The Brass Statuettes

© Copyright 2007, 2009

by Autumn Writer

Chapter 21  —  Escape

Everyday Frank waited in his office for the summons from the SEC.  Al Crossman told him it might not be an official summons, but a letter informing him that he was the target of an SEC investigation.  Al told him that was the next best thing to an actual summons.  Frank tried to forget about it.  It wasn’t easy and his decision to tell Trudy about it was causing him some serious doubts.  Trudy fretted over it more even more than he did. 

Frank found out that Floyd was taking his vacation, and that meant no eye-opening coffee first thing in the morning.  That was hard to get used to, too.  He was doubly glad when he heard Jeannette arriving.

The forecast was complete.  Aaron had done a good job putting it together and he was helping Blake prepare the proposal for the plant refurbishments in Bayonne and Texas City.  Frank scheduled a presentation to Alvin and the Board.  He had press releases ready and then they’d have the conference calls with the Wall Street boys.  Frank figured to use them as a springboard to finalizing his financing package for the R&D program.  So, as Frank sat back sipping on the coffee that Jeannette finally placed in front of him, it seemed that Nadine Persky’s hubris was having little effect on Western Chemical at that moment in time.

Agent Henderson surprised Frank when he stuck his head into the office.

“Got a minute?” he asked Frank.

“I didn’t know you guys were back,” Frank said as he motioned him to a chair.  “Coffee?”

Henderson took a chair across the desk from Frank but declined the coffee offer.  “It’s just me today,” he told Frank, “and I won’t be here that long.  I just came by to ask you a few questions.”  

“Go for it,” Frank replied.

“Does the name ‘Trans-Atlantic Partners’ mean anything to you?” Henderson asked.

“Not a thing.  What is it?”

“I followed up on the lead you gave me—that big block trade of Western Stock,” Henderson explained.

“I forgot all about it,” Frank said.  “It seems like a long time ago.”

“It took some doing to get the information,” Henderson said.  “I’m not even all the way to the bottom, yet.  It may turn out that the lead you gave me might be a good one.”

“I’m listening,” Frank said.

“The outfit I just mentioned is a Swiss partnership.  It was that entity that made the trade on that block of stock through an attorney in New York.”

“So, who are the partners?”

“That’s what I don’t know—yet, anyway,” Henderson said.  “The New York lawyer’s not talking and you know about Swiss secrecy laws.  It’s not quite like it used to be, but that information doesn’t come forth very easy.  We’ve had to go through our embassy over there to request it.”

“For all we know, it could have been a legit trade,” Frank said.  “But, I’ve got this feeling about it that won’t go away.”

“All I know is that it’s worth finding out,” Henderson said.  “So, you confirm that you don’t know anything about this partnership?  What about the other officers?”

“Not that I know of,” Frank said.  “They have to fill out disclosure forms each year.  I could get them for you.  I don’t remember everything on them.”

“We’ve already got copies of them,” Henderson said.  “What about outside directors?”

“They fill out the same forms.”

“Whoever it is, they’re obviously trying to get the money offshore.”

“Mueller?” Frank mused to himself.

“Who’s that?” Henderson demanded.  “Don’t you have a director by that name?”

“Yeah, he’s a German bank president.”

“That could be just the connection,” Henderson said.  “Foreign partnership; access to banking; right next door to Switzerland.”

“I don’t know…” Frank began.

“We’ve got to check him out.”

“It would be against Mueller’s interest to do something to drive up the stock price,” Frank explained.  “He’d just disclosed that he was trying to buy up shares on the cheap to try to take control of the company.”

“Can’t sort that out now; he’s got to be checked out.  It might be a smokescreen—who knows?”

“You can’t do anything until you’ve got the principals’ identities, can you?”

“No, not really.  It’s anyone’s guess when they might come through.” 

“Then, there’s no point in getting Mueller hot-and-bothered right now,” Frank said.  He paused for a second.  “Did you get that other information I sent over to you?”

“Yes,” Henderson answered.  “That’s pretty cut and dried.  It has to be a big personal disappointment.”

“It is,” Frank answered.  He looked away from Henderson—out the window—and then turned back to face him.  “The facts speak; I can’t change them.  When are you gonna do what you’ve gotta do?”

“We could act on it right away,” Henderson replied.  “It might be a good idea to hold off for a little while.  We can see what other mischief they might be up to—make sure that we’ve got the whole scheme uncovered.  They’re not going anywhere.”

“I suppose so,” Frank sighed.

“These insider cases are never easy.  Something like this always happens,” Henderson said.  “Like you said, ‘the facts speak’.”

“I’d just like to get it over with,” Frank admitted. 

“If this Swiss thing turns into something, it looks like it will be over soon,” Henderson acknowledged.  “We’ll have both ends of the package tied up.”     

*************** 

Brenda parked her car in the driveway at Gloria’s house.  Her mentor sounded agitated on the phone.  She assumed it was because she’d delayed a few days to check in after returning from Austin where she met up with Alvin.  Brenda, herself, wondered why she hadn’t reported to Gloria like the good soldier that she usually was.  There was an uneasy feeling inside her.

Juana opened the door before she had a chance to ring the bell.  She must have seen the car approaching in the long lane that led to the highway.  Brenda thought that Juana looked dour.  She’d never really hit it off with Gloria’s maid—not that it was important to her.  Juana’s moods were handy, however, in gauging Gloria’s moods and giving her some advance warning when she needed it.  This looked like one of those days when she would need it.

