Fast and Loose

23

Mike Freeman arrived and was given a drink while Stone and Charley started a new one. Stone introduced Mike to Charley and filled him in on his background with Charley’s help. Dinner was served, and Fred poured the wine.

“So, Charley,” Stone said, “what do you want to do as soon as you can extricate yourself from Macher and St. Clair?”

“Well, if I can’t run St. Clair, I’d like to go into the mergers and acquisitions business for myself, or with partners.”

Stone and Mike exchanged a glance. “What sort of acquisitions interest you?” Stone asked.

“Start-ups, or interesting small companies with the potential for rapid growth, if they get the financing they need.”

“What are you prepared to invest in such a business?” Mike asked.

“Five million to start. I made a couple of really good deals at Goldman, and I’ve still got my starting bonus from St. Clair.”

“Is that everything you’ve got?” Mike asked.

“Not quite, and I’d need a salary to live on, of course.”

“Where do you live?” Stone asked.

“I have a suite at the Lombardy Hotel, on East Fifty-sixth Street. It’s expensive, but I get hotel services like room service, laundry, and maid, so I don’t have to spend any time keeping house.”

“How much time were you putting in on a weekly basis at Goldman?” Mike asked.

“Sixty to eighty hours a week,” Charley replied. “It was what was expected of the younger guys, and it was too much. I want a life, too.”

“That seems reasonable.”

They chatted on through dinner and Stone got the strong impression that Mike wanted to go into business with Charley Fox. After dessert, he pulled Mike aside. “What do you think?”

“I think we need this guy,” Mike said. “We’ve been acquiring slowly, catch as catch can, and we need somebody who can put together deals and do the due diligence.”

“I think you’re right, and I think he’s the guy.”

“I’ve got some free office space in our building. We can install him in there with a secretary and a small staff.”

“Good,” Stone replied. “What should we pay him?”

“A million a year, then bump him up to two as soon as he starts doing deals that will support it. I reckon we’re going to be pumping in operating expenses for at least a year, but that’s what we’re for in the deal, the daddies.”

“Are you going to kick in free rent?”

“Sure, until he generates the revenue to pay for it.”

They went back to the dinner table. “I guess you’ve got a contract with St. Clair,” Stone said.

Charley produced it from an inside pocket. “Christian drew it up, and I signed it.”

Stone read it quickly. “Nothing to keep you from taking a hike whenever you feel like it.”

“Or to keep him from firing me out of hand.”

“Can you just walk out tomorrow?”

“I need a little more time with document collection,” Charley said, “then I’m out.” He paused. “If I’ve got someplace to go.”

“Mike and I want to give you that place,” Stone said. He outlined the deal he and Mike had discussed. “What do you think?”

“Do I get a piece of each deal?”

“You can invest up to a third of each one, if you can find the money.”

Charley shook his head. “I want a fee for each deal, and that gets plowed in as an investment.”

“What sort of a fee?”

“A third of a third of the investment. Sometimes I’ll be able to ante up, sometimes not.”

Stone and Mike exchanged a nod. “That’s a very sweet deal, Charley,” Stone said, offering his hand. “You’d better hold up your end.”

“Agreed,” Charley said, and he shook Mike’s hand, too. “When I said I was interested in small deals, that won’t always be so.”

“When you’ve got the right deal, we can find the cash,” Stone said. “From more than one source.”

“Great.”

“Okay, I’ll draw up a contract and get it to you in a couple of days. Do you have a lawyer?”

“I’d like for you to be my lawyer.”

“Not ethical. There’s a guy at Woodman & Weld named Herb Fisher that you’ll like. In fact, you talk to him, and he can draw up the contract.”

“Charley,” Mike said, “does anybody at St. Clair know where you live?”

“My address is in my employee records,” he replied.

“You’d better get out of there before you make the move. It may piss off Macher, and we don’t want you to be too easy to find.”

“Tell you what, Charley,” Stone said. “I own the house next door where my staff live. There’s a furnished ground-floor rear apartment empty there, opens onto the common garden. You can move in there rent-free, until you decide where you want to live.”

“Thanks, Stone.”

“Call my secretary, Joan Robertson, when you want to start sending stuff over.”

“It’s just clothes — won’t take long.”

“You figure out when it’s the right moment to bail out of St. Clair, and tell me how you want to do it.”

“I’ll want to vanish in a puff of smoke,” Charley said.

“When you do, give Macher a proper letter of resignation. Do you still have family in Georgia?”

“Nope, they’re all gone.”

“Then tell him you have to go back there to deal with family matters. If he looks for you there, he’ll find a dead end.”

“Good idea,” Charley said. “And there’s something I should tell you.”

“Okay,” Stone said.

“I’ve got Macher’s office wired for sound, and I have recordings of a couple of his meetings, including one with his board, which is exercised over something to do with the Coast Guard finding cocaine aboard the company yacht.”

“I believe I’m acquainted with that incident,” Stone said drily.

“Do you want me to keep the wire in there?”

“Yes, but for informational purposes only, since it’s illegal. Make sure you shut it down without a trace when you go. You don’t want them finding it later.”

“Right,” Charley said. “I’ll be out of there in a week.”

“Good. Be careful. Don’t roil the waters there. We don’t want our new partner to get hurt.”

“Charley,” Mike said, “I’m in the security business, you know. If you feel in danger at any time, call me on my cell, twenty-four/seven.” He handed Charley a card. “I can put people on you or snatch you off the street, if necessary. And when you check out of the hotel, give them a forwarding address in Georgia, and after you leave, don’t return to the hotel.”

“Not even for a haircut?” Charley asked. “My barber’s there.”

“Find a new barber for the moment,” Mike said.

“I get my hair cut there, too,” Stone said. “I’ll make excuses for you next time I’m in.”

They walked Charley to the front door.

“Let me have a look outside,” Mike said, “then I’ll give you a lift to the hotel.” He did so, while Stone and Charley waited.

“I think this is going to work well,” Stone said. “Just remember to stay safe. You’ve been trained on how to do that, haven’t you?”

“I certainly have,” Charley said.

Mike returned. “Okay, into my car,” he said, and the two of them left.