Chapter 19: An Interview

October 15, 2001, Chicago, Illinois

🎤 Steve

“Steve, I have Jeri Lundgren on the line for you,” Kimmy announced early on Monday morning.

“Put her through, please.”

I closed my web browser, having just finished reading an admission by the Ukrainian government that the Siberia Airlines plane had been accidentally shot down, as had been speculated. I wondered what the circumstances were, but there was no additional detail as yet. The phone buzzed and I picked up the line.

“Hi, Jeri. What’s up?”

“Hi, Steve. Would you be free to do an interview with a candidate for director of Project Lydia on Wednesday?”

“So long as it’s in the morning, yes. I’m leaving for California late in the afternoon. Are you going to hire before Ben returns?”

“Yes, because he’s not officially in charge until January 1st, and if I bother him on his world tour, his wife will put out a hit contract on me! Wednesday morning would be fine.”

“Who’s the candidate?”

“Rebecca Steadman. She’s a social worker with an MBA, currently managing the equivalent of a DCFS office in Grand Rapids, Michigan. I spoke to her on the phone last week, and tentatively invited her for a face-to-face interview. She asked if Wednesday is possible and I told her I’d check because it was short notice.”

“Has anyone else spoken to her?”

“Bethany did a lengthy phone interview and said Rebecca is well qualified. I also had Global Security do a complete background check. She passed with flying colors. I’ll send you the résumé and the background check material, minus the credit report.”

That reminded me I needed to look at the dossier that Katya had created on Janice Parker to see if there were any clues I’d missed about a possible relationship to Trudy and Melanie.

“OK. What time?”

“You tell me. I’ll send her to you in a car, and have the car bring her back.”

“When does she arrive?”

“Tuesday evening. I’m taking her to dinner.”

“Then first thing Wednesday would be good. Would 7:30am be OK?”

“Absolutely. I’ll set it up. I’ll send the documents over by courier in a few minutes.”

“Sounds good. Let her know I’ll have breakfast brought in, and please check if she has any food allergies.”

“Will do.”

“How is Howard doing in Bahrain?”

“Busy. He’s thinking about getting out when this is over.”

“That could be decades,” I replied. “We’re going about this all wrong. And the other shoes have yet to fall.”

“We’ll talk about it when this initial push is over. The bombing campaign just started, and there’s no word yet on troops.”

“They’ll go in. It’s all a question of which way Bush goes and he hasn’t said anything yet. I’m hoping it’s mostly special forces in specific areas, not a full-scale invasion. Let Howard know we’re thinking about him.”

“Will do.”

We said ‘goodbye’ and I hung up, then went to Liz’s office.

“I’d like to take a look at the Janice Parker dossier,” I said.

“Sure.”

Liz got up, unlocked her filing cabinet, opened a drawer, and extracted a thick file folder which she handed to me. I quickly scanned it and didn’t see Janice Parker’s parents’ names listed, though there was a reference to her being an only child.

“What are you looking for?” Liz asked.

“Melanie’s mom’s maiden name is Parker, and I had this crazy idea that she might be related to Janice Parker.”

“That would be a weird coincidence.”

“My life is full of weird coincidences! This doesn’t list Janice Parker’s parents’ names, so I’m either going to have to call Katya or just call Trudy and ask. I think I’ll just call Trudy.”

“What’s your angle?”

“I don’t have one, really. This is more curiosity. If it’s true, maybe it’s a way to get Janice Parker to back off. Do me a favor, dial Spurgeon, please.”

“Speaker?” Liz asked.

“Yes, that’s fine.”

She dialed the main Spurgeon number and I asked for Trudy. The call was transferred and she picked up on the first ring.

“General Counsel’s office; Trudy Spencer speaking.”

“Hi, Trudy, it’s Steve. You’re on speaker with me and Liz, my in-house counsel.”

“Do you want to speak to Ken Thompson?”

“No. I called for you. Do you know a Janice Parker?”

“I have a cousin by that name, but I haven’t heard from her in nearly twenty years.”

“What was her job?”

