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

do and having your housekeeper showing me where everything is was very helpful.”

“Here, Renata is my right hand. She actually runs the place. Could I get you something, coffee, tea, a drink perhaps?”

“No, I stopped and had lunch. I'm fine for the moment.

“Well, if there's anything you want or need don't hesitate to let me know.”

“I shall, Edward. Now, this garden party for UNESCO, where is it being held?”

“At the home of Jennifer Holmes, in Margate.”

“I've been involved with UNESCO for years yet, her name isn't familiar to me.”

“Really? That's odd.”

“You haven't invited me here using UNESCO as a pretext to seduce me have you?”

“No, but there is no guarantee that I won't try after the party.”

“You're so naughty. So tell me, how did you like Monaco?”

“Beautiful, except for losing at the casino.”

“Do you ever win Edward?”

“Just enough to make me believe that I can break the bank, like all gamblers. Then of course I give what I had won back to them. Would you like to play while you're here?”

“No. I don't like Atlantic City's casino's. At the same time I'm not crazy about Vegas either.”

“Perhaps it's the decor.”

“No, it's the people.”

“Staff, or patrons?”

“Both. You should have noticed the difference when you played at Monte-Carlo.”

“I did.”

“Then you understand.”

“I do. How are Shirley and Emil?”

“Fine. I spoke with Shirley recently. By the way, she said that Emil is still waiting to hear from you.”

“Unfortunately, that deal with the childrens breakfast cereal is still on hold. I wouldn't want to take his money unless it's a sure thing.”

“It might be nice if you told him that.”

“I'll make a note to do it.”

“Now, let's get back to this garden party. How much am I expected to donate?”

“That would be up to you to decide.”

“What will you be giving?”

“At the moment I'm over extended so I won't be giving what I usually donate.”

“What is it that you consider usual?”

“A thousand dollars. This year I'll be giving between three and five hundred.”

“Precisely what I had in mind. My larger donation will be made back in Baltimore, as always. Now, since my sleeping arrangements are settled. May I ask about dinner?”

“What about it?”

“Will we be dining out or staying in? if we're going out I need to know how to dress. If we are staying in what are my choices?”

“I had a private chef prepare two entrees. The first is Cornish game hens, the second is lobster Newburg. When we're ready to eat Renata will serve us.”

“You mean warmed up?”

“No of course not. I thought that we would dine at about eight. Chef De Cello will be here at about seven or seven thirty to add the finishing touches to his creations. I hope that's alright with you.”

“Certainly, right now I prefer the Newburg, but we'll see. I might change my mind.”

“Good.”

“Now, what can you tell me about this Jennifer Holmes woman?”

“Not too much. She came from being a shop girl to someone with money, a lot of money. One time I saw her make a grand entrance by dragging her Chinchilla coat across the floor as she walked into the room.”

“How crude.”

“Look at it this way, she wanted attention and she got it.”

“And what about you Edward? Do you want attention?”

“Only from you”, he answered as he leaned forward and kissed her. The courtship of Henrietta Thornton began at that moment.

Denbre made several trips to Maryland over the next seven months. The necessity of the trips bothered him, but he considered it necessary if he was going to be able to convince Henrietta to marry him. Nonetheless he took advantage of their time together to gather information from her about her wealth. He started by beginning a conversation about stocks and bonds. The result was that he learned that she had many shares of blue chip stocks in her portfolio. He also remembered the conversation she had with Shirley Beauvals in Paris revealing the fact that the proceeds from the sale of her deceased, husbands bank was over one and a half million dollars. Still, he wanted to know more, such as her bank accounts, domestic and or foreign.

On a weekend in July Henrietta suggested that he stay overnight. He readily agreed and at approximately three o'clock in the morning he slipped out of bed. Walking carefully so not to wake Henrietta he made his way to the study. There, using a penlight he removed papers, documents and a journal. He set them aside and slowly reached to the rear of the desk drawer. His fingers touched and grasped a small book. After removing it from the drawer he shined the light on it and saw that it was a bank book. He opened it quickly saw the total sum and smiled. She had more than he thought she had. Denbre carefully placed everything back in the desk drawer, shut off the penlight and made his way back to the guest room.

Armed with the knowledge of Henrietta's wealth his courtship intensified and after a weekend at a Vermont bed and breakfast he proposed. She accepted and after a civil wedding ceremony at the house in Baltimore the couple were wed. Edward then began researching different ways to kill her. Her actual death had to wait until he was certain that her money went to him. Once again a rich widow had insisted on a prenuptial agreement. Reluctantly he had agreed, but considered it only a slight roadblock to his plans. Finally, after some research, a way to kill his new wife began to formulate in his mind. The next order of business was to get his hands on her money. “First things first. I need to get an insurance policy on her. Here, I must be cautious. It might be that insurance investigators from other companies are watching transactions that might remind them of large premium payments to me. I've been the beneficiary in two policies. Be smart, keep the premium to under two hundred thousand,” he thought to himself.

