LITMIR.BIZ

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hope your mother’s doing okay.”

      “As well as can be expected. Grand-maman is still going strong.”

      “Give them my best.”

      “Grand-maman was disappointed you never stopped by when you were in Boston but I told her you had a few other things on your mind.”

      “That’s true, but it’s no excuse. You’re still teaching?”

      “No,” he said, brightening. “I’ve been working for Sotheby, you know, the auction house. I’m their specialist for Surrealism and Art Deco, Dubuffet, Duchamps, but I help with everything. I do journal articles too, to keep my name in play. By the way, papa never said so but apparently he forgave me. He treated me very well in his will, though most of the estate went to my mother, of course. At long last the pressure is off.”

      Pat was thrilled that we would be near neighbors, “near compared to what we are now. I’m looking to honing my uncle skills. So far Meg and Clyde have denied me the opportunity.” I said nothing. He echoed the advice that we were wise to enroll our kids in an American school. I had pushed for Peter to attend the local école élémentaire but Diane disagreed and I didn’t object. We’d revisit the issue next year. We found a pediatrician right in the neighborhood, a Dr. Charpentier recommended by Monique

      Lucie mentioned she had a trip to New York upcoming, on a joint exhibition with the Met she was curating. Diane acted agreeable when Lucie said she was hoping for a tour of the City, but made it clear to me later she wasn’t interested in spending time with her or Pat in either city. “If you want to show that woman around, be my guest. And I would never leave my children with that friend of yours or his roommate either. I don’t trust people like that.”

      “That’s ridiculous. They’re harmless.”

      “How do you know?”

      “I know Pat. I’ve known him for twenty years.”

      “You didn’t know he was a homosexual. What else don’t you know about him?”

      Frustrated, I shook my head. “Let’s just say we won’t ask them to babysit.”

      Diane also slammed Lucie for uncomplimentary remarks about our new President. “What business is it of hers we finally elected a man with character and ideals?”

      “Reagan will affect France in quite considerable ways. That matters to her.”

      “That is not what she was saying. She doesn’t like conservatives which is her prerogative, but she could show some deference.”

      “She was easy on him compared with the criticism he gets at home.”

      Diane glowered. “You’re taking her side against me. And as for that friend of yours, I am truly worried about him and you make fun of me.”

      “Sorry,” I said, feeling frustrated. “I’ll try to restrain myself.”

      “See? You never take me seriously.”

      I almost said, I give you the respect you deserve, but I bit my tongue and said nothing.

      WHILE I WAS AWAY HARRY FIRTH CALLED. I rang him back and he asked if I could meet next morning with Mr. Latimer. I told him I was no longer available, but he pleaded with me to be at the Latimer Building at nine-thirty tomorrow. Repeating my caveat, I agreed.

      Entering through the art deco doors of the Latimer Building in Rockefeller Plaza, once the Eastern Air Lines Building, I rode the elevator to the 55th floor, exiting into a plush carpeted area. I took a seat and began perusing the Times. A few minutes after nine-thirty I looked up.

      “Paul! Good of you to come!” Harry shook my hand warmly. He seemed out of breath. “Here, this way.” Passing through a long corridor I scanned a display of pictures and memorabilia documenting the Latimer media empire. The end of the corridor opened into an expansive waiting area and a doughnut-shaped desk manned (wrong word!) by an absolutely stunning girl with dark skin and jet-black hair in a tight low-cut blouse that left little to the imagination. “The boss ready for us? Oh, this is Paul Bernard. Paul, meet Melanie.”

      “A pleasure,” I said, meaning it.

      “Let me check.” She spoke a few words into her headset, then nodded, giving me a brilliant smile. “Go right in.”

      We stepped around one last corner and found ourselves before an imposing wooden door. Under his breath Firth said, “Melanie’s really very bright. Come for the tits, stay for the smarts, that sort of thing. Her mother’s Maori.”

      Firth rapped lightly on the door. I followed him into a brightly lit room with three window walls, a fishbowl opening on a magnificent view of Manhattan to the Hudson River and New Jersey. Latimer stubbed out a cigarette, jumped to his feet and came around his desk, hand extended. “Mr. Bernard! I’ve heard about you.”

      Latimer was a good head shorter than me, a fireplug with broad shoulders and a thick neck, a big head and a broad face. Tightly wired too, it appeared, as he blinked rapidly. Think Edward G. Robinson on a caffeine high, with a New Zealand accent.

      I shook his hand, finding his grip firm but not excessive. He gestured toward a low table surrounded by four leather chairs. “Coffee’s there,” he said, pointing at a credenza with several pitchers. I followed Firth and picked a mug bearing LTN’s logo, an eye with L in the center.

      “So you’re with the Gazette,” Latimer began as we took our places. “Frank Astell and I go way back. How long have you been there?”

      “Nearly twelve years.”

      “And before?”

      “Vietnam.”

      “Of course. Everybody knows your work. Impressive what you’ve accomplished, really, the injury and all.”

      “Thanks. Actually I’ve found it a help. It’s opened some doors for me.”

      “I hear what you’re saying.” Latimer held up his left hand which was missing the last two fingers. “Picked a fight with a chain saw when I was a kid. Not the smartest thing I ever did, but it didn’t hold me back.”

      I nodded. Didn’t know about that.

      “I’ve seen you on TV – you come across well. Let’s get down to cases.” He glanced at Firth. “I understand you have an interest in television news.”

      Firth’s face was reddening. He seemed to be in serious pain.

      “I told Harry that a while back. From what I’ve seen of TV work it’s something I’d like to pursue down the road.”

      “Ah yes, down the road.” Latimer steepled his hands in front of his face. “Harry mentioned something else.”

      “I’m starting in Paris for the Gazette this summer, covering European news – business, economics, politics.”

      “What would it take to make you change your mind?”

      “I’m pretty well committed.”

      “Committed.” He frowned. “Contracts are made to be broken, you know.”

      “I’m familiar with that approach. “What did you have in mind?”

      Latimer nodded at Firth. “I’ve recommended to Mr. Latimer that we bring you on as a field reporter. Not little stuff, of course – big stories. Cut your teeth, see how you do, then work you into the newsroom. Ultimately we see you as a commentator, possibly at some point an anchor. Depends on a lot of things.”

      I nodded. “That’s very flattering. Too bad we didn’t get together sooner.”

      Latimer looked like he’d swallowed something unpleasant. “Unfortunately my nephew dropped the ball. For me a missed deadline is a capital offense, but lucky for Harry, his work’s generally quite good.

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