Duly Diligent

Chris was a riot of color. In a pink sweater vest over a light peach top and black stretch pants, she sailed into the breakfast room on a sea of English grays, blues and tweeds. Harry could only think of it as classic American cockiness. Lou noticed her right away. Craig, a few seconds later. Harry caught the hint of guilt in his eyes as they shifted away from Chris and back to his menu. Lou had no such reservations as he moved his body in his chair so as not to have to crane his neck so far. Harry put his menu down and walked over to the small table where Chris had sat down.

“Good morning.” He said, a slight smile playing on his face.

She looked up and shot a glance at Lou and Craig. “Hi.”

“Care to join us?”

Her brows furrowed. “Not a good idea.” Harry didn’t let it discourage him.

“They won’t bite.”

“Thanks. I’m going to have to hustle through breakfast though. Thanks.”

“Sure. See you later.”

“Hey.”

“What?”

“Nice outfit.”.

She glanced down at herself for a second “Thanks.”

“You’re pretty in pink.”

Her brow furrowed again but Harry saw the shadow of a smile on her. She said nothing and he went back to his table to order.

“So, do you think he’s taking someone for a ride?”

”Huh?”

”Lou, focus.” Harry said, smiling, “Do you think Adrian is on the level, or is there something he’s holding back from us?” Lou smiled his ‘got me, didn’t you, you son of a bitch’ smile back.

“I’m sure he’s a fine businessman with an acute sense of the market and we’re just un-necessarily suspicious because we’re consultants trying to impress the client.”

“Go on.” Harry said.

“Trouble is, the client is already impressed with us so we’ve got little to prove. We have to make certain it’s a good partnership but that’s all. The fact that we’re still suspicious doesn’t bode well for Adrian if he’s really up to something not quite above board. If everything checks out and he’s doing what he says he’s doing and can deliver on all his promises, good for him. We owe him an apology for being rude and heartily recommend that TBH moves ahead with Adrian Wallace at the helm. If, on the other hand, he is not entirely forthcoming with us, then we are obligated to report our suspicions and concerns to our client.”

“His numbers don’t add up.” Craig said.

“Precisely. They don’t.” Lou dropped some of his usual sarcastic tone, “So we need to ask the hard questions of Adrian and he needs to answer them and we need to chase down every lead.”

“Due diligence by proxy for Owens Media,” Harry said.

“Yes.”

“So we still don’t have enough information.” Craig said.

“Not nearly enough.” Replied Harry and Lou nodded.

“Not even close. What we have is one introductory interview with Adrian that didn’t go well.” Harry avoided wincing. It wasn’t easy. “We have Adrian’s line and we have our own research and there’s a gap but we don’t have any other back up. We need to talk to him again and have him clarify any points we have an issue with and give us access to the data that will back him up, or not. Answer our questions.”

“Road trip.” Said Harry. The waiter returned for their order. Harry would have the ‘classic English breakfast’ featuring ‘backed bins’. He hoped the writer was hooked on phonics and that baked beans would grace his plate.

“I’m thinking so.” Said Lou, “Adrian needs to give us his contact information and we need to vet every bit of it. See if stories match . He’s got four in-house people. Presumably a managing editor, a senior editor, some sort of art or production person and I would guess a personal assistant. It looks like he’s doing all his ad sales himself. If those four are the mix, or close to it then he’s getting everything else on a freelance basis. Stories, first edit, copy edit, fact check, art and photo, page assembly, layout. We need to visit to every last one of them. Check out their business, check out their operations. Get his advertising clients and talk to them.”

“Glad we got weekly tube passes.” Said Craig.

“Might need weekly train passes.” Said Harry. “This could be a lot of traveling.”

“So it’s a plan?” asked Lou.

“It is.” Answered Harry “I love when that happens.”

Breakfast came. Harry was glad to see that he had guessed right on the baked beans. Lou ordered another cup of coffee and asked that the pot be left on the table. Lou usually drank a cup or two in the morning but there was something manic about him when he got involved in a project. It made him a caffeine addict. You could usually tell where Lou was in his work by the intensity of his coffee drinking.

“Harry?” Lou was stirring, trying to distract himself from himself.

“Um?” Backed bins. Yum.

