The Wives Of Edward Denbre, Robert F. Clifton [recommended reading .TXT] 📗

Romancing The Widow

With the death of Edwina, Edward Denbre became an instant multimillionaire. Unfortunately at about the same time he became a gambler, a bad gambler. At the baccarat tables in the casino's of La Vegas and Atlantic City Denbre lost a combined, nine hundred thousand dollars. He was still financially solvent. Still, he remembered two things, the poverty days of his youth and most importantly the way he had gained his wealth and fortune. He began looking for another woman, another victim, someone like Edwina.

One evening seated in the cocktail lounge of Resorts International in Atlantic City, at a table overlooking a small row of slot machines, he watched an attractive woman playing a fifty cent machine. What drew his attention to her was the fact that she was winning. He also noticed that as she filled cup after cup with half dollars she was running out of places to put them. Denbre leaned over the brass rail and said, “It seems that you're having a problem with all of your winnings.”

The woman, blond, petite, well dressed and about fifty years old looked up from where she stood and said, “Yes I am.

Can I trust you to hold a couple of these cups for me? I don't want to leave this machine as long as it is paying. Otherwise I'd cash in.”

“Certainly, just hand what you want up to me, “Edward answered.

The woman handed Denbre two cups filled with fifty cent pieces. After she did he said, “May I suggest a cocktail after you're done playing, what can I order for you?.'

“Thank you, vodka and tonic please.”

“No problem. It will be here waiting for you when you're ready. Take your time.”

Approximately a half an hour later the woman's luck ran out and the machine stopped paying. She made one more desperate pull, watched the wheels spin, then stop revealing the fact that she lost. “Oh well”, he heard her say and watched as she removed the three filled cups from the top of the machine.

She handed each up to Edward and said, “I'll be right there.”

He watched her as she made her way the short distance to the three steps and brass handrail that led to the cocktail lounge.

As she approached his table Denbre, the gentleman stood and greeted her. Holding her chair he waited until she was seated then returned to his seat. “I hope you don't mind, but I ordered your drink made with Belvedere.”

The woman smiled and replied, “Is there any particular reason?”

“No, other than the fact that I assumed that you are used to it.”

“You are very perceptive, Mr. Mr?

“Denbre, Edward Denbre.”

“Hello Mr. Denbre”.

“Call me Edward. My friends do and since you believe that I'm perceptive I have the feeling that you and I will become rather close friends. Meanwhile, while you think over what I just said you can tell me your name.”

“Gloria Hanson and before we go any further I want you to know that I don't jump into bed with men I just met.”

“That's very admirable. However, I don't recall asking you to do that”.

“Touche' Mr. Denbre”.

“Edward. Now, before we go any further where is Mr. Hanson?”

“In a cemetery just outside of Philadelphia”.

“I'm so sorry.”

“Don't be. He left me very well off. And what about you Edward? Are you married?”

“No. like you I'm a widower. I lost my wife sometime ago.”

“Then we're both free to enjoy each others company. Where do you live Edward?”

“In Ventnor, practically next door.”

“And, can I ask what you do?”

“Certainly. I'm an investor. I play the market.”

“Successfully may I ask?”

“Yes.”

“Yes? That's all you have to say?”

“I don't know what else I can tell you. I invest my money in different financial plans and once in awhile I invest my friends money. I've been doing it for years and so far I'm financially secure and my friends have made money.”

“Very Interesting”.

“Really? I find you interesting at the same time.”

“I'm afraid you would find me rather boring.”

“Right now besides finding you very attractive there's a mystery about you.”

“Come now. I've been described as many things, but mysterious is not one of them”.

“Then let's end the mystery tell me all about yourself.”

“What is there to tell. I was born and raised in Philadelphia. Graduated from Temple with a degree in philosophy which is totally useless. I met and married William Hanson and I lost him to lung cancer two years ago. We had no children and he left me financially secure.”

“O.K. you're from Philadelphia, but which part? It's a large city.”

“Rittenhouse Square.”

Denbre fought the excitement resulting from the information she had given. As the woman sipped her drink he began to further examine her with his eyes. She was attractive. Her attire, a dress that appeared expensive, but definitely not a designer flock accented her figure. The jewelry she wore was costume, but not cheap by any means. She had admitted that she was financially well off. The question was how well off? Although she didn't give an exact address she did say Rittenhouse Square a relatively expensive place to live in the city. He slowly reached into his inside jacket pocket removed a silver pill box which known only to him contained tic tacs and looking at his watch said, “Excuse me, it's time I took my medication”.

“Go right ahead. It's nothing serious I hope”, she replied.

“No, but you appear to be in good health.”

“Looks are deceiving.”

“Oh, something wrong? Nothing serious I hope”.

“Just a touch of arthritis. I'm fine just as long as I take my medication.”

“I'm glad of that. What do you take?”

“Most of the time, just aspirin”

“I hope it's helping you”, he said.

“It is.”

