The Stone

by Graham Adams

  ‘Will ten tomorrow be OK Edmund, ma’s having some beauty treatment tomorrow so we got time to spare.’ Ben looked at his mother.

  Edmund leaned over to Mrs Cohen. I believe you’re having some beauty treatment tomorrow Mrs Cohen?’

  ‘Yes my dear, my son is paying for it, aren’t you dear?’ Ben beamed at his mother.

  ‘Well, Mrs Cohen, he’s wasting his money.’ The room went quiet. ‘You can’t improve on perfection.’ Edmund smiled at her.

  Ben laughed so loud that the paintings on the wall nearly fell off!

  ‘I told you Edmund, that one day I’d get you on the Ed Sullivan show. That was the best yet ol’ buddy!’

  The taxi pulled up outside his drive and Edmund had the door open ready.

  ‘I like the views around here, Edmund.’ Vera smiled at him.

  He ushered them into the small living room; of course, Ben had to duck his head to get under the archway.

  ‘Duck or grouse Ben.’ Edmund joked.

  ‘Hell, I’ve just had my breakfast old buddy.’ Ben looked confused.

  Vera smiled, ‘I know this one Ben, and he means if you don’t duck your head you will grouse with the pain. Am I right Edmund?’

  Edmund nodded to her, but Ben was still puzzled. Just before they arrived, Edmund had made a strong cafetiere of coffee, thinking all Americans love their coffee.

  ‘Edmund, do you have tea? I’ve discovered a new one at the hotel, and it’s called Earl something’ Vera asked him.

  ‘Earl Grey, I think I have some Vera.’ Edmund answered.

  ‘Well if you can find it, I’ll make some for us, OK?’ Vera shouted as Edmund went in search of the tea.

  As the two men sat down, awaiting their tea Ben said. ‘Let’s get down to business.’ He was in his Wall Street mode, and Edmund passed him Paul’s folder.

  ‘Do you know who this is, Ben?’ Edmund asked as Ben opened it.

  ‘Sure, this is Paul, am I right? It’s some sort of profile.’ He leafed through the pages of mainly pictures of Paul posing in costume. ‘I like this one, Shakespeare ain’t it? What’s he doin’ now?’ Ben asked.

  ‘No he’s not doing anything at the moment, I’m sure you know the situation about out of work actors Ben. That’s the reason I want to talk to you. You have lots of influence with many people in the States I know that, and with that in mind I need someone that I can trust, to do something for me.’

  ‘No problem on that score.’ Ben smiled at his friend.

  ‘This is what I want to do for him. I’ve got some money put by, from a business deal that I have never used. It sits in a bank account doing nothing. I want you to find someone, maybe someone in the entertainment business who owes you a favour, a big one, who would invite Paul over to the States to do some work over there. Are you with me so far Ben?’ Edmund asked.

  ‘I get your drift Edmund, please go on.’

  If you can do this, I will fund the fare and his expenses up to $20,000. So if you can find someone to help Paul, you then contact me and I will transfer the money to you. Do you see why I need a trusty friend now?’ Edmund asked him.

  At that point Vera came over to the table with the Earl Grey. ‘That, Edmund is the most wonderful thing...Ben, if you don’t do this for Edmund, I’m gonna ask my pop to do it, and that’s a promise!’

  Ben looked seriously at Vera. ‘Listen Vera if you think I’m gonna let your old man get the better of me. Honey I’m gonna make Paul bigger than Brando himself, you watch if I don’t!’

  ‘Just one more thing dear friend, if we succeed, I don’t want anyone but us to know that I’ve been involved in this venture, I want him to think he has done it himself, do you understand Ben?’ Edmund asked him.

  ‘I sure do, ol’ buddy, I’ll drink my duke something tea on it.’ Ben looked at Vera for help.

  ‘Earl Grey Ben.’ Vera shouted, and they all laughed heartily.

  ‘You two are my dearest friends, thank you very much’ Edmund hugged them both.

  19: The Great Challenge

  Ivor’s pride and Joy!

  It was 1981 and Edmund had been offered a job in a small Pharmaceutical company in the New Forest. As he started at the place, he then found out that the previous accountant had left in a hurry. He had forgotten to ask about why they had the vacancy, because the interview was so quick. And within a day the agency called back saying they wanted him to start straight away.

  He did however look at the previous accounts, and it didn’t make for good reading. It was certainly going to be a challenge, but not as big as when he got behind his desk.

  He had to pick up things very quick; nothing had been done in the financial control area for over a month. His assistant, a young woman, had only been there herself for a few months, and by the look of it was getting quite stressed.

  The company had a proud history, founded by a scientist and a landowner; they trundled on serving the local veterinary needs, making a nice little profit each year. The landowner partner decided to sell the business to the current owners in 1979. In fact the main owners were the banks. Two large banks each had forty percent of the shareholding and the two ‘owner directors’ had ten percent each.

  He soon found out that they were ‘lording it’ over everyone else who worked there, and he of course was the next target.

