Read Online 5 Deal Killer by Vicki Doudera - Free Book Online Page B

Darby glanced at her watch. Nearly noon. The perfect time to reach Hideki before he headed out for his customary lunch of sushi and seaweed salad.
    The high-powered executive answered his phone on the first ring.
    “Darby! What a pleasure to hear from you. I trust that all is well?”
    “Fine,” she said, smiling at a group of preschoolers preparing to picnic on a patch of scruffy grass. “I’m in New York—sitting in Central Park, actually—and I saw your email message. I thought we might discuss what you’re looking for in the city—that is, if now is a good time for you to talk.” She brushed away a bee and watched it meander toward a clump of flowering azalea bushes.
    “Yes, your timing is fine.” He paused. “May I ask why you are visiting New York?”
    “I’m here to visit Miles Porter.” She felt a flush rising in her cheeks. “He’s the journalist who was in Afghanistan when we were negotiating your purchase of Tag Gunnerson’s property.”
    “I remember.” What went unsaid were the events of the past February, when Darby had nearly perished at the hands of one of Hideki Kobayashi’s associates. Fine with me if he doesn’t bring it up, Darby thought to herself. I don’t want to talk about it anyway.
    The Japanese man gave a little cough. “I contacted you about property because Genkei has interest in opening an office in New York. I’d be looking to purchase a building—new, if possible—in a desirable location.”
    “What kind of square feet are you thinking?” Darby was jotting down notes in a small notebook that rarely left her side.
    “Oh, I don’t know, but at least as much space as we have in Tokyo.” He paused. “I do have a small window in my schedule before I head there on Monday. I could fly up tomorrow and see properties on Sunday if you’d like.”
    Yikes! Darby didn’t need to think about it—when a client like Hideki Kobayashi said jump, Darby Farr laced up her shoes to take a leap.
    “Terrific. I’ll make some calls and line up showings for Sunday.”
    “Then it is settled. I will phone you tomorrow when I am in the city.”
    “Do you need me to make you a hotel reservation?”
    “No, no, that won’t be necessary.” He gave a discreet little chuckle. “I thank you for your kind offer, but I have a suite on standby at the Ritz.”
    Okay then. “Very good. I’ll look forward to seeing you on Sunday and touching base tomorrow.”
    “And I as well.”
    Darby clicked off her phone and leaned back on the bench. She felt the familiar surge of adrenalin that came whenever she was about to assist a client in spending a large amount of money. Granted, Hideki Kobayashi was in the early stages of looking at New York property—heck, he hadn’t even begun to look!—but Darby knew the man well enough to know that he did not waste time in idle contemplation or planning. If he wanted an office building in a prime Manhattan location, he would get one, and he wouldn’t spin anyone’s wheels in the process. All Darby needed to do was find some good prospects for Hideki to see.
    Quickly she thought of Miles. What would his reaction be to her needing to show property on Sunday? It wasn’t exactly the way they’d planned to spend his free weekend together. And yet Miles understood the nature of Darby’s profession, the way she made it a priority to respond to her clients in a timely fashion. Maybe he’ll want to come along. She pictured the tall Brit and the compact Asian executive and smiled. It was very likely they’d enjoy each other’s company, she thought.
    Darby searched her contacts for the name of the New York broker she’d met while last in Maine. Todd something … Todd Stockton . Raised in Minnesota, he’d dropped out of college in the ’70s and hitchhiked east to Maine. Somehow he’d scraped together enough money to purchase an old Cape, which he’d restored and then sold for a profit. Before long, Stockton had his real estate license and had bought,