Treasures (41 page)

Martin added, “He’s an interesting type, McClintock, and unpredictable, apparently. He started out as a poverty worker, then switched completely and has put some brilliant deals together. Looked like a rising star.” Puzzled, he scratched his head. “I really can’t imagine what happened to him today.”

Bennett was magnanimous. “Well, it’s not your fault. I’ve had to fire plenty of rising stars in my time, you can bet. The main thing is, we’re getting somewhere.” He reached for the door. “Got to be going. Can’t keep the young missus waiting too long.”

When the door had closed behind Bennett, Preston sighed in disgust. “What a horror that man is!”

Martin remarked that his biography would be fascinating, to which Preston answered that it would be if anyone dared to write the truth.

“He was reared by his grandfather on a Kansas farm after his parents died,” Preston explained to Connie. “But he had no intention of staying there. His first job was at a cereal factory in the shipping office, but he didn’t stay there long either. It only took him eleven years to become the company president. He’s climbed, he’s clawed, and he’s got eyes in the back of his head. Incidentally, Martin, I hope you’re going to fire McClintock tomorrow. That was inexcusable.”

“I know,” Martin said. “It’ll be a nasty job, all the
same.” And he explained to Connie, “McClintock lost his wife in that bus accident upstate last summer.”

“But he’s outlived his usefulness,” Preston said.

“I know,” Martin said again.

“Son of a bitch!” he exclaimed as soon as Preston was out of the door.

“Who? Not Preston?”

“Yes, yes. Oh, I don’t really mean it, but damn, he always expects me to do the dirty work. I’m the one who had to fire three hundred brokers after Black Monday, while he acted the gentleman.”

Fire. They always knew when Pop had been fired, by the drag of his steps coming slowly and heavily up the stairs. Then he’d stand in the doorway, looking around from one to the other, and he’d cough before he got the words out. A shiver of pity ran through Connie.

“Why do you do it, then?” she asked. “You’re as much a partner as he is.”

“I’ll tell you. Because I can do it more kindly than he can. I’ll take McClintock out to lunch and break it nicely to him. Not that he deserves kindness, the damn fool. He could have lost the deal for us and sent six million in fees down the drain. You know what, Connie? A guy like that reminds me of my brother Ben, only McClintock seems to have just suddenly gone haywire, while Ben has always had his head in the clouds.” Martin wiped his forehead. “I’m worn out. I need a cup of coffee.”

When Connie brought the coffee into the library and set it on the table, which was still littered with papers,
Martin said, “By the way, I haven’t mentioned to you that Bennett wants to include your brother-in-law’s plant in the deal.”

“What? Davey’s place? Why ever would he?”

“It seems that they’ve some patents that fit into Bennett’s medical supply division. He wants them badly. He’s already sent a man out to talk to Davey.”

She thought for a moment and replied, “It’s funny that you’ve never told me about it before.”

“Why? I never bring business home.”

“But this concerns Davey and Lara.”

“All the more reason for you not to be mixed up in it.”

“Davey will hate it if anyone tries to interfere with his plant. It’s like another child to him, you know that.” And she said thoughtfully, “I wonder why Lara never mentioned it either.”

“I guess she thought there was no reason for her to do so because they had turned Bennett’s man down.”

“Well, good. I should think they would. Bennett is abominable. I’d like to see him not get his way for a change.”

Martin laughed. “That’s irrelevant. He intends to make them a fantastic offer.”

“Davey’ll turn it down again.”

“He’ll change his mind when it’s properly explained. Bennett said he may even fly out there himself to see the plant, and that’s a highly unusual thing for the big boss to be doing.”

“He must want it awfully badly, then. Funny. A little place like that.”

“Not funny. It’s the way conglomerates are assembled.”

Connie shook her head. “Davey won’t do it. Or Lara either. My sister’s stubborn.”

