Fletcher decided he would sign up to help the “Back Carter” campaign in New York in whatever spare time he had. Spare time? Harry and Martha complained about never seeing him. Annie had joined yet another nonprofit board, and Lucy had chicken pox. When he’d phoned his mother to ask if he’d ever had chicken pox, the first thing she said was, “Hello, stranger.” However, these problems were quickly forgotten only moments after he’d arrived at the office.
The first hint of any trouble came when he said good morning to Meg in reception.
“There’s a meeting of all attorneys in the conference room at eight thirty,” she said flatly.
“Any idea what it’s about?” asked Fletcher, realizing that it was a silly question the moment he’d asked it. Confidentiality was the firm’s hallmark.
Several partners were already in their places, talking in hushed tones, when Fletcher entered the boardroom at eight twenty, and he quickly took a seat directly behind Matt’s chair. Could the devaluation of the French franc in Paris affect a law firm in New York? He doubted it. Did the senior partner want to talk about the Higgs & Dunlop deal? No, not Alexander’s style. He looked around the boardroom table. If any of them knew what was on the agenda, they weren’t giving anything away. But it had to be bad news, because good news was always announced at the six o’clock evening meeting.
At eight twenty-four the senior partner walked in.
“I must apologize for keeping you away from your desks,” he began, “but this was not something that I felt could be covered by an internal memo, or slipped into my monthly report.” He paused and cleared his throat. “The strength of this firm has always been that it has never become involved in scandals of a personal or financial nature; therefore I considered even the hint of such a problem had to be dealt with expeditiously.” Fletcher was now even more puzzled. “It has been brought to my notice that a member of this firm was seen in a bar frequented by lawyers from rival institutions.” I do that every day, thought Fletcher, it’s hardly a crime. “And although this in itself is not reprehensible, it can lead to other developments that are unacceptable at Alexander Dupont and Bell. Fortunately, one of our number, with the best interest of the firm at heart, felt it his duty to keep me briefed on what might have become an embarrassing situation. The employee I am referring to was seen in a bar talking to a member of a rival firm. He then left with that person at approximately ten o’clock, took a cab to his home on the West Side, and did not reappear again until six thirty the following morning, when he returned to his own apartment. I immediately confronted the employee concerned, who made no attempt to deny his relationship with the member of a rival firm, and I’m pleased to say that he agreed the wisest course of action was to resign immediately.” He paused. “I am grateful to the member of staff who reluctantly decided that it was his duty to report this matter to me.”
Fletcher glanced across at Ralph Elliot, who was trying to feign surprise as each new sentence was delivered, but no one had ever told him about overacting. It was then that Fletcher recalled seeing Elliot on Fifth Avenue after his evening drink. He felt sick the moment he realized it was Logan the senior partner was referring to.
“May I remind everyone,” emphasized Bill Alexander, “that this matter should not be discussed again in public or in private.” The senior partner rose from his place and left the room without another word.
Fletcher thought it would be diplomatic to be among the last to leave, and when there were no partners left in the room he rose and walked slowly toward the door. On his way back to his office he could hear footsteps behind him, but he didn’t look around, until Elliot caught up with him. “You were in the bar with Logan that night, weren’t you?” he paused. “I didn’t tell my uncle.” Fletcher said nothing as Elliot slipped away, but once he was back at his desk he wrote down the exact words Elliot had threatened him with.
The only mistake he made was not to inform Bill Alexander immediately.
One of the many things Nat admired about Su Ling was that she never once said, “I told you so,” although after all her warnings, she had every right to do so.
“So what happens next?” she asked, having already put the incident behind her.
“I have to decide whether to resign or wait to be pushed.”
“But Steven is the head of your department, and even Adrian is senior to you.”
“I know, but they were all my positions, and I signed the buy and sell orders, so no one really believes they made any of the plays.”
“How much did the bank lose?”
“A few dollars short of half a million.”
“But you’ve made them much more than that in the past couple of years.”
“True, but the other heads of departments will now consider me unreliable, and will always be fearful that it just might happen again. Steven and Adrian are already distancing themselves as quickly as they can; they won’t want to lose their jobs as well.”
“But you’re still capable of making the bank huge profits, so why should they let you go?”
“Because they’ll be able to replace me; business schools throw up bright new graduates every year.”
“Not of your caliber, they don’t,” said Su Ling.
“But I thought you didn’t approve?”
“I didn’t say I approve,” replied Su Ling, “but that doesn’t mean I don’t recognize and admire your ability.” She hesitated. “Will anyone else offer you a job?”
“I don’t suppose they will be calling me as frequently as they were a month ago, so I’ll just have to start calling them.”
Su Ling wrapped her arms around her husband. “You’ve faced far worse than this in Vietnam and so did I in Korea, and you didn’t flinch.” Nat had almost forgotten what had happened in Korea, although it was obviously still troubling Su Ling.
“What about the Cartwright Fund?” she asked as Nat helped her set the table.
“Lost around fifty thousand, but it’s still showing a small profit over the year. Which reminds me, I must ring Mr. Russell and apologize.”
