walls, subdued lighting, perfect for those late-night assignations. All the trappings of the good life. She thought about her tiny studio with the faded red chairs, the fieldstone fireplace, and the narrow twin beds. There simply was no comparison.
Ash’s voice was vitriolic, full of hatred when he said, “You wormed your way into my mother’s life. You turned her against me and Simon, too. You got it all, the money, the land, the jewelry, the gold, the stock. You stole what was Simon’s and mine. My father told me you would do it, too. He knew what was going on. My mother the whore. You’re just like her, Fanny She wheedled that money out of Cotton Easter just the way you wheedled it out of her. You’re a cheat and a thief masquerading in a mother’s body.”
Fanny grew light-headed at the ugly words. He was getting to her, pushing her buttons, jerking her strings. If only Sallie hadn’t put her in this position. If only she hadn’t agreed to take care of the Thornton monies. If only ... if only.
Fanny’s voice was colder than ice. “My conscience is clear. I will never forgive you for the position you’ve put Birch in. The headlines will probably read EMPEROR AND SON INDICTED IN BANK FRAUD.”
“Then help me, goddamn it.”
“Not this time, Ash. Not this time.”
“What about Birch?”
“Like father like son,” Fanny said.
“You’ll help Billie Coleman, but you won’t help your husband and son? I hope you rot in hell, Fanny.”
“Billie is taking responsibility and trying to correct a terrible wrong. If I were in her place, I’d do the same thing. Birch knows right from wrong just the way you know right from wrong. What’s that saying, you play you pay?”
Fanny’s legs felt like wet noodles as she made her way to Sunny’s office.
Sunny looked up from her cluttered desk. “Mom! Twice in one week? No one told me you were on the floor. Is something wrong?”
“I came in through the garage. I wanted to ... surprise your father. Do you happen to know where Birch is?”
“Biloxi, Mississippi. Mom, what’s wrong?”
Fanny told her.
“Mom, they could go to jail. You can’t let that happen. You can do something, can’t you?”
“No. If Birch is in Mississippi, it’s a done deal. Ash wired the money I don’t know the ins and outs of that, but it has something to do with federal regulations, state lines, and things like that.”
“Pay the money back.”
“It isn’t that simple. The owners of the riverboats are already spending their money I suppose it’s possible for your father to cut some kind of deal with the bank. Forty-eight hours from now we will no longer be banking at Nevada Savings and Loan. The Nevada National Trust bank will be handling the Thornton accounts.”
“Mom, the bank will shut down if you pull out.”
“There is that possibility.”
“I hate to say this, Mom, but Grandma Sallie wouldn’t let all those people lose their jobs.”
“That’s your father’s responsibility Your father should have thought ahead to what could happen down the road. Pure and simple, he did not think he’d get caught. If I hadn’t agreed to help Billie Coleman, we still wouldn’t know what he’d done. I’m not Sallie, Sunny. I have to do what’s right, for us, for me.”
“Dad and Birch won’t be able to work in the gaming business if...”
“I know. How are you feeling, Sunny?”
“Tired at times, other times I feel like scrubbing walls and floors. Mom, aside from all of this, is there something else bothering you? You don’t look right to me.”
“Your father said some very ugly things. I just have to come to terms with it all. I guess I’m tired, too. I have a hundred things I have to do. Why don’t you and Tyler come up to Sunrise over the weekend?”
“Can’t. I have a mountain of things to do before the championship. With Birch gone, Dad piled it all on me. I’m not complaining. I’d rather be busy than just sitting here. Is there anything I can
Ash’s voice was vitriolic, full of hatred when he said, “You wormed your way into my mother’s life. You turned her against me and Simon, too. You got it all, the money, the land, the jewelry, the gold, the stock. You stole what was Simon’s and mine. My father told me you would do it, too. He knew what was going on. My mother the whore. You’re just like her, Fanny She wheedled that money out of Cotton Easter just the way you wheedled it out of her. You’re a cheat and a thief masquerading in a mother’s body.”
Fanny grew light-headed at the ugly words. He was getting to her, pushing her buttons, jerking her strings. If only Sallie hadn’t put her in this position. If only she hadn’t agreed to take care of the Thornton monies. If only ... if only.
Fanny’s voice was colder than ice. “My conscience is clear. I will never forgive you for the position you’ve put Birch in. The headlines will probably read EMPEROR AND SON INDICTED IN BANK FRAUD.”
“Then help me, goddamn it.”
“Not this time, Ash. Not this time.”
“What about Birch?”
“Like father like son,” Fanny said.
“You’ll help Billie Coleman, but you won’t help your husband and son? I hope you rot in hell, Fanny.”
“Billie is taking responsibility and trying to correct a terrible wrong. If I were in her place, I’d do the same thing. Birch knows right from wrong just the way you know right from wrong. What’s that saying, you play you pay?”
Fanny’s legs felt like wet noodles as she made her way to Sunny’s office.
Sunny looked up from her cluttered desk. “Mom! Twice in one week? No one told me you were on the floor. Is something wrong?”
“I came in through the garage. I wanted to ... surprise your father. Do you happen to know where Birch is?”
“Biloxi, Mississippi. Mom, what’s wrong?”
Fanny told her.
“Mom, they could go to jail. You can’t let that happen. You can do something, can’t you?”
“No. If Birch is in Mississippi, it’s a done deal. Ash wired the money I don’t know the ins and outs of that, but it has something to do with federal regulations, state lines, and things like that.”
“Pay the money back.”
“It isn’t that simple. The owners of the riverboats are already spending their money I suppose it’s possible for your father to cut some kind of deal with the bank. Forty-eight hours from now we will no longer be banking at Nevada Savings and Loan. The Nevada National Trust bank will be handling the Thornton accounts.”
“Mom, the bank will shut down if you pull out.”
“There is that possibility.”
“I hate to say this, Mom, but Grandma Sallie wouldn’t let all those people lose their jobs.”
“That’s your father’s responsibility Your father should have thought ahead to what could happen down the road. Pure and simple, he did not think he’d get caught. If I hadn’t agreed to help Billie Coleman, we still wouldn’t know what he’d done. I’m not Sallie, Sunny. I have to do what’s right, for us, for me.”
“Dad and Birch won’t be able to work in the gaming business if...”
“I know. How are you feeling, Sunny?”
“Tired at times, other times I feel like scrubbing walls and floors. Mom, aside from all of this, is there something else bothering you? You don’t look right to me.”
“Your father said some very ugly things. I just have to come to terms with it all. I guess I’m tired, too. I have a hundred things I have to do. Why don’t you and Tyler come up to Sunrise over the weekend?”
“Can’t. I have a mountain of things to do before the championship. With Birch gone, Dad piled it all on me. I’m not complaining. I’d rather be busy than just sitting here. Is there anything I can
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