The Gilgal Passage

by Bob Brown

  So for nearly two hours Jason and Merle discussed Jason’s plan to buy Jagged Edge Marketing.

  It was a bold plan. And brash. It was the kind of plan that, under different circumstances, Sam and Alex Kent would have appreciated. This time, however, the plan was being orchestrated against them.

  The plan was not without risk. There was the risk that Sam and Alex might not accept his offer. There was the risk that, even finding his offer acceptable, Sam and Alex might simply refuse to sell to him. Then there were the risks that the FTC investigation might completely undermine the value of the company, or that the gathering controversy among existing clients might destroy any credibility the company had in the marketplace.

  Jason’s plan addressed all of the risks, and Merle agreed that the plan was a good one.

  But buying Jagged Edge was only one part of the plan. In praying about Jagged Edge, Jason had suddenly realized what it was about the puzzle game that had confounded him since things had started unraveling with the deaths of his parents. He suddenly understood how all the pieces fit together.

  After all these years, Jason felt he finally understood the plan God had for him. Among all the possibilities, God had shown him which path to take, and Jason once again viewed his journey as an opportunity to move forward.

  Jason was reminded of the story from the Book of Esther in the Old Testament. That story, and the words written in Esther 4:14, had become among Jason’s most favorite in the Bible:

  ‘And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?’

  This was Jason’s time. He felt that he had been put in this place at this time to fulfill God’s plan.

  *****

  In addition to being bold, Jason’s plan was complex. Jason spent a week refining the plan and lining up the support he would need to execute it. Then, just ten days after his meeting with Michael, Jason returned to the conference room at Jagged Edge. It was a place he had never again expected to be.

  When Jason had called Sam to schedule a meeting, he had been met with unmasked hostility. Sam had openly accused him of contacting the FTC in an effort to destroy Jagged Edge. She had threatened to void their termination arrangement and sue Jason for violation of his non-disclosure agreement.

  Jason knew Sam was bluffing. She had a limited number of suspects for the FTC leak and was fishing for an admission. It was also clear that she was looking for a way out of the financial commitment she and Alex had made to Jason.

  In response to the threats and allegations, Jason would say only that the meeting would determine the future for Jagged Edge. He also made it clear that Jack was not invited.

  “Well, I certainly never thought I’d be here again,” Jason began.

  “I think we can dispense with the pleasantries, Mr. Matthews,” replied Alex. “Why don’t you just get to why you’re here?”

  Brash as always, thought Jason. And again with the ‘Mr. Matthews’.

  “As you wish. First, let me just say that I believe I have a pretty fair understanding of the current state of affairs at Jagged Edge. From what I gather, you’ve got problems with the FTC, your current clients are threatening legal action, and you’re having little success in your effort to unload the company.”

  Alex jumped out of her chair. “I don’t know where you’ve been getting your information, Mr. Matthews, but I can assure you that none of what you say is true. And Jagged Edge is most certainly not for sale.”

  “Please sit down, Alex,” said Jason. “Let’s try to keep this as cordial as possible, and let’s make an effort to be honest going forward. My point in visiting you today is that I think I can help you with all of your problems.”

  Alex returned to her seat. But it was clear that cordial was not something she planned to be. “Exactly how do you intend to help, Mr. Matthews, assuming we even need your help?”

  “It’s quite simple. I propose to buy Jagged Edge.”

  “You’ve got to be kidding,” Sam said in astonishment.

  “We would never sell to you.” Alex spit the words at him.

  “I think you should listen to what I have to say,“ Jason said calmly. “My guess is you’re not going to get many offers, so you would do well to put your hostility aside and focus on what’s best for you and for your company.”

  There was absolute silence in the conference room. Alex and Sam just glared at him, and Jason found himself wondering whether he had miscalculated the desperation he perceived from the situation at Jagged Edge. If Sam and Alex chose not to play, his plan would be dead before it ever got started.