“Dee Señora is on dee veranda,” Juana said and led Brenda to the large French doors and opened them.  “Señora, ees Señora Hart,” she announced.

“I know who it is,” Gloria sneered.  “Don’t you think I can recognize my own friends?”

Juana said nothing; she bowed her head and retreated to the safety of the house.  Brenda approached the round patio table where Gloria sat glowering at her.

“Were you waiting for me to beg you to come over?” Gloria taunted.  “Were you expecting an engraved invitation?”

“You know better that that, Gloria.  I just had some personal things to attend to.  Don’t forget that I gave up two days to attend to your business and…”

“I know that,” Gloria interrupted.  “Do you think I’d forget when I arrange for someone to boink my own dear husband?”

“It was your idea, Gloria; and I thought I was more than just someone.”

Oh, yes, yes.  C’mon, Bren—don’t be that way.  I should be the sensitive one.  After all…”

“After all—what?” Brenda protested.  “Are you saying it only meant something to you?  Do you think I didn’t feel anything about this?  Did you wonder how I squared it with Blake?”

“This isn’t like you, Bren.  You look nervous.  Let’s have a drink.”

“I suppose I could use one.”  She walked to the bar set up in the corner of the veranda.  “The usual for you?” she asked Gloria.

“I guess so,” Gloria answered.  Brenda poured the vodka and iced tea for Gloria.  She poured vodka over ice for herself.

“Don’t you want some lime in it?” Gloria asked.  Brenda shook her head.  “I don’t know how you can drink it straight.  I’d at least want to have some lime in it; something to take the taste of the vodka away.  Lime tastes better than vodka.”

“That’s what we’ve come to,” Brenda mumbled.

“What’s that, Bren?  I didn’t quite hear what you said.”

“I just said that I’d like to see what the vodka really tastes like without the lime to cover it over.  Why not taste things like they really are?”

“You mean honest vodka, straight up?”

“Yeah,” Brenda answered, “I might even like it.  It’s been a long time since…”  Brenda’s voice trailed off. 

“Help yourself,” Gloria said.  “Everyone has to try it that way once.  I surely did.  You’ll be back to putting lime in it soon enough.”

Brenda sipped on her drink.  It burned her throat going down, but it wasn’t half-bad.  It occurred to her that the pretense of the lime was unnecessary.  “I guess that if I liked lime better than vodka, I’d just have lime.”

“Whatever,” Gloria said in a languid voice. 

Brenda leaned back in her chair and raised the glass to her lips again.  She drank slower.  It occurred to her that Gloria gulped so fast she barely tasted what she was drinking.

“Don’t you want to know how it went?” Brenda asked.

“What went?”

“You know—my trip to Austin; me and Alvin.”

Gloria sighed.  “Okay, how did it go?”

“It didn’t,” Brenda told her. 

“Say what?” Gloria demanded and sat up.

“Just what I said.  I met up with him, alright.  He turned me down.”

“Turned you down?” Gloria asked, squinting like she always did when she didn’t understand something.

“That’s right; I asked him why, so he bought me a drink.   He was very nice about it.  He explained everything.  He told me that it was different now; he said that he wouldn’t feel right—that you and he…”

“What the…”

“I think he loves you, Gloria.”

“Oh, I suppose that he thinks he does,” Gloria said.  “He’s a fool; I’ll take care of that later.”

“Don’t make ‘later’ into ‘too late’,” Brenda said.  “Why not take him at his word?  It’s worth thinking about.  It would be that storybook that we always thought was closed.  At least, that’s how I see it.”

“But you stayed over; so did he.”

“He was already planning on staying.  He was on his way to play poker with some men he knows when I caught up with him.  He would have stayed over, anyway.  I just got a single room and watched a movie.  It was kind of nice.  It gave me a chance to be by myself for a while—to think about a few things.” 

“Oh, now I see,” Gloria scoffed, “he turned you down for a card game.  Of course!  That’s why you’re acting this way.  He hurt your pride.  It’s okay—it’ll be our little secret.” 

“You weren’t listening to me, Gloria; you only heard the parts you wanted to.  I told you—I believe what Alvin said.  He might have been on his way to play cards, but it would have been the same if he hadn’t been.  You should listen to me.”

“Well, it has been different between me and Alvin lately.  But, I never said that I expected anything of him.  This ruins everything.”

Brenda set her glass down.  She peered at Gloria and tried to understand what she’d just heard her say.  “Ruins?  How can you say that, Gloria?  I don’t think you heard me.  I said that he loves you.”

“But that ties me down, Bren, and I have things to do—a lot of things to do.”

“After I spoke with Alvin, I started thinking of Blake,” Brenda confided.  “I started wondering if it’s too late for us.”

“Late?  Of course it’s too late!” Gloria shouted.  “It was too late when it started.  You can’t have it both ways.  I learned that long ago.  What we’ve got—we chose this life so that we could have it.  It’s your dues; you’ve got to pay them.” 

“I once thought that was so.  Now, I’m not so sure.  You might be right, but…”

“Of course I am,” Gloria insisted.  “Get yourself another drink.  You’ll feel better.”

“But I’d like to think ...”

“Don’t think,” Gloria said.  “I’ll think for you.  You can’t change things with Blake.  If you try, he’ll push you away.  Then you won’t have any part of him and you won’t have anything else, either.  You’ll be out in the cold.  I wouldn’t take that risk if I were you.  Business is business and sometimes it’s rough.”

