Inconspicuous Adversary Strikes

By Norbert.T. Vidot

Brian Davis was a young lawyer; it was during the Victorian times. After returning to Britain from India, he fulfilled his dreams of owning a fleet of ships. He later faced devastation when his vessels sank at sea, with all his crew and passengers losing their lives. Also, after that, he and his employees were attacked numerous times. Scotland Yard needed help solving the case, which was proving difficult. He acquired a new fleet of advanced ships later; he married into an elite family and experienced a bad marriage. His ex-in-laws took over the financing of the vessels that he owned. The loan on his fleet of vessels was called in. It was a vendetta.

Brian was forced to take on a dangerous mission to Africa to save his company. He was offered an assignment to find the son of a wealthy Belgian family, who went into hiding in the interior of Africa. His team, including a professional hunter, travelled deep into Africa to the Ruwenzori mountains of East Africa. They travelled through Tsavo, where the notorious man-eaters of Tsavo were attacking and killing the railway workers that were building the railway at that time; they were the most vicious killer lions. Wild animals and fierce tribes also attacked Brian's team as they travelled to the Ruwenzori. To save his company, success was his only option, regardless of the difficulties.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Norbert.T. Vidot
• Release date: Nov 22, 2023
• ISBN: 9781739008116

Book preview

Author: Norbert. T. Vidot

First published: June 2023

Disclaimer

All the characters in this book are fictitious, and any resemblance whatsoever to any person, living or dead, is purely coincidental. Any references to historical events, real people, or real places are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and events are products of the author’s imagination, and their resemblance to actual events or places or persons, living or dead, are entirely coincidental.

Dedication

To my dear wife, Martha Vidot, who always encouraged and supported me in completing this book.

- NORBERT VIDOT

PROLOGUE

Something moved slowly , but no one noticed; it moved to the side of one of the tents erected. It was inside the camp, still partially concealed then; no one was there except Anique. This thing was massive; the eyes shone in a big head. It was an enormous mass, focusing on something, measuring, and planning- a dangerous attack.

Anique sat and did not have the faintest notion of what was about to happen. However, she started feeling restless and tried to brush it off, thinking she was a bit paranoid. She tried to relax, but she was not able to. Her instinct made her feel that something was not right. She felt the hairs on the back of her neck standing up, and suddenly, she saw a shadow on one of the tents; the shape did not reflect a person. It was something else. What is it? Very frightful!

She stood and turned around, shocked; the unbelievable sight, looking at her, was a beast staring at her. The head was massive. It was poised to attack as its body displayed incredible muscles, and then everything fell into place; she was going to be attacked by a male lion; she knew it was a male by the mane. God, she was going to die. At the same instant, it growled and sounded deep. Even the ground shook; the sound was frightening, its tail wagging, the sign it was ready to charge, and it jumped and charged. Anique screamed she was standing at the time, there was a table between them, the lion leapt at her, at the same time she ducked, the lion was too fast, it overshot its target and landed on the table, then turned on its side, as it was turning, it slipped, and it fell to the ground which was wet due to the rain. It tried to get up fast, but in the process, it slipped and dropped again.

Anique ran to the tent, knowing her gun was in there. On her way there, the lion had gained its footing and charged again; very fast, Anique screamed again; she knew that she would not make it, only a miracle would save her———then she heard a shot, then another, after that, she heard a louder one.

At the same time, Brian ran to where Anique was; he saw her on the ground screaming. The lion was almost on top of her; Brian stopped; he aimed his Winchester repeater and fired three shots successively. Anique was on the ground, waiting for her faith. She felt that the monster was changing again, and when she got on her elbows and looked to the side, she saw Brian with a smoking gun. It was close!

book1

The darkness engulfed the forest; thick with vegetation, the islands were mostly mangrove forests. It was quiet, except one could only hear the crickets, the only sound in the woods. The two men moved slowly, keeping it quiet; visibility was only a few feet away, and danger was everywhere. The man guiding moved on painstakingly slowly. They had to be careful; he was not armed. Tracking carefully with every footstep, trying not to step on dry twigs, breaking them would disturb the silence, giving their position away. Then everything went quiet, dead quiet. This sent a bloodcurdling feeling—-—danger is awaiting. As a brave man, Brian felt himself trembling; he was frightened. He had to take down that animal at all costs! Suddenly! With a whoosh , a beast of an animal rushed at a blistering pace at them with incredible speed, growling. Brian Davis lifted his Nitro Express and shouted, Rajah! Drop to the ground! He aimed and fired at the oncoming beast with both barrels.

