Fallen Too Far (14 page)

“Naturally Ida, they prefer to remain anonymous at this stage. What we’re trying to determine is if the owners would be open to an offer of purchase.” Two can play at this game. That sounded just as sweet as Ida’s bitchy comment. Sweet as vinegar. And the hell if she’d let
Ida
know about the investors.

She smiled, recognizing the fleeting look on Mrs. Byrd’s face. Scored a point there. Addressing her by her first name.

Ida folded her hands under her chin and leaned forward. “My child, what on earth has given you the idea that Pandora’s is up for sale?”

“Well, Ida, I didn’t know Pandora’s was up for sale,” She covered for The Major. “I’m here to explore the possibility.” Time to put this bitch in her place. “You’re not trying to tell me that you have a stake in the ownership of Pandora’s, are you? Frankly, I’m not here to discuss my business with… oh… staff. Confidentiality and all that, you know. I just need to contact the owners. I’ve taken the time to see you in order to learn who they are, and perhaps have you set up the meeting.”

“I’m the General Manager, madam.” She enunciated the term slowly. “I have a vested interest as part of my duties and responsibilities to the owners to shelter them from being approached by people with frivolous proposals.”

That did it. She stood up and picked up her briefcase. “This isn’t going anywhere, Ida. I’m wasting my time. I had hoped to be able to demonstrate respect for you, acquire the names of the owners, and continue with my business. Obviously, you have no respect for me or my associates. Will you give me the contact information I requested, or will we have to use other means? Trust me, it will be more of an unnecessary inconvenience, to get it.” She stood at the edge of Mrs. Byrd’s desk, the unspoken threat hanging in the air.

It was a couple of moments before Ida sighed, took a note pad and scribbled a name and phone number on it.

“You may call them, dear. If you’re planning on visiting them, that’s for them to decide whether to give you their home information or not.”

She picked up the paper which Ida had flicked at her across the desk blotter and read the name and phone number. Wordlessly, she left the room. Why was Ida such a bitch? She sure hates sex workers or was there more to it?

At the entranceway of Pandora’s, she paused to call a cab. Wait. Why not call the number Ida had given her and see what would happen? It was picked up on the second ring, and a woman’s voice answered.

“Hello?”

“Hello, this is Annik Dandridge calling. I’m trying to contact Mrs. Helen Vanderberg.”

“This is she.”

Oh boy. Into the fray now, Annik. “How do you do, Mrs. Vanderberg. I would like to discuss with you the sale of Pandora’s.”

“You would like to buy Pandora’s, Ms. Dandridge?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Well, well, well, when it rains it pours, doesn’t it?” Helen’s voice smiled over the phone. “I suppose you’d like to meet with me and my husband, then, wouldn’t you?”

This was a world easier than the catfight with Ida. “Uh… yes, I would. I think that would be the best way for us to discuss the possibility.” Oh please, please!

“Sounds like a plan to me, Ms. Dandridge. Look, we’re sort of tied up,” she said with a laugh, “not THAT way, but we have some plans for today and this evening. How does tomorrow sound to you?”

To get a price from them—even a ballpark—would sure help in the finance meetings. “I have some meetings tomorrow. Would it be possible to see you early in the day?”

“How does nine AM sound Ms. Dandridge?”

“That would work out well for me.”

“Wonderful! We’ll meet you at Pandora’s then?”

Hell no. Not with Byrd in the picture. No way. “Um… I’m very familiar with the club, Mrs. Vanderberg. Would it be possible for us to meet elsewhere? Perhaps at your home or at a restaurant nearby?”

Helen’s voice sounded somewhat puzzled when she answered. “Well… if that’s what you prefer, very well. Why don’t you come to our home? We’ll have coffee, a chat and a meeting Annik.”

She sounded friendly as hell. The exact opposite of the Byrd woman. “Then I’ll bring the doughnuts, Mrs. Vanderberg.” Where did that come from? But what else would you say if someone invited you for coffee? It was a business meeting, but after all…

“Wonderful! We’ll see you at nine.” They said their goodbyes and rung off.

Annik looked at the address she had scribbled down while on the phone. Only two blocks away from the house where she’d lived as a teenager. She probably knew the house.

