by Jim Wygand
Charlie showered after his yard work and washing the car, and put his bowling gear in the trunk. He drove to the bowling alley and bowled with his team. Afterward they had their regular pizza and beer. The mood was light and some of the guys asked Charlie about Phil Shaw’s return. Charlie told them that he understood that Shaw would be returning in another week or so and that it appeared that things were perfectly normal. Artie Samuels told his collection of stale and off-color jokes and the group teased Mildred about her sex life, or lack of it. When the group broke up, Charlie drove home, washed his uniform and put it in the dryer, stowed his gear and then drove off to Philly. He was certain that no one would be following him.
Bill Gallagher arrived home to find Sharon waiting for him in the living room. “Hi Bill, how was league night?”
“It was fine, Sharon. Why aren’t you watching TV?”
“Just bored, I guess. Was everything all right at the bowling alley?”
“Huh, what do you mean everything all right? Of course everything was all right. It was just a regular league night.”
“Was Charlie Mullins there?”
“Sharon! Of course Charlie was there. Where else would he be on league night? Bingo?”
“Did he say anything?”
“No Sharon,” he replied sarcastically, “he sat in a corner and sucked his thumb! Of course he said something. You think Charlie can’t talk?”
“Well, what did he say?”
“Sharon, what the hell is going on? What the hell do you care what Charlie said tonight? He just said Phil Shaw would be back in about a week or so. Is that what you wanted to know?”
“Well, of course, Bill. Everybody has been concerned about when things will get back to normal.” Sharon lied.
“Well, OK, so now you know. Wanna stop the third degree now? I’m gonna shower up. Anything else you want to know? Want to hear some of Artie’s jokes?”
“Heaven’s no, Bill. Sorry,” Sharon whined, “I was just asking if things were going to get back to normal at the company, that’s all.”
“Whatever,” Bill said as he headed toward the bathroom to take his shower.
Bob Simms was going through the same sort of questioning at his home. Diane asked if Charlie had been to league night and if he had said anything. Bob’s answers were much like Bill’s. “Diane, what’s this about Charlie? Of course he said something. You think he goes to league night and then sits there like a dummy? What the hell is this all about?”
“Well, sweetheart, I was just worried about the company. You know, Phil Shaw and all…”
“Oh, yeah, well Charlie said Shaw will soon be back on the job if that’s what you want to know.”
“Oh, thank heavens for that, Bob. I was worried. You know a heart attack and all….”
“OK, OK, Diane. Cool it. Now you know so how ‘bout getting me a beer out of the fridge?”
Charlie laughed all the way back to Philly. “I’ll bet Bill and Bob are getting the third degree right now and don’t have the slightest notion what’s going on.” Charlie had said nothing at league night to either about being followed on Saturday. He gave the appearance of being totally relaxed and at ease with his pals. When he got to the apartment he told Gina what he had done. “You mean you let them see you, you pretended to be totally at peace with them, and said nothing at all to their husbands?” Gina laughed, “You are so terrible, Charlie. They must really be confused now. I bet neither of them sleeps tonight!”
The next morning after their husbands had left for work and the kids for school Sharon and Diane were on the phone to each other. “Diane, he didn’t say a word to Bill about Saturday.”
“To Bob either, Sharon, what do you think he is doing?”
“I don’t know. It’s completely out of character for Charlie. He usually says what is bothering him when it involves his privacy. He was even that way in school. You think maybe he is playing with us? You know, trying to shake us up?”
“Jeez, I don’t know Sharon, but I agree with you that it is not like Charlie to let it pass. He was so mad last time, I really expected him to say something to Bob. And then that stuff with the garden hose as we drove past his house. He was smiling like nothing ever happened. What was that all about?”
“I think he is playing some kind of a game, Diane. He comes home early from work on a weekday, mows his lawn, makes sure everybody sees him, waves to us, goes bowling with the guys, and never says a word to our husbands about Saturday. He’s mocking us, Diane. He’s rubbing our noses in it, that’s what he’s doing. He’s sending us a warning Diane, that’s it. He’s telling us to back off and gloating because he caught us trying to follow him. Well, two can play that game….”