Then! Suddenly, all was quiet after that fearful encounter, recovering from the attack. Each of them looked around to see who was hurt or——-—killed!

Brian reloaded his rifle, the Nitro Express, in about three seconds; he was fast in doing it; the beast was not in sight. They could see blood on the ground and lots of it. Brian saw Rajah, the guide, still on the ground. He started getting up off the ground.

Rajah! Are you ok?

He answered, By the grace of Krishna, I am okay; I dropped down because I knew you would fire at the tiger. He is the man-eater, definitely.

Brian asked, How do you know that, Rajah?

There is a wound on his left ear; it was chopped off by a farmer whose wife was killed in the village by this tiger; the farmer was also injured, but the tiger escaped.

They heard a growl; it sounded like an enraged animal in pain. It was frightening, and the whole forest came alive with that sound. Rajah was scared, and he said, Mr. Davis! Please let us go back; it is going to attack again. He is growling to lure us to him; we are entering his favourite spot. A few people who tried to kill this tiger fell for his scheme and followed him to that place, and they were all killed. That tiger is black magic, and no one can kill him.

It was getting darker in the forest; this man-eater had killed one of his victims a few hours ago. Most probably, it would kill again.

Brian knew that, wounded, the tiger was more vulnerable and had to be killed! Brian said, Rajah, we must find that beast; this is our only chance.

Rajah refused to go on; he said, I am afraid this is how it has happened before, chasing this tiger to its spot, and a few have died.

Trembling, Rajah turned and returned to the river shore running, where they had landed before, with the others. Brian knew he had to pursue the tiger, so he walked deeper into the forest to the location Raja had pointed out to him. As he strolled, poised and ready, he saw two shiny objects in the darkness that resembled a pair of eyes -—maybe it was an optical illusion; well, Brian was not going to take any chances. He brought his Nitro up, aimed, and fired with both barrels. Wow! He must have missed; the tiger came charging at him. Brian knew he had no time to reload; he pulled out his Colt 45 from his waist and fired at the beast repeatedly, aiming at the head. On the third shot, the man-eater went down. Brian was astounded! He approached the tiger cautiously and fired one more bullet into the animal's forehead; it did not move. It was dead, for sure. What a relief. He heard a man’s voice. Brian, are you ok? Answer me.

Yes, Uncle Alan, I am ok. The tiger is dead. Rajah is not with me; he ran back to the boat.

Alan answered, Don’t worry about him; he is with us, the bloody coward.

Alan and another guide, including Rajah, appeared; Alan went to the dead tiger, nudged it at the head with his rifle pointing at animal’s skull and said, One bloody year, everyone has been trying to kill this beast; no one succeeded; it had to be a Davis to do it, congratulations boy, you all listen to me; this is my nephew, a brave man. The two guides applauded. That night, there were celebrations in the mangrove villages for the man-eater's demise.

Brian's name was heard everywhere in the villages as a hero.

The British Government had employed Alan Davis as an administrator of the Indian State of West Bengal in India. Alan was also responsible for protecting the local people as part of his duties; a large population lived on the islands in the Sundarbans. Several adjacent islands were populated with dangerous tigers. Some of these giant cats turned into Man-eaters over time. The tigers in the Sundarbans were excellent swimmers, and they usually swam to other islands in search of food and, at times, attacked the villages.

Alan had taught Brian how to handle firearms, and they had done a lot of hunting in Britain. He asked Brian to come to India to help take down this animal, which proved brutal and was preying on humans.

Brian turned out to be good with firearms and a skilled hunter.

Brian had just completed school; he was three years ahead of the other students. He was waiting to be of age to enroll at one of the Universities in Britain. Alan said to Brian that evening while relaxing and going over the hunting events, Brian, your parents want you back in Britain. They have some important things to discuss with you. I received a letter yesterday, Brian replied, I was expecting that. I have been away for three months.

Allan said, I will miss you, my nephew. You are a good hunter. I hear that you may be going to university soon. Remember, study well and attain a degree; it will make an auspicious career in your life.

Nodding his head, Brian said. Yes, I had applied; they said I was young then and would consider me this year. Alan said, Maybe that is what it is all about. I have booked your passage, and You will leave tomorrow on the train to Bombay and then catch a ship to Great Britain.

Brian answered, Thank you, Uncle.

book 2

Brian arrived in Wales two weeks later; the family was happy to see him. He told them about the close encounter with the man-eater and India.

