“No, neither.”
“He seems very cocksure about your selling your shares. Have you indicated to anyone that you intend doing so?”
“Nobody out there.”
“How about at home?”
“My lawyer and accountant.”
“Do you trust them both implicitly?”
“I guess. They’re the same man.”
“Does he have any special qualifications for managing your affairs?”
“I manage my own affairs; he’s the old-line go-to guy, and he has a good reputation, locally, for giving sound advice.”
“What is his name?”
“Howard Sharp.”
“I think you should fire him at once.”
“Why?”
“Because, if what you’ve told me is true, he’s the only person who could have given Terrence Prince the assurance that you’re going to sell your Centurion shares to him, and that is a serious ethical violation. It means you can’t trust the man.”
“And who should replace him, you?”
“No, I don’t have all the skills required to advise you in a credible way. However, Woodman amp; Weld does, and if you become their client, I can see that you get their best attention.”
“What can they do for me that Howard Sharp can’t?”
“They can keep your confidences, for a start. They can also tell you how much you should pay for Champion Farms.”
“Will you ask them to offer an opinion on that?”
“They already have,” Stone said. “Thirty-five million at the most, thirty-eight, if you’re fond of Rex Champion and want to be generous with him.”
“And how did they arrive at that number?”
“Through due diligence,” Stone replied. “Something Mr. Sharp is not acquainted with, apparently. Tell me, did Mr. Sharp recommend that you pay fifty million for the farms?”
“Yes, he said it was a steal.”
“Does he also represent Rex Champion?”
“I don’t know-possibly.”
“He sounds like trouble to me.”
Arrington was silent for a moment. “Why does Woodman amp; Weld think Rex will sell for thirty-five million?”
“Because he’s nearly bankrupt, and he’s selling off his breeding stock for the cash to keep going.”
“He assured me that both he and the business were doing well.”
“Then he’s desperate, and that has made him a liar.”