BOOK 4: PREPARATION / CH. 23:CONTRACTS AND DECISIONS
TUESDAY, 12TH DECEMBER, 4.30PM
Sarah had resorted to using a transport this time. It was getting late and she still had things to do. She knocked on Colin's office door.
“Mrs Williams! I didn't know you'd be coming back so soon!”
“Well, Colin, Frank said he'd be happy to sign a contract for me, but he didn't say that he'd be willing to write it. I did think of drafting the contract myself...” she paused for Colin's wince “...but only as a comic moment.”
“We have different ideas of humour, maam.” Colin responded.
“Probably. So, it seems natural to me that you draft the acquisition contract for Blackwood cabins.”
“We don't normally handle Carbon-carbon's contracts, Maam, but leave that to someone closer to the site.”
“That's all right, this one is going to be entered into by GemSmith. I'll then be transferring the Company to Carbon-carbon's books in exchange for the nominal value of the present contract. This might either be a single three-way contract or two separate ones, I leave it to you.”
“I take it there is a motive for this additional complication, Maam?”
“Yes. Carbon-carbon is going to be involved in a somewhat unreliable business, to whit, the tourist trade. On the authority that Frank delegated to me to make this deal, Bob at Carbon-carbon has secured the owner's agreement to exchange title to Blackwood cabins for ten percent of its agreed value, plus an index-linked annual sum of ninety percent of last year's dividend, for the lifespan of the current investors. Death of any investor meaning that the annual sum of the deceased party being split between the surviving parties. And the thing ending when they're all dead. It seems foolish to encumber Carbon-carbon with an expenditure which might cause cash flow difficulties.”
“I see. And it is clearly also your desire that the contract out-live Carbon-carbon should that company cease trading?”
“Yes.”
“There is a particular reason for this ah... generosity, Maam?”
“Oooh, you don't approve already?”
“Issuing a bond such as this is not particularly normal, Maam.”
“The current owners of the property are the widow of the original investor, and her twin daughters who were brain-damaged at birth. I understand them to be approximately forty, with a mental age of ten. The company was left to them, as a source of support, and they have quite frankly been mis-managing it. Neither the elderly mother nor, of course, the daughters has any real understanding of finances, but they would certainly recognise the difference between what they got last year as a dividend and what they'd get from an annuity, which would, I'm sure, prevent them from selling.
The certainty of an annuity compared to the dividend from the company would not occur to them. They're somewhat used to the uncertainties, but they have seen only improved dividend yields year on year, which has now reached five percent. Since to Carbon-carbon, the land-rental has been approximately fifteen percent of the company value, the company is worth more to me than it is to them, and their current policy is in my opinion leading it towards total loss.
If proper management is unable to achieve over a long long term a rate of investment on that company of far more than twenty percent in good years, I would be very surprised indeed. So, in order to secure the company I offered a variation on this deal instead, relatively certain they would accept. They requested the lump sum of ten percent, which I am happy to accept as it reduces the long-term drag on GemSmith.
"Now, I understand why you used the word bond, but to me a bond is a transferable instrument, and this is not, intended, in any way, to be transferable.”
“I understand, Maam. Would you settle for the term non-negotiable bond? I believe that is the correct term.”
“Oh, I'm always happy to accept the correct term.” she smiled sweetly at him.
“Is there to be a conversion clause?”
“Such as?”
“That the non-negotiable bond might be partially or totally exchanged for cash at a later date?”
“On the assumption of a certain rate of decline of value, you mean?”
“Yes, maam.”
“My thought is that such a conversion would lend itself to the formation of an abusive relationship, either personal or professional, where one or both daughters are persuaded to convert the income to cash and then the cash vanishes.”
“A similar effect could be achieved by a loan taken out against the guaranteed income, maam.”
“That is true, but such a loan may be challenged in court, and attributed to the abusive party.”
“Very well, Maam.”
“I cannot think of any case when such a conversion clause was of benefit to both GemSmith and the recipient.”
“Medical expenses incurred by one dying party?”
“I can see the benefit to GemSmith, but not to the surviving parties.”
“If the survivors took out a loan against the income?”
“I would like to guard against that, actually, if possible.”
“You mean an explicit clause that using the bond as security will render it null and void?”
“Place it into a suspended state, I think, until such an abusive contract is struck down.”
“Very well, maam, if you believe this will be accepted.”
“We can always delete the clause before signing if my explanation about why it's there is not accepted.”
“And a court would be able to strike it later if it was found to be unenforceable, which is my expectation.”
“I would think it very enforceable to stop payments.
“Yes, maam, but how do you prove that the payments are going to a loan secured against the income, compared to an unsecured loan.”
“Personally, I'd do it by asking the loan-maker under oath what factors were take into account when the loan were made. My point is that the daughters are not mentally fit to undertake a loan, and any guardian, court-appointed or not, should not be taking out one on their behalf.”
“Not even to pay for a potentially life-saving treatment?”
Sarah started to become suspicious. “Colin, are you speaking from personal experience?”
“No, maam.” he lied to her. There wasn't much decision to make — he never told anyone. But Frank had only just warned him not to ever break trust with this woman. It did need a decision, and Sarah heard it.
“Who needed the treatment?” she asked, compassionately.
“What treatment?” he prevaricated.
“Colin, you lied to me just now. I understand, it's probably a secret that you took out what I presume is a significant loan, but I can find out the truth easily enough. So, firstly I would like to know who had the expensive treatment, and did they survive? I would like to know that because we will be working together. In return for you telling me your secret I will tell you a secret about myself — I have the thought-hearing power. I know you lied to me because I heard you decide to.”
“Not even Frank knows this, Maam.”
“Well, he might, but might not have discussed it with you. Frank likes to keep things to himself if he can.” Sarah said.
“So do I maam. But since you know part... I married quite late, at thirty five. My wife, soon after we were married, needed a major operation that was not covered by our insurance. Yes, she survived, so I am certain it was worth it. And every month we have together we pay another instalment on our happiness.”
“So this was five years ago?”
“Six, actually.”
“And the loan is secured or unsecured?”
“Unsecured, maam. We had just moved here and were in rented housing at the time.”
“And I presume it is not troublesome for you to repay?”
“It was at the beginning, but once she was able to work again it became bearable. And by purchasing a small house with a mortgage we were able to reduce our rental costs significantly.”
“But had she not survived then you would have faced a crippling loan along with a broken heart.”
“Yes, Maam. Actually, as an atheist, you understand, maam, I might not have considered my life worth living.”
“My husband lost his first wife in the Clear Sky attack, Colin. We're now both very happy that he didn't submit to such dark thoughts. There's always hope.”
“Thank you for saying so.”
“In my limited experience, unsecured loans generally charge a higher premium than secured loans.”
“That is true, maam.”
“I wonder if your loan and mortgage could be consolidated.”
“The outstanding amount of the loan is worth more than the house, Mrs Williams. We tried, I assure you.”
