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Internet.
    I enter Trenton Merrick into the search bar and the ten most popular of twenty-six million hits appear on my screen. The first link is for his company’s official website, but I know those are usually maintained by a well-paid PR team. I want the dirt. My alternative options are CNN, a world financial conference website, the New York Times , and . . .
    Bingo!
    A Wikipedia entry.
    Under Early Life and Family , I find that Trenton Arthur Merrick, an only child, was born March 24th, 1982, and grew up on Long Island. His father, Charles Merrick, is a retired structural engineer and his mother, Barbara, is a homemaker. They both belong to the South Hamptons Country Club and are noted for their humanitarian work.
    Mr. Merrick attended an all-boys private school from kindergarten to grade twelve, followed by the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, eventually graduating with a Masters of Business Administration. Unsurprisingly, his major was Finance. He was a champion debater in college, he speaks fluent French and Italian, and he’s an accomplished classical pianist and guitarist. He was also a star athlete in high school and college. Polo.
    Under Professional Life , his extraordinary success in business is explained using lingo that might as well be written in another language. As I reach the end, I still have no idea what his company does.
    The Personal Life section is sparse: Mr. Merrick is not married and currently resides in Manhattan.
    I thought for sure that the article would mention he’s romantically linked to a gorgeous actress or socialite. A man as rich and attractive as Mr. Merrick has to have had many women. Then again, his wealth could provide him with the means to be discreet and conceal these aspects of his private life. After all, he holds a prominent position in the business world. An impeccable reputation would be imperative for his company.
    Next, I search for images of Mr. Merrick, preparing to find various photos of him with a bevy of scantily clad models. I squeeze my eyes shut, waiting for the thumbnails to load. After a few seconds pass, I open one eyelid, then the other, bracing for the worst.
    Instead, I find Mr. Merrick posing with stuffy old men in suits, various celebrities —not the trashy Hollywood types, but respected industry moguls—and even royalty.
    Is that him with Tom Hanks and the Dalai Lama?
    I scroll to the bottom and find there are hundreds of pages to look through. I set my limit at ten to maintain some semblance of dignity.
    It takes me awhile to pull up each one and give them a good once-over. What astonishes me is that every image is a reputable one. Many are professional photos that were most likely printed in magazines like the one sitting in my purse, but others catch me by surprise.
    For instance, in several images, Mr. Merrick poses with patients at a foreign hospital, on one of his many Goodwill Ambassador Missions, as the captions state, and there are even photos of him lending a hand in Haiti after the earthquake. It’s the first time I’ve seen him without a suit on.
    One image in particular stands out: Mr. Merrick walks through a courtyard in Port-au-Prince with a CNN reporter. Rubble litters the quad. Dirt smears stain his face and clothes; his hair is dusty and untamed.
    With drawn eyebrows, he looks in the direction of the reporter while cradling a young Haitian girl, whose head rests against his chest, eyes closed. Amongst such destruction and sorrow, the child’s expression looks peaceful as she lies trustingly in his arms.
    Mr. Merrick’s dedication to his business and charitable work is evident in every image, but this photograph brings tears to my eyes. It seems my initial negative assumptions about him were misguided.
    Nearing the end of my search, I find nothing tabloid-worthy. The bottom line is that Mr. Merrick is rich, charitable, and well respected. Any photographs where he’s posing with a young, beautiful woman simply state: