Scott has no idea what to do, does he tell his brothers that their father is a murderer or not? They are so happy right now. Alan is on the verge of becoming the youngest formula one world champion, Gordon has found his place in life with W.A.S.P and is so busy with the testing for the new hydrofoil tests, something that he knows takes up all his concentration as he is determined to make them as safe as possible, John will be going up to the space station the day after Gordons wedding and Virgil is finally painting in the open. He can't tell them.
The words of the letter are burned into his brain and his grandmothers handwriting floats in front of his eyes whenever he tries to close them.
Dear Jeff,
I cannot believe that you could be so irresponsible. I have turned a blind eye to everything you have done to Lucy and to the boys because I believed that you loved them, but this. This I can not forgive. You bought that house in Aspen, knowing that without the new Avalanche proofing it was a potential death trap. I told you, your father told you even Lucy told you that the house was not safe.
It would have cost you a fraction of your wealth to make the house safe. You refused to do so. Now that wonderful woman has lost her life, and I have heard that you have cast Gordon out of your so-called family. I will not be attending the funeral Jeff, you don't deserve to have me there. Please tell the boys the truth. That their mother died because you refused to invest in the technology that would have saved her life.
The day is coming when all five of your boys will join Gordon in abandoning you to your lonely fate Jeff Tracy, and I will be firmly on their side and not yours.
Sincerely, your mother.
Scott wants to go and visit her, but he has just taken a month of leave to be with his brothers, he can't ask for more time. Never before has he been tempted to quit the Air Force and return to civilian life. If his father really is gone, then surely he has some responsibility to take over the company.
It has been two weeks, Scott has spent every free second he has researching the measures his father should have taken, reinforced windows, insulation in the walls to keep the house warm until those trapped can be rescued, panelling on the exterior which would have prevented the walls from collapsing under the sheer force of the snow. Even a basic avalanche warning system wouldn't have been cost prohibitive. Scott has estimated that the improvements would have cost less the money Jeff kept in his safe at anyone time, it was pocket change to the billionaire.
Realising that any of them could have been in the house at the time of the avalanche is what spurs Scott into action. He doesn't want to, he loves the air force this has been his home for three years, but it is time to move on.
Putting in his resignation with his commanding officer Scott gets into his car to start the long drive back to Kansas.
His brother's reactions to his resignation excuse that he needs to sort out the family business, as he is the eldest and therefor his father's natural heir is predictable.
Gordon: Rather you than me bro, but when you have control of the purse strings send me a million or two to tide me over!
Virgil: Have fun!
John: Dude? Why?
Alan: I agree with John, Why Scott?
It takes hours for Scott to reply to their WhatsApp chat, he isn't ready for them to know that their father was happy to risk all their lives and was responsible for their mother's death. This is one burden he is not putting on his brother's shoulders.
Scott: Because with him gone bills aren't being paid and he has hundreds of employees who also aren't being paid. Someone has to take responsibility for the company or those innocent people will be out of jobs.
It is a partial truth, there are employees threatening to quit unless they get paid, and they deserve their wages.
Scott calls for an emergency board meeting and is elected acting CEO for the company, he is insulted when this causes a further dip in the share price, but he knows that he can do the job. After all, his father could do it!
Scott moves into the farmhouse full time, sticking to his original bedroom, and commandeering the bathroom opposite. He can't deny that it is a lonely existence. Meetings with faceless executives' day after day drain the life from Scott and he finds himself looking forward to the weekends where he is working on his new project: uncovering his fathers past. Trying to find a reason for they way his father was.
He contacts his grandmother, after all she raised him, she should know better than anyone. He has not seen her for several years, their father never let them go to their grandfather's funeral, when he passed away from a heart attack when Scott was seventeen.
He is pleasantly surprised when she agrees to come and stay with him for a few weeks. Together they go through the paperwork stashed away in the attic, and uncover further fraudulent activities, and several sweatshops set up in the heart of Kansas where he is taking advantage of illegal immigrants desperate for shelter and security.
"Did you know any of this?" Scott asks her, he is disgusted by what he is finding, and more determined than ever to turn this company around.
His grandmother shakes her head sadly. "No Scott I did not. I have not spoken to your father for years, your grandfather was so ashamed to admit that he was his son, and we would have taken you all and shielded you from him if we could, he always said that if we tried to interfere then you would all bear the brunt of his revenge. We tried Scott, we even reported him to child services when he hurt Gordon, but he must have paid them off, just like he has been covering all of this up for the last twenty years."
"No more Grandma, we are all free now and I am going to turn this company into an ethical business, one which will help look after the planet and pay all of it's workers fairly. I want to contact my father's lawyers to see if they can help with the immigration status of my father's slaves. For that's what these poor folks are. His slaves. Just like I once was." Scott tells her, watching her reaction closely and relaxing at the happy easy-going smile on her face.
"You truly are your mother's son Scott" she tells him. "She was a loving kind-hearted woman. I know you don't believe so, but she tried so hard to save you all from him."
