Look Both Ways Read online

  Facing Deeds, Price continued. “If we had let Perry handle this in the beginning, as I advised when I first called you, we wouldn’t be here now with egg on our faces.”

  They waited for Deeds to respond.

  “I think it’s a legal matter now, Miss Cross. We need to cut our losses and move on.”

  Susan felt the blood rushing through her body. She knew she could not buckle; could not weaken, and could not let Price see the tiniest crack in her resolve. “With all due respect, Mr. Deeds, I have already gone over my plan with Perry, and he approves. You hired me, sir. You put me here to manage this operation. As long as the allegations are procedural and not legal, I should be allowed to continue with my plan.”

  “Oh, give it up, Susan!” Price said impatiently. “You had a chance to defuse this mess and you blew it. If you keep handling things your way, we’ll all end up in jail,” he added with infuriating smugness.

  Susan had been pointedly ignoring him, but not this time. Her voice thick with contempt, she said, “I don’t recall addressing you, and I was not aware that I needed your permission. Mr. Deeds mentioned that he expected the two of us to handle this. But you never discussed this problem with me when I arrived, and you lied repeatedly when I questioned you. You will recall—unless you selectively choose not to—that the Cedargrove situation was thrown at me on my first day here when you directed Ann to send Rev. Cartwright and his delegation into my office. You knew I had no idea what they wanted. When I asked for your assistance and that of your department, I got zilch. You have overseen this travesty, and I will not be your scapegoat.”

  She turned to Mr. Deeds. “I will not be a scapegoat for anyone. I was apprised of this situation, not by Price, but by Rev. Cartwright and the people from that community. After reviewing the allegations, I requested the assistance of all underwriters to review those files and validate the denials. To date, neither Price nor his department has lifted a finger. I’ve handled this to the best of my ability, and with Perry’s cooperation and approval. The only way to clear this up now is my way. Anything less would be an admission of guilt and a tremendous loss of credibility for Sealand.”

  “I totally agree.” Perry had arrived in the middle of her statement and taken a seat by the door. “I’ve reviewed Susan’s plan, and I concur with everything she suggested. Price feels we should go back and approve the entire stack of previously denied loans, which would make us look guilty as sin. You do that and Cedargrove Heights will be a small ripple in the wave of damage lawsuits that I know will be filed. Every loan that has been denied since this company was founded will come under scrutiny.”

  Before Mr. Deeds could answer, Price spoke up.

  “I don’t think Miss Cross should be anywhere near this situation. As a matter of fact, I think she should resign and save herself the embarrassment. It has come to my attention that she has a personal relationship with Rev. Cartwright. I don’t see any of us trusting our jobs to her—not under those circumstances.”

  Susan was steaming and looking from one to the other. She decided she might as well risk it all. Turning to Price, she pointed her right index finger at his chest.

  “You listen to me, you weak-kneed coward, this company wouldn’t have to wade through this pile of crap if you had one ounce of sense or courage. I don’t know how many people were in on this, but I know that no underwriter worth his or her salt would have rejected a loan based on the reasons you gave to the applicants. You denied those loans for your own personal, racist reasons. If you’d bothered to scrutinize the files, you would have discovered that each file was missing pertinent documents, but you didn’t take it that far. You didn’t do your job, and I’m not taking the blame for your screw-up.”

  Laura knocked and entered. “Excuse the interruption, but there are reporters and cameramen in the lobby asking for Miss Cross. It’s a Mr. Warring. I thought you might like to know.”

  “Miss Cross?” Mr. Deeds turned to Susan and she turned to Perry, who was holding the morning paper with her rebuttal exposed on the page.

  “Perry has the morning newspaper, Mr. Deeds. That will explain.”

  Perry pushed the paper down the table. Mr. Deeds glanced at the article and pushed it back.

