Chapter 16: The Steps

By eight in the morning my phone had been called by two newspapers, one network and three members of the Aldous board.

I did what I always do with a crisis.

I put it in one room.

The dining room had the long table, the good coffee and a speakerphone.

Everyone who needed to shout at me could do it without leaving their own offices.

Willem sat on my left with a laptop.

Sterne sat on my right with a tray of aspirin and a prepared statement that began, "In my professional opinion."

Jax stood at the window, looking down at the street.

"There are forty reporters on the sidewalk," he said. "And my fan club has brought the banner."

"Which banner?"

"The one that says I'm their husband. They've moved it next to the news vans. It looks like a joint venture."

The speakerphone crackled.

"Beatrice," said the oldest director, in the tone of a man reading a will. "Is it true you are keeping three men on the premises?"

"They're staff," I said. "Medical, morale and technology."

"The photograph shows a woman's hand on a window."

"It's a very common window."

Behind me the front door of the penthouse opened, and my husband walked into the foyer.

He had not shaved.

He was wearing yesterday's charcoal suit, and he looked past all three of my lovers, past the speakerphone, past the coffee, and spoke to me.

"I'm going down to the steps," Phillip said.

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