 |
||
The Triumph Of AJ Quartermaine
Chapter Twenty Five
Taking Control
AJ looks up at the looming Jason. Taking a sip of coffee he pauses before answering Jason's inquiry as to Carly's whereabouts. "Not here. But I noticed that you didn't ask about Michael."
"You and I both know where Michael is."
"You shouldn't have asked Emily. You could have found out by yourself. I'm surprised that you didn't already know."
"I'd have known by tomorrow anyway and Emily knew it. Where's Carly?"
"Why? You think I stuck her back in Ferncliffe so that I could have Michael to myself for six months like you did? Carly's fine; she's spending time with her mother and brother. In fact I was hoping that we could talk about having her things forwarded here from the penthouse. You can keep Michael's things since he'll be spending weekends with you."
"Carly's home is the penthouse." Jason states with cold eyes and a stone face.
"See that's the problem with not getting your own facts. THIS is Carly's house. Not yours, Sonny's, Brenda's or Robin's." AJ sneers on the last name. Jason makes a threatening move toward AJ. AJ slides his chair back from the table but doesn't rise. "What are you going to do, bro? Kill me? Beat me up? Not too bright since everyone would know who did it. I suppose some might think that Carly shot me but she's got an airtight alibi. And if she was going to shoot me it would have been a week ago. A week in New York where we bonded with our son, shopped, played and even slept together."
Jason steps closer. "You're lying."
"Am I? Carly and I were always great together. Great friends and I'm not as blind as you appear to be to her charms. Carly and I are together now and I'm going to make sure that it stays that way. Waking up next to her was the best thing that has happened to me since the night that Michael was conceived. And I'm not going to give that up-- ever. You know Carly-- do you really think that she'll go back to being your afterthought? Something that you can push around and ignore? I'll give her everything that you won't. Give it up, bro. Take the visitation with Michael. It's more than you ever gave me as I'm sure that your lawyer told you."
"You coerced Carly into that agreement."
AJ laughs. "Right and that's why you have visitation. My plan was for you to get JACK for the same length of time as you kept me out of Michael's life. And believe me it didn't occur to me to have Michael raised Catholic or to keep his last name MORGAN. You'll never be able to convince anyone that the agreement was coerced and you'll find that out on Wednesday when the judge laughs in your face."
"I want to see Carly."
"You'll see her on Wednesday in court. And if you go to the board meeting on Thursday then you'll see her then too. It's going to be her introduction to the family... hers and Michael's both."
"I promised Emily that I wouldn't touch you.. today. But you aren't going to win. It'll be sooner rather than later that Carly and Michael are back where they belong. In the penthouse with me." Jason snarls.
AJ looks down at his watch. "And I think that it's time you were leaving. Emily should be back with Michael and I really don't want you around to upset her."
"This isn't over."
"Whatever. I'll see you in court on Wednesday. I'll be the one with Carly and the baby."
Jason leaves but doesn't go far. He waits outside the gates in a secluded spot for Carly and Michael to return to the house.
THE STABLES
Lucas is finishing up his lesson with his riding instructor. Carly has already returned her mount to its stall and stands with Jerry at the railing watching Lucas ride. Bobbie is still up in the bleachers since Jerry told her that he wanted to have a minute with Carly to talk about financial issues.
"You looked good out there." Jerry comments still focused on Lucas in the ring.
"Thanks, It's been a few years... more than a few. I didn't want to overdo; I want to be able to walk tomorrow."
"Yeah, you aren't as young as you were." Jerry teases.
"Rub it in."
"I want a favor from you." Jerry says seemingly out of nowhere.
"A favor? What-- don't tell me a surprise party for Bobbie I've already learned my lesson on that one."
"Nope. You know about my problems with the feds?"
"It was front page news for awhile. But I think I missed most of it being in Ferncliffe... why?"
"I'm not allowed to play the market or buy into any companies. Now I'm not saying I don't have some irons in the fire but there is this sweet little company..."
"AJ put you up to this, didn't he? I saw you two with your heads together last night." Carly cuts to the chase.
"Yeah, he did. He worries that the old man is going to try to break the trust, leaving you out in the cold. Or try to use the trust to control you and AJ. It'd be better for you to use the money for as long as you can to diversify your own monies. That way Edward can't get a stranglehold on your pursestrings. I know you aren't the conservative sort but it might be wise to play it close to the vest for awhile. Build your own income. You've got a better shot than I did when I started out. You don't need to look at shall we say-- alternative paths to wealth like I did when I was your age."
