Chapter 12
After Edythe left, early on Saturday morning, Jed felt very lonely and impatient. He never liked waiting for things to happen. He wanted to rush Edythe off to get married, defy Russell, and end the worries that plagued both Edythe and Larry. Now that he knew what the true situation was, he wanted to act.
But he could not do anything without Edythe's consent. So he had to wait and be patient. He had never had a large store of patience-quite the contrary.
Sunday dragged. He was glad to be back at work on Monday. It was something to do. He was able to complete the deal to buy stock from two of the smaller stockholders in the Crown Company. That gave him 36 per cent control, and he was happy about that. If he could get 15 per cent more, Russell Thorpe could not harm him.
On Monday afternoon about 4:30, Bess brought in an office memo and laid it on his desk in front of him. From the suppressed excitement in her face, he realized the memo was important.
He read it, read it through once more.
"Thorpe is calling a special meeting of the stockholders tomorrow afternoon," he said aloud, so he could hear the words, "Why in hell is he-"
"I don't know. And he handed the memo to me personally and said to give it to you at once. Then he walked out of the building. He won't be back till one o'clock tomorrow afternoon, the time of the stockholders' meeting. I bet he's got some dynamite up his sleeve!"
Jed frowned. He looked at the memo again. "How can he get all the stockholders together so fast? Three of the men are still out of the city. Maybe he has then-proxies."
"All I know is he told me to set six chairs around the table, including the one for me," Bess offered, her eyes sparkling.
"Six," Jed muttered. "Six. I wonder who's back."
He phoned all the homes, but only Mavis Thorpe answered at her apartment. She had been notified by phone of the meeting.
"What's going on, Jed? What is Russell up to?" She sounded alarmed.
"I wish I knew."
At least the waiting would end, he thought, as he hung up. Whatever Russell had been maneuvering for must be within his grasp. This was not, could not be, a routine meeting.
Jed now had 36 per cent of the control. Mavis had 12 per cent and would probably vote with Jed. That was 48 per cent. Thorpe owned or had proxies for 40 per cent, unless-Jed winced. Unless Thorpe had managed to buy more, or get control over more.
Jed had just arrived at his apartment that night when the telephone rang. He went to get it, pitching his hat toward the couch.
"Hello? Jed Kingsley here."
"Oh, Jed! This is Edythe. Oh, Jed, what is he doing?" She sounded scared and panicky, her voice trembling, not like her usual controlled self.
"Russell Thorpe, you mean?"
"Yes. He phoned. He wants Larry and me to attend a stockholders' meeting of the Crown Company tomorrow at one. Why, Jed, why?"
Jed sank slowly into the chair beside the phone. "Wait-wait a minute, honey. Let that sink in. He wants you and Larry to come-"
"Yes. Yes! Why should we appear at your stockholders' meeting? What do you have on the agenda?" She was beginning to calm down and sound more business-like, but Jed was beginning to get panicky.
"Are you the only stockholders in the Westfall Company, you and Larry?" he asked.
"Oh, no. There's Russell. He owns about 10 per cent. And there are-let me see-five others who own some."
"Hmm. Evidently they weren't asked. I don't know, Edythe. I don't know why the meeting was called. Russell called an unusual and hurried meeting. Several of our stockholders are out of town, so it can't be anything tremendous. We would have to have more advance notice, proxies must be gathered-" All the time he was reassuring her, frightening pictures formed in his own mind. Russell would not move prematurely. He must be sure of his ground. What in hell was he doing?
"Well, that makes me feel better," Edythe said at last, her voice calm and controlled once more. "I do own 56 per cent of our stock, and Larry owns 22 per cent Russell certainly can't outvote us, no matter what he has up his sleeve."
"That's good news," said Jed. "We don't have to let him stampede us into any rash decisions either. I think Mavis Thorpe will vote with me-with our side. The rest of our stockholders are out of town."
She sighed deeply. "I just wish I knew what he was maneuvering for."
"We'll find out tomorrow. How is Greg?"
"Oh-he's about over his cold." Her voice was suddenly reserved, shy. "What did you think of him?"
"He's a great guy. Looks just like you. I'd like to adopt him."
"Oh, Jed. Now don't start-"
"You started it, when you came to my apartment the first time," he teased. "When are you going to marry me?"
"Jed, I'll hang up!"
"Come on over," he urged. "We could-talk some more." His tone deepened suggestively.
"No, absolutely not. After one of our talks, I'm completely exhausted. I would never make it to the meeting."
He bad thought his teasing would help her forget the meeting. But the worry of what Russell might spring on them was uppermost in their minds.
They talked a little longer. He reassured her, and she sounded more cheerful when she hung up. However, he was not reassured himself. Russell was power-crazy, and he had become tricky as the devil.
If Jed had only known that Russell Thorpe was going to become like this, he would never have gone into business with him. The trading stamp business was a difficult, arduous field, and if he couldn't trust his associates it would become impossible.