“Harry, what’s going on with her?” Harry stopped eating. Lou stopped stirring. Craig shifted nervously. This was Lou’s line of questioning. Whatever Harry was or wasn’t doing was something that Craig would turn a blind eye to. He didn’t want to wrestle the issues, he wanted to get the project done and go home to Susan. Lou looked forward to seeing Maria again, but he also wanted to know where his friend was.

“Nothing. We’re having dinners together. Seeing the town. She’s good company.” Harry didn’t know why he didn’t tell the whole truth. Lou knew. What was the big deal?

”Oh fuck off Harry! Don’t lie to me, I’m your friend remember? Look, don’t think this is about the first Adrian meeting because it isn’t. That’s done and past. But remember that I come to your house too? And I have to say hi to your wife and make pleasant small talk. How was London? Very nice. Did you boys do anything? Not together at nights ‘cause Harry was fucking around with this blonde he met but I don’t know anything else, is that a new painting in the living room? Come on Harry. This isn’t fair to us.”

Craig had put his knife and fork down and was staring at his coffee cup. Lou was staring at Harry. Harry was staring at the wall.

”She’s trapped in a burning building.”

”And you’re the hero who’s going to rescue her?” Lou asked in a level voice.

“No, I’m the guy on the sinking ship.” No one said anything. Harry put his utensils down and wiped the corner of his mouth with his napkin. Chris looked over and he caught her eye for a moment. Then she looked away.

“She’s in a burning building and I’m on a sinking ship and we both jumped for each other at the same time. That’s about all there is to it. At least all I want to say. You can fill in the details if you want to Lou.”

”So we never saw a thing? We all go home and nothing happened?” Lou asked.

“To be honest Lou, I don’t think you’re going to have to cover for me to anyone once we’re back.”

”Harry, what’re you saying?” Craig fairly jumped out of his seat.

“I don’t know. I don’t know yet but I’m getting a sense that something’s going to change because something has already changed here.”

”You’re not getting rash are you?” asked Lou, “The city’s an awful romantic place and you can walk down by the river and get a little crazy. Back home you’ve got bills, laundry, garbage to take out.”

”No one to talk to, a wife that’s never there, I might as well be single.”

”She won’t be there either Harry.” Lou nodded in Chris’s direction, “ That’s not a class ring she’s wearing.”

”Maybe…”

”Whoa pardner! Aren’t you going off a little?” Lou’s level tone had vanished, “What, you meet her here and suddenly you’ve got a life together there? Harry, what the fuck are you doing? You’re married. And even if that’s going to change, you think she’s just going to dump her old man and come running ‘cause you had some fun over here? What are you thinking? Do you think this is a movie? Harry, snap out of it for a second, will you?”

Harry stared back at the wall and said nothing. His face was cold and the chill was moving down his back. The chill was the realization that Lou was stating facts Harry had either never considered or willfully ignored as he drank deep of Chris. What was he doing? What did he think was going to happen? He had been living a movie. Now the film had stopped and Harry realized he didn’t have answers to half his questions and the ones he did have were stupid and made up. Like a kid in a test who hadn’t studied a thing.

“I don’t know.” He said slowly.

Lou had become animated while talking and had drawn Chris’s attention. She began to look over at the three men. Not dwelling on them, but glances became more frequent. Harry looked back now. Their eyes met. He still didn’t have an answer for Lou, or for himself for that matter. He got up and walked over to Chris’s table.


”Hey again.”

”Hi.” Said Chris.

“You have plans tomorrow night?”

“No.”

“Good. Join us for dinner.”

”What, all of you?”

”The four of us. The boys and me. It’ll be fun. I’ll find a place.” And he gave Chris a look that assured her they were not going back to either the nondescript or the Italian tratorria.

“Sure, sounds like fun.” But Chris’s voice didn’t belie fun.

“Ok, I’ll call you with the details. Once I make them up.” And Harry tried to smile a rakish smile but it didn’t belie rakish.

“See you later.” Lou looked at Harry when he returned to the table but said nothing. Craig had returned to finishing breakfast. Harry replaced the napkin on his lap and tucked back into his beans and eggs.

“I invited her out to dinner tomorrow. I’d appreciate if you guys could join us.”

