The Deal (16 page)

The cab stopped in front of my building. I jumped out. Without moving my feet, I put my eyes on the front door then looked to my right down the avenue. My instincts told me to hop back in the cab and head for the nearest precinct. My reality, past as well as present, reminded me that upstairs was my only choice. The cops, for me, were out of the question.

I headed inside. Parker had replaced Clarence, the norm by this time of day. He immediately opened the front door as I approached.

“Good afternoon, Jonah.”

“How are you, Parker?”

I crossed the building’s threshold. He scooted behind the concierge desk as he continued.

“Doorman Clarence left something for you.”

He handed me an envelope.

“Thanks.” I said.

“You also had some dry cleaning returned. Shall I hold it?”

“That’s fine.”

“Very good, sir.”

After about forty feet, still paranoid, I made a sharp left down a hall that led to the elevators. I jumped on cab number two and hit PH. As the elevator purred upward toward the penthouse, I found myself stumbling through the pile of thoughts that had been dumped on my brain’s floor. I’m not happy as it is when I’m not in control, but I learned something different that afternoon. I discovered that one of the most difficult places to be is that of not knowing who’s actually in control at all. I couldn’t come up with a definite course of action because I wasn’t sure who was calling the shots. I thought, was it, in fact, me? Had I just altered some game, one I wasn’t even asked to play, because of some ridiculous timing? Or was it someone else? Could it be? Was there really a chance that I, Jonah Fucking Gray, was being used as someone’s pawn? Someone’s chess piece? Could someone really be trying to pull my strings?

I stood in the hallway by my front door and put my briefcase down. For an instant I looked at the new keyhole hovering a few inches above the old one before I took out the envelope Clarence had left for me. I removed the key, looked around, and slowly let myself in. I was so tuned in with my senses it felt almost as if I were an intruder.

Once the door closed behind me, and I had locked the locks, I just stood there. As I heard Neo in the distance racing down the hall to greet me, I even went so far as to say “Hello?” out loud, like someone was just going to show themselves, just going to appear and in one breath make sense of everything. When Neo reached me, instead of dropping onto my back for our usual greeting, I scooped him up in my right hand using the briefcase still in my left for balance. As much as I wanted to just fall into the cushion of comfort that usually comes from being in my apartment, I couldn’t. Not yet, not with everything that had just taken place. I began in the kitchen and briskly, yet carefully, moved from room to room making sure everything seemed cool. My eyes were peeled, the whole while Neo trying to lick my face. Once I made it through my bedroom closet I felt safe. I placed my briefcase on the floor, playfully tossed Neo onto my bed then fell next to him on my back. Immediately he jumped on my chest.

A couple hours later, after hiding the black box in a brown leather Ferragamo boot in my closet, I was down the hall in my office. My computer was on, as was my TV, which was muted because Lou Dobbs yammering away was clouding my thinking. There were files all around me yet my chair was swiveled around. I was staring out into the darkening city as it was pelted with rain. I was talking with Andreu Zhamovsky who was on speakerphone. I was bringing him up to speed.

“Exactly. Now that we have laid the groundwork, each of us will be using the weekend to get all of our due diligence resources in order. The goal is to have everyone ready to swoop in the second we have the green light and all parties are in agreement that there is a deal to be made.”

“Or in our case, three deals,” Andreu countered.

“That’s right. As we get further along, if we’re even lucky enough that each of the three parties takes our bait, we’ll know which deal is really the one we want to pursue. The fact-finding process will shake out a front runner.”

“Have the preliminary talks given you any kind of an idea?”

“About what?”

“Which opportunity may be the most realistic?”

“Way too early, Andreu. To tell you the truth, at the end of the day I think all three are doable.”

“I love that about you, Jonah. That ‘take no prisoners’ American attitude.”

“Isn’t that why you came to me?”

I was doing my best to seem as normal as possible and keep it all together. Then, a click. Call waiting. I thought for a couple of seconds about if I wanted to answer it. I looked at the call waiting: unknown caller. Andreu’s next sentences were instantly reduced to nothing more than props standing idly on the stage of my life. I heard nothing. Except, now, the second click. It dawned on me that perhaps it was someone who could shed some light on what was happening. If I was going to answer it I needed to do so. Stay even, I thought. Stay undisturbed.

