Chapter 8

Any surprise the the Cages had cooked up would be nasty. "I don't want to see him"

"You don't have a choice"

He open the door and step aside. Mr. Cage step inside and sat on the sofa. Usagi stood stiffly beside her desk. Sieya sat on the sofa too. Confident and cocky, he rested his ankle on his opposite knee.

"What do you want to see me about?" she asked Sam.

"No enquiries after my health?" he mocked. "No pleasantries? No shooting the breeze first?"

"No". She folded her arms around her midriff- a gesture of impatience. "If you've got something to say, say it, say it. If not, leave"

"That's not the way I deal with folks"

"That's not the way I deal with you"

He fondled the smooth, arced handle of his cane. "Why don't you sit down, Usagi?" Sieya suggested.

"I rather stand"

"Suit yourself". Sam speckled, veined hand disappeared into his suit jacket and removed an envelope from the breast jacket. He extended it toward Usagi. She gazed at it suspiciously.

"What is that?"

"Open it and find out, why don't you?"

Usagi reached for the envelope, opened the flap, and took out a property deed. She quickly scanned the page, then focused on the important lines that bore the signatures of the parties involved in the transfer of ownership.

"Alex Parker," she whispered. The starch in her posture went limp.

"That's right," Sam licked his chops, reminding her of a carnivore that had just devoured its prey. "We own his land now. The deal was finalized yesterday."

Trancelike, Usagi returned to her desk chair and sat down. She smoothed out the folded pages of the deed. A notary public had sealed it. It was indisputably official. No wonder Alex had been avoiding her. He hadn't responded to the messages she had left with Mrs. Parker, who always sounded flustered when she called. Usagi had driven out to see them, but no one had answered her knock, even though she knew they were at home.

Ina gruff voice she asked, "How much did you give him?"

"One million dollars"

"One million?"

"That's right"

Sam, leaning back in his chair, said, "We extended Alex the same courtesy you did. He doesn't have to vacate for two years if he doesn't want to. That'll give him time to bring in two years' crops. Not that he'll be needing the revenue now," he added on a chuckle.

"How... how did you raise that much capital?"

He winked at her. "I liquidated some assets, mortgaged others, and took out a short-term loan. When you sit on the board of the local bank, you can swing deals like this". He assumed a sympathetic expression. "See, Usagi you've still got a learn about how good ol' Southern boys conduct their business"

"You came to town, wagging your ass around like you was somebody". Sam grinned at her evilly. "Those New York bastards you represented are pussycats compared to me". He thwacked himself on the chest.

Anxiously, Usagi moistened her lips. "What are the terms of the payout?"

Sieya glanced at his father and laughed. "Do you think we were born yesterday, Usagi? We left you no room to maneuver. We closed the deal with a cashier's check for the full amount. We closed the deal with a cashier's check for the full amount. Alex nearly peed in his overalls when I handed him that check"

Usagi managed to keep her features composed. She carefully refolded the deed and replaced it in the envelope, then laid it on the corner of her desk.

"Congratulations"

As though the meeting were concluded, she picked up her pen and resumed what she had been doing when Sam came in.

"Well?"

Usagi looked up at Sieya, an inquiring smile on her lips. "Well?"

"Don't you have anything to say?"

"About what?"

"God damn! " Sam roared. "About the land. What do you think?"

"You want it. We've got it," Sieya said, spreading his hands wide. "You can forget sucking up to Alex. He's out of the picture. I have what that highfalutin company of yours is after. From now on, you're dealing with me"

She laid her pen and folded her hands beneath her chin. "You're mistaken. My company isn't interested in acquiring the property that formerly belonged to the Parkers and now belongs to you". She smiled sweetly.

Sam laughed. "Aw, hell, she's playing coy to lower the price"

"Not at all, Mr. Cage. I'm most sincere. I have absolutely no interest in buying that land. Now, if you'll please excuse me-"

Sieya shot to his feet. "You lying bitch! I know damn good and well you want that property. Ever since you got to town, you've been crawling all over it, measuring it, having it appraised. Don't try and deny it. I've had you followed"

"Yes, I thought you would," she calmly stated. "In fact, I counted on it"

Sam's lung wheezed when he struggled to pull in oxygen. "God damn you". He glared at her malevolently. His evil soul had an odor. He smelled foul. "You cheating little cunt. You conned-"

"Shut up!" Sieya barked to his father. He covered the distance to Usagi's desk in two long strides, reached across it and manacled her biceps, hauling her to her feet. He spoke between clenched teeth. "You mean you never wanted the Parker's place?"

"That's right. I only wanted you to want it"

"She played us like a couple of fools," Sam snarled. "We spent one million dollars on a pile of shit"

She swung her head toward the older man and looked at him through smoldering eyes. "Small compensation for my life, wouldn't you say?"

Sieya pulled her from behind the desk and shook her hard. "You've ruined us"

"Just like you ruined my life". She slapped the deed into his palm. "I hope you never have another day's peace for as long as you live"

He crumpled the deed in his fist. "You're going to be sorry for this. Damned sorry". Both of them went out from the room. After they did, she place a call to her boss, Damon Black.

"How did it go?"

"It went as it was planned," she replied. "I'll go back to New York next week and find you another land"

***