Once again, Teddy had no problem getting into Star Pictures. They had no secretary, so they had to answer the door.
Gerard Cardigan opened it.
“Mason Kimble?” Teddy said.
“Gerard Cardigan. How can we help you?”
Teddy jerked his thumb in Mason’s direction. “That Mr. Kimble?” He stepped around Gerard, grabbed Mason’s hand, and pumped it up and down. “Mr. Kimble, Carlo Verdi. I’m here on behalf of Sammy Candelosi.” When Mason showed no sign of recognition, Teddy frowned and said, “You are familiar with Sammy Candelosi?”
Mason and Gerard looked at each other.
“No, we are not,” Mason said.
“Well, I won’t tell him. He might take it as a slight. It is not wise to offend Sammy Candelosi. Particularly when you are thinking of becoming his partner.”
Mason and Gerard looked at each other again.
“Excuse me,” Mason said. “What gave you the idea we are thinking of making Sammy Candelosi our partner?”
“The fact that you took this meeting.”
“We took this meeting because you walked in off the street and demanded it.”
“My point exactly. If Sammy Candelosi wants something, he gets it. He wanted this meeting, therefore he got it. In the future, you will find it better not to second-guess Sammy, but to figure out what he wants and go along with that.”
“Now, see here—” Mason said.
Carlo Verdi put up his hand. “You’re offended. It was not my intention to give offense. It would be very unfortunate for all involved, and for the two of you in particular. Please understand Sammy is not trying to muscle in here. Sammy is not trying to take over your business. Sammy is not trying to push you around. Sammy merely wishes to make money. He is a businessman. Making money is first and foremost his goal.
“Keeping money is his second goal. That is where so many people fall down. They make money, and, poof, it is gone. That is particularly true of a person involved in the casino business, as Sammy Candelosi happens to be. That is why he would like to diversify. He would like to take some of his money out of gambling and invest it in motion pictures.”
Mason blinked. “He wants to invest in our movies?”
“I thought I made that clear. It so happens that Sammy needs to invest a certain amount of his money in a legitimate business venture. Motion pictures is not only legitimate, it is a volatile industry with potential losses and gains in the millions. Our bookkeeper would love to have a look.”
Gerard stuck his chin forward. “Why us? This is a town with hundreds of movie companies. What makes ours attractive?”
“As Star Pictures, you’re not. But it has come to Sammy’s attention that there is an excellent chance Star Pictures will be merging with a major studio in the near future.”
“Where did you hear that?” Gerard said.
“Sammy hears everything. If you don’t want Sammy to hear something, don’t do it.”
“What did Sammy hear?”
“Sammy heard Centurion Studios might be ripe for the taking. Under the circumstances, your production company might seem like a good investment, particularly if one were to get in on the ground floor.
“At any rate, Sammy would like to make you a proposal. He would like to make it to you in person. He will not come to you. You will come to him. Sammy will be happy to comp you at his casino, but he will have no contact with you there, as he is not eager to let the details of his business affairs leak out. He will meet you at a restaurant of his own choosing, away from the hotel, with a private room where you can talk business.”
Mason and Gerard looked at each other.
Mason said, “Just for the sake of argument, how much is Sammy considering investing?”
Teddy shrugged and spread his hands. “Over a long period of time, we’re talking a considerable amount of money. But as an initial investment, somewhere in the neighborhood of one hundred million dollars.”
Mason Kimble managed not to seem too eager. It took an effort.
He nodded. “That’s something we could consider.”
90
Teddy took a taxi back to his apartment. The cell phone rang on his way up the walk. He managed not to react until he was safely in the front door, out of sight of Mike Freeman’s agent. He pulled the phone out of his pocket. “Yeah?”
“A man in a cab just pulled up in front of the building. He looks like he could have mob connections.”
“You ever see him before?”
“Yes. He came out of your building about an hour ago.”
“Curly dark hair, sideburns, cheap-looking suit?”
“That’s him.”
“It’s okay. He lives here. Thanks for the heads-up.”
Teddy limped up the stairs to his apartment and collapsed on the bed. He allowed himself five minutes to catch his breath. Then he sat up, pulled off his Carlo Verdi wig, and stripped off his wiseguy clothes.
His leg didn’t look as bad as it felt. There was nothing to indicate it was anything worse than a bad sprain. Bad enough to require three Ace bandages, but even so.
Teddy unwound the Ace bandages and took off the splint. As expected, blood had seeped through the adhesive-taped bandage underneath. Teddy cut it off with surgical scissors.
The wound was ugly. He cleaned it up and rebandaged it. He put the splint back on and taped it tight. It hurt like hell. The doctor had given him painkillers, but he hadn’t taken them. He needed to be alert, even if all he was going to do was sleep. Mike Freeman’s men were good, but they weren’t infallible. Still, he was glad to have one there.
Teddy flung himself down on the bed and was almost instantly asleep.
* * *
—
At seven in the morning Teddy woke. First order of business was to check the wound. It hadn’t seeped much during the night. He changed the bandage again and rebound the leg.
Then he put the cast back on. That was harder. He taped it up on the open side and reinforced it with surgical thread.
Teddy called Sammy Candelosi’s hotel and casino and gave the name Carlo Verdi. He’d been careful to use an alias for whom he had credit cards. “I’d like to book a two-bedroom suite under the name Mason Kimble and Gerard Cardigan. Their expenses are being comped, including chips if they wish to gamble. If they try to pay for anything, tell them it’s been taken care of.”
“Yes, Mr. Verdi.”
“I’m not sure if they’re checking in tonight or tomorrow, but book the room starting today.”