Part 4 - Launching Western Investors
After Amelia left to rent the house next door for her temporary office and lodging, I sat at the computer checking what she called strange movements in the market. I was beginning to analyze the contents of six windows on the big monitor when two sets of hands fell on my shoulders and neck.
"Hmm. Here you are in the back room, making sense of all that."
"It's Friday afternoon, and there is an opportunity for some trades before the U.S. markets close for the weekend."
"You have a high speed connection to our trading room?"
"Yes. And also directly to several of the private exchanges where large trades are made between institutional investors."
"I'm still employed as CFO until Monday. Is this legal?"
My hand reached back to find a squeezable boob. "Indeed. I have it in writing, although it is a very private communication between me and the CEO."
"Not something a nosy CFO would likely run across?"
"Unlikely. Quite unlikely." The about to be former CFO was now in my lap and my hands were wandering. Rya had her fingers running through my hair and working on my scalp.
I pointed to three screens with flashing numbers. "If the two of you would kindly let me concentrate for a few minutes, I believe I can make us a hundred thousand to help pay for that extravagant dinner you are planning."
Money talks, even for Nordic bombshells, and they scurried out of the room. The momentary arbitrage was in copper, and I grabbed it. Another light began flashing furiously and I pressed a button on my cell. "Hello, Charles. I see you flashing me about exceeding my margin limit. But it is only by twenty thousand. Surely, you can release it for a valued customer."
We both laughed and the light went out.
I spent another half hour digging through screens to get to the bottom of what caught Amelia's eye. It looked like a short play in oil that was in transit. A one dollar per barrel price change on the cargo of a large supertanker was easily more than a million U.S. dollars, and this encouraged a risky game of offer and counter-offer while ships were in transit.
Someone with deep pockets was betting on a significant decline in oil prices over the next several weeks and making adventuresome offers. It was easy to get burned, and I didn't have the patience on a Friday to track developments further. Amelia had all our accounts tied down nicely for the weekend and I closed the session.
When I arrived in the kitchen, Mely was introducing an old guy, who had to be Felix. I stepped forward and said hello. He extended a hand and I shook it. "I've never seen a boarding house with so many pretty women in my life. Do they all ski?"
"Yes sir, although Amelia is the champion. Thank you for renting to her while this house is renovated."
Claire and Felix were acquainted and she asked, "Felix, do you know of any dilapidated but sound Victorians for sale in town?"
I offered a beer and everyone found a perch while Felix thought that over. "I suppose you are thinking of renting it out?"
"Actually," I said, "we were thinking of establishing a B&B for our customers and others. We can afford an upscale remodel."
He waved his hand, "And these 'uns are going to run it for you?" The women tried not to look outraged at his tone of voice.
"That's a lot of talent you are looking at, Felix. Claire is in charge of this project."
"Know her relatives real well. If she is half as good a businesswoman as she is beautiful, you will have no trouble."
"Felix," she said, with an edge in her voice, "thank you for the compliments, but do you have any houses in mind we should look at?"
Not letting up, he said, "If you want to drive me around for an hour, we can look at some possibilities right now. Would be a pleasure escorting such fine women."
Richard and I were biting our tongues as Claire and Amelia followed him out, rolling their eyes at us.
The four remaining women advanced. "We are taking you down, miserable pigs."
Richard grabbed two, and I grabbed two and we moved the party to the bedroom. I held up my hand, "We agree, he is impossible. But give him a break, he is a codger and down deep he means well."
They propped themselves up against the headboard and said, "Bring us some nice fruity, girly drinks and we will consider your punishment."
In the kitchen, Richard asked, "How can two Marines put up with that?"
"Buddy, we are completely PW'd. Slaves to beauty and intellect. Can you believe it?"
He lowered his voice, "If we weren't buried in the finest pussy on the planet, I would be running down the street as fast as I could."
We high fived and carried a tray of drinks and munchies back to our lovelies.
After long swallows and sighs, I said, "We better think fast about what we say when they come back having already bought a place from one of Felix's friends."
That is exactly what happened. Two hours later, after another round of drinks, they burst into the house shouting and waving a piece of paper.
"You won't believe it! We have a conditional sales contract on the most fantastic house! Six bedrooms, or almost bedrooms, four bathrooms, or almost bathrooms, a full basement and a roomy attic for storage. And an acre of land!"
They looked unhappily at the glasses everyone was holding and I ran to the kitchen before I could ask the price.
There was more shouting from the bedroom and a terrible groan from Richard. This was bad, very bad.
I tried smiling as I delivered the drinks, but Richard had his head in his hands, moaning.
"What happened? What's wrong?"
"A million five, including the delinquent taxes."
That didn't sound bad, but I played dumb and collapsed into the bed cover, moaning.
What Richard didn't know, but the women did, was that they sat on top of a corporate empire under construction that was worth a hundred million, more or less.
Rya bit my ear, gently. Mely toed my crotch, not very gently. Ellen lay on top, licking and biting wherever she could. I moaned pitifully.
C-M said, "You stop that this minute, Lucas. From what I hear, another million in renovations and we will have an authentic 19th century palace renamed Le Bontemps and making money hand over fist." She grabbed a foot and tickled it.
Richard had Claire pinned to his front and said, "It's over, isn't it? A simple skirmish and the Marines are outflanked and taken down." He had his hands in his woman's briefs and she wasn't putting up any fight. I relaxed and kissed every mouth I could reach.