“Not hard enough. Speak to Frank, Colin, and then have him call me about specifics of how GemSmith can help here.”
“Maam, are you suggesting GemSmith would take over the loan?”
“Colin, should your wife need time away from work, your loan will, I imagine, become troublesome once more. If you are struggling financially then you might not sleep well and your performance on behalf of GemSmith will be degraded. There are also other possibilities I don't want to raise. Therefore, it is not in GemSmith's interests that your loan repayments should be unmanageable, and it is in GemSmith's interests that you be able to pay off the capital as soon as reasonable, so that you can have that weight off your minds. Back to our ladies. From the little I know about them, the twins have approximately zero earning power unless they suddenly develop great artistic talent, and the mother is of retirement age. The income that this non-negotiable bond will be their only income, which must pay for a multi-person care team for them as well as upkeep on their home and such like. I'm sure there's quite a lot of slack, probably fifty percent, actually. But a loan like yours would leave them in desperate circumstances. The ten percent lump sum is so that they can be free of the mortgage on their house. I would presume that if the family home has a two hundred thousand left on the mortgage at this stage of her life then it's worth quite a lot more, so if they've got massive expenses, let them sell the house and move to somewhere more economical. I don't ever want to hear that they've taken out a crippling loan which deprives them of the care they need.”
“It has to be their choice, maam.”
“It will be their mother's choice, not the twins. They're not capable.”
“You know this for a fact?”
“Actually, no. But while the negotiations about the sale were happening, they were busy colouring. I take that as indicative.”
“There is another option then, Maam.”
“I'm all ears.”
“You give them a reduced amount of cash and undertake to provide basic care for the twins, which could be provided through a relevant subsidiary.”
“We have one in the area?”
“I'm not sure, maam. But it sounds like there will soon be more employees on Carbon-carbon's books, so there's always the option to expand.”
“Thank you, Colin. What I'd like you to do is write up the contract that I've specified so far, and while you do that, I'll talk to the mother personally and find out if she'd like to go that route.”
“You wouldn't want to delegate it, Maam?”
“Not at this stage, no. It might be she's already got some care plan sorted out, but somehow I doubt it. Can I use your consultation room?”
“Of course.”
----------------------------------------
“Mrs Rogers? It's Sarah Williams here. I hope you don't mind, I got your number from Christine.”
“Bob's employer? He never did give your surname.”
“Yes, that's me. I'm just getting a lawyer to draw up the contract, but we're having a little bit of a disagreement I'd like you to settle.”
“Oh? I hope it's not over my head then.”
“I understand from Christine that your daughters need quite a lot of care. I'd like a clause in there which says that the income from this can't be used to get a loan, since that might put their care in jeopardy. My lawyer is telling me that would be very hard to enforce, leave it out.”
“Why might we want to take out a loan?”
“I think you wouldn't, Mrs Rogers, but that maybe somewhere down the line, perhaps when you weren't able to look after their interests, then someone unscrupulous might befriend either them or whoever is looking after their interests, and persuade them to do something stupid. It's one way con-men operate, you know.”
“Oh, yes. I know about that sort. Thank you for thinking of it. But it's difficult, he says?”
“Apparently so. But there's another option he came up with. I don't know, do you have some kind of long-term care plan for them with an insurer or something? What if the contract said that whatever fraction is appropriate went towards that, directly? It would reduce the amount coming to you, of course, but then no-one unscrupulous could ever take their care from them, and also no one would ever be put in the position of having to choose between protecting their future care and taking an expensive medical gamble.”
“Because I'd be taking that decision now, you mean?”
“Yes, exactly.”
“How much of the income would it be?”
“I've no idea, Mrs Rogers. I'm not an expert. Do I take it that you don't have such a plan at the moment?”
“No. I've thought about it, but it always seemed like a more expensive way to do it than just paying some local girls, and I've been balancing too many numbers as it was.”
“I'm sure you're right — it will be more expensive, since the local girls are going to still need their income and there's going to have be someone to pay them, arrange schedules, and all the rest of it, and the company which runs the operation will want a profit of course.
"|f you want to set this up, then what I'd do is arrange for one of my health insurance companies to do a full assessment of your girls needs at the moment and in the future and everything else, just like a health insurer would do, and the number they come up with ought to be what another health insurer would come up with for fixed rate life-long care package. It'll be more than you pay the girls at the moment, because we'd be thinking of what care they might need when they're eighty as well as now. But on the other hand, if they need a lot of care now, then perhaps it won't actually be very different. And we'd take that off the income you get, but it would be a fixed sum with no uncertainty for you.
"I'll be honest with you, Mrs Rogers — I value honesty. If we can keep this in-house, that is to say, one of my companies does this, then I keep the profit on the care contract, as opposed to a competitor, and my employees keep getting their wages paid, so it means that I'd win slightly. Thus, I'm not purely suggesting this for selfless reasons. It would impact the final bottom line less if we do do it this way.”
“But if you've got multiple companies, then I'm guessing the difference it would make isn't very significant, percentage wise, is it?”
“No, it isn't significant at all, I'm afraid.”
“But, on the other hand, if I ask that our health insurance premiums get wrapped up into the same contract, I'd normally get a discount, wouldn't I?”
“I'm sure you would, Mrs Rogers.”
“And you'd keep it all under the one roof, as it were.”
“That is very true. Who are you insured with at the moment?”
“I wondered if you were going to ask me, but I can't remember the name exactly. I wondered if I'm already insured through your company, though. Christine helped arrange it.”
“'Emerald health', by any chance?”
“Yes! How did you guess?”
“All employees are insured through Emerald. Me too, in fact. Christine would know who to call.”
“Forgive me from being curious, but why are you involved in this at all? Shouldn't it all be underlings running around to get this sort of thing done?”
“Where's the fun in that?” Sarah asked. “No, actually, it all started because a cousin of mine is going to stay in your cabins, and I got curious.”
“Your cabins soon.”
“Yes. That'll be nice. I wonder if I'll give myself a discount when I stay? Probably not. My booking's already on the system. Drat.”
“Does it matter?”
“Of course! I'm not technically in charge of anything at the moment — it's all held in trust for me. I just persuaded the trustees to let me handle this one since it was personal, and persuaded my boss to let me have the day off. Back to work tomorrow, I've got a holiday to pay for.”
“Oh, I see.”
“I think I'll probably always keep what's in the trust separate from my personal finances. It's much easier that way. Anyway, I'll get someone to come over and do the assessment.”
“I really don't want the girls to lose out on this,” Mabel thought, suddenly. "That wouldn't be fair."
“If you give them a good recommendation, and they don't mind, then I'm sure we can take them on.”
“Good, thank you. These assessment things can drag on for days, can't they?”
“Yes.”
“I don't want to give myself time for second thoughts about the cabins. I might, my husband put so much work into them. He built most of them himself, you know?”
“No, I didn't.”
