Her heart was hammering, but she kept her expression impassive and said nothing.
“Why don’t you sit down, Jade?” Neal suggested.
“I’d rather stand.”
“Suit yourself.” Ivan’s speckled, veined hand disappeared into his suit jacket and removed an envelope from the breast pocket. He extended it toward Jade. She gazed at it suspiciously.
“What is that?”
“Open it and find out, why don’t you?”
Jade reached for the envelope, opened the flap, and took out a property deed. She quickly scanned the page, then focused on the important lines that bore the signatures of the parties involved in the transfer of ownership.
“Otis Parker,” she whispered. The starch in her posture went limp.
“That’s right.” Ivan licked his chops, reminding her of a carnivore that had just devoured its prey. “We own his land now. The deal was finalized yesterday.”
Trancelike, Jade returned to her desk chair and sat down. She smoothed out the folded pages of the deed. A notary public had sealed it. It was indisputably official. No wonder Otis had been avoiding her. He hadn’t responded to the messages she had left with Mrs. Parker, who always sounded flustered when she called. Jade had driven out to see them, but no one had answered her knock, even though she knew they were at home.
In a gruff voice she asked, “How much did you give him?”
“One million dollars.”
“One million?”
“That’s right.”
Neal, leaning back in his chair, said, “We extended Otis the same courtesy you did. He doesn’t have to vacate for two years if he doesn’t want to. That’ll give him time to bring in two years’ crops. Not that he’ll be needing the revenue now,” he added on a chuckle.
“How… how did you raise that much capital?”
He winked at her. “I liquidated some assets, mortgaged others, and took out a short-term loan. When you sit on the board of the local bank, you can swing deals like this.” He assumed a sympathetic expression. “See, Jade, you’ve still got a lot to learn about how good ol’ Southern boys conduct their business.”
“You came to town, wagg
ing your ass around like you was somebody.” Ivan grinned at her evilly. “Those New York bastards you represent are pussycats compared to me.” He thwacked himself on the chest.
Anxiously, Jade moistened her lips. “What are the terms of the payout?”
Neal glanced at his father and laughed. “Do you think we were born yesterday, Jade? We left you no room to maneuver. We closed the deal with a cashier’s check for the full amount. Otis nearly peed in his overalls when I handed him that check.”
Jade managed to keep her features composed. She carefully refolded the deed and replaced it in the envelope, then laid it on the corner of her desk.
“Congratulations.”
As though the meeting were concluded, she picked up her pen and resumed what she had been doing when Neal came in.
“Well?”
Jade looked up at Neal, an inquiring smile on her lips. “Well?”
“Don’t you have anything to say?”
“About what?”
“God damn!” Ivan roared. “About the land. What do you think?”
“You want it. We’ve got it,” Neal said, spreading his hands wide. “You can forget sucking up to Otis. He’s out of the picture. I have what that highfalutin company of yours is after. From now on, you’re dealing with me.”