****

Helen put the phone back in its cradle and turned to her husband. “You won’t believe this, honey,” Barry was sitting across from her working on the day’s crossword puzzle in the paper, “that was someone who is interested in buying Pandora’s too.”

He put his paper down and looked at his wife. They had been married almost forty years. Two kids, grown and gone, and now retirement on the near horizon. Well, for him—Helen had been retired a while now. “When it rains it pours,” he said with a smile.

Helen laughed. After so many years together, it wasn’t unusual that they thought the same things at the same time. She nodded. “She sounds young, Barry. Don’t let her turn your head, alright?”

“Yeah, right! I got my hands full keeping YOU in line, young missy. Where and when?”

“Here, tomorrow morning at nine.”

“Okay. Sounds good. We could use the money, I think. Well… kind of.”

****

The next morning, Annik rang the front doorbell at the Vanderberg residence. It was a prestigious neighborhood and quite familiar. She had recognized many homes on the drive over. She took a deep breath and smiled, waiting for the door to be opened.

“Ms. Dandridge, I presume.”

Annik couldn’t help but return Helen’s warm smile. Sure, Helen had sounded friendly on the phone yesterday. But, in person, the genuine, open warmth she projected felt like a comfort blanket. Helen’s deep blue eyes sparkled in a face that time had been kind to. There were a few wrinkles, but they weren’t worry lines. They were around her eyes and mouth, denoting a woman who liked to laugh…and often.

“At your service, Mrs. Vanderberg,” After shaking Helen’s hand she extended the box of pastries she had picked up at a bakery nearby. She hoped they were as yummy as they used to be.

“Please, call me Helen, if I may call you Annik.”

“By all means, Helen.” She followed Helen down a wide hallway into a large kitchen filled with natural light from the solarium alcove. At the table, Helen’s husband stood up and extended his hand, (more like a mitt from the size of it) as Helen introduced her. The aroma of fresh brewed coffee, Helen setting out the pastries and coffee service was so familiar. Like any Sunday morning sitting with Poppa. While Helen fussed, they talked about the weather.

Annik sipped her coffee. Helen sat down across from her and began the meeting.

“Well now Annik, here we are. What can we do for you?” Helen smiled and patted Barry’s hand.

Right to the point. Okay… Poppa, Mamma, don’t let me blow this. “You can sell me Pandora’s at a price that’s fair for all of us, Helen.”

Helen and Barry looked at each other. They shared a look that was meaningful to them.

“Why would you want to buy a sex club, Annik?” Barry asked.

Might as well just lay it out on the table. “Because… and I don’t know how you feel about this, but it’s what I believe. Pandora’s is a place of celebration. I believe it’s a good place, and I also believe that I can make it a better one.” Momma had always said that honesty was the best policy.

Helen leaned toward her. “A place of celebration, dear? What do you mean by that?”

“I’m not going to lie to you, Helen. We have too many restrictions on how people express themselves sexually. Too many damn repressions. Pandora’s welcomes everyone. It’s got an atmosphere of ‘Live and Let Love’.”

“What did you just say, Annik?” Helen’s voice was very quiet.

Was there something wrong? Why had Helen’s jaw dropped almost to the table? “I said ‘Live and Let Love’.”

“Where did you hear that phrase, dear?”

“Nowhere. It came to me the first time I attended an event there.”

“Really?”

This was getting uncomfortable. What the hell was their problem? It’s what Pandora’s was really all about! “Yes, Helen, really. Why? Are you upset?”

Helen shook her head. “Upset!” She laughed. “I’m not upset at all. The man who built and opened Pandora’s was my Grandfather. And that was one of his favorite sayings.” She looked over at her husband. “I believe Grandpop’s spirit is still there, Barry, what do you think?”

He chuckled, “I think that dirty old man would be happy to hear how this meeting started, honey.”

“Look, Annik, my grandfather came back from the First World War, not damaged, but with a sense of wonder at life. He worked hard, but played even harder. When he met my Grandma, a free spirit if ever there was one, they built Pandora’s. My Dad kept it going and Barry and I have done the same.”

