3
Stone sighed. “What
do you mean, a change in plans?”
“I want you to vote
my shares for the sale of the studio.”
“I guess I’m tired
after the flight,” Stone said. “I thought you just said you wanted
me to vote your shares for the sale of
the studio.”
“That’s exactly what
I said.”
“But what about
Vance’s wishes?” Stone asked. “You said he had always wanted the
studio to be closely held, not sold to some
developer.”
“I wish I could
follow his wishes, but I can’t,” Arrington said.
“What’s wrong,
Arrington? Why the about-face?”
“I need the
money.”
Stone was astounded.
Arrington had been left a very wealthy
woman at Vance’s death. “Arrington, I really am very tired after a
long flight. Can I call you in the morning, and then we’ll find the
best way to do this?”
“All right, but I’m
not changing my mind again,” she said. “Good night.” She hung
up.
Dino was looking at
him. “She flip-flopped?”
“She
flip-flopped.”
“Oh, well, what do
you care?”
“I’m too tired to
care right now,” Stone said. “I’m going to bed.” Ten minutes later,
he was asleep.
Stone woke the
following morning in a strange, sunlit room. It took him a moment
to orient himself and to realize the phone was ringing. He
struggled to sit up in bed and grab the receiver.
“Hello?”
“Stone? It’s Rick
Barron,” a voice said. He sounded a lot younger than his ninety-odd
years.
“Good morning, Rick,”
Stone said. “It’s been a long time.”
“Too long. Arrington
called me a couple of days ago and said you were winging your way
west.”
“Yes, and she
suggested we have dinner. Would you and Glenna like to come here
tonight?”
“We’d love that; I’ve
always been a sucker for Carmen’s cooking. May we bring a
guest?”
“Of course. Seven
o’clock?”
“I see you remember
L.A. is an early town. That’s perfect.”
“I’ll look forward to
seeing you,” Stone said. They said goodbye.
Someone rapped on
Stone’s window, and he looked up to see Dino outside, wearing a
terry robe. “Come on,” he shouted through the closed window.
“Breakfast.”
Stone brushed his
teeth and took his vitamin pill, then got into the guest robe and
his slippers and went outside.
“I ordered for you,”
Dino said, waving him to the seat on the other side of the table.
“Man, you were out last night. Sleep well?”
“I think so; I don’t
remember,” Stone said, taking a seat.
Manolo and Carmen
were coming across the garden with trays. They set them before
Stone and Dino and simultaneously took the covers
away.
“Eggs Benedict!”
Stone said. “My favorite.”
“I knew that,” Dino
said.
“Oh, Manolo, Carmen:
Rick and Glenna Barron are coming to dinner tonight at seven with
another guest. I think you know the things they like.”
“Oh, yes, Mr. Stone,”
Manolo said. “We will be ready for them.” The couple returned to
the kitchen.
“Who are Rick and
Glenna Barron?” Dino asked.
“Rick is the chairman
and CEO of Centurion Studios,” Stone replied. “I think he’s mostly
confined himself to management for a while, now, but he still
produces a picture now and then. His wife is Glenna
Gleason.”
“The old-time movie
star? I love her!”
“Not as old as Rick,
I think, but getting up there. I met them at Vance’s burial a few
years back. I’m supposed to plot with Rick about how to save the
studio, but now Arrington has pulled this reversal, and I don’t
know what to do.”
“What, exactly, is
the deal about?” Dino asked.
“I think Rick is
going to explain that to us tonight,” Stone replied.
“And then you explain
that Arrington is voting against him?”
“God, I hope not.
I’ve got to talk seriously to Arrington.”
An hour later, Stone
called Arrington at her Virginia horsecountry home.
“Hello?” She sounded
sleepy.
“Did I wake
you?”
“Not really, I sort
of slept in this morning. I’m sorry I got you when you were so
tired last night.”
“I’ve recovered now,
and I want you to explain to me why you need the money from the
sale of your studio stock.”
“Oh, Stone, this is
going to sound crazy to you, but I learned yesterday that I have an
opportunity to buy a neighboring horse farm and
business.”
“What kind of
business?”
“Breeding and racing
thoroughbreds,” she replied. “Perhaps you’ve heard of it; it’s
called Virginia Champion Farms.”
“Yes, I’ve heard of
it; it’s just about the biggest racing farm in the country, isn’t
it?”
“The biggest outside
Kentucky, anyway. The owner, Rex Champion, who’s a friend of mine,
is getting on in years and is ready to sell. Horse farms are down
in price right now, along with everything else, and this is a
wonderful opportunity.”
“How
much?”
“I got him down to
fifty million dollars.”
Stone was struck
dumb.
“Hello? Are you still
there?”
“I’m still here; I’m
just stunned.”
“My financial adviser
says it’s worth sixty million, and that’s what he was asking, but I
got him down to fifty. I can’t sell stocks right now, what with the
market being the way it is, and my biggest asset is Centurion. This
buyer has come along at just the right time.”
“And that’s all you
can sell to raise the fifty million?”
“I’m afraid so. Oh,
I’m sentimental about the studio, Stone, but I’ve always wanted to
be in racing.”
“I thought your only
interest in horses was hunting and dressage.”
“Those things cost
money; racing horses makes
money.”
“Arrington, you’re
not a businesswoman, and that’s a big business.”
“The beauty of it is
that I get the whole thing intact, with a staff, a board of
directors, and all the real estate and stock. In a better year, it
would cost seventy-five million!”
“Arrington, let me
look into all this. I’m having dinner with Rick Barron tonight, and
I want to hear what he has to say, and I can look into Virginia
Champion for you, too.”
“Oh, all right, but
I’m not going to change my mind about this, Stone. Remember, you’re
working for me, not yourself.”
“I’ll speak with you
in a day or two,” Stone said, and hung up.