Jed paced the floor until his legs were tired. Then he drank some wine to relax him and make him sleepy, and went to bed. Tomorrow, he had a hunch, would be very rough.
On Tuesday afternoon, shortly before one o'clock, Edythe Westfall and her brother Larry came to Jed's office. Both were visibly nervous. Edythe looked very attractive in a blue silk sheath dress, appropriate to the warm June weather. Her blonde hair was in a severe upsweep and she looked like the businesswoman she was.
Larry looked like he had been up all night for too many nights. He smiled sheepishly at Jed, though, and shook hands.
"I guess I didn't ever thank you for the rescue at the warehouse. I'm grateful," he said.
"I'd still like to know what you were doing there," Jed hinted.
Larry clammed up. "Just snooping," he said defiantly.
Edythe looked at him with troubled dark blue eyes.
Jed glanced at his watch. "About time. Shall we go?"
Edythe swallowed nervously. "All right. I'm ready." Her back seemed to stiffen as she straightened her shoulders.
Mavis Thorpe was in the board room when they entered. She was standing at one of the windows. She turned. Her face showed surprise as she saw Edythe and Larry.
Jed introduced them formally.
Edythe smiled and said, "We have known each other for some time, though I haven't seen you recently."
"Yes, that's right," said Mavis. She was looking lovelier than she had recently in a rose linen suit accented with darker rose hat and gloves. The gray in her hair was evident, but her hair had been waved in soft precise waves close to her head, and she looked younger and happier than she had.
"Shall we sit down?" Jed suggested.
Bess came in, followed by Russell Thorpe, as Jed was seating Mavis and Edythe.
"If you don't mind, Jed," said Russell, brusquely, excitement blazing in his eyes, "I'll take the head of the table."
"The devil you will," said Jed. "Just because you have proxies-"
Russell laughed, and sat down at the head of the table. "Oh, better than that," he sneered. "I bought out all the stockholders but you and Mavis. I own 52 per cent of Crown Company!"
Jed stared at him. He heard Mavis gasp, whisper, "Oh, no," in a frightened Little voice.
So this was what Russell had been doing. But how had he persuaded the stockholders to sell? And why had he invited the Westfalls to come? Jed sat down slowly beside Edythe on one side of the table. Russell was flanked by each of his former wives, as Mavis sat at his right with Larry beside her, and Edythe was at his left with Jed beside her. Bess was seated at the small table near Russell, ready to take notes on the meeting.
Russell whipped through the reading of the minutes of the last meeting and the old business. He was grinning, confident, his stocky body seeming to sway back and forth in the sturdy leather chair. He was really excited, thought Jed, watching the reddened face of the middle-aged man he had trusted for several years.
Russell leaned back for the reading of a motion, swayed forward for the vote. Edythe and Larry watched him with hypnotized fascination. They were both afraid of him, scared half to death, Jed realized.
Jed was still stunned at the revelation that Russell had controlling interest. The way Russell was going, Jed would have little say from now on. About the only thing he could do was to sell out and hope to start all over again somewhere else. It was finished, ended, for Jed, in this company and probably' in this city. Russell had what he wanted-power. And he had taken over after Jed had built the company to what it was with his own hard work.
Jed was numb through the early part of the meeting.
Then they came to the new business. Russell waved aside the efforts Bess made to proceed in orderly fashion. "There's only one piece of new business I'm interested in," he boomed. "And that is-I'm proposing a merger of the Crown Company with the Westfall Golden Stamps Company."
There was a long pause. Silence, as the other five people in the room stared at the grinning, jubilant man.
Jed stirred from his numb trance. "How can you pull that off, Russell?" he asked angrily. "You don't own controlling interest in Westfall."
Edythe said, in a cool emotionless voice, "I own 52 per cent, Russell. You have not consulted my brother and me. We have not agreed to this." She sounded calm enough, but Jed saw her hands were clasped in her lap, the fingers so tightly clenched that the knuckles were white.
Russell smiled directly at Edythe, his eyes glowing, significant. "Oh, you will agree, my dear. You will agree. We must discuss this at length, privately. I know we can reach a-settlement."
This would be his price to let Greggie alone, Jed realized. From Edythe's white face, she must realize it also. Russell had let Larry and Edythe dangle in uncertainty all this time. Now they knew the worst.
"There are other stockholders," said Larry, remotely, as though realizing it would not help.
"There were other stockholders," said Russell, triumphantly. "I have bought them out. I have 22 per cent of Westfall, just as much as you do, Larry boy. I have 22 per cent of Westfall and 52 per cent of Crown. And I make a motion we merge the two companies. I, naturally, will assume the presidency."
"Not yet," said Jed, coldly. His hand gripped Edythe's arm. "We won't vote today. There are matters to be checked. For instance, we have only your word that you own 52 per cent stock in Crown. I want proof, in writing, before any voting is done."
