Sneak Peek for Scandal At The Belmont

My Newest Novel — Scandal At The Belmont — Releases on Aug 30th. Less than 6 WEEKS AWAY (Labor Day Weekend). It’s Available to Pre-Order NOW on Amazon for ONLY $2.99. For Kindle Unlimited Members, be aware it WILL be available on KU from Day 1.

I’ve decided to SHARE HERE a Sneak Peek of the First Few Chapters, since you can’t get this from the Amazon page. Here’s the Link to Pre-Order the Book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FGVRQ8C9

SCANDAL AT THE BELMONT

Chapter 1

July 31st, 1914

Gramercy Park, New York City

Years later, when Charles Bennington looked back on this moment, he had the oddest thought: Given the fact that nothing in life ever goes as planned, why do we go on planning out our lives as if it mattered? As if we had the slightest control of the present or the future?

After what began as the most routine of Saturdays—breakfast together with Lily’s parents and Cedric at the family manse—would, by the end of the day, unleash a series of events that would reset the direction of all their lives in a most disturbing way.

But there was absolutely no indication of this as Charles turned off Fifth Avenue into the first blocks of Gramercy Park. It was a bright and beautiful summer morning. Flowers in the gardens were blooming. Birds were singing in the trees. Charles was sitting next to the great love of his life. His ice-making business was booming.

For these brief shining moments, he hadn’t a care in the world.

The only downside to their Saturday morning routine was the dress code. The Whitaker’s still honored the tradition of the elite to “dress for breakfast.” True, it wasn’t as elegant and refined as the dress code for dinner, but still, Charles found their outfits far too uncomfortable and confining, especially for a warm summer morning.

Nevertheless, now parked outside the Whitaker home, as he opened the car door for Lily he had no complaints. She looked absolutely stunning. Of course, gazing on her beauty had a similar effect on Charles regardless of what she wore.

“I’m so looking forward to this,” she said, as he led her to the sidewalk. “Mother told me on the telephone yesterday she’d asked the chef to fix Eggs Benedict and pancakes with fresh maple syrup. It’s been over a month since we’ve had that for breakfast.”

Charles laughed. Lily did so enjoy a good breakfast. Oddly, it never seemed to show up on her waistline. For his part, Charles would be more content with just a cup of coffee, cream, and a little sugar. But he knew he’d be expected to at least make some effort with the Eggs Benedict, if he wanted to stay in the good graces of his mother-in-law, Millicent.

They made it up the steps as the front door opened. “Welcome, Mr. and Mrs. Bennington,” Quentin, the family butler said. “Everyone is already seated out on the veranda.”

“Thanks Quentin.” Charles handed him his hat and walking stick. “No need to lead us. We know the way. Go and enjoy your breakfast. If anyone needs anything, Lily or I will fetch it for them.”

He smiled. “Thank you, sir. I might do just that.”

Charles and Lily headed toward the veranda. This had become a common practice on Saturday mornings, as well. Charles releasing Quentin from serving the family at breakfast. In the months after their marriage two years ago, Charles had observed Quentin standing in the corner during the family breakfast. He just stood there while they ate and talked, paying him no mind. Unless someone needed a refill on their coffee, and he would quickly respond. Then back to the corner.

Finally, on one occasion Charles had asked Lily about this. He was somewhat surprised she hadn’t really noticed. Apparently, that’s what she’d always experienced. Fortunately, when Charles explained how much it bothered him, she quickly relented and agreed…either one of them were quite up to the task of refilling the family’s empty coffee cups.

It was almost comical the following week, observing the looks on Lily’s mother’s face when Charles first intervened. He saw Lily’s father’s coffee cup was empty, stood up, and said, “That’s all right, Quentin. I’ll take care of it. Why don’t you go downstairs and enjoy your own breakfast.” He walked over to the silver coffee pot and brought it back to the table. Quentin thanked him and headed for the hallway. As Charles refilled the cup, he noticed both her father and Cedric smiling widely, and both staring at her mother. Millicent’s face almost fuming at the indignity of the moment.

But she held her piece, inhaled deeply, and looked away. Before Charles went back to his seat, he’d asked, “Anyone else care for a refill?”