  “I wish you had consulted me before you did this, Miss Cross. You have—”

  “She consulted me,” Perry lied. “After her initial contact with the citizen’s group, Susan anticipated that media involvement was inevitable and prepared to take it head-on. I’ll be right by her side to answer any legal concerns, not that she will need my assistance.”

  Mr. Deeds looked unconvinced. “I’m thinking we should treat this as a legal matter and proceed from there. Having a war of words in the media is not going to help. If this firm lied to borrowers about their creditworthiness, we might as well face the heat now.”

  “Mr. Deeds,” Susan said, standing. “I was brought into the middle of a brewing controversy without any warning. You’re asking me to step aside, but you haven’t considered the consequences Perry mentioned. I did not deny these loans. If I had, you can bet I would have done it properly. As Perry said, backing down now would open the floodgate for a class action lawsuit that I’m sure would be devastating for Sealand. The accusations have been publicized. There is only one way to handle this. My way.”

  Mr. Deeds’s face was now a deep crimson. Stroking his chin, he looked at Perry, who shrugged his shoulders.

  “Very well,” he said disconsolately. “Send them in, Laura.”

  When the cameras were in place, the reporter began his questioning.

  “We’re live in the boardroom of Sealand Prime Financial to get their response to the allegations of redlining that were leveled by a group of citizens from Cedargrove Heights. Production manager Price Bishop, legal advisor Perry Trask, and the company’s president and CFO, Waylon Deeds, joins Susan Cross, head of production. Miss Cross, after your meeting with this group, did you assume the matter was settled?”

  She carefully weighed her words. “I informed Rev. Cartwright of problems with each of the loans in question. I’ve sent letters to all applicants, informing them of the specific problems that hindered approval on their loans, and now I’m prepared to explain all denials from inception of this housing development to now. The article in yesterday’s paper simply expressed the unilateral view of the group from Cedargrove. Sealand is ready to respond publicly to all allegations.”

  “Are you proposing a forum of some kind?”

  “I invite Rev. Cartwright, Rev. Otis, and all persons involved to meet with me and Mr. Trask. The meeting will be open to the media, and I especially invite the journalist who wrote the first article.”

  “When and where will this meeting take place?”

  “The logical site is here because the files are here, and we can accommodate a fairly large number of attendees, but I’m quite flexible.”

  At the end of the briefing, Susan was more confident than she had been since returning from Atlanta. No one was going to take away what she had earned. She still said when, where, and how much.

  * * *

  Susan and Price left when Mr. Deeds said he wanted to speak with Perry alone. Price strutted back to his office and Susan waited outside the boardroom. Perry emerged, appearing preoccupied and a bit unsteady.

  “Thank you for your vote of confidence, Perry. I know you went out on a limb, and I appreciate your support. I won’t let you down.”

  “Nonsense. I do agree with your plan. I also support your guts in taking a stand. If everyone was as knowledgeable as you about the legalities involved in managing this end of the business, my end would be a hell of a lot easier and the company’s expenses would be cut in half.”

  “Thank you, Perry. I want you there with me, and I need your advice.”

  Travis stopped and smiled when they passed in the hallway. He had told Price about her personal connection with Willard Cartwright to get back at her. However, for the time being, Susan chose to stay focused
. She could not afford to be sidetracked.

  She was not surprised that the usual interruptions from Price’s staff had stopped. As far as they were concerned, she had been relieved of her duties. She didn’t mind; she saw it as the break she needed to make sure everything was handled the way she needed it to be.

  “I feel like I’m preparing for a day before the Supreme Court,” she told Angie. “I won’t let us down on this.”

  Sitting at her desk, her mind kept going back to Willard Cartwright. Even in her anger, he was there with her. She missed waiting for his call, missed the sound of his voice and the effect it had on her heart. Her wandering mind got a much-needed break when Perry called at noon.

  “I’m about to go to lunch and wondered if you’re free to join me?”

  She gladly accepted, and for more reasons than one. Though Perry had supported her stand, his voice now lacked some of its earlier confidence, betraying concerns she was anxious to hear.