“So can we sign the contract now, with a clause that says we'll do what we've just agreed, and if the total package of insurance costs are acceptable then I'll go that way, otherwise just take the cash?”
“I'd certainly be very happy to, yes. I think my lawyer can draft that quite quickly. I presume you have a trusted lawyer?”
“Yes. Should I go and pay her a visit?”
“I hope so. I'll just check my lawyer thinks it's all OK and call you back.”
“And I'll see if my lawyer is free. Speak to you later.”
“Soon I hope. Bye!”
She stepped back into Colin's office.
“Colin, she's willing to go for a full medical and social care package, she and the girls are already insured through Emerald Health, so it'd mean an assessment and upgrading of that policy. However, she's afraid of second thoughts, and would like to sign now. Could you make it so that if she agrees to the Emerald deal whenever that's complete, then it would be paid directly from the bond, and if not she gets the cash?”
“And upon death of the beneficiaries of the insurance plan, then the funds allocated to that would return to the pot for the surviving parties?”
“Yes.”
“That would be entirely acceptable, yes. And you won't insist on the no-loans clause?”
“No. I won't.”
“I'm most glad, maam. I've drawn it up as a three party contract, by the way. It saves on everyones time. I presume you have a defined value for the company?”
“Yes. The book value of the company plus dividend from last year's accounts. How long until it's ready?”
“Fifteen minutes? I trust you won't object to Frank checking it?”
“Of course not.”
Sarah returned to her seat in the consultation room and closed her eyes.
[John!]
[Yes, love?]
[I've got a few minutes, and thought I'd update you.]
[Do tell.]
[The camera deal is signed and dusted. We're getting twelve and a quarter cameras plus a controller for the price of eleven. The quarter being a little solar powered repeater. They're going to install on Thursday of next week.]
[Well done.]
[Ah, that was the easy bit. We're also about half an hour away from signing for the cabins.]
[So, remind me, why are we paying for the cameras?]
[Because at ten o'clock this morning I had no idea we'd get a deal so fast. You know I told you the current owners were running the company badly?]
[Yes.]
[Turns our to be the widow of the previous owner and her mentally disabled daughters, who'd tied the hands of the administrator so they'd understand what was going on. They've agreed to me taking the company off their hands and in exchange giving them enough cash to pay off the mortgage, a comprehensive care and medical plan, and whatever cash is left of ninety thousand a year after that, index linked.]
[Thus replacing their worry-filled future with a nice stable one?]
[Yes.]
[My generous wife. I love you.]
[I love you too, but it was a commercial decision too — it got me those cabins, and I think I can make far more than a hundred thousand per annum from them. We might actually be turning the land into a ski resort.]
[Really?]
[Yes. When the current owner was a young girl there used to be a farmer who drove people up to the top with his tractor. What's been done before can be done again, and apparently the cabins are actually arranged so that if you ski the other way then it's down-hill all the way to your front door. One of those ideas that never happened.]
[What happened to the farmer?]
[Got bored of driving up and down for other people's fun, and dug himself a fishing pond across the route instead. Then he died, someone built a house there near the pond, and Carbon-carbon bought it from them for my Daddy's friend, Bob Coal and his wife to live in while he got better. Bob had a total breakdown, I think I've told you about him: he used to give me piggy-back rides when I was little.]
[Yes, you have. How's he doing?]
[He arranged the deal with the old lady, and came up with the idea of the ski resort, which she then told him wasn't just daydreaming but entirely plausible. Apparently this little bit of wheeler-dealing has done marvels for his self-confidence.]
[That's good.]
[His wife said she thought so too. She said she hadn't seen him like this in the last ten years. Anyway, I'd better call the old lady.]
[See you later, then, my love.]
[Bye, beloved.]
Sarah rang. “Hello, Mrs Rogers, me again.”
“I was getting worried. Did he take much convincing?”
“Oh sorry, hardly any at all. It was so fast I thought you'd still be talking to your lawyer, so I updated my husband on my busy day instead. He expects it'll be ready in about ten minutes.”
“Well! I'd better get moving then hadn't I? My lawyer's going to be glad, I think.”
“Oh?”
“Well, she keeps telling me that I should think of selling up.”
“You'll be signing on behalf of your daughters, I presume?”
“Yes, yes I will.”
“The contract will actually involve five legal parties: you and your daughters, Carbon-carbon land-management, who will take over the company, and pay you the lump sum, and GemSmith Holdings who will be issuing what I'm told is a legally speaking a 'non-negotiable bond', which is to say that you can't sell it. By the way, should the payment be monthly, quarterly or yearly?”
“Oh! Well, monthly would be very nice. I'd assumed it would be yearly like the dividend.”
“It can be, but it certainly needn't be. I'll tell him monthly income, then?”
“Yes, thank you.”
“And I'd better tell Bob he needs to meet you at the lawyer's. I'd forgotten that.”
“Good bye then.”
“Good bye.”
Sarah called Bob. Christine answered once again.
“Hello Christine! I hope Bob's all right?”
“Yes. He's just making some tea.”
“Oh dear. I'm afraid the tea might need to wait. Mrs Rogers is on her way to her lawyer's.”
“Oh! Already!”
“Yes. Contract is being drafted this end, but someone will need to sign for Carbon-Carbon. That could be the trustees here, of course, but I think it would be better if it was Bob. Also of course, there'll be the funds transfer to do, and again, it'd be better if Bob did that. On the other hand, if you think Bob has had enough excitement for one day we can handle it all from here.”
This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it
“We'll both go. You know your parents set it up so I can sign for Carbon-carbon too?”
“No! I'd forgotten that.”
“It was back when Bob couldn't cope.”
“It makes sense. So, does that mean you're on the payroll too?”
“Sort of. I think I'm officially half a morning a month. Why?”
“You used to work in personnel, didn't you?”
“You have got a good memory.”
“I just remember asking you what 'personal work' meant, and you explained the difference between the two words.”
“Oh! That was before the wedding, I think!”
“Probably. Anyway, as you know, there's going to a rather massive increase in Carbon-carbon's staff. Matt is officially administrator at Blackwood cabins, but apparently at least quarter of his time is spent as maintenance man. I don't know if he enjoys it or not, but it'll be more full time with more guests. His wife is accountant-cum-office help, then there's Henry and I guess any summer help too. Also there's hopefully going to ongoing care provided for Mrs Rogers and the girls through Emerald. I'm not aware of Emerald having an office in the area, but I might be wrong. Mrs Rogers is very happy with the current helpers, so I'm assuming we'll take on employing them, and that Emerald would want to subcontract to Carbon-carbon since you're local too. Someone will need to manage them. Plus, of course, if Bob's ski slope idea comes to fruition then that's even more workers. Subject to approval of Carbon-carbon's management, I'm happy to offer you the job if you want it. I'm assuming that if Bob thinks he's better you might be available. Alternatively it could be part of Matt's role.”
