Letters to my husband: Stella and Richard

[aaardvarky]

Dear Reader,
Clearly, we need to take stock of the situation. Like you, I am shocked that Richard is dead - and so suddenly. Were we warned earlier in the story? If you read back, perhaps there were some disturbing signs.

Was Stella’s relationship with Alex a full-blown affair, or just a lure? If an affair, when did their relationship really start - was Richard a cuckold from the start, even before the start, or at all? Were Stella’s accounts of her connections with Alex real or imaginary for his (and our) benefit? Is Stella a schemer, or a true psychopath? And importantly, what are Stella’s intentions now?

I need your assistance with answers to these questions. We now have an unexpected situation where Stella has taken control of the business, the house, and it seems, Alex. Is he truly emasculated and to be controlled? What about Daniel, Alex’s colleague? Who is he? What does Daniel know? Is Daniel in on the arrangement, or even behind it? What other secrets await?

[boobman987]

Dear Reader,
Clearly, we need to take stock of the situation. Like you, I am shocked that Richard is dead - and so suddenly. Were we warned earlier in the story? If you read back, perhaps there were some disturbing signs.

Was Stella’s relationship with Alex a full-blown affair, or just a lure? If an affair, when did their relationship really start - was Richard a cuckold from the start, even before the start, or at all?

Thanks for the opportunity to put on out Poirot hat and get the little grey cells working. In the past couple of hours since you posted this I’ve been working on theories.

I believe it started out as an affair, but after seeing Alex’s accommodation Stella changed from girlfriend/hotwife into a financial dominatrix. She decided to get even with Alex for dumping her and that she wanted more than just sex from Alex. Obviously poor Richard’s downfall was discussed during or after a climatic sex session. Stella probably told Alex about what she might inherit from Richard’s demise. If it was true, we do not yet know.

Were Stella’s accounts of her connections with Alex real or imaginary for his (and our) benefit?

I think the feeling, as documented in the letters were real. She was captivated by his manhood and elegance. She enjoyed their lovemaking which was - we assume - more energetic than with Richard. I feel that Stella instigated Richard’s death with Alex being her selected executioner after a passionate sex session.

Is Stella a schemer, or a true psychopath?

After reading and rereading of this story, I think Stella was a disgruntled employee who worked out a way to get even with the company. Alex being a bigwig in the company was her target after the dinner dance. Having now moved Alex in to the cottage, his time on earth is now limited.

And importantly, what are Stella’s intentions now?

To do whatever she needs to, to take over a sole control of the joint company. Stella will sleep and lie with anyone to achieve her goal. She is ruthless.

I need your assistance with answers to these questions. We now have an unexpected situation where Stella has taken control of the business, the house, and it seems, Alex. Is he truly emasculated and to be controlled? What about Daniel, Alex’s colleague? Who is he? What does Daniel know? Is Daniel in on the arrangement, or even behind it? What other secrets await?

Daniel is the new CEO of the company. By taking Stella’s invitation to join her in the house probably puts him in the same situation as Alex, initially Stella’s new sex toy now with limited life expectancy after he has helped do away with Alex.

With Lisa providing an alibi, or is it a false alibi, at the time of Richard’s death I think that she and Stella are bisexual lovers or lesbians.

[aaardvarky]

Letter 1 to Daniel
Dear Daniel,
The directors have asked Alex Norton to stand down from the Partnership whilst police investigate my husband’s death. Apparently they have found Ketamine in Alex Norton’s safe and are currently awaiting test results from the autopsy. It seems there is a suggestion that Mr Norton may be responsible for Richard’s death. Matters are exacerbated by Mr Norton’s breakdown, resulting in his decision to move from Frankland House into an adjacent cottage.

In the meantime I have arranged for Alex Norton’s shareholding to be transferred to me. Together with my own Tempest shares this gives me management control of the Richmond-Tempest Partnership.

You are a highly valued member of the junior Richmond team and I was hoping to rely on your support and commitment going forward. Coincidentally, following the recent fire at your apartment, I am sure that Mr Norton would have been happy for you to lodge here at Frankland House pending renovation. I propose to stay on here for the time being, especially as the R-T Partnership headquarters are to be here in Frankland County.

Let me know your thoughts on this proposal. Alex’s guest suite is available for as long as you may need it.
Kind regards,
Stella Saint

[aaardvarky]

Reply to letter 1 - from Daniel
Dear Ms Saint,
Thank you for your message and the flattering terms in which you described my previous contributions to the Richmond Partnership. It is a great relief to know that I am to be kept on by the new company headed by you. I look forward to working closely with you and learning from your experience with Tempest.

With regard to your offer of temporary accommodation at Frankland House, I am delighted to accept! Since the fire last week I have been staying at the Frankland County Hotel, which is dismal to say the least. Are you sure that Mr Norton does not mind, or should I say, would not have minded? Things were not always easy between us after I challenged his decisions on a couple of occasions.