”All of us?” Craig asked, Harry cut him short.

“I’ll pick up the tab. I don’t expect Intaglio to foot the bill.”

”I didn’t say I had a problem with that, did I?” Craig’s voice had an edge. Harry paused for a moment.

“No, I’m sorry. You didn’t. I’m sorry.”

”We’ll expense it.” Lou said. “Bury it somewhere.”

”Is all of us a good idea Harry?” Craig asked.

“I don’t know guy. I don’t know but I want to start finding some things out.” Lou looked at Craig, who’s face was expressionless. Then he looked over at Chris, collecting her bags and soft-side briefcase. She was arranging some papers in a side compartment. She didn’t look over.

“I guess we’re all going to dinner.” Lou said, his voice even again.

***

Adrian welcomed them warmly and immediately sent Sara out for coffee and water. The three Americans were directed to the same three leather chairs they had uncomfortably sat in a few days ago and Adrian settled back into his leather chair-throne was more like it- as he had days ago as well. The seating for Lou, Craig and Harry was still uncomfortable but the mood was not. They had spoken and planned further at breakfast and on the tube trip over. They knew what had to be done and were now going to do it.

“And how are you gentlemen today?” Adrian launched into his opening monologue that included observing that the weather was holding up quite nicely, the rain they had had a few days ago had not returned and the days were generally sunny, pleasant and dry. Had they had any time to see any of the sights? Really must see the British Museum and the Elgin Marbles before hordes of the politically correct force their return to the uncultured boors who held them without knowing what they were in the first place.

Coffee and tea and water was served. Harry and Craig each grabbed a plastic “VITA” water bottle while Lou busied himself with coffee. He was stirring in milk:

”So Adrian, what can you tell me about the people that work here?”

”Well, there’s four as you saw on Monday. Sara is my personal assistant, Emily more or less manages the editorial workflow, Louise reviews all the copy from an executive editorial perspective and Keith is our layout expert. He prepares the files to go to the printer.”

”Who sells?”

”I do right now. I have hopes, I think you’ve picked that up from the strategic plan, to hire on additional staff but for the moment I’m taking care of our accounts.” It was all Harry could do not to kick Lou under the chair. He casually turned. Lou was worrying his spoon around the coffee cup and Craig’s lips were slightly pursed and the corners of his mouth tucked downwards. Cat that ate the canary face, if cats had lips.

“Well, we’d love to talk to your staff. Get some ideas of how they envision their jobs filling out as you grow the business.” Lou said, looking out of Adrian’s office window onto the office floor.

“I think they’d enjoy that.” Adrian said. “I’ve chosen them all personally or from personal recommendations. I think you’ll be as impressed with them as I was and am.”

”I’m sure. We’d like to visit your freelance people too. Editors, writers, art people. The American version of Towards Better Health has a very distinct voice that I’m sure you’re aware of. I’d like to be able to tell Owens Media that you’ve done a fine job of recruiting the talent that will capture that voice. I’m sure you have.”

”Yes, of course.” Adrian’s voice had dropped a half octave and slowed, “I’ll see that Sara prepares a list of people you’ll need to speak to.”

“Good, good. Thank you. I’m presuming you haven’t set up any printers for the magazine yet? Its still early on.”

”I’ve spoken to some people in a general way, but no commitments have been made beyond the test issues, if that’s what you’re asking.”

“Yes, I’m interested in the whole picture. What about distribution and logistics?”

”I can arrange a discussion with those people.”

”Well, I think that that should cover us then. This is very helpful Adrian. Thank you.”

”Think nothing of it.” Adrian said, brightening.

“I’m impressed with the early projections of advertising revenue. Craig was looking at the numbers and there are a healthy amount of pages in the test issues and the endemic base predictions are promising. You must have worn out a few pairs of shoes getting all those clients.” Lou smiled.

“Ah yes. Fortunately we still have high regard for cobblers here.” Adrian smiled back.

“Well, I don’t think we have to worry about ad revenue from these numbers. Craig has extrapolated them out by a year, eighteen months and two years and the book is pretty much self sustaining from the start.” Lou was still smiling. The smile was not shared by Craig. He kept a blank face but had the slightest of worry furrows forming on his brow. He had done no such analysis and was wondering why Lou was wandering so far, and so dangerously, off script. Harry was wondering the same thing but he also saw Lou working on his second coffee and knew the manic place had been gotten to.

