Smoke and Mirrors

87

Winter was impressed with the scale model of the resort in the large conference room on the executive floor. He and Klein were alone, his security man having thoroughly searched Massey.

“This is going to be the finest gaming resort ever built in the United States,” Kurt said, sweeping his hand over the model. “It will cost over a billion dollars. Mulvane brought the idea of this location to me, and after a lot of relentless persuasion, and seeing what he did with this casino, its potential became obvious. I would not be investing in it unless I was sure it would be profitable. I do not take chances when it comes to risking such sums.”

“I heard that when you borrow ten grand from a bank, repaying is your worry. But when you borrow millions, your repaying is the bank’s worry.”

Kurt smiled in agreement.

Winter picked up a small human figure from the model, then another, and another until he had five of them in his hands.

Winter said, “It appears that five people have been killed because of this investment.”

“You think so?” Klein said, seeming surprised. “I find that hard to believe. Are you sure?”

Winter reached out and laid the figures down, side by side, one at a time. “Sherry Adams, Jack Beals, Jacob Gardner…” He placed the other two male figures next to those. “I don’t know these men’s names, but them too.”

Kurt Klein crossed his arms and rested the fingers of his right hand under his chin.

“There is also the matter of Cynthia Gardner, who has been kidnapped by the person who killed these people.”

“The Gardner girl was kidnapped?” Klein said. The surprise in his eyes seemed genuine.

“It hasn’t been publicized and possibly won’t have to be, if she finds her way home.”

Winter didn’t know whether or not Klein knew about the deaths, or if he did, whether he cared one way or the other. Klein wasn’t the sort of man who gave anything away unless he chose to. At his level, like any major commanding officer far from the front, the realities of life or death struggles on the battlefield were just numbers, the bodies left in the ruins a million miles away.

“All of this has been the work of a top-notch professional killer,” Winter said.

“Does this killer have a name?”

“Paulus Styer,” Winter said, watching Klein’s face for a reaction, which came in the form of a brief tightening of his smile.

“And why is he killing and kidnapping people?” Kurt Klein asked.

“I think it has to do with a piece of land located within this model.” He gestured to a part of the model. “Six hundred and thirty-six acres owned by Leigh Gardner.”

“I think you must be mistaken. I have been assured that all of the land necessary for the project has already been secured. Are you saying that I have been deceived in this matter?”

“I hope so. That would mean that you would pay a fair price for the land and also tell me that you weren’t part of a plan to have the Gardners killed so the land could be purchased from their relatives who might have been in line to inherit it.”

“I am fairly ruthless in the practice of business, but I do not hire killers, Mr. Massey.”

“It’s irrelevant now. Mrs. Gardner has fixed things so that if anything happens to her or her children, none of her relatives will inherit her holdings. In fact, if anything happens to any of the Gardners, it will be years, if ever, before anything is built on that parcel. That includes Cynthia Gardner. I think it would be mutually beneficial for you to pay Mrs. Gardner a fair price and sign the papers, which is as it should have been from the beginning-a perfectly clean and legal business matter.”

“Let’s move this discussion to my suite,” Klein said, nodding. “It will be more comfortable.” He picked up the five tiny figures and slipped them into his pocket before heading for the doorway.

Winter accepted a bottle of water from Steffan Finch, taking a seat across the coffee table from his host. He removed the copy of the legal document from his inside jacket pocket and slid it to Kurt Klein, who put on reading glasses, opened it, and read through the pages in silence.

“So in the event of her and her children’s deaths, Mrs. Gardner has willed her estate to the parents of Sherry Adams, who would be the young girl who was killed by this assassin you mentioned?”

“Yes,” Winter said. “They are corecipients along with their church congregation, the Advent Church of the Holy Spirit. I should mention that the group is unrepentantly anti-gaming. They will also be given a document that states Leigh Gardner’s strong suspicions that Sherry Adams was murdered in order to secure the land for a casino resort. And they all loved Sherry Adams.”

“If that document isn’t based on provable facts, it would be slander.”

“Unless it is merely her opinion, which it is, as it is mine and the sheriff’s, along with others I’ll leave unnamed.”

“And you suspect Pierce Mulvane ordered these killings?”

Winter explained what led him to that conclusion as Klein listened patiently without interrupting.

“And after this land is transferred-if I do not already own it, as I have been led to believe by Mulvane-what else do you want from me?”

“I’d like for Mr. Mulvane to call off Styer and secure Cynthia Gardner’s safe release.”

“Anything else?”

“I’d like to know how to find Styer.”

“The professional killer you believe he hired.”

Winter nodded. “Truth is, I had the feeling when I mentioned the name in the conference room, you recognized it.”

Klein shrugged. “In the world of international business I hear many things about many people.” Klein smiled, looking suddenly weary. “If Mulvane did hire this man to do what you said, he will be held accountable, and he will see that this Styer releases the girl unharmed. Would that be satisfactory?”

“It would.”

“And what do you think is a fair price for the Gardner land?”

“Five million dollars, at this point.”

“So can we do this tonight?” Kurt asked. “I can draw a check, or give her bearer bonds. You may use my phone and call her.”

“I will ask her,” Winter said.

Winter stepped across the room and dialed Brad Barnett. He asked to speak to Leigh, and ran through Klein’s proposal with her, hung up, and returned.

“She agrees. Either a cashier’s check or bearer bonds, and have your attorney bring the transfer papers. Her attorney will be here, along with Sheriff Barnett and myself. We’ll have security in place for her protection. Nothing personal.”

“Done. And I insist on your security measures.” Kurt Klein stood, extended his hand, and the two men shook.

“And Mulvane?” Winter said.

“If he has done what you say, I will know soon, and my people will hand him over to the sheriff, accompanied by a signed confession.”

“He may not want to sign one,” Winter said.

Kurt Klein smiled, showing his slightly yellowed teeth. “If he is guilty of what you say, Mr. Massey, I am certain he will sign it. On that you have my word, and if you know me, you know my word is good. And if he knows anything about Paulus Styer, he will share that with you, and you may do with that information what you like.”

“Then we’ll be here at nine sharp.”

As Klein showed Winter to the door, he said, “Mr. Massey, the thing to keep in mind is that I will not tolerate any threat to my family’s financial well-being.”