  She and Perry met at the elevator, and she had the pleasure of seeing Price do a double take when he saw them get on together. She knew it took very little for her nemesis to see a conspiracy behind every door. Deceit and lies were his weapons of choice, and he no doubt assumed others shared his twisted approach to human interactions. Well, chew on this, little man, she thought gleefully.

  As she expected, Perry headed down Kirby Drive to the little pocket of restaurants where the lunchtime crowd consisted mostly of legal professionals. They settled on one that was not crowded and were immediately seated. They ordered tea and made small talk before Perry turned serious.

  “I had an ulterior motive for asking you to lunch, Susan. Price is an idiot and I’m glad you stood up to him, but I do have concerns about your relationship with

  Rev. Cartwright. I need you to tell me that your personal relationship with this man did not prejudice our position.”

  She took a sip of tea and gathered her thoughts. “The first time Willard Cartwright came to Sealand with his allegations, the two of us went for each other’s throats. By his second visit, I was openly hostile. On the day we were evacuated from the building, I ran into him at a gas station. It was a purely chance encounter. We both apologized for our prior behavior and he ended up inviting me to a fashion show at his church. That was the beginning of our relationship.” She paused to let him digest scene one.

  “We went out several times, and he invited me to accompany him to Atlanta this past weekend. Travis Polk and I had a friendly relationship that never advanced past friendship. That was my call. This morning, he spied the airline ticket folder from Atlanta in my purse and added two and two. He became enraged because he felt I had rejected him in favor of someone else. He charged Rev. Cartwright of simply getting me out of town so his cronies could plant that story. I had already come to that conclusion, and having done so, wasted no time in saying good-bye to Rev. Cartwright.”

  She turned and looked directly into Perry’s eyes. “At no time did I say or do anything that would compromise Sealand’s position in this or any other matter. When the subject of redlining came up, Will and I disagreed so sharply we decided it was best to make it totally off limits. We never discussed it again.”

  “Good. Do you feel you can prove we were within our rights to issue those denials?”

  “We were and I can. My response to Rev. Cartwright was an honest one, but I lied by omission. Now I’m going to tell you the truth. I found legitimate reasons to deny each of those loans, but not for the reasons Price’s underwriters cited. Price redlined that area, Perry. I have not divulged this to anyone who didn’t already know it, and in the presence of Rev. Cartwright’s group, I’ll continue defending Sealand, but only if Deeds allows me a free hand to make amends.”

  He smiled. “When did you study law?”

  “With a few more hours, I can get a law degree. I considered law school after college but went for the MBA instead. I had taken a few basics, but most of my classes were taken after I became a Sealand employee. There was a wonderful old man in Canton who encouraged me to learn as much as I could about every aspect of lending, and I did. He chose the classes, and Sealand agreed to pick up the tab as long as I maintained a B average. My lowest average was ninety-two.”

  “Do you think Cartwright was trying to distract you?”

  “I’m not sure, Perry. Even though we began on the wrong foot, the attraction was there from the beginning. Once we got past the initial insults, he asked me to marry him. But I can’t say for sure that it wasn’t part of some ploy. As it stands now, I’ll probably never find out.”

  “That’s too bad,” he said with genuine regrets. “From what I hear, he’s a complex man. I’m sorry you’re caught up in this, and I’ll do everything within my power to help you through it.”

  Having no doubt of Perry’s sincerity, she thanked him again for believing in her and for his concern. His trust was one more reason she knew she could not fail.

  After bringing Angie up to date on the latest moves, Susan spent the rest of her workday alone in her office, receiving only a sprinkling of calls from other branches. Her mind rambled back through her childhood and to the daily doses of pride and self-confidence that she received. I will not fold.

  Soon after arriving home, she called her parents and listened to their tales of dissension in their church and tried to dissect Will’s claim of innocence.