"Listen, you louse, I'll get that proof right now! We'll vote right now on merging!" Russell leaped to his feet, furiously angry, his face beet red.
"Not yet. Not until we have legal proof," said Jed. "You're not going to stampede us into anything. I'll fight you to the wall before I give up everything I've worked for all these years." He glared back at Russell.
Russell shouted incoherently, shaking his fist at Jed. Edythe shrank back against Jed. Russell turned on her.
"You'll vote for merger! We'll have a meeting of the Westfall Company and we'll vote-"
Her back stiffened. "I'll vote against it if you force the vote," she said in her clear calm voice. "So you had better give us time to think about it."
"Don't you cross me!" he threatened. "Don't you cross me! You'll be dead sorry-I'll take-"
Jed jumped up, interposed himself between Russell and Edythe. "No threats, Russell. We won't vote today. We're going to think this over."
"You damned louse," Russell turned on Jed, his fist raised.
Jed smiled mirthlessly. "Want to punch me, Russell?" he mocked. "I've licked you before. Remember?"
Russell glared, muttered, and stalked out of the room, slamming the door behind him. On his departure, there was a visible relaxing from tension.
"Jed, what shall we do?" Edythe asked. Her face under her light make-up was a chalky white.
"What can we do?" Larry burst out bitterly. "He's got us over a barrel."
"Why?" asked Mavis curiously. "You hold 52 per cent. Why does he scare you so much?"
Jed looked at Edythe.
"Because...." said Edythe, slowly, "I was foolish enough to marry him after you divorced him. I have a son, Greggie. Russell threatens to take him away from me.
Bess and Mavis stared at her, wide-eyed.
"I suppose I might as well sell out to him," said Larry wearily. He rubbed the back of his neck. "He's been after me and after me, trying to get hold of my stock. Those phony poker games-at least I won't have to play with that louse after this."
Mavis rose to her feet. "I suppose I might as well sell out, too. Jed, if you want my stock, you have first choice. Let me know." She smiled. "I think I'll be leaving town anyway. I may go to New York and try for a job somewhere. Something different."
"Okay, Mavis. I'll let you know soon about the stock. Thanks." Jed lifted his hand as she nodded farewell and left the room. Mavis would be all right. She had recovered from the disease of Russell's callous treatment.
"Should I type up these minutes, Jed?" Bess asked, uncertainly. "Was there a motion about the merger?"
"Type up the minutes, but stop at the merger point," Jed advised. "Just end it by saying the meeting will be continued at a later date."
She nodded and left also.
"Now will you tell me, Larry?" said Jed. "What were you doing in our warehouse?"
"Oh, that," said Larry, rather indifferently. "I was looking at the labels on the boxes to see if they matched all the new stuff in our warehouses. They do. There's a lot of stuff in our warehouses, big crates of stuff that aren't included on our inventory sheets."
"Oh, Larry!" gasped Edythe. "Was he stealing-"
"That's it," said Jed grimly. "I think we'll find he was storing stuff in your warehouses so it would look bad for you if it was accidentally found. Larry or you would be blamed for theft. Meantime, he got our stockholders to sell out to him by showing lack of profit this past year. The loss of the stock was enough to pull down our profit sheets to a very poor figure."
"He's slick," said Larry, without admiration. "He's had me on the ropes for a year. He made me play poker with him and his buddies. When I lost he wanted pieces of my stock. I kept paying cash, sold everything I had. But one or two more games and I wouldn't have had a choice but to give him stock to cover my losses."
"Oh, Larry, dear, why didn't you tell me?" asked Edythe tenderly.
"Because you would have given in and made a deal with him. And I kept hoping for a miracle to get him off our backs."
"A miracle. I sure could use one right now," muttered Jed.
Larry looked at him. "It's your move. Do you want to fight or quit?"
"Don't know yet. Right now I want to think."
Larry grinned boyishly. "That's my weak spot. I'm no good at thinking. Edythe, I'll do whatever you and Jed decide. Okay if I go out and get drunk?"
"Oh, Larry, do you feel so bad," she began.
"Nope. I feel great. It's out in the open. I hate mysteries," said Larry. "I want to get drunk and relax and have some fun. If you don't care, I can't help you in the thinking department anyway."
Edythe held his shoulders tightly, reached up and kissed his cheek. "You go ahead. Enjoy yourself. We'll let you know what we decide."
"Okay." He glanced at Jed. "Take care of yourself in the clinches." He went out.
"Well-what now?" asked Edythe. "Where do we start?"
"Let's go back to my place," said Jed, absently.
"And-talk?" asked Edythe, smiling.
"For a while," he said. "For a little while, we'll talk." He cupped her elbow in his hand, and they walked out together.
He felt somewhat like Larry, relieved that it was out in the open. Now he knew what he was fighting. But he didn't seem to have a good weapon left to fight with. Russell had taken them craftily out of Jed's hand, to stab him in the back.