“My rivals? I said I don’t want it. If they do, let them have it.”

“You don’t know what you are saying. There will be war.”

“You mean that literally?” I shook my head. “War? People getting killed?”

“Perhaps, yes, but I’m referring to a larger conflict. Political influence and union violence will be part of it. Organized crime would take sides. There are many ways battles would be fought.”

“And this was how Melvin got to the top, I suppose?”

Fred shook his head. “I will not discuss that with you. But the Boyer companies could even be forced out of business, and your own wealth eliminated. If you do not choose to fight the war, you will lose it.”

“But all I have to say is ‘Yes,’ and I’m king, and everything’s fine.”

“Not that easily. You will have to fight, and it will take some time to consolidate your position. But I will be helping you, and you will have other allies, and you will have your father’s wealth and his name.”

“What would have happened if he hadn’t changed his will? Nathan Kern wasn’t going to be fighting wars.”

“Perhaps that was why your father changed his will.”

Every time I started to get the boat upright, he shoved another wave in and swamped it.

“Does Kern know about this?”

“I’m not sure. I will meet with him this afternoon. You might wish to speak with him yourself soon. He is leaving the country next week on business.”

Leaving the country sounded like a good idea. “Does anyone else know?” I asked.

“Not yet, but they soon will. You will start getting calls. It would be better if you signaled your intentions and initiated the calls yourself.”

I was getting better at recovering. The more Fred talked, the easier it was getting to turn him down. I hadn’t thought through the consequences, though. “So who would I call?”