Chapter Text
Sins of The Father.
Chapter 1.
Secrets Never Remain Hidden.
Three things cannot be long hidden: The Sun, The Moon and The Truth.
Buddha.
The phone rang in the vast hallway, it’s shrill ringing echoing around the marble columns and mosaic tiles. It sat on an antique table dating back to the 1800’s, an elaborate piece the owner had required at an auction at a reasonable price years earlier. Now the price and value of this antique had dramatically increased over the years and which now cost a fortune. Above it hung a huge mirror in an elaborate gold gilded frame reflecting the lavish living room across the hall. A chandelier hung in the middle of the hallway, filling the space with rainbow coloured lights that reflected the morning sun streaming in through the floor to ceiling windows that framed the oak front door. Anna McMartin the housekeeper padded softly in her rubber shoes and picked up the phone.
‘Hello, this is the Lynch residence,’ she answered politely. She listened for a few seconds. ‘I will get Mr. Lynch for you. Please hold.’ She put the receiver down and headed further into the house. Walter was in his study. He had retired a few years back and was now enjoying the fruits of his retirement in his lavish home with Gloria and his three children. Anna knocked on the door softly.
‘Come in,’ Walter called in his still gruff voice. Anna entered the study.
‘Sir there is a phone call from you. It is urgent.’ Walter was in his late sixties, still sporting long grey hair which he pulled back into a bun at the nape of his neck, a full grey beard and gold rimmed glasses perched on his nose. Gloria called him her silver fox!
‘Who is it that wants me so urgently?’ Walter asked her, a touch of amusement to his voice.
‘They did not give their name Sir. They simply told me you had business with them.’ Walter furrowed his brow. He did not have any business with anybody.
‘Put them through to my phone in here Anna please,’ he told her. Anna nodded and exited the room. A moment later the phone on his desk rang once and Walter picked it up.
‘Walter Lynch speaking,’ he said confidently into the phone.
‘Mr. Lynch,’ said the voice on the line. ‘I believe we have unfinished business.’
‘Who am I speaking to?’ Walter asked because he did not recognize the voice.
‘My name doesn’t matter. What matters is that I know you did business with my father a few years back in regards to the demise of Robert Tomlinson.’ Walter sat up with a jolt in his leather swivel chair that creaked in protest.
‘I don’t know what you’re taking about,’ he said. A chuckle down the line echoed in his ear.
‘Oh, I think you do Walter. I think you know perfectly well what I am talking about. Does Mr. Tomlinson know you had his father murdered?’ Walter felt his heart speed up. Not good. He had high blood pressure and the doctor had warned him that if he wanted to live and see his kids grow up, he needed to take it easy. He opened the desk drawer and fumbled around inside for his pills.
‘Robert Tomlinson hung himself. He committed suicide. There’s a coroner’s report so get your facts straight before you contact me with this shit,’ Walter growled into the phone. A soft laugh came through the line.
‘You know, my father was one of the five people who you paid off to have Robert Tomlinson killed. Unfortunately, my father passed away a few weeks ago but before he passed, he told me what happened and what you did. I must tell you that I do appreciate how you worked out an early release for him and I do appreciate all the money you gave him. I am nothing but grateful to you Walter. You sure know how to fuck the system. But honestly, I am grateful because you see we were poor. When dad went to prison we had nothing but thanks to you I got to spend a few years with my daddy and we had money. Unlike that filthy bastard, I did not hate my father. Did you know that my father had been in the army with Robert?’ Silence on the line. Walter was sweating and breathing fast and hard. His heart was beating rather fast and he was afraid he might have a heart attack. The voice on the line chuckled.