“It must run in the family.” Martin laughed again. “I notice you didn’t give up until you got your way and made me buy the London house.” He bent down and kissed her. “Darn! It’s only five o’clock. If I weren’t afraid the baby might come looking for us, I’d take you up to bed right now.”

“We’ll go to bed early, darling.” She had to pretend to share his impatience. But her mind was still elsewhere. “What would a deal like that mean for Davey and Lara?” she asked.

“A nice, big, tidy piece of change. That’s what it’ll mean.”

C
HAPTER
S
IXTEEN

I
n Allenwood, Pennsylvania, the autumn weather had turned suddenly warm, and families in their sweaters were picnicking on a little stretch of brown lawn. Pam had brought a basket with fastidious appointments and Eddy’s choice of food, French cheese, cold chicken, salad, red wine, and strawberry tarts.

Regarding him anxiously, she asked him whether there was anything special he would like her to send him.

“A couple of books. The library here isn’t the best.”

A husband and wife with two small boys were shaking out their blanket and cleaning up the remains of lunch. Mother and the children come to visit Daddy in jail, Eddy thought bitterly. He could not comprehend how anyone could let his young children see him like this. It was bad enough to have a wife go home with this picture of him in her head.

True, the place was not what he had imagined it would be. In spite of Rathbone’s description of “minimum security,” many things had surprised him here. The good food that they were allowed to prepare for
themselves. The freedom to use the telephone; why, a lot of the men here were actually carrying on business by telephone. Working in the library was pleasant enough, too, as was working in the yard on a summer day. He had even learned to cook and clean up the kitchen afterward. The thought caused him to smile at this incongruous image of himself.

“What’s so funny?” Pam asked.

“I was thinking how surprised you’d be to see me making dinner and cleaning the pots afterward.”

She smiled, too, saying, “You won’t have to when you’re home again. I’ve found the most marvelous couple, even better than María and Ramón.”

“All that seems like a century ago.”

“I know.” She put her hand on his arm. “Eddy, this will pass. You’ve been so brave.”

He looked down at her hand with its short nails, so practical and yet so pretty, like little pearly shells. The diamond wedding band that they had bought in Paris on the Place Vendôme another century ago gleamed on her finger. It at least was the same, giving some measure of assurance that she really still belonged to him. And picking up her hand, he kissed each finger, one by one.

“You look so beautiful,” he said. “You remembered to wear gray. I’ll bet you thought I wouldn’t notice.”

“No, I knew you would.”

Gray, a certain silvery gray, had purity. It was the color of rain, which he loved; it was crystal; it was the ocean at night; it was in some lights the color of Pam’s eyes.

“It’s terrible to be sitting here with you,” he said, “and only touch your fingers.”

“I know,” she whispered.

“Sometimes at night I go almost crazy. I wish the work were harder so I’d be too exhausted to feel anything. One day I hauled stones in the garden; I wanted to knock myself out. That was the only night I didn’t think of you.”

“I don’t know what to say.”

“Is it the same for you too?”

“Eddy … you know me, so you have to know it is.”

“I wish all these damn people would evaporate. I wish there was a hill or some woods where we could go right this minute.”

“Please. You’re tormenting yourself and me. Let’s think of something else.”

“You’re right. I’m sorry. Then tell me things. Anything. Tell me what you did yesterday.”

“Much the same as every day. The place takes a lot of attention. The stables are filling up. I’m breeding good stock. Last week I bought a lovely mare. The owner’s moving to the city and wanted a good home for her. She’s named Lassie.”

“What color?”

“She looks like a caramel with white feet.”

“When it’s seven o’clock in the morning, I’m going to think: Pam’s on Lassie now, taking the trail past the orchard and into the woods. Am I right?”

“Just about seven, unless I oversleep. I don’t always fall asleep till very late. The house is so lonely. It’s awfully
big to be in by yourself. I don’t even hear the help moving around, they’re so far away.”

No matter what subject they embarked on, it always seemed to lead back to the fact of their separation. And Pam, evidently aware of that, too, swiftly changed the direction of their thoughts again.

