Chapter 73 The Mediator Part I
Rory and Logan were both up early Friday morning. Logan's meeting with Shira and the mediator is scheduled for 10:00. Rory and Ricky are meeting Christopher at Christopher's office after lunch. Their meeting with the FBI is scheduled for 2:00. When Logan got out of the shower he checked on Rory. He was afraid that she would have another bout of morning sickness. She was up and, in the kitchen, getting lunches ready for the boys.
"Ace, you feeling, okay?" Logan asked as he kissed her on the cheek.
"Yeah," Rory replied. "Do you want me to fix you a lunch today?"
Logan chucked, "No, I'm a big boy. I can buy it from the cafeteria." Logan walked to the other side of the counter to get his coffee. He pours himself a cup, then fills the travel cup.
"I was looking at your calendar. If you break for lunch, you will not be finished with your meeting before mine starts." Rory said.
Logan nodded his head. "I know, hopefully this will be over quickly, but if not, I feel confident with your dad there."
"Oh, I'll be fine. I don't need you in there to hold my hand." Rory shyly smiled at him "I just want you there." Rory turned and left the kitchen to check on the boys. She left Logan standing in the kitchen wondering what he did to deserve a wife like his Ace.
Logan entered his office around 8:30. This is normal for him. He is not the first in the office. Somedays he wished he had 30 minutes in the morning before everyone came in. John followed him to his office with his calendar. "John, make sure conference room 21-A is prepared for my meeting at 10:00. Coffee, a few pastries, not too many. I don't want them to be too comfortable." Logan told John.
"You'll be wearing your suit jacket for the meeting?" John asked.
Logan grinned. "Yes, I will." John nodded. This was Logan's way of telling him to bump the heat down a little so that it will be chilly in there.
"Is that all? I have a call this afternoon scheduled with your dad. Should I cancel or just see how your other meeting goes?" John asked.
"I'll contact Mitchum this morning…Get me a reservation at 'Jenny's Uptown Lunette' on 4th. Make it for 12:30." John was making notes as Logan spoke.
"How many?" John asked.
"I don't know at this time. Make it for 6. If I need more, I will let you know." John jotted that down as he nodded his head.
Rory is trying to work on her book. She has fallen behind schedule because her editor wanted her to mentor this young new writer that had potential. She was finding it hard to concentrate. She heard footsteps coming down the hall and then a knock on the door frame.
"Hey, I was just seeing what you are up to. I was trying to study but couldn't concentrate." Ricky said, taking a seat on the sofa in Rory's office.
"I know me too. Let's talk about this." Ricky nodded.
After a few moments of silence, Ricky spoke up... "Why would they want to talk to me?"
"I'm not sure. I don't know why they want to talk with me either. Maybe they think we have information that will lead to finding out what happened with the accident." Rory said. …."Well, we have a meeting with my dad at his office, maybe he will have some ideas. Just remember, you have done nothing wrong. Answer the questions as truthfully as you can." Ricky nodded.
"Is Josh not meeting us?" Ricky asked.
"No," Rory said as she looked at her watch. "He is in a meeting with Logan and Shira now. Logan will make sure he is at our meeting."
John entered Logan's office at 9:45 telling Logan about the conference room. "Just wanted to let you know the mediator and the stenographer are sitting up in the conference room as we speak." Logan nodded.
"Did I tell you to set up room 22-A for the FBI?" Logan asked John
"Logan, you are way too stressed. You told me." John said. John had been with Logan long enough to talk to him as a friend. Logan treasured John and Stephen's friendship. He didn't like the ass kisser that worked for him. He has tried over the years to get them to relax, but some are left over from Mictum running HPG.
Logan inhaled deep and let it out slowly. Stood up. Grabbed his suit jacket and headed for the conference room. Josh and the mediator were already seated on one side of the table. Logan introduced himself to the mediator before grabbing a coffee and muffin and sat beside Josh.
Meanwhile, Renea stopped Shira at the reception desk downstairs. This did not go over well with Shira. When she was married to Mitchum, she came and went as she pleased. She didn't know that the staff had set up a system to let Mitchum know she was in the building. "Ms. Huntzburger, you will need a visitor's pass." Renea told her, pulling the pass out of a drawer.
"I need no such thing. I am not clipping that to my Alexander McQueen $2000. Jacket." Shira said as she looked at Renea like she had two heads. Shira pushed past her toward the elevators. Renea just shook her head. She picked up the phone to let Logan know that Shira refused to get a visitors' badge when Shira walked back up to the desk. Renea turned her head as she put the receiver back on the phone. She did not want Shira to see her laughing. "Ms. Huntzburger. Did you have trouble with the elevator?" Renea asked. She never dialed John's number.