  If there was such a thing as a voice of reason in the Kent family, Sam was it. “Look, Jason, just for the sake of argument, let’s assume that Jagged Edge actually is for sale. What makes you think you can even afford to buy it?”

  “Let’s just say that not too long ago I came into a fairly sizeable chunk of cash. And I have arranged for an additional line of credit, should that be required. If and when we agree to do business, I am prepared to produce all the necessary documentation to support my creditworthiness.”

  “Interesting,” replied Sam. It was the first intelligent thing to come from the Kents so far.

  “Continuing with the assumptions here,” Alex interjected, “why would you be interested in buying Jagged Edge if indeed there are the problems which you imply exist? If you believe the problems are beyond our ability to resolve, what makes them so different for you?”

  Jason wasn’t willing to show his hand, but he was willing to stay in the game. “At this point, all you need to understand about my offer is that I’m willing to buy your company and assume all the risks of the circumstances as I understand them. My reasons for wanting to buy Jagged Edge are mine alone and are not a matter for discussion as part of the sale.”

  Sam and Alex traded glances. Jason could almost hear the wheels grinding in their heads as they tried to figure out where he was coming from and how to manipulate the meeting to their advantage.

  Alex again took the lead. “Assuming again that Jagged Edge is for sale, what exactly are you prepared to offer?”

  Jason was prepared for the question. “I’m prepared to submit a written offer to purchase once I receive from you a written acknowledgement that Jagged Edge is for sale. Included in that acknowledgement should be a signed statement that you are prepared to enter into a good-faith negotiation, the purpose of which is to arrive at mutually agreeable terms for the sale and transfer of the business to me.”

  “What’s the point of that?” asked Alex.

  “The point of that,” replied Jason, “is to establish a legal framework for the sale of Jagged Edge. What’s the point of me throwing a number at you while you’re still unwilling to admit that the business is even for sale?”

  Jason softened his tone and continued. “Look, I know this is tough, and I suspect that you both have been under a lot of pressure. I’m hopeful that for the purpose of negotiating this sale we can put our differences aside and move quickly to reach a satisfactory agreement. If you’re in trouble, as I believe you to be, then I offer you a way out. I’m offering to eliminate your problem with the FTC, save your reputations, and prevent you from falling to financial ruin. The way I see it, you two stand to win big if I buy Jagged Edge.”

  Again Sam and Alex traded glances. This time it was Sam. “Your proposal is intriguing, Jason. Obviously, Alex and I will need time to discuss it before we respond. Would you be agreeable to another meeting, say, on Tuesday afternoon next week?”

  “That will be fine,” replied Jason. “But let’s do it this way. I’ll be here Tuesday afternoon at 2 PM. At that time I’ll expect to have the signed statement I requested. Once that’s settled, we can begin our discussions regarding the terms for the transfer of ownership. If for some reason you decide the business is not for sale or you decide not to proceed, just call me before Tuesday afternoon. Is that reasonable?”

  �
��Fair enough,” replied Sam. “We’ll see you on Tuesday.”

  Jason was sure of that. Because he was likely the only salvation the Kent sisters would ever know.

  Chapter 60

  On Tuesday morning, the day he was to meet again with Sam and Alex, Jason was at Garrett Motors early. He was anxious to put together a presentation detailing his plan, a presentation he hoped to provide to Kyle within the next couple of days. He knew that explaining how the pieces of the plan fit together could be confusing, and he suspected he would need the visual aid to help Kyle understand.

  Jason was so involved with his work on the presentation that he completely lost track of time. It was just after 10:30 when Kyle’s secretary stuck her head in and asked Jason whether he had heard from Kyle.

  “Crap,” Jason shouted as he punched the speed dial for Kyle’s cell phone. No answer. He ran outside and checked with Gus. No luck. Gus hadn’t heard from Kyle either.

