Bel-Air Dead (Stone Barrington 20)

“It’s a unique piece of property,” she said. “There’s nothing else like it in the United States. He likes a lot that it’s across the street from the Bel-Air Country Club. He’s a member there, and he thinks he could do some sort of deal with them to let his hotel guests play there.”

“He seems to be moving very fast.”

“Oh, yes; he’s already got his architects doing site plans.”

“Yes, he told me about his idea for putting all the parking underground.”

“It’s a good use of the space; he can put buildings or tennis courts over the garage area. Have you heard anything from Jim Long?”

“I heard this morning that he’s conscious and will make a full recovery.”

“When Terry hears that he’s going to go absolutely nuts.”

“You think he might make another attempt on Long’s life?”

“In the state he’s in, he’s capable of anything. Did you come to any sort of agreement on the Centurion deal?”

“No. In fact, I told him that Arrington would not consider selling him the Bel-Air property without a binding agreement for him to withdraw from the Centurion deal first.”

Carolyn looked astonished. “And he agreed to that?”

“No, just the opposite, but I think he’ll come around.”

“I wouldn’t count on it,” she said.

“What is it that I don’t know?”

“I’ve learned that the money behind the Centurion deal is from some business associates of his late brother, the drug king.”

“South American interests?”

“Colombian and Mexican. They’re very excited about the Centurion property, and they fronted all the planning money.”

“How are they likely to feel about the Bel-Air deal?”

“Oh, Terry would never let them in on that. That will be his personal triumph, his pet project. If those people ever thought that he would kill the Centurion deal in order to buy the Bel-Air property, they would be incensed, and they’re not the sort of people you’d want angry with you.”

“That’s very interesting,” Stone said.

“It’s Long’s shares that will give you a majority of the votes, isn’t it?”

“It is,” Stone said. He wasn’t about to tell her about Jack Schmeltzer’s shares.

“How did you get on with Jack Schmeltzer?” she asked.

“I shook his hand; he was very cordial.”

“Did the Centurion deal come up in your conversations?”

“No. Why do you ask?”

“Well, he’s s one of the shareholders that Terry has in his pocket.”

“I didn’t know that,” Stone said.

“You didn’t know Schmeltzer before last night?”

“No, someone else invited me to his party. I’d never heard of him before that.”