Murphy began by relating a conversation he had had with a prospective client, a twenty-two-year-old mother of a four-year-old who had mental retardation. “She called to complain,” Murphy was saying, “because she was enraged by a comment Brittany had made during the intake interview.”
“What’d she say?”
“Brittany asked the mother what kind of drugs she’d taken during her pregnancy that caused her son to become mentally retarded.”
Madison leaned forward in his chair. “Tell me she didn’t really say that.”
“This poor mother was in tears, Phil. She’d been harboring enough guilt about having given birth to a child with Klinefelter’s…but to be subjected to such a question by the very organization that she came to for help…” His voice trailed off. Madison knew better than most that Klinefelter’s syndrome was a genetic disorder that had nothing to do with drug abuse during pregnancy.
“Brittany’s a time bomb waiting to explode, Murph.”
“I was beside myself, Phil. She represents the organization. The public doesn’t perceive her as just an employee. They look at her and see us.”
Madison rubbed his forehead. “How’d we get ourselves into this situation?” It was something he had asked himself a couple of weeks ago. “We should get together and discuss all this. I’m sorry I haven’t called you sooner, but I’ve been swamped. A few things have happened recently that you should know about.”
“Good idea, ‘cause I just got a call from Donna’s husband. She’s not gonna be returning. Inoperable brain tumor.”
“Oh, Jesus. Did he say what kind it was?”
“All I heard was ‘inoperable.’ I kind of spaced out the rest of what he was saying.”
“I guess it all fits, especially the abrupt change in personality and erratic behavior.” He shook his head. “She’s only forty-nine. Her husband must be devastated. I should give them a call, express my condolences-”
“Just let it go, Phil. He said she’s deteriorated pretty rapidly. I let him know how sorry we all are.” Murphy sighed. “We need to talk. When are you available?”
“When are you going to be in town?”
“When do you want me to be?”
“Tomorrow night, around seven. My office.”
“Phil, we were going to spend tomorrow night together,” Leeza said with the phone propped on her shoulder as she cleaned up the chopped onions. Her eyes were tearing and she was sniffling. “We haven’t had a night alone in three weeks.”
“Honey, I’m sorry. I know we had plans. I was looking forward to spending time together. But I don’t know what to do. Murph and I have to meet and figure it out. He’s just gonna have to fire her before we have a replacement. I promise, once we figure out a plan of action, we’ll be rid of her and her psychoses and then you and I can get back to normal.”
“I don’t want normal. Normal is I don’t see you. The kids don’t see you.”
“It was better, wasn’t it? After we talked and I rearranged my office schedule-”
“Yes,” she said between sniffles, wiping her eyes. The onion was on her fingertips and only caused her eyes to tear more. “It was better. Not great, but better.”
“I’ll make it up to you, I promise. It’s just been so damned stressful dealing with this nut. She’s got problems, Lee, and she needs help.”
“That’s not your responsibility.”
“I’m just interested in getting the Consortium back on track. Then things should ease. We’ll make reservations at that bed-and-breakfast we went to in Monterey, okay? Just the two of us, walking on the beach at night…”
“I got a call today from Blair.”
Madison’s assistant had walked in and handed him another two messages. He scanned them quickly.
“Phil, are you listening to me?”
“Blair. Your conversation with Blair.”
“Phil, you’re impossible.”
“I’m sorry. I’ve got a lot of things on my plate. I have six calls to return before I leave.”
“Blair said she heard a rumor that you and Brittany Harding were an item.”
“An item?” he asked. “What kind of item?”
“Having an affair.”
“Goddammit!” he said, crumpling papers that were beneath his right hand. “Blair’s your hairdresser, right?”
“Phil, just tell me it’s not true and I’ll let it go.”
“Honey,” he said, trying to compose himself, “it’s not true.”
“The first thing I did was laugh. I thought, when would he have the time?”
Madison sensed a definite lightening of her tone after his denial. “Leeza, honey, there’s nothing going on. Never has and never will be in a million years. You’re the only woman in my life.”
“It means a lot to hear you say that. I mean, I know that I am. It’s just that it caught me totally off guard. I thought it was a joke until I realized she was serious. Rumors like this spread quickly, people look at you funny. They think it’s true. And when you deny it, they think, What’s she gonna say? ”
Madison was nodding, clenching his jaw. “Where did Blair hear this?”
“She was talking to Serena yesterday.”
“Serena. How’d she get involved?”
“Serena’s cousin’s niece is enrolled in the program at CCMR.”
“Serena’s cousin’s niece…how would a rumor like that get started?”
“Supposedly slipped out during a conversation she was having with Brittany Harding.”
“Slipped out,” Madison said. “Now do you see why Murph and I need to meet tomorrow night?”
“Let’s just get her out of our life, Phil.”
“I’m working on it, honey. I promise you I’ll find some way of ending this nightmare.”
He hung up the phone and buried his face in his hands. She seemed to handle it well and accept his denial without resistance. But as he was to find out, dealing with Leeza was the easy part.
CHAPTER 15
His meeting with Murphy was short and to the point. “Mr. Positive” was anything but, having heard one story after another of Harding’s systematic destruction of the Consortium from within. Madison’s recent experiences were just icing on an already glazed cake. It was no longer safe to have her around, controlling the inner workings of the office, Murphy was saying.
“She’s got to be let go now.”
Madison just sat there and nodded his approval. He could imagine how Murphy used to be, before he discovered positive mental attitude therapy. It was easy to lapse back into reality and good old pessimism when the stresses of life interceded.
“Am I wrong, Phil, am I wrong?”
“No, Murph. I agree with you, it’s got to be done. My only question is how we’re going to keep things running without a staff person directing and running the programs until we get someone hired.”
“I can be up here most of the time for a couple of weeks. We’ll just have to get someone hired within that time.”
“When are you going to break the news?”
“I need to speak with our attorney, but everything should be in order. I’ll probably talk with her on Saturday morning.”
“Do I need to be there?”
“No sense involving you in this mess. Do you have any reservations about-”
“None whatsoever.”
“Then it’s a done deal. Don’t worry, we’ll find someone to take over. Go home and spend some time with Leeza. And give her my regards.”
They shook hands and Madison left, feeling as if the monkey had been lifted from his back. In this case, King Kong-aka Brittany Harding.
CHAPTER 16
It had been a grueling day in surgery: a total hip replacement that lasted six hours and an ankle pinning that was supposed to be completed in thirty minutes, but took three times that due to complications with the Achilles tendon. Madison showered, changed into his street clothes, then checked his voicemail before leaving the hospital. A message from John Stevens caught his attention. On the slight possibility that Stevens was still there poring over a budget or reading a report, he took the elevator up to the third floor.