ELEVEN
Tension filled the thirty-first-floor offices of Christopher Clark & Oliver on the appointed day for the meeting with the management committee. Frank arrived earlier than usual and almost immediately barricaded himself in his office. No one was sure what he was doing in there, but everyone knew it meant bad news. He ventured out several times to go the men’s room or get coffee, but he always returned directly to his office without speaking to anyone and closed the door. He passed Clint once in the hall and ran into Paul in the men’s room, but no words were exchanged, merely emotionless glances.
The section’s partners spent the day wandering about, gathering in offices, speaking in hushed tones, and generally accomplishing nothing constructive. Even the associates sensed the coming
