The Interior - Страница 60

Finally the time came for the four principals to take their seats. Miles and Randall sat on one side of the table, Henry and Doug on the other. David and Miss Quo, who would take notes, took seats just behind Miles and Randall. Governor Sun and Amy Gao sat behind Henry and Doug. The others clustered around while the photographer continued to shoot film.

"Well, Henry," Randall said, "let me first thank you for all of your hospitality here in China. You have certainly made us feel welcome. And now we come to the culmination of months of talk and hard work."

Miles ceremoniously brought out the final contracts from his briefcase. Miss Quo stood and distributed copies to the people seated at the table.

"Henry," Randall said, "I think you'll find everything in order."

But Henry, who'd been so quiet during dinner, just stared at the contract. His face was tinged gray.

"Henry?" Randall asked.

"Dad?"

Without moving his head, Henry turned his eyes to his son. "Doug," he said, "I need to speak you outside."

"Henry, can't it wait?" Randall asked, all friendly concern, as the two men stood.

Henry came around the table, tapped David on the shoulder, and jerked his head toward the door.

As David rose, Miles said in his most senior partner everything-is-under-control voice, "Whatever the problem is, David, I trust you to take care of it right now."

David nodded and followed Henry back into the dining room, where the waitresses were clearing the remains of the banquet. Henry said, "David, I've tried talking to him, but he doesn't seem to understand the seriousness of the situation. Maybe he'll listen to you."

But before David could speak, Doug said, "That's not what happened. I listened and I told you that it's not as bad as he made it sound."

"You still haven't told me how bad," Henry pressed.

Doug shrugged. "We've had some accidents. Some of the women have quit."

Henry grabbed his son's arm and squeezed. "How bad?"

"Bad," Doug admitted. He looked the picture of a contrite son. Only this time the boy in question was forty-something and he'd been caught with more than a few Playboys tucked under his mattress.

Henry's face crumpled in disappointment and horror. "Why didn't you tell me before?"

"We went over this a thousand times today, Dad. I was ashamed."

The dining room door opened, and Miles stepped into the room. "Is there something I can help you with?"

Henry said, "I've just asked my son a question. I'm waiting for the answer."

Doug hurried on. "You were back at home, I was out here, and I didn't want you to worry. I knew you wanted this sale and I wanted you to enjoy your retirement, so I thought we'd just hang on. If I could keep this a secret from you, then I knew I could keep it a secret from Tartan, for several months at least."

"Let's go back to the other room," Miles tried placatingly. Henry stayed focused on Doug. "Do you have any idea what would have happened if the sale went through tonight and tomorrow Tartan discovered what was happening? And what about our shareholders?"

David knew for a fact that Randall Craig already knew some of what was going on in the factory and didn't care. As for the shareholders…

Doug said, "The sale's what I've been counting on. With the influx of cash we'll be able to remedy all of our problems."

"That's right," Miles soothed. "Don't worry so much, Henry. Everyone's nerves get frayed at the conclusion of a big deal like this. And we all appreciate that Knight International is your baby. It's just eleventh-hour jitters."

"He's right, Dad, the sale has to go through. We've all worked so hard!"

Henry looked questioningly at David, but Henry wasn't David's client.

Miles, sensing Henry's indecision, put a companionable hand on the older man's shoulder. "Come, Henry, come back to the table. Once we get this over with, you'll feel a lot better."

Miles led Henry back to the dining room, where the Chinese bureaucrats looked unconcerned. Last-minute negotiations and delays were the norm. Miles, Doug, and his father resumed their seats. David remained standing, positioning himself so that he could see the whole table and not just the back of Miles's and Randall's heads. "Is everything all right?" Randall asked. Henry nodded.

"Good," Randall said. "Miles, we're all familiar with the terms of the sale, but maybe you should take us through them one more time."

David watched Miles weigh the possibilities. If he'd so easily convinced Henry to come back to the table, then maybe Henry would sign right away. But one look at Henry made that seem a dicey proposition.

