivian insane during her vulnerable state and almost succeeded until the truth about the switch was discovered. Louise was confronted by her husband with the ugly truth of Louise’s past and it is revealed to her younger brother, William. Since the passing of her mother the previous year, Louise has gone unchecked in her devious plans including the self-abortion of her babies to avoid messing up her figure. After winning a lawsuit to see the contents of several of her mother’s safety deposit boxes, she is unprepared for the revelation of the contents Louise had to undergo a hysterectomy due to her last botched abortion attempt and was later placed into a sanitarium for a nervous breakdown. She is persistent in her conquest of John Williams, devoted husband to Vivian. Louise has convinced herself that she is a much better choice as his wife despite his disinterest in her. She contacted a reporter of “The Inquisitor” about the real relationship between Emily Black and Belle Coleman as soon as she discovers the truth and Belle hints to disinherit her. Unfortunately for Louise, Belle admits to the reporter that she is the birth mother of Emily and he determines that Louise’s antics are a much better story for his newspaper. Shortly after Louise’s inside story appears in the paper, the reporter is almost beaten to death. Louise hired men who had attempted to burn down Emily’s house where the family had gathered to celebrate Christmas 1946. She is a dangerous psychopath whose plans are getting more and more life threatening. Louise is faced now with the annulment of her marriage to an attorney, loss of her custom built home, and perhaps imprisonment for her latest actions. What Louise doesn’t know is the casual acquaintance from her brief stint at Comfield College, Daniel Furgon, that she had hired for the reporter’s assault as well as the arson of Emily’s home, had gotten two of his associates to help him. Unbeknownst to her they just happened to be her maternal cousins, Jordan and Blake Townsend. Daniel had been picked up by the Bluestone police and told them about his two accomplices and gladly provided them with their names. He had no idea of their relationship to Louise. He had told the police that they were on their way back to New York. “Well Cousin Louise, what a surprise!” her cousins had greeted her as her maid opened her suite door at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City. “We didn’t know it was you that hired us,” one of them said with a sneer on his face. Blake and Jordan Townsend were the son’s of Louise’s mother’s eldest sister, Lois, had who tried to get either money or goods from Louise’s Aunt Belle for many years. Daniel Furgon, her contact for the jobs wasn’t with them. “Where’s Dan,” she asked. “Dan didn’t show up at the train station but told us where we would get to meet our employer. Jordan, this is our lucky day. May I introduce you to our employer?” Blake smiled facetiously. Louise looked at Jordan and said, “You fool, someone could be listening at the door. You know that maids in hotels gossip. Let me check! Help yourselves to some refreshments.” Louise excused the maid and said she wouldn’t need her for a few hours. She tried to compose herself as she recalled that it had been more than a dozen years since she had seen them last. Her mother had taken great care to keep both of her children away from her side of the family. “What do you mean Daniel didn’t show up? Did you call him?” she screamed. “No, we didn’t have time and we didn’t have any change. So when do we get paid?” Blake demanded. “Until I get confirmation from Daniel that the job was completed you don’t get a dime,” Louise smirked. “Oh we’re going to get paid regardless. You see “Cuz” we did our jobs and we demand to be paid. We also want our own room here for a few days at your expense of course. Hey Jordan, you know what? I believe that we have just hit the jackpot!” Blake smiled broadly. “I don’t understand Blake, how is this some sort of a jackpot?” Jordan’s large face looked confused. “Jordan, it’s a good thing you are my brother. Louise is going to treat us like royalty, aren’t you Louise? We can spill everything about what Louise has been up to, isn’t that right Louise? Don’t think about not paying us, because I would hate to mess up that pretty little face of yours, “Cuz”. She’ll pay all right, a lot for what we know. She doesn’t want Aunt Belle to find out, now do you Louise?” Blake asked with scorn in his voice. “I assure you that you will only be paid for the completed jobs and nothing more. Since I have gotten confirmation about Clark Jackson I will pay you the $500 promised. As to the other, I will wait until Daniel confirms. I will pay for your stay for two nights and don’t think of charging anything to the room. That will be all you will be paid. Do you understand me, “Cuz”? I have no intention of giving you additional money,” Louise’s eyes glinted with malice. Blake looked her up and down and figured she was good for the rest of the money. They each took $250 and waited as she made arrangements for another room for two nights for her cousins. She turned to tell them that they could pick up their key at the concierge desk after speaking with the desk clerk. She restated that until she heard from Daniel that they wouldn’t be getting any more money and her stone-cold glare and tone of voice told them she meant business. Blake decided to leave it for now, because he recognized the look he had seen in Louise’s eyes that he had seen in other family members. She had the killer look in her eyes and wouldn’t stand for being crossed. He would bide his time. If he played it smart, he could get money from her by doing her dirty work. He had been careful about the setup at the Black house in Welfield so that they wouldn’t be recognized. He had to hit that old man who had almost seen his face. Daniel knew better than to finger them. He knew how the Townsend brothers worked and what they did to anyone that double-crossed them. Blake and Jordan went to the desk and got their room key. They had a room in the fanciest hotel in America and money to blow! “Hey brother, we will get some new clothes and then go to some clubs or something. Say, if we play the part of having a lot of money who knows what we can end up with. We could score big time in the elevator or alleys around the hotel. If we wait until we are on our way back to Bluestone we could walk out the front door with a fancy watch, wallets, who knows. Besides, what cops are going to suspect anyone staying at the Astoria as the ones who are robbing folks?” Jordan schemed. “First, let’s go shopping!” The two bought a suit, a couple of shirts, and tie as well as new socks and shoes. They told the clerk to send the bill to Louise Perkins at the Waldorf Astoria and gave her suite number. They also each bought a hand gun and a box of ammunition. They returned to the hotel and changed clothes. They still had over $100 left and intended to play some poker that night. Blake wasn’t the brightest or strongest of the two, but he could sure play some poker. When they returned to the concierge they looked like all of the other clients of the hotel and told the concierge that they were searching for a good game of poker. After slipping $20 to the clerk, they were told about a game held at the Havana-Madrid Club on 51st Street.