Chance Encounter Ch. 06

Chapter 6 Bridge to Darkness

© Copyright 2006, 2007 Autumn Writer

It was Tuesday morning. Craig Morehead was sipping coffee and eating his morning toast in his apartment. He signed onto his account page on his bank's website and saw what he was hoping for, a deposit of five thousand dollars. It meant that Grafton had finally come through with some of the money that he owed him.

"When Ed found out that I had the drawings hidden away, he knew that I held the cards." he said out loud to himself. He adopted a self-congratulatory attitude. Now, he had to ponder how to deal with Audrey. It was a tough decision. He owed her half of everything he collected, but Audrey had no way to know that he had collected anything, unless he told her. On the other hand, she promised him a taste of her bedroom delights once the money started flowing.

He decided that it would start flowing that night. He wouldn't give her half, though. A thousand dollars would look like a lot to a young girl like her, he reasoned. No point in overspending. She would probably demand more later. Craig hadn't been with a woman in so long a time that he and his right hand were starting to have lovers' quarrels. Relief was in sight. The best of it would be when he let everyone in the lunchroom know that he had bedded her. He wondered how he would make them believe it.

He arrived early in the parking lot on purpose, waiting for Audrey to pull in. She finally did and he accosted her as she walked from the lot to the building.

"I've got a package for you!" he blurted out.

"Quiet!" she snapped. "Someone will hear you!"

Craig looked around and lowered his voice. "I'll bring it to you tonight. You remember the other part of the deal, don't you?"

"What part?" Audrey demanded.

"Don't be cute with me. You know what I'm talking about!" Craig retorted with lust in his voice.

"I said to send some serious money my way and we could talk," she reminded him.

"How does a thousand sound?" he asked.

"I said serious money, Craig. You didn't take peanuts from Grafton and I'm not taking peanuts from you."

Morehead, assuming that she had caught him cheating her, was speechless for a moment. He was getting frustrated and angry. His face reddened.

"Besides," she went on, "I'm having my period this week, so I'm not going to bed with anyone but myself!"

Morehead stopped in his tracks, stymied and confused. Audrey didn't stop. She walked even more briskly and left Morehead behind. He became angry as his plans for the evening unraveled. He suspected that she was lying to him.

Audrey's heart was pounding, but she was proud of herself for keeping her cool. The old Tampax ploy had worked a few times in college. She hadn't needed it since then. She was worried by the new wrinkle. The meeting with Paul and Wilton was on for Thursday. If the meeting came off on time, things would go alright.

************

As Audrey walked into the Agency in Springfield, Paul was in his office in Michigan prepping for his appearance before the Ethics Committee. He set his coffee cup on the desk and decided that he had prepared enough. He called Ted Wilson and asked if he was busy.

"Take a last look!" he called from the doorway of Ted's office. "I'll be in front of them in forty-five minutes."

"I hope that you make out alright," Ted consoled.

"What can they do?" Paul countered. "Fire me? Let them! I could use a vacation. Every man deserves a 'golden parachute' once in his life."

The two men had a chuckle at the gallows humor.

"That's not why I came to see you, Ted," Paul said, changing the subject. "I was wondering if there was something that I could do for Glenda. You remember—she's the woman that I was going with in Chicago. I'd like to help her find a new job," Paul continued. "There's got to be someone in that city who could use her. It would have to be at the same level or above."

Paul explained the pension service credits problem to Ted. He nodded that he understood.

"If we find someone big enough, they might buy out that final year at present value," said Ted.

"One last thing," Paul cautioned. "it has to be off the record. Dunn can't be involved because of the lawsuit. Besides, I don't want Glenda to feel like I rescued her. Then she'll think that she owes me, and I don't want that. She has to be able to claim it as her own."

"No problem, Paul," Ted assured. "We'll get one of the headhunting firms in on it. I know just the one. I've done some favors for one of the principals. She'll be glad to help out; she loves to get involved in this kind of thing. Leave it to me. I'll call you after your session with the Committee and get some details."

"Speaking of which," Paul looked at his watch, "if I don't get moving I'll be late. He raised his hand in salute as he left for his meeting.