  Shutting down his laptop, Jason ran to his car and tore out of the parking lot. He darted across the double-lined median and headed east on Grand toward the freeway. It took him less than ten minutes to reach Kyle’s condo.

  As he took the steps to the second floor two at a time, Jason tried to calm himself. After all, he had no reason to believe that anything was wrong. Maybe Kyle had overslept, something which was occurring with increasing frequency as his body slowly continued to shut down. Or maybe he was off running errands.

  When there was no answer to the doorbell or to his repeated pounding, Jason used his spare key to open the door and enter the condo. What he saw stopped him dead in his tracks.

  Kyle was lying face up just inside the front door, about half way to the kitchen. He was dressed in his usual business attire, absent his coat, and his briefcase was lying open beside him, its contents spilled across the floor.

  Jason dropped to his knees beside his friend. As he bent to feel for a pulse, he was relieved to see the gentle rise and fall of Kyle’s chest. “Thank God,” Jason said aloud.

  Jason dialed 911. He told the operator the nature of the emergency and provided the address to Kyle’s condo. Then he called Dr. Neumann. The doctor said she would meet Jason at the hospital.

  As he waited for the ambulance, Jason tried without success to wake his friend. He found himself staring at Kyle’s chest, measuring the rise and fall against his own shallow breathing as a way of reassuring himself that Kyle was in no danger.

  When the ambulance arrived just minutes later, Jason watched helplessly as the technicians checked Kyle’s vital signs. Then, having no more success than Jason in their attempts to elicit a response from Kyle, they loaded him onto a gurney and wheeled him out the front door. Jason followed wordlessly behind.

  *****

  Jason arrived at the hospital several minutes behind the ambulance, and as he approached the desk in the same emergency room he had last visited on the day Kyle’s father had died, Jason had an uneasy feeling that today was going to be another bad day at the hospital.

  “Excuse me,” Jason said to a young male attendant behind the counter. The young man had his back to Jason. “I’m looking for someone who just came in by ambulance a few minutes ago.”

  The words were ominously familiar to Jason.

  “Yes, sir,” replied the attendant, turning to face Jason. “Name?”

  “Kyle Garrett.”

  The attendant checked his log. “Yes, sir, he arrived just a few minutes ago. They’ve already taken him upstairs to the fifth floor. Room five four seven.”

  “Thanks,” said Jason, as he turned and headed toward the bank of elevators around the corner.

  *****

  Emerging from the elevator on the fifth floor, Jason saw Dr. Neumann chatting with another doctor near the nurse’s station. He waited anxiously for her to finish, then rapidly closed the distance between them as soon as the other doctor turned away. He skipped the pleasantries.

  “So what do they know at this point, Dr. Neumann? Is Kyle still unconscious?”

  “They’ve already done blood work, so I’m waiting for the results of that. And yes, Kyle was still unconscious when they brought him up. His vital signs are good, and he’s breathing on his own, but they haven’t been able to get a response out of him.”

  “Why would that be?” Jason didn’t like the concern he detected in Dr. Neumann’s voice.

  “I’m not sure. As Kyle’s disease progresses, his organs will begin to shut down. Eventually, his brain will also be affected, and at some point he’ll likely lapse into unconsciousness and simply not wake up. I don’t expect we’re at that point yet, but we won’t know for sure until we complete the tests.”

  Doctor Neumann gave Jason a grave look. “Jason, if the disease is already affecting Kyle’s brain, then it may be progressing faster than I had anticipated. As I said, I’ll know more after the tests come back. But if the results are what I suspect they may be, my original estimate may have been optimistic by at least several months.”

  “Are you saying that nine months could be six or fewer?” Jason asked, as he mentally did the math backwards to the first time he had met Dr. Neumann. That had been nearly four months ago. That would mean Kyle could have less than three months to live.

  “Look, let’s not start speculating until I get the lab results. To be safe, I’ve also ordered an MRI. It’s possible there may be some other explanation. It’s also possible that Kyle may just wake up on his own. At this point, we just don’t know. Either way, I’ll call you with the results of the blood work and the MRI.”

