Chapter 6

It was a hot Saturday morning. The time was past nine. Darius was in his paneled library now, going through some business paperwork when the telephone on his desk started into life. It' sudden violent ringing jarred on his ears. He frowned as he fumbled for the receiver.

"Yes! Who's this?" He asked.

"How are you, Kane?"

The expression on his face changed when he heard the voice at the other end. The caller was John Roth. A shrewd business tycoon who had had dealings with him in the past. He was a man who speaks softly and yet carries a big stick.

"Mr. Roth. It's such a long time. How are you?"

"I'm fine, Kane! I have a business proposal for you."

"You have?" he said. "Please tell me about it."

"Well, it's not something we can discuss on the phone."

"Alright! What do you suggest? I'm amiable."

"Do you know the Capri restaurant in Miami Beach?" Roth asked.

Darius told him that he knows it.

"Could we meet there, say in thirty minutes?" Roth replied.

"Thirty minutes will do just fine," he replied.

"Alright! See you then," and Roth hung up.

Darius replaced the receiver and began to think. What was John Roth up to? He wondered. An offer I can't refuse? He asked himself. That word was what piqued his attention. John Roth was definitely up to something, and he was going to find out what it was. Darius dragged his eyes to the expensive wall clock. He was running late. He got to his feet, moved around the desk, and crossed the room to the bedroom. Ten minutes later, he stepped out of the house looking fresh and well barbered in dark suits and tie. He moved towards the garage, removed a portable remote from his pockets, aimed it to the garage's gate, and pressed a button.

The door of the garage swung open, and he strode in. He moved towards his glittering Aston Martin Porsche, pulled the door open, and slid in behind the wheel. Twenty minutes later, he was driving hard and fast on the broad highway, which led to the Capri restaurant. The Capri restaurant was the most expensive and best in Miami Beach, and it was rated the first-class restaurant in the whole of Miami city. The meals served in the restaurant cost an arm and a leg, but Darius was not surprised that John Roth had invited him to such a place. After all, the man could afford it.

He got to the restaurant and parked his car in the car space. Then he slid easily inside the restaurant and looked around. A hand from a corner of the room waved at him. It belonged to John Roth. He reached the table and shook hands with Roth.

"Please have your seat," Roth said, beaming with a smile. He was wearing an immaculate cream-colored suit with a match fitting tie. He was small and slightly built with grey-white hair, warm brown eyes, and smiling full lips.

Darius pulled out a chair and lowered himself in it.

"Let's order, shall we?" Roth said.

"How about you tell me what this meeting is all about?"

"Patience, Kane! Patience. Is it not something to be rushed, alright?"

Darius nodded, and he watched as Roth signaled to one of the waiters. The waiter approached the table, and Roth gave him their orders. A few seconds later, the waiter returned, bearing a tray of foods and Champagne cocktails. The meal consisted of smoked salmon, buttered shrimps, and lobsters. The waiter set the tray down and arranged the plates on the table. Next, he opened the bottle of wines, filled the glasses, and quietly withdraw. The two men descended on the food.

"Margaux. One of the finest wine ever made by man." Roth said as he sipped the wine.

"You certainly know your wine, sir," Darius commented as he filled his glass and lifted it to his lips. He nodded his approval and continued with his meal.

"An offer you can't refuse! I am sure I must have got your curiosity." Roth continued forking a steak into his mouth.

"You also got my attention, Mr. Roth. I am sorry I am not a patient man. I want to know what this is all about."

"Have got a problem, Kane, and I need you to help me out of it," Roth replied.

Darius pushed his plates away and used the napkin to wipe his mouth. He fumbled for a pack of cigarettes, lit it with platinum lighter, and drew in the smoke. He offered Roth the pack of cigarettes, but the old man waved his hand.

"Have got a weak heart in my body. Smoke is not the best for me right now."

Darius glanced uneasily at his expensive Rolex wristwatch.

"Look! have got to be somewhere new, what's this problem you are talking about?"

Roth heaved heavily and looked intently at the man sitting opposite him.

"I'm liquidating all my properties, Kane." His usual gayness was now replaced with a demure look.

Darius narrowed his eyes at the old man.

"Why the hell would you do that?"

"Cause is going bankrupt," Roth said, a bite in his voice.

