Chapter 13
Crash
The office I stood in wasn't the type I was used to. It wasn't the sort of building I was used to. It wasn't the sort of business I was used to.
The man standing ahead of me, however, was the sort of man I had dealt with many times before. He was a very rich man, the sort of man my father had done business with often. Over the last few years I'd often be at his side as he groomed me to be his successor.
I never expected to take up the mantle so soon.
I'd also seen men like this at my casino. Men like him turned up often for high-roller games: poker and roulette and blackjack on private tables away from the main casino floor. The pots at those games would often run into themillions, and were a big moneymaker for us.
But the situation I found myself in now was entirely new to me. I never expected to be in a position like this at only 27 years old. That fact alone had made it hard for me to convince the investors to move forwards with my plan.
But move forward they did.
The office I stood in was huge and grand. Too much space and barely anything to fill it. There was an area of comfortable chairs and a coffee table to one side of the door as I entered. Ahead of me, a good 30 feet of open space from the door, was a large wooden desk, a man sitting behind it, cigar clenched between his teeth.
Behind him the city loomed, seen through wide windows. We were right in the center, right at the top of the highest building in town, the world at our feet. It was far removed from the city streets, a place closer to where I conducted my business. But I wanted to move higher, up into the stratosphere. And the man sitting in front of me would help me do it.
I'd met with this same man, and others, about a week ago. It had been the most important meeting of my life, a chance for me to take the world by the balls and make my mark. My age and inexperience stood against me, but my passion and desire and ambition for success saw me through.
At least, that's what I was told.
Now I stood in front of this man, his expression bland and emotionless. His name was Walter Lithgow, and he held my future in his hands.
“Sit down please Mr Logan,” he said as I walked in through the office towards his overly grand desk.
I sat, a suspicion growing inside of me. His face was more stark than it had been the week before. He'd smiled and told me they were happy to move forward with my proposal that day, happy to work with me to create a casino torival those in Vegas. It had been one of the most gratifying moments of my life, my hard work rewarded.
But now he'd called me in once again, and I knew something was up. His face was lost of its smile, his eyes no longer bright. A feeling of dread settled in me, a feeling that my great opportunity might be about to be snatchedaway.
“I have some bad news Mr Logan.”
F*ck.
“I'm afraid we have talked further about your proposal and have decided, on second thought, to move in another direction.”
I clenched tight at the arms of my chair, my fingers digging into the leather.
“I understand that this is a major blow for you, but please be assured that we will consider working with you again in the future should our paths cross once more.”
The f*cking shit. This was it. This was my one f*cking chance for something huge. The plot, the real estate: it was perfect for my proposal, completely goddamn f*cking perfect. I'd never have another opportunity as good.
I steadied my nerve and spoke, my words cold as ice.
“And what direction are you choosing to go in, to shit on my dreams like this?”
“Now hold on just a moment Mr Logan. I'd have you watch your tongue.”
Watch my tongue? You better watch your f*cking back.
“We are merely businessmen looking to make as much money as possible. Regrettably the other proposal may prove more lucrative.”
“And what is it?” I asked again, my jaw clenched.
“A new housing development,” he said bluntly. “It will provide an immediate return on investment, and a sizeable one at that. We liked the idea of your casino, but it will take a while to recoup our money.”
“And what about the long term? Won't it prove more lucrative for you in the future?”
“Perhaps,” he conceded, “but it's too much of a risk. I chose, in the end, to play the safe option.”
“You?” I spat. “It was your decision?!”
“I had the final word, yes. The size of my investment gives me that power. I understand it is a setback for you, but this is business I'm afraid. You'll learn that as you mature.”
As I mature! The decrepit old f*ck.
“Now please, I really don't have anything more to say.” He gestured to the door and then turned his head back down to some papers on his desk without giving me a second thought.
Oh he'd give me a second thought. I'd make sure of that.
....
I sat back down in my Hummer, my phone in hand. I dialed and waited for the pick up. It rang three times before I heard a voice, hard to decipher amid the noise.
“Crash...hold...I'm...call...back.”
Well that made no sense.
A waited a moment and the phone rang. I picked up and heard Kyle's voice clearly this time, the chatter behind him now soft in the background.
“Crash, what's up?” His tone was typically frosty.
We still weren't getting along, not as we used to. He only picked the phone up in case I had positive news for him about the club. Otherwise I'm sure he'd have just ignored it.
This time, however, I would make him happy.
“I need to talk to you urgently,” I said. “Where are you?”
His voice picked up at the rush of my words. “At a party.”
“Where?”
His words stiffened slightly again. “With Alice at her halls.” She was always a sore spot between us.
“OK, I'm coming there now. Which halls is it?”
“Dulwich.”
“Right, I'll be there in 20.”
