It’sTíoEnrique who responds this time since he knows I directed the question to him.
“Both. We look for any viable opportunities. If ones come up that aren’t connected to the Kutsenkos but are advantageous, we pursue those. However, they’re not off the hook yet. Dig deeper.”
“Sí,Tío. I think our best bet is to go with König Corporate Finance in Zurich. But I’ll do some more investigating before I set up meetings with anyone.”
Any company willing to name themselves “king” must have some confidence in their account managers. Family name or not, that sets the bar high.
I hang up with mytíosjust as we arrive at my hotel. I knock on the window, letting my driver know I’m ready for him to open my car door. I head directly to my room and re-examine the printouts Anneliese gave me. I carried them out with me after gathering them when Gunter entered the conference room. He probably saw them before the meeting. But just in case he hadn’t, I didn’t want him to catch sight of any notes. I’m uncertain whether he speaks Spanish. I didn’t sense Anneliese did while I reviewed the papers.
I turn on my computer, then head into the suite’s bedroom. I change out of my suit into jogging pants and a t-shirt. I’ve worn suits almost every day for ten years. I hate them. They’re too constricting. I’d much rather be in athletic clothes than feeling like I have a noose around my neck.
My computer is awake and ready to go by the time I sit down. Not only am I a forensic accountant, but I’m a licensed stockbroker. I check the numbers in the Asian markets. It’s still too early for the U.S., so I check some trends I’ve seen with companies that caught my attention when I took notice of both Heidemann corporations. I analyze the numbers until I’m certain there are ten potential companies of interest. I check to see who represents them and create a dossier on each. I look for all information available about these companies, which means doing as much digging as I can.
But I know when I reach the limits to my skills, so I send an encrypted email to my oldest brother, Joaquin, since he’s ourchief intel gatherer. My brother’s response is almost immediate. He promises to have more information within the next two days.
As the youngest of three, I’m a mixture of the most patient and impatient person in my family. There were always two people ahead of me to learn and do everything. I was always impatient to catch up. I learned patience because eventually my turn would come, and from watching them, I was often better than them.
Today, the impatient side wins out. I tap my fingers on the table beside my laptop, but there’s nothing for me to do now but wait.
What could she possibly have to say? I’m propped up against pillows on my hotel bed in Zurich, and an email from Anneliese just came through. It’s been three days since I walked out of her office, rejecting her firm. My brother sent me a slew of information last night just before I went to bed. I took a preliminary glance at it to see if anything needed immediate attention.
I’m reviewing everything now. There’re definitely some prospective companies to invest in. The Kutsenkos own one of them, just like I suspected, but it certainly took Joaquin digging to confirm it.
I click on the new email, surprised by the warm greeting. It immediately makes me suspicious.
Dear Mr. Diaz,
I hope this finds you well, wherever your travels have taken you.
I’ve been thinking about you and regret how things turned out. I hope you’ve had time to reflect on what I gave youand can see what a good fit we are, even if our initial plans won’t work out. I’ve been investigating who jeopardized our relationship. While I can’t disclose anything from within my firm, I can tell you we are steps closer to rectifying this situation. I hope you’ll reconsider your decision to leave us.
Respectfully yours,
Anneliese
I reread the message as my lips twitch. Maybe something got lost in translation, but there’s certainly plenty for me to read into. It tempts me to respond with an equally innuendo-filled message. While she might not have meant for it to come across as flirtatious, I certainly will.
Chapter Three
Liesel
Oh. My. God.
This man is unreal.
I can’t believe—actually, yes, I can—he’s that fucking presumptuous.
The email from Jorge is flirtatious at best, scandalous at worst. I read back through mine, already knowing what it says, having read it five times before sending it. I wrote it in English since I’m completely fluent and have been since grade school, but I translated it back into German just to be on the safe side.
Nothing about Jorge Diaz made me think he was the flirtatious type. I think he’s the most attractive man I’ve ever seen, and I’m sure others agree, considering Alex asked about him twice. But he didn’t show any interest in me.
Alex’s curiosity made him my number one target for investigation. Turns out he’s just a horny young man who is certain Jorge isn’t interested in him either. But Alex didn’t mind looking and making jokes even if he couldn’t touch.
I can’t force myself to close the email. Instead, I read it yet again.
Dear Ms. Schlossberg,
I am very well, though I am having to be creative about how I stay warm here in Zurich. I hope you’re not suffering the same. We can’t consider a future relationship if one of us is frigid. I’m willing to come around to the idea of working with your firm, but I will only agree if you are my sole point of contact. Unfortunately, your company’s poor choices won’t go unpunished. If both parties consent to a new arrangement, your firm will take 0.5% rather than the initially proposed 1% fee. Rather than the standard 20% profit share, you will accept 15%. These are non-negotiable compromises.
