Driving Miss Daisy - S01 E21

2 days ago

Driving Miss Daisy - S01 E21

Read Story: SEASON 1 EPISODE 21

I tied up some loose ends early Tuesday morning, telling Cara I would be back in the office as soon as could before driving first to Great Neck and then in the opposite direction to the ferry terminal in nearby Port Jefferson. I had a reservation for the 2:00 p.m. trip. Arriving early gave me the opportunity to grab a quick lunch, returning just in time to load my new Toyota into the lower deck. My car was wedged between the starboard side and a large truck. Once it was locked I walked upstairs to the rear deck where I sat in the bright afternoon sun. I returned to the car just over an hour later as we pulled into Bridgeport harbor. First on, first off; | was on my way less than five minutes after docking. Ninety minutes later I pulled into the parking lot at the Springfield Marriott.

I relaxed in my ninth floor room, looking out over the city's skyline, not that it was anything like New York or Chicago. Still, I found the view interesting. I spent a few minutes to email Sara as I had promised. I read the one she had sent me yesterday in response. She told me that she missed me terribly. I felt even better knowing that.

I had some time before dinner so I checked the yellow pages on my phone, finding what I wanted in only a few minutes. Rushing into the lobby, I asked for directions and was pleased when they provided an area map. Twenty minutes later I pulled into the lot at the Cyber Exchange and fifteen minutes after that I had a brand new refurbished laptop. Why, you ask, would I, a computer PhD. want a piece of used junk that was almost obsolete? It was a critical part of my plan. I paid cash, buying in the name of Margaret O'Neill. Once I was in the area of their home I could access their wi-fi and do my dastardly best to ruin her life. Now, we all know that home wi-fi is password protected, right? Think of that protection as being locks on a home's doors. They are intended to keep honest people honest, but anyone who is a professional cyber criminal would have no problems at all defeating them. The same can be said for most home alarm systems.

I returned to my room where I left the computer. I wasn't worried about theft. I had only paid $149 plus tax, turning down the extended warranty. I'd have no use for it by week's end. After checking out the menus I walked into the sports bar. Sitting at the bar I ordered a Philly cheese steak sandwich and a draft Stella. It was a Tuesday so I wasn't expecting the restaurant to be very crowded, but I was amazed that it was practically deserted. The bartender spent most of my time there chatting with me. She was a fine looking woman with a great figure and I might have shown some interest had I not spent the weekend with Sara. Instead, I paid cash and tipped generously before returning to my room where I checked out the internet capabilities of my new laptop.

I was up early the following morning and after breakfast I drove straight to the State Street headquarters of the bank where Daisy's father was an executive vice president. I strode right through the customer area to the elevators at the rear. I got off at the third floor and stepped up to the receptionist who, I was sure, was more accustomed to seeing businessmen in sults, instead of a man who was dressed casually in jeans, a plaid shirt, and a navy cardigan sweater. "I'd like to see Thomas O'Neill."

"Do you have an appointment?"

"No," I replied, handing her my business card that identified me as John M. Gotti, PhD, President and CEO of Tritech, Inc. "But, I'm sure he'll see me." She gave me the once-over then retreated into the offices. My erstwhile father-in-law walked out to greet me less than five minutes later.

"John, I must admit I'm surprised. Please come into my office." He shook my hand and led me to his doorway.

"I suggest you close the door, Tom." He did, but his face showed his obvious confusion.

"What's this about, John?"

"Do you have an interest in reclaiming your life? I heard a phone call from Margaret to Daisy in which Margaret described the things she's done to you in the most lurid and disgusting detail. I know all about the cock cage-she sent one just like it to Daisy to use on me-and I know about the beatings..the shocks, too. I came here to see if you wanted my help to gain your freedom."

"But...how?"

"First, I have a Steelwerks key from the cage I destroyed so I'm sure I can get you out of yours. Margaret told Daisy they were identical. Do you have access to money?"

"No....all of the money, all of the investments are in her name."

"Where does she have it?"

The cash is mostly in this bank because I get free accounts here, but they are in her name only."

"That's no problem. What about investments?"

"Margaret has accounts with Vanguard, Fidelity, and T. Rowe Price, primarily. Total comes to about three million, but I can't get to it. Here at the bank she has more than a million in certificates of deposit. Most of them go back to when we had real interest rates."

"Tom, if you want my help I can guarantee that you can and will get to it-all of it. Is Daisy living with you?"

"No...the probation department in New York wouldn't let her leave the state. She's living now in someplace called Bay Shore. Know where that is?"

"Yeah, I do. Do you have a passport?"

"Yes, but Margaret has it in her safe."

"Can you get it if you have to?"

"I suppose; we're merging with a bank in Canada so I might have to travel there."

"Okay, let's put a plan together. I have an idea of how to proceed, but we'll need to work out the particulars." And that's what we did over the next hour. Then we went to lunch where we discussed the other part of my plan-how I could expand into Europe and his possible role in that effort. He was obviously impressed by the product and client list, eagerly agreeing to my plan before we returned to his office. Doing some business would mean that I'd have a viable justification for being in Springfield. He agreed to pass my firm's prospectus up the line to the CEO with his recommendation.

I was parked around the corner from the O'Neill residence at seven o'clock that evening. Tom and had agreed that I would wait outside until I had received a phone call from him. One of the reasons why I had driven more than fifty miles out of my way to Great Neck and back yesterday morning was to get something that would knock Margaret out and keep her out for hours so I could get into her computer and possibly into her safe. Tom had told me that Margaret had trouble remembering things like passwords so she had a "protected program" that she used for that purpose.