Brenda got up and walked to the bar where the vodka waited for her.  She poured it over the ice.  She hesitated a moment and sighed while she looked through the clear liquid to the bottom of her glass.  It was hard to make out exactly what was waiting on the bottom with the ice distorting the image.  She wondered when she would have the courage to try it straight again.  It wouldn’t be this time, although a part of her told that it should be.  She poured some lime juice on top.  It clouded over everything in the glass and she couldn’t see the bottom of it at all; and that made it easier to drink.  She was being practical.  Dreams could wait for another day.

“At least, the thing with Trudy is out of the way,” she said as she retook her chair.  The alcohol was giving her a buzz.  “Tell me, how was it with Frank?  I never thought I’d see the day Frank Bennett got taken down.  My hat’s off to you, Gloria.”

“It’s not over,” Gloria muttered as she ground her teeth together.  “Not over by a long shot.”

“C’mon, Gloria; give Trudy a break.  You already got Frank.  What more can you take from her?”

“It’s not over,” Gloria repeated.

“I don’t get it,” Brenda said.  She thought for a moment.  A question occurred to her, but she was almost afraid to ask it.   “You did do it with Frank—right?”

“He’s not the man everyone thinks he is,” Gloria explained.  “It was there for him to take, but he ran out on me—right in front of Juana.  He lost his nerve.  He ran right out of here and home to that ugly scarecrow of his.  Now I’ve got to get even.”

“So Alvin turned me down and Frank did the same to you.  We both pimped ourselves and we have nothing to show for it.” 

“So I guess no harm done,” Gloria said.

“It makes me want another drink.  Then, I’ll believe it.”

“That we’ve got in spades, Bren.”

“But we still pimped ourselves.  We couldn’t even close the deal.  There’s not much to be proud of, but I guess that’s what we’ve come to.”

************* 

Brenda and Gloria sat on the veranda drinking and thinking.  Through the alcohol haze, Brenda tried to remember exactly what she’d said in the preceding minutes.  When the buzz from the vodka wore off she remembered; she knew she’d said it but the echo sounded like someone who vaguely resembled her—not the real her.  It would have been wise to retract it all—laugh it off—but for some reason she couldn’t bring herself to take it back.  She’d have to live it down. 

She hoped, for a moment, that Gloria would forget it, but she knew that Gloria stored everything in her memory.  She might twist her confidences and re-expose them out of context; use them as she saw fit to use them; it was all there for Gloria to use at will.  Brenda thought about the many such recollections from times past that were at Gloria’s fingertips.  “And there is my prison,” she thought.   “I’ve made the bars of my own cell and handed her the key.”

“We’ve got to get things back to normal,” she said to Gloria as she emptied her glass.

“I’m with you there,” Gloria said in a half-hearted way.

“Whatever passes for normal, anyway,” Brenda clarified.  Gloria didn’t answer.  Brenda knew it would be up to her to make it all happen.  It would be done in Gloria’s name, but it would be her work to do.  She had to get Gloria roused and functioning.

“It was so simple when all we had to worry about is planning our visits to that school and helping the children with their ABC’s,” Brenda continued.

“Oh, yes,” Gloria agreed.  “That was a happier time.  The children loved me—and I loved them.  It’s over now.”

“Over—why over?”  Brenda queried.  She could think of no reason why it should be over.  “It can’t be, Gloria.  It was your favorite thing to do.  It’s one of the few good things to hold on to.”

“Used to be,” Gloria slurred as she slumped in her chair.  “Trudy ruined it.  She had to do that little dance with the ABC’s, and then she became Maddy’s favorite.  That’s why I have to get even with Trudy.”

Brenda took a deep breath.  Even with the drinks she knew the truth.  It was no use.  Gloria’s truth was different, and in the end it would be Gloria’s truth that won out.  Brenda knew her job and that was to make sanity out of it.

“We’ll need Darlene and Ashley back with us.  Ashley was pretty embarrassed by the Alvin thing.  I think it took her by surprise.  And, I haven’t heard a thing from Darlene in quite a while.”

“Ashley let us down.  She’s a fake, a phony.  The one time I asked…”

“If you had given her some advance warning—some time to get used to the idea, Gloria, she’d have come around.  Anyway, I think we need her back.  I’m not sure what’s going on with Darlene.  I have a feeling there’s change coming soon with her.   That leaves only you and me, so I think we need to make peace with Ashley.”

“If you say so, Bren.”

“I do say so.  Leave it to me.  I’ll call her up and get her back.  She might have been scared by the prospect of hitting on Alvin in Austin, but she wants to belong.   As long as we don’t press too hard, she’ll come back.  I’ll check with Darlene, too.”

“You’re so right, Bren, dear.  What would I do without you?  No one else can bring me to my senses.”

“You might want to think about making up with Trudy, too,” Brenda said.

“You know, Bren, I think you’re right.  We’ll bring them all back.  After we’ve made up, we’ll all go down to Morningside School and be with the children.”

Brenda thought about pouring herself a refill.  She passed.  She still felt a little tipsy, but the feeling wasn’t good like it usually was.

“We should have a meeting of the Board of the Foundation,” Brenda reminded Gloria.

“Absolutely,” Gloria replied.  “It’s too bad—pool season is over.  We could all work out in the mini-gym afterward.”

A warm feeling entered Brenda in the belly.  “We certainly haven’t done that in too long a time,” she said.

“You’re so right, Brenda,” Gloria agreed, “and we will—soon.” 

“Gloria, I thought…”

“Oh!  You thought we would get together in the mini-gym right now?  I’m so sorry.  We will soon, dear.  There’s so much to think about.  Bring Darlene and Ashley back and then we will.”

