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Authors: Rita Mae Brown
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papers, but it also screamed out over the AP and UPI wires. Carmen was okay. Lavinia Sibley Archer couldn’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear, so she spoke instead on the pressuresof competition and travel. The other players couldn’t believe it. Nothing like that had ever happened, no matter how angry anyone was, and there had been plenty of angry moments over the years.
The fans, for the most part, reviled the act. But the promoters were in hog heaven. A little drama would bring in the people. Susan had just lined their pockets. Naturally, promoters would never publicly encourage such outbursts. Even though the public disapproved of the act, the fact that there might be more explosions attracted them. After all, it wasn’t just a sport anymore, it was entertainment. Susan publicly apologized. In her heart, she felt she had done no wrong. Carmen robbed her. Since Susan couldn’t admit she had any faults, she was in no danger of correcting herself. Carmen understood. Between her first lover and herself, it was no longer tennis; it was war.
“That’s an interesting offer.” Miguel sat across from Dennis Parry in the bank office. “I think we can do business.”
“I’m always looking for new ideas.” An unctuous smile crossed Parry’s lips.
Riding in the taxi to the Kansas City airport, Miguel glowed. The meeting with Parry was better than he’d hoped.
Amalgamated would loan Carmen $600,000 at an interest rate of 21%. The term of the loan was one year. $300,000 was to be paid in equal, quarterly installments, a balloon payment of $300,000 was due at the end of the year. But it could be renegotiated at the end of that year. Parry congratulated himself on being a genius because Carmen would pay him $50,000 under the table. Obviously no record of that exchange would be on paper. Carmen only had to sign the loan agreement, and Miguel would have $550,000.
Miguel glanced at his gold Rolex. He’d be in plenty of time. Some of what Miguel told Dennis Parry was true. Much was not. He did have a friend who would manufacture the clothing line in Hong Kong. And he would sell the product in Southeast Asia. He also had every intention of peddling the goods in the United States through the outlets his Hong Kong friend used for designer rip-off clothing. Miguel had found a distribution network and all the retail outlets without spending a penny of his own cash. The shirts would be sold for 20% less than the legitimate item. Even at that discount, the profit was enormous.
Of course, Sunny Days, the company that manufactured Carmen’s endorsed clothing line, would eventually discover that a bogus line was being sold at discount stores. But by the time they would find the parasite company—not an easy task—and then try to prosecute, huge profits would have been made and Miguel and his Hong Kong buddy would have discontinued the line. Sunny Days would be furious but the American legal system being what it is, it would probably cost Sunny Days so many hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal fees that they’d settle out of court if the false line was removed. Of course, if Sunny Days did prosecute, the entire garment industry would benefit. However, it was unlikely that Sunny Days would set a legal precedent so that their competitors could profit from it. It was still every man for himself in the garment business.
Miguel was sure that there was no way he could lose. Carmen didn’t need to know any of this. Why should she? Her attention span was short; business would only distract her. She needed to concentrate solely on tennis. The more she won, the more clothes Miguel would sell.
As for her signature on the loan agreement, Miguel would merely forge her name.
FOUR
C hicago hung on Lake Michigan like a glittering choker. The snow reflected off the buildings and lights gave the city an extra dimension.
Harriet, Carmen, Miguel, Jane, and Ricky were staying at The Tremont, an elegant, small hotel off Michigan
The fans, for the most part, reviled the act. But the promoters were in hog heaven. A little drama would bring in the people. Susan had just lined their pockets. Naturally, promoters would never publicly encourage such outbursts. Even though the public disapproved of the act, the fact that there might be more explosions attracted them. After all, it wasn’t just a sport anymore, it was entertainment. Susan publicly apologized. In her heart, she felt she had done no wrong. Carmen robbed her. Since Susan couldn’t admit she had any faults, she was in no danger of correcting herself. Carmen understood. Between her first lover and herself, it was no longer tennis; it was war.
“That’s an interesting offer.” Miguel sat across from Dennis Parry in the bank office. “I think we can do business.”
“I’m always looking for new ideas.” An unctuous smile crossed Parry’s lips.
Riding in the taxi to the Kansas City airport, Miguel glowed. The meeting with Parry was better than he’d hoped.
Amalgamated would loan Carmen $600,000 at an interest rate of 21%. The term of the loan was one year. $300,000 was to be paid in equal, quarterly installments, a balloon payment of $300,000 was due at the end of the year. But it could be renegotiated at the end of that year. Parry congratulated himself on being a genius because Carmen would pay him $50,000 under the table. Obviously no record of that exchange would be on paper. Carmen only had to sign the loan agreement, and Miguel would have $550,000.
Miguel glanced at his gold Rolex. He’d be in plenty of time. Some of what Miguel told Dennis Parry was true. Much was not. He did have a friend who would manufacture the clothing line in Hong Kong. And he would sell the product in Southeast Asia. He also had every intention of peddling the goods in the United States through the outlets his Hong Kong friend used for designer rip-off clothing. Miguel had found a distribution network and all the retail outlets without spending a penny of his own cash. The shirts would be sold for 20% less than the legitimate item. Even at that discount, the profit was enormous.
Of course, Sunny Days, the company that manufactured Carmen’s endorsed clothing line, would eventually discover that a bogus line was being sold at discount stores. But by the time they would find the parasite company—not an easy task—and then try to prosecute, huge profits would have been made and Miguel and his Hong Kong buddy would have discontinued the line. Sunny Days would be furious but the American legal system being what it is, it would probably cost Sunny Days so many hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal fees that they’d settle out of court if the false line was removed. Of course, if Sunny Days did prosecute, the entire garment industry would benefit. However, it was unlikely that Sunny Days would set a legal precedent so that their competitors could profit from it. It was still every man for himself in the garment business.
Miguel was sure that there was no way he could lose. Carmen didn’t need to know any of this. Why should she? Her attention span was short; business would only distract her. She needed to concentrate solely on tennis. The more she won, the more clothes Miguel would sell.
As for her signature on the loan agreement, Miguel would merely forge her name.
FOUR
C hicago hung on Lake Michigan like a glittering choker. The snow reflected off the buildings and lights gave the city an extra dimension.
Harriet, Carmen, Miguel, Jane, and Ricky were staying at The Tremont, an elegant, small hotel off Michigan
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