The Vultures

SEVEN

"My dear friends. It's an honor to have you here tonight, to support this noble and most important cause. No life should be shortened by something as common as disease. It's our obligation to do everything in our power to avoid this nefarious evil to continue claiming innocent lives, especially those that are just beginning to actually live and that will never be fulfilled. Tonight, we have made small but meaningful progress in our constant and restless fight to conquer this disease once and for all, and it's thanks to you, to your support, your commitment and your desire to help make the world a better place. I ask you for two rounds of applause: first to you, to us. May our fight end soon and result in imminent and absolute victory."

The entire room fills with a cascade of tumultuous applause, that goes on for several seconds and only begins to quiet when the hand of the man in the middle of the room goes up, calling for silence.

"And now, an applause for them, our little heroes. Some of them will come out victorious, and some will be unable to win this battle, although it won't be for lack of strength. And all of them will continue to be the reason behind our foundation, our drive to keep us going, and our absolute inspiration. To them."

The applause is now shorter, uncomfortable even, as if the guests knew that those children, those "little heroes" of which so much has been spoken, are, to them, invisible faces y unknown lives, countless names on a seemingly never-ending list, no matter how much money they pour into countless organizations.

But the party goes on, once the words have been spoken and the uncomfortable moment has passed. And now, they all want to shake the hosts hand.

Lionel Ludlow is a handsome man. I'm not ashamed to say so, because it's impossible not to. With the classic good looks of a 1940s Hollywood movie star, Lionel is suave, confident and smooth. His face has become round with the years and the beard has settled, so as to sharpen it; his hair, reddish and plenty still, is combed back, and his eyes, blue, bright and beneath a set of curvy and bushy eyebrows, radiate so much life, that they stand out without even trying. His body is neither athletic nor disheveled, but the result of a well-lived life, moderated by the occasional tennis or squash game.

His face is kind and unassuming, the complete opposite of his day-to-day attitude. Famous for being direct, abrupt, tactless and sometimes insensitive, bordering on the cruel, Lionel has forged himself an unbreakable image, which he has both encouraged and consolidated through the years. Known as the "Shark on Fifth", Lionel was not only an apprentice of Bernie Madoff, but one of the few who profited from his downfall.

For more than ten years, Ludlow has been the quintessential financial guru for the Upper East Side inner circles, and though many have tried to come at him, from every way possible, nothing has ever been found on him. No fraud, no anomaly, not even a parking ticket. Investigation after investigation, Lionel Ludlow has come out triumphant, and nothing seems to be able to stop him. Happily married to Lucia, née Rhodes, now Ludlow, the so-called "Diamond Woman" who was his ticket into Manhattan's high society, Lionel spends his free time on his numerous charities, which include the "Ludlow Cancer Research Center", "The Alliance for Tomorrow's Children", "The Young Financiers of America" and "The Ludlow Home and Shelter for Vulnerable Youths".

Unlike his wife, Lionel seems to enjoy the amenities that are discussed in these reunions. His smile doesn't look fake, his expressions don't seem rehearsed and his attention is always on whoever is in front of him, and while his voice is tough and almost rude, his words are carefully chosen, and his behavior is relaxed and light, inviting you to let your guard down and trust him, or at least try to.

"That's why so many trust him with their money", I think as I circle him and the small crowd that surrounds him.

Across the room, Charles Anton is chatting with a frail-looking older woman wearing heavy makeup, who looks completely besotted by him. Lucia Ludlow's words keep pounding on my head, like a heavy sermon to be memorized.