“Good, now if I can be so bold, I'd like to see you again Gloria. I see you as a lady and should be treated accordingly. I'm not making a pass at you or trying to seduce you. What I do have in mind is our meeting socially from time to time both here in this area or in Philadelphia. Here is my card. I'll write my telephone number on the back of it. Should you agree to my invitation sometime please don't hesitate to call. I'll leave you now. Have a safe trip home,” said Edward handing her his card.

The next day Edward researched William Hanson of Philadelphia starting with the obituary printed in the Philadelphia Inquirer's on line, morgue. By reading it he learned that William Hanson had been involved in the import, export business in Philadelphia. He had died at age forty nine and his only surviving relative was his wife and widow, Gloria Baker Hanson.

Next, he called his broker asking him to examine the wealth and holdings of the former William Hanson and his now living widow, Gloria Hanson. When asked why Denbre stated that he was interested in purchasing stock in Hanson's company if it was available. Two days later Tom Harrington called back informing Denbre that there was no public stock and that the company belonged to Gloria Hanson. Her net worth was reported to be one, point eight million dollars. It wasn't as much as he had hoped for, but if he was successful her money would keep his head above water. The Vegas Casino's were demanding payment.

Three weeks after their original meeting Gloria called Edward. “What a pleasant surprise. How are you?”, he asked.

“Just fine thank you. I thought you might like to know that I intend to spend this weekend in Atlantic City. Perhaps we could meet for drinks and chat, she said.

“Nothing would please me more. Will you be staying at Resorts again?”

“No, I'll be a the Borgata.”

“An excellent choice. May I suggest dinner there”.

“If you wish”.

“Oh, I wish.”

“My, you are a rascal”, she said as she giggled.

“Will you be checking in on Friday?”

“Yes”.

“Good. I'll take care of the dinner reservations. You have your choice of Bobby Flay's or Wolfgang Puck's.”

“I'd like to try Wolfgang's”

“Again, your wish is my command. See you on Friday.”

The courtship of Gloria Hanson began at dinner that Friday night. Eleven months later the couple was married in City Hall, Philadelphia. They left immediately for a honeymoon in San Juan Puerto Rico. Once there Gloria sat either on the beach or poolside while Edward played the casino at the El San Juan. As usual he bet big and lost big.

Just before they were scheduled to fly back to Philadelphia Gloria decided she wanted to go to the spa in the hotel. Denbre saw this as an opportunity and said that he would wander down town and tend to some business . He took a cab from the hotel to 600 Avenida and walked into the office of Multinational Life Insurance. While there he took out a life insurance policy on Gloria Denbre for two hundred and fifty thousand dollars and made the beneficiary Denbre Enterprises, Nautilus Beach, New Jersey. He wrote a check for the first premium payment. Back in Atlantic City he made his new wife First Vice President of Denbre Enterprises and as his lawyer added the new officer to the Articles of Corporation explained that the new life insurance policy regarding her was strictly for business purposes.

As the months went by Edward became bored with the marriage. At the same time he was finding it difficult to get Gloria to release funds from her import and export business that was still in operation. He reminded her that although he had made her a member of the board in Denbre Enterprises she had not done the same with Hanson and Hanson. She reminded him that her operation was making a profit annually. His was not.

He also found her astute in business, so good that he had to be extremely careful when mentioning business affairs. Finally, after nearly three years of marriage he decided that it was time to get rid of her, but first, he had to be certain that all of her assets would fall to him. After months of badgering Gloria agreed to sell her business. Still, she kept the proceeds from the sale in a separate account where Edwards could not touch it.

At the same time she kept the condo in Philadelphia for tax purposes. Denbre also saw the Pennsylvania condo as an asset. They stayed there when attending shows, concerts and charity events. Edward used it while attending sports events.

On a Friday evening and alone Edward Denbre entered the condominium complex in Rittenhouse Square, was greeted by the doorman and took the elevator to the fifth floor. There he unlocked the door to the apartment and entered. Everything was neat and in order. After carrying an overnight bag into the master bedroom he removed the ticket he had for Saturdays hockey game. He decided to put it in the nightstand next to the bed. When he opened the nightstand drawer he found several papers. He picked them up and began to read them. All of them were obsolete parts of files from William and Gloria Hanson's business. One thing stood out to him. Gloria's signature. Then, an idea came to him.

Denbre spent Friday night and most of the day on Saturday practicing writing Gloria's signature. Forgoing the hockey game he only stopped practicing to eat. The couple kept frozen meals in the refrigerator's freezer. He heated a meatloaf dinner in the microwave and made coffee. By Sunday morning the bogus signature written by him was improving. Still, he had to get it better.. He gathered the practice papers carried them to the kitchen sink, struck a match and burned them all. Satisfied, he washed the ashes down the drain watching as the operating garbage disposal eliminated any trace of burned paper.

As Edward walked past the doorman he stopped and asked, “Who won the hockey game yesterday?”

“The Ranger's 3 Flyers 1,” came the answer.

One week later Denbre complained of an onset of insomnia. After telling Gloria that he didn't want to disturb her sleep he moved into the guest bedroom. There at night he continued practicing forging her signature. When he thought that it