Angela laughed. "Put that on our letterhead."
Chapter 13: The Courtesy Call
The invitation had arrived that morning, no email. Nora noted the time in her green notebook and arrived at twelve thirty in her plain coat.
Jonathan Pryce was standing when the elevator opened to the private dining room. At sixty three he had the practiced ease of a man who had led rooms for decades.
"Ms. Wexford," he said, extending his hand. "Thank you for accepting on such short notice."
"Mr. Pryce," Nora said. "Your note said lunch. I keep lunch appointments."
He gestured to a table for two beside the windows. A server poured water and withdrew.
"I wanted us to speak directly," Pryce said. "No staff. No lawyers. Family to family, if you will forgive the phrase."
"My family founded this bank," Nora said. "Yours led the consortium that bought it in 2009. That is a history, not a family."
"Fairly put," he said. "You have your grandfather's precision. The board still quotes Arthur. A bank is a promise you keep in public."
"I try to honor what he built," Pryce said. "This week has been unfortunate. A delay on a deposit. Forms. Mixed signals from people who should know better."
Nora folded her hands. "My deposit took days of enhanced verification. Counter Nine laughed at my check before anyone verified anything."
"I heard about that," Pryce said. "I have spoken to Mr. Pierce. Derek Lawson will be counseled. That is not our standard, and I apologize without qualification."
"Thank you," Nora said. "I wrote down the apology. I write down most things."
His eyes flicked to the leather case beside her plate. "So I understand. Which brings me, respectfully, to the larger matter. The trust."
"The trust is not a larger matter, Mr. Pryce. It is the matter."
"Then let me be plain inside the courtesy," he said. "Our people have reviewed the trust accounts informally. There may have been administrative errors. Fees applied too broadly. Judgments made regionally that headquarters did not examine closely enough."
Nora waited.
Pryce continued. "Rather than turn that into years of adversarial process, the bank will make the trust whole on a generous basis. A settlement payment, with interest, paid promptly and quietly. And a board observer seat for the trust. You would see everything we see. No surprises again."
"That is generous language," Nora said. "It is missing numbers."
"Numbers can follow once we agree on direction."
"Direction first, numbers later is how buildings get sold from under families."
He laughed softly. "Your father was formidable too. I respected Michael, even when we disagreed in 2009."
"You bought the bank he tried to keep," Nora said. "He died believing the trust had been treated unfairly."
"And I would like this lunch to prove him wrong." Pryce leaned forward. "All we ask is simplicity. No formal audit demand under the Founders' Clause. No outside process. We resolve this internally, with dignity for the institution your grandfather created."
Nora set down her fork. "I have not made a formal audit demand."
"No," Pryce said. "You have not. And I hope we can agree that you will not need to."
"You are asking me to withdraw something I have not filed."
"I am asking you to let us earn your confidence before lawyers turn courtesy into conflict."
"Confidence is earned with records," Nora said. "Not lunches. Though the fish is excellent."
The server returned. "Dessert, Ms. Wexford? We have a lemon tart the kitchen prepares for this room."
"No, thank you," Nora said. "I have what I came for."
Pryce studied her. His polish showed a seam, a tightening at the mouth he corrected. "May I ask what that was?"
"To hear the offer in your own voice," Nora said. "And to decline it in mine. I will not trade an audit the trust is entitled to for a settlement I cannot verify and a seat I would hold at your pleasure."
"It is a seat with access," he said.
"An observer observes," Nora said. "An auditor examines. The Clause says examine. My grandfather wrote it that way for a reason."
Pryce was quiet a moment. "If you proceed, Ms. Wexford, the merger discussions with Great Lakes will become very public. People who had nothing to do with regional fees will be hurt. Employees. Clients."
"I did not create the fees," Nora said.
"No. But consequences have authors beyond their causes."
"So does silence," she said.
He rose when she rose, buttoning his jacket. "I hope you will reconsider after reflection. The offer remains open through tomorrow."
"Then tomorrow it will remain declined," Nora said pleasantly. "Thank you for lunch, Mr. Pryce."
She took the elevator down alone and did not look back. Behind her, Pryce stood longer than a man of his polish should have needed, staring at the untouched dessert menu.