“Precisely,” Skeeve nodded, changin’ tactics without batting an eye. “You wanted our services, you trusted us, and we serviced you. I don’t see what the complaint is.”
“What the complaint is, is that you charged me an arm and a leg … in advance … to put me out of business! If I had lost money on a regular hotel it would have been bad enough, but to lose money and be made a laughing-stock to boot. . . .” There were tears formin’ in the developer’s eyes. “That was my wife’s family money I invested. I could turn a profit if I only had the capital, I told them. Now …”
His voice broke and his head sank again.
“If that’s the only problem, maybe we can work something out.”
“Forget it! Cutting your fee wouldn’t help. I need to make money, not lose less.”
“Actually, I was thinking more of taking the hotel off your hands. Buying it outright.”
I shot a glance at Skeeve. He was leanin’ back in his chair studyin’ the ceiling.
“Are you serious?” the Deveel said hopefully.
“Why not? That way you turn a profit of … say, fifteen percent over cost? … for the building and land, and making the place work, much less dealing with its reputation, will be our problem. That’s what we agreed to do in the first place . . . sort of.”
Hysterium was on his feet pumpin’ Skeeve’s hand almost before the Prez had stopped talkin’.
“I’ll tell you, Skeeve . . . Mr. Skeeve . . . you’re, a real gent. This is terrific! Just when I thought… I can’t tell you how much I appreciate …”
“Don’t mention it,” Skeeve said, retrievin’ his hand. “Why don’t you go on over to my office right now? My secretary is still there. Just explain everything to her, and she’ll start drawing up the papers. I want to have a few words with my agents, then I’ll be along to sign off on the deal.”