Long White Con by Iceberg Slim

Author:Iceberg Slim [Slim, Iceberg]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Canongate Books Ltd

9

Christina Turn Around

A half hour before ten that evening, Folks packed his Aztec Billy costume and make-up kit into an overnight case and drove to the Buckmeister castle. Speedy was at the gates to receive him. He pulled the Eldorado into a parking area clogged with Mercedes, Rolls and Cadillac limousines.

Speedy whisked him into the security building and said, ‘You can watch the bash on a monitor. There’s a coffee urn in the corner.’ Then he locked him in.

Folks lit a cigarette and sat down on a couch facing the bank of monitors. He intently watched the one with the image of the Buckmeister dining room. A hundred odd, formally attired men and women, most of them in control of multi-national corporations, sat at a long rectangular banquet table in the luxurious room. A battery of crystal chandeliers blazed dazzling light from the high ceiling.

Crystal glassware and gold serviceware glittered on snowy damask table covering before them as their cultivated conversation hummed through the monitor. Their impressive names and titles were embossed on gold leafed place cards.

Christina was an empress vision gowned in spangled black lace at the end of the table. Trevor, distinguished, aristocratic and handsome, sat at the other end of the table. Swarms of waiters scurried in puce uniforms with chest pockets embroidered with the Buckmeister coat of arms, an ancient Buckmeister knight on steed slaying a dragon. The waiters poured champagne into crystal goblets.

Trevor stood with goblet in hand. In the hush he said, ‘To the guest of honor, my beloved sister, Christina.’

The guests rose, aimed their faces and glasses toward Christina and sipped before they sat down.

Christina rose, with glass in hand. She smiled at a blond stringbean of a man at mid-table with a perpetual dour expression on his handsome face.

Christina said, ‘Ladies and gentlemen, let us toast and honor the man, the proverbial heartbeat away, the honorable Chester Wiggins, the Vice-President of the United States!’

Wiggins nodded with a meager smile as the guests stood and toasted him.

Christina said, ‘Please keep your feet, ladies and gentlemen. Let us now toast and honor a truly great and legendary lady. My friendship with most of you, my happiness, my success is due to the influencing, the caring of one of this century’s most prestigious business women . . . the Grand Dame of finance and humanity, my ailing mother. The beloved Victoria Buckmeister!’

The guests toasted, then applauded enthusiastically. They descended en masse toward Christina, standing smilingly to receive their warm attention and congratulations.

Folks heard a joyful cackle of triumph from the adjacent private room. Curious, he walked into the room to the monitor with the image of Victoria’s bedroom. A withered octogenarian R.N. in a wilted white uniform was seated on the side of Victoria’s bed watching a closed circuit image of the dining room. Victoria, propped up on pillows, picked at banquet food on a tray across her lap. She childishly clapped her hands as she stared excitedly at the screen.

The R.N. said, ‘Congratulations, dear Victoria.

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