Baptist DISTINCTIVE: An Adam Mykonos Mystery (The Adam Myknonos Mystries) (6 page)

Ric
shook her head “I am sorry Pastor you can’t. While I think that Mac should have
changed her will and policy the fact is she did not and she had ample
opportunity to do so.”

Luke
shook his head sadly, Ann gripped him by the arm and leaned into him, showing
wifely support, her eyes however displayed her own temper of the situation.

“However,
Pastor Blain you will appreciate this part” Ric went on. “Mac also left
additional monies to fund four full scholarships to her alma mater Pensacola
Christian College. One of those is earmarked for Miriam. The other three are
funded through a trust fund established by her and Joshua in perpetuity”

For
the first time every one in the room smiled sincerely.

“Wonderful.”
Said Ann.

Ric
continued. “The other three scholarships must be awarded to children of the bus
ministry at Calvary.”

“What?”
 
Luke and Longstreet uttered at almost the
same time.

“And”
Ric went on unhindered. “The distribution of those scholarships is to be
determined each year by Pastor Lucas Blaine.”

“Ain’t
no way” Sinclair uttered.

“Yes
way.” declared Ric.

“But
he is no longer a member of our congregation” Lafayette spoke slowly as if he were
digesting the words.

“Clearly.”
Rita said hiding her smirk.

“So,
Luke will pick who in our congregation gets a scholarship?” said Lafayette

“Luke
will pick who amongst those coming to Calvary via the Bus Ministry will get a
scholarship.” Corrected Ric.

“But
most of those kids are Ni…..” Sinclair stopped and glanced at my wife.

“Niggers?”
she said flatly.

“Not
up to academic standards.” Commented Longstreet

I
grinned. “Making Luke’s job all the harder.”

Ric
looked around the room. “Anything else?”

No
one said anything.

“Then
that is all concerning Mac’s estate.” She turned to the Daniels. “Your daughter
was my soul winning partner for many years, I am not at all surprised that she
remembered the poor and disadvantaged in her last wishes, and I can assure you
that she is today with the Lord and the crowns for many souls won to His cause
await her in the end.”

Mrs.
Daniels gave a muffled “Thank you.”

“Is
there any other reason for us to remain” said Pastor Daniels. “I mean no
disrespect but I am not sure how Brother Joshua’s last wishes would affect us.”

Ric
looked at me and I nodded. “Sir.” I said “I think that is possible, there is
one small bequest to you in Joshua’s will and one request and if no one
objections I can begin with them so that you and Mrs. Daniels can get some
rest.”

“Please.”

“Joshua
left you his Harley, and asked that you and Mrs. Daniels please remain in touch
with Miriam.” I shot Joshua Jr a look of warning.

“Of
course.” Said Mrs. Daniels “Thank you.”

They
left silently their grief like a weight in the room. Their movements like the
slow walk of camels across the sands.

“And
now to Joshua’s will.” I said recalling every one back to the moment.

Chapter Five:

I
cleared my throat for effect and took a sip from the coffee that Ric had kindly
placed in front of me.

“Once
again, much of the content of the will and insurance is altered by the thirty
day clause; Joshua changed a number of things to include Mac, but….” I let the ‘but’
go.
 

“Joshua
also requested, as did Mac, that we forego the legal language and relate his
final wishes in a straightforward manner.”

“Let
me begin with the easy parts” I said. “Joshua leaves his investments, stocks
and the publishing rights to his books to be equally divided between his two
children. Mr. Mathewson he left you the publishing rights for the two original
songs he wrote. His Harley as we stated before is to go to Mr. Daniels and that
insane pocket rocket Honda of his to Lucas, Pastor please please do not crash.”

Everyone
smiled perhaps for the last time.

“Joshua
arranged for a portion of his personal saving accounts to be transferred to a
trust fund to pay Joshua Jr.’s tuition at the Bible College of his choice,
which I suppose to be Crown?”

Josh
Jr shook his head “Bob Jones.”