“Hang on one second, Andreu. I have another call coming in.”

I swiveled my chair around, returned my attention to my desk and made the switch.

“Yes.”

“Jonah?”

A pretty voice. A new, yet familiar voice.

“Wow! Hey—”

It was Angie. I had only known her for about twenty-four hours, and hadn’t seen her in about fifteen of them. But I already knew her voice. That sexy voice.

“How did...I mean, did I...”

“You dialed it into my cell phone. Remember, so I wouldn’t lose it?” she said.

I didn’t remember, which wasn’t surprising. I was a party sandwich of liquor, weed, and coke when we had last been together.

“Actually, I don’t.”

There it was, that cute, sexy giggle. I slammed into multitask mode.

“Can you hold on for one minute? I just need to finish up this call.”

“Of course.”

I switched back.

“Sorry about that. Anyway, I think you should be completely up to speed at this point.”

“Good. I appreciate your efforts of keeping me current, Jonah. Being this far away, it makes me comfortable.”

“Please, Andreu, not a problem. Close communication is going to be essential for seeing this through,” I replied. “Shouldn’t you be getting ready to begin your night out just about now?”

“I should. And apparently since you’ll be in all weekend getting us ready for battle, I’ll need to be partying for both of us.”

“Then get to it,” I concluded. “I’ll call you if anything comes up.”

I switched over.

“Sorry about that. I was in the middle of something.”

“Is it a bad time?”

“Not at all.”

We paused.

“How was your day?”

“Nice,” she replied. “I lounged on the beach and read. Probably unlike someone I know. Was your day as busy as you thought it would be?”

“You could say that,” I replied, dryly.

“You know—” we both said simultaneously.

“Please, you,” I went on.

“No, no.”

“I insist.”

“I had a great time last night, Jonah. I hope—I hope I wasn’t too forward by inviting—”

“I’m sorry,” I cut in, “don’t you mean seducing—”

Again, the sexy laugh.

“You know exactly what I mean. I’ll compromise, enticing.”

“That works just fine.”

“Then I apologize if I was too forward enticing you into the bathroom.”

“Please, there’s really no reason to be doling out apologies here. After what I was looking at when that door opened, I’ve never been so excited to enter a bathroom in my life.”

“Well then maybe we can reenact the whole scenario again tonight.”

I was confused.

“Aren’t you out on the island?”

“Yeah, but I plan on heading into the city in a little bit. You know, since the weather is so gross. It’s not exactly a beach weekend, so I figured I’d stay at the family apartment up on Lexington.”

My pulse definitely picked up a notch, but I was having a hard time being excited.

“That’s terrific. Really. But it’s just...I...”

“A little too much enticing again. My fault,” she went on, dejected.

“No!” I snapped back. “Trust me, this has nothing to do with you. Honest. I just happen to be involved in a deal that needs all of my attention this weekend. I promise you, nothing would make me happier than to be able to see you tonight.”

Thirty-five million dollar egg. Billion dollar deal.

“But I just can’t see you. Not tonight, anyway.”

“I understand,” she responded, forced strength in her voice. “Maybe we could get a bite tomorrow for lunch. Or maybe Sunday. I mean, you have to eat, don’t you?”

She was right. And on top of that, it was important I remain normal in my demeanor as well as my activities.

“I do. Over the weekend for a bite definitely sounds like something I could swing.”

As we continued to chat, I rotated my chair again in order to view the city. Rain was steadily falling, hitting the glass at all different angles from the suddenly gusting wind. In each drop I saw a different scenario, a different direction, a different fantasy. In each individual bead of moisture I saw a different possibility. One thing was for certain. Returning Danish Jubilee Egg was not yet a possibility. It couldn’t be, not until I knew more.

Chapter 18

At nine forty-five I walked out the front of my building. Perry was waiting for me in the backseat of a chauffeured Town Car.

“Hey,” I said as I jumped in. “You owe me one for this.”

“Please, Jonah. Haven’t you ever heard the expression ‘taking one for the team’? Besides, since when don’t you like an excuse to party a little bit?”

