matter of a few miles, but those miles crossed though the heart of the city and its colonial road system. When the cab arrived at Atlantic Mall, it was just in time. Dale paid his driver and entered the lobby, which was packed with shoppers. The atrium was a spectacular sight, with its trees and waterfall rising multiple stories above its marble floor. Dale was at the foot of the large curved staircase when his phone rang. It was Lorie.
“Dad.” she said. “I wanted to say that I do appreciate how you tried to protect me.”
“It's all that matters.” he said.
“No. No it's not. I still don't think you did the right thing.”
“You know what they say about hindsight.”
“You shouldn't have sacrificed yourself.” said Lorie. “If you had stood up to Mom maybe she would've gotten the message. And I'd have had more respect for you.”
Dale guess that he could only hope for so much from Lorie. She was trying to see things from his point of view. He figured there was no way she'd be able to grasp the complexities of the situation. That would take time and experience on her part.
“Will you come meet me later?” he said.
“Yeah, I just might do that.”
They finished their call and Dale looked up the staircase. He was supposed to be meeting with Marianne now. She would be arriving soon or may have already arrived. Although Reggie and his partners had flown down to New York a few times, Dale was the only one from Blue Water who had been to Boston. This was Marianne's first trip and he couldn't leave her alone with these people. And yet, for the first time he felt a moment of hesitation. He wasn't sure if he wanted to rush in to save her this time. He wasn't going to let her hang, but he wondered if it wasn't better to let her falter, just a little. After all, her voice message seemed to be saying that she was ready to strike out on her own.
Dale pushed through the crowds and found a Dunkin Donuts. He order himself a regular coffee and sat by one of the fountains. He breathed three times and took a sip. He agreed with himself that this was better. He could take a moment to relax after one crisis and prepare his mind for the next.
A few minutes later he climbed those stairs. After a brief pause at the security check-in, he barreled down the hall and into the Polymath offices. Dale saw Cass and asked her if Marianne had arrived. When she confirmed that Marianne was in the conference room speaking with Reggie, Dale showed himself in. Inside he noticed a blue emergency light blinking. He wasn't sure what to make of that, but Cass hadn't seemed alarmed about anything. Dale ignored it. He saw Marianne in the glass walled conference room on the other side of the office suite. Reggie was standing across the table from her, with his back turned to both of them and his hands on his hips. Neither was speaking, but it was clear that something had just happened.
Before he could take a step in that direction, Dale noticed something in the corner of his eye. There was a door at the end of the hall with a window looking into the engineering room. Cass was standing there. She crossed the room and a door on the other side opened without her touching it. As she walked through the doorway, she stumbled. This surprised Dale because Cass was the most poised woman he'd ever met. Then again, everyone had their off days. What he found less explicable was how she'd gotten over there. He should've seen her in the hall.
He told himself to never mind that and go see what the matter was with Marianne and Reggie.
The latter turned when Dale entered and said, “Dale Benedict. Welcome, once again.”
“What's that?” said Dale, pointing to the single page on the table.
Reggie said, “Your colleague was about to explain it me.”
Marianne looked at Dale. Her expression meant there was danger. Dale pinched the corner of the paper between his thumb and forefinger and pulled it away from them. It was an article of some kind, with a quote from Rosalind. He's seen this email before. He didn't know how this came into Binder's possession, but that didn't matter. Dale had no expectations that Blue Water's true intentions would be confidential forever, although he'd hoped to keep reality at bay until the critical phase had passed. He was, nonetheless, prepared.
Dale said to Marianne, “And what were you going to explain to him?”
She turned her eyes away, saying, “I think I was just going to tell him the truth. Sorry.”
“And what makes you think you're entitled to tell him that?”
“Dale, I know you're upset, but trust me I've been doing a lot of thinking about this...”
“You've been doing some thinking? This has nothing to do with you.”
Marianne's gaze snapped back to him, covered with a look of bewilderment.
