The Deal (25 page)

As he was seriously beginning to wilt in stamina, they reached the entrance to the lift cage. The door was closed and within minutes Duncan was back on the surface. He was taken to the changing rooms where he stripped and showered gratefully. A man appeared with fresh underwear and laughed. Fifteen minutes later, Duncan was reunited with Dimitri in a cafeteria. He accepted a large mug of tea, but declined toast and jam.

“You see my beautiful mine!” bellowed Dimitri. “Your Jody. She keeps emailing me. How much coal is there? Now you can tell her!” he yelled, as he slapped Duncan on the back.

They were soon away, with Dimitri leading the party to what immediately seemed to Duncan to be a series of loading bays.

“My new fleet of Yarovit trucks,” explained Dimitri. He then called forward Spirio, who was accompanied by an interpreter.

“Mr Mustov wants to tell you that each truck holds...” He stopped and engaged in an intense dialogue with Comrade Mustov, “…er...er... thirty tons of coal.” He paused. “Yes, thirty,” he concluded. They exchanged further words. “We have seventeen trucks of which you can see eight waiting to be loaded.” They spoke again. “We turn the trucks around...around…back and forth.” Duncan nodded to indicate he understood what was being said. “Around…yes…three times a day. We move...” Further conversations took place. “We move one thousand five hundred and thirty tons of coal a day.” There was now quite a pause as the interpreter listened to Spirio. He began talking again. “This is our largest mine. The other six produce, working six days each week…er…yes...produce...between five hundred and a thousand tons of coal a day.”

Duncan tried hard to stay on top of the maths of Dimitri’s coal production but, at this point, he simply gave up. He knew that his task was to verify the value of the coal deposits but a combination of Russian hospitality and an avalanche of statistics was exhausting him.

Meanwhile, back in London, Sara and Abbi decided to have lunch together. Sara was pale and quiet. She was wearing a bright yellow dress which even Andrew had said was inappropriate for the office. Gavin had commented that if she wanted to impersonate a budgerigar, then that was her choice.

Abbi was neat, perhaps a few pounds over the doctor’s weight chart, but she wore it well. She was wearing a dark striped business suit which had thin white lines running vertically in the material. She was fair and kept her hair short and didn’t wear much make-up. She was continuing to live with Jonathan, and continuing to forgive him for his one stray night.

“Gavin is driving everybody crazy today,” Abbi said. She was eating a Mediterranean vegetable pizza and drinking white wine. Sara was nursing a large gin and tonic and nibbling on some mixed nuts.

“Jody,” continued Abbi, “is rushing around London having meetings with accountants, Melanie is shouting down the phone at her lawyers, Martin is on version seven of the document. A normal day!” She laughed.

“How is the presentation going?” Sara asked.

“Dimitri is in Russia. He’s back on Thursday. Don’t tell anyone, Sara, but it’s a doddle. It’s so easy to put together. The mines look great.”

“If it’s all genuine,” said Sara.

“Yes. But we’re checking everything out. Duncan’s counting the coal as we speak!”

Sara looked down at her phone. She was waiting for an email. She left the table and returned with fresh drinks.

“Tell me what you think about Oliver.”

Abbi smiled. “Any particular reason?”

“He can’t cope with Gavin.”

“He’s not getting any support from Andrew. I’ve had a difficult morning with City Fiction. They’re pretty angry. Oliver’s over there now. What does he say to them?”

“It’s just about money, isn’t it?” said Sara. “Dimitri’s seduced them all.”

“Yes, Jody included – and she’s influencing Andrew.”

Duncan would have preferred to travel in an open truck so he could see the countryside, but Dimitri had other ideas and the black Mercedes was soon transporting them to the second mine. After about half an hour they stopped and Duncan found himself in a road-side restaurant. He later realised that Dimitri drank nearly a third of a bottle of vodka during their stay. He tried hard to limit his own consumption of Russian beer. They had been joined by Stanislav Viddor, Spirio Mustov and an interpreter. The atmosphere was ebullient, with Dimitri hugging everybody. The new member of the group was a dark-haired woman in her early twenties, who spoke very good English. Duncan was vaguely aware that she was using the various gaps when the others were taking toilet breaks to move closer alongside him.

“My name is Yolanda,” she said to Duncan. “I’ll be with you for the rest of the day.”

