The Guarantee


C.J placed the receiver back in its cradle and sighed. Yet another stoppage in the construction of the research unit she had promised would be built in Julia's memory and with the money she had left in C.J's protection; and yet again the intervention had been engineered by Julia's cousin Oliver Bancroft.

Matt came into the office and set a steaming mug of coffee on C.J's desk

"What's wrong C.J…and before you even think about it don't tell me it's nothing either, I heard that sigh from the bar" Matt asked probing her

"Oliver has created another court intervention, from his prison cell. He says that the construction has to be completed in three months in order for the money Julia left to be used to build and sponsor it….Houston there is no way it will be completed …but more importantly there was no clause to dictate the timing of the building…I don't know why the Judge has upheld this….."

"Have you checked with Julia's finance manager …what was his name….Seevers?

"Bruce Seevers…Yes and he confirmed no clauses and was delighted to see phases one and two completed…." C.J replied with exasperation.

Matt moved round to where C.J was sat and squeezed her shoulders to reassure her

"Then I say we look into this so called clause that Bancroft has created or dreamed up…or maybe even both!" Matt replied calmly "C.J you're well into phase three- the interior of the medical centre and you have phase four drafted- you're almost there- it's going to be an incredible memorial to Julia" Matt replied gently.

"I'm going to fire up Baby….see if she can find any information on this…" C.J replied steely "I'm not going not let him get hold of any more of the money Julia left, he squandered the last three million she entrusted to him"

"C'mon then …I'll bring the coffee through"

C.J began to work her thoughts and questions into Baby at a pace that Matt couldn't begin to keep up with; and with it concern began to creep in.

"C.J, slow down…please" Matt urged

"Houston … I have to see what's behind these injunctions and fast, I can't afford to let Julia's dream crumble due to the sheer greed of that so called cousin of hers… I just can't"

"C.J let's just talk this through for a while …let baby come up with some answers to the questions you have loaded…she'll go into meltdown at the speed your hitting those keys…how did you once describe it…ah yes she'll self-combust I believe you once said" Matt replied with a laugh

After what Matt felt was a long pause C.J eventually relented and gave a quiet nod of agreement and slowly sunk down onto the sofa. Passing C.J a fresh mug of coffee, Matt joined her in readiness to get started

"So I guess I have myself a new client huh!..." Matt said smiling followed by one of his incorrigible winks

Shrugging but with a feint hint of a smile C.J replied..."I guess you do… what is the rate these days...still five hundred a day plus expenses?"

"Well now I think I may be able to make an exception in this case….seeing that you're my best friend n' all…."Matt replied mischievously whilst gaining the intended chuckle from C.J

"Ok let's look at where we are, the legal interventions to date, all the judges who have been involved with this, the town's residents ...everything" Matt said in order to help get the plan moving forwards.

C.J sighed, knowing she was about to re-live the past eighteen months since Julia had died and the cheque for three million which had been passed to her, that afternoon at Bancroft airport, a day she wanted to forget more than anything else, let alone the events that had unfolded since…..