“No, I have to tell you Adrian. And I’m not often this candid. But I had some concerns about advertising dollars. The market is so dramatically different. We sell a lot of pages to pharmaceuticals in the States but that’s not the case here.”

”No, I’m afraid it’s illegal in England.”

”Yes. And the dollars are very lucrative back home and I didn’t see a similar advertising base. But here you have assembled it. Very nicely too.”

”Yes, well, thank you again.” Adrian said cordially, settling back into his leather chair. The leather squeaked a bit under him as he relaxed.

“I’d like to visit some of your accounts if I may. A sampling; large, small, endemic and one shot sales.” Adrian’s settling stopped. He did not come forward but he stopped any further sink into the back of the chair.

“I would think that some sort of visit and discussion could be arranged.” He said slowly, “I could introduce you to the buyers and we could all go over whatever it is you’d like to ask.”

”Well, I was thinking that we’d visit them independently.” Lou said. “We’ve got a lot of ground to cover between your freelancers, your staff and your accounts. We’d be unnecessarily taking you out from your work.”

“Well, I appreciate the consideration but I don’t think I can arrange independent meetings.”

”If we had contact people, we could take care of setting those up.”

“I’m afraid that would be impossible.”

”Why?”

“Its not how we conduct business here.”

This will be good Harry thought. He settled back in the chair that seemed to have come back into the realm of the comfortable. He watched, knowing Lou could handle himself but stayed off his wing tip just in case. The way they always did for each other.

“And how do you conduct business here?” Lou was asking.

“When it comes to selling advert pages, it’s a very personal affair. Its frankly all based on the quality of the relationship and I’ve spent a fair amount of time and money cultivating those relationships. A number of years as a matter of fact because the idea for extending the English brand of Towards Better Health didn’t just pop out of my head last Tuesday. There has been extensive groundwork laid and its all still rather precarious because right now all these people have is my word. Now that is worth quite a bit and will see us through. However, unless I actually produce a physical magazine within a few short months, complete with proper editorial content and actually sell the thing, that, those relationships will all whither away to naught.” Adrian got up to continue. “I appreciate you gentlemen have work to do. I appreciate that there is due diligence involved on Owens part to assure they are making a sound investment. I can personally assure you they are. On top of which I think I have been very forthcoming with my organization, thank you very much. However, I am not, repeat not, going to let you walk into our primary advertiser’s office to destroy what has taken so long to build.”

Harry looked up at Adrian. He was an imposing man; six foot or better, well groomed with silver gray hair. Not a strand out of place. His suit was perfectly cut for his frame, spotless, pressed and no doubt very expensive. He had a silk handkerchief folded in his breast pocket. Probably the real thing. Full sized, pressed and neatly folded. Not the three creased polyester number stapled to cardboard he remembered his old man wearing, looking like the head waiter at the Metropole. No, Adrian looked more like a well polished, well groomed, well spoken con man. All that was missing was the lapel rose and fake gold tooth. He could have sold Bibles in Kansas. Harry didn’t know why he immediately jumped to con man but he did and apparently so did Lou. Trouble was they couldn’t prove a thing and whatever Adrian’s indignation and bluster had achieved, it had also blunted Lou’s attack. The trap had loosed its moorings.

“I’m sorry.” Harry said, “I think you’ve misunderstood us. Of course we’d be much more comfortable with you around, particularly on an advertiser’s tour. But really, as you say, if there isn’t a physical magazine in a couple of months there’s going to be a lot of questions asked. We’ll cover the production and editorial review. It would be great if you could set up a few short meetings with some key accounts. Something convenient for you and them. Perhaps a dinner? Whatever works.”

”When did you have in mind?” Adrian was still cool, although he had sat down.

“We have another six days in town. If you can manage, next Monday. think we could be flexible. We are, after all, your guests.”

Lou was slouched back in his chair, scowling. He usually feigned a scowl. He and Harry had run this good cop, bad cop routine before. But this expression was real. Adrian had pissed him off, side-stepping as he did.