“Urm, thank you. We'll talk about it. You're not thinking that Matt should be chief exec and Bob should be gopher, then?”
“Is there any reason I should?”
“Bob is assuming it, I think.”
“Well I wasn't. Anyway, we'll talk about it later. Can the two of you get to the lawyer's?”
“Yes, I'm sure we can.”
“Wonderful! Once one of you've signed that paperwork, then the next task I'd like you to do is make sure Bob has a very relaxing evening.”
“If that's my assigned task, then does it count as work time?” Christine joked.
“Of course! Just as long as you don't let Bob think about any grand schemes, or to-do lists or anything like that. So does all the extra stuff you've been doing today, actually. Tot up the hours please and tell Bob you've been doing consultant work.”
“Sarah!” Christine protested.
“Christine!” Sarah echoed “Please do it. You're not taking advantage. If you've been going with Bob for most of his meetings these past ten years then we've been taking advantage of you.”
“Not all of them, not even most. Just the scary ones.” Bob said, having brought the tea and heard the last interchange.
“Good. What a sloppy way to run a company, I don't know! We can't have spouses being unpaid labour.”
“Sarah, I'd like to point out that it was your parents' express desire to pay me a full-time administrator's salary for the past ten years, even when I was only working one afternoon a week.”
“Was that the full extent of his working week, Christine?”
“Yes.”
“Well then. If Daddy had insisted Bob take more breaks, or limited his travel, then perhaps he'd still be trading diamonds now. I know what a drop in income you two adjusted to. I'm not going to suggest Bob ever trade diamonds again, I don't think either of you'd want that, but I am going to reward you for getting him back on his feet and keeping him there, Christine.”
“Thank you, Sarah. But having him back on his feet is reward enough.”
“We'll talk more later on. You're going to be late for that meeting.” Sarah said.
“Well, if you will keep on talking to me....”
“See you over the new year, Christine.”
“That'll be nice, Sarah, Bye.”
“Bye.” Bob said, as Christine ended the call. Then he asked “What meeting?”
“Mabel's lawyers. Contract to check and sign, money to transfer. Boring stuff like that.”
“Deal to close, you mean?” His eyes getting that excited sparkle.
“Sarah's told me that I'm acting as consultant, by the way, and that she'd like me to ensure you have a relaxing evening, and don't think of work.”
“Oh, did she?”
“Yes. So, shall we have a relaxing evening at home, or shall we try that new restaurant?”
“Restaurant, I think.” Bob decided, sipping his tea.
“Right, let's go and sign some papers, I'll tell you some other things Sarah said on the way.”
----------------------------------------
[Hi Karen. Just thought you'd like to know, I've just spent a bit of money, and I'd like to know if you two ski.]
[Ski? Me? I've been once. Why?]
[Was it down-hill or cross-country?]
[Cross country, well, a bit of both really. Why?]
[Wonderful! Take some skis on your honeymoon, My company will provide the tractor.]
[What? Sarah, what have you done?]
[Oooh, lots. First I booked a holiday in a rustic cabin, over new year. You are gone by then aren't you?]
[No, we're staying ten days.]
[Oops. Sorry. That wasn't deliberate. But we don't need to meet.]
[And what else have you done?]
[I've spent money on some cameras, so that on Thursday of next week some of the current woodpile cameras, which are as secure as a wide open tent, with some of the same brand that IHM have. I got a discount, and I'm only swapping out twelve of them so don't wince. Anyway, I'm going to get the money back eventually.]
[Because? ... Come on Sarah!]
[I've also bought the cabins, well, one of the companies in my trust has just signed the contract. They were on its land anyway, the cabins were owned by an old lady and her two daughters who suffered brain damage at birth. Her husband built the cabins, and she inherited them but had no idea about operating them, and the company was going to be in trouble in a year or two. So, I've made them happy with a nice steady income and paying off their mortgage, and made me happy by getting rid of a company doomed by its owners' policy from my lovely mountain.]
[And what's this about skis? We're going to be revising, remember.]
[I know, but you can have a day off occasionally, surely? And however much you might want to, even with feedback, you can't make love all day long. But anyway, there used to be a farmer who'd take local kids up the hill on his tractor. The land's all mine now, and it shouldn't be too hard to re-create the route he took. You get to the town, say by taxi, catch the tractor up to the peak, and either ski down to where the tractor dropped you off for another go, or if you go the other way then you're on you way to the cabins, supposed to be downhill all the way as long as you take the right paths. Oh, it's also supposed to be downhill to reception.]
[Well, if you provide ski hire, then maybe we'll consider it. We certainly don't own any.]
[Great idea! I'll make a note.]
[Sarah! Be sensible.]
[Why should I be sensible? I've just acquired two million worth of cabins which need remedial service on their stoves, made an old lady happy, and best of all helped a family friend to realise that he's recovered from his total collapse ten years ago. The ski centre was his idea, by the way, even if it'd been thought of before.]
[You're on a high, you mean?]
[Yes. Do you know if Eliza skis?]
[I doubt it.]
[Oh well. I'll ask. But first I've got to tell Bella, It's all her fault.]
----------------------------------------
Bella's wrist unit buzzed, and she read the message. It was short and to the point: “Dear Bella and Pris, I hope you will find the attached of interest.”
“Pris, We have a message to read.”
“Oh?”
“It seems like we have a result from last night's call.”
“And you want me to drag my poor tired body over there?”
“I'll read it: 'Dear Bella and Pris, I hope you will find the attached of interest.'”
“And what's attached?”
“Lots of documents. Number one is an invoice, for twelve cameras, a repeater and a controller.”
“That sounds good.”
“Number two is a contract saying they can be installed.”
“Wonderful.”
“Number three is an installation appointment, for Thursday of next week.”
“Oh she's wonderful. We can sleep soundly, then.”
“Number four is the first page of a sales contract, transferring ownership of Blackwood cabins into the hands of Carbon-carbon.”
“She's bought the site?”
“She's bought it. Number five is a bit odd.”
“Yes?”
“It's a photograph, date approximately forty years ago. People skiing, and a tractor taking people up the hill.”
“Anywhere you know?”
“No.”
“I wonder what she's telling us.”
“Oh no!” Bella said.
“What is it?”
“Last attachment is a site map of here, where someone's drawn a line saying 'approximate route of tractor' on the other side of the hill we're on, and then, you know how we noticed all the paths seem to be going consistently up or down on our walk today.”
“Yes, tell me about it. Why couldn't the put in flat paths?”
“The map's got lots of lines all converging on somewhere at the peak. It looks like they're all down hill from there, and it says 'tractor drop off point'. Get the point?”
“Skiing? Skiing! She's mad!” Pris exclaimed.
“Well, it would certainly give her more custom in winter.”
“That's true. I was more thinking about snipers.”
“Do you know if our friends can ski?”
“No. Do you want to tell everyone?”
“Coming? Or are you too tired from our little walk?”
“Yes, I'm coming. I'm just too used to not moving, that's all.”