“But you’ve also made them handsome returns in the past.”
“Which is why they put so much trust in me in the first place,” said Nat, thumping the table. “Damn it, I should have seen it coming.” He looked across the table at his wife. “What do you think I should do?”
Su Ling considered his question for some time. “Resign, and get yourself a proper job.”
Fletcher dialed the number without going through his secretary. “Are you free for lunch?” He paused. “No, we need to meet somewhere where no one will recognize us”—pause—“is that the one on West 57th?”—pause—“see you there at twelve thirty.”
Fletcher arrived at Zemarki’s a few minutes early. His guest was waiting for him. They both ordered salad, and Fletcher called for a light beer.
“I thought you never drank at lunch?”
“Today is one of those rare exceptions,” said Fletcher. After he’d taken a long draft, he told his friend what had taken place that morning.
“This is 1976 not 1776,” was all Jimmy said.
“I know, but it seems that there are still one or two dinosaurs roaming around, and God knows what other bile Elliot fed to his uncle.”
“Sounds like a nice guy, your Mr. Elliot. You’d better keep your eye on him as you’re probably the next one he has in his sights.”
“I can take care of myself,” said Fletcher. “It’s Logan I’m worried about.”
“But surely if he’s as good as you say he’ll be quickly snapped up?”
“Not after a call to Bill Alexander asking why he left so suddenly.”
“No lawyer would dare to suggest that being gay was a reason for dismissal.”
“He doesn’t have to,” said Fletcher. “Given the circumstances he need only say, ‘I would prefer not to discuss the matter, it’s somewhat delicate,’ which is far more deadly.” He took another swig. “I have to tell you, Jimmy, that if your fir
m were lucky enough to employ Logan, they would never regret it.”
“I’ll have a word with the senior partner this afternoon, and let you know how he reacts. Anyway, how’s my kid sister?”
“Slowly taking over everything in Ridgewood, including the book club, the neighborhood swim team and the blood donors’ drive. Our next problem is going to be which school to send Lucy to.”
“Hotchkiss is taking girls now,” said Jimmy, “and we intend….”
“I wonder how the senator feels about that,” said Fletcher as he drained his beer. “How is he, by the way?”
“Exhausted, he never stops preparing for the next election.”
“But no one could oust Harry. I don’t know a more popular politician in the state.”
“You tell him that,” said Jimmy. “When I last saw him he’d put on fifteen pounds, and was looking badly out of shape.”
Fletcher glanced at his watch. “Send the old warhorse my best, and tell him Annie and I will try and get up to Hartford for a weekend soon.” He paused. “This meeting never took place.”
“You’re becoming paranoid,” said Jimmy as he picked up the check, “which is exactly what this Elliot guy will be hoping for.”
Nat handed in his resignation the following morning, relieved at how calmly Su Ling had taken the whole debacle. But it was all very well her telling him to get a proper job when there was only one job he felt qualified to do.
When he returned to his office to remove his personal possessions it was as if there were a quarantine notice attached to his desk. Former colleagues walked quickly past, and those occupying desks nearby remained on their phones, their faces turned away.
He took a laden cab back to the apartment, and filled the tiny elevator three times before he had finally deposited everything in his study.
Nat sat alone at his desk. The phone hadn’t rung once since he’d arrived home. The apartment felt strangely empty without Su Ling and Luke; he’d got used to them both being there to greet him whenever he came home. Thank God the boy was too young to know what they were going through.
At midday, he went to the kitchen, opened a can of corned beef hash and tipped it into a frying pan, added some butter, cracked two eggs on top and waited until they looked done.
After lunch, he typed out a list of financial institutions that had been in contact with him during the past year, and then settled down to call them one by one. He started with a bank that had phoned him only a few days before.
“Oh hi, Nat, yes sorry, we managed to fill the position last Friday.”
“Good afternoon, Nat, that sounds like an interesting proposition, give me a couple of days to think about it, and I’ll come back to you.”
“It was good of you to call, Mr. Cartwright, but…”
When Nat had reached the end of the list, he put the phone down. He’d just been devalued, and there was obviously a sell order out on him. He checked his current account. It was still showing a healthy balance, but for how much longer? He glanced up at the oil painting above his desk, Reclining Nude by Camoin. He wondered just how long it would be before he had to return one of his mistresses to the gallery pimp.
The phone rang. Had one of them thought about it and called him back? He picked it up and heard a familiar voice.
“I must apologize, Mr. Russell,” Nat said. “I should have called you earlier.”
Once Logan had left the firm, Fletcher felt isolated and hardly a day went by when Elliot didn’t try to undermine him, so when Bill Alexander asked to see him on Monday morning, Fletcher sensed it wasn’t going to be a friendly encounter.
Over supper with Annie on Sunday evening, he told his wife everything that had taken place during the past few days, trying hard not to exaggerate. Annie listened in silence.
“If you don’t tell Mr. Alexander the truth about his nephew, both of you will live to regret it.”
“It’s not that easy,” said Fletcher.
