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“Doug,” Randall said, “try talking some sense into your father.”
“Dad, do it and it will be done,” Doug implored.
Henry shook his head. “Not at this time.”
“Look, seven hundred million is a lot of money,” Randall said. “I can’t guarantee that it will be here tomorrow.”
“Then we’ll see what happens tomorrow,” Henry said. With each word his resolve seemed firmer.
Randall turned to his lead attorney. “Miles?”
Miles sighed heavily, then curled his lips into a disappointed grimace. He held up his hand and shot out a finger. On what was obviously a pre-arranged signal, the two minions from Tartan rose and began circulating around the room, whispering discretely to the assorted guests that Tartan and Knight were pleased that they had come and they hoped to see them again sometime soon. The rest of the Chinese took their cue and hurriedly left. Amy Gao’s heels tapped smartly as she followed Governor Sun. Nixon Chen lingered for a moment, gazing appreciatively at the center table as if memorizing the spectacle for future tellings. Then he bowed formally, swiveled on his heel, and left the room.
One of Tartan’s men approached Hulan. “Miss Liu, you’ll have to leave as well.”
Hulan glanced at David. He nodded and said, “I’ll see you downstairs.”
As soon as the door closed behind Hulan, Miles said, “I’m sorry to say I anticipated this moment, so of course we’re prepared with some alternatives. The easiest thing to do is something my partner suggested. David thinks everything could be resolved if you sign an indemnification letter.”
If Henry had read between the lines of that statement, he might have understood that Miles and Randall were aware of problems in the factory. But Henry was not an attorney, nor did he have one present to intervene on his behalf.
Still, anticipating that Henry might see through this, Miles went on. “We understand that this is a family business and that you’re quite attached to it. So a second alternative would be for us to buy only your company’s assets. You would keep the name of Knight International, and we would purchase your factory and your toy lines.” David understood, but again no one was there to tell Henry that in buying only the assets, Tartan would be absolved of any previous wrongdoing.
“Finally, there’s a third alternative. We go for a hostile takeover.”
“You can’t do that,” Henry said smugly. “Fifty-four percent of Knight’s shares are owned by my son and myself.”
Miles shook his head in mock sadness. “As soon as the market opens Monday morning New York time, we’re prepared to offer forty dollars for every share that’s been selling at the already inflated price of twenty. This, combined with the twenty-two percent that your son has agreed in principle to sell us, will put us in the majority position in forty-eight hours.”
“Doug?”
“Just sign the papers, Dad. Like the man said, seven hundred million is a lot of money.”
Henry’s eyes turned hard, and he turned back to Randall. “When did this happen?”
But Miles answered for his client. “Yesterday on the flight from Taiyuan to Beijing. We confirmed everything this afternoon.”
“You bastards,” Henry said between gritted teeth.
“Henry, don’t take it so personally,” Randall said gently, playing the good cop to Miles’s bad. “It’s only business.”
“Knight International has been my life. It’s been my family’s life.”
Randall shrugged. “Then you should have thought of that before. Our offer is still on the table. We’re ready to buy. But if you won’t sell, then we have to go another way. It’s your choice.”
Silence fell over the room, with all attention focused on Henry. Then he said, “I have some thinking to do. Give me till the market opens.”
“Agreed,” Randall said. “I’m off to Singapore tomorrow. Miles and Doug will go back to the factory and wait for your decision there, but don’t misunderstand me. I don’t need your agreement on this. We’ll go ahead with or without your approval. You can call it a merger, you can call it a sale, you can call it a hostile takeover, but in forty-eight hours Tartan will own Knight.”
Henry nodded again, then stood. He looked at the faces in the room as if measuring them for the first time. Then his eyes settled on his son. “Doug, let’s go.” When his son didn’t move, Henry’s face and body sagged in further disappointment. Then he turned and walked toward the door.
“Any way you slice it, Henry,” Randall called out after him, “you’re out.”
The words stopped Henry in his tracks. Then his back straightened, and without another word he left the room. Once he was gone, Miles said, “I think that went well. I bet he comes around by tomorrow.”
Randall added, “Doug, I think you should go after him. Work on him. Make him understand. Whatever’s happened in the factory is no concern of ours. We’re happy to rectify his problems. You accomplish that, Doug, and I promise, I’ll never forget it.”
Doug didn’t say a word. He simply stood and left the room to follow his orders.