I shut the phone off quickly and gunned the engine.
Time to get this family back together.
....
I pulled into the parking lot outside Dulwich halls. There were students swarming the place, getting typically wasted for a Friday night.
I stepped out of the car as a few drunken jocks showered praise on it.
“Whoa, cool Hummer man!”
I had no time for them.
I pressed on forward towards the main door. It was being held open by a block of wood, allowing anyone to enter and join in the party raging inside.
There were stairs to the immediate left on entry, with a wide hall in front and doors to the right. The hall was sparsely populated with small pockets of people, drinking punch from red paper cups and chattering wildly.
I walked through and towards the source of the sound, turning through a door into a large space, pulsing with guys and girls and their raging hormones. There was a long table to the side, massive bowls of orange liquid inside.
God only knows what the f*ck they put in there.
Next to the orange poison there were countless bottles of spirits and mixers and stacks of plastic cups. I cut a path straight for it and snatched a half empty bottle of Smirnoff, pouring a couple of shots into a cup and sinking it in one.
I breathed deep. Better.
My eyes fell over the crowd in front of me, scanning for my brother. Where the f*ck was he?
A tap on my shoulder gave me my answer. He stood to my left, his face stern as usual but with a look of hope to it, as if he'd finally get the news he was waiting for.
I wouldn't disappoint him.
“We need somewhere quiet to talk,” I said. “Somewhere private.”
He nodded and walked me back into the main hall. Alice was there, talking to another girl over in the corner. Kyle walked towards her and they spoke for a moment. She had this look on her face, like she didn't trust me, didn't like me. I guess I deserved that.
He turned and tilted his head towards the stairs, walking up them with me following. I'd never been inside a college building like this before. It was like one massive party, one massive sleepover. I could see doors open alongthe wall at the top of the stairs, college kids lying around on beds and on the floor smoking and drinking and laughing.
They spilled out into the corridor, guys throwing footballs down the length of it, girls slapping them on the arm and telling them off for almost taking their heads off. It was a world far removed from my own, from the way I'dgrown up. Ever since I was a late teen, I'd been managing bars and casinos, never a moment to relax and completely let loose.
A small sense of jealousy hit me as I looked on at the scene, one immediately quenched. No, this wasn't for me. I had far bigger fish to fry.
Kyle stepped through a door at the end of the corridor and into a dorm room. It must have been Alice's, the floor and walls and beds coated with bright colors of pink and purple. There were two beds in there. Alice must live with a room-mate.
I laughed in my head. I doubt Kyle spent much time over here then.
He sat down on the bed to the left and I took the other, sitting opposite each other. It was quiet now with the door shut, the pounding noise from downstairs largely stifled.
He looked at me, his face set. “So what's the emergency?”
I stared back at him. We'd been at loggerheads for too long over all this shit. It was time to unite together for mutual gain. I couldn't keep doing this alone.
“I know I haven't been the greatest brother,” I said, conceding what most would look at as the truth. “And I know I told you I'd find a replacement for you at the club.”
He nodded slowly, his eyes still fierce. “Yes, you did. That was some time ago Crash.”
“I know, and I'm ready to put it all right.”
His eyes softened slightly, that hopeful look growing stronger.
“You remember I said I was working on something big? That I wanted to bring you in on it with me?”
“I do.”
“Well I've hit a major snag, and I need your help. It's time we put the past behind us Kyle. You help me, and you can step away from that club and never look back. I give you my word on that.”
“What do you need?” he asked, his tone growing in interest.
“There's a man who needs convincing of something. You're going to help me do it.”
“That's all?” he asked.
“That's the start,” I said quickly.
A silence fell as we looked on at each other, bridges being built as we spoke.
“OK, count me in.”
A smile spread over my face. “Excellent.”
We stood simultaneously and walked into the middle of the room, stretching out our hands in unison and shaking tight.
“I knew you'd come to your sense eventually,” he said, grinning. “Come on brother, lets drink together. We haven't done so in ages.”
“In a moment. I need to make a call. I'll join you downstairs shortly.”
“The work never stops,” he said, his expression more relaxed than I'd seen it in months. It was good to see the real Kyle again.
“And it never will.”
He laughed as he turned away and walked towards the door, shutting it tight at his back and once more plunging the room into silence.
I took out my phone and dialed. It immediately clicked to life.
“Jones, I have something for you to do. It must be urgent.”
“Yes Mr Logan. What is it?”
“Have you heard of Walter Lithgow? He's a powerful investor and businessman.”
“I have.”
“I need you to find some dirt on him, fast. And Jones, it needs to be good.”
“I understand Mr Logan. I'll get on it immediately.”
“Thank you Jones. Call me when you have something.”
The pieces were coming together.