“That won’t be necessary,” Mike replied, chuckling. “Buying an airplane is a bit like buying a house: a title search has to be done and financing arranged. Then the logbooks have to be gone over and a pre-purchase inspection completed, and insurance obtained. I can help with all that.”
“I expect Arrington will make it a cash purchase,” Stone said, “so that should shorten the process.”
“This particular G-III has been on a Gulfstream maintenance program since new,” Mike said, “so that will help, too.”
Dino came out of the guesthouse in his best Armani suit. “Ready when you are,” he said.
Manolo had brought around Vance Calder’s Bentley Arnage, and Stone drove them to the Bel-Air Hotel, two minutes away.
As they walked across the bridge from the parking lot over the little creek that ran through the property, they saw that the lawns were full of people, drinking champagne and looking happy. From the top of the bridge, Stone spotted Terrence Prince, surrounded by a knot of people.
“There’s the purchaser of your Virginia house,” Stone said to Arrington. “Would you like to meet him?”
“Why not?” Arrington replied.
Stone led his group toward Prince, snagging champagne glasses along the way. Stone and Prince shook hands, and he made the introductions. Carolyn Blaine was among Prince’s group.
“I’m very happy to meet you,” Prince said to Arrington, shaking her hand. “I have a thousand questions to ask you about your house.”
“It’s your house now,” Arrington replied, “but I’ll tell you whatever you want to know, including about the colony of raccoons in the attic and the bat infestation in the cellar.”
Prince looked startled, then laughed. “Don’t scare me like that,” he said. “I understand you’re about to take ownership of Virginia Champion Farms.”
“That is so,” she replied, “and I’m going to build a house there.”
“Tell me about it,” Prince said, cutting her out of the group like a sheepdog at work.
Mike was talking to someone he knew, and Carolyn drew Stone aside. “So,” she said, “when can I tell Prince about the Calder property?”
“Haven’t you already?” Stone asked. He looked over her shoulder and spotted an extremely tall man with a beautiful blonde. “Why, there’s my friend Ed Eagle, from Santa Fe,” Stone said. “Come, let’s go meet him.” He took Carolyn’s arm. “Do you know Ed? He’s a famous trial lawyer in these parts.”
“No,” Carolyn replied, “I’ve never been to Santa Fe.” She pulled away. “Will you excuse me? I need to find the ladies’ room; I’ll join you in a few minutes.” She hurried away.
Stone walked over and greeted Ed and Susannah Eagle. “Good to see you, Ed,” Stone said, shaking his hand. “It’s been a long time.”
“Too long, Stone,” Eagle replied. “Have you met Susannah?”
“No,” Stone replied. “That’s how long it’s been. How do you do, Susannah?”
“I’m glad to meet you, Stone; Ed has told me a lot about you.”
“Not too much, I hope,” Stone said.
“Stone,” Eagle said, “who was the blonde you were with until a moment ago? There’s something familiar about her.”
“Her name is Carolyn Blaine,” Stone said. “She’s executive assistant to Terry Prince, but you haven’t met her. She said she’d never been to Santa Fe.”
“Maybe it was out here, then,” Eagle said.
“Oh, Ed,” his wife interjected, “every pretty girl looks familiar to you.”
“She’ll be back in a minute,” Stone said. “She’s just gone to the ladies’. Then we can resolve where you’ve met.”
Stone and the Eagles talked for a few minutes, but Carolyn never returned. He reckoned she’d found someone more interesting to talk to.
21
Stone and the Eagles moved toward the garden restaurant, where a buffet dinner had been set up. He saw Prince and Arrington a few steps ahead of them. Then someone behind him tapped Stone on the shoulder. He turned to find Rick and Glenna Barron. He greeted them warmly.
“Just the man I wanted to see,” Stone said.
“What can I do for you, Stone?”
“I’m wondering what, if anything, you’ve found out about the disposition of Jennifer Harris’s shares in Centurion.”
“I know her attorney, and I spoke to him, so I know that her will leaves the shares to her estate, instead of a particular beneficiary.”
“Does her attorney have the authority to sell them on behalf of the estate?” Stone asked.
“Yes, and I think he would be amenable to the sale, as long as it brought market value. Unfortunately, he knows about the offer from Mr. Prince, so he will want at least what Prince has offered.”
“Are you going to buy them?” Stone asked.
“I’m afraid that’s a bit of a stretch for me, financially,” Rick replied. “I might be able to swing it, but I’d have to sell some other investments, and that would take time we don’t have.”
Stone looked around, then lowered his voice. “I think it might be possible for Arrington to buy them,” he said.
“That would be perfect,” Rick replied. “What with Charlene Joiner’s shares, that would give us a majority.”
“Surely Prince would be bidding for them, too,” Stone said.
“And if he got them, he’d have a majority,” Rick pointed out.
“I think what we have to do,” Stone said, “is canvas all the other share owners and see if we can buy another bloc or two that would give us fifty-one percent.”
“Let me talk to some of them and see if they would rather sell to us than Prince.”
“It would be in their interests, wouldn’t it, to keep the studio operating as it is now?”
“Certainly, for some of them who want to continue to make pictures. I’ll start on that tomorrow morning and get back to you.” Rick looked around. “In fact, I’ve seen a couple of them here tonight; perhaps I’ll get an opportunity to speak to them.”
“Good idea,” Stone said. “Face-to-face might work best.”
They worked their way through the line for dinner, and Stone found a large table. Arrington left Prince and rejoined him.
“What did you think of Mr. Prince?” Stone asked her.
“Oh, he’s charming,” she said. “I knew he would be. I wouldn’t trust him any farther than I could throw him, though.”
“What good instincts you have,” Stone said, laughing. “I was in line with Rick and Glenna Barron, and he’s going to talk with some of the other shareholders about our buying their shares. I think we’ve got a shot at this, starting with those owned by Jennifer Harris’s estate.”
“If you say so,” Arrington said. “As long as I don’t have to sell other securities.”
“Something I think you should do,” Stone said, “is to take up the option on the four acres adjoining your property here. I think that addition would make your acreage much more valuable.”
“Vance got those options just before he died,” Arrington said. “There are two parcels of one point eight and two point two acres, both with very nice houses on them. The owners are elderly and would probably like to move into some sort of assisted facilities. The prices are very good, too, given the appreciation of real estate in this neighborhood. I’d have to pay, let’s see, about eighteen million for the two.”
“When do the options expire?” Stone asked.
“Quite soon, I think; I’m not certain of the date.”
“We’ll get Woodman amp; Weld on that tomorrow,” Stone said. “We don’t want to miss this opportunity.”
Dino came and sat down at their table. “I didn’t get a chance to tell you earlier,” he said, “but I talked to Sergeant Rivera this afternoon, and he’s going to arrest Prince’s driver tomorrow.”
“What for?” Arrington asked.
“For the murder of Jennifer Harris,” Dino replied.
“We think Prince had her killed to get hold of her shares,” Stone said.
“Prince plays that rough?” Arrington asked.
“We believe so.”
“Should I be worried?”
“No, harming you wouldn’t help him. Your shares would go into the trust for Peter, and I’ll be his trustee. The Woodman amp; Weld trust department is already working on the documents.”