Brian Davis was born in Wales to a middle-class family. A good-looking young man, he carried himself well and was well-built. He worked at the mine on his off days from school. Due to the hard work, he packed some muscle over time. His uncle had trained him to be a good hunter and good with firearms.

Brian had two younger siblings: a brother and a sister, William and Anne. His father, Henry Davis, was a miner in the coal mines in Cardiff, Wales; he worked in the mine shafts, which was hard, back-breaking work. His mother, Margarete, a well-educated lady, was a former teacher who loved her profession; however, she could not pursue her career, and regrettably, she had to give up her teaching job once she was married. That was a law in Wales then; married women could not teach in schools. With her excellent education, she secured a job at the local library in Cardiff.

They owned a small farm on the city's outskirts, where they grew and sold crops, which helped with the family's income. Financially, they lived a comfortable life. That evening at dinner time, the family was at the table, and Brian’s mother had an announcement to make to the family; she said, Anyways, let me give you some good news. I was waiting for the right moment. Mr. Brian Davis, my son, you have been accepted at Glasgow U. to study law. Everybody clapped, and Margarete had tears in her eyes; Henry got up from his chair, came over to Brian, and spoke. I knew you would make it; you will make this family proud. He shook Brian’s hand, and so did William. His mother came and kissed him on the cheek, and so did Anne. It was a perfect night after what transpired; Brian felt better that his goal would be realized. The good news was uplifting; as some would say, hard work and patience, good rewards follow.

In the following weeks, Brian prepared to go to Scotland; word had gotten around that he was accepted at Glasgow U. However, only a few made it to higher education in the local community during that time. He received many compliments from the local people; some were not too happy to hear about it; well, a bit of jealousy is expected, and it is human nature.

He travelled to Glasgow in Scotland. The University of Glasgow was one of the best in Britain and maintained a very high status in Europe. He was a good student and usually came to the top of his class.

At the university, he studied at the main compass at Gilmore Hill, which was at the city’s west end. The university was first established in 1451, the fourth oldest in the UK. A papal bull founded it; it is a type of public decree, in other words, a charter issued by the Catholic church. The university prepared professionals in law, medicine, civil service, teachings, and the church.

He met a fellow student named Robert Cass from the United States. His uncle had sent him to study at this university, and Robert had lost his parents. Brian and Robert became excellent friends over time.

They had the same interests and got on well from the start. Brian was intrigued by the stories of the US and the Wild West. Robert talked a lot about the open country that was still being explored. He spoke of the gunfighters who used guns to settle disputes, robbers who held banks, and travellers whom the native Indians sometimes attacked. He told him about the duel in gunfights, where gunmen would face each other over a disagreement and shoot it out; occasionally, one or both duelists were hurt or even died from their wounds. There were terrible men like Henry Starr and Harry Tray; Tracy died at twenty-seven.

Robert was about the same height as Brian and was also quite a good-looking young man, a bit talkative, and was quite fond of the opposite sex, respectful though. He charmed people he associated with, and he could carry on a plausible conversation on any given occasion. It all showed him to be of good character.

They spent much time together and often went out on the weekends, where Brian learned to socialize a little more. He also started taking some interest in women and occasionally a social drink; he was not an alcoholic drinker, but he tried to avoid temptation due to his upbringing. He behaved, crediting his mother’s grooming. He would look at the girls but never advanced on them; short-term urges could have immediate short-term pleasure, and his studies were a virtue in life.

Brian, at times, would assist Robert with his studies; being at the top of his class, he was a good source of knowledge, which helped Robert improve his studies.

The two friends discussed a lot about their countries and their family. One evening, Robert spoke to Brian about his parents in more detail since he was a trusted friend. He told him his parents were medical doctors, and they had invested a lot in different enterprises. They were well off. His father was a surgeon, and his mother was a general practitioner. She took care of a lot of women patients in her profession; they felt more comfortable with her and usually had more confidence in a female doctor, which was rare in those days, as there weren’t many female doctors; it was a complex field to venture in; being a woman in that profession. Misogynism was quite prevalent in America.

Robert was a bit sad. I did not see them often as they were always busy; the maid cared for me. She brought me up. Said Robert.

Robert continued, "I lost both of them while at boarding school.

