Chapter 16
Zurich.
Friday, September 11.
Noon.
The World Headquarters of Roffe and Sons occupied sixty acres along the Sprettenbach on the western outskirts of Zurich. The administration building was a twelve-story modern glass structure, towering over a nest of research buildings, manufacturing plants, experimental laboratories, planning divisions, and railroad spurs. It was the brain center of the far-flung Roffe and Sons empire.
The reception lobby was starkly modern, decorated in green and white, with Danish furniture. A receptionist sat behind a glass desk, and those who were admitted by her into the recesses of the building had to be accompanied by a guide. To the right rear of the lobby was a bank of elevators, with one private express elevator for the use of the company president.
On this morning the private elevator had been used by the members of the board of directors. They had arrived within the past few hours from various parts of the world by plane, train, helicopter and limousine. They were gathered now in the enormous, high-ceilinged, oak-paneled boardroom; Sir Alec Nichols, Walther Gassner, Ivo Palazzi and Charles Martel. The only nonmember of the board in the room was Rhys Williams.
Refreshments and drinks had been laid out on a sideboard, but no one in the room was interested. They were tense, nervous, each preoccupied with his own thoughts.
Kate Erling, an efficient Swiss woman in her late forties, came into the room. "Miss Roffe's car has arrived. "
Her eye swept around the room to make sure that everything was in order: pens, note pads, a silver carafe of water at each place, cigars and cigarettes, ashtrays, matches. Kate Erling had been Sam Roffe's personal secretary for fifteen years. The fact that he was dead was no reason for her to lower his standards, or hers. She nodded, satisfied, and withdrew.
Downstairs, in front of the administration building, Elizabeth Roffe was stepping out of a limousine. She wore a black tailored suit with a white blouse. She had on no makeup. She looked much younger than her twenty-four years, pale and vulnerable.
The press was waiting for her. As she started into the building, she found herself surrounded by television and radio and newspaper reporters, with cameras and microphones.
"I'm from L'Europeo, Miss Roffe. Could we have a statement? Who's going to take over the company now that your father - ?"
"Look this way, please, Miss Roffe. Can you give our readers a big smile?"
"Associated Press, Miss Roffe. What about your father's will?"
"New York Daily News. Wasn't your father an expert mountain climber? Did they find out how - ?"
"Wall Street Journal. Can you tell us something about the company's financial - ?"
"I'm from the London Times. We're planning to do an article on the Roffe - "
Elizabeth was fighting her way into the lobby, escorted by three security guards, pushing through the sea of reporters.
"One more picture, Miss Roffe - "
And Elizabeth was in the elevator, the door closing. She took a deep breath and shuddered. Sam was dead. Why couldn't they leave her alone?
A few moments later, Elizabeth walked into the boardroom. Alec Nichols was the first to greet her. He put his arms around her shyly and said, "I'm so sorry, Elizabeth. It was such a shock to all of us. Vivian and I tried to telephone you but - "
"I know. Thank you, Alec. Thank you for your note. "
Ivo Palazzi came up and gave her a kiss on each cheek. "Cara, what is there to say? Are you all right?"
"Yes, fine. Thank you, Ivo. " She turned. "Hello, Charles. "
"Elizabeth, Helene and I were devastated. If there is anything at all - "
"Thank you. "
Walther Gassner walked over to Elizabeth and said awkwardly, "Anna and I wish to express our great sorrow at what has happened to your father. "
Elizabeth nodded, her head high. "Thank you, Walther. "
She did not want to be here, surrounded by all the reminders of her father. She wanted to flee, to be alone.
Rhys Williams was standing off to one side, watching Elizabeth's face, and he was thinking, If they don't stop, she's going to break down. He deliberately moved through the group, held out his hand and said, "Hello, Liz. "
"Hello, Rhys. " She had last seen him when he had come to the house to bring her the news of Sam's death. It seemed like years ago. Seconds ago. It had been one week.
Rhys was aware of the effort it was costing Elizabeth to keep her composure. He said, "Now that everyone's here, why don't we begin?" He smiled reassuringly. "This won't take long. "
She gave him a grateful smile. The men took their accustomed places at the large rectangular oak table. Rhys led Elizabeth to the head of the table and pulled out a chair for her. My father's chair, Elizabeth thought Sam sat here, chairing these meetings.
Charles was saying, "Since we do not have a - " He caught himself and turned to Alec. "Why don't you take over?"
Alec glanced around, and the others murmured approval. "Very well. "
Alec pressed a button on the table in front of him, and Kate Erling returned, carrying a notebook.
She closed the door behind her and pulled up a straight chair, her notebook and pen poised.
Alec said, "I think that under the circumstances we can dispense with the formalities. All of us have suffered a terrible loss. But" - he looked apologetically at Elizabeth - "the essential thing now is that Roffe and Sons show a strong public face. "
"D'accord. We have been taking enough of a hammering in the press lately," Charles growled.
Elizabeth looked over at him and asked, "Why?"
