Yeah, yeah, thats all fine, Goff said, when McDonald appeared to be running down. So weve all got a lot to think about. I would propose that we leave everything as is: Wilson speaks for us, but we ask Susan and Jim each to prepare a report on their respective ideas, deliverable before Friday noon to each of us. Thats quick, thats only a couple of days, but we gotta move on this. I further suggest that we meet again next Monday to consider the reports. Wed want a complete discussion of all the, uh, options, and at that time we can consider how to go forward.
He looked around, got nods of assent. For just a fleeting, tiny part of a second, ODell and Bone locked eyes. Only two of them were left. McDonald had just been cut out. Whoevers report was adopted would be running the place in a week.
McDonald didnt understand that yet. He harrumphed, allowed that the reports were probably a good idea, and after a few more minutes of talk, the board adjourned.
ODELL ORDERED CARLA WYTE AND LOUISE COMPTON to her office as soon as she got out of the meeting. Marcus Kent, her other major ally, was too exposed to meet with her publicly, since he technically worked for Bone.
Everything I said was true, ODell told Wyte and Compton. The trouble is, its not money in hand. I need exact, specific examples of the kind of payoff we can deliver to board members and top management if they adopt my approach.
She turned to Wyte: Youre the numbers person. I want you to nail down the numbers on this stuff, so theyll know what theyll get, and how much itll cost the bank, and what the tax consequences will be. Do you know Pat Zebeka?
Wyte was scribbling on a yellow pad: Ive heard of him. A lawyer.
Tax guy, one of the best, and hes done a lot of compensation work. Get with himon my budget, Ill fix it and get a laundry list of everything we can offer that will provide tax advantages.
And to Compton, who never took notes on anything, because if you never took notes, nobody could subpoena them: I want charts from you. Get the details from Carla, and put them together in a package. Its gotta be good, and its gotta be clear. Not so simple theyll be insulted, but theyve got to see what theyll get. It has to be as real as the dollars theyd get from a merger. And another thing there are some pretty big advantages to being on the Polaris board. We need to put together a list of those advantages. Social status stuff.
Good. What about polling the board? Compton asked. Im talking to them, the ones I can get. And Ive got to talk to McDonald. Tonight, if I can. Im not sure if the idiot knows hes out of it, but hes got to find out sometime.
From you? Do you think thats smart? He might be insulted.
ODell shook her head: Has to be done. Ive got to get to him before Bone, and I can make him an offer Bone cant.
What? Wyte asked.
Im president and CEO, but hes board chairman. Talking is what he does best anyway. In a couple of years, when the banks mine… She flipped a hand dismissively… he can go away.
Why couldnt Bone offer him Compton stopped herself, shook her head. Sorry. Stupid question. If Bone gets it, the banks gonna go away.
BONE TOLD BAKI TO COORDINATE A GRAPHICS PACKAGE on how much money would be available through the merger: he would provide the details. If you do this right, Kerin, and by that I mean if you do this perfectly… What? Kerin Baki was like a piece of blond ironwood, he thought, brutally efficient, great to look at, but cold. Distant. A Finn, hed heard. Sometimes she was so chilly he could feel the frost coming off her. He couldnt see her with a southern boy, but thought she might go well with somebody like, say, Davenport.
Youll be the most important person in the bank, since I cant do shit without you. She disapproved of extraneous vulgarities, which is why he sometimes used them. And what she did next surprised himalmost shocked him. She sat down across his desk and crossed her legs. Good legs. Maybe even great legs.
I hope youve talked with the board members. Privately, I mean, she said.
Ive started…
Youve got to do better than start, she said. This is a campaign, not a party.
Well, Ill
Have you talked to McDonald?
No. Hes out of it…
I know. But hes got friends on the board. He can possibly throw them to ODell. So youve got to talk to McDonald and do it soon. Call Spacek at Midland and find out if they can find some kind of figurehead job for him after the merger. Vice chairman of the merged banks, or something…
Bone nodded: Good idea. Ill do that. He looked at her, gauging the change in their relationship, then took the step: What else? he asked.
Ive only got one more thingwell, two more things. First, your old pal Marcus Kent works for ODell.
Everything you tell him goes to her.
Bones eyebrows went up. Since when?
Since he decided he wanted your job, which was about two minutes after you hired him.
Little asshole, Bone grumbled, not particularly surprised. Ill take care of him later. You said two things. Whats the other one?
I want you to do me a favor.
Sure. What?
Ill tell you when youre given the job. All you have to do now is promise to do me a favor.
You mean… blind? You wont tell me what favor?
She nodded. She was so serious, so cool, so remote, that he nodded in return. All right. I hate to do it blind, but if its anything like rational, Ill do you a favor.
She nodded once again, quickly, ticking the commitment off some mental list.
I mean, money? A title? he asked.
Ill tell you later, she said. And for a fraction of a second, he thought she almost smiled. Now: I can get a graphics guy to actually put our presentation together, but we might also want some kind of short video presentation from Midland, from Spacek himself, probably. That means well need to check the VCR up in The Room.
Bone slapped his forehead: Thats great. Ill talk to Spacek as soon as were done here. He looked at his watch: Plenty of time.
What else? she asked.
I need to talk to a guy named Gerry Nicolas. Today. He runs the state pension fund, I dont know the formal name.
Ill get it, she said. May I ask why? Just so I can stay current and see how youre thinking?
Oddly enough, Bone thought, he trusted her: Because his constituents dont know anything about the stock market, but they know he hasnt gotten them fifteen percent on their money this year, and they want to know why. Hes feeling a little shaky, and he also happens to own almost six million shares of our stock which, until the merger talk started, had been sitting in his portfolio like a brick. Hes now up sixty million, and due to go up quite a few more if the merger goes through. If it doesnt, hes sucking wind again.
So if you tell him the board is thinking about backing out…
Hell be on the phone to the board. And hes got some serious clout when it comes to electing board members.
Good. Thats exactly how weve got to think. She stood up. I know this changes our relationship somewhat, Mr. Bone, but I really think youll have a much better chance at this job if you listen seriously to my proposals. And Ill critique yours.
Of course, he said.
Dont dismiss me like that, she snapped. Im as smart as you are. I might not know as much about investments, but I know a lot more about the way this place really works. If Im going to save my job, youve got to listen to me.
He laughed despite himself, and again, was somewhat shocked: Is that what this is all about? Saving your job?
Thats half of it, she said.
Whats the other half?
The favor youre going to do methats the other half.
As she was going out the door, he said, Maybe you better start calling me Jim.