-Tbaes exactly what he believes.-
‘7hen he’s a bigger fool than I think he is. And now you threaten mel
Threaten me with secondhand inflammatory gossip about my soul I trust
you’re prepared to be cross-examined in oourL”
‘Is that what you wantr
“You may force me to Itl … I don’t know your position, but I do know a
great many people in Washington and Ne never beard of you. I can only
conclude that if someone like you can carry such tales, others must have
beard them too. Yes, you may force me into court. I won’t tolerate such
abusel”
Suppose it’s true?”
“It isn’t true and you know It as well as I dol “Ibere’s no reason on earth
why my son would involve himself in … in such zctivities. Hes wealthy in
his own rightl Both my sons have trust funds that return annual incomes of-
Ws be bonest-preposterous sums.”
80
“Then we have to eliminate profit as a motive, don’t we?” Benjamin Reynolds
wrinkled his brow.
“We eliminate nothing for there is nottLingl If my son has caroused a bit,
he’s to be criticized-not branded a criminal] And if you’re using the
gutter tactic of maligning the name Scarlatti because of its origin, you’re
contemptible and r1l have you dismissedl”
Benjamin Reynolds, slow to anger, was reaching a dangerous level of
irritation. He had to remind himself that this old woman was guarding her
house and was more difficult than she would have been in other circum-
stances.
“I wish you wouldn’t think of me as an enemy. I’m neither an enemy nor a
bigot. Frankly, I resent the sec, ond implication more than I do the
first.”
“Again you presume,” interrupted Elizabeth ScarlattL “I don’t grant you the
stature of an enemy. I think yotere a little man using malicious slander
for your own ends.”
“Ordering a man’s murder is not malicious slanderl”
“What did you sayr,
“Ifs the most serious charge we have.But there
are mitigating circumstances if ifs any comfort to you.”
The old woman stared at Benjamin Reynolds in contempL He ignored the look.
‘7he man who was murdered-the one whose death your son ordered-was a known
killer himself. . . . A captain of a freighter who worked with the worst
elements on the waterfront He was responsible for a great deal of killing-”
Elizabeth Scarlatti rose from her chair. “I won’t tolerate this,” she said
quietly. “You make the most damaging accusation possible and then you
retreat behind a wall of Implied judgment.”
‘Ibese are strange times, Madame Scarlatti. We can’t be everywhere. We
don’t want to be, frankly. We don’t lanient the gangster wars. Let’s face
it. Often they accomplish more than we can.”
“And you put my son in this … this category?”
‘I didn’t put him anywhem He did it himself.”
Elizabeth walked dowly from her desk to a front window overlooking the
street. “How many other people In Washington know about this outrageous
gossipr
Everything r” too your
“Anything.19
“There were a few rumors at Treasury. Nothing anyone wanted to run down.
About the rest, only my immediate subordinate and the man who was the
witness.”
“Their names?”
“Oh, no.”
“I can easily find out.”
“It wouldn’t do you any good.”
Elizabeth turned. “I see.”
“I wonder if you do?”
“Whatever you think, I’m not an idiot. I don’t believe a word of this. But
I don1 want the name of Scarlatti impugned…. How much, Mr. Reynolds?”
Group Twenty’s director returned Elizabeth’s stare without giving quarter.
“Nothing. Not a penny, thank you…. I’ll go further. You tempt me to bring
charges against you.”
“You stupid old manl”
“Damn it to hell, cut it outt All I want is the truthl . . . No, that’s not
all I want. I want it stopped. Before anyone else gets hurt. That much is
due a decorated hero. Especially in these crazy times. . . . And I want to
know whyl”
“To speculate would be to grant your premise. I refuse to do thatl”
“By Jesusl You’re a rough bird.”
“More than you realizel”
“Can’t you understand? … It’s not going any furtherl It ends herel That
is, it will if you can stop any future . . . activity, as you call it. We
figure you can do thaL . . . But I’d think you’d want to know why. Since we
both know your son is rich-why?”
Elizabeth simply stared at him and Reynolds’knew she wouldn’t answer. He’d
done what he could, said what he had to say. The rest was up to her.
