Chapter 16: Hurricane Nancy
Nancy headed home later than she had intended. First she fielded a couple calls from field operatives that had run into one snag or another in the cases they were working. Then Riley had come in late in the afternoon, with several items to discuss with her, including a couple candidates for the new operative position they had decided to advertise.
She walked in the door at home a little after five, and heard Murdock singing opera in the kitchen. It was the Paradox song from Pirates of Penzance, and Nancy had to smile, it certainly was a fitting theme for the coming evening.
A paradox, a paradox,
That most ingenious paradox!
We've quips and quibbles heard in flocks,
But none to beat this paradox!
A paradox, a paradox,
A most ingenious paradox!
Ha! ha! ha! ha! ha!
Ha! ha! ha! this paradox!
Ha! ha! ha! ha! ha!
Ha! ha! ha! this paradox!
Nancy walked into the kitchen from the mud room to hear both her husband and her father joining in a loud, and raucous rendition of the chorus, "Alright," she said loudly over the din, "Just how much have you two had to drink?"
They turned and looked at her guiltily, "Sorry, Short Cake," Murdock said, trying to stop laughing, "We were just trying to prepare ourselves for the evening. I'm afraid your Uncle is coming over for dinner."
Nancy dropped her briefcase on the floor under the phone, "Yes, I heard," she said calmly, "Uncle stopped by for our meeting finally at 2 today, and he told me he was coming over tonight."
She looked at her husband appraisingly, "I do wonder what you said to him. He seemed of the opinion that you were coming to see things his way as far as Stockwell Enterprises was concerned."
Murdock slumped against the counter, "He didn't say that, did he?" he said in disbelief, "I swear, I told him, again, that I don't want it, but he kept pushing. Like I told your Dad - I was hoping we'd be able to reason with him if we got him on our own turf."
Nancy turned and looked at him with raised eyebrows, "What's this 'we' stuff - you told me this was your fight."
Murdock walked over and put his arms around her, smiling endearingly, "But I knew you'd back me up, Short Cake," he said, kissing her forehead, "You were the one that told me you weren't gonna let me give up the airfield."
Nancy relented, "OK, but we better get this over with by 7:30. I gotta be at the LCC for practice with Jazz at 8."
Hunt Stockwell arrived at the Murdock household at 6 sharp. Murdock and Nancy had finished up the last few side dishes for dinner. Carl had set the table and they had the entire dinner laid out when he arrived. After a brief and stiff round of hello's, they sat down to eat.
They rapidly exhausted the conversation about local politics and the weather. They were only about half way through the meal when discussion turned to the future management of Stockwell Enterprises.
"I'm glad that you are finally starting to see things my way, HM," the General said complacently, "I think you will find that your energies will be well rewarded as the head of Stockwell Enterprises."
Murdock just stared, "You really haven't listened to a word I've said over the last few days, have you? I do not want to manage Stockwell Enterprises. I've signed partnership papers with Doc, and that is where I will be investing my energies."
Stockwell looked astonished, "Then why am I here?"
"You're here, because I thought maybe, if I got you somewhere away from the normal business scene, perhaps you'd listen to reason," Murdock said in frustration, "I'm just not sure how to make you understand that I am not interested." He enunciated each of the final four words clearly.
Stockwell was shaking his head in denial, "I think that you just need to understand the opportunity that you are bypassing," he reasoned, "Nancy, what do you think of your husband's refusal?"
Nancy sighed, "Honestly, Uncle, I think HM needs to do what is right for him. And that is not running Stockwell Enterprises. The airfield has always been his dream, and I have encouraged him to follow it. You're making the same mistake now that you did back in Vietnam - you've got to take into consideration what he wants. And if that's the airfield, than so be it. You can't make everyone fall into your well-ordered idea of how the world should be."