“That's unusual for a courier.”
“Injured, grounded, well-known courier, not going any place.”
“Ha! You're going somewhere, woman, up!”
“I don't want to go up, Bella. I want to go out and about, sneaking around and delivering messages.”
“Look, Pris, you're temporarily grounded, Maria clearly values your help, Karen's glad she can be sure you're at her wedding, we're in a lovely spot, you've got time to actually establish a few friendships, enjoy it!”
“I will, Bella. But making friends is going to hurt.”
“Why?”
“You know why Eliza's here. At the moment, from what I've seen, I've got to say unsuitable.” Pris pointed out.
“I expect, given the way she's fallen for Nigel, she doesn't care. So instead work on an alternative role.”
“Such as?”
“I don't know. Where can you imagine her?” Bella asked.
“Other than a medieval castle?”
“Real medieval castles didn't let women be guards, I believe.”
“True. Royal protection?” Pris suggested.
“Possible. Not many openings as far as I know. It'd be popular with a certain other member of the force, though.” Bella said with a grin.
“But make it rather hard for him to concentrate on his job.” Pris pointed out.
“Yes indeed. Noticed how people talk to her?”
“What, call her milady?”
“No, I mean, out today, when we met that family. And yesterday, come to think of it. She's good with people, even kids. Gets them to open up.”
“Yes. I've noticed that, even sober royal protection people.”
“Useful skill?” Bella asked.
“Very, in some roles. Like liaison, recruitment, training, even.”
“And she is a trophy-winner, without my ability to cheat.”
“Cheat?” Pris was surprised.
“Hear decisions. Split second warning just when it counts. Trevor thinks of it as cheating.”
“She says she's fought in that dress, why don't you spar?” Pris suggested.
“Why don't you?” Bella countered.
“I'm unfit.”
“How do you get fit?”
“Practice. I know.” Pris acknowledged.
“Come on, let's tell everyone then go for a spar in the snow.”
“You are joking, aren't you?” Pris begged.
“Not really. We need to get you fit.”
“Oh my poor, agèd muscles!”
“Stop whining, agèd-one, or you'll qualify yourself for a desk job!”
“Oi! I'll get you for that.”
“Come on then. Let's bring them glad tidings of strange deeds.”
“Then, I'm going to try and land at least one good attack on you. OK?”
“You may try.” Bella said.
“Without you cheating, OK?”
“I knew I'd regret admitting that.” Bella said. It would give Pris a chance, certainly. Bella wasn't used to not having that advantage.
----------------------------------------
[Eliza, Sarah here, are you free?]
[Hi, cousin, to what do I owe the pleasure, et cetera?]
[I was just wondering if you knew how to ski?]
[You must be joking!]
[Oh well, it was just an idea.]
[I'm not saying I'd be averse to learning, but no. Skiing is expensive. I've been sledging often enough, but never skiing. Why?]
[I might have just accidentally bought a ski resort.]
[Sarah... the mind boggles. How on earth can you buy a ski resort accidentally?]
[I don't know if Pris or Bella's been sending you any reports about where she is...]
[Yes. Pris. I saw that the stoves need checking and the cameras could ruin it, but that Bella had discussed the problem of the cameras with someone and I guessed it might be you, and that you planned to replace some of the cameras and discuss other options.]
[Is that all she said?]
[Yes.]
[And did anyone talk about what 'other options' might mean?]
[Not really. I was going to ask Bella, but she was asleep already.]
[Ah. OK.]
[So, what does 'other options' mean?]
[OK, well, it turns out that the cabins are on land I used to camp on with my parents. Very very beautiful countryside, if I say so myself. It's owned by one of the companies in the trust. Other options meant that I'd speak to my trustees and try and convince them to buy the cabins, preferably before you got there. Have you placed a booking, by the way?]
[Yes. Well, Albert said he would, under an alias, of course.]
[Well, if he hasn't then there probably isn't much rush at the moment; they've only got three people bookings over new year, and I'm one of them. I didn't realise Karen and George would still be there, which is a bit embarrassing.]
[Oh well, there's plenty of space for privacy.]
[That there is. Anyway, at about noon, I paid the camera people and there should be secure cameras installed on Thursday of next week. And as of about five O'clock, the cabins now belong to a company I own.]
[Congratulations. What did that cost you?]
[Well, On the books it's worth about two million, the company paid a its owners a dividend of a hundred thousand last year, but it paid my company three hundred thousand in land usage, and that's with occupancy at only fifty percent. So I think I ought to be able to get at least five or six hundred thousand out of it with some advertising and variable rents. So I'm not at all upset to be paying the previous owners a regular income of ninety thousand and a lump sum of two hundred thousand. And the old lady who owned it is very happy not to have to worry about all those horrible numbers any more, pay off the mortgage and have a nice income to look after her daughters.]
[Happiness all round.]
[The best sort of deal, yes. Plus for the guy who runs the company it's now part of. He was given it as a rest-cure after he burned out, back when my parents were still alive — He was a friend of Dad's, and used to give me piggy back rides round the garden. — So, anyway, he's still there, and has been slowly recovering his health and confidence. He was very happy about the deal going so easily and was telling me that he'd got this wild idea of maybe, if he could make the maths work, putting in a cable car for tourists in the summer and skiiers in the winter. There's a lovely slope from the peak down to the town. He knew it was totally harebrained, but he'd seen the snow, and seen the view from the top. It seemed possible. It still is, if we can make it pay. I suggested that he could put in the ski slope, but take people to the top by tractor if it was possible, since hiring a tractor for a winter costs rather less than a cable car. The cabins are on the other side of the ridge the skiiers would be going down, so we thought that people at the cabins could maybe just ski cross-country from the ridge to their cabins at the end of the day if they liked. It's down hill all the way if you don't get lost.]
[Nice. How do they get to the bottom of the ski lift, though?]
[Ski down to reception and call a taxi is our current guess.]
[OK, that sounds workable too.]
[It's better than workable. It's actually been done — the tractor to the top bit, I mean. The previous owner dug up an old photo of people skiing down after being given a ride up in a tractor. And apparently they even planned the cabins with that in mind, just the guy with the tractor didn't want to play any more, and it was his land so tough, then he dug a pond to fish in and the next owners even built a house in the way. End of dream.]
[But now it's your cabins, and your land too?]
[Yes. And my administrator lives in the house which is in the way. We'll need to work out another departure point or ask him to kindly turn the house into a ticket office and move elsewhere, which is a bit much for a testing period.]
[Well, it's not quite a ski resort yet, then.]
[No. It's not, but if you and Albert want to try some skiing, then I'm sure it can be arranged. Oh, I sent Bella some documentary proof of what I've told you, but haven't told her any details.]
----------------------------------------
WEDNESDAY, 13TH DECEMBER, 2.15PM.
“Frank, I stopped of at my accountant yesterday afternoon. Here are the latest accounts for the diamond enterprise.”
