by Jim Wygand
“I’ve heard that one before, but yeah, you might be right. But the car kept on going straight when I turned off toward the bridge. Besides, the car was pretty far behind me so maybe it was nothing. It was too dark to recognize the car.”
“Well, just don’t forget what I told you about those women Charlie. They’ll be back so just be ready.”
Charlie and Gina watched the evening news and a movie before Charlie said, “I’m bushed, Gina. You want to go to bed?”
“Only if you are wearing your silk boxers, tiger!”
“I am – anything else you need to know?”
“That’s it – let’s go!”
* * * * *
On the way to work Thursday morning Charlie stopped by the Ritz-Carlton hotel and reserved a small conference room for Friday evening. He spent Thursday and Friday revising his draft report. The Executive Committee had advised that Phillip Shaw’s recovery was progressing satisfactorily and he could be expected to return to work within two to three weeks. Friday afternoon, Charlie left the office a little earlier and went to the Ritz-Carlton where he paid cash for the rented conference room. He called Bill Cummins and Warren Carpenter from a pay phone in the lobby to tell them the name of the meeting room. At five-thirty both Cummins and Carpenter arrived and went directly to the meeting room. Charlie had ordered a pot of coffee and some soft drinks. He had two copies of his draft report for the group to discuss. “Gentlemen, good afternoon, I’ve got copies of my draft report for us to review and there are soft drinks on the credenza together with a pot of coffee. Help yourself.”
Warren Carpenter grabbed a diet soft drink while Bill Cummins and Charlie poured themselves some coffee. They sat down to the table and Charlie began. “The draft report shows clearly that even if the company was not going to go public, Phillip would probably have to pursue an aggressive investment strategy. The ROI figures are misleading because depreciation has reduced the value of the company’s investments while revenue is declining more slowly. The result in the short term is a rising ROI but it is increasing in ever smaller increments. I’ve got a summary division by division where I look at what is causing problems and I’ve made some recommendations as to investment strategies for each division. If Phillip agrees on the strategies we can start looking for acquisition targets. It will take a while because we will have to review any companies we plan to acquire. I have also recommended that we seek out some off-shore suppliers for certain commodity inputs. We can’t continue to rely on US-based suppliers that are losing their competitive edge while our competitors are buying abroad. That’s going to hurt some of our US suppliers and some might even see it as a kiss of death. That could be a sensitive issue for some communities. Shaw would be seen as the executioner of smaller companies. On the other hand we are simply following a trend in our industry.
Warren Carpenter was the first to address Charlie’s comments, “I’m sure Phillip will be sensitive to any community issues that arise as a result of his strategy.”
“Yeah, especially if he has political ambitions,” Charlie thought to himself.
Carpenter continued, “We might want to think about changing suppliers early in the game. It will give us time to evaluate the reactions to and results of the changes. I’m certain the market will react favorably to the strategy, but we would like to avoid pushing any companies into bankruptcy. Things are bad enough with all the layoffs occurring in other industries, we don’t want to seem to be adding to the misery.”
Charlie had to stifle a wry smile. Bill Cummins simply nodded his head in agreement. It was clear to Charlie that Warren Carpenter was fully aware of Phil Shaw’s post-management political ambitions and was protecting his client from a reputation as a hard-nosed bastard. In fact, he was pretty sure that Carpenter was the architect of a post-CEO electoral strategy to project Phillip into national politics.
Bill Cummins said that he would verify the figures and sign off on them. Warren could then take the draft to Phil Shaw so he could see where the report was headed. He said he felt sure that Shaw would like the approach and the supporting documentation. Cummins said, “Warren, I will check these numbers against our audit figures and have a preliminary opinion for you by Wednesday. Is that OK?”
“Wednesday is fine, Bill. We can meet again next Friday when I will have any suggestions Phil wishes to make to the draft report and Charlie can put the final draft together. That will put us close to Phil’s expected date of return to the company. Do you have anything to add Charlie?”
“No, I don’t think so. I think the challenge to the company is clear and the nucleus of a growth strategy is there. What about you, Bill?”
