Buying Brazil (Buying Brazil Trilogy Book 1)

by Arthur Rawl

  “I don’t think my situation is what lunch is going to be about. If you’re smart you should be ready to be the main course. It sounds as if Alana is trying to make plans for both of us.”

  “At this point I might be more willing to listen to her than you.”

  “Be careful, the General is getting old. Her ability to get things done will not out live him by more than a very short time.”

  “I don’t think so. The file on Aranni says he has sons but has set them up in their own businesses and are independent of him. Whether this is true or just a story he’s put out to protect them, it is fairly safe to assume he would want the story to remain intact after his death. Why else would he have spent so much time and money taking a poor country girl and turning her into today’s Alana. She could well be the person he’s chosen to manage, or appear to manage his affairs when he can’t do it any longer. Put simply she could be the trustee for his wife, children and political point of view.”

  “I’ve always loved your imagination. He could have created any number of complex legal structures to take control of his assets when he dies.”

  “Legal structures could work for all but his most valuable asset, his network. Keeping that alive would require someone who has been an insider for a long time and has enough control of his assets to be worth trusting.”

  “Interesting, Alana talked about learning about the extent of his network.”

  “I’m sure it wasn’t just pillow talk. She’s too damned smart. It was probably her way of telling you she could help look out for the two of you.”

  “I’ve never been good at understanding cryptic women’s talk. That why I’ve been so comfortable working with you. When you have something to say you say it clearly and directly.”

  “Yes and until recently I could count on the same from you.”

  “Robin I couldn’t. I had to choose between protecting us and … and”

  “And what Carl, not telling me what was going on. Come on, it didn’t take me long to figure it out for myself. Maybe I missed a few details but it was clear someone, maybe more than one someone, was trying to block us even if they had to kill us in doing so.”

  “Why didn’t you leave? You certainly said you were going to enough times.”

  “I’ve never run out on anything in my life. Instead of listening to my sound effects and forgetting our years together you could have told me what was going on so we and not you could decide what would be best.”

  “What seemed best was that both of us didn’t end up dead. It felt like some new craziness appeared every other day along with the message not to tell anyone what was going on. Look what happened to Skip, they drugged him and then staged a murder scene around him. The Italian acquisition team was murdered on the motorway without any witnesses. I wasn’t going to throw you into the middle of all that.”

  “But I was in the middle and you helped keep me there. They made threats not just against you. We both know they threatened me also and all you did was try to keep me in line. It was the worst thing you could have done and you did it because you believed that nothing more could be done. You gave up. I never would have.”

  “Maybe but I got us through it. Believe me there was a lot of tightrope walking but I got us through it and its time you realized it. Sure maybe we could have done better together but I was unwilling to gamble your life on it.”

  “I know that but it doesn’t make anything right. You treated me like some helpless girl and I deserved a hell of a lot more than that.

  “Ok, ok, you’re right. Alana will be back soon so we need to secure this place. Let’s get these papers under lock and key and shred the stuff we don’t want.”

  Alana came through the door without knocking, “Are you ready? We have a reservation for one of the private rooms.”

  “Are we going in one car?”

  “No Robin, you and I can go together and we will let Carl and his driver go with the chase car and BrasTel’s security. We will take different routes to get there so we don’t look like a procession.”

  “What about my baby sitter?”

  “He’s been told to go with Carl’s man. Don’t worry my driver can take care of us. He was my Guardian’s driver for many years.”

  “Who drives for him now?”

  “He has someone new who is just as good. Let’s go. My car’s out front waiting.”

  About forty minutes later José Carlos and I turned into the familiar narrow dilapidated street in Liberdade and stopped in front of the same sun baked wooden façade with its faded ideogram filled banner and soiled entry curtains shielding the restaurant’s low entryway from prying eyes. At night the harsh details had been obscured by the glaring light from above. Today the setting sun still cast enough light to display their tawdriness; the establishment’s carefully maintained camouflage against the curious. So much had gone on during the last few weeks but once again I was back in the orient completing one Zen circle and starting another.

  My door was opened by one of the BrasTel people from the chase car. Stepping out I looked up and down the empty street for Alana’s Mercedes. Unlikely as it seemed we must have beaten them here. I moved onto the three cobblestone wide sidewalk and looked again then bent down and went through the low entryway displaying appropriate humility but feeling more than a touch of discomfort about Alana and Robin.

  As my eyes adjusted to the dim interior they were filled with a dark blue Kimono. Straightening up, I was greeted by a smiling familiar face, “Welcome back sir, you have been missed. You are the last to arrive, the others are waiting.”

  “Thank you”, while wondering why ‘the others’ and not ‘the ladies’.

  “Please come this way”, the hostess turned and started to walk towards the back. I hesitated, looked around and then at the few faces sitting at the sushi bar. Still uncomfortable, I started after her toward the darkened hallway where the private tatami rooms were located. Another hostess kneeling began to slowly slide one of the tatami room’s door. A sliver of light dashed across the hallway turning floating dust particles into starlets. It was followed by Robin’s distinctive laugh.