Duncan turned and noticed that she was indeed very attractive. She was wearing a dark trouser suit and a simple necklace. Her skin was flawless and her perfume was provocative. Duncan was, however, trying to resist a further glass of Russian beer.

They were soon travelling again and the interpreter joined Dimitri and Duncan in the car. Yolanda described the countryside they were travelling through. “We’re now arriving at Mr Petraffus’s next mine,” she announced after a short while.

They turned into an open cast mining area in which there were three pitheads and about fifteen miners milling around. At the base of a pile of coal, several were shovelling it into a truck which was almost full. Behind it were another five trucks, all already fully loaded.

Dimitri indicated they were leaving. Duncan turned to Yolanda and said he would like to have a closer look and to go down the mine. Yolanda talked to Spirio who shook his head and pointed to his watch.

Yolanda put her arm around Duncan. “We have much to see,” she said. “Mr Mustov says you will go down the next mine.”

Twenty minutes later they stopped at what seemed to Duncan to be a road-side tavern. The drink flowed and Yolanda continued to interpret the conversation.

“Mr Petraffus is happy today.” She paused as she searched for the English words she needed. “Tomorrow he will sign a big contract and on Thursday he will go to London where you will raise him lots of money, Duncan. You are a lovely man.” At this point she kissed her English guest on the cheek.

They were soon travelling again and quickly reached the third mine. Duncan looked down at his file to try and identify which of the other six mines they had seen. Yolanda told him the name but he had trouble reconciling it with his list. Dimitri grabbed Duncan, pulled him out of the car and together they almost ran around the work area. It was another mine, with cranes and piles of coal. The usual loading of his fleet of Tarovit lorries was taking place.

“Look!” cried Dimitri.

“Mr Petraffus says you are impressed, Duncan,” laughed Yolanda. “There are seven lorries here. We have a big fleet.”

The cavalcade moved off again and Duncan noticed that there now seemed to be four vehicles. Yolanda remained attentive.

They arrived at another mine and this time Yolanda told Duncan that a schedule of underground explosions was about to commence and that it was not safe to enter the compound. Duncan told Yolanda that this was not satisfactory and that he must see the mine. Dimitri became annoyed and there was a hurried conversation with Stanislav.

Suddenly Duncan was asked out of the car and he, Stanislav and Yolanda walked towards three lorries being loaded with coal. Dimitri remained in the car making phone calls. Duncan insisted on taking a photograph of the logistical operations.

They were soon travelling again. Within the next hour the same exercise was repeated at the next two mines. It was now getting dark. Duncan grabbed Yolanda’s arm and pulled her to one side.

“Yolanda. I must see the next mine, please. I must go down the mine shaft. I must see the coal.”

“Of course you must, Duncan,” she acknowledged. She spoke to Dimitri, who roared with laughter. They boarded their vehicles and left the area.

They stopped after ten minutes and Dimitri led the way into a house just off the main road. They all sat in a lounge and tea and cakes were served. Before they left, a bottle was brought out and the Russians applauded. Small glasses were filled and Duncan groaned as he felt obliged to take part in the toasting of the health of Mr Petraffus.

An hour later they arrived at the next mine and before Duncan knew what was happening he was stripping down, putting on overalls and descending down a mine shaft extremely fast. When the lift hit the bottom Duncan exited the cage and was violently sick. Nobody took any notice.

He soon found himself in the car with Dimitri and Yolanda. Comrades Viddor and Mustov were no longer with them. He asked the interpreter what was happening and he was told that they were on the way back to the hotel.

He glanced down at his notes.

“Yolanda,” he said, “we’ve missed a mine out.”

“No, silly Duncan, you have seen seven mines. You fell asleep in the car. We woke you up and told you we were passing the opencast mine. Mr Petraffus pointed out the lorries, if you remember.”

They arrived back at the hotel and Dimitri rushed round and dragged Duncan out of the car. He hugged him. “So. See you in London on Thursday. We raise the money. Yes?”

Yolanda went with Duncan into the hotel, saying she needed to speak with him. He went to his room, checked his emails, showered and changed, before rejoining Yolanda in the lounge. She had also changed into a tight, white cocktail dress.

