Due Diligence: A Thriller by Jonathan Rush Page B

believed him? He’s standing there saying Bernie Madoff’s a crook, and everyone else is saying Madoff’s a genius. Pillar of society, big donor. Who are you going to believe?”
    “Sure. It’s a tough one. But the regulatory system has to be objective, it has to look at stuff on its merits.” Rob put his knife and fork down. He was serious now. “Bernie Madoff was a facade. Anyone who looked at the fundamentals purely on their merits would have to have said that all the signs showed there was nothing solid behind him. He was one set of lies built on another. But no one in authority did. Markopolos did, but when he brought his suspicions to the regulatory authorities, they didn’t want to know. But that’s what you’ve got to do. If that happens, if you find something like that, you’ve got to follow the signs. You’ve got to hold on to them. You’ve got to ignore all the bullshit and follow what’s real to wherever it takes you and call it like you see it. And keep calling and calling and calling it until someone listens.”
    “Hard to do,” said Greg. “Imagine the pressure. Your job, your income. You’d put everything at risk.”
    “Damn right. But if you’re not prepared to do it, what are you? You might as well be one of the crooks.”
    “So you’d do it?”
    “I hope I’d do it. I hope I’d have the strength.”
    Greg smiled. He glanced at Emmy. “When are we ever going to knock the idealism out of him?”
    Emmy put her arm around Rob’s shoulder. “Never, I hope.”
    Rob shrugged. “Sorry, that’s just how I feel. You asked me and I told you.” He took a sip of his wine and looked at Greg. At some point, Louise had gotten up to go to the bathroom again. “So are you going to join this corporate fraud team? What do you think?”
    “I don’t know,” said Greg. “I’m still thinking about it.”
    *   *   *
    In the cab downtown Emmy was silent, thinking. Eventually she turned to Rob. “You know when I heard you talking back there, about that stuff Greg was talking about, you know what I thought? It should have been you.”
    “What?”
    “Joining that DA’s team.”
    Rob smiled incredulously.
    “Greg’s a nice guy. You know I like him a lot. But he’s got no fire. He’s got no passion. No drive. And you have, Rob.”
    “I don’t think that’s fair on Greg.”
    “Sure it is. Don’t you notice how he always asks you before he does anything? Every decision. He always wants to hear what you’ve got to say.”
    “I like to hear what he’s got to say as well.”
    Emmy looked at him skeptically.
    “I don’t know,” said Rob. “Greg’s a good guy, that’s all I know.”
    Emmy nodded. “So you’re honestly going to tell me that doesn’t appeal to you? What Greg was talking about? Going after corporate crooks, people who have really hurt other people with their greed and dishonesty?”
    Rob shrugged.
    “You wouldn’t think about it?”
    “Emmy, I’ve just started a new job.”
    “Which mostly consists of being shouted at by some abusive VP, apparently.”
    “There’s more to it. I’ve been two months an investment banker. I’m just learning what it’s about. It’s a little early to start thinking about something else, isn’t it? Besides, what does Greg get paid? His BMW didn’t come compliments of the DA’s office, in case you’re wondering. It’s a lot easier for him.”
    “You don’t have to drive a BMW.”
    “And I don’t. But I do have to pay back a shitload of debt.”
    “You could have paid it back by staying at Roller Waite if that’s all that matters to you.”
    “It’s not all that matters to me. You know it’s not.” Rob paused. “Let’s leave the corporate crime to Greg, huh? If I worked for the DA’s office, yeah, I’d probably join that team. Of course I would. But I don’t. Em, the deal I’m on is a really big, interesting deal and I’m lucky to be on it. People would kill to be on this deal. I’m just gonna do exactly