Fifth Avenue

CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT

Anastassios Fondaras closed the final file Eric Parker stole on the takeover of WestTex Incorporated and tossed it onto Louis’ desk.

Although the man said nothing now, his dark eyes gleamed with the sort of intensity that reminded Ryan of a tiger’s eyes before the beast moved in for the kill.

Anastassios stood. “This deal Redman has with Iran,” Fondaras said, as he moved to the far right wall of windows and looked out at the city, which was brilliant in the late afternoon light. “It’s verbal, correct?”

“Yes,” Louis said, remembering his conversation with Harold Baines. “It’s verbal. Iran wouldn’t agree to sign anything until Redman took over WestTex. They felt it was a waste of time to commit themselves otherwise.”

“I see. But I assume that in the interim Redman has been in close contact with Iran,” Fondaras said. “I assume the Iranians will keep their word.”

“If circumstances were to remain the same, I’m sure they would,” Louis said. “Under current circumstances, they actually need Redman. With the Middle East unstable, most major shipping and oil companies are reluctant to enter the Gulf-including your own. Iran needs to sell their oil in order to buy arms, but few are willing to take the risk-except George. Redman’s advantage is that he knows the exact date the Navy moves into the Gulf. If Iran knew that date was as early as next week, they’d drop the deal, knowing that the Gulf would soon be secure again for trade and that they didn’t need any private deal with an American company.”

“If they knew the date,” Fondaras said.

“Exactly.”

Fondaras moved from the window and stepped to the bar. “I’ve known George Redman for nearly twenty years,” he said. “And I have genuine respect for him. A part of me even likes him.”

But, Louis thought. But…

“But this is business,” Fondaras said, as he poured himself another tumbler of Scotch. “And business is about getting there first. It’s about winning, regardless of the situation.” Drink in hand, he turned to Ryan. “So, you have no interest in being part of this deal? You’re simply going to give me this information for free?”

“Naturally, there will be a price-after all, Anastassios, as you yourself pointed out, this is business. But we’ll discuss terms later. First, tell me your plans.”

“My plans?” Fondaras said with a laugh. “It’s textbook. Redman will be getting their oil cheap. Iran is desperate and he’s played off their needs. I plan on doing the same-only I’m going to offer Iran more money for their oil. I’ve worked with them in the past and they’ll work with me again. I plan on stealing this deal from George Redman.” His eyes flashed. “But what’s it going to cost me?”

Louis reached for his own glass of Scotch, came over to where Fondaras was standing and touched glasses with the man. “That, my friend, is the most beautiful part of all.”

Spocatti came only minutes after Fondaras left. “Eric Parker is dead,” he said. “Diana Crane and Jack Douglas found him at the bottom of her staircase two hours ago. Her apartment is crawling with cops-and the cops are saying he fell. It isn’t being considered a homicide.”

Louis accepted the information with a nod. He was seated at his desk, facing the windows. As he stared at The Redman International Building, his eyes flickered with what might have been fear.

Spocatti was about to continue when he noticed the object of Ryan’s attention through the great panes of glass. Would the man never learn?

He moved to Louis’ desk, opened a side drawer and pressed a button-the curtains whispered shut. “One bullet, Louis,” he said. “That’s all it would take.”

But Louis wasn’t listening. He was thinking of the $90 million check he gave Eric Parker in exchange for the files he stole from Diana Crane, the very check that bore the name of Manhattan Enterprises’ foreign branch, World Enterprises.

“The check,” Louis said. “You’re too smart to have come without it, so give it to me.”

Spocatti sat in the chair behind him, kicked his feet up on Louis’ desk. “There is no check, Louis.”

“Of course, there is. I wrote it. You delivered it.”

“Doesn’t matter-the check’s gone.”

“Then where is it?”

“No idea. It wasn’t on Eric Parker’s body and it’s nowhere in that apartment. I have contacts at the NYPD. One of them was there when they removed the body, which was searched before Parker was pulled out. There was no check, Louis.”

“This contact,” Louis said. “This friend of yours-he can be trusted?”

“Are you questioning me? Of course, he can. He’s one of my best. While he was there, he also wired the apartment. You know as well as I do that Diana Crane will soon be missing those files. Now, we’ll know when she misses them. Now, we’ll be able to deal with matters more efficiently.”

Louis rose from his seat. “That check didn’t just disappear.”

Spocatti watched the man pace, delighted by how all of this was affecting him. “Of course, it didn’t disappear, but it’s nowhere in that apartment. That I can assure you.”

“Then where is it?”

“My guess is that whoever pushed Parker down those stairs is also holding that check.”

Louis, a man rarely stunned by the events of life, looked at Spocatti, stunned. “Pushed Parker down the stairs? You said he fell.”

“The police said he fell,” Spocatti said. “There’s a difference. And the police happen to be wrong. Eric Parker did not lose his footing and fall down the stairs like they said he did-Eric Parker was murdered. My contact and I are certain of it.”

“Who killed him?”

Spocatti smiled a slow, knowing smile. “You tell me.”

It was a moment before Louis responded. His mind filled with possibilities, made connections. And then he gradually realized that there was only one person who could have done it-Mario De Cicco.

He sat heavily in his chair.

Spocatti watched the color drain from the man’s face but felt no pity, no sympathy, only a slight annoyance at having been ignored. “I warned you, Louis.”

“I know you did.”

“Things aren’t as simple as they once were. You’re losing the game.”

“The hell I am.”

“But you are,” Spocatti said. “I told you not to send a check. I told you to wire the money from one of your anonymous accounts into one of his anonymous accounts. It would have been clean but you chose not to listen. You got greedy. You wanted that information so badly, you caved into Parker’s demands. That might turn out to be the biggest mistake of your life.”

Spocatti stood and leaned over the desk. “Now, unless you listen to me, unless you do everything I say, you probably will pay with your life-and Redman will win after all.”

Louis shook his head. “That’s not going to happen.”

“Good,” Spocatti said. “So, you’re going to listen to me? Do as I say?”

“That depends,” Louis said warily. “What do you have in mind?”

Vincent told him.