“The last time I heard from her, she was dean at William Howard Taft in McKinley, Ohio. That was right after her divorce. She basically cut off all contact with the family then. Why?”

That fit what I knew about Janice Parker, which meant they were one-and-the-same person. But, given she was estranged from her family, something which didn’t surprise me, it was unlikely that Trudy could help.

“She’s causing trouble for NIKA,” I replied. “But it’s nothing to worry about.”

“How did you put two and two together?”

“Michelle and Elizabeth Parker.”

Trudy laughed, “Of course! I don’t think Tom has had any contact with her, but I could check if you wanted. You know I have nothing to do with my parents, and Janice’s dad passed, so I don’t think I can be of more help.”

“Don’t worry about it,” I replied. “Just one of those strange coincidences which we run into from time to time. I won’t take any more of your time.”

We said ‘goodbye’ and I hung up.

“That doesn’t change anything, does it?” Liz asked.

“No,” I replied, handing her the file. “Maybe if Trudy was in touch with her, but with them having been estranged for two decades, there’s no angle.”

“Now what?”

“Nothing, unless I hear from those cops, assuming they were actually cops, or Janice Parker makes a move.”

“I saw Clark Brody’s paperwork; Terry didn’t waste much time.”

“He couldn’t, if you think about it. I think it’s good for both Spurgeon and Clark. Cindi’s not happy, but she knows how this works.”

“That’s four now, right?”

“Michelle, Keri, Terry, and Clark. Spurgeon three, M&M one.”

“That sounds like a hockey score!” Liz declared.

“And despite saying that, I’m not really keeping score! I’m going to go back to my office.”

“Let me know if you need anything.”

I headed back to my office and about an hour later, Kimmy brought me a large manila envelope with Rebecca Steadman’s CV and background check materials. I quickly scanned the CV and saw she’d lived most of her life in Michigan, though there was a brief stint in Ohio. She had gone to work for the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services immediately upon obtaining her Master’s degree from Central Michigan University. Her undergraduate degree had been in psychology with a minor in sociology, and her first graduate degree was in Public Health Administration and her second was an MBA, completed while she was working full time.

Everything on the CV looked good, so I set it aside to glance over the background check. Katya’s summary was, as was the norm, succinct and to the point, stating that there was nothing in Rebecca’s background that indicated any kind of inappropriate behavior nor any criminal activity. But when I began reading Rebecca’s family history, my eyes went wide and I set the document on my desk.

“Steve?” Penny asked. “What’s wrong?”

“Just something completely unbelievable that I read. I can’t share, Pretty Penny, I’m sorry. And I’m fine.”

“You’re sure?”

“Yes.”

The report stated that Rebecca’s dad was in prison, for what amounted to life, for raping his youngest daughter, beginning when she was a pre-teen. He was currently serving a thirty-year sentence in Ohio, and on release would be sent to Michigan to serve a fifty-year sentence. And on top of that, he had ten years of federal time for Mann Act violations. I was surprised, because usually, the Feds got you first, but in this case, an agreement had been worked out to allow Ohio and Michigan to ‘go first’.

None of the sentences were concurrent, meaning he’d never get out, except for transfer to another prison. His wife had negotiated two three-year terms, one in Ohio and one in Michigan, and the Feds had chosen to nolle prosequi the Mann Act violations. She had died in 1997, having been in poor health since her release from prison in 1988.

Rebecca’s sister, Abigail, had dropped out of High School in 1985 and died of an overdose of methamphetamine in 1997, shortly after her mom’s death. Rebecca’s brother Jake, on the other hand, had had a modestly successful minor league baseball career, having actually been called up on the 40-man roster on three occasions, and had appeared in five major league games. He was now a coach and assistant manager for a AAA team in California.

Rebecca was legally separated, and her divorce was nearly finalized as of August, when the report was written. She had two boys, Neil and Jack, who were nine and twelve, both of whom lived with her. She was also, according to the report, what I called a ‘Christmas/Easter’ Christian - attending church irregularly, if at all.

Despite the shocking reading, I laughed when I got to the character references she’d supplied, which included Doctor Michael Loucks as well as his mother, Rachel Borodin. I didn’t recognize the other names, and all of them listed Michigan addresses. I picked up the phone and dialed Clark’s number.