“I’ll see what I can do. It is rather short notice, there is a busy time we are headed into.” ”I’m sure we all appreciate it.” Harry smiled slightly. No teeth, just professional friendliness that the others in his team were meant to pick up on.

“We’d appreciate that.” Lou said, almost under his breath and let his scowl relax ever so slightly. Harry smiled a bit harder and Craig did too and Adrian appreciated the wedge he thought he had driven into the team and said:

”I’ll make some telephone calls and see whom I can make time with if any. I can’t make promises.”

”Of course not.” Lou almost grunted but settled for a quick exhalation.

“Anyway, I think we should get started with your people if that’s ok Adrian?”

”Yes. Yes, I think that’s convenient.” Lou shot out of his chair and pulled a notebook out of his case. “Thanks for your time.” As he passed Adrian. Craig followed and set up his laptop on a spare desk. He looked a little embarrassed. Harry stayed behind with Adrian. He had risen but not moved towards the door. Now he sat down again.

“I’m sorry if he’s a little on edge.”

”He was rather rude.”

“He is very focused. He zones in on his work and sometimes forgets that his work is or involves other people. He’s tremendously insightful but again, there are shortcomings.”

”Quite.” Adrian said.

“Well, I’m sorry if he offended you.”

”I’m sure we can overlook that. Let me make those telephone calls and I’ll see what we can arrange.”

”Thank you. Monday will be very productive.”

”Again, I’ll see what we can arrange.”

Lou managed a slight smile three hours later when he and Harry and Craig left for the first freelancer’s office. They had spoken to all the staff; Lou taking notes in notebooks, Harry, yellow legal pads, Craig tapping it all into a laptop. They had drawn up lists of addresses, directions, restaurants nearby. Harry had sketched out what he conceived was the workflow of the magazine and had had it checked out and approved by Emily. Louise and Lou had talked about writers and editors and whom they knew in common and whom they didn’t. Not many on either count but that didn’t matter, Lou picked up on who was easy to work with and who was not. Craig looked over Keith’s shoulder and understood how the files would be prepared. He did not talk of a disparity between potential ad rates and actual revenue projections. That was Adrian’s question to answer. He was busy both on the phone and ordering Sara from place to place, in and out of his office. There would be a more appropriate time to answer those questions. Monday had been arranged and four accounts had agreed to see Adrian and his American consultants on such short notice and Harry was grateful for all Adrian had done for them and sorry once again for the misunderstanding.

”I’m sure its not the first time he’s been a thorn in someone’s side.” Adrian said to Harry as he detailed the last of Monday’s visits to him alone in his office. Lou and Craig were still busy with the staff.

The three Americans packed up their papers and laptops and double checked directions and ensured they had the right maps. ‘Thanks ever so much. We’ll call to confirm Monday and I’m sure we can manage the tube and rail system.’

The weather had continued to be fine with more blue sky than cloud. Harry wondered if they should all have dinner outside tonight and then caught himself at the inappropriateness of that idea. Anyway, he didn’t know the restaurants well enough to figure out who would have outdoor dining.

On Adrian’s suggestion, he had taken the number of the Café Blue. A fusion grill right on the Thames, about a half mile away from Tower Bridge. There was an easy tube stop nearby and they could, and would, all meet on the large promenade in front of the restaurant. He called for reservations and got eight thirty. Then he called Chris on her cell and confirmed the time and place. Yes, they would all be there. Lou and Craig, other than agreeing to the dinner hour, said nothing. They all continued walking to the tube.

The platform was empty compared to the rush hour crowd that they had fought on the way over to Adrian’s. It was early afternoon. The lunch crowd was either still out dwelling on pints, their afternoon shot anyway or they had eaten and were back at their desks. In any case, there was room to stand out of earshot while they waited for the Jubilee line train to arrive. Harry looked at Lou.

“And the award for royally pissing off a Brit with righteous indignation goes to…”

”I’d like to thank my mother for allowing me to be the fucker I am.” Lou smiled.

“There’s still a big dollar gap, isn’t there?” Harry asked.

“A lot of explaining to do.” Craig said. “A lot.”

”Should be an interesting start next week. Your mother know you talk like that Lou?”