Sons of Fortune Read online

  “You know they’re going to kill me, don’t you, Senator?”

  “No one’s going to kill you, Billy, not as long as I’m with you.”

  “Do I have your word on that, Mr. Davenport?”

  “You have my word on it, Billy. So let’s go out and face them together.”

  Fletcher opened the classroom door. He didn’t need to search for a light switch as there were so many megawatts beaming in from the playground that he could clearly see the door at the far end of the passage.

  He and Billy walked down the corridor together without a word passing between them. When they reached the main door that led onto the playground, Fletcher opened it tentatively and stepped into a beam of light, to be greeted by another huge cheer from the crowd. But he couldn’t see their faces.

  “It’s going to be all right, Billy,” said Fletcher, turning back toward him. Billy hesitated for a moment, but finally took a tentative step forward and stood by Fletcher’s side. They walked slowly down the path together. He turned and saw Billy smile. “It’s going to be all right,” Fletcher repeated, just as the bullet ripped through Billy’s chest. The sheer impact threw Fletcher to one side.

  Fletcher pushed himself up off his knees and leaped on top of Billy, but it was too late. He was already dead.

  “No, no, no,” Fletcher screamed. “Didn’t they realize that I gave him my word?”

  38

  “Someone is buying our shares,” said Nat.

  “I do hope so,” said Tom, “we are, after all, a public company.”

  “No, chairman, I mean that someone is aggressively buying them.”

  “For what purpose?” asked Julia.

  Nat put down his pen. “To try and take us over would be my bet.” Several of the board began to speak at once, until Tom tapped the table. “Let’s hear Nat out.”

  “For some years now, our policy has been to buy up small ailing banks and add them to our portfolio, and overall that has proved a worthwhile enterprise. All of you know my long-term strategy is to make Russell’s the largest banking presence in the state. What I hadn’t planned for was that our success would, in turn, make us attractive to an even larger institution.”

  “And you’re convinced someone is now trying to take us over?”

  “I most certainly am, Julia,” said Nat, “and you’re partly to blame. The most recent phase of the Cedar Wood project has been such a massive success that our overall profits nearly doubled last year.”

  “If Nat is right,” said Tom, “and I suspect he is, there’s only one question that needs to be answered. Are we happy to be taken over or do we want to put up a fight?”

  “I can only speak for myself, chairman,” said Nat, “but I’m not yet forty and I certainly wasn’t planning on early retirement. I suggest we have no choice but to fight.”

  “I agree,” said Julia, “I’ve been taken over once already, and I’m not going to let it happen a second time. In any case, our shareholders will not expect us to roll over.”

  “Not to mention one or two of the past chairmen,” said Tom, looking up at the paintings of his father, grandfather and greatgrandfather staring down at him from the surrounding walls. “I don’t think we need to vote on this,” continued Tom, “so why don’t you take us through the options, Nat.”

  The chief executive opened one of the three files on the table in front of him.

  “The law in these circumstances couldn’t be clearer. Once a company or individual owns six percent of the target company, they must declare their position to the Securities and Exchange Commission in Washington, D.C., and state within twenty-eight calendar days if it is their intention to make a takeover bid for the rest of the shares. And if so, what price they are willing to offer.”

  “If someone is trying to take us over,” said Tom, “they won’t wait the statutory month. Once they’ve hit six percent they’ll make a bid the same day.”

  “I agree, Mr. Chairman,” said Nat, “but until then, there is nothing to stop us buying our own shares, although they are priced a little on the high side at the moment.”

  “But won’t that alert the opposition to the fact that we know what they’re up to?” asked Julia.

  “Possibly, so we must instruct our brokers to buy soft, and that way we’ll quickly find out if there’s one big purchaser in the market.”

  “How much stock do we own between us?” asked Julia.

  “Tom and I each hold ten percent,” said Nat, “and you are currently holding,” he checked some figures in a second file, “just over three percent.”

  “And how much cash do I still have on deposit?”

  Nat turned the page, “Just over eight million dollars, not to mention your Trump shares, which you’ve been liquidating whenever there’s a strong demand.”

  “Then why don’t I pick up any soft shares, which wouldn’t be quite so easy for any predators to trace?”

  “Especially if you only dealt through Joe Stein in New York,” said Tom, “and then ask him to let us know if his brokers can identify any particular individual or company who’s buying aggressively.” Julia began taking notes.

  “The next thing we have to do is select the sharpest takeover lawyer in the business,” said Nat. “I’ve talked to Jimmy Gates, who’s represented us in all our previous takeover bids, but he says this one is out of his league, and recommends a guy from New York called,” he checked the third file, “Logan Fitzgerald, who specializes in corporate raids. I thought I’d travel up to New York before the weekend and find out if he’ll represent us.”

  “Good,” said Tom, “anything else we ought to be doing in the meantime?”

  “Yes, keep your eyes and ears open, chairman. I need to find out as quickly as possible who it is we’re up against.”

  “I’m very sorry to hear that,” said Fletcher.

  “It’s nobody’s fault,” said Jimmy, “and I can’t pretend it’s been going well for some time, so when UCLA invited Joanna to head up their history department, it just brought matters to a head.”

  “How are the children taking it?”

  “Elizabeth’s just fine, and now that Harry Junior’s at Hotchkiss, they both seem grown up enough to handle the situation. In fact, Harry rather likes the idea of spending his summer vacations in California.”

  “I am sorry,” repeated Fletcher.

  “I think you’ll find it’s the norm nowadays,” said Jimmy. “It won’t be long before you and Annie are in the minority. The principal told me that around thirty percent of the children at Hotchkiss come from broken homes. Do you know when we were there, I can’t remember more than one, perhaps two, of our contemporaries whose parents were divorced.” He paused. “And the good thing is, if the children are in California during the summer, I’ll have more time to spend on your reelection campaign.”

  “I’d rather you and Joanna were still together,” said Fletcher.

  “Any idea who you’ll be up against?” asked Jimmy, obviously wanting to change the subject.

  “No,” said Fletcher, “I hear Barbara Hunter is desperate to run yet again, but the Republicans don’t seem to want her as their candidate if they can find a half-decent alternative.”

  “There was a rumor circulating,” said Jimmy, “that Ralph Elliot was considering running, but frankly after your Billy Bates triumph, I don’t think the Archangel Gabriel could unseat you.”

  “Billy Bates was not a triumph, Jimmy. That man’s death haunts me even now. He could still be alive today if I’d only been firmer with Chief Culver.”

  “I know that’s how you see it, Fletcher, but the public feels otherwise. Your reelection last time proved that. All they remember is that you risked your life to save thirty-one children and their favorite teacher. Dad says if you had run for president that week you’d be living in the White House right now.”

  “How is the old buzzard?” asked Fletcher. “I’m feeling a bit guilty because I haven’t had a chance to visit him recently.”