Seinfeld almost choked on his cigar. “Five hundred? Hell, I’ve got one book coming out that’s going to be worth a million dollars alone. No, sir. Your offer’s an insult.”
“My offer’s a gift. You have no assets, and you’re over a hundred thousand dollars in debt. I checked. Tell you what I’ll do. I’ll go up to six hundred thousand. That’s my final offer.”
“I’d never forgive myself. Now, if you could see your way clear to going to seven…”
Terry Hill rose to his feet. “Good-bye, Mr. Seinfeld. I’ll find another company.”
He started toward the door.
“Wait a minute,” Seinfeld said. “Let’s not be hasty. The fact is, my wife’s been after me to retire. Maybe this would be a good time.”
Terry Hill walked over to the desk and pulled a contract out of his pocket. “I have a check here for six hundred thousand dollars. Just sign where the X is.”
Lara sent for Keller.
“We just bought Candlelight Press.”
“Great. What do you want to do with it?”
“First of all, kill Gertrude Meeks’s book. See that it doesn’t get published. There are plenty of ways to keep stalling. If she sues to get her rights back, we can tie her up in court for years.”
“Do you want to fold the company?”
“Of course not. Put someone in to run it. We’ll keep it as a tax loss.”
When Keller returned to his office, he said to his secretary, ” I want to give you a letter. Jack Hellman, Hellman Realty. Dear Jack, I discussed your offer with Miss Cameron, and we feel that it would be unwise to go into your venture at this time. However, we want you to know that we would be interested in any future…”
His secretary had stopped taking notes.
Keller looked up. “Do you have that?”
She was staring at him. “Mr. Keller?”
“Yes. ”
“You dictated this letter yesterday.”
Keller swallowed. “What?”
“It’s already gone out in the mail.”
Howard Keller tried to smile. “I guess I’m on over load.”
At four o’clock that afternoon Keller was being examined by Dr. Seymour Bennett.
“You seem to be in excellent shape,” Dr. Bennett said. “Physically, there’s nothing wrong with you at all.”
“What about these lapses of memory?”
“How long since you’ve had a vacation, Howard?”
Keller tried to think. “I guess it’s been quite a few years,” he said. “We’ve been pretty busy.”
Dr. Bennett smiled. “There you are. You’re on overload.” That word again. “This is more common than you think. Go somewhere where you can relax for a week or two. Get business off your mind. When you come back, you’ll feel like a new man.”
Keller stood up, relieved.
Keller went to see Lara in her office. “Could you spare me for a week?”
“About as easily as I can spare my right arm. What did you have in mind?”
“The doctor thinks I should take a little vacation, Lara. To tell you the truth, I’ve been having some problems with my memory.”
She was watching him, concerned. “Anything serious?”
“No, not really. It’s just annoying. I thought I might go to Hawaii for a few days.”
“Take the jet.”
“No, no, you’ll be using it. I’ll fly commercial.”
“Charge everything to the company.”
“Thanks. I’ll check in every…”
“No, you won’t. I want you to forget about the office. Just take care of yourself. I don’t want anything to happen to you.”
I hope he’s all right, Lara thought. He’s got to be all right.
Philip telephoned the next day. When Marian Bell said, “Mr. Adler is calling from Taipei,” Lara hurriedly picked up the telephone.
“Philip…?”
“Hello, darling. There’s been a phone strike. I’ve been trying to reach you for hours. How do you feel?”
Lonely. “Wonderful. How is the tour going?”
“It’s the usual. I miss you.”
In the background Lara could hear music and voices.
“Where are you?”
“Oh, they’re giving a little party for me. You know how it is. ”
Lara could hear the sound of a woman laughing. “Yes, I know how it is. ”
“I’ll be home Wednesday.”
“Philip?”
“Yes?”
“Nothing, darling. Hurry home.”
“I will. Good-bye.”