hr.thecarpetbaggers-第9部分
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For the first time that morning； Haskell； mack and Denby brightened。 They exchanged quick looks。 mack spoke up。 〃That's pretty sensible of you； son；〃 he said。 〃What about Judge Haskell here？ He's retired from the bench but I think he might take the job on to help you out。〃
I turned to the Judge。 〃Would you； Judge？〃
The Judge smiled slowly。 〃Only to help you out； boy；〃 he said。 〃Only to help you out〃
I looked over at Nevada。 He was smiling broadly now。 I smiled back at him； then turned to the others。 〃Shall we vote on it； gentlemen？〃
For the first time； Denby spoke up。 〃According to the charter of this pany； a president can only be elected by a meeting of the stockholders。 And then only by a majority of the stock outstanding。〃
〃Let's have a stockholder's meeting； then；〃 mack said。 〃The majority of stock is represented here。〃
〃That's a good idea；〃 I said。 I turned to the Judge； smiling。 〃That is if I can vote my stock；〃 I added。
〃You sure can； boy；〃 the Judge boomed； taking a paper from his pocket and handing it to me。 〃It's there in your father's will。 I had it admitted to probate this morning。 It's all legally yours now。〃
I took the will and continued。 〃All right； then； the director's meeting is adjourned and the stockholder's meeting is called to order。 The first item on the agenda is to elect a president and treasurer of the pany to replace the late Jonas Cord。〃
mack smiled。 〃I nominate Judge Samuel Haskell。〃
Denby spoke quickly。 Too quickly。 〃Second the nomination。〃
I nodded。 〃The nomination of Judge Haskell is noted。 Any further nominations before the slate is closed？〃
Nevada got to his feet。 〃I nominate Jonas Cord； Junior；〃 he drawled。
I smiled at him。 〃Thank you。〃 I turned to the Judge and my voice went hard and flat。 〃Do I hear the nomination seconded？〃
The Judge's face was flushed。 He glanced at mack； then at Denby。 Denby's face was white。
〃Do I hear the nomination seconded？〃 I repeated coldly。
He knew I had them。 〃Second the nomination；〃 the Judge said weakly。
〃Thank you； Judge；〃 I said。
It was easy after that。 I bought their stock for twenty…five thousand dollars and the first thing I did was fire Denby。
If I was going to have a secretary； I didn't want a prissy little sneak like him。 I wanted one with tits。
Robair came into the study； where McAllister and I were working。 I looked up。 〃Yes； Robair？〃
He bowed his head respectfully。 〃Miss Rina would like to see you in her room； suh。〃
I got to my feet and stretched。 This sitting at a desk for half a day was worse than anything I'd ever done。 〃O。K。； I'll go right up。〃
McAllister looked at me questioningly。
〃Wait for me；〃 I said。 〃I won't be long。〃
Robair held the door for me and I went up the stairs to Rina's room。 I knocked on the door。
〃e in；〃 she called。
She was sitting at her table in front of a mirror。 Louise was brushing her hair with a big white brush。 Rina's eyes looked up at me in the mirror。
〃You wanted to see me？〃 I asked。
〃Yes；〃 she answered。 She turned to Louise。 〃That's all for now；〃 she said。 〃Leave us。〃
The girl nodded silently and started for the door。 Rina's voice reached after her。 〃And wait downstairs。 I'll call when I want you。〃
Rina looked at me and smiled。 〃She has a habit of listening at keyholes。〃
〃I know；〃 I said； closing the door behind me。 〃What is it you wanted to see me about？〃
Rina got to her feet。 Her black negligee swirled around her。 Through it I could see she was wearing black undergarments； also。 Her eyes caught mine。 She smiled again。 〃What do you think of my widow's weeds？〃
〃Very merry…widowish；〃 I answered。 〃But that isn't what you asked me up for。〃
She took a cigarette and lit it。 〃I want to get out of here right after the funeral。〃
〃What for？〃 I asked。 〃It's your house。 He left it to you。〃
Her eyes met mine through a cloud of smoke she blew out。 〃I want you to buy the house from me。〃
〃What'll I use for money？〃
〃You'll get it；〃 she said flatly。 〃Your father always got it for the things he wanted。〃