Murdock looked at his wife thankfully, "Nancy is absolutely right, this is exactly like Army Intel - I felt trapped then, and you're backing me into the same corner now. It is not that I don't want to please you. Believe me, over the years, I've tried more than once. But I've got to do what's right for me - and that's the airfield, not Stockwell Enterprises."
The room was quiet for a few minutes, before the General finally spoke, "I just think that it would be best if a family member were at the helm," he said quietly, "It doesn't mean that you have to do everything I do, you just need to make sure that the overall mission of the company remains on track. I can help you set up a hierarchy to help you do that . . ."
Murdock interrupted, "You know, you keep talking about keeping this in the family," he said impatiently, "why don't you look a little closer to home- Nancy has the capability to run circles around me, and her interests are definitely more in line with the business of Stockwell Enterprises."
Nancy's face reflected total shock. She said under her breath to her husband, "What in the hell are you doing . . ."
But the General was already replying, "Nancy has the latent talent, there's no doubt about that," he agreed, "But she has not demonstrated the desire to carry through on anything that mattered."
Nancy couldn't decide who to be angrier at, her husband for dragging her into the middle of this, or her Uncle for basically calling her a failure. She ended up rounding on her Uncle, "Am I going to pay for the rest of my life for not finishing Law School or for deciding that the FBI wasn't for me? I am now a full partner in Adams Investigations, which for your information has grown it's business several-fold while I've been there. In addition, we have an excellent working relationship with the local police force, which is saying something for a PI business these days. I happen to be very proud of my professional accomplishments and I have never failed to carry through on anything that mattered to me. Just because my career hasn't followed some preconceived notion you have of what it should be doesn't mean that I am a failure!"
Hunt Stockwell was sitting quite still, looking at his niece dazedly, "I certainly never meant to suggest that you were a failure, Nancy," he said quietly.
Nancy stood agitatedly, she wasn't letting him off the hook that easily, all of the frustrations that had built up over the years were pouring out, "And what the hell did you just say - that I was a rising star? Trust me Uncle, I've understood, especially for the last three years, exactly where I stand in your professional estimation. I'm nothing but a second class citizen, no matter how well I do. Well, I'm sick and tired of trying to please you. It's impossible! I could not care less about Stockwell Enterprises or about what you will do for a successor. But just for once, I'd like you to take a good, unbiased look at my career and tell me the honest to God's truth what you think about it. And if I'm such a God damn failure, then maybe it would be better if you just didn't lower yourself to admit that I'm your niece."
She turned abruptly and walked around the table, "As usual, it's been a great pleasure seeing you, Uncle," she said sarcastically, stopping next to where her Uncle sat, at the head of the table, "I have another appointment - so if you'll excuse me, I'll be leaving. The files for the LaSalle case are in my briefcase by the phone - why don't you take them and give them to someone that you feel is competent to follow through on the inquiry." With that she turned and walked out of the room.
The dining room was silent, as the three men left sitting at the table listened to Nancy slam out the back door, and drive away. Carl was the first to break the silence, "That went well, don't you think?" he asked facetiously, looking at Hunt, who looked uncharacteristically shocked. His eyes then locked on his son-in-law, and he grinned, "Anyone get the number of that Mack truck?"
Nancy drove faster than necessary to the Community Center, still seething at the turn of events that the evening had taken. She had known that it was not going to be a pleasant dinner, but Murdock's declaration had caught her totally off-guard. She realized that she had probably stepped several feet over the line with her Uncle, but at this point, she didn't care. He could take a long walk off a short pier.
And what was her husband thinking, suggesting her for managing Stockwell Enterprises? Maybe she should consider taking him back to the VA for re-evaluation, because he had to be losing his marbles. She didn't want to be away from home any more than he did, and she definitely didn't need another job right now.
She pulled into the Community Center parking lot, and sat in the quiet car for several minutes, trying to calm her nerves. She was about an hour early, but she didn't really feel like driving around anymore. Finally, she grabbed her guitar out of the back seat and headed inside - music had always been good therapy, maybe it would work tonight.