“Yes, Charles,” Cedric said. “While you’re up, I could use a bit more.”

When he’d gotten back to his seat, Lily had rewarded him with a firm but gentle hand squeeze under the table.

A small but significant victory.

Just now, when Charles and Lily walked into the veranda, he saw a silver dome over their plates to keep the food warm. He walked right over to the coffee service tray and picked up the pot. Lily had already taken her seat. He filled both their cups and was about to ask her father and Cedric if they’d like a refill. But he’d have to interrupt a fairly lively conversation they were engaged in about the goings-on in Europe.

Nigel Whitaker was holding up the morning edition of the newspaper, showing it to Cedric. Charles could see the headline in big bold letters:

GERMANY IN STATE OF WAR

(in Slightly Smaller Letters)

OUTLOOK IS HOPELESS; ALL EUROPE
MASSING FOR CONFLICT

Charles could also see a large photograph of soldiers gathering together in a street and a second photograph of an officer sitting on a horse.

“I knew this would happen,” Nigel said. “The fools, I can’t believe they’ve gone and done it.”

Charles had been paying attention to these events in the newspapers, too. It was hard not to. The growing conflict in Europe dominated the headlines for the past month.

“It’s all the chaps at school are talking about,” Cedric said. “They’re convinced America will be forced to choose sides. And when that happens, we’ll all be called into the fight.”

Lily had just uncovered her food and took hold of her knife and fork. “Father, you don’t think that’s going to happen, do you?”

“Oh, Nigel,” her mother said, “tell us it isn’t so.”

Still holding the newspaper, he set it down on the table. “No, of course not.” He looked at Cedric. “President Wilson would never allow that and the Congress would never support it. Please don’t bring up such a matter again, Cedric. At least not at the table. If you want to discuss it further, wait till we are in the study.” He looked at his wife and Lily. “Don’t upset yourselves about this. I’ve been following this closely, and I assure you, this is strictly a European matter. The US will not be drawn into such a war. I guarantee it.”

“If you say so, Father,” Cedric said.

Charles had just finished adding cream and sugar to his coffee. “For what it’s worth, I agree with you, sir. I’ve been reading the newspapers also for the last month. All my clients are talking about it too, whenever we meet. It’s the general consensus of everyone this is a European matter, and that the president would never get us involved. But some have concerns about how it will affect our economy. If it grows to be as large as it’s promising to be.”

“I’d have to agree with your clients on that,” Nigel said. “Judging by these headlines, this could be the biggest war any of us have seen in our lifetimes. It’s bound to have an impact on our economy here, given we’re a port city.”

With that, Cedric took the napkin from his lap, wiped his mouth, and stood. “I have to run. Please excuse me. I’m meeting Reggie down at the hotel gym for a morning workout. The basketball coach at NYU is getting us together next week. We decided we better start getting in shape.”

“I thought basketball season didn’t start until September,” Charles said.

“You’re right,” Cedric said. “But last year, three of our starting team graduated. He wants to start evaluating us in August, see who’ll be worthy to take their spots.”

“You didn’t finish your breakfast,” his mother said.

“I had enough. Really, I’ve got to go. I’ll be back in a few hours.”

After he left, the breakfast chatter continued, always in between fresh bites, chewing, and the swallowing of food. Of course, no one dared utter a word with so much as a morsel of food in their mouths. Charles and Nigel discussed all the possible scenarios that might unfold, given the horrendous headlines in the newspaper. Lily and her mother chatted about the details surrounding their upcoming move. She and Charles would still be living at The Dakota but moving into one of the larger apartments two floors up.

*    *    *

This went on for about forty-five minutes until the telephone rang. The nearest one was on a side table in the foyer. A few moments later, Quentin appeared in the doorway, his face showing grave concern. “Sorry to disturb you, Mr. Whitaker, but it’s Cedric on the phone. It must be something serious. He seemed quite upset and pleaded with me to get you right away.”

Nigel stood, then Charles, then Lily. All three headed for the foyer, Nigel leading the way. He picked up the receiver. “Cedric, I’m here. What’s the matter, son?”

Charles and Lily stood close enough to hear him yelling on the other end. Sounded like he was crying.