“Whoa, Sharon….let’s not go overboard here. Maybe Charlie is just giving us a chance to back off with grace. You know, without him having to talk to our husbands. They are his friends you know.”
“Nonsense, Diane. He’s telling us something. Maybe he’s telling us that he is going to fight back and he was just daring us to take this whole thing to the next level.”
“Sharon! I hope you don’t intend to do that! Let’s just drop this while we are ahead, OK? If we never follow Charlie again, I am sure he will never say anything. But if he sees us following him again….”
“Right, Diane, if he sees us. Suppose he doesn’t know it’s us? Suppose we don’t drive your car or mine? Suppose we rent a car that he can’t recognize? Suppose we wear wigs and sunglasses? It seems to me that Charlie Mullins is going to an awful lot of trouble to get us off his trail. There must be a reason for all this, and I am going to find out what it is! We’re going to follow him next week and this time he won’t recognize us.”
“Are you sure you want to do this, Sharon?”
“Don’t even think about backing out, Diane. You’re in this as deep as I am and you’re going to stick it out. Hear me?”
“OK, OK, Sharon, but I hope to God you know what you are doing!”
“Talk to you later, Diane, bye.” Sharon hung up.
XXXIV
On Friday afternoon Charlie left work with his papers and drove over to Camden to the offices of Wexler & Santori. He arrived at 5:45 and the parking lot was practically empty. He entered the lobby and asked the security guard to call Bill Cummins’ office. Cummins told the guard to send Charlie up and the guard used his badge to open the security door to the elevators. Charlie had barely arrived to Cummins’ office when Warren Carpenter arrived to the lobby and after asking the security guard to call Cummins he, too, entered the building and took the elevator to Cummins’ office.
“Gentlemen,” Carpenter greeted them, “good to see you again.”
“Have a seat guys.” Bill Cummins gestured toward the sofa and matching chair and coffee table in the corner of his office.
Warren Carpenter began, “I showed the draft report to Phil Shaw and he was impressed and ecstatic. It fills the bill perfectly. He said he plans to return to the office a little over a week from now. He will schedule a press conference for his first day back. That gives you another week to finish the report, Charlie. Will it be ready?”
“For sure, Warren, unless Phil has recommended some changes, I just have to polish the report a bit and review the numbers. I will have it to Bill for sign off by early Wednesday and Phil will have it as soon as Bill signs. You agree, Bill?”
Warren Carpenter said, “Phil has not recommended any changes.”
“In that case, I would prefer it by Tuesday, Charlie, if you can swing it. That will allow me to get it to Phil by Wednesday and he will have three weekdays plus the weekend to prepare his press conference.”
“OK, Bill, Tuesday it is then.”
Warren Carpenter interjected, “He has already begun working on the press conference so I am not too concerned about the time line. But if he has it by Wednesday, I am sure he will feel more comfortable.”
“OK,” Charlie said, “I’ll have it to Bill by Tuesday. No problem. We should start looki
ng around for the supply firms and acquisitions that we are going to recommend. I figure we can have some possible targets over the next quarter. What do you think, Bill?”
“I think that’s OK. It will take us a while to vet the companies but we can have some under the microscope by then. How does Phil want to handle it?”
“As far as I know at this point,” Carpenter said, “he will want to be able to say that he has identified a few targets. He will want to tease the press a bit but only after we have put together a short list and have already approached the owners. We don’t want potential targets raising their prices because Shaw is on the prowl.”
“How do we want to work this? Bill Cummins asked. “I can use some of my contacts to identify some targets.”
Charlie said, “If you don’t mind, I’ve got an old college buddy who works for a bank in Philly. He would be discreet and he could create the legend that he is looking around for some of the bank’s customers. He has no connection to Shaw so he could pretty well inquire discreetly.”
