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    The Philanthropist
    The Philanthropist
    The Philanthropist
    Ebook184 pages2 hours

    The Philanthropist

    By Harry Harris

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    About this ebook

    An ALTER EGO is described in our modern dictionaries as man’s ‘Other self’, our ‘Double’, or an ‘Intimate Friend’. And, more often than not, our ALTER EGO is, indeed, our friend and does his utmost to help us when we need someone we can trust to talk to or from whom we can accept good advice. However, there are times, as you will read in the story that follows, that ‘Demitri’, who is Theodore Thermos’ ALTER EGO, although maintaining friendly relations with him, purposely gives him advice that eventually involves him in murder.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarry Harris
    Release dateMay 9, 2015
    ISBN9781310132292
    The Philanthropist

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      Book preview

      The Philanthropist - Harry Harris

      THE PHILANTHROPIST

      By Harry Harris

      Copyright 2015 Harry Harris

      Published by HERCULES-APOLLO MYSTERIES

      at Smashwords

      Smashwords Edition License Notes

      This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your enjoyment only, then please return to Smashwords.com or your favorite retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

      Table of Contents

      #prologue

      #Chapter1

      #Chapter2

      #Chapter3

      #Chapter4

      #Chapter5

      #Chapter6

      #Chapter7

      #Chapter8

      #Chapter9

      #Chapter10

      #Chapter11

      #Chapter12

      #AboutAuthor

      Prologue

      An ALTER EGO is described in our modern dictionaries as man’s ‘Other self’, our ‘Double’, or an ‘Intimate Friend’. And, more often than not, our ALTER EGO is, indeed, our friend and does his utmost to help us when we need someone we can trust to talk to or from whom we can accept good advice.

      However, there are times, as you will read in the story that follows, that ‘Demitri’, who is Theodore Thermos’ ALTER EGO, although maintaining friendly relations with him, purposely gives him advice that eventually involves him in murder.

      Chapter One

      'I don't care what you say, Theo. You're only kidding yourself. You know damn well that what you intend to do is wrong. Good God, man, you plan on being Judge, Jury, and Executioner! I know how much you care about this country but that's no way for you to go about getting rid of the crime that you feel is destroying America. Since you abhor the lawlessness that has permeated this land then go into politics, that way you can change some of the statutes that you don't agree with, which you feel are too lenient and allow criminals to go free. That I can understand and approve of, but what you're planning on doing, Theo, is madness. Absolute madness. You'll never get away with it.’

      'Listen, Demitri, you can call it madness or anything you like, I don't care. Too many criminals have committed hideous crimes and have gone unpunished because they had the means to be represented in court by high-priced, unscrupulous lawyers. There are too many judges that interpret the laws to suit themselves as they play havoc with our judicial system and allow the guilty to go free. And I've watched, first hand, how our police force is criticized and punished simply for doing its duty. No, my friend, I've given a great deal of thought to what I plan to do. And I feel It's the least I can do for my adopted country. It's my way of showing the love that I have for America; it's my way of repaying her for all that she has given me. And there's nothing you can say or do to change my mind, Demitri; absolutely nothing!'

      'Theo, I've known you more than fifty years; in fact, almost since you were

      born. We grew up together on that beloved little island of ours. We were inseparable as kids and that relationship has never changed. We were there for one another through the good times and the bad. No one knows you better than I do. No one! So please listen to me, Theo. If you don't want to go into politics to help change the senseless laws that allow criminals to go free, then use your vast fortune to help people and charitable organizations to attain their goals; that’s the way to show the love you have for this country, not by doing what you have in mind.’

      'Good ol’ Demitri, you're at it again, aren’t you? You never give up, do you? In all the years we've been together you've never once managed to dissuade me from doing what I intended to do, even though, God knows, you've tried. So why do you continue to badger me about everything I try to do? You know it's not going to do you any good? I know...I know...you do it because you love me. How many times have I heard that before? But do me a favor will you, Demitri? Keep your fucking stupid thoughts to yourself! I don’t want to hear them!"

      'Damn it, Theo, why is it that you always get upset and begin to swear whenever I try to point out how wrong you are. You should know by now that doesn't faze me a bit. I'll continue to tell you what I think whether you like it or not. When you're wrong I'll do my damnedest to get you to change your mind; I think too much of you not to. Look how I fought with you about those insider trading deals that you were involved in with that benefactor of yours, Simon Rogers…and the arguments we had over some of your other financial investments that weren't exactly above board either. Had you been caught dealing in anyone of them you would have gone to prison for years. You didn't listen to me then and you're not listening to me now, but I won't keep quiet. I know that what you're planning to do is wrong. And I know damn well that it's against the law. So I'm going to keep harping at you about it. I'm not as strong as you are, Theo, but I intend to fight you about it until I take my last breath… and I don't care what it does to our friendship. Do you understand that, Theo?'

      'Yes, dear friend, I understand you all too well. But have your seen this morning’s newspaper, Demitri? Well, let me read an article from it to you, which should make it clear why I feel so strongly about what I intend to do. You may think I'm wrong but I just can't stand by and allow people like this to thumb their nose at society when I know that I have the means and the fortitude to do something about it. Now, this was on the front page of the New York Times this morning:’

      ‘Michael Stout, who had been charged with raping a 12 year-old child but who had been released by controversial; Judge Samuel Haines, again did not show up in court for his trial. Mr. Stout, despite having previously run off to Montana to escape being charged for the rape, blew off this trial as well and has again made himself scarce. 'The best indication of future conduct is past conduct,' District Attorney, James Rogers, said of the fugitive. 'He was facing a lengthy incarceration had he been found guilty in the trial, so he takes off. You don't have to be a rocket scientist to see that that would happen again.’

