Disclosure_ A Novel - Michael Crichton [123]
Still disbelieving it, Sanders said harshly, “What exactly are we talking about?”
Blackburn’s voice was soothing. “Well, Tom, at this point, that’s really up to you,” he said. “I’ve given Louise the parameters of a potential deal, and all the options that we would agree to. You can discuss it with her and get back to us. We’ll sign any interim papers you require, of course. All that we ask in return is that you attend the meeting tomorrow and help us to get through the merger. Fair enough?”
Blackburn extended his hand and held it there.
Sanders stared.
“From the bottom of my heart, Tom, I’m sorry for all that has happened.”
Sanders shook his hand.
“Thank you, Tom,” Blackburn said. “Thank you for your patience, and thank you on behalf of this company. Now, sit down and talk with Louise, and let us know what you decide.”
And Blackburn left the room, closing the door softly behind him.
He turned to Fernandez. “What the hell is this all about?”
Fernandez gave a long sigh. “It’s called capitulation,” she said. “Total and complete capitulation. DigiCom just folded.”
Sanders watched Blackburn walk down the hallway away from the conference room. He was filled with confused feelings. Suddenly, he was being told it was all over, and over without a fight. Without blood being spilled.
Watching Blackburn, he had a sudden image of blood in the bathroom sink of his old apartment. And this time, he remembered where it came from. A part of the chronology fell into place.
Blackburn was staying at his apartment during his divorce. He was on edge, and drinking too much. One day he cut himself so badly while shaving that the sink was spattered with blood. Later on, Meredith saw the blood in the sink and on the towels, and she said, “Did one of you guys fuck her while she was having her period?” Meredith was always blunt that way. She liked to startle people, to shock them.
And then, one Saturday afternoon, she walked around the apartment in white stockings and a garter belt and a bra while Phil was watching television. Sanders said to her, “What are you doing that for?”
“Just cheering him up,” Meredith replied. She threw herself back on the bed. “Now why don’t you cheer me up?” she said. And she pulled her legs back, opening—
“Tom? Are you listening to me?” Fernandez was saying. “Hello? Tom? Are you there?”
“I’m here,” Sanders said.
But he was still watching Blackburn, thinking about Blackburn. Now he remembered another time, a few years later. Sanders had started dating Susan, and Phil had dinner with the two of them one night. Susan went to the bathroom. “She’s great,” Blackburn said. “She’s terrific. She’s beautiful and she’s great.”
“But?”
“But . . .” Blackburn had shrugged. “She’s a lawyer.”
“So?”
“You can never trust a lawyer,” Blackburn had said, and laughed. One of his rueful, wise laughs.
You can never trust a lawyer.
Now, standing in the DigiCom conference room, Sanders watched as Blackburn disappeared around a corner. He turned back to Fernandez.
“. . . really had no choice,” Fernandez was saying. “The whole situation finally became untenable. The fact situation with Johnson is bad. And the tape is dangerous—they don’t want it played, and they’re afraid it will get out. They have a problem about prior sexual harassment by Johnson; she’s done it before, and they know it. Even though none of the men you talked to has agreed to talk, one of them might in the future, and they know it. And of course they’ve got their chief counsel revealing company information to a reporter.”
Sanders said, “What?”
She nodded. “Blackburn was the one who gave the story to Connie Walsh. He acted in flagrant violation of all rules of conduct for an employee of the company. He’s a major problem for them. And it all just became too much. These things could bring down the entire company. Looking at it rationally, they had to make a deal with you.”
“Yeah,” Sanders said. “But none of this is rational, you know?”
“You’re acting like you don’t believe it,” Fernandez said. “Believe it. It just got too big.