"I don't need to be mobbed up to get ahead-- not like Jason, Luke or YOU."
"You can be a blunt little thing when you want."
"Little I'm not and never have been. AJ said that I could do whatever I wanted with the money." Carly starts to get angry.
"Yeah, and he won't interfere. I didn't tell him the name of the company or anything like that. This is between you and me. I know how to make money into more money. And I'm willing to teach you how. AJ doesn't want you to have to rely on Morgan, Edward or him for money."
"AJ says that Edward uses money and power to control people and that the only way to control Edward is to not need him." Carly muses to herself.
"I've known a few people like that. A few too many. So you've experienced Quartermaine senior up close and personal. The first time you don't go his way what is he going to do?"
"Try to reel me back into line and yeah... if the money is the lever he'll go after the trust. But Jerry, AJ says that business is like a poker game, and I've never been good at poker, I'm more of a pool player. I see angles; I don't care who is holding what cards."
"Then lets put it in pool terms... you have to leave Edward with no shot when his turn comes around."
"Come on... I'm furnishing a house for goodness sake. The money in the bank isn't going to last that long. Maybe next quarter." Carly hesitates.
"Not the right answer and you already know it. I saw the way that AJ was looking at you. Let him furnish the house; you bat your eyes at him a few times and that'll all be covered. Edward may start taking steps to dismantle that trust after the next board meeting if things don't go his way. You need to be thinking about this now. Put aside how much money you will need for six months if you and the kid need to get the heck out of Dodge. I'll outline some options for the rest including something that will give you some cash in six months to live on if the worst happens. All strictly legit, I swear."
"That's not that important to me-- it being strictly legit, I mean."
"I figured but for the kid's sake we'll play it straight for now. Wouldn't want him to visit mom at Club Fed." Jerry laughs.
"Glad you can laugh at that. How close did you come?"
"Too bloody close. And I liked being locked up about as much as you did I'd guess."
Carly bites the inside of her cheek, thinking the situation over. Coming to a quick decision she names off a figure that is two thirds of what AJ had put in the account. "But if you lose that money I'm going to kill you."
"There are no sure things as I'm sure you've already learned. And I'm not going to have my name on any of the transactions-- that would defeat the purpose. How much of that do you want in Michael's name?"
"Half."
"Okay if it were me I'd split your investments in half too... the conservative half in Michael's name with you as trustee and the more ... speculative, shall we say, in yours...." Jerry continues to outline strategies until Carly's eyes begin to glaze over and she thankfully realizes that Lucas is heading in their direction after putting Thunder back in his stall.
"Jerry, I think I'm overload... in fact I know I am. You're going to have to go over this again when I can sit down and SEE what you are talking about. Maybe when we're back at the house?"
HAPPY FAMILY
The bentley eases its way through the gates. As Reggie pulls it up to the front door Emily gives a sigh of relief to see AJ there to meet her. Unfastening Michael from his car seat. Emily disembarks with Michael. "Thank you, God."
"For what?" AJ asks taking Michael from Emily and making funny faces at Michael until he laughs .
"I said a prayer that you and Jason wouldn't kill each other."
"Yeah, I'm still breathing and Jason was too when he left."
"Are you mad at me? for telling Jason I mean." Emily asks softly.
"Nope. I knew that you'd tell him. And I was glad to get it out of the way. Waiting on Jason is like waiting for the other shoe to drop. So how was Michael?"
"Good as Gold. He was having a blast with the other kids in the nursery. I think he was bummed when the service was over and all his new friends went home. I reintroduced him to the priest since he hadn't seen Michael since the baptism."
"Oh I bet he remembered us."
"I think Michael's baptism is still the longest on record." Emily grimaces and then laughs. "The priest was happy to see I was taking my job seriously. Carly was right to have me take him."
"Carly's big on family. She's going to tie you up tighter than tight to make sure that you're involved in Michael's life. But she schemes as well as any Spencer. So watch out and please please please don't learn any of her tricks. You two already wind me around your little fingers." AJ turns to Reggie. "Are you coming in? I figure that you'll need to give a report to Grandmother and I need to ask you a question about the dishwasher."
Reggie's eyes roll as he parks the car and the three of them go into the house.