“You’ve got Clark!” he declared, his usual way of answering.

“Only for another two weeks,” I replied.

“What’s up, Boss?”

“I’m curious, do you know a girl named Rebecca,” I paused to look down to find her maiden name, “van Dorn?”

“I do, but man, that was a LONG time ago. She was a gorgeous blonde Mike dated for a time. How did you run across her?”

“She’s coming to Chicago to interview for a director’s position with one of the social welfare organizations funded by the Lundgren Foundation.”

“Last time I saw her was 1982 or maybe 1983 when she came to visit Mike at Taft. She went to school in Michigan, I think.”

“Central Michigan,” I replied.

“Yeah, that’s it. Small world.”

“She’ll be here Wednesday morning from 7:30am to about 9:00am. If you want to pop in and say ‘Hi’ you’re welcome to do so.”

“Maybe I will. Thanks!”

October 17, 2001, Chicago, Illinois

At 7:25am on Wednesday, I let Rebecca Steadman, a beautiful blonde with blue eyes, in the front door of the NIKA offices. It was too early for Lucas, and Kimmy would arrive with our breakfast in about five minutes. I introduced myself and we went up to my office.

“I usually go by Becky with my friends, and Rebecca professionally. According to Jeri Lundgren, you prefer informality, so please, call me Becky.”

“Then call me Steve. If you’re uncomfortable with the Japanese-style chairs, we can go to a room with more conventional furniture.”

“I think my knees and back can handle it,” she replied with a smile.

“Then, have a seat. Kimmy will have our breakfast here in a few minutes. Do you want coffee or tea? I have a pot of Earl Grey, or I could get you another kind. For coffee, we have Keurig and Flavia machines and half-a-dozen choices.”

“Earl Grey is fine, thanks.”

I poured some for both of us into Japanese teacups and sat down just as Kimmy came in with our breakfast.

“Thanks, Kimmy,” I said. “Close the door, please. Penny knows she needs to work in the Annex this morning. When Clark comes up, let him in, please.”

“Clark?!” Becky asked. “A black guy who went to William Howard Taft in Ohio?”

“Yes.”

“He was my boyfriend’s roommate!”

“Doctor Michael Loucks?”

“OK, this is more than a bit weird!”

“I bet you know one of my lawyers, Jocelyn Mills.”

Becky laughed, “I do! Wow!”

“And, I actually met Mike in Hawaii with another doctor.”

“Unless things changed, that had to be Clarissa Saunders. This is crazy!”

“Let’s eat and we can talk about why you want to take over Project Lydia.”

We began eating our omelets, Kimmy having coordinated through Jeri as to what Becky wanted in hers.

“You asked ‘Why?’,” Becky said after we’d both eaten a few bites. “I’ve known about Project Lydia for about ten years, first having heard about it from a new college grad we hired at MDHHS who had interned there. She had a lot of good things to say about it, and I looked into starting something like it in Grand Rapids, but funding was difficult if not impossible. There were no state funds, and private donors were more interested in flashy things like hospitals, universities, and public libraries.

“I heard about the opening earlier this Summer from a friend I went to school with who works as a clinical psychologist at Loyola, did a bit of research, and called the Lundgren Foundation to find out how to apply. I think it’s a challenging role where I can have a real impact on the lives of abused or homeless women and girls, something that is very important to me. Jeri said she shared my background check, so you obviously know what I’m referring to.”

I nodded, “I do. I have a bit of experience in that area as well. If you’ve read Why Me? A Woman’s Guide to Surviving Sexual Abuse, Rape, and Incest, by Doctor Krajick, I’m the friend.”

“Jeri told me about that when she gave me your background at dinner last night. I’ve read it, and I give out at least a case of books every year, funded out of my own pocket because I couldn’t get the ... powers that be to pay for them.”

“This is one interview where you should feel free to refer to idiots as idiots, no matter what position they might hold. I’ve funded the distribution of that book by the Michelle G. Easton Center since its inception. Jeri let me know that you did a phone interview with her from Sweden.”