  “I’m not defending this man, but don’t discount what he says. Your mother thinks the sun rises on the elder Cartwright. I just know that any man would be a fool not to fall in love with my daughter. I’m being biased, and that’s my prerogative.”

  “Thanks, Daddy. I needed that. As far as Will is concerned, I don’t feel like sorting through that pile of garbage to find the source of the stench. I can’t make another mistake, and I can’t let any man control my life.”

  She took a long bath, lay on the sofa and fell asleep with the TV on. When she awakened and the news was on, her press briefing was being aired.

  “Susan Cross, executive vice-president and newly appointed head of the lending division, has invited citizens of Cedargrove to present their complaints in a public forum.”

  After watching, Susan pronounced herself pleased with her confidence and her delivery. She also studied the faces around her: Waylon Deeds wore a half smile, as if in deep prayer; Perry displayed the ever-brave assurance, and Price Bishop had his ever-present smirk. At the end of the interview, Tony Warring delivered his commentary.

  “Sealand holds the distinction of being the largest privately owned lending institution in the country. Headquartered here in Houston, the company has enjoyed a prominent position in our lending community. With offices in twenty-four states, Sealand offers a large array of lending and banking services. We will keep you abreast of the developments in this controversy.”

  “I hope you saw this, Rev. Cartwright,” Susan said, stroking Dino’s back. “I want to meet you face to face and show you what I’m really like.” She fell asleep again, this time not waking until morning.

  She went into the office early, hoping to avoid contact with either Price or Travis. The secretaries had not yet manned their positions when her phone rang.

  “Susan Cross.”

  There was a moment’s silence before he spoke. “Susan, Will. I’m calling about the news piece. I have contacted the complainants, and we are prepared to meet with you at your convenience.”

  “That’s kind of you. How about Friday morning at nine, room 212 of our building facing Voss? Approximately how many will join you?”

  “When offered a chance to expose this matter, some of them feared going on television and backed down. To the best of my knowledge, there will be twelve, plus Mrs. Whitehead and myself. Is that agreeable?”

  “Quite agreeable.”

  “And may I ask who will represent your company?”

  “I’m the spokesperson. Perry Trask of our legal department will be with me. I’m not sure how many others will attend, but be ass
ured you will not be outnumbered. I would also advise you to bring a legal representative for your group.”

  “Are we moving toward litigation?” he asked, his voice now dry and a little sharp.

  “That’s strictly up to you and the people of Cedargrove. I’m bringing legal counsel because I want to make sure I’m on solid legal ground when I answer your allegations. I suggested you do the same in case someone wants to challenge the facts as they are presented.”

  “I understand. Thank you. I’ll see you on Friday, unless there is something else you want to discuss.”

  She wanted to scream, Yes! Instead, she said, “Nothing on this end, Reverend,” sounding overly cheerful.

  “Thank you.”

  She thought she heard him say her name as she hung up, but it was only his voice echoing in her head. Frustrated, she gathered a stack of loan commitments and went down the hallway to secondary lending. Passing Travis in the hallway only intensified her anguish. Her face was still stinging when she finished her business and headed back to her office. Price called her name as she passed his door.

  “Yes?”

  “I was just wondering if a meeting has been scheduled with your friend from the church.”

  “I’ll give you plenty of notice, Price.”

  He leaned back in his chair, a look of spiteful jubilation on his face. “I’m sorry you got yourself into this mess, Susan. I don’t know how you can defend your position, but I wish you luck.”

  She started to walk away but changed her mind. The undisguised elation in his voice was more than she could swallow. She slammed his door shut and swung around to face him.

  “I’ll just bet you do.”

  Walking closer, she placed her hands on his desk and assumed an in-your-face stance, feeling a barely controllable urge to smack his face.

  “You had better pray that I take flight and leave here, because you are in no way prepared to go toe to toe with me. In addition to being disloyal, you are weak and stupid, which accounts for your lack of judgment in choosing your sparring partners. Save your good luck for yourself. You just might need it.”