She had ordered a bottle of wine. Duncan sat down and she poured a glass for him. As she handed it over, she placed her hand on his arm.

“Mr Petraffus says I am to answer any questions you have and to make sure that you enjoy our evening together.”

Duncan drank some wine.

“Yolanda,” he said. “I need to meet with Spirio. I’m in a muddle with the figures. I must list each mine and provide London with an estimate of the coal reserves. It is essential.”

“Of course, Duncan. I will organise for Mr Mustov to join you for breakfast tomorrow morning. But now we must enjoy the evening.”

He lifted her hand from his thigh.

“And I must go and work, Yolanda. Thank you for your help today.”

“But Duncan,” she protested, “I have a pleasurable evening organised for us. A pleasurable night...”

Duncan smiled and stood up.

“I’m sorry. I’m off to my room to write up my report.”

As he reached the lifts, he turned and saw Yolanda was talking urgently into her mobile. She looked very concerned.

Both Lucy and Charles decided after a week that it was time to return home. The three girls all agreed – seven days sailing the Sporades was enough. They wanted to get back to their friends in Ealing. Tabitha rarely left Scarlett’s side and Lily grumbled about the food.

But there was another reason. Lucy and Charles had, in principle, reached an important agreement, which had had a big impact on both of them.

Charles did not have an alcoholic drink once during the holiday. On the evening that he and Lucy realised they were both thinking in a similar direction he was very tempted to break his newly found self-discipline. But he and his wife had now decided on their future together. He was choosing the way of life he wanted to follow. He was in control. His old friend, the bottle, had long departed.

Duncan had ordered a taxi for eight-thirty in the morning. He was due to leave Domodedovo Airport at one o’clock. Spirio Mustov hadn’t appeared at breakfast but Duncan had a far more pressing matter to worry about.

When he woke up in his bedroom he found a parcel on the table. He opened it to discover ten thousand pounds in English fifty pound notes. He repackaged the money and took it to reception, where he left instructions that it was to be returned to Mr Dimitri Petraffus. It only occurred to him later that the receptionist never questioned his instructions or asked for any further details.

He had sent an email to Jody earlier in the morning.

“Jody. You want 300 cubic tons of coal. I know just where to find it!”

He was gambling that when he reached London and completed his calculations the coal deposits in the mines owned by Dimitri would justify the valuation of the company.

As his plane levelled off at thirty-five thousand feet above Russia, Duncan smiled to himself and thought about Yolanda. He wanted to tell his wife about how strong willed he had been. On second thoughts, he decided that was not such a good idea. He accepted a drink from the stewardess.

“It’s the Russian way of doing things,” he laughed to himself as he relaxed back into his seat.

The key document reached Sara through the post. She texted the Liberal Democrat MP:

“Got it. Let’s meet up soon. S x”

As she studied the papers she began to realise that the only solution she could think of was decidedly risky.

Gavin banged the table.

“Brilliant, Duncan. What a report. OK team. We have a client with seven mines and millions of tons of coal. Martin, you are a star. What a document. Brilliant. Melanie. Don’t you dare let me down. You get the fucking documents from the lawyers or you don’t come back to this office. Abbi. Great, great, great. The best presentation we have ever produced. Oliver. You have said nothing. Right. We spend the rest of the day signing off. If anything is unfinished then fucking finish it over the weekend. Dimitri was delayed but he flew into Heathrow earlier this morning. He has meetings over the weekend but is all ours from Monday morning onwards. Abbi, we have six institutions to see on Monday, right?”

“Right, Gavin,” she replied.

“Ok, we will raise ten million by the end of next week,” he announced.

Andrew sighed inwardly and texted Rachel to confirm that their trip to the Far East was looking quite probable. The money for Dimitri would be raised and the fees, commissions and shares would make the directors of Harriman Agnew Capital rather wealthy. He could go East without any worries.

“Sara. What the fuck are you still doing here?” asked Gavin.

Abbi was reluctant to postpone their trip to France – she and Jonathan wanted to stock up on French wines and cheeses. But there was something about Sara’s tone of voice that worried her. They met on Saturday morning at Abbi’s flat and Jonathan joined them after an hour. At first they dismissed Sara’s plan as idiotic. But as more and more detail emerged Abbi began to waver. It was, however, Jonathan, as an outsider, who eventually made their decision.