Part 26 (1/2)

Charles approached the conference table with the same authority he always had; his shoulders were straight and while he didn't linger, Charles Blair never hurried. He rested his long fingers on the table while he paused to study Sidney seated at the far end.

Sidney ventured a smile. ”Welcome back.”

”Yes, thank you.”

A smile did not crack Charles's iron composure. He sat down and methodically folded his hands.

Sidney s.h.i.+fted his weight and reached for the briefcase at his feet. It was to be business as usual, he thought with a pang of disappointment and a twinge of fear. Not even cordiality, after all this time. Sidney yanked the briefcase to the table. The click of the polished bra.s.s latches pierced the strained silence between the two men.

”I have only one question, Sidney.”

Sidney's hand stilled on the many files he had begun to unload. His glance darted up quickly.

”Tell me about the SavMor loan.” Charles's voice was threatening.

Sidney's face flattened. He cleared his throat. ”SavMor is a small company that the bank loaned some $300,000. It's one of those faulty loans stamped with your approval.” He waved his hand in a nervous, impatient manner. ”It's a flimsy operation, way overdue on the repayment schedule. Of course, I've refused further delay requests.”

Sidney's anger leaked into his voice. ”I'm doing my job, Charles. And frankly, I'm trying to save your neck.”

Charles considered this very carefully, as though weighing every word.

”And that was your sole reason for refusing a delayed repayment schedule?”

Sidney grew increasingly nervous. ”Of course. What other reason would there be? It's a lousy company that never should have been granted a loan in the first place. There is no question here. We'll be lucky to collect a cent.”

Charles looked at his hands.

”Did you know Mrs. MacKenzie's home was robbed?”

Sidney was confused. ”Yes.”

Charles's eyes shot up. His gaze was wrathful.

”It happened a year ago.” Sidney's words poured out quickly, like water over a flame. ”Right after Mike died. Why bring it up now?”

Charles visibly relaxed. He spread out his palms and dropped his head again. When he lifted his eyes, Sidney saw relief in them.

”Why, indeed,” Charles said, a small smile at last easing across his face. He leaned back in his chair and folded his hands across his waist, eyeing his brother-in-law speculatively.

”Sidney, accept a delayed repayment schedule for SavMor.” His voice was calm, though decisive.

”What?” Sidney bl.u.s.tered. ”We have to collect on these bad loans. You'll go down. And I'll go down with you.”

Charles nodded. ”Trust me, Sid. I know what I'm doing.”

Sidney considered. ”Do you? Charles, come back. Take the helm. It's mutiny out there.”

C.W. stood up and thrust his hands behind his back. ”You know I can't do that. Not yet.” He paced the conference room floor. With his wild, uncut hair, Sidney thought he looked like a caged lion seeking a route of escape.

”Is it the loans?”

”In part. Of course. Who is handling the repayment schedule?”

”Henry Strauss,” Sidney replied lightly. ”I've been after him for months to let me call these in. He's been holding on to these loans tighter than a miser holds a penny. Then last Thursday, he up and hands me the SavMor file and agrees I should go after them.”

C.W. swung his head around. A fresh bolt of anger crossed his face. ”Last Thursday?”

Sidney fingered his report. ”Out of the blue.”

C.W. immediately ceased his pacing. A lengthy silence ensued.

”Strauss. Of course. I understand,” C.W. said slowly.

Sidney looked at Charles with apprehension. He had heard that tone in Charles only a few times before. Dry ice. A ruthlessness so cold it scorched those who were touched by it. An eerie calm settled in the room. At length, Charles took his seat and with precise movements, closed his hands on the table before him.

”Talk to me, Sidney.”

Sidney stirred with excitement. He couldn't help it. This was Charles's battle call. War was being declared and Sidney was well armed and ready. ”At last,” he said as he dug into his briefcase and pulled out reams of pages of his investigations. Sidney's thoroughness had always been his best route of attack.

”As you've requested, I've looked closely into Michael MacKenzie's background,” he said, handing C.W. one of several reports. Sidney picked out the vital points. ”Only child of a small-time grocery chain owner, Catholic, born and raised in New Jersey. A poor student academically but labeled most likely to succeed. You know the type-a good-looking jock who was also in student government and several other organizations.”

”A manipulator even then.”

Sidney noticed the slight curl of C.W.'s lip.

While Sidney rambled on and on about details C.W. already knew, C.W. sifted through the collection of photographs of Michael MacKenzie that was included in the file. As a young man, Mike always sported a wide grin and a look of enormous ”can do.” The all-American boy, through and through. It was no wonder Nora had found him attractive.

C.W. stopped at one photograph and brought it closer to his face. In it, a black-tuxedoed Mike, white rose in his lapel, had his arm wrapped possessively around his smiling bride. In her pouf of white lace, Nora appeared virginal. A s.h.i.+ning Venus about to be abducted by Vulcan.

C.W. was stabbed with jealousy, though he would never have admitted it. His tense fingers curled the edges of the photograph. No, not jealousy, he told himself. C.W. attributed this galling feeling to anger against a man who did his friend wrong.

C.W. pushed away the photographs. Sidney stopped speaking and looked up from his report. He didn't like the morose look on Charles's face or the twitching in his jaw. It wasn't anger this time. In Charles's expression Sidney witnessed a personal struggle.

”Should I go on?” he asked, tentatively laying down his report. ”Charles, are you ready for this?”

C.W. s.h.i.+fted his gaze, focusing intently now on Sidney. He knew that Sidney had been forthright about the loan. He wasn't hiding anything; Sidney was just doing an honest job. Agatha must have counted on his thoroughness. Sidney had not betrayed him. If he wasn't so involved with the war, he'd have felt joy at this victory.

Across the table Sidney sat, file in hand, ready to pit his brain and wit against their common enemy. All right, Sidney, C.W. decided. Loyalty wins out.

A slow smiled eased across C.W.'s face. ”I'm ready if you are,” he replied.

Sidney searched his eyes and found the old Charles. Sidney's own smile was filled with relief.

”Skip all this background,” C.W. said with impatience. ”I know it all. Let's get down to business.”

C.W. then proceeded to deliver a complete report on the MacKenzie loans from the Blair Bank and all the pertinent details involved. His memory was photogenic. ”I'm expecting a complete rundown on MacKenzie's business dealings for the past three years. Should be faxed soon,” he concluded, looking away.