“Colin has explained the motivation for your contract. On the presumption that speed was of the essence, then I think you did well, Sarah.”
“I'm glad you approve.”
Sarah knew he could pay attention to multiple things at once, so she wasn't surprised he was reading. He looked up from the paper, and said “What I don't quite see is why speed was quite so much of the essence. In terms of the acquisition, you didn't need to wait until the company folded, you could have just waited until the owners were realising that their income was in trouble, and then they would have been more open to a lower offer, possibly much lower.”
“Multiple motivations. Firstly, I have an extreme aversion to the thought of anyone dying in an explosion. I know the risk should be small, but without checking what so-called maintenance has been done, I can't be sure. I could have insisted on proper maintenance, without the purchase offer, but that would have made me a bully, and once they realised they were in trouble, they might have been keen to sell to anyone but me. I mean, the reason the company would have been in trouble was the fixed rent to Carbon-carbon. I'm not saying that was unreasonable, but they might have. So, that would have meant there could have been a bidding war, driving up the price, with no guarantee that, if we didn't win, the new owners would be any better. So that was all a nice rationalisation post-facto. The other reason was my desire to know it is a safe place for me and my cousins to stay.”
“Cousins plural?”
“Cousins plural.”
“So your concern over the cameras...”
“Was also shared by some people in Security, yes. However, there is a spending freeze on and it would not be possible for a government intervention to pass unnoticed.”
“You were approached officially?” Frank asked.
“No. Purely unofficially by someone I know who's at the cabins this week. I don't need to tell you that this is a probably all a state secret.”
“I don't know if I still have any security clearance, Sarah.”
“But you know how to keep secrets, Frank.”
“That I do, young lady. I understand you are able to weasel them out of people.”
“Colin?”
“Yes.”
“I'm glad he's talked to you. I presume you were aware of his loan?”
“I'd made some discrete enquires, yes. When someone with his salary lives as though he's dependent on is wife's income...”
“He's told you what I told him?
“He told me that you had instructed him to bring it explicitly to my attention, and that you had asked me to discuss it with you. He seemed very nervous. Did you suggest it might be a resigning matter?”
“No! Not at all. I suggested that GemSmith should take over the loan as we needed him able to able to function properly, not distracted by an onerous loan, should his wife be unable to work for any reason. My plan was, depending on the amount involved, to charge him no more than inflation, possibly even nothing, so that he could pay off the capital in a reasonable time frame. I mentioned that he should be able to pay off the capital I didn't say my thoughts on the interest rate. I didn't explicitly raise the issue, but I felt that it was possible that if circumstances became too difficult he might even find himself tempted towards embezzlement.”
“Ah.”
“You sound sad.”
“After he spoke to me, Colin left me the following two documents, maam.” He passed them across the table, Sarah read them. 'Frank, I thank you for your support, teaching and friendship over the years, and that you have shown me nothing but honest friendship. In coming to know Mrs Williams, and to see her character displayed in negotiations over the Blackwood Cabin deal, I find that certain acts I have justified to myself as necessary were an inexcusable breach of trust, I can only plead that I felt at the time I had no choice and humbly ask you and Mrs Williams not to press charges. I of course resign immediately from the partnership.'
“Do you know where he is?”
“No. I went to lunch at one, Colin was still working. When I came back, just before you arrived, the envelope was on my desk. I'm sure you noticed me reading while you were talking, this was it. The other is a mortgage application I presume for his present house, in which as well as his house being listed as the primary guarantee, he has forged my signature, stating that GemSmith will act as guarantor of last resort.”
[John, please find Colin Hilton. Possible suicide risk.]
“That's... ingenious.”
“Technically it's fraud.”
“He hasn't stolen anything from anyone, really, and had I known, and been the one in charge, of course, I probably would have authorised or asked you to sign it. In fact I retroactively do that now. And I ask you to destroy that letter.”
“You have a very forgiving spirit, Sarah. Thank you. I hope Colin hasn't done anything stupid.”
“Could you try to call him? I'll find out where he is.”
[Have you found him?] she asked John.
[His thoughts are guilt-ridden, and certainly dark. He's sitting with a woman. I guess his wife, in a garden here{image}.]
“He's talking to someone, Frank. I guess his wife.”
Sarah checked who was in Colin's garden: Colin and Pam. “The woman's called Pam, and he's in his garden.”
“You really are full of surprises, Sarah! Pam is his wife. He's not answering.” Frank reported.
“I'm going to send him a message that I distinctly remember asking you to make that guarantee. May I write that you also remember?”
“As though it was under five minutes ago. Yes, by all means.”
“And did he tell you how much his loan was for?”
“Yes. It's listed here on the mortgage paper. He's hardly been able to touch the principle, he said.”
Sarah looked, whistled at the amount, and wrote her message. 'Dear Colin, I distinctly remember asking Frank to make that guarantee. Frank also remembers this, as clearly as though it were only 5 minutes ago. Frank has not yet reacted to my suggestion of interest rate being being below inflation. Thank you for your valuable help yesterday, suggesting care plan. If it is accepted, you will receive a bonus, equal to two months of that plan's profit margin. Please read Psalm 103 to your wife, and explain to her my assertion yesterday that Christians make lousy businessmen.'
Sarah looked up from her message. “Since according to our distinct memories there's nothing to resign over, do I tell him you're rejecting his resignation?”
“No need. I've just sent a message about that.” Frank reassured her, so she sent her message. Just for safety's sake she focussed on Colin's garden once more. Pam was there, lying on the ground. What? She checked Colin's feet. He wasn't at home, but was heading away from it, actually towards her house. She checked his skin briefly, and Pam's, and decided she needed to fear the worst.
“Frank, I've just checked again, and he's left home, thinking very dark thoughts indeed, Pam is collapsed in their garden, utterly distraught. My guess is he doesn't have his wrist unit on at all, or is ignoring it.” She checked where Karen was. Yes! She was at the house.
[Karen! Please get your coat on. Life and death, maybe. This man {image}, Colin Hilton, did something a few years ago he thinks has cost him his job. It hasn't.
He's just left had a conversation with his wife and left her utterly distraught in their garden. He was a block away from where you are just now. Please tell him he needs to check his wrist unit and comfort his wife.]
[I'll try. I've got a body guard at the moment.]
[Even better. Ask them to do it then!]
[How do I convince them?]
[You've just had a message he was seen coming your way.]
[Colin Hilton, you said?]
[Yes. Laywer.]
[OK.]
Karen had grabbed her coat when Sarah asked her to, and pulled on her shoes. Alice, the surprised body guard had acted quickly too. “What's going on?”
Karen peered through the curtains. “There he is! Exellent! She thought he might come this way. You see that man, looks like a rather muddy lawyer, other side of the road coming this way?”
“Yes?”
“He is. I've just had a message from a friend, he's a suicide risk, over a stupid misunderstanding at work. Thinks he's lost his job, but he hasn't. His wife's distraught and he needs to check his wrist unit. He's called Colin Hilton. Could you turn him round and send him home?”