*********

The Ethics Committee was not really a committee of the Board, but a newly-created sub-committee of the Audit Committee. The larger group reviewed company issues that affected the financial statements that Dunn presented to its investors and the public. The smaller group was geared to questions involving high-ranking personnel that might affect the corporation's public image or standing. As part of the Audit Committee, it had access to the Internal Audit staff. Paul didn't know it, but his case was the first one that ever came before the new creation of the Board of Directors. It was born of the contagious fever of the Sarbanes-Oxley era when companies were expected to injure themselves with self-flagellation at each opportunity. Dunn Chemicals had never been involved in any scandal. The Board, however, decided to go Sarbanes-Oxley one better in creating the Ethics Sub-Committee.

Paul was exactly on time. He strode to the long table in the conference room and took a seat opposite the three chairs lined up for the Board members. All of the members were from outside Dunn's management. One was a retired food company executive; another was a mutual fund director. Both had been directors for a number of years. They were present in the meeting room waiting for Paul when he arrived. The third member was not in the room. It was Allison Greene, the Managing Director of a charitable foundation with many interests. Before she held that job, she had been in government service in the nineties. She was new to the Board. Ted Wilson's secretary, serving as stenographer, sat to the side ready to record minutes.

"Allison has been detained by a lengthy phone call. She should be here by now. We'll just have to wait for her," said Allen Richardson, the food company executive, and chairman of the sub-committee. His face wore an expression that was meant to convey the solemnity of the occasion. Paul knew Richardson the best of the three. He had been a supporter when Paul was proposed as Vice-President.

Elizabeth Pender was the mutual fund executive. She looked annoyed.

"We should have just done this with memoranda," she said. "I don't see anything very serious here. I'm supposed to be at our headquarters in California right now."

Paul said nothing. He took solace in Pender's statement. He thought Richardson would understand, too, having been in the business world for decades. They sat for three minutes in silence.

Allison Greene finally made her grand entrance. She swept in with an air of self- importance and a scowl. Greene was a woman in her late fifties. She had black hair with chestnut highlights and a dark complexion. She had once been slender, but time had added some girth. Her attire suggested that her self-image had not yet caught up to reality. She had that 'strapped-in-tight' look. Despite her age, her face was wrinkle-free, suggesting some surgical intervention. More than that, she had an insincere, characterless aura that forced people to struggle to like her.

"So sorry, everyone!" she sighed loudly as she took her seat to Richardson's right. To his left was Pender. The committee sat in a row facing Paul who was alone facing them on the opposite side of the long table. Paul saw that the group had some files in front of them. He recognized Bert Loehman's personnel file. He also saw the Policy Manual.

Richardson brought the meeting to order. He read aloud the policy section that Paul had broken and a narrative of the facts. As he finished he asked Paul to comment.

"It's all true, as Mr. Richardson stated," Paul said. "When I took the action I knew that the offense of Mr. Loehman was a case for automatic discharge. I decided against it for a good reason. We need Bert to help us with a lawsuit in which we are defendants. We also need his help in presenting evidence in the case of a fraud was committed against Dunn. Firing him would have ruined all that."

The members of the sub-committee sat looking at Paul, expressionless. Paul felt that were waiting for more.

"Other than this, he has a spotless record. He's going to retire in a few months with forty years' service. I thought that the deviation was warranted." Paul added.

"Why didn't you go through channels?" asked Richardson. "It would have taken weeks." Paul answered. "News of it would have leaked. Our opponents would have found out, and that would have meant they would be aware of what we had found out."

"Did you take it easy on this employee because you have known him for a long time?" Pender asked.

"I would have been tempted to," Paul answered, "but the other factors made that irrelevant."

"You did this favor for Mr. Loehman so that he would say whatever you dictated to him?" Greene hissed out. "Aren't you pursuing personal vendettas?"

"No," answered Paul, keeping calm, "everything that we have is documented and supported by fact. We have corroboration."

"That brings up the 'other matters'," sneered Greene. "You have corroboration in the form of stolen goods. You conspired with an employee of the State of Illinois to steal drawings and deliver them to you."

The accusation alarmed Paul. No one knew of Audrey's delivery of the drawings but a few people. There was no reason for Allison Greene to know it, except for one of those trusted had leaked it.

