The Fourth Estate (85 page)
“Because not
only will I be replenishing their pension fund, but I would also allow the
management to retain control of the Citizen. And we wouldn’t be breaking the
law, because the surplus in our pension fund more than covers the shortfall in
theirs.”
“I still think
they’d put up one hell of a fight to prevent you,” said Tom.
“Not when the
Globe reminds the Citizen’s 35,000 former employees every morning that there’s
a simple solution to their pension problem. Within days they’ll be
demonstrating outside Armstrong House, demanding that the board go along with
the merger.”
“But that also
assumes Parliament will wear it,” said Tom. “Think of those Labor members who
detest you even more than they did Armstrong.”
“I’ll just have
to make sure that those same members receive sackfuls of letters from their
constituents, reminding them that they are only months away from an election,
and that if they expect them to vote...”
Keith looked up
to see E.B. standing in the doorway. She stared at him in the same way she had
on the first day they met.
“Mr. Townsend,”
she said. “Less than fifteen minutes ago, you and I came to an agreement, an
agreement on which you gave your solemn oath. Or does your memory not stretch
back that far?”
Keith’s cheeks
reddened slightly, and then a smile slowly appeared on his face. “I’m sorry,
E.B.,” he said, “I lied.”
Table of
Contents
FIRST
EDITION Births, Marriages and Deaths
SECOND
EDITION To the Victor the Spoils
THIRD
EDITION Where There’s a Will...
FOURTH
EDITION Armstrong and Townsend Battle for the Globe
FIFTH
EDITION The Citizen v the Globe