“Father, I don’t know what to do. I don’t know what happened, but when I got to the gym, as I came into the locker room, I heard some men yelling. Then I heard a strange noise, followed by a loud thump. I ran inside calling out Reggie’s name, but he didn’t answer. I just now found him. Lying on the floor. Father, it’s awful. I’m certain he’s dead. There’s a pool of blood gathering under his head. And his eyes, they’re wide open but he’s not blinking, and he isn’t moving. I don’t know what to do.”

 

Chapter 2

 

The look on Nigel’s face probably matched the shock on both Charles’ and Lily’s faces. He quickly glanced at them.

“We heard,” Charles said. Lily nodded.

“Are you alone?” Nigel said. “You said you heard men arguing. Are they still there? Can you tell?”

“I think they’ve gone,” Cedric said.

“So, you’re safe.”

“I think so. As I came upon Reggie, I thought I heard the back door slam shut. And I don’t hear any other sounds besides me talking to you. But Father, whoever they are, they must be the ones who killed him. There’s nobody else here. That’s why we wanted to come first thing this morning, before other people started showing up.”

“Where are you now?”

“I’m using the telephone by the sign-up desk. Just a few aisles away from Reggie’s body. I can see his legs from here.”

Charles watched Nigel pull his pocket watch from his vest. “So, Singleton, the gym manager, he’s not there, either? He should be.”

“No, he’s not. But you’re right. He’s usually here when we come in. Should I call the police?”

“Well, yes, I suppose so. We’ll have to. But maybe you should find Mr. Keller first, the hotel security chief. He should be somewhere in the lobby area. Tell him what happened and bring him down to where the body is. Then call the police. Or better yet, have him do it.”

“Okay, I will. But Father, there’s something I don’t understand. About Reggie. I didn’t hear a gunshot. I’m sure if I did, half the people in the lobby would have, too. But there’s a very clear hole in his forehead.”

Nigel paused. “I don’t know what to tell you, son.”

Charles had a thought. He gestured to his father-in-law, “May I?” pointing to the receiver.

“Certainly.” Nigel handed it to Charles.

“Cedric, this is Charles. Listen, you need to move quickly when fetching the security chief. Do you have any way of locking the gym door?”

“No, I don’t have a key. Singleton takes care of that, usually.”

“I understand. Then perhaps get one of the bellhops in the lobby to stand by the stairway door. Don’t tell him why, but insist he not let anyone through that door until you return with the security chief. The police would be very upset if people start trampling through the crime scene.”

“Okay, I can do that,” Cedric said. “Are you and Father coming?”

“Yes, soon as we can. Make sure you don’t touch anything, either. That’s important.”

Charles handed the receiver back to Nigel. He knew these things about the police after they’d handled some break-ins at his ice company last year.

“Cedric, it’s Father again. Do the things Charles said. Then sit in one of the benches in the locker room until we arrive.”

“I will. But please hurry. What if the police get here before you do?”

“They won’t. Just sit tight.”

*    *    *

Nigel hung up the phone. By then his wife had joined them in the foyer, a look of horror on her face. “What’s happened? What’s going on? Is Cedric all right? Is he safe?”

Nigel walked past Charles and Lily and put his arm around her shoulder. “I believe Cedric’s safe. At least it seems that way. I don’t know if you heard the first part. Something terrible has happened. When Cedric got to the hotel gym to meet his friend, he heard some men arguing. A few moments later, he found his friend Reggie dead on the locker room floor. Apparently, from a gunshot wound.”

“Oh, my Lord,” she said, almost stumbling backwards. “You must go down there right away and bring him home. Bring my little boy home.”

Nigel looked at Quentin standing by the doorway. “Have the driver bring the car around immediately.”

“Certainly, sir.”

“Mr. Whitaker,” Charles said, “May I suggest you and I drive there in my car. It’s right out there by the curb. We can get there in no time.”

“Yes, let’s do that.”

“Right.” He leaned over and gave Lily a kiss. “We’ll be back soon, love.”

“Call me as soon as you know something.”

“I will.”

The two men hurried toward the front door.

Charles and Nigel rushed down the front steps and stopped at Charles’ car. For a moment, Charles wasn’t sure what to do. Nigel was used to the chauffeur holding open the back door until he got in. Should he do that? How odd would that be, driving on the road with his father-in-law in the backseat?