Darius lifted his eyebrow. "You're kidding, right?"

"I’m not a kid, Kane. How could I kid about such a thing?" Roth replied Indigently.

"You can't be serious! You are one of the multi-millionaires in Miami city, and now you are telling me you are going bankrupt?" he demanded hotly.

"My account is in the red, Kane. By next week is a goner," Roth said miserably.

"Fantastic! and you even told me to meet you here. An expensive place like this?"

"Do an old man a personal kindness and pay for the meal." Roth said.

"What happened to all your money?"

Roth shook his head, and he began to weep. Darius watched the old man cry, and he felt pity for him. John Roth was an experienced and shrewd businessman. He was one of those men who knows the rules that underlined the word business. Inwardly, Darius knew something must have happened to make the old man head to the road of bankruptcy. He brought out a white handkerchief from his pockets and handed it to the old man. He watched patiently as the Roth dabbed his face gently

"Tell me, Mr. Roth, why bankruptcy of all things?"

"Gambling! Those lousy casinos in Las Vegas wrecked me. I owe a lot of people money now," Roth replied in a low tone.

Understanding crept up Darius's face, and he looked sharply at Roth.

"You gamble?"

"Of course! Who doesn't?" Roth answered in a bemused tone.

"What's a fine businessman like you got to do with gambling?"

"A real businessman must know how to gamble. It comes with the business Kane. You are a businessman, and once in a while, you must have gambled."

"Yeah! I gamble with decision making and risks but not with money," Darius answered reasonably.

"You still gamble," Roth argued.

Darius ignored the comment.

"So, if you are about to go bankrupt, what is this stone you want me to help you remove?"

"An ultra-modern penthouse here in Miami Beach called Olympus hilltop. It's up for auction. I want you to buy it."

"Olympus hilltop?" Darius asked. "I think have heard of that name. One of the finest penthouse we've got here. You own it?"

"I would have to say I owned it," Roth replied, "but since you are buying it…" he hunched his shoulders and lets the rest of the words hang in the air.

Darius shook his head.

"Ain't interested. I’ve got enough houses and properties scattered all over Miami city. I don't need to add another one to it."

"Come on, Darius, be smart. You are a private developer and real estate broker—this where you milk your money. Buying a house shouldn't be a problem."

"I know all this, Mr. Roth. I'm just not interested."

"You are saying this because you've not seen it. When you see it, you will like it. It's got good amenities and guess what? you can see the whole of Miami city from there."

Darius scoffed.

"Mr. Roth, I know what you are trying to do. Don't sell yourself too much. I don't need that house. I understand why you want to sell it. You need the money badly, but you are talking to the wrong man."

"But you've got the money! Consider this offer as a token assistant to an old friend," Roth persuaded.

"I don't need to consider anything. I am not interested."

"You buying the penthouse can pull me out of the mess I found myself in," Roth argued stubbornly, "I need the money, Kane."

"I don't know what to say," Darius answered.

"Say you will buy it!" Roth growled, his eyes glittering like wet stones.

"I can't say that! I can't force myself to buy what I don't want."

"Surely a man of your caliber must want something," Roth said slyly. "For the records, I know you want Eva."

Blood rushed into Darius's face, then it receded, leaving it white with anger.

"I don't know what the hell you are talking about," he retorted, staring at Roth as if he was crazy or something.

"Of course, you know what I am talking about!" Roth replied simply.

"It seems you've got this whole thing mixed up," Darius snarled.

"Are you sure about that?" Roth asked. He studied Darius' face across the table for a moment and gave a little smile. Then he dipped his hand into his pockets and bought out a thick manila envelope which he thrusts to Darius.

"Open it, Kane. I’ve got a present for you."

Darius drew in a long slow breath as he eyed the manila envelope. He snatched it from Roth with unsteady hands and dipped his hand inside it. He brought out a folded newspaper and dragged his eyes to Roth's face.

"Go on! Check it out!"

Darius unfolded the newspaper. A photograph of himself, Eva, and Vince Montreal brought him upright in his chair.

The caption under the photograph read: "Miami model and sex symbol, Eva Montreal, sodomized by her husband in their Miami Beach villa after her involvement with Darius Kane, the well-known real estate magnate, at a birthday party hosted…"

Darius let the newspaper slip out of his hand. He felt cold and sick.