Not fifty feet after the driver pulled out, he stopped short.

“What is it?” I said, a touch nervous, as I leaned forward.

Looking at me as if I were a complete pussy he replied, “Red light.”

I sat back in my seat. I turned my head, only to see Perry looking at me as if I was an imposter.

“Everything okay?”

“Fine,” I laughed, shrugging it off.

“You sure? I mean you seem a bit jumpy,” she tauntingly went on, sarcasm lining her words. “Not exactly—”

“Really, Per,” I cut her off, “everything’s cool. Just a little too much coffee today. Nothing some quality gin can’t counter.”

I paused before I continued.

“Where’s hubby tonight?”

“Out with college friends. One is in from Arizona on business for the weekend.”

“Are you sorry you’re not with him?”

“Not at all,” she answered. “They’re annoying in a group. Besides, it gives me a chance to focus on what we’re doing here.”

She meant the business deal. But I couldn’t, even in the middle of all the madness that was becoming my life, neglect what “we’re doing here” also seemed to mean. We were meeting Auerbach, and his wife, who were going to be out with a few other couples at some swank hot spot. She had said she wanted me there for support, but the reality is these were all people she knew. And more importantly, nothing that was going to be discussed, businesswise, was anything she couldn’t handle. Whether Perry knew it or not, she had asked me to come along to fill the role of her significant other. I felt humbled, fortunate.

“What we’re doing here,” I repeated. “Right.”

At that moment, as Perry turned and focused her attention outside, I couldn’t help looking at her form. She was wearing a tight, black skirt, a smart, white silk blouse, and a pair of killer heels. The slit up the side of her skirt went up mid-thigh, exposing a leg that I had trouble accepting belonged to a woman who had at some point given birth.

My cell rang. Fuck I remember thinking to myself as Perry’s head swung back around. She caught me admiring her. I pulled the phone from the inside of my suit jacket, and looked at the caller ID. The number was unavailable. I had to pick up. She would have thought it was strange if I didn’t.

“Jonah Gray.”

“Hey, Jonah.”

It was Angie again.

“Hey,” I said, surprised. “What’s up?”

“I’m sorry to call you again.”

“Seriously, it’s enough with the apologies already.”

Almost on cue came the sexy laugh. Perry could hear that it was a woman. I could feel her curious stare.

“Anyway, I was wondering if you had any suggestions for Italian on the Upper East Side? My girlfriend and I are getting a bite and I felt like trying somewhere new.”

She was a girl with a house in the Hamptons and an apartment in the city, but she needed suggestions for an Italian restaurant? The only thing she needed was to hear my voice again.

“Scalinatella,” I responded, without a second’s thought. “The best Veal Milanese of your life.”

“Where is it?”

“Sixty-first and Third.”

“Best of my life? You sound pretty confident.”

“Don’t I always?”

“Yes—”

She couldn’t resist.

“— which completely turns me on.”

We both paused. Then she asked another question.

“Where are you?”

Fuck. I had told her I would be staying in. She had gotten my cell number from my home’s voice mail. It’s on there because business people are always trying to get hold of me.

“I’m sorry?”

“Where are you? I thought you were working tonight.”

I looked at Perry.

“I am working. I’m actually on my way with a partner to a meeting.”

“At ten o’clock on a Friday night?”

She thought I was lying. I couldn’t blame her.

“Look, Angie, I really am heading to a meeting. When I told you earlier I would be working—”

“Please,” she cut me off. “You don’t have to explain yourself, Jonah. Really, it’s cool.”

I could tell she was disappointed. And although I really did want to explain myself, I wanted to get off the phone even more.

“I really do want to see you,” I countered, gently. “You have to know that. I’m just smack in the middle of something right now.”

“Say no more, Jonah. Please.”

“I really do hope you understand.”

“Of course. Where’s the meeting?”

Again, fuck.

“Pangaea,” I said, knowing that the sound of this hot-spot lounge would only give her more reason to doubt my story’s authenticity. After years in business liquoring up models and movie stars, this was the joint’s final night in business. It was their highly publicized, VIP only farewell party.