‘Bet you didn’t know that they were friends huh? Or had been. Because when Robert’s son opened his mouth and identified the men that had hurt him, my father had been sent to jail because of that whiney child. They sort of fell out when they were convicted so you kind of did him a favour when you asked him to take out Robert. Pay back is sweet isn’t it? At least my father got his justice. I was abused by my father too. Did you know that? Of course you didn’t? How could you? I didn’t get my husband to write a best seller about my pathetic whiney life to make the whole world feel sorry for me. But in truth, the reason he had that book written was only to stroke his over inflated ego some more. As if they needed the money that book made! God, that man is full of himself. But I have to admit that he’s a lucky bastard. Life has been kind to him and rewarded him for what he endured. A beautiful successful husband. Nine gorgeous children. A big house. Cars. Friends. Family. He has it all doesn’t he? If only little Louis hadn’t opened his mouth. No, what am I saying! Silly me. The bastard didn’t speak back then but you know what I mean. He opened his mouth and do you know what happens to people who talk Walter? Nobody likes a rat Walt.’
‘You fucking leave him alone,’ Walter growled angrily into the phone. He felt himself go cold with fear.
‘I will. I will. But that depends entirely on you. Louis Tomlinson has a lot of enemies which he made when he opened his mouth and sent our fathers to prison. The men you got to do your dirty work for you, they have children and they are angry. We have been cheated. We suffered neglect and poverty because of that man. Our mothers suffered the scorn of people who were our neighbors and friends. We got bullied at school, beaten and called names. We suffered the sins of our fathers. All because of Louis Tomlinson.’
‘What do you want?’ Walter growled.
‘That is a very good question. I want ten million pounds to be shared between five sons so we can start a new life and give ourselves, our mothers and our siblings what we never had. It’s only fair. We are victims too. Do that and I will leave you and Mr. Tomlinson alone.’
‘I will not let you blackmail me,’ Walter told him angrily but in truth he was terrified.
‘Well you can’t go to the coppers and tell them about me because then I will tell them what you did and I don’t think you’d want that. I mean you have such an impressive reputation as an upstanding law abiding lawyer! Even in retirement people seek you out for help. But your ways haven’t always been legal have they Walt? As long as you won cases and cashed in the money, you didn’t care about breaking the law. And what would Gloria say knowing you are a murderer and a fraud? And your children? Do you want them to have the same fate we have? Do you want your children bullied because their father is a murderer? You will lose everything. Gloria will end up scorned and abandoned even by those you call friends and family,’ the voice said calmly.
‘You leave my fucking family out of this you motherfucker,’ Walter hissed. Oh yes he was sure he was going to have a heart attack!
‘I promise you I will as long as you comply and give me the money. Like I said, I will not involve the police because I don’t want to jeopardize myself or the others. We deserve compensation for all that we suffered and mark my words, we will get it. I don’t want my mother to suffer anymore than she already has but you fail to meet my request and I will do something you will greatly regret. Mark my words Walter. This is my promise to you. I will end you if you refuse my request. Have the money ready within three days. I will call again to tell you where to drop it off. Looking forward to doing business with you. Have a good day Mr. Lynch.’ The line went dead. Walter glared at the phone then threw it across the room, the cord of the phone snapping from its socket. The phone connected against the wall and smashed to pieces.
‘Motherfucker!’ he yelled. ‘God damn motherfucker! You will not play me or blackmail me you piece of shit. Son of a bitch!’ He shook out two tablets and swallowed them with whisky, his mind working and whirling about how he was going to get out of this situation. He didn’t have ten million pounds! Who the fuck did this creep think he was? But this creep also knew what he had done. He knew a lot! If it got out, he would be investigated. The case would be re-opened. Louis would find out that he had ordered the hit on his father. Walter felt fear churn in his stomach. This motherfucker knew all about his family and he knew everything about Louis! He knew everything! Panic began to rise inside Walter, his anxiety rocketing. He had to leave the country. This would go away. This asshole would give up once he couldn’t contact Walter. And he couldn’t go to the police. He said so himself. He got up and left his study frantically calling for Gloria to get the children and start packing. They had a long trip to plan.