Done Deal Read Free Page B

him, extending his own hand smoothly. “We have met.”
    Deal stopped short.
    “I am Raoul Alcazar,” the man was saying.
    Deal stared. It was true, they had met, a couple years before, but it was hard to believe it was the same man. He’d lost twenty pounds, learned how to dress, found a good barber. If he hadn’t known where he’d come from, how he’d come by his money, he might have mistaken him for a European financier.
    “The Latin Builders’ Association party,” Deal said, finally. “When they opened the Centrust Building.”
    “Exactly.” Alcazar beamed, as if Deal had passed some kind of quiz. Deal wasn’t sure why Alcazar would want him to remember.
    Deal and Janice had been among the few Anglos at that party, the others being politicians and lobbyists. Deal suspected the invitation had been a mistake, but Janice had wanted to see the Centrust corporate offices, which were rumored to give bacchanalian excess new meaning.
    He’d left her by a Modigliani sculpture in a foyer while he went off for drinks, had come back to find her pinned to the wall by Alcazar, then a Hialeah city councilman with the look of a used-car salesman. When Deal arrived, Alcazar had backed off Janice and suggested there was great opportunity for builders in Hialeah public housing. Deal thanked him for the advice and took Janice out on the terrace.
    Alcazar had even called the office a couple of times afterward, but Deal had never gotten back to him. Alcazar had since moved out of government and into business in a big, if shady, way. He’d been called before at least two grand juries investigating influence peddling, but nothing had come of it.
    Now, here he was, in a suit John Gotti would envy, a little gray at his temples, his accent cleaned up, hitting on his wife again.
    He took the man’s hand, testing. Surprising strength. Deal gave some back. Alcazar nodded, gauging Deal as well.
    “You’re interested in baseball?” Deal said, skeptical. Involving Alcazar in a franchise would be like trying to put Pete Rose on your board of directors.
    “Everyone from my country is interested in baseball,” Alcazar said. “As I was telling your lovely wife, I am simply here to show my support.”
    Deal glanced at Janice who gave him an amused smile.
I’m
not responsible for these men, she seemed to say.
    “I read about you in the papers,” Deal said.
    Alcazar dismissed it with a wave. “Your enemies will try anything.” He shrugged, his face almost mournful for a moment. “For money.”
    “Anything for money,” Deal nodded. “Some people are like that.”
    They stared at each other for a moment. Janice pretended to watch the band.
    “And you, Mr. Deal,” Alcazar said. Composed. A predator’s face. A man who sprinkled his morning cereal with chopped razor blades. And as assured as if he’d had a look at the pathetic condition of the DealCo books. “How are things going for you?”
    “Hanging in there,” Deal said, without missing a beat. He raised his glass to Alcazar and smiled. He was wondering how that expensive suit was going to hold up in salt water.
    “Good,” Alcazar said. “I wish you the best. And now if you will excuse me…” He raised his own glass in a gesture of farewell.
    “It has been a pleasure,” he said. Janice turned and gave him a smile.
    They stood together for a moment, watching Alcazar weave his way out through the crowd.
    “I felt like we were on a playground,” Janice said.
    Deal glanced at her. “You know who that guy is?”
    She shrugged. “He reminded me.”
    “I’ll bet. Did he bring up his indictments?”
    “He was telling me how interesting American women were. We’re smart. We demand to be taken as individuals. He says woman from his country could learn something from us.”
    Deal turned. “Jesus Christ. You
believe
that? He was climbing down the front of your dress.”
    She laughed. “Really, Deal, relax. I saw you talking to Madonna over there in the corner.”
    Deal