Done Deal Read Online Free

rolled his eyes, but still glanced across the room. The blond had disappeared. “You about ready?” he asked.
    “In a minute,” she said. “I like this group.”
    The trio was playing something more languid now, some jazz standard he couldn’t quite place. There were couples swaying to the music on the afterdeck. “Want to dance?” he said.
    She gave him a speculative look. “It’s okay,” she said. “I’m just listening.”
    He took a deep breath. It was like taking a test to which there was no correct response. “I’m going to get a drink,” he said. And walked off.
    ***
    “Johnny-boy!” Deal had had three drinks, in fact, and was weaving slightly as he made his way back across the crowded room. He felt himself being pulled off course, and turned to find Thornton Penfield toasting him with a full glass. “You’re dry, Johnny.”
    Deal tried to protest, but Penfield made a gesture and a waiter darted toward them. “I want you to meet Terrence Terrell, Johnny.” Deal glanced at the fortyish man by Penfield’s side. A deep tan, a flat belly, a sport coat, and a polo shirt.
This
was Gatsby, Deal found himself thinking, blearily.
    “Mr. Terrell’s down from Palm Beach,” Penfield said. “You know Jobe Computers. This is John Deal, DealCo Construction.”
    Deal looked at Terrell again as they shook hands, finally registering things. No wonder the guy looked at ease. Net worth some factor of the Gross National Product, you’d have to look good.
    “Commercial or residential?” Terrell asked.
    “Whatever comes along,” Deal said.
    Terrell pursed his lips, nodded. “These are difficult times,” he said. Deal wondered what Terrell’s concept of difficulty was, in fact.
    “That string of condos down Brickell,” Penfield said, pointing out the window at the glittering city skyline. “That’s DealCo work.”
    Terrell glanced out, then back at Deal, a glimmer of interest there now. Deal shrugged. Typical Penfield bullshit. His father
had
built the condos, and what they lost had finished off the company for all practical purposes. But let Terrell think what he wanted. Deal was going to find Janice, get them the hell out of there.
    “I’ve been trying to convince Mr. Terrell that we’re a baseball town, John. We could use him in our group.”
    Deal seemed to think about it. He gave Penfield a studied look. “You bring him in, I want my ten million back.”
    There was a stunned moment of silence, then Penfield exploded into laughter and clapped Deal on the shoulder. “That’s good, Johnny.” Deal took the drink the waiter brought, toasted Penfield and Terrell with it. His head was swimming with the drinks, with fatigue.
    Terrell smiled. “Actually, I’ve been telling Mr. Penfield much the same thing. I’m not accustomed to group ownership. It’s not my style.”
    Deal nodded. It wasn’t reasonable to begrudge Terrell his fortune. At least he had done it all himself, if you could believe the stories. Maybe they’d have been buddies in another world, cutting deals over tennis.
    “That’s all right,” Penfield said. “I told him, he buys enough shares, he can do anything he wants.” Penfield laughed and put his arm around Deal again. “Good to see you, Johnny. Where’s that pretty wife of yours?”
    Deal glanced at the corner where he’d left Janice, but now she was gone. “More than you know…” the bandleader was crooning. The afterdeck was crowded with couples now and he felt an unreasoning stab of anxiety.
    “I was just going to find her,” Deal said. He nodded at Terrell, already on his way out of the cabin. “Nice meeting you. Buy the team, Mr. Terrell.”
    Penfield raised his glass. “Better keep track of that one, Johnny,” Penfield was saying. “And think about that offer we had…” but Deal had already spotted her outside and was gone.
    ***
    They were alone in the water taxi—brought over from Venice, the captain had volunteered on the way out—heading from
The