How did they pass on Robert? Robert replied,

It was a fire; our home was burnt down, and my mother, father, and the maid were found dead after they had put out the fire. They found their bodies altogether, which was odd; it was a momentous and violent event marked by an unexplainable calamity. Robert went on,

" I was away at school in New York at the time. The law was not very informative regarding the investigation of their deaths. I got nowhere when I tried to inquire about my parents and the maid’s unfortunate accident. My uncle, who has a lot of influence with the local law, managed to conclude the investigation quickly. He incoherently gave me some details, and it became contentious. He indicated it was a straightforward accident and did not want the family to endure prolonged agony. I believe he is duplicitous in his behaviour and a traitor, though I can’t prove anything. He is the trustee for their estate, upon my father’s insistence and mother’s strong objection. I have a cousin who is an attorney who tried to help me, but it has been futile;

I guess I will find out one day what took place. I believe my grandfather, on my mother’s side, left me a large estate, and at the moment, it is contested by my uncle; he argues that the estate should be under his care as he is the trustee and the custodian. Mom’s lawyer is fighting that, for some reason, my mother’s side of the family was unhappy with my uncle; they did not trust him, and he is spending carelessly on my inheritance. "

Brian tried to console Robert. Sorry, Robert, things like this could happen to any of us; I am sure they would want you to continue your studies. It is important to complete your studies; remember, I will always be there for you. You are like a brother to me. With teary eyes, Robert replied

Thanks, Brian, it makes me feel better; I sometimes feel so alone.

Brian was feeling sad for Robert; he was thinking these terrible things that happen to others can have some impact on you. He felt lucky to have his family; imagine what Robert is going through. Life can be unfair sometimes to some people,

One day, Robert was advised that he would have to settle his bills at the university or leave, as his uncle had not sent any money to pay for his fees and living expenses. Robert could not understand why his education was not paid for. He wrote to his uncle and got back some very vague replies. The uncle indicated that Robert’s parents had left a lot of unpaid bills, which depleted the funds.

Robert was taken aback by what was happening; he could not believe that there were no funds to pay for his education; his mother had assured him that she had put money for him to continue his studies, but this was impossible and apprehensible. It has imperilled his studies; he was thinking of what to do next; he would have to return to the US, and he had no choice.

Robert found Brian sitting in the park at the university that afternoon. Robert came and sat with him. Brian felt something was wrong. Robert looked bewildered and sad. Brian asked him what was troubling him. He told Brian he would have to return to the US. The bills had not been paid. He also spoke about the response he got from his uncle; Robert said, The university had not been paid for three months, and my uncle said the money was depleted. I can’t believe it. My mother said they had set money aside for me to complete my education; something is wrong.

Brian asked, What about your grandfather? Did you inform him?

No, I know he also needs money now; if I told him what happened, he would send me the money, even if he had to do without it himself. I would not feel good. They are going through a bit of hardship at the moment.

Brian thought depriving Robert of his education would be a waste, especially with the last term on hand.

Robert, please wait a bit; let me see what I can do; you are a good friend to me, almost like a brother. Let me speak to my parents.

Robert shook his head, Brian, that is ok. I would not like to impose; it is a lot to ask.

Do not worry, Robert. I know you would do the same for me; you must complete your studies. I’m sure my parents can help.

Brian spoke to his parents about Robert’s setback. They felt they knew him as their son, as Brian had talked much about him. They agreed to pay for his schooling at their son’s request; it was the last year for both of them, and they also felt he needed that chance to complete his education.

Robert felt grateful for the help he was afforded and couldn’t thank Brian enough. Robert said to Brian, Brian, thanks a lot; please convey my great fullness to them. I want to meet them.

You will, Robert; please concentrate on finishing your studies. It is what they want for you. Robert said, I will do that; they will not be disappointed. I promise you that.

The school had a short summer break, and most students were going away home. Brian told Robert, Robert, why don’t you join me for the next two weeks since we are shutting down college for a while? Come with me and visit my parents. They would like to meet you; it will be a change, and they will be happy to meet you.

Robert looked at Brian, paused, and replied: That would be great, Brian, as long as I am not imposing.

book 3

They took the train to Wales for the college break; Robert was admiring the countryside on their way to Wales by train. They travelled to Cardiff, where Brian’s parents lived. Cardiff was a major exporting port; it was busy, and a lot of coal was exported from the city. Wales was the eleventh most significant city in the UK. The language spoken was Welch; however, a few people spoke in the English language.

With coal mining, Wales provided an important fuel supply, which fueled the blast furnace of iron and copper and, most importantly, the fuel for the steamships. It was also nicknamed ‘black gold.’

