Vandervoort was silent.
When the FMA announcement was read to Forum East supporters at both branch banks, there was some cheering, after which the assembled groups quietly dispersed. Within half an hour, business at the two branches returned to normal.
The matter might have ended there except for an information leak which, viewed in retrospect, was perhaps inevitable. The leak resulted in a newspaper commentary two days later an item in the same column, 'Ear to the Ground,' which first brought the issue out into the open.
Were you wondering who was really behind those Forum Easters who this week brought the proud and mighty First Mercantile American Bank to heel? The Shadow knows It's Civil Rights Lawyer-Feminist
Margot Bracken she of 'airport toilet sit-in' fame and other battles for the humble and stepped-on. This time, despite the 'bank-in' being her idea, on which she labored, Ms. Bracken kept her activity tiptop secret. While others fronted, she stayed out of sight, avoiding the press, her normal allies. Are you wondering about that, too? Stop wondering! Margot's great and good friend, most often seen with her around town, is Swinging Banker Alexander Vandervoort, exec veep of First Merc Am. If you were Margot and had that connection cooking, wouldn't you stay out of sight? Only thing we're wondering: Did Alex know and approve the siege of his own home plate? 'Goddamn', Alex,' Margot said, 'I'm sorry!' 'The way it happened, so am I.'
'I could skin that louse of a columnist alive. The only good thing is that he didn't mention I'm related to Edwina.'
'Not many know that,' Alex said, 'even in the bank. Anyway, lovers make livelier news than cousins.'
It was close to midnight. They were in Alex's apartment, their first meeting since the siege of FMA's downtown branch began. The item in 'Ear to the Ground' had appeared the day before.
Margot had come in a few minutes ago after representing a client in night court a well-to-do habitual drunk, whose habit of assaulting anyone in sight when he was boozed made him one of her few steady sources of income.
'The newspaper writer was doing his job, I suppose,' Alex said. 'And almost certainly your name would have come out anyway.'
She said contritely, 'I tried to make sure it didn't. Only a few people knew what I was doing, and I wanted it to stay like that.'
He shook his head. 'No way. Nolan Wainwright told me early this morning these were his words 'the whole caper had Margot Bracken's handwriting on it. And Nolan had started to quiz people. He used to be a police detective, you know. Someone would have tallied if the news item hadn't appeared first.' 'But they didn't have to use your name.'
'If you want the truth' Alex smiled 'I rather liked that 'swinging banker' bit.'
But the smile was false and he sensed that Margot knew it. The real truth was that the column item had jolted and depressed him. He was still depressed tonight, though he had been pleased when Margot telephoned earlier to say that she was coming. He asked, 'Have you talked to Edwina today?'
'Yes, I phoned her. She didn't seem upset. I suppose we're used to each other. Besides, she's pleased that Forum East is back on the rails again all of it. You must be glad about that, too.'
'You always knew my feelings on that subject. But it doesn't mean I approve your shady methods, Bracken.'
He had spoken more sharply than he intended. Margot reacted promptly. 'There was nothing shady in what I did, or my people. Which is more than I can say for your goddam bank.'
He raised his hands defensively. 'Let's not quarrel Not tonight.' 'Then don't say things like that.' 'All right, I won't.' Their momentary anger disappeared.
Margot said thoughtfully, 'Tell me when it all started, didn't you have some idea I was involved7'
'Yes. Partly because I know you very well. Also, I remembered you clammed up about Forum East when I expected you to tear me and FMA to shreds.'
'Did it make things difficult for you while the bank-in was going on, I mean?'
He answered bluntly, 'Yes, it did. I wasn't sure whether to share what I'd guessed or to keep quiet. Since bringing in your name wouldn't have made any difference to what was happening, I kept quiet. As it turned out, it was the wrong decision.'
'So now some of the others believe you knew all the time.'
'Roscoe does. Maybe Jerome. I'm not sure about the rest.'
There was an uncertain silence before Margot asked, 'Do you care? Does it matter terribly?' For the first time in their relationship her voice was anxious. Concern clouded her face.
Alex shrugged, then decided to reassure her. 'Not really, I guess. Don't worry. I'll survive.'
But it did matter. It mattered very much at FMA, despite what he had just said, and the incident had been doubly unfortunate at this time.
Alex was sure that most of the bank's directors would have seen the newspaper item which included his name and the pertinent question: Did Alex know and approve the siege of his own home plate? And if there were a few who hadn't seen it, Roscoe Heyward would make certain that they did. Heyward had made his attitude plain.
This morning, Alex had gone directly to Jerome Patterton when the bank president arrived at 10 A.M. But Heyward, whose office was nearer, had got there first.
'Come in, Alex,' Patterton had said. 'We might just as well have a threesome as two meetings of deuces.'
'Before we talk, Jerome,' Alex told him, 'I want to be the first to bring up a subject. You've seen this?' He put a clipping of the previous day's 'Ear to the Ground' on the desk between them.
Without waiting, Heyward said unpleasantly, 'Do you imagine there's anyone in the bank who hasn't1'
Patterton sighed. 'Yes, Alex, I've seen it. I've also had a dozen people direct my attention to it, and no doubt there'll be others.'
Alex said firmly, 'Then you're entitled to know that what was printed is mischief-making and nothing more. You have my word that I knew absolutely nothing in advance about what happened at the downtown branch, and no more than the rest of us while it was going on.'
'A good many people,' Roscoe Heyward commented, 'might consider that with your connections' he put sardonic emphasis on the word “connections'such ignorance would be unlikely.'
'Any explanations I'm making,' Alex snapped, 'are directed at Jerome.'
Heyward declined to be put off. 'When the bank's reputation is demeaned in public, all of us are concerned. As to your so-called explanation, do you seriously expect anyone to believe that through Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, over a weekend and into Monday, you had no idea, no idea at all, your girl friend was involved?' Patterton said, 'Yes, Alex; how about that?'
Alex felt his face flush red. He felt resentful, as he had several times since yesterday, that Margot had placed him in this absurd position.
As calmly as he could, he told Patterton of his guess last week that Margot might be involved, his decision that nothing would be gained by discussing the possibility with others. Alex explained that he still had not seen Margot since more than a week ago.
'Nolan Wainwright had the same idea,' Alex added. 'He told me earlier this morning. But Nolan kept quiet, too, because for both of us it was no more than an impression, a hunch, until the news item appeared.'
'Someone will believe you, Alex,' Roscoe Heyward said. His tone and expression declared: I don't.
'Now, now, Roscoe!' Patterton remonstrated mildly. 'All right, Alex, I accept your explanation. Though I trust you'll use your influence with Miss Bracken to see that in future she directs her artillery elsewhere.' Heyward added, 'Or better still, not at all.'
Ignoring the last remark, Alex told the bank president with a tight, grim smile, 'You can count on that.' 'Thank you.'
Alex was certain he had heard Patterton's last word on the subject and that their relationship could revert to normal, at least on the surface. As to what went on beneath the surface, he was less sure. Probably in the minds of Patterton and others including some members of the board Alex's loyalty would, from now on, have an asterisk of