I studied her。 She seemed to know exactly what she was doing。 〃How much do you want？〃 I asked cautiously。
〃One hundred thousand dollars；〃 she said calmly。
〃What？〃 I exclaimed。 〃It isn't worth more than fifty…five。〃
〃I know；〃 she said； 〃But I'm throwing in something else … my stock in the Cord Explosives pany。〃
〃The stock isn't worth the difference！〃 I exploded。 〃I just bought twice as much this morning for twenty…five thousand！〃
She got to her feet and walked over to me。 Her eyes stared coldly up at me。 〃Look； Jonas；〃 she said coldly； 〃I'm being nice about it。 Under the Nevada law； I'm entitled to one…third your father's estate； will or no will。 I could break the probate of the will just like that if I wanted to。 And even if I couldn't； I could tie you up in court for five years。 What would happen to all your plans then？〃
I stared at her silently。
〃If you don't believe me； why don't you ask your lawyer friend downstairs？〃 she added。
〃You already checked？〃 I guessed。
〃Damn right I did！〃 she snapped。 〃Judge Haskell called me as soon as he got back to his office！〃
I drew in my breath。 I should have known the old bastard wouldn't let go that easy。 〃I haven't got that kind of money；〃 I said。 〃Neither has the pany。〃
〃I know that；〃 she said。 〃But I'm willing to be reasonable about it。 I'll take fifty thousand the day after the funeral and your note endorsed by the pany for ten thousand a year for the nest five years。〃
I didn't need a lawyer to tell me she'd had good advice。 〃O。K。；〃 I said； starting for the door。 〃e on downstairs。 I'll have McAllister prepare the papers。〃
She smiled again。 〃I couldn't do that。〃
〃Why not？〃 I demanded。
〃I'm in mourning；〃 she said。 〃How would it look for the widow of Jonas Cord to e downstairs to transact business？〃 She went back to her vanity table and sat down。 〃When the papers are ready； send them up。〃
9
IT WAS FIVE O'CLOCK WHEN WE GOT OUT OF THE TAXI in front of the bank building in downtown Los Angeles。 We went through the door and walked back to the executive offices in the rear of the bank。 McAllister led me through another door marked PRIVATE。 It was a reception room。
A secretary looked up。 〃Mr。 McAllister。〃 She smiled。 〃We thought you were in Nevada。〃
〃I was；〃 he replied。 〃Is Mr。 Moroni in？〃
〃Let me check；〃 she said。 〃Sometimes he has a habit of leaving the office without telling me。〃 She disappeared through another door。
I looked at McAllister。 〃That's the kind of secretary I want。 She's got brains and a nice pair of boobs to go with them。〃
He smiled。 〃A girl like that gets seventy…five； eighty dollars a week。 They don't e cheap。〃
〃Yuh gotta pay for anything that's good；〃 I said。
The secretary appeared in the doorway； smiling at us。 〃Mr。 Moroni will see you now； Mr。 McAllister。〃
I followed him into the inner office。 It was large； with dark； wood…paneled walls。 There was a big desk spang in the middle of it and a small man with iron…gray hair and shrewd dark eyes sitting behind it。 He got up as we came into the room。
〃Mr。 Moroni；〃 McAllister said； 〃this is Jonas Cord。〃
Moroni put out his hand。 I took it。 It wasn't the usual soft banker's hand。 This one was hard and callused and the grip was strong。 There were many years of labor contained in that hand and most of them had not been behind a desk。 〃It's good to meet you； Mr。 Cord；〃 he said with a faint trace of an Italian accent。
〃My pleasure； sir；〃 I said respectfully。
He waved us to the chairs in front of his desk and we sat down。 McAllister came right to the point。 When he had finished； Moroni leaned forward across his desk and looked at me。 〃I'm sorry to hear about your loss；〃 he said。 〃From everything I've heard； he was a very unusual man。〃
I nodded。 〃He was； sir。〃
〃You realize； of course； this makes quite a difference？〃
I looked at him。 〃Without trying to stand on a technicality； Mr。 Moroni； I thought the loan was being made to the Cord Explosives pany； not to either my father or me。〃
Moroni smiled。 〃A good banker makes loans to panies but he always looks at the man behind the pany。〃
〃My experience is limited； sir； but I thoug
