Vanessa Crane answered almost immediately.
“Mr. Hayes.”
“Ms. Crane.”
“Thank you for returning my call.”
“You called nineteen times.”
“I did.”
“What is urgent?”
She paused.
“My client would like to arrange a meeting concerning the effect of several recent decisions on Laurel Row Interiors.”
“Which decisions?”
“The lender notice.”
“Okay.”
“And the filing.”
Michael wrote one word.
LISTEN.
So I did.
Crane explained the expansion.
The second showroom lease had already been signed, subject to financing conditions.
A substantial deposit had been placed on imported furnishings.
Offers had gone to several designers.
Two had already given notice to their employers.
Marketing expenses had been committed.
Architectural work begun.
The expansion calendar assumed the loan would close before month's end.
Without my participation in the financing, the bank had paused closing.
“Mrs. Hayes did not fully appreciate,” Crane said carefully, “the degree to which the proposed structure depended on obligations or property associated with you.”
I closed my eyes.
Did not fully appreciate.
That phrase was doing difficult work.
Michael leaned toward the speaker.
“Ms. Crane, Michael Reed here.”
“Good evening, Michael.”
“My client has not frozen Mrs. Hayes's business accounts, terminated her company, interfered with her existing contracts, or removed any asset belonging to her.”
“I am aware.”
“He has declined to enter a future collateral pledge and new guarantee.”
“I understand.”
“And he has filed a divorce petition.”
“Yes.”
“So what action are you asking him to reverse?”
A pause.
Crane was good.
She did not overreach.
“I am asking whether there is a path to maintaining the status quo long enough to avoid immediate commercial damage while the parties discuss broader issues.”