“I did. She’s awesome. I’d love to meet her someday.”

“I can arrange that for sure. You’ve lived your entire life in Grand Rapids, except for when you were at college, and a very brief stint in Ohio. Moving to Chicago is a pretty big deal.”

“I need a complete break,” Becky replied. “My divorce was final on Friday, and it’s time for something completely new - new job, new city, new friends. Once my grandmother passed last year, I have no close relatives in the area, so there is really nothing tying me there. My boys are baseball and hockey fans, and Chicago has professional teams, which Grand Rapids does not. Chicago also has some of the best museums in the country, a great zoo, and lots of cultural events. I’ve about had my fill of Tulip festivals!”

The door opened and Kimmy poked her head in, “Clark is here.”

I nodded and she showed Clark, in his stocking feet, into the office.

“Hi!” Becky exclaimed, hopping up to give Clark a quick hug. “Still the ladies’ man?”

Clark laughed, “Amy and I married not long after graduation. You talk to the White Boy much?”

“Occasionally. We exchange Christmas cards, and I see him every couple of years. You?”

“I don’t go back to Ohio much, but when I do, I make a point of seeing him and Clarissa. You moving to Chicago?”

“That’s up to the Lundgren Foundation, but I’d like to, yes.”

“If you do, get in touch. Let me write down my phone number and email address.”

“Pen and paper are in my center desk drawer,” I said.

Clark walked over to my desk, got the pen and paper, wrote out the information, then brought it back to Becky.

“I won’t hold you up any longer,” he said. “I just wanted to come say ‘hello’. Oh, and warn you that Janice Parker is at Northwestern.”

“Janice ... oh! The dean who was after Mike for his entire time at Taft. Ugh!”

“Anyway, good to see you! Get in touch when you come back.”

“I will! Thanks.”

He left and Becky sat back down.

“You seem to know about Dean Parker,” she said.

“She’s the current stone in my shoe,” I replied.

“You’re not Italian!” Becky said, laughing softly.

“Our Board Chair is Sicilian! Her grandfather was one of our first two investors. I learned a lot about business from him. Legitimate business!”

Becky laughed again, “So, despite the Italian phrase, no ‘Don Steve’?”

I chuckled, “No.”

“So what’s the problem?”

“There was trouble with a competitor who did their level best to try to get me in trouble with the EEOC or the courts over what really was a minor problem. Not to minimize sexual harassment, because it does occur, but this complaint turned out to be very mild. If you’ve done your homework, you know about NIKA’s management team.”

“All women. And some of the most women-friendly policies and benefits in the world.”

“Yes. And we terminated the individual in question. But Janice Parker and the attorney involved thought they saw a big payday because of some past events, but their case collapsed when it turned out to be the opposite of what they thought. At that point, it appears, Janice Parker made it her mission in life to get me.”

“Exactly what she did with Mike. I can’t discuss the details, but she did her best to ruin Mike with false statements. Well, let’s say she played fast and loose with the truth and likely broke the law.”

“I’m curious - did you read Bethany’s other book?”

Becky nodded and smiled, “‘Teens have sex, deal with it!’?”

I laughed hard, “That’s not QUITE the message of the book, but yes, that’s one of the points she makes in the ‘Foreword for Parents’. What’s your take?”

“That there are enough evil people in the world that we need tough laws to protect children from predators, but criminalizing sex between, say, a college Freshman and a High School Junior is going too far. And don’t even get me started on the insanity about sex education, especially STIs, and the fact that you can’t even mention birth control without some parent losing their mind. And then there’s the topic which I’ll mention but which probably shouldn’t be discussed - abortion.”

“Do you consider a sixteen-year-old a child?”

“Legally? Obviously. And, to be honest, that’s what has had to control my thinking for the past thirteen years. I’m going to infer from your question that you think a sixteen-year-old is an adult, which shouldn’t be an outrageous position, though some people clearly think it is. I think we too often treat teenagers as children when it’s better to say they’re young adults, and treat them accordingly. That was pretty much how we were viewed in the late 70s and early 80s when we were teenagers.