Chapter 12: The Furnace Is Booked

The Daon boardroom had a table for twenty and a view of the river.

On Friday at nine, six people sat on the far side of it.

Pyo was in the middle, silver and mild.

On his left were three senior partners with the faces of men who wished to be elsewhere.

On his right sat the owner's gray representative, with his leather notebook closed.

Seo-won sat alone on the near side with one chair beside him.

He had been told he could bring a witness.

He had brought four.

They came in at nine sharp, one after the other, as the door opened.

Eun-seo came first, in her black parka, carrying a folder.

Behind her was Captain Yeo, square and gray in his dress uniform.

His cap was under his arm, and his face was like a locked door.

Behind him came Ga-ram, white as paper, who sat down at the end of the row without looking at anyone.

Last came Tae-min.

He wore the navy station jacket with the Mapo patch on the sleeve.

He sat down in the chair beside Seo-won.

Under the table, his knee pressed against Seo-won's, hard and warm.

"This is irregular," said Pyo.

"It's my hearing, Director," Seo-won said. "I'm allowed witnesses."

"Witnesses to what?"

"To what I'm about to say."

Pyo spread his hands, indulgent.

"Then let's begin. The charge is simple."

"Mr. Ha made an unverified accusation of fraud against this firm, in front of our client. He has since behaved erratically."

"Erratically," Seo-won agreed.

He took the leather case out of his jacket.

It was his professional seal, the brass stamp with his name in red.

He laid it on the middle of the table, in front of the gray man.

"I want to be clear about one thing first," he said. "This is mine."

"The change order that put glass at Stair B was my decision."

"I signed it on September twenty-ninth, four minutes after I was told to."

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