"The drawings that I received were taken fraudulently from Dunn." Paul stated coolly. "I rightfully took them back into our custody. The person who brought them to me had received them voluntarily from one of those responsible for committing the fraud. I'm traveling to Illinois on Thursday to present our evidence to the State authorities. No one on our side has committed any dishonest act."

Greene was undeterred. "How can we believe this preposterous story?" she cried. "You've made it up! You are subjecting this company to criminal prosecution!"

"I have plenty of evidence to say that I did not make it up. My meeting with the Illinois officials is a fact on the record," Paul responded.

"You had an affair with the secretary of the plaintiff's attorney. You took her to your cabin on the Upper Peninsula. Is that true or false?" spat Greene.

Greene revealed herself in her final hysterical thrust. Paul looked at her expression and could tell that she knew it—she just hoped that Paul had not caught it.

Paul realized that whatever Hopkins knew, Grafton would, too. They would easily figure out that Paul would present the drawings to Wilton as evidence. The phone call that had delayed Greene had probably been Hopkins instructing her. Her tirade was a last ditch attempt to abort the presentation to Wilton. Paul sensed that the desperate ploy meant that he was getting close to them.

"The woman mentioned and I had a relationship," Paul stated. "I took her to my cabin. At the time the lawsuit against us did not exist. We were both single. We have since broken off our relationship. I have not seen her since then. You don't have a right to delve into this. I'm sorry that you've made this personal," Paul declared. "I can prove the dates if I have to."

"I think that we should order him to put this whole thing on 'hold' until we can look at it more. He should deliver those drawings into our custody." demanded Greene. Paul half-expected her to pound her fist on the table.

"This sub-committee doesn't have that authority, and I don't think a delay is in order," said Richardson, shaking his head.

After a few seconds of silence, Richardson asked Paul if he wanted to add anything. Paul declined. Richardson dismissed Paul.

"We'll write our recommendations in a report to the Board," Richardson said.

"Put it on the record that I believe Paul," called Pender as she rose from the table. "I have a plane to catch to California.

She and Paul walked out of the meeting room together. Paul looked over his shoulder. Richardson had a burdened look and Greene looked even angrier than before.

Paul and Elizabeth Pender waited for the elevator together.

"I hope that you have good luck on Thursday," she said.

**********

Paul returned to his office and sat behind his desk with a fresh coffee. The inadvertent disclosure by Allison Greene made him question the trust that he had in those closest to him. It was a gnawing feeling to know that one of them was guilty of betrayal. He decided to figure it out later. It was too late in the game to have an effect on events. They were charting a course of their own. He called Audrey. She was the only vulnerable link left in the chain.

Paul: Audrey, Paul Crane. Can you talk now? I just want to check on things.

Audrey: Yes, I can talk. Something happened this morning. Craig Morehead told me that he had money from Grafton for me. He wanted to give it to me tonight.

Paul: What did you tell him?

Audrey: I put him off for a few days.

Paul: Audrey, don't take that money under any circumstances! How did you put him off?

Audrey: He thinks that part of the deal is that I promised to sleep with him once the money started flowing. I told him it was my time of month.

Paul: Why does he think that you plan to go to bed with him?

Audrey: Well ... he told me he wanted it and I didn't exactly say no.

Paul: You should not have done that! How long can you hold him off?

Audrey: Probably until the end of the week; maybe over the weekend.

Paul: Grafton and Hopkins know that I have the drawings. I just found that out. I don't know how they found out. How did Craig act? Do you think that he knows, too?

Audrey: No, he acted like he can't wait to get me into bed!

Paul: It means that Morehead is being double-crossed by his partners. We're still on for Thursday. Keep a low profile until then. Stay away from Morehead!

Paul didn't like what Audrey had told him. He knew that her promise of sex had clinched the deal with Morehead. He realized that she was audacious. His inexperienced protégé was playing with fire.

He turned his attention to the leak to Hopkins.

In addition to Paul, there were five people who knew of the status of the drawings. He trusted each of them.

He knew that it wasn't Marge, and he had taken Ted Wilson into his confidence many times with never a reason to doubt him. Jim Spencer was a poor candidate. He was a rising star with a good salary. Risking it all for a quick payoff would make no sense.

