‘That wasn’t what I had in mind,’ said Alex. Jake looked disappointed. ‘I was rather hoping you’d be willing to take over Ackroyd’s position, and return to Lowell’s as the chief executive.’
‘Good morning, gentlemen,’ said Alex, looking around the table to see only one unoccupied chair. ‘I will ask Mr Fowler to read the minutes of the last meeting.’
The company secretary rose from his place and opened the minute book. ‘The board met on March eighteenth,’ he began, ‘and among the matters discussed...’
Alex’s mind drifted back to the hastily called meeting held in Harbottle’s office the previous evening that had lasted until the early hours of the morning. They had both come to the reluctant conclusion that the numbers were stacked against him, well aware that Evelyn was in Boston. He glanced at the empty chair. But if Evelyn didn’t turn up, he might still be in with a chance.
By the time Alex had arrived home, Anna was fast asleep. He decided not to wake her and burden her with his news. He placed a hand on his future son or daughter, a little mound of would-be-life keen to get out and join the world. He climbed into bed, desperate for sleep, but his mind didn’t rest, even for a moment, like a convicted murderer the night before being strapped into the electric chair.
He snapped back into the real world when Fowler said, ‘That concludes the minutes of the last meeting. Are there any questions?’
Still no sign of Evelyn.
There were no questions, not least because everyone around that table knew only too well what the first item on the agenda was.
‘Item number one is the selection of a new chairman,’ said Alex as the door opened and Evelyn burst into the room. Alex cursed as he looked at the woman who’d so captivated him when they’d first met. He could see why men fell so completely under her spell, if only for a short time. Jardine and Ackroyd both rose to greet her, and she took the empty place between them.
‘I apologize for being late,’ said Evelyn, ‘but I needed to consult my lawyer on a personal matter before I attended the meeting.’
Which lawyer, Alex wondered, and what personal matter?
‘I was about to invite nominations for the post of chairman,’ said Fowler, ‘following the tragic death of your brother.’
Evelyn nodded. ‘Please don’t let me hold you up,’ she said, smiling warmly at the company secretary.
Mr Jardine was quickly back on his feet. ‘I’d like to place on record my admiration for the way Mr Karpenko has temporarily filled the gap while we looked for a more suitably qualified candidate to be our next chairman. I believe that, for the long-term future of the company, that person is Doug Ackroyd. We will all recall what an outstanding job he did as the bank’s CEO.’
‘Almost brought the company to its knees,’ muttered Bob Underwood, loudly enough for his fellow board members to hear.
Jardine ignored the sotto voce interruption and ploughed on. ‘I therefore have no hesitation in proposing our former CEO, Mr Douglas Ackroyd, to be the next chairman of Lowell’s Bank.’
‘Do we have a seconder?’ asked Fowler.
‘I shall be delighted to second the nomination,’ said Alan Gates, coming in bang on cue.
‘Another of the fifty-thousand-dollar-a-year expenses brigade,’ said Underwood, ‘making sure the gravy train rolls on in perpetuity.’
‘Thank you,’ said Fowler. ‘If there are no further nominations, all that is left for me to do is call for a vote. Those in favour of Mr Doug Ackroyd being elected as our next chairman, please raise your hands.’
Six hands were raised.
‘On a point of order, Mr Chairman.’ The well-organized juggernaut suddenly ground to an unscheduled halt. ‘I feel I should point out,’ said Underwood, ‘that under standing order 7.9 of the bank’s statutes, no one standing for the position of chairman can vote for themselves.’
Alex smiled. Clearly Harbottle wasn’t the only person who’d been burning the midnight oil. There was some muttering among the board members while Fowler looked up that particular standing order.
‘That appears to be correct,’ he eventually managed.
‘Well, what do you know?’ said Underwood. ‘Our founding fathers weren’t that stupid after all.’
‘However,’ said Fowler, ‘Mr Ackroyd still has five votes. I will now ask if anyone wishes to vote against?’
Five directors immediately raised their hands.
‘Any abstentions?’
‘Only me,’ said Evelyn, in her most innocent voice.
Ackroyd was baffled, while Alex couldn’t hide his surprise.
‘Then the vote is five each, with one abstention,’ said Fowler.
‘So what do we do now?’ asked Tom Rhodes, a director who rarely spoke.
‘I suggest Mr Fowler reads standing order 7.10,’ said Underwood, ‘and we just might find out.’
Fowler reluctantly turned the page and read out, ‘In the event of a tie, the chairman will have the casting vote.’
Everyone turned to face Alex, who didn’t hesitate before saying, ‘Against.’ Even louder muttering broke out among the board members.
It was some time before Fowler, after once again checking the standing orders, asked, ‘Are there any other nominations?’
‘Yes,’ said Bob Underwood. ‘I propose that Mr Alex Karpenko continue as our chairman, as no one can be in any doubt about the outstanding contribution he has made since he took over the chair.’
‘I second the nomination,’ said Rhodes.
Fowler resumed his role as arbitrator. ‘Those in favour, please raise their hands.’ Only five hands shot up, as Alex couldn’t vote for himself.
Just as Fowler was about to ask for those against, Evelyn slowly raised her hand to join the other five. Fowler couldn’t have sounded more dismayed when he had to announce, ‘I declare Mr Alex Karpenko to have been elected as the chairman of the Lowell Bank and Trust Company.’
Several members of the board burst into spontaneous applause, while Ackroyd was unable to hide first his disbelief, then his anger. He along with four other directors immediately rose from their places and left the room.
‘Judas,’ said Ackroyd, as he walked past Evelyn.
‘More like the Good Samaritan!’ shouted Underwood before the door slammed shut.
‘They’ll be back,’ said Alex with a sigh.
‘I don’t think so,’ said Evelyn quietly. She didn’t speak again until she was sure she had everyone’s attention.
‘The reason I was a little late for the board meeting, gentlemen,’ she said, ‘was because earlier this morning I had a visit from a senior officer with the Boston Police Department.’
Every eye was fixed on her.
‘It seems that a Blue Jackie by Andy Warhol was stolen from the Lowell Collection while Lawrence was serving in Vietnam.’ She paused and took a sip of water, her hand trembling to show how distressed she was.
‘When the officer told me the name of the culprit, I was so shocked, I immediately consulted my lawyer, who advised me to attend this meeting and make sure that Mr Karpenko continues as chairman of the bank. I also felt it nothing less than my duty to assure the chief of police that when Mr Ackroyd comes up for trial, I will be happy to appear as a state witness.’
Some of the directors nodded, while Alex remained puzzled.
‘Congratulations,’ said Underwood. ‘You single-handedly managed to remove five shits with one shovel.’
‘But I don’t understand,’ said Alex, once the laughter had died down. ‘Why would you be willing to support me?’
‘Because who am I to disagree with my brother’s choice for chairman?’ Not one of the remaining board members believed her for a moment, and were even more surprised by her next statement. ‘And to that end, I would like to place on record that I am willing to sell my fifty per cent holding in the company for one million dollars.’