  “Ladies, I see Alana’s driver races in his time off.”

  Robin’s answered, “No, the big black Mercedes clears the way like a speeding locomotive clears the tracks ahead.”

  As I stepped in I momentarily took hold of what I expected to be a door constructed from light wood and fragile rice paper. Yes, the rice paper was there but on either side of what I assumed to be a heavy sound proof core. The door’s frame felt solid like the best hardwood doors in Europe. “I didn’t see your car anywhere.”

  “We put it in a garage on the next block and came here through the private walkway to the back of the restaurant. It avoids having to circle the block to get to the narrow street out front.”

  “I assume the place is just full of other secrets.”

  Alana answered with one of her most alluring grins, “I would assume so. It was built more than a hundred years ago so some of our original Samurai could visit certain ladies in private.”

  “That would explain the uninviting front entrance. The restaurant really isn’t interested in casual street trade.”

  “I ordered some warmed Sake and some small dishes. We can talk for a while and then order dinner.”

  Chapter 30

  The next two weeks were quiet, so quiet they were almost boring. The days had quickly fallen into a version of my usual deal quiet time routine of waking about eight, walking down Haddock Lobo to the magazine shop to buy yesterday’s Wall Street Journal or Herald Tribune and then going around the corner for breakfast. And yes, I changed my usual table to one deeper into the Café but still one with a view of my shade tree in front. Going into the office for an hour or two, catching up on my reading and every two or three days going to the Maksoud’s health club to swim laps in its indoor Olympic size pool, sweat in its herbal scented stream room and get a massage. Peaceful downtime to prepare for the cu
stomary pre-closing insanity that daily remagnified itself with unfailing predictability until the closing documents were executed, delivered and registered.

  Nights were different. They were filled with Alana and a dozen different places she wanted to go. Some places we went to see and others we went to be happy together lost in the crowd. Some dinners were simple meals eaten in small cafés for the working man and others elegantly prepared and served in dining rooms filled with the great and good. But, something was missing … the uncomplicated simple closeness we shared wasn’t there. I was sure she was the same but how I saw her was changed. The country girl I thought I knew was gone replaced by a well-educated, experienced and capable woman who could wield power with the ease of lifting a lipstick tube. Even though reason told me my new Alana was no more than just a clearer picture of the old, I worried about the future. The few nights we didn’t see each other were, except for my worries, empty, cold and painfully lonely.

  She’s so smart and insightful that she had to be aware of a change in me and during those lonely nights I worried about losing her. It was frightening and unthinkable. It was something I had to find a way of avoiding and the time to do so was uncomfortably short. During the days I was certain I could manage the relationship. Then evening came accompanied by her sparking emerald eyes and joyful spirit. They melted certainty and rekindled my fears. For the first time in my life I wasn’t sure of what to do next.

  “Carl, there’s an email from von Lieghter; he’ll be on the Lufthansa from Munich arriving at 8:30 tomorrow morning. He says he sent an email to Alana and she’s arranged to have him brought to his hotel and then here after lunch. I’ll answer that we look forward to seeing him. Anything you want to add?”

  “Yes, tell him we have had almost daily conversations with the seller’s management or its attorney and expect something from them in several days.”

  “It’s on its way.”

  “Thanks, let me know if he answers.”

  “He just did and said thank you. He also said he received some preliminary feedback. He’ll fill us in when he gets here.”

  “I’m sure you can sort out who he got the feedback from.”

  “Sure, I have a ‘general’ idea who.”

  “Very funny. To keep busy I updated the offer letter. There is now language amending the price naturally without a number. I’ve also added the usual “time is of the essence” clause. All we have to do is have von Lieghter review it and drop in the new number.”

  “It should only be that simple … would you answer the phone please.”

  “It was Alana. She said she’s coming up.”

  “As I said … it should only be that simple.”

  Minutes later Alana breezed in wearing her serious business face, “Hello, I have news.”

  “Good morning. Is it good or bad news?”

  “Maybe a little of both … it’s feedback on the deliberations of the Federal Public Utilities Committee and the message they will deliver to von Lieghter when he gets here tomorrow. The price needs to be adjusted by only a small amount, maybe twenty million US. That’s the good news. The other news is they are a little uncomfortable with the identification of the buyer. Our embassy in Vienna had all the material we furnished verified with several sources and it all passed with high grades.”

  “What else do they want?”

  “It’s been more than a year since they put out a request for proposals to acquire BrasTel. Over the months five proposals were received including Lazer and all were withdrawn or were told to withdraw and then in a matter of weeks you brought a new well-financed buyer to the table whose offer was well thought out and reasonable in amount. We think they are worried the offer is a front for Lazer or someone who will flip the deal to Lazer once things settle down.”

  “They’re smarter that the average politicians. How worried are they?”