Rhys explained, "The company is facing a lot of unusual problems just now, Liz. We're involved in heavy lawsuits, we're under government investigation, and some of the banks are pressing us. The point is that none of it is good for our image. The public buys pharmaceutical products because they trust the company that makes them. If we lose that trust, we lose our customers. "
Ivo said reassuringly, "We have no problems that can't be solved. The important thing is to reorganize the company immediately. "
"How?" Elizabeth asked.
Walther replied, "By selling our stock to the public. "
Charles added, "In that way we can take care of all our bank loans, and have enough money left - " He let the sentence trail off.
Elizabeth looked at Alec. "Do you agree with that?"
"I think we're all in agreement, Elizabeth. "
She leaned back in her chair, thoughtful. Rhys picked up some papers, rose and carried them to Elizabeth. "I've had all the necessary documents prepared. All you have to do is sign. "
Elizabeth glanced at the papers lying before her. "If I sign these, what happens?"
Charles spoke up. "We have a dozen international brokerage firms ready to form a consortium to underwrite the stock issue. They will guarantee the sale at a price we mutually agree upon. In an offering as large as this one, there will be several institutional purchases, as well as private ones. "
"You mean like banks and insurance companies?" Elizabeth asked.
Charles nodded. "Exactly. "
"And they'll put their people on the board of directors?"
"That's usual. . . "
Elizabeth said, "So, in effect, they would control Roffe and Sons. "
"We would still remain on the board of directors," Ivo interposed quickly.
Elizabeth turned to Charles. "You said a consortium of stockbrokers is ready to move ahead. "
Charles nodded. "Yes. "
"Then why haven't they?"
He looked at her, puzzled. "I don't understand. "
"If everyone is in agreement that the best thing for the company is to let it get out of the family and into the hands of outsiders, why hasn't it been done before?"
There was an awkward silence. Ivo said, "It has to be by mutual consent, cara. Everyone on the board must agree. "
"Wh
o didn't agree?" Elizabeth asked.
The silence was longer this time.
Finally Rhys spoke up. "Sam. "
And Elizabeth suddenly realized what had disturbed her from the moment she had walked into this room. They had all expressed their condolences and their shock and grief over her father's death, and yet at the same time there had been an atmosphere of charged excitement in the room, a feeling of - strangely, the word that came into her mind was victory. They had had the papers all drawn up for her, everything ready. All you have to do is sign. But if what they wanted was right, then why had her father objected to it? She asked the question aloud.
"Sam had his own ideas," Walther explained. "Your father could be very stubborn. "
Like old Samuel, Elizabeth thought. Never let a friendly fox into your hen house. One day he's going to get hungry. And Sam had not wanted to sell He must have had good reason.
Ivo was saying, "Believe me, cara, it is much better to leave all this to us. You don't understand these things. "
Elizabeth said quietly, "I would like to. "
"Why bother yourself with this?" Walther objected. "When your stock is sold, you will have an enormous amount of money, more than you'll ever be able to spend. You can go off anywhere you like and enjoy it. "
What Walther said made sense. Why should she get involved? All she had to do was sign the papers in front of her, and leave.
Charles said impatiently, "Elizabeth, we're simply wasting time. You have no choice. "
It was at that instant that Elizabeth knew she did have a choice. Just as her father had had a choice. She could walk away and let them do as they pleased with the company, or she could stay and find out why they were all so eager to sell the stock, why they were pressuring her. For she could feel the pressure. It was so strong it was almost physical. Everyone in that room was willing her to sign the papers.
She glanced over at Rhys, wondering what he was thinking. His expression was noncommittal. Elizabeth looked at Kate Erling. She had been Sam's secretary for a long time. Elizabeth wished she could have had a chance to speak to her alone. They were all looking at Elizabeth, waiting for her to agree.
"I'm not going to sign," she said. "Not now. "
There was a moment of stunned silence. Then Walther said, "I don't understand, Elizabeth. " His face was ashen. "Of course you must! Everything is arranged. "
Charles said angrily, "Walther's right. You must sign. "
They were all speaking at once, in a confused and angry storm of words that beat at Elizabeth.
"Why won't you sign?" Ivo demanded.
She could not say: Because my father would not sign. Because you're rushing me. She had a feeling, an instinct that something was wrong, and she was determined to find out what it was. So now she merely said, "I'd like a little more time to think about it. "
The men looked at one another.
"How much time, cara?" Ivo asked.
"I don't know yet I'd like to get a better understanding of what's involved here. "
Walther exploded. "Damn it, we can't - "
Rhys cut in firmly, "I think Elizabeth is right. "
The others turned to look at him. Rhys went on, "She should have a chance to get a clear picture of the problems the company is facing, and then make up her own mind. "
They were all digesting what Rhys had said.
"I agree with that," Alec said.
Charles said bitterly, "Gentlemen, it doesn't make any difference whether we agree with it or not. Elizabeth is in control. "
Ivo looked at Elizabeth. "Cara - we need a decision quickly. "
"You'll have it," Elizabeth promised.
They were all watching her, each busy with his own thoughts.
One of them was thinking, Oh, God. She's going to have to die, too.