Scott doesn't question her he has learned recently that she had no choice in the way they were treated, and the perception of her being a willing component in their treatment at their father's hands was not the truth.
Grandma even joins them for their weekly video catch up, as Scott fills them in on the progress he is making with the company. Grandma is the calming influence that Scott needs, a buffer between him and his old habits and with someone to talk too he doesn't even need alcohol anymore. Gordon is happy to invite her to the wedding, even if he gives her a theatrical groan about the seating arrangements! John, Alan and Virgil are all excited for another family reunion and are thrilled that Scott has reached out to her.
Two months fly by and Scott realises that being the head of a multibillion-dollar empire is a lot more stressful than he ever gave his father credit for. No one has heard from or seen his father since that fateful plane trip, and Scott has ordered that the search be officially called off and has petitioned for the courts to declare Jeff Tracy legally dead in order to enact his will.
Jeffs will leaves everything to be split among all five boys equally and was changed shortly after Lucy's death. Making all five boys overnight billionaires.
"Why would he leave me anything?" Gordon asks confused, "he made it perfectly clear that he hated me"
"Guilt?" Scott suggests, "maybe the crotchety old bastard felt some remorse for his actions".
"I will take it Scott, wire it all over to me, I have a wedding to pay for. And something else I can't tell you about yet" Gordon tells him with a grin.
"When is the big day Gordon?" Grandma asks.
"The first of December. Traditional church ceremony as I know a heathen orgy on the beach is not your style" he replies with a cheeky laugh.
"Don't even think about that" Grandma tells him, but she too is smiling. These boys have lived through hell and survived, but more than that they have made lives for themselves that they can all be proud of.
*TB*
Scott wakes up to a blanket of crisp white snow outside of his window. Jumping up out of bed in the master bedroom, a room he has had extensively remodelled, adding a large walk in closet, small seating area and his own bathroom. He has had all of his mother's things stored safely away in a fireproof vault to protect them, until a time he can get his brothers together to go through everything and keep what they want. His fathers' stuff has been taken to the attic and left to rot.
The room is bright and airy, he has even had new windows put in, much larger and on two walls to bring in as much natural light as possible. He has fresh flowers delivered weekly placing them in his suite, and in his Grandmothers suite, which too has been remodelled. He knows Alan and Gordon won't really mind the changes he has made to their rooms, knocking the wall down and turning it into a large suite, again adding in a bathroom and closet.
He has also remodelled what he now considers his office. The walls are now his favourite shade of light blue, with portrait photos of his brothers replacing the artwork on the walls. Every room has been redecorated in bright happy colours in stark contrast to his father's tastes.
Scott retrieved the hairbrush from the bin, instead choosing to burn it along with his fathers' old belt the first evening the air was chilled enough to light his first fire of the winter.
Scott Chooses not to burn the records he found among his fathers' papers, extensive records he kept of every single beating he had given his brothers. Dates, offenses and even how they were punished, from the hairbrush to the belt. All meticulously recorded. Apart from one page in Gordons punishment book which has been torn out. The one time even the great Jefferson Tracy knows he made a mistake. Storing the volumes away with all the evidence he has been able to gather, just in case one day he needs it.
Bile rising in his throat as he reads some of the entries. Johns only has one entry, and Scott is impressed with his younger brother for managing to escape the worst of his fathers' anger. Gordons book is the fullest and includes the time he got a whipping for putting a skunk in his father's office. Scott laughs at the memory even now of the way the office smelled for weeks and the look of disgust on his father's face each day when he retired to the office when he got home. The memory of Gordons tears after push the laughter away, and with it Scott's desire to dredge of the old painful memories.
Scott dresses in a dark blue shirt, which is one of his grandmothers favourites as she claims it brings out his eyes, a black tie patterned with golden snitches as it is Friday and he has been told by his colleagues that Fridays are crazy tie days and participation is not optional! Finishing off his ensemble with smart black trousers, the creases ironed within an inch of their lives and black shoes, and socks which match his tie.
This is his final day in the office before the Christmas break, even though it is only November he is closing down the office for a month and giving Jeffs long suffering staff the month off. he hasn't told any of them yet, planning to call a meeting to inform them this morning. If this works out, then he will make this an annual event.
Pouring himself a third coffee into his travel mug, Scott gives his Grandmother a quick goodbye kiss, before getting into the car for the commute to the office.
This drive in the rush hour traffic is why Scott hates this job. Honking his horn at a large SUV which has just happily cut him up while he was trying to turn into the car park Scott swears loudly, knowing that she can't hear him, but it does make him feel better!
The news that they are getting a month vacation fully paid thrills his new employees, who love the way Scott is handling the business, and he has found that confidence reflected in the share prices as everyone rushes to get a piece of the new Tracy Industries.
Scott had only intended to stay for the morning as he has a flight to catch if he is going to make Gordons wedding, but instead is forced to attend a meeting with a young engineer named Hackenbacker. He is a recent graduate from the scholarship programme his father set up, he is asking for a grant to do some research into a safety company he is looking to start. Scott is interested and makes an appointment to go through his plans in more detail when he gets back from the Christmas break.
