The Principle Of Chance

Copyright © 2012 M.
Howson

First Paperback
edition 2013

All Rights Reserved

No part of this
book may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted

 
in
any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the author.

This book is a work
of fiction.

Names, characters,
businesses, places, events, opinions and incidents

are either the
products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner.

Any resemblance to
actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is

purely coincidental
and completely unintentional.

ISBN-13: 978-1482580853

Acknowledgements

Thank you to my
friends and family.

This book wouldn’t
be the book it is,

 without your
help.

James, Edit,
Martina, Natalie.

A special thank you
to Sue and Sally for their never ending support and friendship.

Prologue

Amy paced up and down the room
answering Frank’s questions. She stopped by a desk noticing a large envelope on
the carpet. She picked it up to place it on the desk.

‘Perfect, I will sign them later and
they can be distributed.’ Amy had done an excellent job, Frank knew she would.

‘This was on the carpet Frank.’ Amy
offered Frank the large envelope.

‘The damn envelope!’ Frank swore
aloud. It was too late; he watched its contents tumble out in front of him onto
the carpet.

‘Oh I am sorry! Let me pick these
up.’

‘No! Amy!’ He shouted, but Amy’s
photos were already scattered around on the carpet.

Amy saw the agony in Frank’s eyes.
What had happened to Frank to burst out like that? Then, she followed his gaze,
she saw the photos, - of
herself
.

‘You
do
want to explain
Frank, why you have an envelope full of
my
photos?’ She said with a cold
tone as she picked up a picture of her father. ‘This is my dad!’

‘It isn’t what you think Amy!’ He
said taking a deep breath. ‘It’s even worse!’

‘What? I don’t understand? Did you
hire a detective to get the lowdown on me, and
my
family?’

‘Yes, I did! I am sorry. Let me
explain!’ Frank was fully prepared for Amy to run out of the room, but she sat
down, folding her arms across her chest.

‘I am listening Frank!’

Frank offered Amy a drink. ‘You
might need this.’

Chapter One

Jack
Harvey had a reputation as a man who knew exactly how to please a woman. The
girl in his bed couldn’t complain. She was enjoying Jack’s skilled hands
exploring her perfect young body. Jack was very proud of the fact that at the
age of seventy he could still satisfy a woman.

‘Jack!’ She sighed.

‘How about this?’ Jack expertly
lifted her bottom as they reached climax together. He slowly moved away and got
out of bed. Lying around and answering questions wasn’t his thing.

‘Take your time gorgeous.’ Jack put on
a robe and lit a cigar. He walked out to the terrace of his penthouse and
surveyed the still busy streets and twinkling lights of the Los Angeles night.
He consulted his expensive watch - two in the morning. He couldn’t possibly
send her home at this hour. Jack didn’t want the girls he slept with to feel
they had been used; - he made certain it was their choice. He had no problem
picking up sexy, young, big- breasted girls. In fact, girls didn’t even want
Jack to work his charm on them, they picked him and Jack rarely said no to
their easy manners and well-practiced smooth lines.

The
girl came out to join him on the terrace, fully dressed. ‘So many lives
unfolding down there.’ She pointed into the distance.

A sentence he wasn’t expecting. He
wondered how long it would take her to ask that
small
favour.

‘I love this city Jack. I would do
anything to make it big here.’ 

He wasn’t disappointed. The
gentle
hint
had
arrived! – yet he chose to ignore what she said.

‘You had a good time?’ She was a
stunning girl - but they all were.  Sometimes, they could even hold a
meaningful
conversation.

‘You were incredible.’ She purred.
‘The best sex I’ve had in ages.’

Jack bit his lip; obviously she was
the ego flattering type. A load of bullshit, but hey – he loved it.

‘What
can I say sweetheart? I try!’ Jack took a step towards a glass table.

‘Little something for you… Nancy.’
He picked up a small box and congratulated himself that he had remembered her
name.

‘Jack, how sweet of you.’ Nancy
gushed, inspecting the jewellery box he handed her.

‘Don’t mention it girl.’ Jack
watched her carefully checking the weight of the box.

‘I’ll see myself out.’ Nancy said,
kissing him softly on the lips. ‘Call me ….’

She walked towards the door. He felt
a stab of conscience, but hurriedly brushed it aside. Jack was one of
Hollywood’s silver screen legends. His longish, dark hair streaked with grey
was expertly styled, which gave him a youthful air. His tanned skin and toned
body were due to the California sun and to his personal trainer. Good looks and
charming manners made him desirable to women. Young women, who usually wanted
to gain something by sleeping with Jack. He consoled himself with the knowledge
that he treated women right. What was right? Dinner in a happening restaurant,
a movie premier or a nightclub opening. Was it not what these young girls
wanted?