“The truth is always that easy,” said Annie. “Logan has been treated disgracefully, and if it hadn’t been for you, he might never have been offered another job. Your only mistake was not telling Alexander the moment the meeting was over; that’s given Elliot the confidence to go on undermining you.”
“And if he sacks me as well?”
“Then it isn’t a firm you should have joined in the first place, Fletcher Davenport, and you would certainly not be the man I chose to marry.”
When Fletcher arrived outside Mr. Alexander’s door a few minutes before nine, Mrs. Townsend ushered him straight through to the senior partner’s office.
“Have a seat,” said Bill Alexander, pointing to the chair on the other side of the desk. No “nice to see you, Fletcher,” just have a seat. No “how’s Annie and Lucy,” just have a seat. Those three words resolved Fletcher in the belief that Annie was right, and he must not be fearful of standing up for what he believed in.
“Fletcher, when you first joined Alexander Dupont and Bell nearly two years ago, I had high hopes for you, and indeed during your first year you more than lived up to my expectations. We all recall with some considerable pleasure the Higgs and Dunlop incident. But of late, you have not shown the same resolution.” Fletcher looked puzzled. He had seen Matt Cunliffe’s most recent report on him, and the word exemplary had stuck in his mind. “I think we have the right to assume a standard of loyalty second to none in the legal profession,” continued Alexander. Fletcher remained silent, not yet sure of the crime he was about to be charged with. “It has been brought to my attention that you were also in the bar with Fitzgerald on the night he was having a drink with his friend.”
“Information supplied by your nephew, no doubt,” said Fletcher, “whose role in this whole affair has been far from impartial.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“Quite simply that Mr. Elliot’s version of events is based totally on self-interest, as I feel sure a man of your perspicacity has already worked out.”
“Perspicacity?” said Alexander. “Was it perspicacious of you to be seen in the company of Fitzgerald’s friend?” He emphasized the word again.
“I did not meet Logan’s friend, as I feel sure Mr. Elliot told you, unless he only wanted you to know half the story. I left for Ridgewood…”
“But Ralph told me that you later returned.”
“Yes I did, and like any good spy, your nephew must also have reported that I only went back to pick up my scarf, which had fallen out of the sleeve of my overcoat.”
“No, he did not report that,” said Alexander.
“Which is what I mean by only telling you half the story,” said Fletcher.
“So you didn’t speak to Logan or his friend?”
“No, I didn’t,” said Fletcher, “but that was only because I was in a hurry, and didn’t have time.”
“So you would have spoken to him?”
“Yes, I would.”
“Even if you’d known that Logan was a homosexual?”
“I neither knew nor cared.”
“You didn’t care?”
“No, I did not consider Logan’s private life was any of my business.”
“But it might have been the firm’s business, which brings me to more important matters. Are you aware that Logan Fitzgerald has since joined the firm that employs your brother-in-law?”
“Yes, I am,” said Fletcher, “I told Mr. Gates that Logan would be looking for a job and they’d be lucky to get a man of his caliber.”
“I wonder if that was wise,” said Bill Alexander.
“When it comes to dealing with a friend, I have a tendency to put decency and fairness ahead of my own self-interest.”
“And ahead of the firm’s?”
“Yes, if it’s morally right. That’s what Professor Abrahams taught me.”
“Don’t bandy words with me, Mr. Davenport.”
“Why not? You’ve been bandying them with me, Mr. Alexander.”
The senior partner turned sca
rlet. “You must realize that I could have you thrown out of this firm.”
“Two of us leaving in the same week may take some explaining, Mr. Alexander.”
“Are you threatening me?”
“No, I think it’s you who is threatening me.”
“It may not be that easy to get rid of you, Mr. Davenport, but I can make damn sure you never become a partner while I’m a member of this firm. Now get out.”
As he rose to leave, Fletcher recalled Annie’s words. Then it’s not the firm you should have joined in the first place.
He returned to his office to find the phone ringing. Was Alexander calling him back? He picked it up ready to offer his resignation. It was Jimmy.
“Sorry to bother you at work, Fletcher, but Dad’s had a heart attack. He’s been taken to St. Patrick’s. Can you and Annie get over to Hartford as quickly as possible?”
27
“I’ve got myself a proper job,” said Nat as Su Ling walked through the door.
“You’re going to be a New York cab driver?”
“No,” replied Nat. “I don’t have the qualifications for that job.”
“That’s never seemed to hinder anyone in the past.”
“But not living in New York might.”
“We’re leaving New York? Please tell me that we’re going somewhere civilized where skyscrapers will be replaced with trees and exhaust fumes by fresh air.”
“We’re going home.”
“Hartford? Then it can only be Russell’s.”
“You’re right, Mr. Russell has offered me a job as vice-president of the bank, working alongside Tom.”
“Serious banking? Not just speculating in the currency market?”
“I’ll oversee his currency department, but I can promise you that it concentrates mainly on foreign exchange, not speculation. What Mr. Russell most needs is for Tom and me to work on a complete reorganization of the bank. During the past few years Russell’s has been falling behind its competitors and…” Su Ling placed her bag on the hall table and walked over to the phone. “Who are you calling?” asked Nat.