THE BRIDGE TO CARACAS (Volume 1 of The King Trilogy)

CHAPTER 20

Buoyed by his progress, Mike tapped his pencil on the surface of his desk, pressing the telephone receiver tightly to his ear. "May I speak to Darcy Bell, please?" he asked.

After a three-minute wait, Bell finally answered. "Darcy Bell here," he said with a deep, graveled voice.

"Mr. Bell, it's Mike King, of International—"

"I know who you are. Listen, if you're interested in selling gasoline to me, you can continue to call me Mr. Bell. Call me Darcy if you're interested in buying my company."

Mike was momentarily shocked, and then impressed. He seized the cue. "Maybe you and I could meet at your earliest convenience, Darcy."

"Be at my home in one hour? It's at the southwest corner of Seventh Concession Road and Highway Seven."

"I'll be there," Mike said, convinced he was on the verge of hitting the mother load. This was indeed an elephant. Darcy Bell owned XG Petroleums Inc., an enormous independent with 284 retail gasoline outlets in Ontario, Michigan, and New York. The company's annual gasoline volume was a mouth-watering 120 million gallons. If Mike could finesse a deal with Bell, IFB would no longer be in jeopardy.

Bell's estate was marked with a large, green sign that read "Bell Acres" in large gold letters. Bell's house adorned the end of a long, curving, tree-lined lane. The spectacular stone structure occupied the crest of a steep hill overlooking a pond completely surrounded by mature willow trees.

Mike parked his car beside a white Cadillac Eldorado convertible, which had the initials "D.E.B." carved on the driver's side door. He walked to the front door of the house and rang the bell.

The door was opened by a stocky man with a very athletic appearance and a snow white brush-cut. His ruddy complexion hinted that his hair had been red when he was younger. The bright red bow tie he wore complemented his tweed jacket and gray flannel trousers. "I'm Darcy...welcome to Bell Acres."

Mike extended his hand. "I'm Mike King, Mr. Bell. It was kind of you to invite me to your home."

Bell shook his hand with a vise-like grip. "Unless I misunderstood why you're here, I thought you would call me Darcy."

"My sincere apologies. I think we understand each other very well, Darcy."

Bell winked, and then led Mike to his den. It was a beautiful, sun-filled room, every surface of it covered with stacks of paper and file-folders. "Sit here," Bell said after quickly removing two stacks of folders from a white wicker chair. "Please excuse the mess. I would never be able to find a damn thing if I put all of this paper away." Bell cleared a small space on his desk and sat with one foot dangling and his arms folded. "I could have arranged for one of our distinguished attorneys do this, but it's not the way I do business. I preferred to meet with you to tell you some important details about the company, and also about myself. XG is a great company. It's taken me a lifetime to build it, and I'm very proud of it."

Mike was certain Darcy Bell saw him as a pigeon and resolved to keep him honest. Now that he had flown into Bell's nest, the game was on. "If the company is as great as you say it is, Darcy, why are you selling it?" he asked.

Bell's freckled face quickly turned crimson. "I'm not getting any younger, Mike, and I think it's time I made some changes in my life. I don't think I have to draw you a picture?"

"No."

"My good wife, Martha, rest her soul, passed away this year. She gave me three lovely daughters during her wonderful life with me. She also did a terrific job raising them while I was building XG. I had hoped that at least one of them would take over the company, but that was not to be."