“Good idea, Charlie,” Carpenter said “we want the buyer to be a secret until we have had a chance to value the company. When we sit down to talk turkey, then we can bring up Shaw’s name. Everyone knows that I am Phil Shaw’s attorney so the minute I open my mouth they know it is Shaw talking. Do you trust this guy?”
“Totally, Warren, we’ve been friends since college and I’m sure that helping us won’t harm his prestige and career in the bank one bit.”
“OK, Charlie.” Carpenter agreed, “Talk to him and find out what the bank’s fees would be to act as our scout in this deal.”
“Done.” Charlie said, “I’ll meet him for lunch tomorrow and have an answer by early next week.” The group agreed to meet again the following Friday at the Ritz-Carlton. Charlie would again rent a conference room and they would put the final touches on Phil Shaw’s return and begin implementing the growth strategy for the company.
* * * * *
When Charlie arrived to Gina’s apartment he kissed her and said, “Hello sweets, let me make one phone call and then we’ll talk, OK?” He grabbed the phone and punched in Joey Esposito’s number. “Joey? Charlie here, I’m fine thanks and you? Good. Listen Joey, are you free for a cheese steak sandwich tomorrow? I need to talk some business with you. OK, fine, I’ll be at your place at about 2. See you tomorrow and thanks.” Charlie rang off.
“Well hello, Mullins, how was your day?”
“It was good Gina, really good. How about you?”
“Same old, I tutored Johnny’s kids and stopped by Emily’s studio to see how she was doing with her painting. She’ll be ready for a show soon.”
“That’s great Gina. I’ll bet she is thrilled.”
“Oh yeah, she can hardly wait and neither can I.”
“Gina, you think we could visit your uncle again on Sunday? I have some things to discuss with him.”
“I’m sure of it. I’ll call him tomorrow morning and set it up. It sounds like things are moving now.”
“They sure are. Phillip Shaw will be back on the job in just over a week from now. We might be able to wrap this whole thing up quickly. By the way, I’ll have to go to softball practice tomorrow. I’ll leave early.”
“Gonna see the wackos, Charlie?”
“God, I hope not. I suspect my turning the tables on them might have upset their timing and their plans. At least I hope so.”
* * * * *
The next morning Charlie made some coffee, served Gina in bed, and left for Shoreville. As usual he checked the house when he picked up his gear and changed into his uniform. He told his teammates that he heard that Phil Shaw would be returning within another 10 days and they were all relieved. They were in a light mood as they practiced. Again, Charlie begged off the pizza and beer after practice. He went home, set his timers, washed and dried his uniform and stowed his gear. Everything done, he went to his car and headed for I-95 to meet with Joey Esposito in Philly. He didn’t pay attention to the car with two women in it that pulled out behind him on his street. The car was not a familiar one and the women were equally unfamiliar. Sharon Gallagher was a blonde and Diane Simms a brunette. Neither woman in the car resembled anyone he knew in Shoreville.
As he reached I-95 after crossing the bridge to Wilmington he saw that the car behind him appeared to be following him. He accelerated and so did the car behind. He slowed and the car did likewise. “Damn,” he thought, “I wonder if those two were brazen enough to follow me again! I’ll show them something this time.” Charlie pretended to ignore the chase car and continue his drive to Philly. Since he was going to Joey’s place he figured he could really confuse his surveillance. “Let them follow me. I’m going to blow their minds.”
He arrived to Joey Esposito’s building and parked nearby. Sharon pulled up a distance behind Charlie and parked her car. “We’ve got him this time Diane. He didn’t recognize us. This must be his girl friend’s place. Let’s wait and see if he comes out with her.” They waited about 30 minutes when Charlie came out of the building with Joey and they walked toward the sandwich shop. Sharon was perplexed. “He’s with a guy, for Christ’s sake! Is that why he is keeping everything so secret? Do you think Charlie is gay?”
“Sharon,” Diane replied, “I think you are going crazy with this stuff. Charlie is straight, for heaven’s sake. It’s probably just a friend of his.”
“Well, I’ve never seen that guy before. We have to find out who he is. Let’s see where they go.”