“Does he know you?”
“I don't think so, I recognise him. Friend of a friend.”
“OK. I'll try. You won't mind if I invite him in for tea?”
“No. Should I stay out of sight if you bring him?”
“It might be better, yes. If I can keep him here for a bit, then the police can take him home. That way we know he gets there.”
“That sounds very sensible.”
“I'll stop him.” Alice sprinted across the lawn, leapt the flowerbed, and almost slipped over as her now muddy feet hit the pavement. Cursing herself for an idiot, for taking that short-cut, she ran until she could cross the road and end up in front of Colin.
“Mr Hilton?” she asked, slightly out of breath.
He took in her clothes “You're with Security? That was fast. I'll come quietly.”
“Mr Hilton, I am with Security, but you're not under arrest. You were seen coming this way by a friend of someone I'm supposed to be staying with at the moment. You look like you've had a hard time. Would you like a cup of tea?”
“I don't understand.”
“I'm told that there was some kind of misunderstanding at work? You need to check your wrist unit, sir, and apparently your wife is distraught.”
“A misunderstanding?”
“I don't know any details more than that, sir, except that your job is safe. Do you have your wrist unit?”
“I left it at home.”
“Perhaps you should go home then, sir?”
“Home. Yes. Pam will be beside herself.” he said, as his cycle of dark thoughts was broken. “I must get to her!”
“I think that will be wise sir.”
“Could you call a transport for me?”
“Normal procedure is to ask the police to escort you home, sir.”
“I think a transport would be faster. My wife's health isn't very strong. Please! I must get to her.”
“Very well sir.” Alice called for a transport. “One will be here in a minute and forty five seconds, sir.”
“Oh! Such a long wait! I can be home from here in two minutes. Faster if I run. I will. Sorry, cancel the transport please! I must get to her!” He turned and ran.
Meanwhile, Sarah had been keeping a watchful eye on Pam. She was getting cold, but Sarah was relieved to see that rather than thinking of suicide her desperate thoughts had turned to God. She didn't intrude any more, but prayed, and then checked Colin's whereabouts once more.
“Frank, I think you'll be happy to know that Colin's heading home.”
“And I think that I have an idea of how you knew he had the debt.”
“That? No, I didn't use the gift to find that out. He was just going on about how people would mortgage their future to save a loved-one, so I asked him if he knew from personal experience. I heard him decide that he needed to lie, despite what you'd told him — that's just normal thought hearing. Given his hesitation, I think that even without any ability anyone would be suspicious.”
“Well, I'm gratified that he at least thought about not lying to you after my warning.”
----------------------------------------
Pam lay on the grass still, sobbing more quietly than she had been, and between them she prayed. “Oh God, I didn't know! When he got the mortgage I was so happy! I didn't know. I know we were desperate, God, that terrible loan! I don't want to lose him, God. Please. We've been so happy! It's so long since I prayed, God. Since I thought you were real. I'm sorry. Are you real, God? Please bring him back to me if you are.” What was that song? The one she'd loved so much as a child, until she'd heard that the man who sung it had died in a plane crash. Maybe it was right, after all. Something about lying down in green pastures. She laughed through her sobs at that thought that it wasn't actually that pleasant; not in this weather, at least. Her favourite lines from it came to her. 'Surely goodness and loving kindness shall follow me all the days of my life. And I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever and ever and ever.' How she'd wanted that, when she was little. And such a melody, he'd sounded so certain. Keith Green. That was his name. She'd not listened to it in years.
----------------------------------------
Colin ran to the house. “Pam!” he shouted. “Pam? Where are you?”
Frank, maybe, or Pam must have rung someone. The police? How else had the security woman known where he was? It didn't make sense. Who knew he was missing? He checked the bedroom, and saw she was still in the garden, lying on the ground. As he ran down the stairs, he shouted, “Pam! Are you all right?”
“Come and listen to this, Colin.” she said “It used to be my favourite song. I've just remembered it. I was so worried about you, lying here on the grass, then I remembered this song.” He listened in rather surprised silence. Then she said “Help me up, Colin. Lying in green pastures isn't that comfortable in this temperature. What happened? You came back far sooner than I expected. To be honest, I was thinking that just waiting here for you might be a good idea. Whether you came back or not.”
He gathered her into his arms. “Let's get you warm, Pam. I was walking, just thinking, you know, it was all over, I was going to go to jail, no income, bankrupt. You wouldn't wait for me to get out of jail.”
“Silly man. Of course I would.”
“And then I was stopped by someone in Security. Knew my name. I thought, this is fast, it's all over. Then she told me I'd been seen coming this way and she'd been told that there'd been a mix up at work, you needed me, and I should check my wrist unit, but no more details except that my job was safe. Instead of arresting me she asked me if I like a cup of tea. The thought of you needing me got through my fuzzy brain, and I ran home.”
“I did need you. I do need you,” She said. “I did something I haven't done since I was ten. I prayed. Specifically that you'd come back, and here you are home. What does your wrist unit say?”
“No idea.”
“Well let's have a look, then.”
“I don't understand. I committed a fraud. How can I not lose my job?”
“What does it say?”
“Two messages. Frank's just says 'Resignation apparently groundless, so refused.'”
“How can it be apparently groundless? What's the other one say?”
“It's from the big client. I don't really understand it. You read it, Pam.”
“I think it's fairly clear. Colin. The client says she asked that the mortgage be guaranteed. What's difficult about that?”
“It's not true. I forged his signature.”
“Then she asked him to do it five minutes before writing the message, Colin.”
“And the rest?”
“You helped her yesterday and you're going to get a bonus for it you clever man, what's the health plan worth?”
“I don't know yet. Possibly around thirty to forty thousand per year.”
“And the profit margin is about ten percent?”
“Normally, so I believe.”
“So you've got a bonus coming of maybe five hundred or so, which will be nice. What's this about an interest rate?”
“She said she needed me functioning properly so she'd discuss taking the loan over with Frank.”
“So, she wants to charge us less than inflation, which would be about half of what we're paying now, isn't it?”
“Yes.”
“I like her already. And what's this about Christians making poor businessmen?”
“She said that she wouldn't expect a Christian company to make as much money as an atheist one, because they aren't as concerned about the money.”
“And now you're going to read me the hundred and third Psalm.”
“What is it? I didn't understand that at all.”
“Really? OK. I'll read it to you then. From the Bible. Oh! This one!”
“You know it?”
“I did go to Sunday School when I was little.”
“What does it say?”
“Second line pretty much says it all: 'Praise the Lord oh my Soul, and don't forget all His benefits!'”
“You sound like you mean it.”
“I think I do. I know I did. Forget, I mean.”
“Tell me.”
She read the Psalm. First time with him interrupting where he didn't understand and then straight through.