To Reggie, Dale said, “I knew it would come out sooner or later.” He tossed the paper back on the table. “About Rosalind and me.”
Binder said, “This plan is just between the two of you?”
“What plan?” said Dale. “What, do you think we're getting married or something.”
“Please, I'm confused. Start at the beginning.”
“Rosalind Munro and I have been seeing each other. That's what this is about, isn't it?”
“Is it?”
“Of course it is. Rosalind wrote me this email. She wasn't sure she wanted to continue our personal relationship in light of our professional relationship. She didn't like keep it a secret. Rosalind is terrible with secrets, as I'm sure you must know.”
Reggie considered this in silence for a moment.
Then he nodded, saying, “Thank you for informing me. Rosalind's concerns are accurate.”
“Sorry to get this off on the wrong foot.” said Dale. “We can discuss further, perhaps when Rosalind arrives, but right now I need to speak to my partner privately.”
“Of course.” said Reggie as he left and closed the door.
Dale walked to the side of the table where Reggie had been and sat across from Marianne.
Marianne said, “What was that about?”
“Buying time. Marianne? Don't be upset if I was short with you. It was for show.”
“I could see that. He's not going to trust you now.”
“That's okay, given the circumstances.” said Dale. “One of us had to step in.”
“And that had to be you? I was close to telling him, you know.”
“That would've ruined your career, Marianne.”
“Dale. Seriously. I don't need any rescuing you of all people know that.”
“I wouldn't call that a rescue. But I am watching out for you. I always have, haven't I?”
Marianne looked at the ceiling, sighed, and said, “Sure you have, but that never meant this.”
“What?”
“You know Rosalind wrote that email to me about the deal. You know that somehow I am responsible for letting it fall into Reggie's hands.” She tossed her hands at him, saying, “But you through yourself on the fire like some kind of sacrifice. Where did that come from?”
In all his years working with Marianne, Dale had never thought of that before. The realization fell on him and flattened him. He had always thought of his workplace as a refuge. What he did there was meaningful and many people, if not all of them, appreciated what he did in ways that his wife and daughter could not. What he hadn't seen what how this extended to the way he related to people. Yes, Marianne was like a daughter to him. He consoled her and encouraged her and instructed her when she needed it. However, unlike with Lorie or his wife, he'd never shielded her or accepted blame for something that wasn't his fault.
Marianne went on, “All I ever looked for from you was a little advice. I don't want a rescuer.”
“Of course. You're right and I'm sorry.”
“But there's another way you let me down, Dale. You said it was a show. Just a show. Do you want to know the number one reason why I've always respected you? Despite everything we do in our line of work, somehow you found some kind of moral center. I had my doubts at the begin
ning of this project. It's the most questionable think we've every done. It was you who convinced me that Reggie was bad for this company and for all its clients. Together with the senate vote...”
“I just remembered.” said Dale. “Your message said something about Paul.”
Marianne shook her head. “That's the thing. I thought Paul had a heart too, but there's only one way that email could've gotten to Binder. He always said he thought Blue Water could take the Sorter in a different direction, one that he would be happy to endorse. All he was doing was using me to scuttle the company.” She gestrued at the paper. “When this goes public it will kill the senate vote.”
Dale said, “Has something happened between you and Paul?”
“You haven't seen the news?”
“When would I have done that?”
Marianne laughed, but it wasn't a happy laugh.
She said, “Paul slept with a teenager and now he's in prison.”
“My god, Marianne. I had no ideas. I'm sorry.”
“It's all for show. None of this is real.”
She stood up and started for the door. Dale opened his mouth, but she spoke over him.
“I'm tired of these games.” she said, “I'm going to tell Reggie what's going on here. After that I'm going to report your relationship with Rosalind to our management along with my resignation.”
EIGHTEEN
The elevator doors opened and John found himself in a bare white hallway. Jason was standing next to him and followed after him as he dragged his two wheeler hand truck out of the carriage. The doors closed and after that