They watched as Charlie and Joey walked down the street toward the sandwich shop. When they entered, Sharon and Diane got out of the car so they could see inside the shop. They crossed the street and then strolled by the shop so they could observe from the other side. They saw Charlie and Joey head for a booth.
“Sharon, let’s get out of here,” Diane pleaded, “God knows how long they might stay there. We just can’t stand around on the street and we sure as hell can’t go in the shop with these stupid wigs. Charlie will recognize us through these silly disguises.”
“Cool it, Diane! We are here and we know now where Charlie goes when he comes up to Philly. Let’s just hang around for a little longer.”
“Oh jeez, Bob will crucify me if I get home too late. Come on, Sharon. Let’s leave.”
“No way, Diane, if you want to go home, get a taxi and go.”
“A taxi? Get a taxi from Philly to Shoreville?! Are you crazy, Sharon? It would cost me an arm and a leg.”
“Then just sit still, Diane. We can wait an hour or so. Let’s see if there is some place we can go and still be able to watch this shop or at least watch Charlie’s car. He’s not going to spend the whole damned day in there!”
Sharon spied a coffee shop where they could sit and see both the entrance to the sandwich shop and Charlie’s car just up the street near Joey’s apartment. “There, look Diane, that little shop over there will give us a clear view. We can see when Charlie leaves.” Sharon did not know that Charlie had observed her and Diane as they crossed the street and walked by the sandwich shop. He laughed to himself at the wigs and dark glasses they were both wearing. He decided he would raise the ante and make watching him an agonizing experience.
After he and Joey had ordered, Charlie explained his assignment at Shaw. He did not tell Joey about the IPO but he told him that Phil Shaw planned to make some investments to put the company on a growth trajectory. He explained how the company had been gradually losing competitiveness and margin and how Phil had had a chance to back away from his daily duties because of his heart attack and that viewing the company from a distance convinced him that he needed to lead it in a new direction. He swore Joey to secrecy and told him that he needed the services of a good bank to identify investment or acquisition targets without referring to Shaw Corporation. The company was prepared to hire the bank in a consulting role if the bank would agree to total confidentiality, which he presumed was normal practice anyway. “Gee Charlie, thanks for thinking of me on
this deal. I’ll have to talk to my boss about this, but we’ve done this sort of thing often and I’m sure it won’t be a problem. I know the bank has been dying to develop a relationship with the Shaw Corporation. And it will be a hell of a feather in my cap!”
“Well that’s what I thought, Joey. I figured if I have to spend the money to find some targets, why not help my friends? Besides, I know I can trust you. I will insist that you be my point man on this job. Will your boss have a problem with that?”
“No, I’m sure he won’t, Charlie. He will be so anxious to bring in Shaw as a client, he would let Bozo the Clown be the point man if you asked for him!” Joey laughed.
“OK, good. I’ll call you at the end of the day on Monday. You should probably set up a meeting between me and your boss. I’ll get our legal people to draw up a draft contract and you can ask your guys to do the same. Don’t let them stiff us on the fees, OK Joey?” Charlie laughed.
“You can count on me, Charlie. Boy, you don’t know what a big deal this will be in the bank. They’ve been trying to enter the Shaw Corporation for a long time. You’ve really helped me out on this one. Thanks again, buddy. I won’t let you down.”
“I’m sure of that, Joey. But we have to move on this one as quickly and quietly as possible. No target company should know that the Shaw Corporation is looking at them until we get down to brass tacks.”
“Not to worry, Charlie, our mergers and acquisitions people are good and they are discreet. They’ve done a lot of deals and have never had a problem. I’ll look forward to hearing from you Monday afternoon.”
They finished their meal and exited the sandwich shop. They had been there an hour-and-a-half. Sharon saw them coming out and said, “OK, Diane, they’re leaving. Let’s see where they go.”
“Jeez, Sharon, I’ve had enough coffee to fill a bucket! I’ll probably be peeing all day. And Bob is going to have my hide when I get home.”