*************** 

A few days later Frank was in his office discussing the R&D financing arrangements with Jim Sweeney.  The deal was close—close enough to smell and taste. 

“When this is over, I’m taking Trudy on a vacation,” Frank said.

“You deserve one,” Jim replied.  “This whole thing makes a lot of sense for us, and the investors.  Really nice work, Frank.”

“I’ve got to get moving on hiring a new Controller as soon as my plate is clean,” Frank continued.

“I can give you a second opinion, if you’d like me to,” Jim offered.  “Don’t try to find the perfect candidate.  It’s easy to fall into that rut when you’re trying to replace yourself.  Have any internal candidates?  What about that young man who was working on the forecast.  He seemed to be a sharp, young guy.”

“Too green,” Frank said, “and no SEC reporting experience.  He’s just not ready.  I was thinking of sending him to one of the divisions to be Controller so he can get some seasoning.  I’m not sure that he’d move.  He’s earned something for his efforts.”

“Makes sense,” Sweeney said.  “I think you need…”

Jeannette cut Jim short with a buzz on the intercom.  “Mr. Smith wants to know if he can see you right away.  He says it’s important.”

“Send him in,” Frank spoke into the box.

Tyler bounded into the office as soon as Jeannette clicked off the intercom.  Jeannette closed the door behind him.  “Sorry to break in, gentlemen,” Tyler said.  “Get on the internet, Frank.  Take a look at call options on Western stock.”

Frank did as Tyler asked.  He studied the computer screen for a few minutes.

Do you see it, Frank.” Tyler asked.

“Indeed, I do,” Frank answered.

“What gives?” Jim asked.  “Let me in on it.”

“Somebody is buying out-of-the-money call options on Western Stock in a big way,” Tyler said.

“It’s the other half of the insider trading,” Frank said.  “There were the short sales and the put options.  Then there was that big block that traded to cover the shorts and now these Calls are the counterpoint of the Puts.”

“Sure seems like it,” Sweeney agreed.  “What’re going to do about it?”

“Only one thing to do,” Frank answered.  “Give Henderson a call.”

“I’ll get out of your hair while you do that,” Sweeney said.  “I think we about covered things, anyway.”

They shook hands and then Frank asked Tyler Smith to stay with him while he called the FBI. 

************** 

While Frank was on the phone with Agent Henderson, Al Crossman and Alvin were meeting in the Chairman’s office.

“This is the wrong time and place for that, Al.  Frank is the star right now.  The big shareholders are behind him and he has this financing plan just about under his belt.  I can hardly let him go now.”

“I’ve got it figured out,” Crossman explained.  “We’ll publicize Nadine Persky’s investigation and say that Frank was asked to step down to avoid any appearance of wrongdoing, and so on and so forth.  Besides getting rid of Frank, that does a number of things for us.”

“You’ll have to explain this to me again,” Alvin said.

“First of all, we preempt the SEC.  Better to get it out on our own terms than according to theirs.  Hell, once it’s out, they may even back off and deny the whole thing.  On top of that, it gets Herr Mueller back on our side.  And finally, it gives the company a squeaky-clean image in a time when not many companies can say they have one.”

“It seems a shame,” Alvin said.  “Frank’s a damn fine man.  Doin’ a fine job, too.”

“We’ll let him resign.  He’ll be better off, too.  He’ll latch on somewhere else.”

“There’s a catch,” Alvin said.  “I think he’s got Blake Hart and Tyler Smith behind him.  They might go if he does.  And, we both know Jim Sweeney’s in his corner.”

“Yeah, but not Jason Lowell.  I’ve heard that Lowell is thinking of jumping ship because of Frank.  You could say it was because of Frank’s animosity toward Jason.  After all, Jason’s a key guy.”

“He’s a wimp, and we both know it,” Alvin countered. 

“A wimp who has a Ph.D and a lot of credentials,” Crossman argued.  “It’s not a personality contest.  Sweeney will have to go, too.”

“If we do this to Frank, you won’t have to tell Jim twice.  He’ll be outta here, too.”

“So you’re agreed…”

“I’ve got to think it over, Al.  I don’t want to lose Mueller.  At least, I’m standing pat until this R&D financing is put to bed.  And, I want to think of a contingency plan in case I lose the other two.  Then, we’ll see.”

“You better not waste too much time,” Crossman warned.  “I think Mueller is ready to bolt right now.”

*************** 

A few days later Frank and Alvin were on the corporate Jet, heading for Chicago.  Jim Sweeney was with them.  Tyler Smith had been in New York and would meet up with them at their hotel.  They were on their final leg of their quest for the financing of the R&D program.  Chicago was the agreed-upon venue for a wrap-up meeting.  All the players would be there.  Even Murray Shoreham was flying in from the coast.

Once they were at altitude the flight would be a little more than two hours.  There was a festive mood among them.  Just enough time to nurse a drink until it was time to prepare for landing.  Frank had his usual scotch.  Alvin and Sweeney had their customary bourbons.

“Got any last minute advice for the presentation tomorrow?” Alvin asked.

“They’ve all seen the numbers already,” Frank answered.  “I think they just want to press the flesh and make certain everyone’s on board.”

“It’s your show, Frank,” Jim said.  “You’ve brought us this far.  Alvin and I are here for window dressing.”

“I’ll second that,” Alvin said.  “Without you, we wouldn’t be here.  You’ve done an outstanding job.  You did it under tough circumstances, too.”