“Good day, Madame Scarlatti. . . . I should tell you. I’ll be watching the
Scarlatti padrone.”
“The who?”
“Ask your son.”
Reynolds trudged out of the room. People like Elizabeth Scarlatti tired him
out. Probably, he thought, because he didn’t believe they were worth it
all. The giants never were.
Elizabeth-still by the window-watched the old man close the door behind
him. She waited until she saw him
82
descend the front steps and walk west toward Fifth Avenue.
The old man looked up at the figure in the window and their eyes met.
Neither acknowledged.
83
CHAPTER9
Chancellor Drew Scarlett paced the thick oriental rug of his office at 525
Fifth Avenue, He kept breathing deeply, pushing his stomach out as he
inhaled-the proper waybecause the masseur at his club told him it was one
method of calming down under pressure.
It wasn’t working.
He would change masseurs.
He stopped in front of the mahogany-paneled wall b& tween the two large
windows overlooking Fifth Avenue. On the wall were various framed newspaper
articles, all of them about the Scarwyck Foundation. Each prominently
mentioned hun-some with his name in bold print above the stories.
Whenever he was upset, which was quite often, he looked at these framed
records of achievement. It always had a calming effect.
Chancellor Scarlett had aslumed the role of husband to a dull wife as a
matter of course. The conjugal bed had produced five children.
Surprisingly-especially to Elizabeth-he had also become interested in the
family enterprises. As if in answer to his celebrated brother’s behavior,
Chancellor retreated into the secure world of the quasi-inspired
businessman. And he did have ideas.
Because the annual income from the Scarlath holdings far exceeded the needs
of a small nation, Chancellor convinced Elizabeth that the intelligent tax
course was to establish a philanthropic foundation. Impressing his mother
with irrefutable data-including the potential for antitrust
auits-Chancellor won Elizabeth’s consent for the
84
Scarwyck Foundation. Chancellor was installed as president and his mother as
chairman of the board. Chancellor might never be a war hero, but his
children would recognize his economic and cultural contributions.
The Scarwyck Foundation poured money into war memorials; preservation of
Indian reservations; a Dictionary of Great Patriots to be distributed
throughout selected prep schools; the Roland Scarlett Field Clubs, a chain
of Episcopal youth camps dedicated to the outdoor life and high Christian
principles of their democraticbut Episcopalian-patron. And scores of
similar endeavors. One couldn’t pick up a newspaper Without noticing some
new project endowed by Scarwyck.
Looking at the articles shored up Chancelloes undermined confidence, but
the effect was short-lived. He could hear faintly through the office door
the ring of his secretary’s telephone and it immediately brought back the
memory of his mother’s angry call to him. She’d been trying to find Ulster
since yesterday morning.
Chancellor picked up the intercom.
“Try my brother’s home again. Miss Nesbit.”
“Yes, sir.”
He had to find Ulster. His mother was adamant. She insisted on seeing him
before the afternoon was over.
Chancellor sa down in his chair and tried to breathe properly again. The
masseur had told him it was good exercise while sitting down.
He took a deep breath, pushing his stomach out as far as possible. The
middle button of his suit coat broke from the thread and fell on the soft
carpet, bouncing first on the chair between his legs.
Danint
Miss Nesbit rang him on the intercom.
91yeslot
‘The maid at your brother’s house said he was on his way over to see you,
Mr. Scarlett.” Miss Nesbit’s voice conveyed her pride in accomplishment.
“You mean he was there all the time?”
“I don’t know, sir.” Miss Nesbit was hurL
Twenty agonizing minutes later Ulster Stewart Scarlett arrived.
“Good Godl Where have you been? Mother’s been trying to reach you since
yesterday morningl We’ve called everywherel”
85
‘Tve been out at Oyster Bay. Did any of you thmk of calling therer
“In February? Of course notl … Or maybe she did, I doWt know.”
“You couldn’t have reached me anyway. I was in one of the cottages.”
‘TVhat the hell were you doing there? I mean, in February 119
-Lees say taking stock, brother mine. . . . Nice office. Chance. I =1
remember when I was here lasL”
“About three years ago.$$
‘What are all those gadgetsr’ asked Ulster, pointing at the desk.