They shuffled to places around the table, while Maltzman remained standing at the end near the blackboard, they had been talking about the murder while awaiting Maltzman's arrival, and they continued after taking their places around the table.
"It must have been the boy," said Harvey Gorin, he ticked off points on his fingers. "He was the last one in the house, he ran off—"
"But he came back."
"They always return to the scene."
"Did he come back, or was he brought back? That's what I'd like to know."
Maltzman rapped on the table. "Let's come to order and get this meeting started. Who killed Ellsworth Jordon is the business of the police—"
Doris Melnick, who had been a high school civics teacher, said reprovingly, "Murder is the concern of every citizen, Henry."
"Oh yeah? Well, count me out on this one. This Jordon was the biggest anti-Semite in town, and whoever did it deserves a medal."
"How do you know, Henry?"
"You knew him, Henry?"
"You ever have dealings with him, Henry?"
"If it's true." said Mrs. Melnick. "I don't think it's wise for you to go around saying so."
"Why not?" demanded Maltzman.
"Because it's apt to cause bad feeling in town for all of us, and it may suggest to the police that they ought to investigate us."
"Let'em, we've got nothing to hide. Now let's get this meeting started. If you want to talk about murder, then I'll just walk out because I've got better things to do." He looked around the room, they were restive, but remained silent.
He rapped sharply on the table with his knuckles and announced. "All right, this meeting is now called to order. Before we begin with the regular business. I'd like to say a few words. When I announced last meeting that I was appointing Herb Mandell to fill the vacancy on the board caused by the resignation of Joe Cohen on the basis of the new regulations that permit the president to do so. I did not ask Herb first. I didn't ask him if he wanted to serve on the board. I just told him that I had appointed him and I expected him to serve. Why? I'll tell you. Because Herb Mandell is that sort of guy. You tell Herb there's a job that has to be done and you want him to do it, and Herb's answer is 'Okay.' And that's the kind of guy we need on the board, and that's why I didn't let any grass grow under my feet when Joe Cohen resigned, all right. Now, let's go ahead with the meeting, the secretary will read the minutes."
Herb Mandell listened intently to the reading of the minutes, to the reports of the committee chairmen, to tha questions and objections raised on the reports, he would have liked to take part in the discussions, if only to justify the reputation Maltzman had given him, but it was all new to him and dealt with matters about which he knew nothing.
Finally, Maltzman announced. "Unless there are any strong objections. I'd like to dispense with any further business and go on to a consideration of the budget, all right? Mike, it's all yours."
Meyer Andelman, chairman of the budget committee, ducked down and retrieved a dispatch case that he had kept on the floor between his feet. "Although we discussed certain items last meeting, and had a look at all the items, I thought it would be a good idea to get it all down in black and white. So I had my girl run off Xeroxes so that you could each have one in front of you as we talk about each item. I'll pass these along so you can follow each and every item as we talk about it. Now. I suggest that we kind of dispense with the rules, and if you got anything to say as we discuss each and every item, why Just talk up and let's have your two cents' worth. Take a minute now to look over these sheets, and then we'll start with item number one and go through each and every item."
It was Herb Mandell's cue. "Mr. Chairman. I'd like to make a suggestion. Since we have this all in black and white, why can't we postpone action on the budget for a week so we can take these home and go over them carefully in the privacy of our own homes?"
Meyer Andelman said. "I'd like to talk to that, Mr. Chairman. It's like this, herb. This is the first of the month, or the Sunday that's nearest the first, and we always pass the budget on the first of November."
Maltzman cleared his throat. "Well—"
"Is it in the bylaws that we have to?" asked Mandell.
"No, it's not in the bylaws." Andelman admitted, "but we always do."
Mandell pressed his advantage. "Then, if it's not in the bylaws, why don't we hold it over so we can do a thorough job now that we have it all down in black and white?"
"But a lot of this we went over last week." said Andelman. "Well, I wasn't here last week."
"Well, sure. I realize that, herb, but any item that you can't make up your mind on, you could abstain. Personally; I don't think your vote is going to be all that necessary. I mean, it's my opinion that we're not likely to have any item where the vote is going to be that close where one vote will make a difference. See what I mean?"
"Sure, I understand your point of view. Meyer," said Mandell. "but maybe I can make you see my point of view. It's like a matter of principle with me. See, I'm an accountant. So, it goes against my grain that I should be handed any kind of financial statement and be told to approve it before I’ve had a chance to look it over and study it, that's my training in me, see? Now, you can say that I can abstain. But as long as I'm an official member of this board, I feel like I’ve got a kind of responsibility to participate on financial-type matters, maybe I'm wrong, but that's the way I feel."
"Aw, let's put it over, Mike," someone called out.
"Sure, what's the point of hassling, herb would like another week to look it over, so why not? I think maybe I'd like a little more time on it."
"What difference does it make, this week or next?"
Andelman looked around uncertainly. "Well, if that's the pleasure of this body—"
Maltzman quickly put it to a vote. "All those in favor of putting off consideration of the budget till next week, say Aye, all opposed. Nay, the Ayes have it."
When the meeting was adjourned shortly afterward. Maltzman signaled Mandell to wait for him. When the others had gone down the corridor out to the parking lot leaving the two alone in the room. Maltzman said. "I just wanted to tell you, Herb, that you did that absolutely perfect, that idea of yours, explaining how it was against your principles as an accountant, that was"—he searched his mind for the right word—"that was sheer genius, and you see now why I wanted you to do it. If it had been one of the guys who's associated with me, the other side would have smelled a rat. This way, nothing." He winked and punched him playfully on the arm.
31
WHEN THE CALL CAME IN MONDAY MORNING, LANIGAN'S first inclination had been to send someone. Jennings or McLure, or even Sergeant Holcombe. But the weather was fine, a cool early November day, and it occurred to him that he might himself enjoy a day in Boston and, more particularly., some time away from the office, even though it meant going home to change from his uniform to civilian clothes, which he considered more appropriate when he went outside his jurisdiction.
When he entered the lobby, the office building automatically registered in his mind as second-rate. It was an old building that had been spruced up with a new self-service elevator and fake plastic mahogany paneling, the renovation did not extend to the upper floors, however, the corridors there were covered with worn linoleum tile of brown and yellow, which clashed with the bilious lime green of the walls.
The office of Charles Sawyer, attorney, was in keeping with the rest of the building, there was the same brown-and-yellow tile on the floor and the same lime-green walls. It was a small room with a single window facing another office building. Ranged along one wall wera several chairs and a small round oak table on which were a number of old law journals. Seated at a small desk was a pleasant-faced gray-haired woman typing away rapidly, she stopped and looked up inquiringly when Lanigan entered.