MOVIE HEIRESS WAS MURDER.
Stone held up the paper for the others. “Did you see this?”
“We were talking about it when you were still asleep,” Dino said. “I wonder who let the press know?”
“I don’t think it was Prince,” Stone said. “Somebody who knows a reporter, I guess.”
“Maybe Rick Barron?” Dino offered.
“Could be,” Stone replied. “Charlene, I think this takes the heat off you, at least a little. The opposition can’t afford two murders in the papers.”
“I’ll stick with my security people for a while,” Charlene replied. “Better safe than dead.”
Stone’s cell phone hummed on his belt. “Excuse me for a moment,” he said, getting up and walking out of the kitchen.
“Hello?”
“It’s Eggers.”
“Good morning, Bill.”
“It’s afternoon here.”
“Yeah, I remember.”
“I spoke to Rex Champion early this morning, offered him thirty-six million. He ranted for a while, then accepted. I’m sending him a deal memo; the price is contingent on our due diligence turning up nothing untoward and on his putting an immediate stop to selling blood stock.”
“That’s great news, Bill.”
“Closing is a week from today.”
“ What ?”
“I know, I know, but Rex is hard up and needs the cash immediately.”
“How are we going to raise the cash for Arrington that fast?”
“Look, Stone, I know you’re not accustomed to dealing with billionaires, but Woodman & Weld is. When one of our clients needs a loan, he doesn’t fill out an application and wait for word from the loan committee. Call Arrington, tell her to instruct Chase to deal with us, and we’ll have it wrapped up in a day or two. And send me her financial statement, so I’ll know what I’m dealing with.”
“You’re dealing with a billion two in investments with Chase; that’s all you need to know.”
“You’re right, it is. I need a letter from Arrington appointing us as her attorneys and authorizing us to act for her. Can you get that faxed to me right away?”
“Yes.”
“I’ll look forward to hearing from her.” Eggers hung up.
Stone called Arrington. “Good morning,” he said.
“It’s afternoon.”
“Yes, it is. I have good things to report,” he said. “Rex Champion has accepted your offer of thirty-six million dollars for Virginia Champion Farms.”
“That’s wonderful! It’s less than I offered.”
“It’s what you offered,” Stone said. “We thought the extra million was too much.”
She laughed. “Thank you for ignoring my orders.”
“Improving on your orders. Now, we’re closing in a week, and I need some paperwork from you right away. Got a pen and paper?”
“Yes,” she said.
“First write a letter to Woodman & Weld saying as follows: ‘Dear Sirs: I herewith appoint your firm as my sole legal representatives, under the supervision of your partner, Stone Barrington.’ ”
“Partner?”
“We’ve been talking about that for months; your business sealed the deal.”
“Well, congratulations!”
“Thank you, ma’am. Please get that typed up on your letterhead, sign it, and fax it.” He gave her the number. “Then mail Bill Eggers the original. Then, as soon as you’ve done that, send the following letter to the person who supervises your accounts at Chase Private Bank. Ready?”
“Ready.”
“ ‘I have appointed the firm of Woodman & Weld as my sole legal representatives. You may deal with either Mr. Stone Barrington, the supervising partner on my account, or Mr. William Eggers, the firm’s managing partner, on my behalf.’ ”
“Got it.”
“Fax that to both your Chase banker and Bill Eggers and mail Chase the original.”
“Will do.”
“Time is of the essence,” Stone said. “We have to arrange a bridging loan from Chase right away to close the sale of Champion Farms, so that you won’t have to sell stocks at a loss.”
“I understand.”
“As soon as Eggers and Chase receive your faxes, we’re in business.
Stone held up the paper for the others. “Did you see this?”
“We were talking about it when you were still asleep,” Dino said. “I wonder who let the press know?”
“I don’t think it was Prince,” Stone said. “Somebody who knows a reporter, I guess.”
“Maybe Rick Barron?” Dino offered.
“Could be,” Stone replied. “Charlene, I think this takes the heat off you, at least a little. The opposition can’t afford two murders in the papers.”
“I’ll stick with my security people for a while,” Charlene replied. “Better safe than dead.”
Stone’s cell phone hummed on his belt. “Excuse me for a moment,” he said, getting up and walking out of the kitchen.
“Hello?”
“It’s Eggers.”
“Good morning, Bill.”
“It’s afternoon here.”
“Yeah, I remember.”
“I spoke to Rex Champion early this morning, offered him thirty-six million. He ranted for a while, then accepted. I’m sending him a deal memo; the price is contingent on our due diligence turning up nothing untoward and on his putting an immediate stop to selling blood stock.”
“That’s great news, Bill.”
“Closing is a week from today.”
“ What ?”
“I know, I know, but Rex is hard up and needs the cash immediately.”
“How are we going to raise the cash for Arrington that fast?”
“Look, Stone, I know you’re not accustomed to dealing with billionaires, but Woodman & Weld is. When one of our clients needs a loan, he doesn’t fill out an application and wait for word from the loan committee. Call Arrington, tell her to instruct Chase to deal with us, and we’ll have it wrapped up in a day or two. And send me her financial statement, so I’ll know what I’m dealing with.”
“You’re dealing with a billion two in investments with Chase; that’s all you need to know.”
“You’re right, it is. I need a letter from Arrington appointing us as her attorneys and authorizing us to act for her. Can you get that faxed to me right away?”
“Yes.”
“I’ll look forward to hearing from her.” Eggers hung up.
Stone called Arrington. “Good morning,” he said.
“It’s afternoon.”
“Yes, it is. I have good things to report,” he said. “Rex Champion has accepted your offer of thirty-six million dollars for Virginia Champion Farms.”
“That’s wonderful! It’s less than I offered.”
“It’s what you offered,” Stone said. “We thought the extra million was too much.”
She laughed. “Thank you for ignoring my orders.”
“Improving on your orders. Now, we’re closing in a week, and I need some paperwork from you right away. Got a pen and paper?”
“Yes,” she said.
“First write a letter to Woodman & Weld saying as follows: ‘Dear Sirs: I herewith appoint your firm as my sole legal representatives, under the supervision of your partner, Stone Barrington.’ ”
“Partner?”
“We’ve been talking about that for months; your business sealed the deal.”
“Well, congratulations!”
“Thank you, ma’am. Please get that typed up on your letterhead, sign it, and fax it.” He gave her the number. “Then mail Bill Eggers the original. Then, as soon as you’ve done that, send the following letter to the person who supervises your accounts at Chase Private Bank. Ready?”
“Ready.”
“ ‘I have appointed the firm of Woodman & Weld as my sole legal representatives. You may deal with either Mr. Stone Barrington, the supervising partner on my account, or Mr. William Eggers, the firm’s managing partner, on my behalf.’ ”
“Got it.”
“Fax that to both your Chase banker and Bill Eggers and mail Chase the original.”
“Will do.”
“Time is of the essence,” Stone said. “We have to arrange a bridging loan from Chase right away to close the sale of Champion Farms, so that you won’t have to sell stocks at a loss.”
“I understand.”
“As soon as Eggers and Chase receive your faxes, we’re in business.
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