"Suing for what?" Michael asked.
"Whatever he can think of. I get a new lawsuit from him at least once a month."
"If you find out where he is," said Jackie, "will you let us know?"
"The moment I know."
"By the way, Carl would like to visit the country club the Connellys belong to. Can you get him in?"
"No problem, I am a member too. It's the Fillmore Country Club and I'll let them know he is my guest."
"Thanks." Jackie hung up and turned to Carl. "Go. Maybe you can catch him there this afternoon."
Carl dug something out of his briefcase, and stood up. "On my way, Boss."
*
At a little past nine o'clock in the evening, Jackie got up from the dining room table and stretched. "Why don't we take a break and watch the reading of the will?"
"Good idea, let me get the coffee going again," said Michael. He went to the kitchen, started yet another pot, and then plopped down on the sofa beside Carl.
"Ready," she asked.
The video flickered to life on the big screen TV and showed Austin sitting at his desk. "This is Austin Steel and we are about to read Nicholas Gladstone's Last Will and Testament. With me are…"
"Just get on with it," a man's voice demanded in the background.
"Enter Mathew Connelly," Michael guessed, even before Austin switched the camera view to the Connellys.
"Very well." Austin got up and walked around to the front of his desk. He leaned his back against it and folded his arms. "All of Nick's estate goes to Georgia Marie James."
"What?" Mathew shouted, rising up out of his chair.
"Stop the tape," said Carl, scooting up to sit on the edge of his seat. "Rewind and watch Laura."
Jackie did as he requested.
"…Nick's estate goes to Georgia Marie James."
"Play it again," said Michael. "I can't quite make out what Laura said."
Jackie started it from the beginning again. "Who," said Carl, slapping his knee. "Laura is asking 'who?' Play it again, Jackie."
She played it twice more before Michael agreed. "Well I'll be darned, Laura doesn't recognize the name."
"Austin said we would be fascinated." Jackie backed the video up, and played it one more time. "Think she's faking it?"
"Doesn't look like it to me," said Carl.
"Me either," said Michael, "but I wonder how drunk she was when this was taped."
"I'll ask Austin, he will know. Let's keep going, shall we?" Jackie let the video continue.
Mathew's fists were clenched and his face was red with anger. "What nonsense is this?"