The Killing Hand (4 page)

 
  Hearing Rufus' testament, Palmer joined in. "As The Hudson Group does not specifically deal with any assets, we can hide behind what is essentially a fake company. This makes it hard for others to trace where the investments originate. This means we can operate our other assets without worry."

 
  "Everyone has a price, Eric," Lucius sneered, unapologetic for their actions. "The cost of buying a company is more than compensated by acquiring their customers."

 
  "And then you distribute the profit between yourselves?" I concluded. "These profits fund the acquisition? Is that feasible?"

 
  Rufus nodded. "It takes some capital to get it started, but from there is it more than feasible. We are not the only people doing this, I assure you. I have seen other companies try the same things, only they were not as effective and soon died out. My competitors would do the same to me if given the opportunity."

   I spoke, “
And why do you entrust me with such detail?”

   “
I thought you may have been interested in such a venture,” Lucius said.

   Harry smiled; a hollow smile of the echo of a long abandoned friend. “
Do not think of it so subjectively, Eric. Many of these companies are crooked themselves, our acts grant favours to the client.”

 
  "There is no need to justify ourselves," Lucius proclaimed, pushing the conversation aside. "Palmer, who is the target this week?"

 
  Palmer responded without contemplation. "Ashdown & Son. They have been heckling me for weeks now. I have tried to buy them out. They have rejected every offer."

 
  "They know they have a good, solid company," Lucius slipped back into his seat, apparently more relaxed now. "They are a family ran company and, as such, their asking price has consistently been too high. Even with the lack of competition it is not feasible. We bide our time. I will see what I can do about them."

 
  "Very well," Palmer sulked. "If our business is concluded I think I will call it a night, gentlemen."

 
  Palmer rose from the table and gulped down the remainder of his wine before nodding and taking his leave. As Palmer crossed the room Harry stood up. "Yes, I think I will also take my leave."

 
  "Very well," Lucius spoke as they made their way out. "We shall meet again, same time next week."

 
  The two men left together, barely able to squeeze into the adjacent corridor at the same time. Once they had left, the room seemed much emptier.

 
  "This explains how you all became so wealthy in the space of a year," I summarised. "You were destroying your business competition. The return may not be instant, but it pays off in the long run."

 
  Lucius perceived the evening not yet over and poured himself another glass of wine. "Yes. We can make sure to damage our competitor's reputation in the process too, making sure that if they set up another company they will never be able to get their customers back again. It also lowers the price in obtaining the company if we need to buy them out too."

 
  "If we can gain a monopoly over the foreseeable future for much of the country, we will become unstoppable," Rufus bragged. "Each of us works in a different business sector. This means there is no risk of us treading on each other."

 
  "It is a shame that you are not interested in managing your Father’s company, Eric." Lucius spoke slowly, his serpentine eyes scanning me. I could tell instantly where he was going with his remarks. "If you did run your own business, you would be able to join our venture. You could become a very wealthy man..."

 
  Lucius made no effort to be subtle about it. The con was a tried and tested affair from which the other men were clearly profiting. As much as I loathed accepting Lucius's offer I realised that without money I would remain in London for the remainder of my time. If I were to gamble with Lucius I could become as wealthy as they were and hopefully leave before the year was out.

 
  "Although I have no interest in running the company, Lucius, I have yet to turn down the offer."

 
  A greedy smile spread across his face the moment I opened my mouth. "Every man has his price?" he smirked, victorious.

 
  I actively ignored Lucius's sleazy demeanour. "You all pay into this fund, correct?"

 
  "Five percent of each company's monthly earnings. In a profitable month we are able to increase the investment tenfold."

 
  "If I managed my Father’s company, would I be able to pay into your fund with the proceeds?" I had no idea if I would be able to take the money from the company each month without Gilbert realising. I would need to match his work and take the funds out slowly over the month and replenish the funds when the investment was paid. As long as Gilbert was not intently guarding the money I would be able to extract what I needed. The profits from the first pay out would fund my subsequent input.

 
  Lucius supped from his wine glass, apparently mulling it over. I had no doubt he was simply pretending to consider it. "For as long as you could eventually supply the same amount as the rest of us, I do not see any reason to deny you."

 
  It was a steep request. The men in that room were already well established and had a head start. Matching their funds would prove difficult. Still, as long as Gilbert had kept my Father’s company intact, it would not be impossible. The pay off at the end would be worth it.

 
  "Besides," Rufus spoke between gulps of wine, "the money we have in the fund at any time allows us to buy the companies. With your money we can make larger offers."

 
  "Just be aware that we do not always make a profit," Lucius warned. "Sometimes we have to buy out a company due to necessity, not just to increase our wealth."

 
  "I understand that would be an option. It is in the interest of a business such as this," although difficult: the decision was made. "I have enough to keep funding. You need not worry."

 
  "Then it is settled," Lucius remarked proudly, standing abruptly from his seat, arms outstretched. He strode over and held out his hand, which I took in a silent and empty handshake. The deal finalised, Lucius quaffed the remainder of his drink. "Eric, tomorrow you and I will visit the bank to make the necessary arrangements for payment. For now, if you do not object, I will see you all next week."