"You know I did. When did I have a card thingy to access the elevators? Give me that visitor's card so I can swipe it for the elevator. I will be informing my son that you tried to embarrass me." Shira said as she snatched the card and walked away. Her nose was so turned up, if she were to get caught in the rain, she would drown. She walked off the elevator like she owned the place. Several of the staff that had been there for years turned to their computers and or phone trying not to make eye contact with her.
"You know I need to be finished with this by 2. Ricky will need me at 22-A?" Josh asked.
"That is why I got Christopher to arrange the meeting in this building." Logan said. He saw his mother heading to the room. He sat up straight and put on his business face. He took a folder from the stack that Josh had and pretended to read it.
Shira walked right into the room smiling. She looked at Logan, then at Josh. When she realized that neither of them was paying her any attention. She cleared her throat. "Logan, Josh, it's good to see you." She said as she walked around the table and tried to kiss Logan on the cheek. He pulled back and shot his eyes up at her. She backed off. "Josh, good to see you. How are the boys? Tell them I miss them." Josh nodded as she walked back to her side of the table. The mediator stopped reading the briefs when she entered the room. He watched her. She was acting like this was a simple meeting. Not one that is costing several thousands of dollars an hour.
Shira's lawyer, Mr. Rochin was shown to the conference room by one of the floor receptionists. She was still at the door as Mr. Rochin took a seat beside Shira. He was removing his paperwork for his brief case while Carolyn, the receptionist, was closing the door on Logan's nod, when Shira said, loud enough for everyone to hear. "I would like a cup of coffee. 2 sugars please." Logan looked at Carolyn as she was closing the door and shook his head oh so slightly. "Shira, the coffee pot and Styrofoam cups are at the coffee cart by the door. There is a variety of muffins if you would like." Logan pointed to the coffee cart then returned to studying the brief he had in his hands.
After everyone was seated, Shira's Lawyer got Shira's coffee and muffin, and the moderator started the procedure. "My name is Edward Shoemaker. I am a mediator and retired Judge with The State of Connecticut Judicial Branch. It is my mission to resolve matters brought before the Judicial Branch of Connecticut between disputing parties or individuals before the case ends up in court. My job is to provide objective observations and propose a compromise that suits both parties and keeps you from needing to face a costly battle."
"Rich, Josh, I have read the brief. Are there any other documents that I need to consider before we start?" Judge Shoemaker asked.
"Judge. I have a copy of Elias Huntzburger's will. I have highlighted the passage that concerns this hearing." Josh handed a copy to the mediator as well as Shira's lawyer. He gave them a few minutes to find the place in the will. "As you can see, Logan Elias Huntzburger and Honor Virginia Huntzburger, own the Huntzburger Manor at 304 Farmingdale Avenue Hartford Connecticut, as stated in the Will of Elias Huntzburger. Also included in the documents is the taxes and insurance paid on the Manor by Logan Huntzburger. On the third page you will see household bills are also paid by Logan Huntzburger." Josh stopped at that to give the mediator time to read the information given him. When the Mediator looked up at Josh, he continued. You will notice on the last page, evidence that Shira Huntzburger was given a generous allowance. Again, by Logan." Judge Shoemaker nodded, acknowledging that he saw the information.
Shoemaker looked at Shira's lawyer. "Is there any documentation that I need to see before we proceed?" Rich handed the retired Judge a copy of a contract between Logan and Shira. "If you will look at the highlight part, it states that Ms. Shira Huntzburger has a 'Life Estate' She is allowed to live in the house with all services until she remarries or dies."
The Judge looked over all the paperwork in front of him. "May I remind everyone; you will have a turn to speak. This process will be handled in an orderly manner. I also see here that Josh has another appointment at 2. Josh, we will do our best to get you out of here in time. Rich, I see that your client Shira Huntzburger is suing Logan Huntzburger for termination of said contract. Exhibit 5?"
"Yes sir. Shira Huntzburger has lived in that house for over 40 years. Shira and Mitchum Huntzburger lived in the house together until they divorced in 2010. At the time of the divorce, Mitchum moved out. The prenup between Mitchum and Shira only left Shira with Mitchum's last name after both children were grown. This is when Logan, with Honor's consent drew up the contract ." The mediator took notes.
"Josh, do you have anything to add to what Rich said?" Shoemaker asked.