“I’m fine. You’ve done a fine job Charlie. I’m willing to bet that most of the company’s management has not looked at the figures the way you did. You might make a fine CEO of the new company!”
“Thanks, but no thanks, Bill. I’m not ready for those kinds of games yet.”
Warren Carpenter laughed, “I’m not so sure about that Charlie, but why get ahead of ourselves here? I suspect that Phil will love this draft report.”
“Well, we will soon know.” Charlie said, “Now I think we should all leave separately just in case somebody in the lobby should recognize any of us and wonder why we are together.”
“Charlie, if I didn’t know better I would think you had done a stint in the CIA,” Warren Carpenter laughed.
“Nah, Warren, just careful, that’s all. We financial types not only relish secrecy, we are also detail-oriented.”
“Whatever,” Carpenter replied, “in any case, shall we meet next Friday at Bill’s office or should we meet again here?”
“After hours at my office is fine,” Bill Cummins said, “maybe we should meet around 6, is that all right?”
They all agreed. Warren Carpenter left first. Fifteen minutes later Bill Cummins left and Charlie locked up the conference room checking for any loose papers or notes that anyone might have forgotten. He took the key to the front desk and thanked the receptionist. He paid for the refreshments consumed and left.
* * * * *
While Carpenter, Cummins, and Charlie were working out their strategy Sharon Gallagher was doing the same with Diane Simms. “Sharon, can we use your car tomorrow or do we use mine?”
“We’ll use mine. I’ll tell Bill that we plan to go shopping in Wilmington and you suggest to Bob that he pick Bill up for softball practice.”
“Will Bill agree to that?” Diane whined.
“Bill? Hell yes! He does what I tell him to do,” Sharon laughed. “You just get Bob to pick him up!”
“Don’t pull too hard on that leash, Sharon. You never know….”
“Don’t worry, I can handle Bill Gallagher. As long as I leave lunch ready he could care less about the car. If he doesn’t have to cook for the kids, he’s perfectly satisfied.”
“OK, then how do you want to work this?”
“We should drive by the softball field when the guys are about ready to break up. Charlie will most probably drop his gear off at his house. We just have to know if he will hang around for the beer and pizza. Once we see him leave, we know where he will have to go. We can take our time getting to his place. He’ll probably wash his uniform and shower before leaving so I figure we have a good hour to get in place. Bill and Bob will be eating pizza and drinking beer so we don’t risk being seen by our husbands. We’ll just lay low until we see Charlie start to leave. We can then hustle down to the turnoff to the bridge and pick him up there. I’m willing to bet he has become complacent and won’t be expecting to be followed.”
“OK, Sharon. I’ll be ready around 10 am. Just give me a call when you are leaving the house.”
* * * * *
Charlie let himself into Gina’s apartment. He could hear her moving around in the kitchen, “Hey is there a beautiful Italian girl here that might just be waiting for a handsome Irishman?”
“She was here but got tired of waiting, will I do?” Gina replied.<
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“Damn! Why are you so quick with the answers? Staying ahead of you is not easy!”
“Oh my God, a macho type! What makes you think you have to stay ahead of me?”
“See what I mean? I give up! I don’t want to stay ahead of you sweets. I would be content just to be able to keep up with you.”
“Oh, I think you hold your own pretty well. Now where’s that handsome Irishman you were talking about?”
“Oh shit,” Charlie said in exasperation, “what’s for dinner?”
“Today’s Friday, right?”
“Yeah, what’s that got to do with dinner?”
“Well you asked what’s for dinner. What does any self-respecting Bryn Mawr graduate make for dinner on a Friday?”
“I don’t know; what?”
“Reservations, darling, reservations.”
Charlie laughed, “OK, beautiful, we’ll go out.”
“I knew you would understand,” Gina chuckled, “now get out of that buttoned down outfit. Get yourself into a turtleneck and a blazer.”
“Gina, I don’t have any turtlenecks.”
“Now you do, I went shopping today. Check out the bedroom. The packages are on the bed. I also bought some very interesting lingerie but you will only see that later.”
