Heyward and Alex arrived at the boardroom together. They slipped into their regular, vacant seats at the long elliptical table.
The PR vice-president hovered behind the meeting chairman, Jerome Patterton.
It was the director with the longest service, the Honorable Harold Austin, who announced the board's decision.
Jerome Patterton, he stated, until now vice-chairman of the board, would become president of First Mercantile American Bank immediately.
While the announcement was being made, the appointee himself seemed somewhat dazed. The PR vice-president mouthed inaudibly, "Oh, shit"
Later the same day Jerome Patterton had separate talks with Heyward and Vandervoort.
"I'm an interim Pope," he informed each of them. 'I didn't seek this job, as you're aware. You also know, and so do the directors, that I'm only thirteen months from mandatory retirement.
"But the board was deadlocked over you two, and choosing me allows that length of time before they need make up their minds.
"Your guess about what happens then is as good as mine. In the meantime, though, I intend to do my best and I need the help of both of you. I know I shall get it because that's to your best advantage.
"Apart from that, the only thing I can promise is an interesting year."
18
Even excavation, Margot Bracken was actively involved with Forum East. First she was legal counsel for a citizens group which campaigned to get the project going and later she filled the same role in a Tenants Association. She also gave legal aid to families in the development who needed it at little cost to them, or none. Margot went to Forum East often and, in doing so, she came to know many of those living there, including Juanita Nunez.
Three days after the Rosselli funeral on a Saturday morning Margot encountered Juanita in a delicatessen, part of a Forum East shopping mall.
The Forum East complex had been planned as a homogeneous community with low-cost living accommodation attractive apartments, townhouses and remodeled older buildings. There were sports facilities, a movie theater, an auditorium, as well as stores and cafes. The buildings completed so far were linked by tree-lined malls and over-head walkways many of the ideas adapted from San Francisco's Golden Gateway and London's Barbican. Other portions of the project were under construction, with still further additions at the planning stage, awaiting financing.
"Hello, Mrs. Nunez," Margot said. "Will you join me for coffee?"
On a terrace adjoining the delicatessen they sipped espresso and chatted about Juanita, her daughter Estela who this morning was at a community-sponsored ballet class, and progress at Forum East. Juanita and her husband Carlos had been among the early tenants in the development, occupying a tiny walk-up apartment in one of the rehabilitated older buildings, though it was shortly after moving in that Carlos had departed for parts unknown. So far Juanita had kept the same accommodations.
But managing was very difficult, she confided. "Everyone here has the same problem. Each month our money will buy less. This inflation, Where will it end?"
According to Lewis D'Orsey, Margot reflected, it would end in disaster and anarchy. She kept the thought to herself, but was reminded of the conversation three days ago between Lewis, Edwina, and Alex.
- "I heard," she said, "that you had some kind of problem at the bank where you work."
Juanita's face clouded. For a moment she seemed close to tears and Margot said hastily, "I'm sorry. Perhaps I shouldn't have asked."
"No, not It was Just that remembering suddenly… Anyway, it is over now. But I will tell you if you wish."
"One thing you should know about us lawyers," Margot said, "is that we're always nosy."
Juanita smiled, then was-serious as she described the six-thousand-dollar cash loss and the forty-eight-hour nightmare of suspicion and interrogation. As Margot listened, her anger, never far below the surface, rose.
"The bank had no right to keep on pressuring you without your having legal advice. Why didn't you call me?" 'I never thought of it," Juanita said.
'That's the whole trouble. Most innocent people don't." Margot considered, then added, "Edwina D'Orsey is my cousin. I'm going to talk to her about this."
Juanita looked startled. "I didn't know. But please don't after all, it was Mrs. D'Orsey who found the truth."
"All right," Margot conceded, "if you don't want me to, I won't. But I'll talk to someone else you don't know. And remember this: If you're in trouble again, about anything, call me. I'll be there to help."
'Thank you," Juanita said. "If it happens, I will. I really will."
***
"If the bank had actually fired Juanita Lopez," Margot told Alex Vandervoort that night, "I’d have advised her to sue you, and we'd have collected heavily."
"You might well have," Alex agreed. They were on their way to a supper dance and he was driving Margot's Volkswagen. "Especially when the truth about our thieving operations man, Eastin, came out as it was bound to eventually. Fortunately, Edwina's womanly instincts functioned, saving us from yours." "You're being flip."
His tone changed "You're right, and I shouldn't be. The fact is, we behaved shabbily to the Nunez girl, and everybody concerned knows it. I do, because I've read everything to do with the case. So does Edwina. So does Nolan Wainwright. But fortunately, in the end nothing really bad happened. Mrs. Nunez still has her job, and our bank has learned something which will help us do better in the future." "That's more like it." Margot said.
They left it there, which, given their mutual love of argument, was an accomplishment.
19
During the week preceding Christmas, Miles Eastin appeared in Federal Court charged with embezzlement on five separate counts. Four of the charges involved fraudulent transactions at the bank from which he had benefited; these totaled thirteen thousand dollars. The fifth charge related to the six-thousand-dollar cash theft.
Trial was before the Honorable Judge Winslow Underwood, sitting with a jury.
On advice of counsel, a well-meaning but inexperienced young man appointed by the court after Eastin's personal resources had proven to be nil, a not guilty plea was entered on all counts. As it turned out, the advice was bad. A more seasoned lawyer, assessing the evidence, would have urged a guilty plea and perhaps a deal with the prosecutor, rather than have certain details principally Eastin's attempt to incriminate Juanita Nunez revealed in court. As it was, everything came out.
Edwina D'Orsey testified, as did Tottenhoe, Gayne of central audit staff, and another audit colleague. FBI Special Agent Innes introduced as evidence Miles Eastin's signed admission of guilt concerning the cash theft, made at FBI local headquarters subsequent to the confession which Nolan Wainwright extracted from Eastin at the latter's apartment.
Two weeks before the trial, at discovery proceedings, defendant's counsel had objected to the FBI document and made a pre-trial motion to have it barred from evidence. The motion was denied. Judge Underwood pointed out that before Eastin made his statement he had been properly cautioned about his legal rights in the presence of witnesses.
The earlier confession obtained by Nolan Wainwright, the legality of which might have been challenged more effectively, was not needed and therefore was not introduced.
The sight of Miles Eastin in court depressed Edwina. He appeared pale and haggard with dark rings beneath his eyes. All of his accustomed buoyancy had gone and, in contrast to the immaculate grooming she remembered, his hair was untidy and his suit rumpled. He seemed to have aged since the night of the branch audit.
Edwina's own evidence was brief and circumstantial and she gave it straightforwardly. While being mildly cross-examined by counsel for the defense, she glanced several times toward Miles Eastin, but his head was down and he declined to meet her eyes. Also a witness for the prosecution albeit a reluctant one was Juanita Nunez. She was nervous and the court had difficulty hearing her. On two occasions the judge intervened, asking Juanita to raise her voice, though his approach was coaxing and gentle,: since by then her injured innocence in the whole affair had been made clear.