Read Online The Good Old Stuff by John D. MacDonald - Free Book Online
Authors: John D. MacDonald
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young friend here profits nicely,” Alicia said.
Dinah stared at her. “How on earth can you say a thing like that when you’ve just found out? You’re his daughter. It doesn’t seem—”
“Kindly spare us the violin music,” Alicia said.
“I don’t want any of the insurance money,” Dinah said. “I don’t want any part of it. You two can have it. All of it.”
The colonel wheeled slowly and stared at her. He wet his lips. “Do you mean that?”
Dinah lifted her chin. “I mean it.”
The colonel said ingratiatingly, “You’ll have the trust fund, of course, as it states in the will. That certainly will be enough to take care of you.”
“I don’t know as I want that, either.”
“We can discuss that later,” the colonel said soothingly. “This is a great shock to all of us. Darrigan, can you draw up some sort of document she can sign where she relinquishes her claim as principal beneficiary?” When he spoke to Darrigan, his voice had a Pentagon crispness.
Darrigan had seen this too many times before. Money had changed the faces of the children. A croupier would recognize that glitter in the eyes, that moistness of mouth. Darrigan looked at Dinah. Her face was proud, unchanged.
“I could, I suppose. But I won’t,” Darrigan said.
“Don’t be impudent. If you can’t, a lawyer can.”
Darrigan spoke very slowly, very distinctly. “Possibly you don’t understand, Colonel. The relationship between insurance company and policyholder is one of trust. A policyholder does not name his principal beneficiary through whim. We have accepted his money over a period of years. We intend to see that his wishes are carried out. The policy options state that his widow will have an excellent income during her lifetime. She does not receive a lump sum, except for a single payment of ten thousand. What she does with the income is her own business, once it is received. She can give it to you, if she wishes.”
“I couldn’t accept that sort of … charity,” the colonel said stiffly. “You heard her state her wishes, man! She wants to give up all claims against the policies.”
Darrigan allowed himself a smile. “She’s only trying to dissociate herself from you two scavengers. She has a certain amount of pride. She is mourning her husband. Maybe you can’t understand that.”
“Throw him out, Tem,” Alicia whispered.
The colonel had turned white. “I shall do exactly that,” he said.
Dinah stood up slowly, her face white. “Leave my house,” she said.
The colonel turned toward her. “What do—”
“Yes, the two of you. You and your sister. Leave my house at once.”
The tension lasted for long seconds. Dinah’s eyes didn’t waver. Alicia shattered the moment by standing up and saying, in tones of infinite disgust, “Come on, Tem. The only thing to do with that little bitch is start dragging her through the courts.”
They left silently, wrapped in dignity like stained cloaks.
Dinah came to Darrigan. She put her face against his chest, her brow hard against the angle of his jaw. The sobs were tiny spasms, tearing her, contorting her.
He cupped the back of her head in his hand, feeling a sense of wonder at the silk texture of her hair, at the tender outline of fragile bone underneath. Something more than forgotten welled up within him, stinging his eyes, husking his voice as he said, “They aren’t worth … this.”
“He … was worth … more than … this,” she gasped.
The torment was gone as suddenly as it had come. She stepped back, rubbing at streaming eyes with the backs of her hands, the way a child does.
“I’m sorry,” she said. She tried to smile. “You’re not a wailing wall.”
“Part of my official duties, sometimes.”
“Can they turn this into … nastiness?”
“They have no basis. He was of sound mind when he made the provisions. They’re getting enough. More than enough. Some people can never have enough.”
“I’d like to
Dinah stared at her. “How on earth can you say a thing like that when you’ve just found out? You’re his daughter. It doesn’t seem—”
“Kindly spare us the violin music,” Alicia said.
“I don’t want any of the insurance money,” Dinah said. “I don’t want any part of it. You two can have it. All of it.”
The colonel wheeled slowly and stared at her. He wet his lips. “Do you mean that?”
Dinah lifted her chin. “I mean it.”
The colonel said ingratiatingly, “You’ll have the trust fund, of course, as it states in the will. That certainly will be enough to take care of you.”
“I don’t know as I want that, either.”
“We can discuss that later,” the colonel said soothingly. “This is a great shock to all of us. Darrigan, can you draw up some sort of document she can sign where she relinquishes her claim as principal beneficiary?” When he spoke to Darrigan, his voice had a Pentagon crispness.
Darrigan had seen this too many times before. Money had changed the faces of the children. A croupier would recognize that glitter in the eyes, that moistness of mouth. Darrigan looked at Dinah. Her face was proud, unchanged.
“I could, I suppose. But I won’t,” Darrigan said.
“Don’t be impudent. If you can’t, a lawyer can.”
Darrigan spoke very slowly, very distinctly. “Possibly you don’t understand, Colonel. The relationship between insurance company and policyholder is one of trust. A policyholder does not name his principal beneficiary through whim. We have accepted his money over a period of years. We intend to see that his wishes are carried out. The policy options state that his widow will have an excellent income during her lifetime. She does not receive a lump sum, except for a single payment of ten thousand. What she does with the income is her own business, once it is received. She can give it to you, if she wishes.”
“I couldn’t accept that sort of … charity,” the colonel said stiffly. “You heard her state her wishes, man! She wants to give up all claims against the policies.”
Darrigan allowed himself a smile. “She’s only trying to dissociate herself from you two scavengers. She has a certain amount of pride. She is mourning her husband. Maybe you can’t understand that.”
“Throw him out, Tem,” Alicia whispered.
The colonel had turned white. “I shall do exactly that,” he said.
Dinah stood up slowly, her face white. “Leave my house,” she said.
The colonel turned toward her. “What do—”
“Yes, the two of you. You and your sister. Leave my house at once.”
The tension lasted for long seconds. Dinah’s eyes didn’t waver. Alicia shattered the moment by standing up and saying, in tones of infinite disgust, “Come on, Tem. The only thing to do with that little bitch is start dragging her through the courts.”
They left silently, wrapped in dignity like stained cloaks.
Dinah came to Darrigan. She put her face against his chest, her brow hard against the angle of his jaw. The sobs were tiny spasms, tearing her, contorting her.
He cupped the back of her head in his hand, feeling a sense of wonder at the silk texture of her hair, at the tender outline of fragile bone underneath. Something more than forgotten welled up within him, stinging his eyes, husking his voice as he said, “They aren’t worth … this.”
“He … was worth … more than … this,” she gasped.
The torment was gone as suddenly as it had come. She stepped back, rubbing at streaming eyes with the backs of her hands, the way a child does.
“I’m sorry,” she said. She tried to smile. “You’re not a wailing wall.”
“Part of my official duties, sometimes.”
“Can they turn this into … nastiness?”
“They have no basis. He was of sound mind when he made the provisions. They’re getting enough. More than enough. Some people can never have enough.”
“I’d like to
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