can’t do that, I’ll find it some other way. You know I will. So, why make it difficult for me? Besides, you owe me. You should have told me long ago about Folsom’s role in Frank’s financial troubles. ”
“I’m not trying to create difficulties; I’m trying to protect you.”
Katherine paused and said, “I know that, Paul. But I’ve thought about this and I’m going to do it, with or without your help.”
“Wait until tomorrow. You can talk to him at his office. Then you—”
“Goodbye, Paul,” Katherine said, about to hang up. But before she could replace the receiver, Paul shouted, “Stay there! I don’t have the information you want, but I can probably get it if you give me an hour. Okay?”
“Okay.”
Paul called back in fifty minutes. “I have it, but I’m not going to give it to you unless I go with you. I’ll pick you up in fifteen minutes.” Paul slammed down his phone leaving Katherine gawking at the dead line.
The ride from Katherine’s home to Philadelphia’s Villanova area took fifteen minutes. It took another fifteen minutes to find Gerald Folsom’s home. Paul was quiet during most of the drive, other than periodically muttering under his breath. When he pulled up to the curb in front of Folsom’s address, a multi-acre, wrought-iron-fenced estate with a three-hundred-yard paved driveway bordered by cyprus trees, Paul parked the car and shifted in his seat.
“Now, tell me what you think you’re going to accomplish.”
Katherine was beginning to question that herself. What felt like a good idea at home now, in front of Folsom’s house, seemed ridiculous. “I want to talk to the man. Tell him I know what he did to Frank years ago and that he has the opportunity to make amends by dealing with my children in a fair manner. I—”
Paul blurted a laugh. “Katherine, Gerald Folsom is not a nice man. I doubt you can reason with someone like him. And look at this place. It’s a fortress. How do you propose getting past the gate?”
Katherine threw open her door and said, “I’ll ring the bell.” She got out of the car and began walking across a twenty-foot-wide strip of grass toward a huge stone column anchoring the right side of the fifteen-foot-high entry gate. She was still fifty feet away from the column when the gate suddenly began to open. Moments later a huge black Mercedes with tinted windows roared down the driveway, sped through the gateway and swerved left onto the street in front of the property. In five seconds, the car disappeared around a curve.
Paul got out of his car and shouted at Katherine, “I think that was Folsom.”
“Are you sure?”
He hesitated. “No.”
“We’ve come this far,” Katherine said. “I’m not turning around now. Let’s go up to the house and see if he’s there.”
A smile on his face, Paul pointed at the gate that was now closing. “I think we’re too late. You’ll have to ring the bell.”
Katherine turned and ran toward the diminishing opening, making it in just before the gate clanged shut. Paul walked over and shook his head. “Now what?”
Katherine eyed the column and a small shack hidden behind it. She spied a one-foot-square metal door. She turned the handle on the door and found an electrical panel with a green and red button. She pushed the green button and the gate immediately began to slide open. She met Paul’s gaze and snapped her fingers. “Nothing to it, Paul.”
“Aw, jeez, what have I gotten myself into?” He walked back to his car and drove through the gate, stopping to let Katherine get in the passenger seat before proceeding toward an immense residence that was more castle than house. It was a four-story stone structure with a pitched gray slate roof and huge dormers. The driveway branched to the right toward a five car garage, and to the left to the front entrance. A stone fountain sat in the middle of the circular drive that was at least fifty yards across.
“You realize this is
“I’m not trying to create difficulties; I’m trying to protect you.”
Katherine paused and said, “I know that, Paul. But I’ve thought about this and I’m going to do it, with or without your help.”
“Wait until tomorrow. You can talk to him at his office. Then you—”
“Goodbye, Paul,” Katherine said, about to hang up. But before she could replace the receiver, Paul shouted, “Stay there! I don’t have the information you want, but I can probably get it if you give me an hour. Okay?”
“Okay.”
Paul called back in fifty minutes. “I have it, but I’m not going to give it to you unless I go with you. I’ll pick you up in fifteen minutes.” Paul slammed down his phone leaving Katherine gawking at the dead line.
The ride from Katherine’s home to Philadelphia’s Villanova area took fifteen minutes. It took another fifteen minutes to find Gerald Folsom’s home. Paul was quiet during most of the drive, other than periodically muttering under his breath. When he pulled up to the curb in front of Folsom’s address, a multi-acre, wrought-iron-fenced estate with a three-hundred-yard paved driveway bordered by cyprus trees, Paul parked the car and shifted in his seat.
“Now, tell me what you think you’re going to accomplish.”
Katherine was beginning to question that herself. What felt like a good idea at home now, in front of Folsom’s house, seemed ridiculous. “I want to talk to the man. Tell him I know what he did to Frank years ago and that he has the opportunity to make amends by dealing with my children in a fair manner. I—”
Paul blurted a laugh. “Katherine, Gerald Folsom is not a nice man. I doubt you can reason with someone like him. And look at this place. It’s a fortress. How do you propose getting past the gate?”
Katherine threw open her door and said, “I’ll ring the bell.” She got out of the car and began walking across a twenty-foot-wide strip of grass toward a huge stone column anchoring the right side of the fifteen-foot-high entry gate. She was still fifty feet away from the column when the gate suddenly began to open. Moments later a huge black Mercedes with tinted windows roared down the driveway, sped through the gateway and swerved left onto the street in front of the property. In five seconds, the car disappeared around a curve.
Paul got out of his car and shouted at Katherine, “I think that was Folsom.”
“Are you sure?”
He hesitated. “No.”
“We’ve come this far,” Katherine said. “I’m not turning around now. Let’s go up to the house and see if he’s there.”
A smile on his face, Paul pointed at the gate that was now closing. “I think we’re too late. You’ll have to ring the bell.”
Katherine turned and ran toward the diminishing opening, making it in just before the gate clanged shut. Paul walked over and shook his head. “Now what?”
Katherine eyed the column and a small shack hidden behind it. She spied a one-foot-square metal door. She turned the handle on the door and found an electrical panel with a green and red button. She pushed the green button and the gate immediately began to slide open. She met Paul’s gaze and snapped her fingers. “Nothing to it, Paul.”
“Aw, jeez, what have I gotten myself into?” He walked back to his car and drove through the gate, stopping to let Katherine get in the passenger seat before proceeding toward an immense residence that was more castle than house. It was a four-story stone structure with a pitched gray slate roof and huge dormers. The driveway branched to the right toward a five car garage, and to the left to the front entrance. A stone fountain sat in the middle of the circular drive that was at least fifty yards across.
“You realize this is
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