Desperate Measures (5 page)

They talked for a long time, with Leo Sorenson doing most of the talking. He told Pete things about his father he never knew. Interesting things, things he wished he'd known as he was growing up. Leo's voice sounded sad most of the time he was talking. The sadness wasn't lost on Pete.

“I think, when you're up and around, that you and I will go to the cemetery and say our good-byes. I understand you weren't allowed to attend the funeral or burial. We'll go together.”

The voice was so brisk and professional-sounding, Pete knew the trip was as good as accomplished. It had to mean this man really was his uncle. He really did have a relative. Nothing was said about him going to live with Leo, though. He nodded and waited.

“I've only heard good things about you, Peter. Glowing reports. You turned out well.”

He sounds, Pete thought, surprised. “Thank you, sir.”

“Call me Leo. I imagine it'll be hard for you to call me Uncle now, at this stage. You're practically a man. I understand you're off to college in the fall. How'd you like to go to Harvard? How'd you do on your SATs?”

“I had a composite 1480, sir.”

“I can get you in. You want to go. I'll pay the bill. No aid. You can let me know in a few days.”

“Okay, sir. Leo.”

Pete's eyes started to burn. This wasn't the way it was supposed to be. There were supposed to be hugs. Then some handshakes and a couple of claps on the back. Maybe some talk about going home together, things they'd do together now that they knew one another.

“I'm an attorney. Did you ever think about law as a career?”

“No. I thought ... I think engineering is what's best for me.”

“Engineers are a dime a dozen. Anyone can be an engineer. Law is where it's at. Big money. Hard work, though. Your father used to say he was going to be a lawyer, but he didn't want to go to law school. He dropped out of college too. He had dreams. I'm sorry they didn't work out for him. Think about the law. Sorenson and Sorenson. I like the way that sounds. No money in engineering.... Is there anything you need, Peter?”

“No, sir.”

“Did anyone say when you'd be getting out of here?”

“No, sir ... Sir?”

“Yes, Peter.”

“How come you never ... shouldn't you have known ... What I mean is, weren't you ever curious?... I think you should have known about me,” Pete said flatly.

“It does sound terrible, doesn't it? One would think there should have been warning bells, something proclaiming your birth. There wasn't.” What there was, he didn't say, until later, much later.

It all sounded like a lie to Pete.

“Why do I have this feeling you don't believe me?” Leo asked quietly.

Pete wanted to ask him if he had a guilty conscience, but he didn't. “I don't know why that is, sir. We looked for you for a long time.”

“In the beginning, when your parents first got married, they moved around a lot. Your father wasn't much for calling or writing. It's another way of saying he didn't want to be bothered with me. At least that's how I perceived it at the time. I think,” Leo said choosing his words carefully, “that if you try, we might come to like one another. If nothing else, respect on both sides will suffice. Is it a deal?”

It wasn't as though he had a bushelful of choices. “Yes, sir,” he said, nodding.

“Good. I think we should shoot for discharge on Tuesday. I'll hire a nurse for you and take you home myself. I'll have my driver pick up your things. I'm sorry I didn't know about you sooner. I would never allow my brother's son to be shifted from pillar to post. I'll do my best to make it up to you.”

A second later he was gone.

“Oh, Pete, isn't it wonderful? Now you have a family,” Harriet Wardlaw said happily. She clapped her hands in glee.

“He didn't act like ... I don't think he likes me. I don't think he liked my dad very much either. He's just going to do his duty. I'm not sure I want to go with him. Maybe I should just stay with Josh until it's time to leave for college. He wants me to be a lawyer like him. I thought it would be different. I thought he'd say we'd go to a ball game or fishing or something.”

“Pete, your uncle never got married. I don't think he knows much about kids. He's a wealthy man, or so I'm told. He's also one of the finest attorneys in the state. I checked him out real good. You both need time. If you meet each other halfway, I'm sure things will work out. I am so happy for you, Pete. I'm only sorry it's taken us so long to find him. I wish we'd been able to find Barney. That seems to be a lost cause, I'm afraid to say.”

“It's okay, Miss Wardlaw. When Barney is ready, he'll find me somehow. I know it.”

“You have such high hopes, and now you're disappointed, aren't you?”

Pete nodded, his eyes miserable. “He's not what I expected. He's nothing like my dad. I wonder if he liked my mother? He didn't even mention her.”