"Yes, sir. Elias Huntzburger passed away in December of 2007. In his last Will and Testament, you will see that the Hartford house at 304 Farmingdale Ave was deeded to Logan Huntzburger, and Honor Huntzburger-She is Honor Huntzburger Chase now. Mitchum nor Shira have ever owned this house. We have looked over the contract. We would like to put in the record that neither Logan nor Honor had any legal obligation to take care of Shira. That being said, they both agreed to the contract. As her children, they felt a moral obligation to take care of her. Logan has acknowledged that he did not fulfill the terms of the contract."
"Okay, we seem to agree on that. I see your client Logan Huntzburger has counter sued." the judge said, looking at the paperwork. Logan, you are a businessman thought and thought. I have followed your career. I must say you have become a shrewd businessman. I wondered about you right out of college,"
Logan smiled and turned his eye to the floor in an attempt to be shamed. "Now let me hear the reason for termination of the contract. I have Josh's brief here." He said, holding up the folder. "But I would like to cut through all this. Let me hear in your own words what caused you to terminate the contract." Logan stood up.
"Judge Edward. I will give you the details. I am still stocked and angry. Please be patient with me." The mediator nodded his head for Logan to continue. Logan went into detail explaining how Shira had passed out. How they're still not sure if it was an accident or she intended to do harm to herself. Shira tried to interject several times, but the mediator shut her down telling her she would have her turn to refute any of the details she did not agree with. Logan told of her stay in the hospital and the research his wife and sister did to find her a good place to deal with her addictions. He told of his sister Honor calling him while he was on his honeymoon, crying because their mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer's. He told of the agenize days that he worried and debated on what he should do and how to make sure his mother got the best and the right treatment. He explained during this time, he was also dealing with the death of his stepchildren's father. He told the Mediator that one night while talking with his wife about Shira, she asked if I was sure of the diagnosis. He told of the research he and his wife did to get a second option.
"I finally called our family doctor Dr. Wilson. He suggested I get in touch with Dr. Paul Whaley. He told me he was familiar with the research being done on Alzheimer's patients. He thought Dr. Whaley could examine her and maybe get her into a trial treatment. I flew him to Malibu California. That is where Shira was. She was at Cliffside." Logan said and he started at Shira. She started right back without blinking.
"I decided to send my private investigator with him. I was not sure why, but I felt like Dillon could shed some light on what was going on. Upon their return, Dr. Whaley suggested that getting the addiction under control should be the first step, then treating Alzheimer's. Again, my sister and wife started researching. This time they were looking for a facility in our area that dealt with Alzheimer's patients. They also looked into an around the clock service that will allow her to stay home." Logan stopped talking and took a drink of water. While he was doing that Shira tried again to say something, but the mediator shut her down again.
Logan continued. "Dillon came back from Malibu with a different outlook than the doctor. Dillon found out that several of the doctors and staff at Cliffside were helping patients milk their families for money. Dillon came back with proof. I flew to California to confront the staff and doctors. When I got there, I found out that Shira had been a part of this scam. More information recovered from Shira's laptop showed that Shira herself googled different addiction centers. Her phone bill also showed she had been in contact with Taylor, the manager of Cliffside for over a year." Logan looked at his mother. He had tears in his eyes. His mother had betrayed him. "We," Logan began again, this time his voice betrayed him. you could hear the hurt in his voice. "We wanted her to be close to us so we could make her as comfortable as possible." He cleared his throat and continued.
"Because she is my mother and without her, I would not be born, and with the persistence of my sister, I decided to void the contact with my mother. Judge Edward, I did not throw my mother out on the street to fin for herself. I bought her a nice 3-bedroom 1 bath house on Granby Street." Josh handed Judge Edward pictures of the house as well as the deed. "I also had my wife and sister shop for furnishing and decorations for the house. You can see by the account I have set up," Josh handed more paperwork to him, "I will be responsible for the household expenses. She has a car that I will title in her name and an allowance. Grant you, this is not what she is used to, but this is more than she needs to survive."
Judge Shoemaker suggested a 15-minute break so he could look over the new material. Logan went back to this office to check his emails. When they returned, Shira was not there. Her lawyer was. The mediator asked about her whereabouts. Her lawyer explained that she left. He advises that she would be dropping the lawsuit against Logan if he would drop his lawsuit and increase her allowance another $1000 and pay for his fees. Logan looked at Josh then back at Rich.
"Judge Edwards, can you give me another 5 minutes?" Logan Edwards nodded. Logan and Josh left the room, with Josh on the phone to Honor and Logan on the phone with his dad.
After about 3 minutes, Logan and Josh returned. "We will take the deal," Josh said.
They all thanked Judge Edward for his patients. Logan left to meet Rory, Christopher, and Ricky for lunch. Josh and Honor will join them after Josh files the paperwork with the clerk of courts.
.