Charlie found the packages on the bed. Two new sport jackets were also hanging on the closet door. He walked toward the kitchen where Gina met him and kissed him. “You like?”
“The kiss or the clothes?”
“You’d better say ‘both’ Mr. Smartass or you won’t get to see that lingerie I mentioned.”
“Oh no, not the lingerie deprivation trick,” Charlie exclaimed.
Gina laughed, “Get dressed Mullins. Wear whatever you want as long as it’s something I bought!”
Charlie picked out an off-white turtleneck shirt to wear with a black blazer and grey slacks. He quickly showered and splashed on some Armani cologne. Gina slipped into a fantastic silk sheath that clung to her like skin. She would once again turn heads in a restaurant.
Gina had made reservations in a small family-owned French restaurant in the neighborhood. The food was fantastic.
When they got back to the apartment, Gina put some slow music on the CD player and started a slow strip tease. Charlie watched her dumbstruck. She had barely got out of her dress before Charlie was practically salivating. She began a slow bump and grind that drove Charlie crazy. All he could say was, “Gina, my God, Gina!” She danced right up to him as he sat on the sofa. He tried to stand up and she pushed him back, “Take it easy Mullins, this is meant to last.”
Charlie could hardly contain himself. She had indeed bought some very sexy lingerie and Charlie was beside himself with excitement. When she reached to remove her bra, he could stand it no longer and he stood up and grabbed her. He picked her up and carried her to the bedroom. He tore off his clothes and pounced on her like an animal in heat. Gina corresponded to his passion and they made love. When they were both spent, Charlie said, “Gina, you have to be careful with that kind of stuff. You could drive a man crazy.”
“That’s what I meant to do, Mullins. How do you feel now?”
“Whew! I think I am exhausted!”
“Really? I don’t think so!” She leaned over and kissed him hard. He began to respond immediately and they made love again. They slept as always, in each other’s arms. Charlie had never known such happiness.
XXXIII
Saturday morning Charlie woke up early. Gina was still asleep and stark naked. The transparent baby doll she had planned to wear to bed the night before lay on the floor, unused. Charlie took a moment to appreciate her beautiful body and then put on his shorts and went to the kitchen to prepare some coffee. He had softball practice in Shoreville and he didn’t want to miss it. The last thing he needed now was people asking why he was not around.
He came back to the bedroom with two steaming mugs of coffee and Gina woke up slowly, stretched like a cat, and said, “Sleep well last night, Mullins? I sure did. I dreamt a handsome Irishman made love to me several times.”
“Ah, so that’s what ye dreamed is it?” Charlie said with a mock-Irish brogue, “and where might your handsome Irishman be at this moment lassie?”
“He’s getting ready to go off to play with his balls,” Gina laughed heartily.
“It’s too early for this,” Charlie laughed, “here, have some coffee.”
Gina smiled and took the steaming mug in both hands. It was warm and the coffee smelled delicious.
“Baby, I’m going off to softball practice. I should be back in a few hours.” He bent over to kiss Gina.
“Don’t be surprised if I am still in this bed when you get back. I’m turning into a wanton woman with you Mullins and I just want to lie here and think about what happened last night.”
“Feel free to repeat the show any time you are in the mood,” Charlie said.
“Off with you Mullins before I pull you back into this bed!”
Charlie kissed Gina again and left the apartment. He stopped at the bakery downstairs and purchased a Danish to eat on the way to Shoreville. Arriving to his home he followed the routine that had become almost automatic over the past months. He turned off the timers, changed into his softball uniform and grabbed his gear. He drove to the softball field where some of his buddies were already tossing a ball back and forth. “Hey guys.”
“Mornin’ Charlie, how’s it goin’?”
They went through their drills, batting practice, and engaged in the usual infield chatter that made them all feel like kids again. This was their bonding moment that they had shared from childhood and was more important and more fun than the softball game itself. They burned off the frustrations of the previous week, told stale dirty jokes, spit, scratched their crotch, and behaved like young boys for a few hours.