“He told Nathaniel they lost track of each other. It happens in the best of families, Pete. Look, I'm not saying you have to go with him if you don't want to. It's all up to you. Whatever you decide is okay with me. We want whatever is best for you.”

“I appreciate everything you've done for me,” Pete replied. “Nathaniel too. I'll think about everything. I promise.”

“Time to get you back to your room,” Miss Wardlaw said. “It's getting chilly in here. Oh, Pete, I'm so happy for you.”

“Thanks, Miss Wardlaw, for everything.”

“It was my pleasure, Pete. I wish all my cases ended up this well. I'll see you over the weekend. You have a lot of thinking to do. Think it through, Pete, and do whatever is best for you. Only you, Pete. Are we clear on that?”

“You bet.”

He liked it when she pecked him on his cheek. He was reminded of his mother all over again. “Miss Wardlaw, what's that stuff you wear? It smells ... like my mom used to smell.”

“Why, thank you, Pete. That's one of the nicest things anyone ever said to me. It's Lily of the Valley talcum powder. When I was a little girl, my mother had this wonderful garden and there were rows and rows of the little flowers. They grow on a stem and look like little bells. They're as pretty as they smell. The whole garden used to smell so wonderful. I guess it reminds me of back home, of being a little girl. So long ago,” she said sadly.

“But it's a nice memory,” Pete said.

Pete settled back in the limousine, his leg stretched out
so it could rest on the seat opposite him. Leo Sorenson sat next to him.

They were almost to Ridgewood when Pete came to the conclusion his uncle was not a talkative man. It was okay, he didn't feel much like talking. He closed his eyes and tried to imagine what his uncle's house looked like, what his life was like and what part he would play in it. Miss Wardlaw had said Leo's house was on an estate that sat back from the road, almost a mile, and protected by twelve-foot-high iron gates. Supposedly there was even a small guardhouse where people had to be announced before the gate was opened. She knew this, she said, because she'd gone there to talk to Leo. She'd gone on to say there was a housekeeper, a cook, a butler, two full-time gardeners, and a chauffeur. There's an Olympic-size pool, a tennis court, and a guest house with eight rooms. “Not too shabby, Pete,” she'd concluded, smiling.

Not too shabby at all. But was he going to fit in? Would Leo care about him, or was he simply doing his duty? Everything worked two ways, both parties had to make an effort, and he was prepared to make the ultimate effort by accepting Leo's help. He was prepared to give up engineering and do what his uncle wanted. So many people had gone to bat for him, and all of them thought Leo's offer was just what he needed. His eyelid twitched when he thought about words like indebtedness, obligation, and loyalty. But he couldn't say no to Harriet Wardlaw, Nathaniel, and Duke. Even Josh Philbin and Skeeter said they thought he'd be a hell of a Harvard man.

This was supposed to be a good day. A wonderful day. The kind of day he'd dreamed about for years when he was shuffled from one place to another. It was supposed to be right up there with the day Barney would come and get him. He knew now Barney was never going to appear. He accepted it, but it didn't stop him from fantasizing. What would Barney say about all this? Go for it, Pete, was what he'd say.

What kind of brother was Leo Sorenson? Obviously, one who didn't care about his brother and his brother's family. Pete's eye twitched again.

His uncle spoke, softly. Pete's eye twitched again. “There's a pool on the property. Perhaps you'd like to invite your friends up for a barbecue. I could hire a band and you can dance poolside. I understand you young people are into things like that. When your leg is better, of course.”

“I can't swim. There was never any time for fun activities, and I really don't have any friends. I always had to work and do chores. It's a nice gesture, though. Maybe before I leave for college you could ask Miss Wardlaw and Nathaniel for dinner. Josh and Skeeter too. They have wives. Duke ... Duke might come too. I'd like to say good-bye to them.” He felt his uncle's body stiffen. His voice when he spoke was equally stiff.

“If that's what you want. You made your decision, then, about college?”

“Yes. I'll go to Harvard, if they'll have me, but isn't it too late?”

“It's never too late. I think you need to change the way you think, Peter. I said I could get you in, and I can. I never make promises I can't fulfill. It's a lesson in your life you need to learn.”

“Will I get my dorm deposit back from Villanova?” I'll change the way I think, Peter thought; think positive. Barney will come someday.

“I'll see to it. You'll like Harvard, and then Harvard Law. Hallowed halls and all. I see the makings of a very fine attorney in you. A very rich, fine attorney.”