      ‘Michael Stout, 29, who had been charged with raping a 12-year-old girl, was on the loose for more than a year before he was tracked down in Montana by state troopers and incarcerated. In March, he was set free on personal recognizance by Superior Court Judge, Joseph R. Verdonian, despite a prosecutor's request to hold him on $200,000 cash bail.’

      "Michael Stout made several court appearances since being released, but on Monday, when his trial in New York Superior Court on child rape charges was to begin, he didn’t show up. ‘The guy has disappeared,' the prosecutor said. 'He played the court like a violin. And the sad part is there's a person out there who's been victimized by that guy and now twice by the courts.’

      ‘Michael Stout's lawyer, John Bennett, told Judge Verdonian that he hadn't had any contact with his client since his last scheduled court appearance, and has no idea where he is.’

      ‘Judge Verdonian, a longtime civil attorney who was appointed to the bench in 1998, could not be reached for comment.’

      ‘The prosecutor, who had been a vocal critic of Judge Verdonian, again slammed him and expressed anger over Michael Stout's failure to show up in court. 'We spend an awful lot of money to track this guy down and bring him back to face trial,' he said. 'Now we're going to have to do this all over again because the judges in our legal system can’t put two and two together. Or simply don’t want to!’’

      ‘The Michael Stout case is one of several controversial decisions by Judge Verdonian that has angered prosecutors, police and the victims.’

      'Well, Demitri?’ Theo said as he folded the newspaper and put it aside, ‘That was quite an article on how poorly our courts function these days…so what do you have to say about it?’ When Demitri didn’t answer him, he added, ‘Sure, the cat's now got your tongue because there's really nothing you can say about it! However, now 1 have no other choice but to get involved in that case and rectify the situation myself. But what bothers me more than you can possibly imagine, Demitri, is that you don't feel as I do about it. That bastard, Michael Stout, raped a twelve-year-old girl for God's sake. He's caught, but he's released twice...not by one but by two incompetent judges. He flees to Montana but he's captured and brought back to stand trial a second time and what happens? He again disappears. Can you imagine the stupidity of those two judges? The more I think about it the angrier I get. Both of those judges should be locked up and the key thrown away; that's how strongly I feel about what they've done, not just with Michael Stout but with so many others as well.’

      'Okay, Theo, so you lock up the judges…then what? Let them cool their heels behind bars until they come to their senses? A lot of good that will do! I tell you you're wrong; the only way to rid the system of idiotic judges is for you to go into politics, get the laws changed, and have judges like that thrown out. You can't do that by making them prisoners in a fanciful, country-club jail, and you know it.’

      "Fanciful, country-club, jail my ass!’ Theo said sternly, ‘I'll build my own place of confinement.’ And then chuckling loudly, he added, ‘And I'll put those two judges in the same cell with that rapist. Can’t you just imagine the three of them discussing the merits of the case?'

      'Sure, laugh all you like, Theo, it only makes you sound that much more ridiculous. Damn it, why not let the police do their job; that's what they get paid for? The police will eventually get Michael Stout and he'll be severely punished. So why not let them do it?'

      ‘I'll tell you why, Demitri…because more often than not the police have their hands tied. Mine aren't. I can do what I like. Yes, Demitri, what you implied the other day is true: I intend to be Judge, Jury and Executioner. It's the only way I know to help eliminate some of the crime that's destroying this country. And you know something, my friend, I look forward to it.’

      ‘What I do know, Theo, is that you've snapped. I truly believe you've gone off the deep end this time. And I feel that what you should look forward to are a couple of sessions with a good psychiatrist."

      Chapter Two

      Margaret Gill, an exquisitely dressed and an unusually attractive young woman in her mid-thirties, deftly ushered the new patient into the psychiatrist's spacious, well-¬appointed office. Smiling sweetly at him, and then at the doctor who was standing by his desk, she said, Dr. Franz, this is Mr. Theodore Thermos. She then turned quickly on her heels and left the room.

      Dr. Franz not only recognized immediately who his new patient was but also that he was suffering from psychoneurosis. ‘Like so many of my other patients,’ he said to himself; nevertheless, he greeted him with a benign smile and a courteous nod. He then pointed to one of the two identical armchairs that were facing one another by a wall in his office, and said, Please, make yourself comfortable, Mr. Thermos.

      After Mr. Thermos was seated the doctor took his place in the chair opposite him. He didn't like his patients lying on a couch staring up at the ceiling; he preferred to have them look him straight in the eye as they unburdened themselves of whatever it was that was troubling them.

      Continuing to smile benignly, the doctor said, News about you has been in the newspapers and magazines for many years now, and in all of them you’re highly praised for your generosity. The charity you recently established in your name, Mr. Thermoimos, for the youngsters in this city was a godsend for the poor families in this area. When he noticed Mr. Thermos’ surprise, he added quickly, An article I read about you many years ago mentioned your Greek name and I've never forgotten it. That's because I've always been interested in Ancient History and I became fond of your ancestors. However, if you prefer that I call you…

      Mr. Thermos said coldly, Thank you, but if you don’t mind I'd like for you to just call me Theodore.

      Of course, I'd like that too, the doctor said, but it was apparent to him that his new patient was not happy being there. After a brief moment, continuing to smile affably, he added, "Yes, the newspapers and magazines have been full of anecdotes about you for years, Theodore; however, it would help us get to know one another better if you would just tell me a little about your personal life; something about yourself that the news media may not

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