While the softball team was going through its male bonding rituals, Diane Simms and Sharon Gallagher drove casually by. Sharon saw Charlie and said, “There he is, Diane. Now, all we have to do is wait for practice to end. If he goes off for pizza and beer with the guys, we have plenty of time but if he goes straight home we will probably have no more than an hour to position ourselves to follow him. It looks like they are about ready to finish practice so let’s go around the block and come back to park where we can’t be seen. We’ll watch to see when Charlie leaves. If he doesn’t head for Tony D’Amato’s place then he won’t be joining the guys for pizza.”
Sharon drove around the block and pulled up short of the softball field where she and Diane could observe the cars parked nearby. They could see Charlie’s car without being seen. After about 20 minutes some of the men started moving toward their cars. Bill Gallagher and Bob Simms got into Bob’s car and they saw Charlie heading for his. Charlie had begged off the pizza saying that he had a lot of paperwork to catch up on and drove off toward his home. “There he goes, Diane,” Sharon said, “he’s going home. Let’s drive around to his place and see where he goes after changing.”
Charlie pulled up to his garage and did not see Sharon Gallagher’s car pulling up around the corner. He pulled into the garage, closed the door with the automatic control, and went into the house to wash his uniform, shower, and change. Almost an hour later he came back out of the house, pulled his car out of the garage and started back to Philly. Sharon pulled out from her parking spot and took a different route to the entrance to the bridge to Wilmington. She was sure she would not lose Charlie because she was certain that he was headed to Philadelphia. She had been in position for only a few minutes when Diane Simms saw Charlie’s car approaching the overpass that would give him access to the bridge. “Eureka,” exclaimed Sharon, “we’ve got him now.”
She pulled out behind Charlie’s car as he approached the bridge. Charlie thought he saw a familiar car in his rear view mirror. He decided that before heading for Philly he would drive into downtown Wilmington. The area around the Shaw Corporation would be virtually deserted on a Saturday and if the
car was following him, he would quickly know it. He drove at his usual pace and took no evasive maneuvers. When he reached the entrance to I-95 he headed for downtown Wilmington. As expected there was practically no vehicle traffic in the area around the Shaw Corporation. He saw the vehicle still following him and he recognized the car as Bill Gallagher’s. “Dammit,” he thought, “Gina was right. Those wackos are at it again! All right, Sharon, if you want to play, let’s play.”
Charlie drove slowly around the center of Wilmington. Then he headed north toward the Pennsylvania border. He doubled back and headed back toward town again. Sharon had no choice but to continue following him. Diane Simms was starting to panic, “Sharon, he’s on to us. He’s just playing with us. I know it!”
“Shut up, Diane. I know he has seen us but so what? He saw us before. Let’s just stay on him for a while.”
“Sharon, the last time he saw us he talked to our husbands. I don’t want to go through that again. Besides, he said that he would have us arrested for stalking. Let’s get out of here! Come on, Sharon, let’s go,” Diane pleaded.
“God, Diane, you are such a wuss. If he’s leading us on a wild goose chase it’s proof that he is hiding something. If he has seen us he is probably off balance. Maybe his girl friend lives here in Wilmington. Let’s just stay on his tail for a little more.”
“Oh jeez, oh jeez,” Diane whined, “I don’t like this Sharon.”
Charlie interrupted their conversation when he stopped at a service station and topped off his fuel tank. Sharon had to stop to wait and she knew that the chase was now over. As she started to turn around to head home she saw Charlie turning to follow her. Diane was now out of control. “Oh my God, Sharon, he’s going to follow us now. This is not good, no indeed, it is not good.”
“I’ll show Charlie Mullins a thing or two,” Sharon said as she pressed down on the accelerator. Charlie kept pace but at a reasonable distance. He let Sharon get well ahead. As Sharon headed out of Wilmington and back toward the bridge to Shoreville she accelerated through a red light. It was her bad luck that a Delaware state police officer saw her drive through the stop light and pulled her over. Charlie broke out laughing and turned off for the entrance to I-95. He could see the trooper in his rear view mirror as he asked for Sharon’s driver’s license and vehicle registration. “Serves you right, bitch,” Charlie thought, “Bill will love to pay the ticket.”