He was slumped in his chair, staring blankly at the papers before him. David caught an almost imperceptible nod as Miles made his decision. "The first three pages are mainly boilerplate," Miles began, "so if you'll all just turn to page four."

Henry slowly reached out, picked up the papers, and flipped them over to the page Miles had ordered. The reading began. Several of the Chinese glanced at their watches. This was not part of tradition and very rude of their hosts to expect them to stand through this.

A half hour later, they came to the signature page. Randall picked up his pen and signed the original. Miss Quo picked it up and set it in front of Henry. He put the nib of his pen on the signature line, then just as easily lifted it. "I'm sorry, but I can't sign."

"Come on now, Henry," Randall said pleasantly. "Sign and it will all be over."

Henry pushed the contract away. "No."

Murmurs rippled through the room as the Chinese who understood English translated this latest development to those who didn't.

"If this is a last-minute plea for more money, I can tell you that you're way off base," Randall said.

But Henry just sat there.

"Look, Henry," Randall said, "we all know that you love China and think her ways are great. But using Chinese delay tactics is going too far."

Hearing this, a couple of the representatives from the Chinese ministries abruptly left the room. Sun and Amy Gao exchanged looks but kept their seats.

"It's not that. I'm just not prepared to sign at this time."

"Dad!"

"You can't back out now, Henry," Randall said.

"I just did."

"Doug," Randall said, "try talking some sense into your father."

"Dad, do it and it will be done," Doug implored.

Henry shook his head. "Not at this time."

"Look, seven hundred million is a lot of money," Randall said. "I can't guarantee that it will be here tomorrow."

"Then we'll see what happens tomorrow," Henry said. With each word his resolve seemed firmer.

Randall turned to his lead attorney. "Miles?"

Miles sighed heavily, then curled his lips into a disappointed grimace. He held up his hand and shot out a finger. On what was obviously a prearranged signal, the two minions from Tartan rose and began circulating around the room, whispering discretely to the assorted guests that Tartan and Knight were pleased that they had come and they hoped to see them again sometime soon. The rest of the Chinese took their cue and hurriedly left. Amy Gao's heels tapped smartly as she followed Governor Sun. Nixon Chen lingered for a moment, gazing appreciatively at the center table as if memorizing the spectacle for future tellings. Then he bowed formally, swiveled on his heel, and left the room.

One of Tartan's men approached Hulan. "Miss Liu, you'll have to leave as well."

Hulan glanced at David. He nodded and said, "I'll see you downstairs."

As soon as the door closed behind Hulan, Miles said, "I'm sorry to say I anticipated this moment, so of course we're prepared with some alternatives. The easiest thing to do is something my partner suggested. David thinks everything could be resolved if you sign an indemnification letter."

If Henry had read between the lines of that statement, he might have understood that Miles and Randall were aware of problems in the factory. But Henry was not an attorney, nor did he have one present to intervene on his behalf.

Still, anticipating that Henry might see through this, Miles went on. "We understand that this is a family business and that you're quite attached to it. So a second alternative would be for us to buy only your company's assets. You would keep the name of Knight International, and we would purchase your factory and your toy lines." David understood, but again no one was there to tell Henry that in buying only the assets, Tartan would be absolved of any previous wrongdoing.

"Finally, there's a third alternative. We go for a hostile takeover."

"You can't do that," Henry said smugly. "Fifty-four percent of Knight's shares are owned by my son and myself."

Miles shook his head in mock sadness. "As soon as the market opens Monday morning New York time, we're prepared to offer forty dollars for every share that's been selling at the already inflated price of twenty. This, combined with the twenty-two percent that your son has agreed in principle to sell us, will put us in the majority position in forty-eight hours."

"Doug?"

"Just sign the papers, Dad. Like the man said, seven hundred million is a lot of money."

Henry's eyes turned hard, and he turned back to Randall. "When did this happen?"

But Miles answered for his client. "Yesterday on the flight from Taiyuan to Beijing. We confirmed everything this afternoon."