  There was one other director on the board; he was the remaining founding member of the company, who was tolerated because of his knowledge. He was, however, pushed out of any decision-making and kept in the background. The other main player was the sales manager. He was a firebrand and openly hated the two ‘owners’ and soon told Edmund all the lurid facts about them. Some of the facts he felt were not true as they could have been born of spite. Yet he was soon to find out that Ivor was speaking the truth.

  As is usual with small companies he worked for, Edmund often witnessed the pure selfishness of the bosses, wielding their power over their staff senselessly, never showing any respect, and never rewarding their loyalty and good work.

  The two owners were completely different in character to each other. One enjoyed the egoistic success of ownership. Edmund never saw him do anything in the company. He was always in meetings, or off out entertaining strangers that no one had seen before, certainly they were not customers according to Ivor. The other was more secretive, and was always shouting at anyone who dared interrupt him. Although he was apparently a qualified vet, he never practised.

  After his first investigation into the company’s affairs, it became very clear to him why the previous incumbent had left so suddenly. The rude owner Charles held a separate chequebook, which he kept in his office. Edmund was expected to do the accounts ignoring the payments made from this book. He immediately saw that as a possible fraud.

  ‘You cannot stop me from seeing that book.’ he thought to himself.

  The next day Edmund knocked on his door and waited. There was no answer. He knew that he was in, so he went outside and looked through his window. He was asleep. He couldn’t believe it; he was lying on the desk asleep. He went back to the door and banged hard on it. A few seconds later, the gruff short man, his suit crumpled opened the door.

  ’What do you want?’ Charles shouted.

  ‘Can I come in? Edmund asked as polite as he could.

  ‘No, what do you want?’

  ‘I want your company cheque book with all the stubs, I need to reconcile the bank, and can I have it please?’

  Edmund asked.

  ‘No! It’s not here, it’s at home, and anyway you’ve no right to see it!’ Charles retorted.

  Edmund turned on his heels and went upstairs to his office. He was fuming.

  ‘No one talks to me like that’, he said. As he passed the sales office the girls looked at him warily. They could see history repeating itself. He sat behind his desk thinking out a plan, the stone was gripped in his hand as he decided to take the challenge.

  ’That bastard has to go, and I’m going to make it happen!’ Edmu
nd said to himself.

  Edmund was usually the first in the office, but not on this day. The Sales Manager, Ivor, was waiting for him.

  ‘Got a minute Edmund?’ Edmund followed him into his office over the other side of the site. ‘So, you’ve had a run in with Charles, that didn’t take long.’ Ivor smiled at him.

  Ivor had realised that Edmund’s attitude to wasteful management coincided with his. When Edmund made any comments in this area, Ivor was always willing to listen. With this in mind, Edmund decided that this was the right time to make his play.

  ‘I want to know Ivor; if push came to shove whose side of the fence you would jump?’ Edmund asked quietly.

  ‘Are you asking me if I would back them if I had to, then no, not ever. I’ve told you what I think about them, it’s no secret, no secret at all. Even the customers hate them.’ Ivor was adamant.

  ‘OK then, I have been in something like this before, probably not as bad, I’ll grant you, but when I get the bit between my teeth I promise you I will get things moving. I can’t give you details but I do have a plan. I’ll ask you again, if I was to get....make things happen, can I count on you for support?’ Edmund asked urgently.

  ‘You got it, friend, sink or swim.’ Ivor answered with a wide smile.

  ‘I’m a better swimmer, a better swimmer than even you could imagine. By the way, would Tony come on board?’ Edmund asked him.

  ‘Leave him to me, old Tony needs a little shove but he’ll be OK Edmund.’ Ivor looked relieved. They shook hands on it and Edmund quickly left his office and went up the stairs to his own. The two owners fortunately hadn’t arrived in yet.

  The annual accounts for the previous years were in the cabinet and he pulled them out. On the third page was the list of Directors for last year. There was a fourth name at the bottom of the list that he didn’t recognise. Without delay he rushed down the stairs, greeted the girls who were just hanging their coats up, and rushed back to Ivor’s office. Thank goodness he was still there, one of his salesmen was in the office and he waited whilst the salesman was despatched to the factory to chase some product or other.

  ‘Do you know who this is?’ Edmund asked, pointing at the fourth man on the director’s list.

  ‘He’s the man that the banks put in to spy on us.’ Ivor answered.

  ‘You mean the bank’s representative on the board?’ Edmund asked him.

  ‘I think so; I’m not really party to all this pal.’

  ‘Thanks Ivor thanks a lot.’ and ran back to his office. ‘A break through at last!’ he thought to himself. The owner who was so rude to him, passed him crossing the yard, but Edmund refused to acknowledge him and rushed by. He knew already what he was going to do, but it would take time, he must keep his nose clean, do the accounts and don’t cause any alarm.

  Six months had passed and he was now finding his way around. He decide to start improving without raising any eyebrows in the ‘owners’ direction, but at the same time keeping a secret dossier on both of them, particularly one of them.

  His office was upstairs in the loft area of a converted bungalow; usually the only person to climb the stairs would be his assistant with queries. Because of his recent conversations with him, Edmund would rather go to visit Ivor in his office across the yard. Although he sometimes came over to the main building in order to see the sales people in their offices. Edmund always knew when Ivor was around, as he had the dirtiest laugh he had ever heard.