On a Thursday morning at the breakfast table Henrietta announced that she would be attending a charity event over the weekend. Edward stated that since she would be busy he would return to Atlantic City to attend to business interests. Actually, he wanted to purchase the insurance policy on his wife and then play the tables in the casino's.

He arrived at his Ventnor condo on a late Friday afternoon. Upon entering he found that Renata after he had called her, had kept the place spic and span. She had even stocked the refrigerator and freezer with enough things to carry him over the weekend. He went to the telephone and picked up the telephone book. Thumbing through the yellow pages he searched for travel agencies and found one close by the insurance company he intended to do business with the next day.

At ten fifteen Saturday morning, Edward Denbre wrote a check for the first payment to the Zerby Insurance Company of Switzerland for a one hundred thousand dollar life insurance policy on Henrietta Denbre. This time he was cautious and did not ask for the double indemnity clause. After the agent took the check both men shook hands and Denbre left the office. He then walked one block and entered a small travel agency. A middle aged woman sat at a desk. One wall of the small office contained printed posters. A blond, wooden stand held brochures advertising vacation places and plans for all over the world. “Good morning. May I help you?”, asked the woman.

“Yes, I was wondering if you have any information on the Zion National Park, in Utah,” Denbre answered.

“I'm sure we do. If you give me just a moment I'll see what we have.”

“Please, take your time.”

After a few minutes the woman turned and handed Edward three brochures. “Many of our clients prefer the Grand Canyon.

We seldom get anyone with an interest in the Zion Nation Park,” she said.

“It is my understanding that's why it's often crowded. I might consider the trip to the Grand Canyon for something to do next year,”Denbre replied.

Edward drove back to the condo in Ventnor. There, he sat studying the information contained in the pamphlets. One detail mentioned caught his attention, Angels Landing. To him it was the ideal location. First, it was a precarious climb to reach the summit. One had to walk on a very narrow, rocky path. Most hikers or sightseer's held on to a steel chain as they made their way up and down the path route. The pathway was so narrow that those wishing to ascend often had to wait while those above made their way down the course. The most interesting fact was that it was one thousand, four hundred and eight eight feet from Angles Landing to the bottom of the rocky, canyon below.

Denbre placed the brochures in his brief case. The most difficult part of his plan was going to be convincing Henrietta to vacation in Utah. She preferred Europe to travel in the United States and had mentioned the Greek Islands for this years vacation. From the briefcase he removed two old documents both containing Henrietta's signature. However, the signature was that of Henrietta Thornton. He needed the name Denbre written in her hand. Still, he sat for the next two hours imitating and practicing writing Henrietta over and over until it was nearly perfect. Now, his plan was different. He would not go after her money and property immediately after her death. Instead, he would produce a typed will written before her accidental death and with her forged signature after allowing a substantial amount of time to go by. He had to appear as the grief stricken husband who was not at all interested in his dead wife's fortune. He forced himself to stay away from the casino card tables. He had to appear to be financially solvent should an investigation occurred. His assets was just under one million dollars, but he was heavily in debt. He reached for the telephone on the desk and dialed the number in Baltimore.

“Hello?,” said Henrietta when she answered the telephone.

“Henrietta. I'm calling to tell you that I'll be staying here over the weekend. I have to go to the bank the first thing on Monday morning. As soon as I'm finished there I'll be driving home,” Denbre said.

“Fine, be careful.”

“I will dear. Good by.”

Edward fought the urge to go to the casino. Instead, he thought and re-thought his plan to do away with his wife. Before he did he had to have her signature as Henrietta Denbre. There was only one sure way that she would give him what he wanted without causing her to be suspicious. He got up from the easy chair and walked into the kitchen. There he opened the freezer and selected a meal prepared by Renata. He placed it in the microwave oven and heated it. As he sat and ate he was satisfied that the new part of his plan would work.

On Monday morning, at ten o'clock, Edward walked into the Commerce Bank in Atlantic City and requested that Henrietta Denbre be added with him in a joint checking account. He was handed a card and the teller said, “Just have your wife sign on this line and return it to us and we will make the arrangement”.

“Thank you”, Denbre replied.

When he got back to the house in Baltimore he stood in the master bedroom unpacking. Henrietta walked in and said, “Well, did you win or lose at the casino's?”

“I didn't play,” he answered.

“That's very unusual.”

“I'm trying to change my ways my dear. Instead of gambling, I think I would like to travel, see things I've never seen before.”

“Good, I know you've never seen the Greek Islands.”

“All in good time love. While I was in Atlantic City I visited a travel agency. The woman there more or less introduced me to Utah.”

“Utah? Other than the Mormon Tabernacle what else is there to see?”

“Zion National Park.”

“Can you picture me camping in