“I never get out of here before seven,” Eggers said.
“Do you have some news for me?”
“Do I! Rex Champion is close to bankruptcy. He’s been selling off his breeding stock piecemeal to create enough cash flow to keep afloat until he can sell. And every time he sells another Derby winner, the value of the business drops.”
“That’s very interesting,” Stone said. “Have you formed an opinion as to what the whole kaboodle might be worth?”
“Thirty-five million, tops,” Eggers said. “That price would allow Rex to pay his debts and walk away free and clear, but I don’t think he would have much left over. If Arrington wants to be generous, she could offer him thirty-eight million. In two or three years, if the economy bounces back and she can buy some good breeding stock, it could be worth half again as much.”
“So you think it’s a good investment
for her?”
“If I didn’t have to run this law firm, I’d put together some investors and buy it myself,” Eggers said.
Dino appeared from the direction of the house, shucked off his coat, tossed his tie aside, and sat down. Manolo was right behind him with two tall drinks on a silver tray.
“Gotta run,” Stone said. “Let me know if anything new comes up.”
“Arrington is going to have to move pretty quickly to get the place before word gets out and the buzzards start circling,” Eggers said. “Bye.” He hung up.
Stone picked up his drink from where Manolo had set it, raised his glass to Dino, and took a gulp. “Welcome back,” he said. “Did you learn anything scintillating?”
Dino took a similar swig and sighed. “Jennifer Harris died from something like an ice pick driven into her brain from the back of the neck, above the hairline,” he said, pointing to his own neck. “Whoever did it was cool enough to wait for the blood to stop leaking before he placed her head on the pillow, then he filled the tiny wound with spirit gum, so it wouldn’t drain further.”
“What’s spirit gum?” Stone asked.
“It’s a thick, gummy substance that actors use to create makeup, and undertakers use to fill indentations in a corpse. The ME might have overlooked the wound, since he wasn’t expecting it, if Rivera hadn’t asked him to be thorough.”
“Well, we’re in a whole new ball game, I think,” Stone said.
10
Dino looked at Stone. “You look worried.”
“I guess I am,” Stone said.
“Something to do with Mr. Prince?”
“Yes,” Stone said.
“What was he like?”
“Like Donald Trump, except with good taste and real money.”
“I’m trying to get my mind around that,” Dino said.
“He’s a very slick article, and I came away impressed, until you told me about Jennifer Harris.”
Stone’s phone buzzed. “Hello?”
“It’s Arrington. What are you doing out there?”
“Dino and I had lunch with Rick Barron today, and then I met with Terrence Prince.”
“And how did that go?”
“Have you ever met or spoken to Mr. Prince, Arrington?”