Thanks for the support!
Chapter Three:
The morning of the will reading, I found Carina in Jensen's closet with a camera crew.
"My father will be so happy knowing that his clothing will be going to charity," she said into the camera. "He always believed in giving to the poor. We'll save the cufflinks for Augie to wear in memory of our dear father."
There wasn't a part of Carina's body that hadn't been nipped, tucked, or upgraded in some way. At thirty-two, with curly blond hair she had ironed out daily, she looked more like a living Barbie doll than human.
"Carina," I said slowly. "What are you doing here?"
"Taking care of my father's things," she said slowly. "Like any good daughter would."
She hadn't been good since cried over not getting a tiara with real diamonds, when she was five. I knew better than to say anything in front of the cameras.
"Carina," I said carefully. "Wait until the will is read before making any decisions about Uncle Jacob's things. It will only be another hour."
"Fine," she said with a slight pout. "Who's the skeleton in the guest house? One of dad's accountants?"
"His presence is required at the reading."
"Whatever," she said. "I'm going to face-time with the kids. Mommy's going to officially be a billionaire!"
Walter at six, and Joey at seven were on track to be spoiled worse than her. Her ex-husband was a disgraced football player who quit amid accusations of illicit drug use. She made more money through product endorsements on social media. Carina was a wannabe Kardashian.
"One other thing, Carina," I said taking a deep breath. "Cameras won't be allowed in on the reading?"
"What!?" she said. "We're taping this for the pilot of 'Carina: The Life of a Billionaire.' Cameras need to be in there!"
"I'm not allowing cameras in," I said firmly.
"Let's make this clear cousin. When the will is read, half of Daddy's fortune will be mine and I will eject you from the estate the minute-the second-after the last line is spoken. I will cut ties with you, so no more family parties, or picnics, where your poor kids will get a taste of the high life. This will be the last time I see you again."
The cameras were watching. It occurred to me that having cameras present might blunt her rage if she didn't want this leaked to the press beforehand.
"I don't want to ruin the relationship between our kids Carina," I said. "I'll allow one camera in."
"I always know best," she said with a smile.
She and her posse disappeared. August slunk in.
"I thought I smelled her perfume coming from this wing," he said. "She's already going through dad's things?"
"Possibly looking for pocket change," I said.
He smirked.
I always got along better with August, partly because he was only a year younger than me. His brown hair had been trimmed recently. He at least tried occasionally to act responsibly. The father of a three-year-old daughter he saw once a month, he considered himself a professional poker play who lost more often than not. He made his money off his two percent share in the company.
August was looking at Jensen's watches.
"This one was always my favorite," he said.
Like his sister though, he had a taste for the finer things. That watch was the most expensive of the collection.
"Come on," I said. "I have a will to read."
"So, your kids aren't getting a dime?" he said.
"My family is perfectly fine without the money," I said.
"I don't know what Carina said, but you're always welcome here," he said. "This place is just as much home to you as it is me."
"Thanks."
"So, who's the dork in the cheap suit?" he asked.
"His presence is required for the will to be read."
"Dad always cared for his underlings," he said. "I'm glad one of them is getting a piece of the pie."
He had no idea.
…
We sat in Jenson's paneled conference room on the grounds.
"What's with the security?" Carina asked.
"A common precaution when wills of this size are read," I said.
I didn't trust Carina to not use her highly manicured nails on Spencer.
Spencer looked positively morose. I smiled briefly at him and he smiled weakly in return.
"Is everyone ready?" I asked.
Carina, Spencer, August, Carina's camera person, and four security guards were present. Jensen had made it clear in the prenup that alimony payments ended upon his death, and endowments were already set up for his favorite charities. It was a positively cozy setting for the will reading of a billionaire.
"Let us sit for moment in reflection of the life of Jacob Connor Jenson," I said.
Carina pretended to blot some tears without ruining her makeup. August stared at the table and Spencer closed his eyes briefly.
"I Nico Cade, will now read the last will and testament of one Jacob Jenson. Please wait until the end of the reading to voice your concerns.