  “OK. Thanks, doc.”

  Jason shook Dr. Neumann’s hand, and the doctor walked away, down the corridor and around the corner. Jason turned and walked in the other direction, looking for room five four seven.

  *****

  As Jason entered Kyle’s hospital room, he grabbed one of the two chairs near the door and pulled it alongside the bed. He sat down heavily and looked at his friend.

  To someone who didn’t know better, Kyle could have been any other routine hospital patient, sound asleep from an exhausting morning of TV game shows and unnecessary visits from the nurse. He had been dressed in a standard-issue hospital gown, and he was buried to his neck under a white knit hospital blanket. His breaths were deep and regular.

  Jason looked intently at his friend and willed him to wake up. When that failed, he did the only other thing he could think to do. He prayed.

  Now, more than ever, Jason was finding purpose in his daily prayer time. Perhaps it was because he was still seeking forgiveness for time spent denying God. Perhaps it was because he now had something very specific to pray for. Whatever the reason, when Jason closed his eyes in prayer, he regularly found himself in private conversation with the Almighty.

  For twenty minutes, Jason prayed for Kyle. When he finished, he silently left the room, walked down the corridor to the lounge, and punched a number on his cell phone. A moment later, Karen answered.

  Karen was enjoying a short break between her summer session classes and the commencement of the fall term at Creekside Elementary. Jason was hopeful that Karen could do him a favor.

  “Hi, hon,” Karen said cheerfully when she answered Jason’s call.

  “Hi, Oz. How’s your day going?”

  “Great. I ran eight miles this morning, then I did some back-to-school shopping for supplies that I know I’ll need but suspect the school won’t be able to afford. How about you?”

  “Not so good.” Jason described his day in detail, beginning with his early morning at Garrett Motors and ending with his bedside prayer.

  “Oh, my God,” gasped Karen. “Is there anything I can do?”

  “Actually, that’s partly why I’m calling. You may remember me telling you about this meeting I have scheduled at 2 PM over at Jagged Edge. With any kind of luck, when the meeting’s over I’ll have a formal commitment to buy Jagged Edge. Anyway, I was hoping you could come over
and stay with Kyle at the hospital while I go to the meeting.”

  “Of course I can come. But couldn’t you just reschedule the meeting?”

  “I thought about that. But I’m afraid to let Sam and Alex think too long or too hard about my offer. I want to keep the pressure on them to close the deal as quickly as possible.”

  “I’m sure you’re right,” Karen said. “I can probably be there in less than thirty minutes. Is that OK?”

  “Perfect,” replied Jason. “See you then. Love you.”

  *****

  Jason wasn’t terribly surprised when Karen showed up just over an hour later.

  “I’m so sorry I’m late,” offered Karen as she entered the room. Jason rose from his bedside seat and gave his girlfriend a kiss.

  “No harm done. But I do need to get going. I’ll call you as soon as my meeting’s over.”

  Jason kissed Karen again and turned to leave. “Oh, and please call or text me if there’s any change with Kyle or if you hear from Dr. Neumann about his tests. I hope to be back in a couple of hours.”

  *****

  Jason arrived in the parking garage at Jagged Edge about fifteen minutes later and ten minutes early for his 2 PM meeting. As he sat in the near-darkness of the underground lot, he quickly reviewed in his mind his strategy for the most important meeting of his life. He silently prayed that God would be present in the actions and outcomes of the meeting. Then he exited the car, walked across the dim lot, and took the elevator to the ninth floor.

  Sam and Alex were already seated in their usual spots at the head of the table when Jason entered the conference room. Jason closed the door behind him and took a seat midway down the table on the side nearest the door.

  Sam spoke first. “Jason, Alex and I have given careful consideration to your offer to buy Jagged Edge. We have consulted with our accountants and attorneys, and we have evaluated the current environment for the business.”