“Thanks, Alvin.  I appreciate you saying that.  We have to remember we’re only ninety percent of the way there.”

“I know, I know,” Alvin replied.  “I’m not worried.  I just wonder if we should have brought Jason along.  The money’s for his program, after all.”

“It was a tough call, Alvin.  Jason has a way of flipping out at the wrong moment.  We could get on the phone and tell him to get on the red-eye and show up at the meeting.  It’s up to you, but if you’re asking me, I’d rather not take the chance.”

“If these are finance guys, all of Jason’s formulas will just put them to sleep.  I think you can handle it just as well in layman’s terms, Alvin,” Sweeney said.

“Besides, they just want to know how much of the stuff we can sell, not how to make it,” Frank reminded him.  “That’s in my presentation.  Jason wouldn’t have a clue about it.  If they appear uneasy, we can offer them a tour in Houston and a one-on-one with Jason later in the year.”

“When the snow starts flying up north, they’re sure to take us up on it,” Jim laughed.

“Okay, I see where you’re coming from,” Alvin said.  “Look, I might as well tell you.  I’ve made a decision about the organization.  I’m going give up my President title.  Blake will move up to President.  I’ll put Jason and all of R&D under him.”

“I think that’s a good move, Alvin,” Frank said.

“Wait, I’m not through yet.  I’m going to make you Executive Vice President.  You’ll continue as CFO and have Tyler reporting to you, too; and Blake will transfer Human Resources to you, as well.  You’ll report directly to me.”

“Geez, Alvin, I don’t know what to say.  I just became CFO a few months ago.  Maybe it’s…”

“No, it isn’t premature,” Alvin said.  “It’s the right thing to do for the Company.  It will give me more time and energy for strategic planning.  It’s all contingent on Board approval, of course.”

“Well, I’ll certainly vote for it,” Sweeney said.  “There should be Directorships included in that package.”

“What’s the timing,” Frank asked.

“I’m aiming at the next general Board meeting in December.  That will give me a chance to smooth it over with a few directors.”

“You mean Mueller,” Sweeney said.

“Right,” Alvin said.  “And there’s just one other thing.  We’ve got to get those SEC charges against you put to bed.”

“There aren’t any charges,” Frank reminded him.  “All I had is an unpleasant conversation with Ms. Nadine Persky.  They’ve sent nothing.  I think I agree with Tyler on this.”

“Al Crossman says we could straighten it out with them by just admitting to some misunderstanding.  He says that they need to save face.  They’d give us a slap and it would be behind us.  Then we wouldn’t have to check the mail everyday for that woman’s letter.”

“I don’t know,” Frank said.  “I don’t think we can trust them.”

“Al thinks we can.”

“We should discuss it later,” Sweeney said.  “For now, let’s toast our new Director.”

***************  

While the three men were in the air on their way to Chicago, Brenda was sipping on a soft drink as she was seated across the veranda table from Gloria.

“The rest of the girls will be here any minute,” she told Gloria.

“They all know we’re working out in the mini-gym after the meeting?” Gloria asked. 

“That’s why I’m drinking this soft drink instead of something with a kick,” Brenda answered.  “Yes, I told them.”

Indeed, Brenda and Gloria were both in leotards.  The September air was a little crisp, so they wore nylon warm-ups over their skin-tight suits. 

It’s a nice day,” Gloria commented.

It was a nice day, in Brenda’s view, too.  Reconciliation was in the offing.  Even Trudy was on her way.  That meant more than just renewed goodwill.  There would be a full contingent of cadets filling the ranks once again, ready to lend their time and husbands’ money to the projects at hand.  Brenda had arranged it all.  Gloria might have been thinking that they were rallying around her.  Brenda knew better—and that was enough for her. 

“Señora—Señora,” Juana’s happy voice sang out.  “Ees Señora Trudy.  Chee ees een dee drive-way.”

Yes, Brenda had even made Juana happy.  It was going to be a good day.

“Send her out when she gets here,” Gloria ordered.  She turned to Brenda.  “You’d figure she’d be the first to arrive.”

Brenda puzzled over the meaning of what Gloria said.  She felt a twinge of alarm.  Whenever Gloria uttered such a comment the question wasn’t if it meant something, but what it meant.  That was often a confusing puzzle.  While Brenda wondered about it, Trudy sprang though the door.

“Hi, Gloria, Brenda,” she gushed. 

Gloria jumped from her chair and ran to where Trudy stood.  Without asking if she could, she hugged her guest. 

“Trudy!  I’m so glad you’ve come back to us.  It’s been hell for me to think you were angry after the pool party.  Please say you forgive me.”

“Well—bygones and all that,” Trudy smiled.  “Let’s just forget it.”

“You know, Frank was so much help to me with the Foundation finances the other night,” Gloria said.

“He didn’t say much about it,” Trudy said.  “He’s been awfully busy lately.  I didn’t even have a chance to tell him about getting invited over here.”

“I think he’s with Alvin in Chicago,” Gloria said. 

Trudy was dressed in burnt-orange and white.  She wore a white fleece sweatpants and sweatshirt.  The shirt was adorned with the familiar longhorn steer with TEXAS emblazoned beneath it. 

“I like your exercise clothes,” Brenda said, stifling a snicker.

“Do you like it?” Trudy laughed.  She stood up straight and stretched the sweatshirt to model it for them.  “I had my daughter send it to me from college.  It’s actually a man’s model.  They didn’t have a female one that was long enough to fit me.”