Jack always made an effort to
introduce the girls to some big shot. The clever ones were able to take it from
there. He was no fool - why would they go on a date with a seventy year old
man? He rightly presumed that the type of girls he was into wanted to be rich
and famous, so he played the game.

The door slammed, she left. Jack
stood there for a moment and viewed the city through the glass panel. On a side
table next to him lay a pile of papers. He picked up a few sheets and soon he
was lost in a world of his own. When he finally looked up he could see the
sharp lines of the beautiful morning sun rising above the city. There were
certainly advantages to living in a skyscraper.

****

 Frank, the head of Orban Film
Studios just celebrated his eightieth birthday. In truth, he didn’t look much
older than a sixty. His sleek steel-grey hair and sharp black eyes spoke
volumes. With a confident manner and immaculate appearance he presented a
powerful man. Frank was a thoughtful man who had worked hard all his life
without wasting time on fools. If people around him wanted to make something of
their lives, Frank was keen to provide an opportunity. Regardless of his age,
he was still much involved in his business and showed no signs of slowing down.

Frank lived in a Hollywood mansion,
where he had just finished a workout in his gym. He felt good, ready to face
the day.

‘Good morning Frank, a Mr Green is
here.’ Don, his personal secretary announced from the doorway.

Frank wiped the sweat off his face.
‘Ask him to wait in the morning room, and Don, offer him some breakfast.’

The clock on the wall showed six in
the morning. Mr Green, a private detective had worked on different assignments
before and Frank was well aware of the fact that the man had most likely been
up all night to deliver a result.

‘He said it’s important.’ Don
hesitated.

‘Did he?’ Frank experienced a mild
excitement – he’d got the information he wanted.

‘Tell him I won’t be long.’

‘What time will you need the car
this morning?’

‘Have it ready for eight.’ Frank
gave himself an hour to spare before it was time to leave for the studio.

‘Want to share the car with me?’ Frank
asked.

‘No thank you. I have arranged a
meeting in the Downtown office with one of the producers.’

‘Problems?’

‘Nothing
we can’t handle.’ Don sounded confident.

‘They
always try it on Don!’ Frank stepped into his personal elevator.

‘Yes Frank, they do.’

As Frank made his way upstairs, he
deliberated on what news the private detective had for him. Was it worthwhile
to investigate further or better to leave it alone?

In his dressing room, his personal
butler, a man Frank rarely saw, had already laid out his clothes. Everything
was in order; made-to-measure expensive suit, silk tie, crisp white shirt and
handmade leather shoes. He always made an effort to dress his best. One
important rule in business – make a good first impression.

Frank remembered some of the actors
he had worked with in the forties. What a dirty, boozing and partying bunch
they had been. Whenever they arrived on set usually late, they always stank of
alcohol and tobacco. Nevertheless, women still fainted over their photographs.
Yet, there were also decent actors, hardworking people who made a good living
out of acting and they had helped to expand the movie business.

After a jet stream shower, he
dressed carefully, checked his appearance in the full-length mirror, adjusted
his tie, splashed on some aftershave and was ready to face the day.

Downstairs, in the breakfast room,
Frank saw a nervous-looking man drinking from a cup. The minute Frank appeared,
he jumped to his feet nearly spilling the contents.

‘Good morning Mr Orban.’ He said,
desperately trying to keep his hands from trembling.

‘Morning. Sit down, Mr Green.’ The
man’s clumsiness amused Frank for a moment.

Mr Green was fiddling
in his briefcase, taking out a stack of documents.

‘Finish your coffee
man and have some toast.’

‘No, thank you very
much, very kind.’ He said nervously. ‘Here is what I found Mr Orban.’ He
quickly filled the table with documents.

Frank didn’t want to
read reports this early. ‘All right, spill the facts.’ He said, filling up his
glass with fresh orange juice.

‘Mr Orban, you might
be interested to see these!’ Mr Green spread out some photographs in front of
Frank.

‘Photos? Put them away!’

‘I thought …’

‘Continue,
- you got some facts for me?’   

‘Of
course, everything is here.’ Mr Green quickly put everything back into an
envelope and gave it to Frank.

‘Great job!’ Frank placed it on the
table next to his coffee.

‘Your payment.’

‘Thank you. If you need …’ He
stammered his words as he accepted a stack of bills from Frank.

‘I know where to find you.’

Frank stood up to leave, his
business was finished here. ‘Don’t leave this room until you’ve had some food!’

‘Thank you, but I need to be going.’
The nervous man said. He wriggled up from the table, gripping his briefcase.

‘You have time.’ Frank said, fixing
him with a stern look.

‘Yes.’ Mr Green said, giving in. He
sat down again.

‘Good, that’s what I like to see.’
Frank manufactured a smile.

‘Yes …’

‘Thank you.’ Frank opened the door
and was gone.