"I don't believe this," he muttered.

"You better believe it, Kane. It's all there. Go on! read it!" Roth urged, watching Darius confused face.

Darius picked the papers up, and his eyes skipped over the wordings, and when he could read no more, he folded it and put it on the table.

"How did the press find out about this?" he asked, a dangerous glint in his eyes.

"You know how gossips fly around. Someone with a leaking mouth leaked the story to the press. Only God knows who," Roth replied as he sipped his wine.

At that moment, Carolyn Tenders' name flashed across Darius' mind, and he swore under his breath.

"My name was mentioned," he said. "Everything that happened at the birthday party that night is all there."

"I trust the press. Give them a drop of water, and they would turn it into an ocean. If this gets pretty rough, your image could be destroyed."

Darius remembered the warnings of Lauren, and he grimaced and cursed again.

"Well, don't worry yourself too much. It's nothing," Roth said soothingly.

"What do you care?" Darius retorted.

Roth grinned sheepishly.

"This newspaper is not out yet."

Darius lifted his eyebrow. "What do you mean by not out yet?"

"I stalled it." Roth replied simply. "Check the date. You will understand what I mean."

Darius grabbed the newspapers and checked the date on it.

"It's got today's date on it," he said, dragging his eyes to Roth's face.

"Yes, it is. I stalled it early this morning before it got out. I only collected a copy to prove as evidence." Roth replied.

"And why would you do such a thing?" Darius asked suspiciously.

"Eva! She's my goddaughter!" Roth replied simply.

Another wave of shock hit Darius.

"Your goddaughter?"

"Yes! I was there when her parents christened her. I was even the one who gave her the name Eva. Her parent and I go a long way back before they died in a plane crash."

"This is unbelievable!" Darius exclaimed.

"Yet it is true. I loved her like my child. Eva's got a good heart, but only an intelligent person would understand this. A good friend of mine who is a pressman and knows my relationship with her tipped me about the newspapers. I could not let anything happen to her. With my influence and power, I stopped this news from coming out today. Don't worry, both of you safe."

Darius drew in a long slow breath and his body sagged with relief.

"I appreciate it, Mr. Roth, but how did you manage to pull it off?"

"Don't forget! The people who printed these newspapers have their boss who they answer to. So, all I had to do was just to call the appropriate authorities. Though I was a bit late, I still managed to curtail the situation. That's what power and influence can do."

"Wow!" Darius said marveled.

"Anyways, do you still want her?"

Darius leaned back in his chair and mulled over the question over in his mind. Then he looked at Roth's face.

"Damn right, I want her! I will do anything to have her."

A smile tugged at the corner of Roth's mouth.

"She's married."

Darius drew in a long slow breath. "I still want her."

"I know you've met her, so how does she feel about you?" Roth asked.

He gave a little smile. "I can't answer that question."

"Then you can only have her if you can make her leave her husband for you. Eva is a woman who needs the safety of a man to keep her in line. I think you are that man and I'm only supporting you on this because I think you are the type of man that can handle her."

"I'm flattered." Darius beamed. "What about Vince?"

"For me, Vince Montreal is a clown. Trust me; I know his likes. A man like that cannot handle her. But be careful. He's crazier than looney tunes, so I heard." Roth cautioned.

"Can you link me with Eva?" Darius asked eagerly. "I need to speak to her. To tell her my mind."

"Well, luckily for you, I am having a cocktail party at my house tomorrow tonight. It's a black-tie event."

"What's the occasion?"

"Nothing important. Just a little get together, that's all. I will make sure Eva's there."

"Really? I mean, you can make her come there?"

"She's my goddaughter for Christ sakes. Don't worry; I'll introduce you two." Roth replied.

"Thanks so much, Mr. Roth. How could I ever repay you for this?" Darius said, a happy feeling spreading across his body.

"This is how you will repay me. I’m selling my penthouse thirty million dollars, and you are going to buy it. The price is not negotiable." Roth said shrewdly.

Darius did some thinking. The old man had finally got him. With all the assistance Roth had offered him, he knew he had no choice but to oblige. And since he has the money, why not buy the penthouse?

"Sure thing, Mr. Roth! It's an offer I can't refuse."