“It will do nicely,” Brenda said. 

“I don’t belong to a gym, or anything,” Trudy went on.  “I know you all probably have fancier things.”

“It will be fine,” Gloria confirmed. 

At that moment Darlene and Ashley bounded through the French doors of the veranda.  They each wore a nylon warm-up, like Brenda and Gloria.  Gloria greeted them and gave each a hug.  Brenda smiled because everything was going just perfectly.

“Look at Trudy’s outfit,” Gloria said.  “Isn’t it darling?”

“I’ll say,” Ashley said.  She let out a whistle.  Brenda thought it was a little bit patronizing, and she hadn’t forgotten that it was Ashley’s barbs that had started off all the trouble with Trudy in the first place.  It occurred to Brenda—but obviously not to Ashley—that a quick apology might have been in order.  “Trudy isn’t the smartest girl in town, but she’s smart enough.”

The five women chatted for a while and drank a glass of juice in advance of their impending workout.

“Let’s skip the meeting and go right into the mini-gym,” Gloria said to the group.  “It was just going to be a formality, anyway.  Then, we can have a drink afterward.  Besides, I’ve got a surprise for you in there.”

The idea wasn’t quite to Brenda’s liking.  She was hoping to get the work of the Foundation rolling again.  It wouldn’t have hurt to get serious for a few minutes.  But Ashley and Darlene whooped in delight.  It was clear that the time for work had come and gone.

They walked to the door of the mini-gym.  “What surprise could you possibly have in there?” Ashley asked. 

“Open the door and find out,” Gloria said.  Brenda saw that smirk on Gloria that told her to be ready for something unexpected.

“Oh my!” Brenda heard Ashley gasp.  “Who are they?”

“See anything you like?” Gloria asked the group.

Brenda stepped in front of Darlene and followed Ashley into the gym.  She saw Raul and Miguel.  They’d been working out while the women had sat sipping on their soft drinks.  They were shirtless.  Sheens of sweat graced their sculpted torsos.

“They’re here to help us work out,” Gloria called out from the back of the pack as she and the others piled in.  “They’re my exercise boys,” she explained. 

“Oooww, they’re beautiful,” Ashley cooed.  “Can I touch them?” 

“I don’t think they’d mind, would you Raul?”

“No, Señora.  We don’t mind.”  He flexed his pectoral muscle as Ashley gave it a tentative poke.  She broke down giggling and ran to the back of the pack. 

“What are they here to help us with, exactly?” Darlene asked.  She was eying Miguel. 

“Ees my cousin Miguel, Señora.  ’e no has Ingles,” Raul explained.

“I see,” Darlene said.  She sidled up to the younger man.  Darlene eyed him and he eyed her back.  “Just what can you do for me?” she asked him and stroked down his chest with the back of her hand.

“Any kind of exercise you want,” Gloria answered for him.  “I actually taught him to do a number of exercises.  He didn’t know any before that.”  Darlene turned quickly and looked at Gloria with wide grin.

Brenda took a look at Trudy, who had backed up to the door and was leaning against it.  She pulled Gloria aside and whispered to her. 

“Gloria, I think all this is too much for Trudy.  I think she’s going to leave.”

“Nonsense!” Gloria whispered back. 

“Gloria, if things go too far she’ll run out of here,” Brenda insisted.  “She’ll tell Frank and soon all the husbands will know.  We better stop.”

Gloria stepped away from Brenda.  “You’re so right, Bren,” she said in a loud voice.  “Trudy should have the first turn.”

Brenda looked at Trudy as Gloria made her pronouncement.  Trudy was startled.  She looked from side to side, but everyone was looking for her.”

“Come on, Trudy—don’t be shy.  Choose one of the boys to exercise with,” Gloria entreated her in a soothing voice.

“You…you mean on the exercise bike?” Trudy asked.

“Come, now, dear,” Gloria egged her on, “you can think of something more interesting than that.”

Trudy’s eyes became wide with fear.  Her hand grasped the doorknob.

 “I don’t think Trudy’s ready,” Brenda said.  “I’ll go first.”

“No, no” Gloria scolded.  She took Trudy by the hand and pulled her into the center of the room.  “Which of them shall it be?  Choose one of them.”

“C’mon, do it, Trudy!”  Ashley and Darlene chanted.  “Hurry up so it can be our turn,” Darlene added.

“I don’t think so.  This isn’t my kind of thing.  I think I want to leave,” Trudy said.  She stepped toward the door.

Gloria’s face turned red with rage.  “No, you don’t, Gloria screamed. “Not again.  You can go when I say so!”  She grasped Trudy’s arm was pulling her back into the center of the room.  “Help me, girls!” 

Trudy was strong and Gloria couldn’t hold her.  Ashley, and then Darlene grabbed hold of Trudy and they all pushed her to the massage table.  They were laughing.  Brenda shook her head.  She wished that Trudy would stop fighting and just get it over with. 

Trudy was fighting the three women off.  “Get over here and help us!” Gloria screamed again.  Raul and Miguel jumped as Gloria called them. 

“No!  Help me!” Trudy screamed. 

“Put this in her mouth to shut her up,” Gloria commanded.  She handed Darlene a rolled-up towel and Trudy was silenced.  Trudy lay on the massage table.  Ashley and Darlene each held and arm.  Miguel and Raul held her legs.  Trudy still strained against them.  Gloria stood at the foot of the table.

“You’ll learn to come down off your high horse,” Gloria hissed at her.  “Raul, show her what she’s got coming.”

