Richard leaned back.
“My father always said Leon preferred being behind the scenes.”
Adrienne’s expression changed.
Jonathan laughed from the screen.
“There it is.”
Richard turned.
“What?”
Jonathan leaned closer.
“Our father preferred being paid.”
“Recognition was not something he was allergic to.”
Adrienne said:
“Jonathan.”
“No.”
He looked at Richard.
“Dad applied for membership here twice.”
Silence.
Margaret looked down.
Richard did not.
He stared at Adrienne.
“That isn't relevant to the sale.”
“No.”
Adrienne answered.
“It is relevant to why you should stop using his preference as an explanation.”
Richard’s mouth tightened.
Martin glanced toward Margaret.
She nodded.
Continue.
Adrienne looked at Richard.
“My father applied in 1990.”
Richard knew.
She saw it.
“He was sponsored by Dr. Stephen Hale and Judge Michael Rosen.”
Richard looked away.
“Qualified sponsors.”
“Yes.”
“The admissions committee voted no.”
“Yes.”
Richard’s jaw tightened.
“You were on the committee.”
He looked back.
There it was.
Jonathan leaned back triumphantly.
Adrienne hated that.
Richard spoke carefully.
“I was.”
“How did you vote?”
Margaret whispered:
“Adrienne.”
She raised one hand.
“It matters to me now.”
Richard stared at the table.
Then:
“No.”
Silence.
Jonathan muttered something Adrienne did not catch.
She ignored him.
“Why?”
Richard looked up.
“At the time?”
“Yes.”
“I thought having a major property shareholder inside the membership created governance problems.”
Adrienne stared.
“That was the reason you wrote down?”
“No.”
“Then what?”
Richard's face reddened.
“I don't remember the exact language.”
Adrienne opened a folder.
“I do.”
She slid a copy across.
Richard did not touch it.
Adrienne read.
“Candidate’s professional relationship to the house may complicate traditional membership boundaries.”
Richard closed his eyes.
Jonathan laughed bitterly.
“Traditional boundaries.”
Adrienne looked toward Richard.
“What did that mean?”
Richard rubbed his forehead.
“It meant several things.”
“Name them.”
He hesitated.
“Some members thought Leon would use membership to influence property decisions.”
“Did you?”
“Yes.”
“Anything else?”
Richard looked toward Margaret.
She did not save him.
He continued.
“Some thought his business relationship made membership feel transactional.”
Adrienne stared.
“My father had already risked almost a million dollars keeping the club alive.”