“Really?
Oh well then Bob Jones. My understanding is that there is sufficient funding to
pay through your Doctor of Theology, if you are so frugal and so inclined to
pursue that. He made no provision for Miriam in this regard, I suppose he felt
it was covered in the bequest made by him and Mac.”

I
waited for comment and when I got none I went continued onward.

“As
you all know Joshua and Ivy were in the process of selling the house that they
lived in while married, the one in Sharpsburg. Joshua’s will stipulate that his
share of the proceeds be given to Ivy.”

“Really?”
said Longstreet with more admiration than I had heard from him towards Josh in
months. “That is kind.”

“Yes,
of course if she is convicted of killing him, then the proceeds would go to the
children.”

“Is
that in the will?” Asked Lafayette.

“No.”
I said. “It ties in with the states version of the Son of Sam laws, you cannot
profit from your own crime. By the way before the crowd explodes, I am going to
do my best to prove she did not kill Joshua or Mac.”

I
waited for any comments but my look said I would not be pleased by them so the
room stayed silent.
 

 
I continued. “Joshua has divided the trust
fund he was left by his Mother, between Christian Fundamental Radio and Guiding
Light Baptist Church.”

“Nothing
for Calvary?” asked Sinclair.

“Not
from the trust fund. Further he has left the property he owned in Greencastle
to Guiding Light.”

“No”
said Lafayette. “He can’t do that, that property is where the radio tower for
WCBC is located. That property needs to go to Calvary. We own the station.”

Mathewson
spoke for the first time. “And apparently you still do Tim, but the property
for the tower is now held by another Bible believing church, is that a
concern?”

I
smiled at Mathewson, nice to have one friend in the room I thought. Lafayette
mumbled a no and I went on.

“As
some of you are aware, when the Radio Station was contracted, cost for the
licenses for the station were secured by Dr. Lexington’s personal credit, and
he took out a seven million dollar life insurance policy on himself for the
purposes of securing the station. That policy was originally designed to name
Calvary Baptist Church as the primary beneficiary, thereby giving them the
ability to pay off the loans on the station”

“What
do you mean originally?” said Longstreet. “Adam you, know that the radio
station was not a popular choice at the church, we agreed as a congregation
based on Joshua’s assurances, are you saying that those assurances have been
negated, and that we are now responsible for the loans taken to build the
station?”

“That
depends” I said.

“On?”

“The
policy has been altered to place the proceeds in a trust fund, administered by
Lucas, Ric, Myself and you, Pastor Longstreet, with the stipulation that we all
must agree on the future of the station.”

“Absolutely
Not.” Said Lafayette. “As chair of the deacon’s board, I demand that the future
of the Calvary Station remain in the hands of Calvary and its board of
deacons.”

“Its
board of deacons?” asked Pastor Blaine. “Are you a deacon run church now?”

“We
have a vested interest in that station” said Sinclair. “You people do not.”

I
was listening to them but watching Longstreet and Mathewson.

Hallman
spoke for the first time. “I have spoken to Pastor Longstreet prior to this
meeting and must at this point note that on behalf of Calvary Baptist Church we
will be disputing this will.”

Mathewson
looked surprised. “Really, Doug?”

Hallman
turned to him. “I am sorry I did not get the chance to speak to you beforehand Ryder,
I see no conflict of interest here however, the goal is to keep the station on
the air.”

“And
what in this arrangement takes it off the air?” asked Mathewson.

“Nothing
that I can see” said Luke.

“Nevertheless,
we will be challenging the contents of the will.” Said Hallman flatly. He sat
further back in the chair, a small insignificant man, caught between two larger
than life giants.

I
let him squirm for a moment then went on.

“You
certainly have that right. In any event we will move on with this reading. In
the matter of the minor child Miriam. In the event of his death it was Joshua’s
wish that the child’s trust funds and monies be managed by her maternal
grandparents Rev and Mrs. Glover. Joshua makes note that despite any personal
conflicts and disputes over the years he has long admired the Glover’s
stewardship of what the Lord has given them.”