“I don't know if I want to be rich,” Pete muttered.

“Of course you want to be rich. Only a fool would say otherwise. Remember this, money can help buy happiness, and certainly health. You need to know how to handle money. You use it to make sure you stay healthy, you use it to surround yourself with things that make you smile. I tried to teach that to your father, but he refused to buy into it. He preferred to dream about money instead of earning it. Maybe if he'd listened, he—”

“Don't talk about my dad.”

“All right, Peter, I won't.”

“Are you healthy and happy?” Pete asked.

“Reasonably so. I want for nothing. It's a wonderful feeling.”

“Harvard is expensive.”

“Very much so, but that's not a concern. Getting you the finest education is our only concern. I had to work my way through school. You need a goal, and you need to work toward that goal and not let anything interfere. That's why I'm so successful today.”

“He said modestly,” Pete muttered out of the corner of his mouth.

Leo laughed. “Touché, Peter.” Then he asked, “What kind of car would you like?”

“I have my eye on a Toyota. I just need another hundred dollars, but if I get my dorm deposit back, I can get it. The man is holding it for me. Josh said it's in tip-top shape.”

“Save your money. I thought I'd get you a convertible. A new car. This way I won't worry about you breaking down somewhere.”

Pete felt pleased, not about the car—who wouldn't like a brand-new convertible?—it was the worry that pleased him. Someone was finally going to worry about him. “That's very nice of you.”

“What color? Red? Girls like red. I can have it delivered this afternoon if you like.”

Everything was immediate with this man. “I haven't had time to take my driving test.”

“We can do that tomorrow. You can take the test on an automatic. And I also bought you a new wardrobe.” This last was said almost shyly.

In spite of himself, Pete was interested. He liked clothes. He wondered how his uncle knew his size, and then he stopped wondering. This man who was his uncle was a doer, a mover and a shaker. “Thank you. What kind?”

“The works. I called Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren, and Armani and told them to send one of everything. Miss Wardlaw was kind enough to give me the sizes. We even got you a tux.”

“Jeez,” was all Pete could say.

Leo beamed. “I have a cabin cruiser down at Belmar. I'd like it if you took a Coast Guard course this summer. It sleeps eight. Nice boat, but I don't go on it much.”

“Why is that ... Leo?”

“Lack of time, getting other people's schedules set with mine. For some reason it never seems to work out. The boat just sits there. Perhaps you and I can use it. They tell me young people like to water ski. Do you?”

“I never tried. First I'll have to learn how to swim.”

“We'll get you an instructor as soon as your leg is better. Did I forget anything?” Leo asked anxiously.

“It doesn't seem so.”

“That's good, because we're home. Now you can see everything for yourself. Welcome to your new home, Peter.”

Pete rolled down the window as the limo sailed through the open gates. His jaw dropped and his eyes almost bugged out of his head. The house was huge, red brick with ivy embedded in the mortar, rather like a fairy-tale house full of peaks and crisscross windowpanes. There was so much lawn, and it was greener than emeralds. There were flowers everywhere and shrubs that looked like they were trimmed with manicure scissors. “Barney would love this,” he said.

“Who's Barney?” Leo asked.

“Barney is someone I used to know,” Pete said flatly. “How many people live here? Why do you need a six-car garage?”

“The housekeeper and I are the only ones who actually live in the house. Everyone else goes home at night. The garage came with the house. It is full, though. I like antique cars. I drive them once in a while. When I first bought them, I told myself I was buying them as an investment. You know, in case I ever fell on hard times. If that happens, I could sell them and be comfortable. The insurance is outrageous. Now I look on them as acquisitions.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Are you up to walking a bit? If so, I can show you the pool and the tennis courts. The flower gardens in the back are well worth seeing.”

“I'd like that. I can maneuver with the crutches pretty good.... What's that building by the pool?”

“It's a cabana. It has a kitchen, bathroom, a wet bar, and a big-screen television. For parties.”

“Do you have many parties?” Pete asked curiously, moving awkwardly on the crutches.

“No. I guess I should explain that. This place,” he said, waving his arm about, “is a retreat, a sanctuary. My own private place. I rarely, if ever, invite anyone here. I make sure everything is maintained, because if you don't take care of things, they ... decay. And, no, I do not even know how to play tennis. They tell me the court is one of the best. You can take lessons.”

