Read Online Heartland by David Hagberg - Free Book Online

head. “I appreciate your position, Kenneth, I really do. But when the Russians call—and it’s an exclusive call—through Eurobank, they mean business. Business we cannot afford to pass up.”
    â€œWe can afford it.”
    â€œGoddamn it, you know what I’m saying,” Saratt snapped. “Last time something like this came up, you were with Vance-Ehrhardt, and he decided to pass on the Montreal meeting. And you know what that cost him.”
    His reputation and a lot of Warsaw Pact grain deals, Newman thought. He glanced back. Lydia sat sipping her champagne, staring out the window.
    What the hell were the Soviets up to now? It had to be big, otherwise Dybrovik himself would not have been the signatory on the telex, nor would he have mentioned Eurobank in Geneva. That meant money. Hard Western currencies. It also meant immediate action was required, or, whatever the deal was, it would be canceled and someone else asked.
    Newman had worked with Dybrovik on a number of occasions. He did not particularly like or trust the Russian, but he did respect the man’s expertise.
    â€œWhat do you think, Paul?”
    Saratt shrugged. “There’s been no glimmer of anything cooking with the Russians over the past month or so. At least nothing I’ve noticed.”
    â€œHow about an estimate on their harvests?”
    â€œToo early, really, for that. But from what I gather, it’ll be a routine year, although Fairbanks is calling for an early winter across the plains.”

    â€œCould be they’re running scared, and Dybrovik is hedging his bets.”
    â€œI thought so at first, but he mentions Eurobank. I’m assuming he’s talking not only about instructions for the meeting, but about the availability of real money.”
    Newman reread the message and glanced again at Lydia. She was watching them. He smiled at her, then turned back.
    â€œGet on the wire and have Sam dig up anything he can. Have Felix set up something in Geneva for me.”
    â€œAre we going first to Monaco?”
    Newman nodded. “Might as well. Lydia can stay there while I meet with Dybrovik. Let’s hope it won’t take more than twenty-four hours.”
    â€œIt lasted two weeks in Montreal.”
    â€œThree-fourths of the industry power was there. There was more infighting than work going on.”
    â€œDo you want to confirm with Dybrovik?”
    â€œI think not, Paul. I have a feeling he wants to keep this very quiet. For now, we’ll play it this way.”
    â€œAll right,” Saratt said. He glanced beyond Newman at Lydia. “What about her?”
    â€œI’ll take care of that problem.”
    â€œShe won’t be very happy.”
    â€œDon’t look so smug,” Newman said sharply. “She’s a grainman’s daughter. She’ll understand.”

6
    The weather in Geneva was gloomy. It had rained all afternoon, and now, as Newman stepped out from beneath the awning in front of his hotel, a cold, windblown mist enveloped him.
    He was tired from the nearly nonstop flying he had done, from Buenos Aires to Mexico City, from there to Nice, and then this afternoon here to Geneva. And he was disgusted with himself over his inability to arrange his life in proper priorities.
    â€œYou’re a grainman, first and foremost,” Lydia had said yesterday afternoon, over the Atlantic, when he had told her he would have to be gone for a day and a night.
    He had not told her whom he was meeting, or where the meeting was to take place, but she had known that it had to be a grain deal—that was the only thing that
would take him away from her on their honeymoon.
    Beyond that, she had not been visibly upset. They had made love on the bed in the aft cabin, and later had taken a long, leisurely shower together.
    It was late at night when they touched down at Nice, so Newman set aside his plans to go straight to the villa, and the three of them