Once they arrived, they were met by Brian’s parents at the train station; they were very excited to see their son after a long time. The mother hugged Brian and Robert and said, Welcome, son,—-—son! The lady called me son, thought Robert, who at the time was a bit nervous meeting them for the first time but was able to relax; what a welcome from this family. The father shook his hand with a firm grip of warmth, giving Robert some comfort. He felt quite an affection for this family.

Brian’s mother asked in English, How was your trip, both of you? You all must be tired and hungry. Robert, is this the first time you are visiting Wales? Yes, Mrs. Davis, Wales is beautiful, and you all are good people to welcome me – a stranger, thank you.

Mention not, Robert; any friend of Brian is a family friend. Remember, you are most welcome, my son; remember, you are not a stranger. Said Brian’s mother.

Once again, thank you. Said Robert

They travelled to the farm; the house was modest, built of stones with many windows and a large door. The lawn was meticulously kept.

Brian’s brother and sister came to meet them, William and Anne. He shook hands with them, and they were thrilled to see him. William was excited; he knew that Robert came from the US, which was still a bit wild, with animals like bears, buffalo, fierce Indians, feral cats, and snakes, as had been told.

William said, Mr. Robert. he immediately asked William to call him Robert; there was a pause, and he went on, Did you meet the Indians?

Yes, I did, William.

They must be terrifying; they fight and kill people and are cruel. William said; Robert looked at him, They are good people, just like us; some are fierce; however, they are fighting for their land. William looked amazed and said, We hear many stories about them, and they are not good.

Just like the white people, some of them are the best people to know. Yes, there are many good Indians and some bad ones. On the whole, they are good people. They have their ways, and their culture is different from ours. They carried on talking about other subjects.

The home's inside was modest, a bit bigger than the average home in Wales. They had upgraded the house often and had some beautiful pieces of furniture.

Brian’s mother was house proud, and you could see it with all the Modern fixtures installed in the home. A few expensive paintings hung on the walls, and Robert could distinguish professional art and its value, as they had a few in their house in the USA.

After a lavish dinner, they had a long conversation with the family that evening. Brian’s mother asked Robert if his parents originated in Britain.

Robert answered, My Mother was English from England, and Dad was half Irish and half Welch; they were in the medical field. Mom was a general practitioner, and Dad was a surgeon. They were engrossed in their profession and were often not at home. I was at boarding schools most of the time; however, I grew up alone; they were good parents. I was very close to my mother and miss her a lot.

Margaret's sad face showed, It is good that you are strong; you must carry on; she would want that. She sounds like a good mother and a person.

Robert admired Brian’s mother, Mrs. Davis, I wish I had parents like Brian’s; caring, loving, and the warmth I feel in this home has given me first-hand experience of a real family.

Robert looked down and said, Brian has been like a brother to me, and the rest of the family has afforded me the same treatment. I am grateful, and I have to say thank you for helping me at the university. I will repay you when I go back to the US.

Mrs. Davis looked with pity and answered, Robert! Don’t worry, concentrate on your studies, you have just a few months to complete them. Remember that this home is yours, and you are like my son. Brian has talked much about you, and I know you well.

Two weeks later, the two boys went back to Scotland.

book 4

Brian graduated at the top of his class, and Robert did pretty well; he returned to America.

Brian stayed in Wales, helping the family on the farm. He applied for jobs in London, and one of his professors had some links with the banks in London. He liked Brian and was impressed with the qualifications the young man had attained. Apart from his studies, He had been working as a bookkeeper at the university on a part-time basis and also assisted with some legal matters there. He demonstrated exemplary skills in the law on the legal side.

He was offered a job at one of London’s prominent banks. This was with his professor’s recommendation. During that time, the first banks operating in England were Coutts, Child and Co, and Barclays. His first job was with Coutts Bank. He started work a week later.

Before starting his new job, Brian went to the city to shop for some personal items for the trip to London; while in town, he saw Ava, his former girlfriend, walking towards him. They recognized each other, and she stopped before him and spoke. Hello Brian, how are you? It has been a while since I saw you.

Brian shook his head in agreement.

Yes, it has been a while; how are you keeping, and how is your husband? I hear you have a child. Congratulations, Ava.

Thanks, he is ok. I miss you; at least I used to see you. I haven’t seen you for a while; your mother said you were at the University, and I heard you did well, as always.

Well, it has been okay with my studies.

Ava stretched her hand and caught Brian’s hand in a friendly manner.

Have you found a job?

Yes, I will work at a bank in London.

Wow! That’s great; I knew you would make it. Said Ava.

Ava looked at Brian with a bit of sadness showing on her face.