That left Audrey and Bert Loehman. Audrey was out of the question. Her testimony was damning to Grafton and Morehead. She was the prime source. If not for process of elimination, Bert would have been a poor candidate, too. After the disclosure of his careless release of the files, he had worked hard to help Paul put together his case. His work had been thorough and well-done. Bert knew that Paul put himself at risk by not firing him when Bert knew that what he had done warranted it.

Paul reasoned that the leak had been a careless accident. It could have been to a spouse, a friend, or coworker. It could have been any of the five, but Paul suspected Bert. He had been guilty of carelessness already.

Whatever had been leaked, the advantage remained with Paul. The evidence in his hands was ironclad and would remain so, regardless of leaks. In a few days he would put it all in Wilton's hands. The leak was too late to stop it. Paul was reluctant to pursue its source. If it turned out to be Bert again, it would be more fodder for the Ethics Committee. Paul considered it a matter to be left alone.

********

Paul flew to Springfield on the early bird on Thursday. Ted Wilson, Jim Spencer and Bert Loehman were with him. When they arrived at the State Office Campus Paul called Audrey, and she made her way to Wilton's office and arrived just before them. Finally, two groups of lawyers showed up. There were three from the Agency, and two from the State Attorney General's office. All told, there were ten people waiting to see Wilton. No one said much as they waited.

Craig Morehead was always interested when a large group was gathered around Wilton's office. This occasion was no exception. He slowly ambled by, glancing into the anteroom. It was easy to pick out Audrey with her long blonde hair. Once Craig saw her, it was easy to recognize the other familiar faces. He saw Paul sitting next to Audrey holding the very tube of drawings that he had entrusted to her. Craig saw the tightly drawn expressions. It was easy to guess the purpose of the meeting. Just seeing the 'Peoria group' waiting without having been invited to the meeting was enough.

Craig stopped in his tracks and gaped at the collection of people. His face reddened; he said nothing. After a few paralyzed seconds, he about-faced and retreated. Wilton appeared at his office door and invited the group around his conference table.

Paul was surprised at Wilton's easy acceptance of the accusations against Grafton and Morehead. It was as if Wilton had seen all the facts in advance. Audrey and Bert backed him up with their own accounts. Bert showed all of the drawing changes that had been made. The State attorneys asked some questions, aimed at legal technicalities. The evidence was compelling. There was little argument over the conclusion.

Finally, Wilton broke his silence. He buzzed his secretary.

"Mary, tell Craig Morehead that I'll want to see him as soon as the meeting breaks up. Tell Craig not to go anywhere. He should report here right away!" He called out.

The State lawyers started arguing among themselves. It was over whether to bring the FBI into the case. At first, they didn't want to. Later they thought they'd better, since Grafton was out of state.

Wilton's secretary buzzed back. "Mr. Morehead went home for the day, sir."

Wilton's expression turned angry and worried.

Paul sensed that it was time to depart. Wilton asked to see him alone before he left. They waited while the others left the office.

"I know that you don't think much of me," Wilton said to Paul.

"I was too hard on you last time." Paul said. "I was wrong; I'm sorry."

"I don't know if we'll ever get Grafton. It all depends on what Morehead is willing to do to save himself," Wilton told him.

"What about Hopkins and Montgomery?" Paul asked.

"It depends on getting Grafton first," said Wilton.

Paul nodded that he understood.

"Craig is the smallest fish and it looks like he's in the most trouble," Wilton continued. "If he's smart, he'll give us Grafton—but who knows?"

"You sound like you've thought this out already," Paul told him.

"I reread the reports and looked at the drawings after you called. I had a pretty good idea before the meeting started. All the lawyers were briefed. This meeting was just to cement it all together," Wilton admitted.

"You could have done that long ago," Paul stuck in a final barb. Wilton didn't answer.

"What about Audrey?" Paul asked.

"Miss Wright has a short future with us," Wilton said. "She should have gone through channels to voice her concerns. We can't fire her now. We need her cooperation. After that, I'll cut her loose. We could have taken care of all of this within our four walls without Dunn having to get into this."