“So, in a context of me fraudulently obtaining our mortgage, Mrs Williams has sent a poem talking about quite frankly inhuman forgiveness and faithfulness. She said yesterday that she'd be happy to try to convince me that all atheism's arguments are a load of dingo's kidneys.”
“You had a wide-ranging discussion yesterday.” Pam commented.
“It was just in passing — I'd presented a case for her to invest in an atheist publisher, including some titles she'd obviously read. She said she wasn't interested in promoting atheism at any rate of return.”
“I'm not surprised.” Pam said.
“At the time, I was. So what are your thoughts about God at the moment?”
“I used to be at home in the church, Colin, I really did. Then one thing and another took me away, and you came along and swept me off my feet and then rescued me from the illness. I forgot all about God and rather worshipped you instead. But this afternoon you fell off your pedestal when you left me crying in the mud, probably to kill yourself. I'm not going to worship you any more Colin. I still love you and want you and need you, but I think I'm going to find a church to go to. I hope you'll come too.”
“I can't think how I came home if it wasn't a miracle, Pam.”
“I think you need to call Frank.”
----------------------------------------
“Would I be right to think that GemSmith taking over the loan, with subsequent notification to the bank, might have brought his actions to light?” Sarah asked Frank.
“I think that's rather unlikely, actually.”
“So this was his guilty secret.”
“Yes.”
“Which though it might have eventually cost me something, indeed, still might, is rather unlikely to.”
“You realise that by reducing the interest on his loan below the mortgage you encourage him to pay the mortgage off first.”
“Hmm. You're right.”
“Would you like to stipulate a minimum payment against the loan?”
“What? No. No. I have another thought entirely.”
“Sarah, please don't think of consolidating the two.”
“Why not?”
“Because already this smacks of favouritism. Not to mention a taxable advantage. If you go taking over his mortgage then other people are going to ask why not them too. You can't do that without stirring up ill-feeling.”
“OK, OK. I won't take over his mortgage. I wonder how many staff members are struggling in a similar way, though.”
“It would not be advisable to advertise below-inflation loans, Sarah”
“No. But I think on a case by case basis I am fully prepared to take over similarly incurred loans. Not loans due to negligence, or misspending of course. I mean, I'm not going to become the fairy-godmother who grants everyone's wish for a lovely new boat. I'd let personnel staff know of the possibility, I guess. And I will insist on a personal interview and complete disclosure.”
“I think you will still need to be very careful that you are not taken advantage of.”
“Yes. I will, but it is not easy to lie to me successfully. Maybe I should hire a truthsayer though, to weed out the fakes so I don't need to.”
“A truthsayer?”
“A trustworthy thought-hearer who doesn't mind being known as such. I don't mind telling people I trust already, and of course the institute was so keen to employ me because I was the first thought-hearer that they'd met. but I wouldn't want to actually be earning my living listening to people's thoughts.”
“You'd advertise for the position?”
“I suppose so. I guess it would be occasional work to start with.”
“Perhaps seek an internal candidate?”
“That would certainly be nice, but I expect that someone without any existing work-relationships to risk might be better.”
“So, someone young?”
“Possibly. But certainly not someone with a gossip habit, or who looks threatening.”
“No.”
“I actually imagine that such a person might become a personal assistant to me. It'd certainly be that sort of trust-relationship.”
“So, non-threatening, intelligent, trustworthy, with the power. Best of luck finding one!”
“Thanks! You left brave off the list. I think I'll let recruiting sort it out.”
“How do recruiting test for the power?”
“Touch hands and think of something. See if the response comes back word-perfect.”
“That's pretty easy.”
“Yes. Trustworthy is harder, of course.”
“Personal references are pretty good for that.”
“They can, but people gave Roland Underwood personal references.”
“You'd be able to see through such a person though.”
“Yes, I would. Before a face to face interview.” Frank's wrist unit rang. “Go ahead and answer. I need to be leaving.”
“Bye Sarah.”
He picked up the call “Hello Colin! Good to hear from you. Do you need the afternoon off, or would you be able to come in? No that's fine. See you tomorrow. Mrs Williams? Yes, she's just leaving. I'm sure she'll be glad to hear that. Bye.”
“Colin says 'thank you', and that he'll be going to church on Sunday with his wife.”
“That's good news, but it reminds me. Will you arrange for his loan to be transferred?”
“No, Sarah.”
“No?”
“We'll let Colin do that. You might notice, on reflection, that you didn't actually ask my advice in this matter, which is a far more significant decision than any you made yesterday. I would have advised leniency, so I'm not disagreeing with you. But from what I've seen today, you don't actually need me. I was thinking that I would stay on in order to give you a chance to build trust in Colin. But you already trust him enough to forgive him instantly of something in his past that could send him to jail if you or I were to press charges. So, I think I'm withdrawing my offer of staying on until the summer. I'll discharge my duties as trustee, of course, but unless you can think of a very good reason, I'm going to hand you over to him tomorrow morning. I will, of course be available to give some friendly advice.”
“All this is because I didn't ask your advice?”
“No. Because with that, I've realised that you can wind me round your little finger and get me to agree to anything you want. Colin seems to have a little more backbone than I do in that respect, long may it continue. I hope that he will be able to convince you not to slowly drive GemSmith into debt, well-meaning piece by well-meaning piece. If you wish to dispose of some parts of the empire in order to fund your charitable impulses, that would be one thing, but I will not willingly transfer an individual's debt onto the parent company, especially not when this is something that you clearly wish to set a pattern. I will tell this to Colin also. You may sign whatever you wish from next week, but I don't think I want to be a party to it.”
Sarah hung her head. “I'm sorry, Frank. It isn't wise, is it?”
“No. If you put the parent company in trouble then you risk the whole. That is why you have subsidiaries. A subsidiary becoming nonviable is sad, and you can obviously bail it out from the parent, but what if the parent becomes nonviable?”
“Frank, given that I will wish to be stupidly generous on occasions, could you give some thought to how I can do that without ruining thousands of peoples' livelihoods?”
“Tens of thousands, Sarah. One obvious way is that you do it yourself.”
“I don't understand.”
“The trust does not solely consist of GemSmith. GemSmith is a large company, which you parents invested in heavily, and I have continued their policy on your behalf with takeovers and mergers. You continued in that tradition yesterday, of course. But GemSmith pays a dividend to its shareholder — you. The trust consists of your shares in GemSmith, your other shareholdings, and a very substantial amount on deposit in the bank, Sarah. I thought you knew this.”
“I should have, but no, I didn't.”
“Then, perhaps I do need to carry on. You obviously need more educating.”
“I think I do, Frank.”
“Then at the very least I will carry on until you have some idea of what you own, young lady.”
“Thank you, Frank. You're a real friend.”
“Hmm. Maybe that's the point. I need to be a real lawyer too, and that's hard around you. Now, I believe you used to have a job to go to.”
“I hope I still do. Goodbye.”
“Goodbye, Sarah.”