  This particular day someone was climbing the stairs very slowly and he was groaning as he manoeuvred around the tight corner. He appeared in the doorway and pulled himself in. He was a good six foot six and twenty stone at least.

  ‘Those stairs are too much for me young sir.’ He spoke with a soft Scottish accent.

  Edmund helped him into the chair opposite his desk.

  ‘Can I help you sir?’ He thought it might have been one of the customers who had lost their way.

  ‘Bloody hot up here isn’t it?’ Edmunds office was in the roof space and even with the window open fully there was nowhere for the air to go.

  ‘Must be my pen causing all the friction heat, they keep telling me I work too hard.’ Edmund joked.

  ‘My name is Robin, and I’ve come to see how you are coping with everything, my boy.’

  Edmund smiled at him, ‘You’re the Bank’s representative, and am I right?’

  ‘For my sins I’m the Chairman of the board, for what it’s worth.’ Robin answered.

  ‘Then why haven’t I seen you before? I’ve read up on you, you’re on the board of many companies, and you are a Chartered Accountant are you not, sir?’ Edmund asked.

  ‘Have you seen my fee, dear boy? It’s only enough for one visit per year. Anyway the banks seem happy enough.’ He replied.

  Before he said that, Edmund realised that there was very little Robin could do to help him in his quest. It was nearly lunchtime and the great man invited him to lunch at the local pub, which Edmund gladly accepted.

  ‘Are you ready then, Robin?’ Another voice that he’d never heard before. Edmund let Robin go down before him, as he didn’t want the great man to fall on top of him whilst manoeuvring the steep stairs.

  Waiting for them at the bottom was Tim, the Investment manager from Pegasus, the Lloyd’s investment arm. Robin was showing him around some of the companies in the area that they had money invested in. It was Edmund’s luck that they reached this company at lunchtime.

  Ivor was invited to join them but he had a customer, so he couldn’t go. The two owner directors came along, but because Edmund and the two new guys were accountants, they sat at a separate table in the restaurant, which was a bit of a relief for Edmund.

  In just five minutes Edmund knew that he would get on with Tim. They talked the same language. Edmund talked about his friend in New York, and how he had met him. Tim was a keen sailor, and of course talk of Wall Street sent him into raptures. After lunch, they all went into Kevin’s very plush office that doubled as a boardroom.

  Edmund suspected that Kevin and Charles had had too much to drink at the pub, and he was so surprised that they allowed him to stay for the meeting. Edmund didn’t think he had ever met such a boring man as Kevin. He spoke for twenty minutes but he was sure that no one knew what he had said. Charles looked like he was asleep already. At the end of the ‘sermon’ they got up to leave, Robin was already getting in the car, but Tim held back for a minute.

  ‘I’m not blind Edmund, so if you want to talk, here’s my card. Best time to get me on the phone is Monday mornings, or come to see me in Bristol, I’m sure you can find an excuse.’ Tim whispered.

  ‘This is it!’ thought Edmund. ‘This is my chance, and I’m going to take it. They won’t know what hit them.’ Edmund rang Tim the following Monday morning, and true to his word, he was available to speak. Tim realised that Edmund’s call wasn’t going to be a casual one, so he, with Edmund’s permission, put the manager of the other investor 3i on a group call.

  ‘I would like to set up a meeting in Bristol with you both as soon as possible. If you like, Robin could be there as well, but I don’t think that will matter much, do you?’ Edmund said firmly.

  ‘You sound like you’ve got something to tell us right Edmund? By the way my name is David.’

  ‘I think so, and I don’t want to wait too long, David.’ Edmund said.

  ‘We understand, Edmund.’ Tim said. ‘Believe it or not we have our thoughts as well, we’ve got money tied up in you, so we want to hear it all, lock stock and barrel.’

  ‘Hear hear! Can you make this week, Tim?’ David said. ‘Friday at two David?’ Tim responded. ‘What about you Edmund, can you make Friday at two?’ Tim asked.

  Well, I haven’t had any holidays yet, I’ll book a day off this Friday. Where shall we meet guys?’ Edmund asked. They agreed to meet in Tim’s office in the Bristol Lloyds head office.

  ‘I’ll reserve you a car park space underneath Just follow the sign ‘private parking, OK Edm
und?’ Tim said his goodbyes, and the stage was set.

  Edmund had to pass the request for the day off to ‘old grumpy’s’ secretary, who came up an hour later with his signature on it. Edmund smiled at her.

  ‘If only you knew what this was for my love, if only.’ he said to himself.

  It was a momentous meeting, not only did Edmund show them the awful facts but he had spent the few days before the meeting proposing what to do with the company, and they were impressed. They winced at some of the things he proposed, but broadly they accepted them and gave him their full support.

  Charles was the first to go, as Edmund had proposed. He was offered two choices, prosecution for fraud or give up his shares and get out. He took the latter and went the same day. The day after he left, his secretary gave Edmund a letter, the envelope was in Charles’s handwriting. He took it upstairs expecting the worst. But no, it was a most glowing reference from Charles, thanking him for his ‘Sterling Work’.