Scott has never mentioned the letter to his Grandma or his brothers. Finding ways to get out of mentioning their fathers most shameful secret. Not wanting to disrupt Alans championship challenge or put a dampener on Gordons wedding plans. Deciding that they don't need to have their newly found happiness torn away from them.
The drive back to the house, without the rush hour traffic is a lot easier on his nerves, as he races down the country roads to home. Getting changed into jeans and a hoodie before loading his and Grandmas luggage into the back of his car. Before jumping back in and driving to the airport. Sometimes, just sometimes Scott resents having to drive so much but a motorway devoid of traffic is a beautiful time to be alive.
Being the acting CEO of a multibillion-dollar industry means that Scott has the use of his own private plane again, and is shown to his private hangar where he is able to park up in comfort and style before transferring the bags onto the plane.
*TB*
It is Alan who is waiting for him when he arrives. A large grin on his face as he rushes to meet his grandma, throwing himself into her arms for a cuddle. "Oh Allie" She greets him enthusiastically. "Congratulations on the world title honey"
"I can't believe that you're here Grandma, you are going to love California. Gordons house is the coolest thing you have ever seen!" Alan tells her happily.
"Hi Alan, it's good to see you" Scott tells him sarcastically.
"Yeah you too. but seriously Grandma let's get going, I can't wait to give you a guided tour." Alan tells her.
The weather here is a stark contrast to the weather in Kansas the sun is shining and Scott happily peels his hoodie off and basks in the sunlight.
Alan is right. Gordons house is situated about two miles from Marineville, close to the beach. Set on one level the house is laid out around a large yard which is home to a pool and a seating area. The main entrance is flanked by two bushes sitting in heavy terracotta pots. There are wall to floor windows in every room, and there is a large skylight over the main lounge.
Even Scott is impressed. "I am guessing you didn't have any say in decorating Gordon, this is too tasteful! OW!" he shouts, as the pillow Gordon throws at him hits him in the head!
Scott throws it back and before long Gordon, Scott and Alan are engaged in an all-out pillow war. Virgil and John join in without questioning when they arrive moments later, and before long all five brothers are lying in a heap on the floor laughing and gasping for breath.
"So tomorrow is the big day" Scott says to Gordon once he has got his breath back.
"Yeah. Tomorrow is the day I become Mr Atlanta Shore!" Gordon tells him. He has his head rested on Scott's chest, and Scott has never seen his brother look so happy.
"You're taking her name?" Alan asks.
"Nah, we were thinking of hyphenating it but decided on being more traditional. So she is becoming Atlanta Tracy, we think it suits her" Gordon replies. "What time are we leaving for my bachelor party?"
"You have already had it remember?" Virgil replies laughing. "And besides, we promised Atlanta we would get you to the church in one piece and not hungover. Sorry buddy"
Gordon fakes a pout, but he is smiling. "Paul is joining us for dinner, if that's okay."
"Sure, we like him" Scott replies. He knows that Paul has been Gordons best friend since they met during his year under water and has been there for him during everything. "What is for dinner?"
"Whatever you want to cook" Gordon replies shrugging.
"Pizza?" Scott replies rolling his eyes, there is no way he is cooking, because he knows Gordon will get him to clean up too.
They all agree on pizza and Gordon orders it from his spot on the floor.
"Are we getting up or just staying here all evening?" Alan asks, not bothered either way.
"I am happy here, Scott is fairly comfortable for a pillow" Gordon replies.
"Get off me fish face" Scott replies, shoving Gordons head off of his torso and sitting up. They make their way over to the sofas, and collapse into them while Alan flicks the television on.
Paul arrives with the pizza carrying eleven boxes into the lounge. "How many people are you feeding Gordo?" he asks, having only counted seven people.
"Paul come on in. let me introduce you to everyone. This is Scott, Virgil, John, Alan, my grandma and I am Gordon. Just in case you had forgotten! And just the seven of us, but Scott can finish two of these on his own and I am starving" Gordon tells him with a grin.
Paul and Scott turn the pizza eating into a competition, each refusing to admit defeat and soon every slice is gone, they are so engrossed in betting on who can out eat who that no one notices Virgil picking at his slice delicately nibbling the cheese from the edge before hiding the rest of the slice away from prying eyes.
Everybody that is apart from Grandma, but she is happy to put it down to pre wedding jitters. Being Gordons best man is a tough job.
Scott can't out eat Paul and he is impressed with the mans stamina as they agree to call the contest a draw, as neither of them can be bothered to order more pizza. Gordon has fallen asleep on the sofa and Scott orders Alan, Virgil and John to bed as tomorrow is going to be a long day.
He never did tell his brothers what he found out about their father. They don't need this burden on their shoulders, but if by some miracle Jeff Tracy is alive Scott has the evidence to ensure that their mother gets the justice she deserves.