“The guest house looks just like the big house,” Pete said, pausing to rest for a moment. “Does anyone live in it? You could rent it out and use the money to pay for the insurance.”

Leo laughed. “No, no one lives in it. I had it built. I'm not sure why anymore. Probably because the property is a little over twelve acres and I thought it would look nice. Everything more or less goes together. I like things to look nice, be of a piece, if you know what I mean.”

Pete didn't know, but he nodded anyway. “Did you ever see my dad's house?”

“No, I didn't. It was my understanding it was a rental house.”

“Yeah, it wasn't ours. We just lived in it. It wasn't as big as your cabana.”

“I'm sorry about that, Peter.”

He really is, Pete thought, setting off awkwardly again.

Leo now noticed the difficulty Pete was having with the crutches. “There will be other days when you can meander around,” he said. “I think you should go in and rest for a while. You might want to soak your leg in the Jacuzzi. It's very restful. I had it installed over the weekend for you. The doctor said it would help.”

Pete nodded. Just how much money did this man have? he wondered.

“I have an elevator.” Leo grinned.

“No kidding!”

“Good thing too, or you might not be able to get up the stairs. It came with the house. I happen to love it.”

“Yeah. I will too. Thank you for everything,” Pete said.

Leo shrugged. “It's my pleasure, Peter.”

He means that too, Pete realized.

Everything was beautiful, rich, and elegant. The only thing missing, the most important thing of all, was any personal sign that a real flesh and blood person lived in the house.

Leo left him at the door to his room. He placed a fatherly hand on his shoulder for a moment. “I'm going back to the city. I'll be home for dinner. We usually eat around seven-thirty. Is that too late for you?”

“No, sir. Seven-thirty is fine.”

“If you want anything, just ask Millie or Albert. That's what they're here for. Rest your leg.”

“I will.”

He was in his room. The door was shut. He turned the little latch and locked himself in. He leaned his crutches up against the wall and hopped around
his
room. All he could do was shake his head from side to side. The room was
huge
, and carpeted in an ankle-deep pile that was apple-green. It looked new, unused. The Jets could have skirmished on it. The desk was
huge
. The bed was
huge
. The chair and ottoman next to the fireplace were
huge
, almost as big as a couch. He could hardly wait to bounce on them. One whole wall was given over to closet space, half the doors mirrored, the other half louvered. Standing on one foot, he opened the door and gasped. He wouldn't have been at all surprised to see a conveyor belt come to life. Jackets and pants hung together and had little matching tags, which meant, he assumed, which jacket went with which pants. Shirts every color of the rainbow hung next to them. Sweat suits, winter wear, and then summer wear were next. There wasn't a crease or a wrinkle in anything.

Behind the mirrored section, skinny oak shelves held sweaters, all with designer labels. Every make and model of sneakers were lined up neatly next to six pairs of fine leather shoes. Dock-Siders, sandals, and scuba fins were next. Above that a wet suit. Golf clubs and three tennis rackets leaned into the corner next to his surfboard. All of them had his name emblazoned on the tags. Cans and cans of tennis and golf balls were in the box on the floor. Fastened to the back of the door was a tie rack and a belt rack. Both were full. Six pieces of French luggage were on the top shelf.

Pete turned, hopped over to the double dresser and opened the drawers, one at a time. Underwear, compliments of Calvin Klein, socks with a polo player on the side, T-shirts by the dozen, of every color, shorts with the same polo player on the hem, casual sweaters, sweatshirts, pajamas, every article known to man. Dozens of each. On the top of the dresser was a shaving set, a bottle of men's aftershave and one of cologne. He only shaved once a week. A silver comb and brush with his initials on the back. A portable radio he could barely lift was next to a picture of his mother and father. He didn't want to look at it now, so he turned it over facedown. Later he would think about the picture.

He continued to inspect his new room. On the wall opposite the closet was an entertainment center complete with big-screen television, stereo, and tape player.

He inspected the desk, the chair behind it. He frowned when he saw a tag on the chair that said it was ergonomically designed. Whatever the hell that meant. Later he would look it up in his brand-new
Random House Dictionary
that sat on his desk right next to his brand-new
Random House Encyclopedia.
Centered on the desk was a Gucci wallet with five hundred dollars in twenty-dollar denominations in it, a Gucci watch with a stark black face, and a Gucci key ring with one key on it. The key to the house.