“I think no, Señora Warner,” Raul protested.  “Chu says chee wants eet, but eet looks like chee say ‘no’.”

“Do it!” Gloria shrieked.  “Do it or you won’t see any more of these.”  She threw a handful of hundred dollar bills on the floor.  “Do it,” she repeated.  “Brenda, get on her other leg so that he can show her.”

Brenda did as Gloria told her.  She felt Trudy’s muscles straining inside her Texas Longhorn sweat suit.  It took all the strength she had to hold her down.  Raul stood beside Gloria.  “Drop ‘em!” Gloria barked at Raul.

Raul unbuckled his belt. He pushed his pants down and then his briefs.  His penis pointed at the woman being held down on the massage table.  He was almost fully hard.  Trudy’s eyes widened and she struggled in vain once again. 

“Get her clothes off,” Gloria ordered. 

They yanked the sweatshirt up her torso and it bunched around her neck  “Gloria we can’t get it off all the way without letting go of her arms,” Darlene said. 

“That’s far enough,” Gloria said.  “Cut through the bra with these.”  She handed Ashley a pair of scissors. 

Ashley snipped through between the two cups.  Gloria reached in and pushed the separated cups to the side.  Brenda looked at Trudy.  She had no strength left to struggle.  There were tears streaming from her eyes and she was trembling.

“How about some foreplay?” Gloria sneered and twisted the bare nipples.      

“Gloria, I think we should stop,” Brenda said.  “This has gone too far already.”  Gloria didn’t hear her, and it seemed no one else did, either.

“Relax, Trudy, dear,” Gloria said in a syrupy voice.  “Enjoy yourself.  Raul is very good.  I trained him, myself.  Now, I’ll train you.”

“Please—stop now, Gloria!”  Brenda heard herself shout the words, but she continued holding down Trudy’s leg.  She looked at Raul, who stood next to Gloria at the ready.  He was shirtless, penis fully erect.  His pants nestled around his ankles. 

Brenda looked at Trudy, towel gagging her, crying and exhausted.  Then she looked away, wanting to see nothing; but she couldn’t help but see her own two hands clenching Trudy’s thigh.  In one ear she heard Gloria’s wicked laugh.

“Now, get her pants off,” Gloria exalted.

Brenda let go of Trudy and ran, stumbling out the mini-gym door.  She ran away from them.  It all had to end—not only what was happening to Trudy in the mini-gym   One way or the other it had to be all over. She cried out for help—for Trudy and for her.

“Juana!  Juana!  Help me, Juana!”

She hoped the maid was close-by.  Juana hurried out of the French doors and onto the veranda.

“Juana—in the gym.  Hurry!”

They ran past the pool and back to the gym.  By the time they burst through the door Darlene and Ashley had let go of Trudy.  Trudy was struggling for her freedom again.  Gloria and Miguel had taken their places trying to hold Trudy down and Raul was getting ready to mount her. 

“¡Madre de Dios!” Juana cried.  Raul looked behind him and saw the matron staring at him with rage in her eyes.  Juana leaned out the door.  “¡José—José venga aqui ahorrita.  Andale—venga ahorrita!”

Raul had seen Juana’s and Brenda’s intrusion and that made him stop.   He hopped off the table and started putting his clothes back on as fast as he could.  When Raul halted, Miguel released Trudy.  Gloria continued grappling with Trudy, who was still on her back on the massage table.  Brenda wrapped her arm around Gloria to pull her off.  Juana joined her and they dragged Gloria off to the side of the group.

“It’s all over, Gloria,” Brenda said. 

Through the open door, Brenda spied José running to the mini-gym from the far side of the garden.  By the time José made his way into the gym, Raul had his pants back up around his waist.  He was buckling his belt and Miguel was retrieving the money that Gloria had cast on the floor.  Raul nudged Miguel toward the door.  “Yo creo que nos vamos,” he whispered to his cousin.

José made a start at the pair and raised his fist at them.  The two bolted out the door, too fast for José to chase them.  “¡No regresan!  No regresan—nunca,” Juana shouted after them as they fled.  As Brenda watched them run she was unsure if they heard Juana or not, but she was sure they wouldn’t come back.

Trudy was still lying on her back panting to regain her strength.  Juana nodded and José left the room.  Juana helped Trudy climb off the massage table.  She took the towel from her mouth.  Trudy hoisted her sweatpants back around her waist and removed her sundered bra and pulled the sweatshirt back down where it belonged.

Gloria was panting nearby.  Juana and Brenda had loosened their hold on her and she lunged at Trudy.

“I hate you—damn you.”  She struck Trudy once in the face.  Juana grabbed Gloria, and then Brenda stepped in to help her.  “I’ll get you,” Gloria screamed as the two women dragged her aside once again. 

“It’s over, Gloria,” Brenda repeated.  “Everything is over.”  She motioned to Ashley and Darlene to help.  “You’re going to your room for a rest.”

“The hell I am!” Gloria shrieked back at her as she tried in vain to get away from the women’s grasp.  “You ruined it.  I hate you, too.”

“Take her to her room,” Brenda said to the others.  “Put her in bed.  I’ll be up to look after her later.”

Juana dragged Gloria to the house, helped by the two former accomplices.  Brenda stayed behind with Trudy.

“I screwed your husband!” they heard Gloria yelling in the distance.  “Trudy, I screwed Frank!  I can screw him anytime I want to.  He’s been doing Jeannette, too.  They’ve been screwing for years.”