Brian, I still love you. I regret I chose someone else; I guess it was the status and security I was looking for, and my mother is a big influence. Maybe one day I will be with you.

Brian felt sorry for her and spoke, Look after your family, love them, and make it work, Ava.

You don’t know what I am going through. I guess I made my bed, so I must lie in it.

Brian felt sad and said, Time will help; you are a good woman. Ava's eyes were tearing, I miss you—-—a lot.

Brian knew he had to end the conversation; she was getting too emotional.

Brian said, Ava, I have to go. Please take of yourself, and it will work out, dear. Bye.

She said, Bye, I still love you. with much regret.

The first banks in the world were started in England, where most of the world’s money transactions were carried out. The first Method of using Bank cheques was initiated in London. The financial systems and discipline in business made England the world leader in trading. Brian started his job at the bank and rose very quickly; he primarily provided advice and even guided the bank in its client’s evaluation when lending money. He introduced new procedures, which, in time, impressed his superiors. He demonstrated intrinsic ethics and dignity.

Brian met one of the regular clients, Luke Nelson, at the bank where he was working. Luke visited the bank frequently, and over time, they became friends.

Luke would secure loans at the bank and further lend them out at a higher interest rate. He had a lot of assets, and his company was doing well.  

One time, Luke was trying to negotiate a loan on someone’s behalf; he would be the co-signer; however, Brian realized that that deal was risky and that it was his job to screen clients before any loan approval. He advised his superiors against approving it, as it was not secure. It had some risk, and the request was declined based on Brian’s recommendation.

Of course, Luke was upset and annoyed; he had always been approved before and was determined to find out why it happened. He wanted to get to the bottom of the rejection of the loan and knew it was risky; they had never rejected him. He had other plans regarding that loan; He usually applied for loans on some of his client’s behalf and with a hidden agenda on some of them, anticipating payments default. As a guarantor, he would take over the assert.

He decided to see the top manager, Bruce Short, to lodge a formal complaint because he felt he was profiled and the perplexity of the rejection was pestilent to him. The bank manager listened and called the floor manager, James Golding, to explain why the loan was rejected. After listening to James, he thought for a while and said,

Mr. Golding, I think we should review the loan application, and Mr. Nelson, I will authorize the acceptance of this loan. We have a procedure; however, it changed, and I was unaware of it. Please accept my apologies; I will also look into this matter.

Nelson did not waste time; he thanked them and left; then Bruce asked. James, what happened here? It could have cost us business and also lose a good customer. Who decided to reject this loan?

James was annoyed: The young man we hired, Mr. Davis, analyzes all our big loan applications and advises us on how to proceed.

How does he do it? I am unaware of these new procedures, and how come I don’t know about them?

Mr. Short, I submitted a new set of procedures, and in that, we were to conduct a thorough search on each individual applying for any loan; you have the documents, Sir. As you know, we have had a few defaults lately.

Bruce did not like being corrected; he felt superior to others; in a sense, he believed he was above his associates, especially given his position.

I want to talk to this young man; bring him in.

James came back a little while later with Brian accompanying him.  They knocked at the door and walked in. Brian was also carrying some papers with him.

Bruce looked at Brian with a bit of contempt and asked Brian.

Brian, what criteria did you use to advise the rejection of the loan Mr. Nelson applied for.

Bruce did not ask Brian to sit; James took a sit and asked Brian to sit. He reluctantly sat on a chair, all facing Bruce. James was also a significant shareholder in this bank, so he had a say in the business.

I did a thorough investigation on this application, as I do on all others; this loan is divided into two sections, one on the business and the other on the building in which the business operates. I pointed out that two applicants were responsible for their portion of the loan. Mr. Nelson guaranteed the building from which the business operates, and the other person who runs the business, Mr. Potter, guaranteed the business itself. I decided that an inherent failure of the business would happen.

Bruce asked, How did you come to that conclusion?

I did a background check on the company, and it did not look good. The company owes on other loans and is behind on payments; these are private lenders prioritizing recovery. We are third in line to recover.

James said, I sent a memo to you about it, and I informed you that I am not happy with this transaction. By the way, the new procedure is on your shelf there. Pointing to the shelves.

Bruce got up, looked at James, went and brought the documents, and quickly read them, then took Brian’s papers and read through them. He knew the bank could not have any more defaults. James was a clever man, and it looked as though this young man was bright. The documents showed in depth the standing of the company in question. He then said quietly.

"James, I think the young man is correct; find a way