  “I think their biggest worry is protecting themselves and their careers. The Wall Street Journal coverage of what’s going on at Lazer since it was ordered to withdraw has been rather graphic. They consider the Journal’s coverage a mitigating factor but by itself not enough. They read Lazer’s ‘Current Event’ filing on Form 8 filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission mentioned in the Journal dealing with its withdrawal from the BrasTel auction. After getting feedback on the legal implications and risks to Lazer if the Form 8 filing proved to be a sham from some heavyweight US Securities lawyers they felt better.”

  “Drop the other shoe please. What else do they want?”

  “There’s more. They know about the meeting in Haiti with your Austrian banker friend well before the Lazer deal blew up. They have spoken with a senior army officer, Colonel Jesus Branco, who you met there and he confirmed the meeting as well as identifying the man you met at the hotel from official visitor entry records. The Committee instructed him to interview the staff at the Villa Creole and write a report to the Committee detailing what he personally observed and what he learned from his interviews. They have received his report”

  “… anything else?”

  “Yes, they know von Salzbeck works for Bank Schmidt where the funds transfer for the Buyer’s good faith money was originated. They also know von Lieghter has been a client of the bank since before World War II.”

  “I would think with what they have they can put a damned accurate picture together and should rely on it.”

  “They have put the picture together but they want to hear your story directly from you so they can say they have verified the facts underlying the picture. For the same reason they want to talk to von Lieghter.”

  “Fine, when do they want to do this?”

  “The day after von Lieghter arrives, tomorrow. They want to see you both at the Federal Office Building in downtown São Paulo, you at one o’clock and von Lieghter at four. You are to meet with them alone without lawyers or translators so there can be no leaks about what went on. The Committee members all speak English quite well and two of them are also fluent in German. My Guardian is a member but has excused himself from the meeting because of the debt he feels he owes your father and the possible affect it could have on the appearance of Committee independence and diligence.”

  “That doesn’t give us much time to prepare.”

  “My Guardian suggests you should not prepare. It is not the way things are done in Brazil. If you do not remember something just say so. If you disagree with something that has been said say so and why you feel that way. The proceeding will be an informal discussion and is being structured that way to keep the lawyers out and what is said, private.”

  “What about von Lieghter, he should know the facts about Lazer. Can I talk with him about what happened to them?”

  “Dieter knows about Lazer. He may not know all the details but he knows enough to deal with anything the Committee wants to know.”

  “Why do I feel like I’ll be walking into an ambush?”

  “I don’t know. I do know my Guardian gave the Committee a detailed explanation why he was excusing himself so I feel comfortable you will not find any unfriendly committee members asking difficult questions.”

  “… and von Lieghter?”

  “I expect he will feel a bit more pressured. But remember, those in power today want a BrasTel deal done. Unfortunately for them the timing of the election including the very noisy pre-election campaigning by the opposition will make it impossible for Cardoso’s supporters to circulate a new ‘Request for Proposals’ and get another deal on the table no less get it done. I think it is a safe bet they believe it is this deal or nothing.”

  “Does that mean all we have to do is be polite?”

  “You can but von Lieghter cannot. Remember, once the deal is done you are out of the BrasTel picture until there is more work for you here. It is different for von Lieghter. He and his syndicate will be BrasTel’s owners every day and the politicians, and from their point of view the Brazilian people, will have to work with them.”

  �
��I’ve seen these deals before and the honeymoon is usually over before the ink dries on the contracts. That’s the way it will be here and I’m sure the politicians and von Lieghter’s friends expect it to be.”

  “You may be right Carl but let’s get the deal closed first.

  Alana was right, my ninety minutes with the committee were not challenging. If I had to sum it up all they wanted from me was to confirm what they already knew. At times they had come at the same information from several directions but there hadn’t been any traps set or attempts to pressurize the process. No it hadn’t been a cordial or friendly conversation but it hadn’t been like many previous due diligence sessions I had worked my way through that were ugly, difficult and at times adversarial. Now I had to wait two or three hours to see if she was also right about the treatment of von Lieghter and whether the deal was still alive.

  I really wasn’t concerned about the deal and was convinced the sessions with the Committee were nothing more than process. No, I wasn’t concerned about the deal until the hands of my watch crawled past six-thirty and began slowing down even further. At seven there hadn’t been word from von Lieghter and I was getting worried. At seven thirty I started sorting out what could have gone wrong and at eight when Alana called to say that von Lieghter was on his way to the office but refused to give details I was not at all happy.

  Twenty minutes later von Lieghter came through the office door looking tired and unhappy. “Please, may I impose for a cup of coffee? I am tired from so much useless talk.”

  “… cream and sugar, right”, as Robin headed for the kitchen.

  Alana sat across and looked into his eyes, “What happened Dieter?”

  “They spent more than two hours going around in circles before they got to what they wanted to talk about. It was such a waste of time. I know they want to do the deal. They know I want to do the deal. Both sides should just say what they want and what they will or will not accept. Then you make a deal.”