 
  Everyone said their departing words – except Rufus – who decided to waddle off to the bar to fill up with further drink and pay the charge for the room. We all entered into the foyer once again, where a thousand judging eyes gazed upon me once more, only this time after briefly casting their glances over me they returned to their conversations and bragging. Perhaps, walking out with such a crowd, they had mistaken me for one of them. Nothing could be further from the truth.

   Lucius brushed by us
as we exited, saying his goodbyes before taking his leave into the dark streets of London.

   "I did not think to find you amongst such a crowd," I said to Francis as we made our way towards the exit.

   "I did not tell you as I did not believe you would be interested in such affairs. Are you sure you are making the right decision?"

   I was not, but I would not tell him that.
Instead I nodded, a nod I believed was confident enough in itself to not raise an eyebrow.

 
  Before we could leave from the club, the front doors opened once again and from the crowd within came a familiar voice. Rufus, inebriated, made his way over to us. "Eric, it is good to have you back. Will you not join me in a drink?"

 
  Rufus' definition of a drink was vastly different to mine. "I am sorry Rufus. I was thinking about retiring. I am awfully tired."

 
  "Nonsense," he spluttered. "I will buy all your drinks! It will make a change from drinking those toxic elixirs you no doubt had to resort to in Europe. You too, Francis. Come on, that wife of yours can wait."

 
  Francis gave me a solemn smile. We realised escaping Rufus would be impossible. As such, we decided to amuse him for a while and followed him back in to the infernal club.

 
  "I am surely glad you have decided to join us Eric," he loudly slurred while pushing his way towards the bar. "We had a few good streaks recently. We are buying companies for less than we did when we started and as a result we are making much more profit."

 
  At first I was afraid to respond to Rufus' drunken admittance of the dealings, but no man in the room appeared to be listening to him – most were too busy in their own dealings to pay us attention.

 
  "How long have you been doing this?" I asked in a hushed voice.

 
  "Only a matter of weeks, you got in at a good time," Rufus said whilst demanding various drinks from the barman. "I think Lucius was running a similar operation long before this, but he was worried about having his name on the books, or something like that. Having us all working together is better for each of us. With our collective input, we can buy out bigger companies in total anonymity."

 
  "It sounds like a lucrative business model, I will acknowledge that."

 
  "Do you plan to join us again?" Francis asked me.

 
  "I should see how my investment is being used."

 
  "I am glad to hear it!" Rufus proclaimed, forcing a glass into each of our hands while leading the way to an empty table in the corner.

 
  "What else have I missed?" I asked while nestling into the seat.

 
  "Aside from having a different monarch since you were last in the country?" Rufus' eyes rolled back while he tried to recollect the previous year – most of it would have been a drunken haze for him, no doubt. "Not a great deal. Parliament is in recess, they are making a mess of the country."

 
  "James is the talk of London though," Francis interjected, almost proudly. "Arrested a wife killer just recent - made the headlines."

 
  This was no surprise to me. James was always a hard worker and when he announced that he was to join the police there was no doubt he would become anything less than the very best officer he could be.

 
   "The man is dedicated to justice," Rufus informed me as if I did not know. He seemed unimpressed at the feat, but managed: "You have to give him that."

   I decided to change the subject. “
How is your wife anyway, Francis?”

   “
Well,” he nodded. “I told her of your return. She was happy to know that you had returned safe.”

 
  I nodded. I had met Francis’ wife sporadically over the years. She was a good woman who kept him in line.

   W
e drank in silence for a while, mulling over the thoughts of our lives. Eventually, Rufus placed his hand on Francis' shoulder and leaned into the centre of the table. He whispered and beckoned to us. "I am not trying to scare you lads, but that guy in the corner has been eye-balling us since we arrived."

 
  I inconspicuously leaned back in my chair, bringing my glass to my mouth as I surveyed the room. There was a man sat in the corner drinking alone. His sharp eyes scanned the entire room as if he were about to lash out at any given moment, a barely restrained anger rushing around inside him. What a peculiar man, I thought to myself, to be sat alone and drinking to himself. I imagined he must be in a dark place, perhaps debt or grievance, to be sat alone and drinking, but assured myself there was nothing untoward aimed towards ourselves.

   "Not just us," Francis finally spoke after observing the strange man for a while. "The entire room it seems. I will wager the man is just drunk."

   Rufus eventually grunted in agreement, but during our continuing conversation he repeatedly gazed over at the strange individual, often mishearing the things we were saying as he did so and finding himself distracted.

   The night rolled on and Rufus continued to drink, whilst Francis and I drank
at a slower pace so as to not get inebriated. Rufus' speech began to slow and became less coherent as time went on.

   Eventually, Francis decided he had enough. "Rufus, I really must be going."

   "Very well, it is probably best you run home to that wife of yours," Rufus smirked, downing his drink. "And I assume you will be leaving too, Eric?"

   "Yes, I have business to attend to early in the morning. Will you walk with us?"

   Rufus shook his head wildly. "There are still many drinks to be had this evening! Goodnight gentlemen!"

   Rufus shook our hands vigorously and we left quickly, making sure not to get wound up in more of his drunken rambling. I felt guilty leaving the man there to drink by his lonesome, but it was by his own wish and I was not willi
ng to argue a man away from something he seemed to enjoy so much.