I haven’t many possessions left following the fire and was quickly running out of cash, so a move on Monday next week would be timely for me. Is that alright with you?

[aaardvarky]

Letter 2 to Daniel
Dear Daniel,
Feel free to call me Stella, as Ms Saint does sound rather formal, and after all, for a while it seems that we shall be sharing Mr Norton’s house. I am sure that Alex would not have minded this arrangement. Pending their investigation the police have excluded him from returning to the main house, so there should be no issue about you lodging here.

Make arrangements for your arrival with Ms Lisa Upshaw the housekeeper. I am sure if you ask her nicely she will provide you with a set of keys and anything else you may need.

[subtoall]

Coincidentally, following the recent fire at your apartment...

Psychopath, and not the least bit Saintly.

P.S. Just because he was a masochist doesn't mean you had to kill him!

[FFDriver]

Now I'm REALLY curious where the story's going. Here's what I think will happen....

Detective Captain Matt Pringle notices Stella and Richard's home of record is in the adjacent state. With Ketamine and Magnesium Perchlorate in Richard's blood, he declares this a homicide. Being it's inter-state, he calls in the FBI for assistance. They, in turn bring in the Dangerous Drug section of ATF (Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms). With a financial merger involved and Stella's recent transfer of Alex's stocks, bonds, and cash into her accounts, they bring in the 'Rico Investigation Team' from the IRS.

Search warrants are obtained for all involved real property. They expand the search to both companies, based upon evidence discovered in both Stella and Richard's home, and hidden in Alex' estate. The Rico team, in 'following the money,' discovers an international money laundering operation, and international sales of controlled substances.

Alex, Stella, and a majority of the company executives are arrested and considered flight risks, are held with no-bail holds. The business' are shut down and all assets are seized under the 'asset seizure program.' Alex and Stella, now penniless, are assigned Public Defenders, each with less-than three months of trial experience.

Alex rolls over on Stella and plea-deals to 'Murder-2,' with a 20-year cap on his sentence. Stella is convicted and after threatening the judge, receives Life-Without, and they ship her to Super-Max....

[boobman987]

Daniel is the new CEO of the company.

In the meantime I have arranged for Alex Norton’s shareholding to be transferred to me. Together with my own Tempest shares this gives me management control of the Richmond-Tempest Partnership.
. . .
You are a highly valued member of the junior Richmond team and I was hoping to rely on your support and commitment going forward.

Ooh, how wrong was I

[aaardvarky]

FFDriver - I am going to commission you as my script writer for the film - but alas, here on OHW readers value one thing above money, and if we don't write about it, our six readers go down to none! That said, of course I love your version. Perhaps we may collaborate as it seems Stella and Daniel plan to do? But don't reply to this proposal until you have read the next few episodes as Daniel takes up his new role, for you may find that you have committed yourself to something that proves hard to handle!

[aaardvarky]

boobman987 - it almost seems as if Stella reads your proposals and on purpose does the opposite! We women are like that...we enjoy being contrary. There are some prior indications of Stella's personality in the story to date- headstrong, driven, capable of being ruthless, determined. And you know how Aaardvarky likes strong women....

[aaardvarky]

Letter 3 to Daniel
Dear Daniel,
Lisa informs me that you arrived today (Monday) as planned and that you have settled into the guest room.

Perhaps you would join me for dinner tomorrow night? I will ask Lisa, the housekeeper, to prepare supper in the dining room. It will be a casual affair - just the two of us - so no need for formalities.

[aaardvarky]

Reply to letter 3 - from Daniel
Dear Stella,
I will have to get used to calling you Stella at Frankland House and Ms Saint at work! I cannot imagine any other boss being kind enough to allow me to lodge with them during this challenging period.

Yes, I have settled in well and love the guest quarters. It is huge, and wonderful to have my own rooms at last. I see you put some of Alex’s suits and shirts in the wardrobe for me. Won’t he mind? Won’t he be needing them when he returns to the Partnership?

Of course I am delighted to accept the offer for supper tomorrow night and will join you in the dining room at 7.30pm as you suggest.

[katt]

Wow, the twist in this story was certainly left field and not what I suspected.

Keeping with the left field theme: a couple of observations.

1.From what I understand, Sella and Richard are not local. Who / how was Richards body identified. Was it was just Stella’s word! what is to say the body was someone else.

2.What happened to Richard’s phone with all the history of messages with Stella? Likewise, did the police not look at Stella's phone.

3.Alex is “confined” to the cottage. Alternatively, maybe someone else is being hidden away so as not to be identified by others.

