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She liked pigs. All they cared about was eating, rolling around in the mud, doing whatever they pleased, and feeling like the boss of all bosses.
And then they were killed and eaten by others.
“Well, I wanted to see your operation for myself. You know, kick the tires now that we’re going to be partners.”
“I think you’ll be impressed with what you see.”
“I already like what I see,” he replied, giving her the eye.
They laughed at his wit.
He was dressed in a dark blue blazer and khaki slacks with an Untuckit shirt to look hipper and younger than his fiftysomething age. A pocket square completed the package. She could tell he was so impressed with himself. Just like he had looked when he’d climbed out of the Aston Martin two-door after he’d pulled up in front of the building.
“Wow, you don’t see many Aston Martins around here,” she said, smiling adoringly from the other side of the elevator car.
He smiled right back. “One thing you’ll learn about me, I don’t like to have the same toys as all the other guys.”
She applauded him with her eyes. “I like your style.”
He ran his gaze over her again, his intentions as clear as the elevator buttons. “And I likeyours.”
He was married, but unhappily, he had told her. Which meant, of course, that he wanted to screw her. She had let him think that was a real possibility because that’s just what you did with a guyyouwere trying to screw, but in a completely different way.
He had told her over drinks that he read people really well and trusted his instincts. “That’s how I made my fortune.”
“Brilliant,” she had said. She was actually referring to Crandall’s father, Richard, whohadmade a fortune in real estate.
This Crandall had taken a $250 million inheritance, and over twenty years managed to lose $50 million of it by investing in stupid deals that never rose above the scam level.
If he’d just put his inheritance in the stock market back then he’d probably be a billionaire by now.
They got to the fifth floor and she led him down the hall to a double office door with a sign proclaiming it to be the home ofLASER FOCUS, INC.
She opened the door with her key card and led him inside. The lobby was spacious; the firm’s name, on a much larger sign, was behind the receptionist’s desk.
“Nothing fancy but we’re not into that. All our money goes into product and people. And the branding push will come next. Of course no one is in today.”
“I’ve been to your website. Very impressive.”
“Thanks. It’s a very different world than the one I had at IBM.”
“Yes, IBM. A great company but maybe a little bit of a dinosaur now,” he said.
“Wow. You are so up-to-date on everything,” she said. “We’re lucky to have you as an early investor.”
“I keep my nose to the ground.” His gaze drifted over her legs. “Look, maybe we can have dinner and drinks later.”
“I can do it on Wednesday, if that works. I’m off on a business trip to Montreal early tomorrow. We’re trying to go full bore in Canada right now.”
“I’d like that. I know a place.”
“I knew you would. In fact, we can celebrate your investment in Laser Focus. But I have to warn you, I’m not much of a drinker.”
“Then I’ll order a case of red for our table.”
They both laughed.
“Now to business.” She led him into a conference room where she had set up a slide deck on a laptop. “We’ve already been over pretty much all of this but I wanted you to see it again, in a more comprehensive way.”