“People are surprised that I’m doing so well without raising hunters or racers. A horse is a companion for riding, I say, not to have its poor heart worn out at a racetrack. That’s exploitation, that’s cruelty. And as for hunting some miserable, terrified little fox—well, you know what I think of that.” Pam’s face grew stern.

“I love you when you go off on one of your crusades, although I suppose the hunters and the racetrack crowd must think you’re some kind of nut.”

“That doesn’t bother me. Besides, I’ve got plenty of company to agree with me. I’ve made some nice friends, Eddy. You’ll see.”

The minutes were ticking away. Eddy pulled his sleeve over his wristwatch so he wouldn’t have to see how late it was growing. And they sat on, talking volubly, wasting not even a minute in silence.

“The kitchen turned out perfectly. And the cabinets in your little office are perfect too. The man knows his business. Lara and Davey brought the girls. It’s really just a hop over the river for them, about a four-hour drive. Peggy’s darling, and Sue’s amazing. I think she’s going to be a scholar, she’s that smart. Connie sent an enormous, extravagant silver epergne for our dining table.”

“Whatever for?”

“House gift, darling. And it was really sweet of her. It must have cost a fortune, but you know your sister. She can’t resist beautiful things. Like you with this picnic basket. Silver fittings!”

“Well, it’s come in handy today,” he said.

His remark was lame. Silver fittings for a visit to a jail!

They were the last people on the lawn, so it was almost time for her to leave, and he rushed to speak.

“I haven’t asked you the only question that’s at all important. How are
you
? Has all this changed you in any way, the you that I know? The truth, Pam.”

Before replying, she paused. And then, slowly and seriously, explained. “In the beginning when you came here, reality hit me for the first time. It felt like running at full force into a stone wall. I saw stars. My head throbbed with the pain of it. And then I got angry—you will understand, Eddy?” When he nodded, she continued, “I was—well, I had a feeling of outrage that I’d been cheated. That it wasn’t fair to have been given such a happy life only to have it snatched back in such a—a stupid way. Are you sure you understand, Eddy?”

“Yes. Yes, of course. It was natural.”

Pam took both of his hands in hers. “Look at me. Look into my eyes. You asked me, so I told you. But I want you to know that’s over. It only lasted for a couple of days, and I’m back where I was. And I love you, Eddy Osborne, and we’re going to have a wonderful long life together again and—and I love you, love you—And now I have to go.”

Before they parted, she said, “I’ll be back the first of the month.”

“It’s too much for you, too long a trip.”

“Let me be the judge of that. You can’t keep me away.”

He stood still looking after her. He had not said what he really felt! It’s too much for me, seeing you so briefly, and having to let you go again. And it’s not just myself that I’m thinking about, either, he thought. Why should a girl like Pam have to suffer because of my mistakes, mistakes that I regret, that I apologize for? I’m glad she’s in Kentucky, at least. All the fine friends we had … they act as though we’d caught some foul, contagious disease. Oh, a few wrote nice letters to the court, that’s true, but still the humiliation is hell. And I can’t help her.

A couple of men had stayed outside to have a catch after the visitors left. He recognized little Bosch, who slept in the next bed. Bosch was in for a year and a half. In charge of office-supply purchases for the bank where he worked, he had set up a dummy corporation and pocketed half a million dollars before they caught him. Outright thievery, that was. And you’d never think it to look at him. He looked like a schoolteacher. Eddy supposed it would do him good to join them for some exercise. His flesh was willing to go, but his spirit was not.

He was in prison. All the guards might be dressed in navy jackets and gray flannel trousers, but they were guards all the same, regardless of their agreeable disguise. And they hated you, too, hated you because someday you were going to get out and return, very likely, to a comfortable life, while they would stay here. When they insulted you with their sarcasms, you had to
take it and like it because if you answered back, they would put it on your record and that would affect your parole.