“Annik, we would love to see Pandora’s continue. Our own kids aren’t interested at all.” She sighed. “We raised two conventional Yuppies, I guess. But Barry and I have a decision to make. If Pandora’s isn’t going to continue—and maybe it doesn’t need to in today’s day and age—then maybe we should just liquidate it for the sake of our children and our own grandkids’ inheritance.”

“So, you would consider selling it to me?” Annik asked. What a relief to hear them explain the history of Pandora’s. There were family ties to the place, an emotional investment.

“Honey, we’ve been offered money just for the land. It was a good offer, too.” Helen’s eyes misted, and Barry took her hand. “But we’d rather see it continue, yes.”

“We’d rather pass the torch than put it out, Annik,” added Barry.

“So, maybe we can do business?” Annik asked. It was hard to maintain a businesslike detached voice, when your insides were doing cartwheels. Pandora’s was starting to look better and better now that it was really possible to buy it.

“Maybe. We’d like to. What are you offering?” Helen and Barry sat still, looking at her. Their eyes and faces weren’t hard or greedy. No, they looked more like a good teacher who has asked a tough question and earnestly hopes the student would answer correctly.

Annik sat still. How much would they want? Would it be too much? There was money in the bank account, but would it be enough? This dream WAS possible, but what was next?

“Annik, child, ask them. ASK THEM GIRL!” Poppa’s voice urged.

Under the table, she squeezed her hands together tightly. With her heart beating hard in her chest, she took a deep breath. “I don’t know, Helen. I have two hundred thousand in cash, and I’m going to drum up more money. How much do I need? How much do you need to sell me Pandora’s?” She watched them intently, sitting on the edge of the chair.

Helen and Barry looked at each other, speaking volumes with their eyes—forty years of marriage does that—Barry cocked his head to one side, and Helen shook hers in return. Barry’s eyebrows went up and Helen nodded. Barry dropped one eyebrow, and Helen tipped her head at him.

“Okay, honey,” Barry turned to Annik. “I guess this is it then, and Helen will tell us if I’m wrong. We were told the land alone is worth between one point five and two million. If you offer us anywhere between those numbers, we’ll sell the whole thing to you, right honey?” Helen silently nodded, and then added:

“With lifetime membership for us, of course. Now, tell us, what are you going to do to make it better than it is, Annik?”

The rest of the morning was spent with Annik showing the improvements she planned to make at Pandora’s. Her plans for renewing the building, and her plans to expand the club’s membership. She had to make Pandora’s a money maker, and her ideas had enough merit to sway Helen and Barry.

The three of them drew up an ‘Intent To Purchase’ agreement, subject to further negotiations, ranging the price from one point five to two million dollars, and Annik left a check for ten thousand as a deposit and sign of good will. She believed in the Vanderbergs enough that it was non-refundable, with a two week deadline to close the deal.

Annik Dandridge had come to the home of Helen and Barry Vanderberg as a business associate and left as a friend. It was the first concrete step in making her dream of owning Pandora’s a reality. After the door closed behind her, any awareness of her feet touching the ground had evaporated. She was floating in the warm sunshine of the day, on cloud nine.

****

An hour later, in the reception area outside the bank’s loans department, Annik felt the butterflies in her stomach take flight. The receptionist had announced that Ms. Olin could see her now. She followed the young woman down a beige, sterile hallway and entered a windowless, small office. A chubby woman in a dark pants suit sat behind a tidy desk. She immediately rose to her feet, introduced herself, taking Annik’s hand in a firm grip. When they were both seated, Ms. Olin asked Annik how she could assist her.

"Well Ms. Olin..."

"No, no, please, call me Kim”

"Okay Kim, I'm here to see about a loan for a business I would like to buy. I have money saved, but the business price is about three million dollars.” Annik opened her briefcase, removed papers and set them on Kim's desk.

"What sort of business is it? Is it currently operating? Does it have a positive cash flow, show a profit?" Kim got right down to business.

Annik outlined the membership, the current number of events generating revenue and the estimated operating costs. Of course she omitted the fact that it was a sex club, emphasizing instead that it was a private club. No need to get into
that
at this point.

Kim was scribbling down notes and punching numbers into her desk top calculator. She scanned them, sat back in her chair and glanced up from the papers. Her eyes stared above her black rimmed glasses "But the income from this place JUST meets the staffing costs and we haven't touched on insurance or property tax."