“Thank
you” said Rev Glover.

“He
arranged a small stipend to be paid to you for the trouble.” I said

Before
Reverend Glover could speak Mrs. Glover spoke firmly “She is our granddaughter,
we will not accept payment for caring for her needs, that stipend will be set
aside for her.”

I
could see the male Glover agree, reluctantly.

“And
finally as to her physical custody.”

“He
cannot decide that her Mother is still alive.” Said Longstreet flatly.

“But
not currently capable of caring for her.” I snapped. “Joshua’s wishes were that
his Step-Brother Lucas and Luke’s wife Ann raise Miriam as their own.”

“Of
course.” Said Ann.

“No.”
Objected Longstreet. “She is with Jim and my daughter Nancy and will remain
there.”

“She
is my niece” said Luke. “I want her in my home.”

Longstreet
shook his head “I have spoken with Ivy and she wishes Miriam to remain where
she is with us.”

“I
am not sure Ivy gets a say in that anymore.” Said Luke.

Ric
stood up. “Dr. Longstreet you may object all you want but truth is you have no
legal standing in this matter, it is between Ivy and the Blaines and perhaps
the Glovers. I would suggest that you immediately transfer Miriam to the
Blaine's custody and then let those with a horse in the race sought it out.”

He
shook his head “No Mrs. Blade I cannot do that. “ He stood up “Douglas come
with me, we are going to the courthouse. I need you to file whatever it takes
to make sure Jim and Nancy keep Miriam.”

“And
I will fight you every step of the way.” Said Luke.

Sinclair
smirked “You will lose boy.
 
You just try
coming by my house and taking that little girl”

“Is
that a threat?” asked my Pastor.

“It’s
a promise.”
 
Sinclair snapped walking
out.

Hallman
looked at Mathewson who gave him a sad nod, he then motioned to Longstreet who
rose and followed him.

“And
I guess that concludes this reading.”

Ric
took Ann Blaine by the hand and lead her and Pastor out of the room. The
Glovers stood for a confused second and then left.
 
Christina and Ric stood off to one side
conversing.

Ryder
Mathewson came over to me hand outstretched. “Tough job nicely done Brother
Adam.”

“Thank
you Brother Ryder.”

“May
I buy you and your lovely wife dinner tonight? There are some things I would
like to discuss”

I
looked at Rita who nodded. “Yes, thank you.”

He
grinned warmly “Good, Mrs. Mykonos I know you own a local diner, but I would
like to avoid a busmen’s holiday for you. I am at the Ramada near your place
and I understand that the Fireside is very good, is that all right.”

Rita
smiled “Yes, can we say seven so I can supervise the dinner rush at my own
place?”

“Of
course.”

He
shook my hand and we watched him walk out.

Rita
took a deep breath and hooked her arm in mine. “Now that was bloody well interesting.”

Coda Two

There is something liberating in writing something
that you know will only be read if and when you have gone to meet the Lord. As
I write this to you Brother Adam I feel a lifting of my spirit that I have not
experienced in many weeks. I would imagine to those outside of the Lord’s Salvation
such a feeling of freedom would be almost frightening but for me knowing that I
am free in Christ, and if you are reading this, free at His side is most
amazing.

As a Pastor I have always tried to teach and I
apologize to you if this letter comes off as yet another lesson from Pastor
Lexington. But there is a lot I want you to understand and apparently I did not
get the years I thought we would have to impart it all to you. I had often
pictured us in our dotage, two aged men, perhaps playing checkers on one of
those park tables in City Park talking of…..how you would say it “cabbages and
kings.” I do not mean this to be disparaging or disrespectful to our other
friends but there are few I have encountered who could discuss the breathe and
length of the topics we two could have covered. Still I look forward to that
day when we have eternity to discuss and debate most everything. Having said
that I hope that you have read over the scripture I left for you.