I Jacob Jenson being of sound body and mind, hereby leave all my earthly possessions solely and completely in the possession of my son Spencer Reid."
"WHAT!?" August and Carina exploded.
"I willfully and purposely exclude my children Carina and August from any sort of inheritance. Carina and August, you have refused to show any level of maturity since you became of age. Your disrespect of me ends with my death. Spencer, I love you and only did what your mother asked. Please forgive me. You have already made me proud. This concludes my final will and testament."
"YOU are my half-brother!?" Carina said. "Disgusting!"
"When was the will made Nico?" August asked urgently. "Because cancer meds can affect the mind.
"I visited Uncle Jacob the day before he died, where he told me everything," I said. "Wrecking the Thunderbird in a pool full of people was the last straw."
"What did I do?" Carina cried.
"You had the boys urinating on guests," I said.
"But they were just little boys!"
"There is video of you egging them on," I said.
"NICO!" she screamed.
"ENOUGH!" Spencer shouted and stood up. "I did not ask for this money nor do I particularly want it. I only knew about it less than eighteen hours ago."
"Then let's draw up some paperwork and divide it three ways evenly," August said with smile.
"I have already drawn up an agreement with Nico," he said. "I am giving you each two hundred fifty million from the estate."
"Why not give us an equal share?" August asked.
Spencer stared at him.
"For what reason could you possibly need more than what I am offering?"
"Why won't you split it if you don't want it?" August asked with a hint of menace.
"Because I intend to maintain Jensen Technical Innovations as a competitive company and frankly, I don't trust either of you to squander the capital of the company."
"Why do you even care if you only knew about the company since yesterday?" Carina asked spitefully.
"I only knew of Jacob Jensen as my father since yesterday," he said. "I have known about the company since I was twelve as I read the business section. I was one of the first people to buy shares of Jensen when it went public when I turned nineteen."
"What are you, a genius?" August asked.
"Yes," he said confidently.
"That means you probably have a few screws loose elsewhere," Carina said. "I bet you can't get a girlfriend."
Spencer shoved the paperwork in front of her.
"Sign it, and you will get a quarter of a billion dollars in your bank account by tomorrow. This is my one and only offer."
Carina looked at the paperwork carefully and promptly shredded it.
"Get out," Spencer said.
"This is my family home!" she shouted.
"It isn't anymore," he said. "Security, escort her out!"
"This isn't over!" she screamed as she left. "I'll see you in court!"
Then it was just two security guards, Nico, Spencer, and August.
"August, are you going to listen to reason?" I asked.
"Spencer, why don't we make deal here," he said slickly. "Man, to man. We split it equally."
"August," he said steadily. "I was born in Las Vegas so I know a few things about a gamboling. I looked up your record as a so-called professional player. You're terrible at it. You rank among the worst players in the high rolling league. The most you've ever won is thirty thousand. I also watched a few videos of you. You don't know when to fold and raise constantly for the sake of showmanship. I don't trust you with more than what I am giving you."
A sneer slowly appeared on August's face.
"You really think you know everything. How dare you come into my house and take everything I earned! You're nothing to me!"
"Do you need a security escort out too?"
"I'll leave on my own," he said.
"First, give me the watch," Spencer said.
"What!?"
"The Longines replica of the watch Humphry Bogart wore in Casablanca," he said. "I read about how he loved the movie. He wouldn't want you to have it."
"How do you know that?" August demanded. "I loved that movie too!"
"What real-world place served as the inspiration for the Casablanca?"
"How am I supposed to know?"
"A drawing of the building hangs in his office," Spencer said.
"Look I'm not a genius, but I entitled to the watch!"
"It's worth sixty thousand dollars, no," Spencer said firmly.
August stood up, examined the wrist band, then punched Spencer in the right eye.
"Security!" I screamed.
"You won't get away with this!" he shouted as he was dragged away. "All of this belongs to ME! Not YOU!"
"Get the watch off of him before he leaves," I said. "I don't want that thing in holding."
Spencer was touching his eye gingerly as the swelling started.
"Welcome to the family," I said sadly.