Kane and Abel (Kane & Abel 1)

Four hours before the trial was due to start, Henry Osborne was found hanging in his cell by the guard bringing in his breakfast. Hed used a Harvard tie.

The trial opened for the government without their star witness and they appealed for a further extension. After hearing another impassioned plea by H. Trafford Jilks on the state of his clienes, health, judge Prescott refused their request. The public followed every word of the 'Chicago Baron Trial! on television and in the newspapers and to Abel's horror, Zaphia sat in the public gallery seeming to enjoy every moment of his discomfort. After nine days in court, the prosecution knew that their case was not standing up too well and offered to make a deal with H. Trafford Jilks. During an adjournment, Jilks briefed Abel on their offer.

'They will drop all the main indictments of bribery if you will plead guilty to the misdemeanours on two of the minor counts of attempting to improperly influence a public official.'

'What do you estimate are my chances of getting off completely if I turn them down?'

'Fifty - fifty, I would say,' said Jilks.

'And if I don't get off F 'Judge Prescott is tough. The sentence wouldn't be a day under six years!

'And if I agree to the deal and plead guilty to the two minor charges, what then?'

'A heavy fine. I would be surprised if it came to anything more than that,' said Jilks.

Abel sat and considered the alternatives for a few moments.

'I'll plead guilty. Lees get the damn thing over with.'

'Me government lawyers informed the judge that they were dropping fifteen of the charges against Abel Rosnovski.

H. Trafford Jilks rose from his place and told the court that his client wished to change his plea to guilty on the two remaining misdemeanour charges. The jury was dismissed and judge Prescott was very hard on Abel in his summingup, reminding him that the right to do business did not in - clude the right to suborn public officials. Bribery was a crime and a worse crime when condoned by an intelligent and competent man, who should not need to stoop to such levels. In other countries, the judge added pointedly, making Abel feel like a raw immigrant once again, bribery might be an accepted way of going about one's daily life, but that was not the case in the United States of America. judge Prescott gave Abel a six months' suspended sentence and a twentyfive thousand dollar fine plus costs.

George took Abel back to the Baron and they sat in the penthouse drinking whisky for over an hour before Abel spoke.

'George, I want you to contact Peter Parfitt and pay him the one million dollars he asked for his two per cent of Lester's, because once I have my hands on eight per cent of that bank I am going to invoke Article Seven of their bylaws and kill William Kane in his own board room.'

George nodded sadly in agreement.

A few days later the State Department announced that Poland had been granted most favoured nation status in foreign trade with the United States, and that the next American ambassador to Warsaw would be John Moors Cabot.

39

On a bitter February evening, William sat back and re - read Thaddeus Cohen's report. Henry Osborne had released all the information he had needed to finish Abel Rosnovski and had taken his twenty - five thousand dollars and disappeared. Very much in character, thought William as he replaced the well - worn copy of the Rosnovski file back in his safe. The original had been sent to the justice Department in Washington D.C. some days before by Thaddeus Cohen.

When Abel Rosnovski had returned from Turkey and was subsequently arrested, William had waited for him to retaliate, expecting him to dump all his Interstate stock on the market immediately. This time, William was prepared. He had already warned his broker that Interstate might come on to the open market in large amounts with little warning. His instructions were clear. They were to be bought immediately so that the price did not drop. He was prepared to put up the money from his trust as a short - term measure, to avoid any unpleasantness at the bank. William had also circulated a memo among all the stockholders of Lester's asking them not to sell any Interstate stock without consulting him.

As the weeks passed and Abel Rosnovski made no move, William began to believe that Thaddeus Cohen had been correct in assuming that nothing had been traceable back to him. Rosnovski must surely be placing the blame firrrily on Henry Osborne's shoulders.

Thaddeus Cohen was certain that with Osborne's evidence, Abel Rosnovski would end up behind bars for a very long time, which would prevent him from ever finding it possible to invoke Article Seven and be a threat to the bank or William Kane. William hoped that the verdict might also make Richard come to his senses and return home. Surely these latest revelations about that fan - lily could only make him detest the Rosnovski girl and realise that his father had been right all along.