Brenda looked away in shame.  “I’m sorry about this.  Things got out of control.  I never…”

“I’m going home,” Trudy said, almost in a whisper.

“Please let me take you.  You shouldn’t have to go by yourself.”

“Never mind, just let me go,” Trudy answered.  “I’ll be alright.”

“Frank’s in Chicago.  You have no one to go home to,” Brenda said.  “Let me…”

“Just leave me alone,” Trudy repeated.  “I can get home by myself.”

Trudy trudged slowly out of the mini-gym, neither saying more nor looking back.

******************* 

Brenda looked on as Trudy trod through the French doors that led from the veranda to the house.  She had an urge to run after her.  She imagined herself injured and alone, as she was sure Trudy was.   She knew what Trudy would have done for her, had roles been reversed.  But she’d offered and Trudy had turned her down—with good reason, by Brenda’s honest estimation. 

Brenda concluded that the roles would never have been reversed because she realized that Trudy would not have allowed herself to be guilty of what had been committed, or possibly omitted. 

“I have my sins, hypocrisy isn’t one of them,” she told herself.

She watched Trudy leave, convinced that it was the only thing she could do.  She turned her attention to Gloria, forcibly escorted upstairs by Juana and helped by Darlene and Ashley.  Brenda could hear Gloria yelling something.  She couldn’t understand the words, and realized that they didn’t matter.

When she arrived in Gloria’s bedroom Juana and the two other women were still holding her down on the bed.

“You need to get some rest, Gloria,” Brenda said.  “You’re under a lot of strain.”

“Traitor!” Gloria spat out.  She struggled again momentarily against her captors and then gave up.

“I’m going to call your doctor,” Brenda told her.

“Don’t you dare,” Gloria hissed again, but Brenda ignored her.

“Will this take very long?” Darlene asked.  “I’d really like to go.”

“I don’t know,” Brenda answered.  “Just stay where you are for right now.”  She took Juana’s place holding Gloria down.  “Go find the phone number for the Señora’s doctor.  Bring it to me and I’ll call him.”

************* 

When the doctor arrived Juana and Brenda stayed in the room while he examined Gloria.  Brenda explained to him what happened, minus some unneeded details, and then joined Darlene and Ashley downstairs in the kitchen.  Ashley had made some coffee and they sat at the table sipping it.

“I thought Gloria was joking.  I never thought she intended it to go that far,” Ashley said.  “I thought it was a kind of an initiation—all in fun.”

“Me, too,” Darlene said.  “It’s like when I was supposed to tease the Mexican boys.  I would never have…”

“I’m not fooling myself, and you two aren’t fooling me either.  Fool yourselves, if you like.  We’re all guilty.”  Brenda said the words to the two seated at the table, but she didn’t care if they listened or not.  She wanted to hear the words come from her own mouth.

“Nothing happened,” Darlene said.  “Maybe it almost did—but it didn’t.  After you ran out Ashley and I let go of her.  We wanted Gloria to stop.  If nothing happened, we can’t be guilty.”  

“That’s right,” Ashley said.  We went along because you did,” she told Brenda.  “We figured that if you thought it was okay, then it was.”

Brenda answered her with silence.

“Actually, I think it was the three of us who saved her,” Ashley added.

“We’re all guilty,” Brenda said, looking away from them.  “We’re guilty of being cowards.  We were afraid of Gloria; afraid not to go along; affair of being left out.”

“But if the police ask us we can truly say that nothing happened,” Ashley said.

“I guess everyone has their own truth,” Brenda answered.  “For me, I know I’m guilty.  I don’t know what to do about it, but I know that I am.”

“We’ve just gotta make sure no one finds out,” Darlene said.  “Maybe we should go see Trudy…”

“And beg her to keep it secret?” Brenda asked.  “Don’t you think she hates us enough?  She won’t tell anyone.  She’ll keep it a secret to protect her husband.  If he finds out, he’ll do something about it and that might end his career.  She’ll keep it a secret, alright.”

“It’s more than I would do,” Darlene answered.

“I wish that I could say that I would,” Ashley admitted.  Tears were welling in her eyes.  “I just don’t know...”

“It hasn’t been one of our better days,” Brenda said.

Gloria’s doctor appeared in the kitchen, followed by Juana.  “She’s going to sleep for quite a while.  I sedated her heavily.  She won’t wake until morning.  Someone should bring her to my office tomorrow.  I’ll most likely make a referral after I give her a proper exam.”

“I’ll bring her,” Brenda said.

“Where’s her husband?”

“In Chicago—on business.”

“He should get back here as soon as possible.  He may have to sign some papers.”

“I’ll call him,” Brenda promised.  “I’ll call the office and find out how to reach him, and then I’ll tell him to come back home.”

The doctor looked at Juana.  “Can you stay in the house tonight?  Look in on her every few hours.  Call 911 if you need help.”

After the doctor left, Ashley and Darlene made quick exits.  Brenda stayed behind.

“Thank you, Juana.  You and José saved Trudy.”

“Where ees Señora Trudy?” the maid demanded. 

“She’s home.  She wanted to go home.”

“You must go be weet her,” Juana said.  “Chee ees alone an’ hurt.  Go help her.  I weel take good care of dee Señora.”

“I already offered.  She wanted to go by herself.”

“No, you must go,” Juana insisted.  “Chee nids someone weet her.”

“She said ‘no’.  I asked her already.  I think she blames me.  Here’s her number.  You call her—she likes you.  If you speak to her, tell her that I’m sorry.” 

*********** 

TO BE CONTINUED