4. Is it a coincidence that suits belonging to Alex have been put into Daniel’s room. Could Daniel be mistaken for Alex if wearing his clothes and something happened to him?

Alternatively, all my musings could be a load of diddly do’s and I should put it down to recently watching “Death and other matters”. Either way, I can’t wait for further episodes.

[aaardvarky]

Katt - you are right that without Stella's identification there would have been difficulties, but Frankland Police appeared more than satisfied with Richard's identity. Then we have the ketamine in Alex's safe and his subsequent interview.

I don't know whether Richard's phone was ever found. I guess if it had been there would have been further enquiries.

It does seem strange that Alex is so confined. Let's see if he is prosecuted - and what charges if any.

I agree about the clothing. It is a bit of a bizarre thing to do, but I suppose he really needed them after his total losses in the fire at his apartment.

Katt - you are a very adventurous commentator! I like the way your mind works. Its as if homicide is your thing too!

[aaardvarky]

Letter 4 to Daniel
Dear Daniel,
Our supper together was most enjoyable. It was interesting to get to know more about you and hear about your family and upbringing. Things have certainly changed a little since my childhood! I suppose that is the difference a generation makes.

I can see that you really want to succeed with the Richmond-Tempest Partnership. In light of Alex Norton’s arrest it now seems unlikely that he will be returning to the Partnership soon, or at all; so your skills may be timely, and your stay here at Frankland House will afford an opportunity for us to get to know each other better.

Whilst here, do not feel under any pressure of formality. Frankland House has to be your escape from the work environment, understandably difficult when sharing accommodation with your employer. Try your best to relax, and I will devise some steps to make things easier for you whilst here.

[boobman987]

I’m a little confused - but that’s not hard to do - about the Alex situation. I understand that he ihas been confined to the cottage by the police, but:-
Can he still wander the grounds of the house?
Is Stella still putting on a nightly striptease for him, as she did poor Richard? In effect turning him from lover to voyeur?
Is it Lisa who takes Alex his food and is she ‘comforting’ him?

[aaardvarky]

boobman987 - it is not like you to be confused! But to help you out:
1. You are about to hear a development about Alex. I have a sense that he will not be a key player for a while.
2. Most certainly not, that is why a room was made up for him at the front of the cottage and not at the back.
3. Lisa is too old to be interested in that sort of thing. After all, she was Alex's nanny...and now has been compromised by getting involved with the Ketamine. In some ways Lisa is now as much of a prisoner as is Alex.
I do hope that helps.

[aaardvarky]

Reply to letter 4 - from Daniel
Dear Stella,
Thank you for the invitation for supper. It was great to chat in such an informal way. As you suggest, I will avoid mentioning that I am staying here at Frankland House and make sure that I don’t share any of our conversations with colleagues, for I can see how it might look. As you say, I wouldn’t want them to feel that I was getting preferential treatment. Thank you for your understanding. Yes I do want to make progress with Richmond-Tempest Partnership. It is my first real opportunity to shine, and I feel privileged to be able to build on this chance whilst staying at Frankland House.

You mentioned that you had enjoyed going to the Alpine Restaurant with your late husband and that you would like to return but didn’t feel ready to dine on your own. I could make a booking for the two of us? Of course you would be my guest as thanks for your generosity in accommodating me at Frankland.

[aaardvarky]

Letter 5 to Daniel
Dear Daniel,
That is most sweet of you! That is an excellent idea, save that as your employer I will collect the bill. Let us say Saturday night? You can book the table, and I will arrange an Uber so that we both may enjoy a glass of wine with the meal.

[aaardvarky]

Reply to letter 5 - from Daniel
Dear Stella,
I have booked a table for 8pm - the one in the corner, as you suggested, just in case anyone from R-T P happened to be passing. Should I wear a suit? I don’t really know what is expected of an expensive place like ‘The Alpine’. Or would that be overdressed?

[boobman987]

Many thanks for the explanation Aardvarky.

It makes more sense now.

[aaardvarky]

boobman987 - it is a pleasure to help you.

[MustBeDenied2]

Eagerly awaiting the next chapters. For once, no prognostication here.

MBD

[aaardvarky]

MBD - I am missing your prognostication.

[aaardvarky]

Letter 6 to Daniel
Dear Daniel,
Casual will be fine. They expect men to wear a jacket - just wear one of Mr Norton’s - but don’t bother with a tie! And don’t worry about me - I just like the opportunity to dress up: it's something I miss since my husband’s death.

I should mention that Frankland County Police are about to charge Mr Norton with supplying a controlled drug, which leaves me feeling quite vulnerable here, and consequently appreciative of your emotional support and presence in the house. It seems early to return to The Alpine Restaurant so soon, but it is something I feel I must do and your willingness to accompany me is most appreciated. It confirms my judgment that you are a most valuable asset to R-T P.