Disclosure_ A Novel - Michael Crichton [65]
“That’s your problem, Phil. All I have to say is, I’m innocent. And I’m prepared to sue.”
Blackburn stood in the middle of the room, frowning. “Louise Fernandez is a smart attorney. I can’t believe she recommended this course of action to you.”
“No. This is my decision.”
“Then it’s very unwise,” Blackburn said. “You are putting the company in a very difficult position.”
“The company is putting me in a difficult position.”
“I don’t know what to say,” Phil said. “I hope this doesn’t force us to terminate you.”
Sanders stared at him, meeting his gaze evenly. “I hope not, too,” he said. “But I don’t have confidence that the company has taken my complaint seriously. I’ll fill out a formal charge of sexual harassment with Bill Everts in HRC later today. And I’m asking Louise to draw up the necessary papers to file with the state Human Rights Commission.”
“Christ.”
“She should file first thing tomorrow morning.”
“I don’t see what the rush is.”
“There’s no rush. It’s just a filing. To get the complaint on record. I’m required to do that.”
“But this is very serious, Tom.”
“I know it, Phil.”
“I’d like to ask you to do me a favor, as your friend.”
“What’s that?”
“Hold off the formal complaint. At least, with the HRC. Give us a chance to conduct an in-house investigation before you take this outside.”
“But you aren’t conducting an in-house investigation, Phil.”
“Yes, we are.”
“You didn’t even want to hear my side of the story this morning. You told me it didn’t matter.”
“That’s not true,” Blackburn said. “You misunderstood me entirely. Of course it matters. And I assure you, we will hear your story in detail as part of our investigation.”
“I don’t know, Phil,” Sanders said. “I don’t see how the company can be neutral on this issue. It seems everything is stacked against me. Everybody believes Meredith and not me.”
“I assure you that is not the case.”
“It certainly seems like it. You told me this morning how well connected she is. How many allies she has. You mentioned that several times.”
“Our investigation will be scrupulous and impartial. But in any case it seems reasonable to ask you to wait for the outcome before filing with a state agency.”
“How long do you want me to wait?”
“Thirty days.”
Sanders laughed.
“But that’s the standard time for a harassment investigation.”
“You could do it in a day, if you wanted to.”
“But you must agree, Tom, that we’re very busy right now, with all the merger meetings.”
“That’s your problem, Phil. I have a different problem. I’ve been unjustly treated by my superior, and I feel I have a right, as a long-standing senior employee, to see my complaint resolved promptly.”
Blackburn sighed. “All right. Let me get back to you,” he said. He hurried out of the room.
Sanders slumped in his chair and stared into space.
It had begun.
Fifteen minutes later, Blackburn met with Garvin in the fifth-floor executive conference room. Also present at the meeting were Stephanie Kaplan and Bill Everts, the head of Human Resources at DigiCom.
Blackburn began the meeting by saying, “Tom Sanders has retained outside counsel and is threatening litigation over Meredith Johnson.”
“Oh, Christ,” Garvin said.
“He’s claiming sexual harassment.”
Garvin kicked the leg of the table. “That son of a bitch.”
Kaplan said, “What does he say happened?”
“I don’t have all the details yet,” Blackburn said. “But in essence he claims that Meredith made sexual overtures to him in her office last night, that he turned her down, and that now she is being vindictive.”
Garvin gave a long sigh. “Shit,” he said. “This is just what I didn’t want to happen. This could be a disaster.”
“I know, Bob.”
Stephanie Kaplan said, “Did she do it?”
“Christ,” Garvin said. “Who knows in these situations? That’s always the question.” He turned to Everts. “Has Sanders come to you about this?”
“Not yet, no. I imagine he will.”
“We have to keep it in-house,” Garvin said. “That’s essential.”
“Essential,” Kaplan said, nodding.