But the caller wanted to speak to Mr. Yablon. Townsend turned toward the table and handed the phone over to Mrs. Sherwood’s lawyer. As Yablon took the call, Townsend began to look around the room. Surely there was another way out of the apartment? He couldn’t be expected to come face to face with a gloating Armstrong.
Mr. Yablon replaced the phone and turned to Mrs. Sherwood. ‘That was my bank,’ he said. ‘They confirm that $2 million has been lodged in my escrow account. As I have said for some time, Margaret, I believe that clock of yours is a minute fast.’
Mrs. Sherwood immediately signed the two documents in front of her, then revealed a piece of information concerning the late Sir George Sherwood’s will that took both Townsend and Tom by surprise. Tom gathered up the papers as she rose from the table and said, ‘Follow me, gentlemen.’ She quickly led Townsend and his lawyers through to the kitchen, and out onto the fire escape.
‘Goodbye, Mr. Townsend,’ she said as he stepped out of the window.
‘Goodbye, Mrs. Sherwood,’ he said, giving a slight bow.
‘By the way—’ she added.
Townsend turned back, looking anxious.
‘Yes?’
‘You know, you really ought to marry that girl — whatever her name is.’
‘I’m so sorry,’ Mr. Yablon was saying as Mrs. Sherwood walked back into the dining room, ‘but my client has already sold her shares in the Globe to Mr. Keith Townsend, with whom I understand you are acquainted.’
Armstrong couldn’t believe what he was hearing. He turned to his lawyer, a look of fury on his face.
‘For $20 million?’ Russell Critchley asked the old attorney calmly.
‘Yes,’ replied Yablon, ‘the exact figure that your client agreed with her brother-in-law earlier this month.’
‘But Alexander assured me only last week that Mrs. Sherwood had agreed to sell her shares in the Globe to me,’ said Armstrong. ‘I’ve flown to New York specially...’
‘It was not your flight to New York that influenced me, Mr. Armstrong,’ said the old lady firmly. ‘Rather the one you made to Geneva.’
Armstrong stared at her for some time, then turned and marched back to the lift he had left only a few minutes earlier, and whose doors were still open. As he and his lawyer traveled down he cursed several times before asking, ‘But how the hell did he manage it?’
‘I can only assume he joined Mrs. Sherwood at some point on her cruise.’
‘But how could he possibly have found out that I was involved in a deal to take over the Globe in the first place?’
‘I have a feeling that you won’t find the answer to that question on this side of the Atlantic,’ said Critchley. ‘But all is not lost.’
‘What the hell do you mean?’
‘You are already in possession of one third of the shares.’
‘So is Townsend,’ said Armstrong.
‘True. But if you were to pick up Sir Walter Sherwood’s holding, you would then be in possession of two-thirds of the company, and Townsend would be left with no choice but to sell his third to you — at a considerable loss.’
Armstrong looked across at his lawyer, and the hint of a smile broke out across his jowly face.
‘And with Alexander Sherwood still supporting your cause, the game’s far from over yet.’
27
The Globe
10 June 1967
Your Decision!
‘Can you get me on the next flight to London?’ barked Armstrong when the hotel’s travel desk came on the line.
‘Certainly, sir,’ she said.
His second call was to his office in London, where Pamela — his latest secretary — confirmed that Sir Walter Sherwood had agreed to see him at ten o’clock the following morning. She didn’t add, reluctantly.
‘I’ll also need to speak to Alexander Sherwood in Paris. And make sure Reg is at the airport and Stephen Hallet is in my office when I get back. This all has to be sorted before Townsend gets back to London.’
When Sharon walked into the suite a few minutes later, weighed down by shopping, she was surprised to find Dick was already packing.
‘Are we going somewhere?’ she asked.
‘We’re leaving immediately,’ he said without explanation. ‘Do your packing while I pay the bill.’
A porter took Armstrong’s bags down to a waiting limousine, while he picked up the airline tickets from the travel desk and then went to reception to settle his bill. He checked his watch — he could just make the flight, and would be back in London early the following morning. As long as Townsend didn’t know about the two-thirds rule, he could still end up owning 100 percent of the company. And even if Townsend did know, he was confident Alexander Sherwood would press his claim with Sir Walter.
As soon as Sharon stepped into the back of the limousine, Armstrong ordered the driver to take them to the airport.
‘But my bags haven’t been brought down from the room yet,’ said Sharon.
‘Then they’ll have to be sent on later. I can’t afford to miss this flight.’
Sharon didn’t say another word on the journey to the airport. As they drove up to the terminal, Armstrong fingered the two tickets in his inside pocket to be sure he hadn’t left them behind. They stepped out of the limousine, and he asked the Skycap to check his bags straight through to London, then began running toward passport control with Sharon in his wake.
They were ushered quickly in the direction of the exit gate, where a stewardess was already checking passengers on board. ‘Don’t worry, sir,’ she said. ‘You’ve still got a couple of minutes to spare. You can both catch your breath.’
Armstrong removed the tickets from his pocket and gave one to Sharon. A steward checked his ticket, and he hurried off down the long corridor to the waiting plane.
Sharon handed over her ticket. The steward looked at it and said, ‘This ticket is not for this flight, madam.’
‘What do you mean?’ said Sharon. ‘I’m booked first class on this flight along with Mr. Armstrong. I’m his personal assistant.’
‘I’m sure you are, madam, but I’m afraid this ticket is economy, for Pan Am’s evening flight. I fear you’re going to have rather a long wait.’
‘Where are you phoning from?’ he asked.
‘Kingsford-Smith airport,’ she replied.
‘Then you can turn straight round and book yourself back on the same plane.’
‘Why? Did the deal fall through?’
‘No, she signed — but at a price. A problem has arisen over Mrs. Sherwood’s novel, and I have a feeling you’re the only person who can solve it for me.’
‘Can’t I grab a night’s sleep, Keith? I’d still be back in New York the day after tomorrow.’
‘No, you can’t,’ he replied. ‘There’s something else we need to do before you get down to work, and I’ve only got one afternoon free.’
‘What’s that?’ asked Kate.
‘Get married,’ replied Keith.
There was a long silence on the other end of the line before Kate said, ‘Keith Townsend, you must be the least romantic man God ever put on earth!’
‘Does that mean “yes”?’ he asked. But the line had already gone dead. He put the phone down and looked across the desk at Tom Spencer.
‘Did she accept your terms?’ the lawyer asked with a grin.
‘Can’t be absolutely certain,’ Townsend replied. ‘But I still want you to go ahead with the arrangements as planned.’
‘Right, then I’d better get in touch with City Hall.’
‘And make sure you’re free tomorrow afternoon.’