«An ad hoc committee, if I’m not mistaken, although I know very little about it.»
«We’ve been granted power of subpoena.»
«Which, if exercised, I’d challenge instantly.»
«So far, there’s been no need for such challenges.»
Hamilton let the point pass. «Genessee Industries is a client of our firm. A substantial and respected client. I wouldn’t for one second violate the sanctioned relationship between lawyer and client. You may have dropped in to no avail, Mr. Trevayne.»
«Mr. Hamilton, my interest in your endeavors for Genessee Industries precedes the lawyer-client relationship. By nearly two years. The subcommittee is trying to piece together a … financial narrative, I guess you’d call it. How did we get where we are? A harmless variation on the Pentagon Papers.»
«Two years ago I had nothing to do with Genessee Industries. There were no endeavors.»
«Perhaps not directly. But there’s speculation—»
«Neither directly nor indirectly, Mr. Trevayne,» interrupted Hamilton.
«You were a member of the President’s Steel Import Commission.»
«I certainly was.»
«A month or two prior to the commission’s public ruling on steel quotas, Genessee Industries imported excessive tonnage from Tamishito in Japan, pocketing enormous savings. Several months afterward, Genessee floated a bond issue, with Brandon and Smith handling the legal work. Three months after that, you became a partner with Brandon and Smith… The diagram would seem apparent.»
Ian Hamilton sat rigidly on the couch, his eyes blazing in anger, but icily controlled. «That is the most scurrilous distortion of fact that I’ve heard in thirty-five years of practice. Out-of-context assumption. Misplaced concretion. And you know it, sir.»
«I don’t know it. Neither do several members of the subcommittee.»
Hamilton remained frozen, but Trevayne saw the lawyer’s mouth twitch—imperceptibly—at the mention of «several members of the subcommittee.»
The ploy was working. It was the public speculation that Hamilton feared.
«To enlighten you … and your exceedingly misinformed associates, any damn fool involved with steel two years ago knew a ruling was forthcoming. Japanese, Czechoslovakian … yes, even Chinese mills by way of Canada, were surfeited with American orders. They couldn’t possibly meet the demands… In the basic rule of production, a single buyer is preferable to many. It’s cheaper, Mr. Trevayne… Genessee Industries obviously had the wherewithal—more so than its competitors—and therefore became the major purchaser from Tamishito… They didn’t need me to tell them. Or anyone else, for that matter.»
«I’m sure that’s logical for those who deal in such economics; I’m not sure it would cut ice with the citizen-taxpayer. And he does foot the bill.»
«Sophistry, Mr. Trevayne. And, again, you know it. A false argument. The American citizen is the most fortunate man on earth. He has the best minds, the most dedicated men watching out for him.»
«I agree,» said Trevayne, and he did. «However, I prefer the term ‘working for,’ him, not ‘watching out.’ After all, they’re paid.»
«Irrelevant. The definition is interchangeable.»
«I hope so… You did join Brandon and Smith at a propitious time.»
«That will be about enough! If you’re suggesting there was reciprocity, I trust you’re prepared to substantiate the charge. My integrity is well established, Trevayne. I wouldn’t attempt a gutter assault, if I were you.»
«I’m aware of your reputation. And the high regard people have for you… It’s why I came to warn you, give you time to prepare your answers.»
«You came to warn me?» Hamilton involuntarily sat forward. He was stunned.
«Yes. The question of impropriety has been raised. It will call for a reply from you.»
«To whom?» The lawyer couldn’t believe what he was hearing.
«To the subcommittee. In open session.»
«In open …» Hamilton’s expression was one of complete astonishment. «You can’t mean what you’re saying.»
«I’m afraid I do.»
«You have no right to parade whomever you choose in front of an ad hoc committee. In open session!»
«The witnesses will be voluntary, Mr. Hamilton, not paraded. That’s the way we’d prefer it.»
«You’d prefer? You’ve lost your senses. We have laws to protect fundamental rights, Trevayne. You’ll not indiscriminately impugn the characters of men you see fit to harass.»
«No harassments. After all, it won’t be a trial—»
«You know perfectly well what I mean.»
«Are you telling me you won’t accept our invitation?»
Hamilton abruptly frowned and stared at Trevayne. He recognized the trap and wasn’t about to be ensnared. «I will privately give you the information you seek relative to my professional association with the firm of Brandon and Smith. It will answer the question you raised and remove any grounds for my appearance before your subcommittee.»
«How?»
Hamilton didn’t like being pressed. He knew the dangers of letting an adversary know too much of one’s defense. Nevertheless, he could hardly refuse to answer. «I will make available to you documents which show that in no way do I participate in any profits accruing from the Genessee bond issue. It was legal work obtained before our partnership agreement; I’m not entitled to participation, nor have I sought it.»
«Some might say documents like that are easily written. Easily amended at later dates.»
«Company audits and moneys due from existing contracts are not. No partnership is entered into without full audit disclosures.»
«I see.» Trevayne smiled and spoke pleasantly. «Then it should be a simple matter for you to submit the papers and refute the allegation; over in two minutes.»
«I said I would make the documents available to you. I did not say I would submit to questioning. I will not dignify such allegations; no one in my position would.»
«You flatter me, Mr. Hamilton. You’re assuming me to be some kind of grand jury.»
«I assume you establish the ground rules for your subcommittee’s procedures. Unless you’re misrepresenting yourself.»
«Not intentionally. Or should I put it this way? Those kinds of documents—accounts, audits, whatever you call them—don’t impress me very much. I’m afraid I must insist on your appearance.»
It took all of Hamilton’s control not to lash out at Trevayne. «Mr. Trevayne, I’ve spent the better part of two decades in Washington. I left it by choice, hardly necessity; there was no lack of interest in my capabilities. I still retain very solid relationships there.»
«Are you threatening me?»
«Only with enlightenment. I have personal reasons for not wishing to become part of any subcommittee circus maximus. I fully understand that such a road may be the only one for you to follow; by reputation you’re not a lean-and-hungry man. But I must insist on my privacy.»
«I’m not sure what you’re saying.»
Hamilton sat back on the sofa. «Should you not accept my personal vindication, should you insist on my appearing before your ad hoc committee, I shall use all of my influence—including the Department of Justice—to see you branded for what I think you are. An egomaniac intent on building your reputation by slandering others. If I’m not mistaken, you were warned once before about this unfortunate tendency. The old gentleman was subsequently killed in an automobile accident in Fairfax, Virginia… A number of questions might be raised.»