Nigel seemed to pick up on Charles’ dilemma. “Charles, get in the driver’s seat. I’m fine sitting next to you.”

“Of course, sir.”

“And would you mind not calling me sir? I’ve been meaning to talk to about this. Now’s as good a time as any.”

Charles got in and turned on the car, as Nigel sat beside him.

“You may call me Nigel, if you prefer. But sir or Mr. Whitaker, by this time, I think should be out of the question.”

Which brought up something Charles never had the nerve to consider discussing. “How would you feel about me calling you…Father? Lily keeps wanting me to do that. Somehow, it never felt quite—”

“I’d be honored, Charles. I already think of you as a son regardless of what you call me.”

Charles smiled, as he drove the car away from the curb. Hearing this touched him deeply. “Thank you, sir. I mean, Father.” The words felt utterly strange as they left his lips.

“See, that wasn’t so hard,” Nigel said. He looked around, noticed the speed Charles was driving. “I don’t suppose you’d mind breaking the speed limit this morning? I’d like to get to the hotel as soon as possible.”

Charles instantly pressed the gas pedal. “I’d be happy to.”

“If you get ticketed by the police, I’ll happily pay the fine.”

*    *    *

After hanging up the phone, Cedric was still trembling inside. The closest he’d ever felt to feeling this afraid was right after the car accident two years ago that put him in the hospital. He stopped and listened again to make sure he really was still alone in the gym. Not hearing a sound, he inched closer to his friend Reggie’s body.

This time when he saw it, he was more aware of the sudden reality of losing a close friend. How could this happen? Why would anyone want to kill Reggie? Of all the friends he’d met attending NYU the past two years, Reggie was by far the nicest guy. Well-liked by everyone. Great sense of humor. He never seemed to resent Cedric when the coach picked him over Reggie as the first-string point guard for the team. Every game, he’d sit happily on the bench cheering him on, yelling out encouragement whenever Cedric scored a point or made a great play.

Reggie was the one who introduced Cedric to Amelia, the young reddish haired girl Cedric was sure he was falling in love with. He stood now, looking down at his body as a wave of sorrow swept over him. “Reggie,” he whispered. Then he sighed. “This is so awful. I can’t believe you’re gone.”

Then he remembered the urgency in his father’s voice. He needed to get a move on it. Don’t touch anything, his father said. He needed to go get Mr. Keller, the security chief. Then Cedric noticed something. Both his and Reggie’s locker doors were open. He understood why Reggie’s was open, but why was his? Then he saw how the metal around the latch was all bent outward. Like it had been pried open.

Is that what happened here? Had Reggie walked in on two thieves trying to steal things from their lockers? And paid for it with his life? If so, what a waste. Neither one of them kept any valuables in their locker. He stepped around Reggie’s body to get closer to his locker. Looked again at the door, then inside. Yes, things inside his locker had been moved around and messed with.

The zipper to his gym bag was undone. He always zipped it closed before he left. But really, they’d be sorely disappointed if they rummaged through it. All he had in it were some fresh socks and underwear. Wait, he did keep a small money clip in a side pocket, in case he wanted to grab something to eat after working out. But it was never more than a few dollars.

He picked it up and reached inside, searching for the side pocket, when he felt something hard, made of metal. He picked it up, and was shocked to find it was a pistol. He smelled the end. It had definitely been fired very recently.

Just then, down the aisle, the stairway door that led down from the lobby opened. Two young men, a few years older than he and Reggie, walked in. Suddenly, they stopped and stared. They looked down at Reggie’s body lying at Cedric’s feet. Then at Cedric, standing there, a gym bag in one hand, a pistol in the other.

Their faces. Cedric instantly knew what they were thinking. They looked at each other then turned and headed back through the doorway, running toward the stairs.

“Wait,” he yelled. “Come back. This isn’t what it looks like. Come back. Let me explain.”

 

WANT TO READ MORE?? You can…on Aug 30th when the full book releases on Amazon. You can Pre-Order it now on Kindle for ONLY $2.99. Just CLICK HERE: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FGVRQ8C9

 

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