Angie of the Garden

Chapter One-1

Hollis Simms was lounging on the veranda of Fairhaven on a quintessential summer day. The barely perceptible breeze moving lazily through the majestic trees did not rustle the New York Times enough to hamper his ability to read the words. Hollis was alone, as his wife and daughter were visiting friends on this morning. He truly felt like the master of his domain. Taking a sip from his cup of coffee, he gazed out over the well- kept grounds.
Fairhaven had been constructed in the early eighteen hundreds. There had been many renovations over the years before his wife Olivia had purchased the mansion for them to live in. At that time there was only Hollis and herself, so the thirty rooms their new home provided seemed excessive. The arrival of their first and only child did little to change that perception. Still Olivia Reese had been accustomed to living in elegance. She would not allow marriage to alter her standards.
"Mr. Simms!"
A familiar voice interrupted Hollis' reading. Frank Martin, the man responsible for the appearance of these aesthetically pleasing acres, came running up to the porch. 
"There's a wino sleeping on the lawn," he breathlessly informed his employer.
"Should I call the cops so they can get his drunken ass out of here?"
Hollis was tempted to say yes since he was reticent to do anything that would interfere with his perfect Sunday morning. Calling the authorities was the most expedient way to remedy the situation, but his curiosity would not allow him to choose that option.
"I'll have a look first, Frank."
The two men walked towards the west side of the mansion. They came upon a stocky individual in a three-piece suite lying on the grass there.
"He doesn't look like a wino to me," Hollis observed with a barely perceptible smirk on his face.
"I know he don't. But people ain't always what they seem. I think we should call the cops."
"But Sam may be offended if we do," Hollis told him.
"Who?"
"This is Sam. You've met him before, only he didn't have a beard at that time.
He also wasn't behaving like a dipsomaniac."
"It's a good thing I don't know what that means, or I might be offended," the
intruder said.
Then he opened his eyes and continued.
"My name is Sebastian, not Sam. After all these years you should know that." "You should have been named Sam. You're sturdy and dependable, for the most
part, anyway. I've always associated those qualities with that name. So why are you one week early for my surprise party?"
Sebastian sat up and laughed. That Hollis would discover his wife's plan was to be expected.
"Olivia's not going to be happy when she finds out that you know about the party."
"That's the way Mrs. Simms usually is," Frank observed.
"As for my reason for coming early," Sebastian continued as he stood up. "I was hanging out with some friends on the island last night. I lost track of the time, and had them drop me off here. But then I noticed that it was three o'clock in the morning. I slept on the grass because I didn't want to wake you. I've lost my job. And Clare threw me out of the apartment."
"I'm sorry to hear about the job," Hollis said, "and Clare as well. I've always liked her."
Sebastian looked away for a moment. Hollis was accustomed to dealing with people who were experiencing emotional problems. Even so it was always more difficult when it came to consoling someone he knew personally.
"Why don't you go inside and take a shower? I have some clothes you can borrow. Olivia and Belle aren't here. We can have a few bloody marys."
Sebastian turned and looked at his older brother. Hollis always found the right thing to say.
"Do you still make them as strong as you used to?" he asked.
"No. They've gotten stronger over the years," Hollis responded.
Frank returned to the cottage on the grounds of Fairhaven where he lived with his family. Hollis went inside the mansion with his unexpected guest. As he walked up the long spiral staircase and observed the beautiful design sculpted into the ceiling, Sebastian once again marveled at the fact that his brother lived here. That had become possible when Hollis married Olivia Reese. Though Doctor Simms was a successful psychiatrist in his own right, only the staggering wealth of the Reese family could have provided them with such a magnificent palace to dwell in.
Sebastian finished his shower and put on the sweat suit that Hollis had provided. He then walked through the narrow archway to join his brother in the study. The bloody mary Hollis had promised him was on a table beside a vacant leather chair. His host occupied the one next to it. The large stone fireplace that dominated the room was dormant now. A painting by Jackson Pollack hung on the wall near the large window.
"So tell me what happened," Hollis said as his brother sat down next to him. "Do you remember Jason Fields?"
"I remember the name."
"He's the Vice President of Research at McDivet Investments." Sebastian nearly
choked on the last two words. "I've worked for him for the last several years. I analyzed companies to determine if they were worthwhile investments for our customers and submitted my reports to him. One of those companies was called 'Let Us Shop.'"
"I've never heard of them."