Chapter 32
ROB WATCHED THE driver of the Humvee slip out of the vehicle and stop to fluff his hair in the side mirror, then check his teeth, like he was going on a date and didn’t want to have spinach wedged in his canines.
The man didn’t even knock when he got to the office. He simply stepped inside, looking around like he expected someone to greet him.
“Another exciting day in greater Palm Island,” Arnold Marks said. Then he noticed Rob. “Who are you?”
Gary was quick to say, “This is my brother, Rob.”
“Does he have a financial interest in the car lot?”
Before Gary could answer, Rob said, “I’m afraid that’s none of your business, Mr. Marks.”
The tall, lean man held up his hands and said, “I didn’t mean anything by it. I was just curious.” He took his right hand and ran it through his short sandy hair again, making sure to flip it to the right.
Rob noted Marks’s expensive Arc’teryx all-weather jacket and custom-made boots. He also noticed the bulge on the right hip under the jacket. A pistol? The thought made Rob lean forward slightly and place his right hand closer to the drawer where he had stored the revolver.
Aside from his wardrobe—which would’ve cost a large part of Rob’s monthly salary—he noticed that Marks seemed to have a slight accent.
Though knowing the man lived in Los Angeles, Rob realized it could be an affectation.
The other thing he noticed was the man’s unnaturally white teeth.
They looked like they would glow at night. It was mesmerizing.
Arnold Marks casually took a seat in the chair that had been placed between the office’s two desks. Gary then sat down on the vinyl couch like it was some sort of game of musical chairs. He was trying hard to hide his nerves, but they were so obvious it made Rob anxious as well.
Marks seemed to be waiting for Gary to say something. Finally, he said, “Well, what do you think of my offer for the property?”
Gary said, “It’s a lot of money.”
“So we have a deal?”
Gary hesitated and then looked over at his brother for support.
Rob said, “Mr. Marks…”
“Call me Arnold.”
“Mr. Marks, we talked this over with our grandfather and decided the car lot is not for sale.”
“Who am I dealing with? I thought you owned this place,” Marks said to Gary, ignoring Rob. “I don’t understand. I’m offering you twice what this property is worth. I’ve seen that you have limited business. You sell a couple of cars to guys on the local military bases and that’s about it.”
Gary said, “This is our slow time. It picks up a lot in the summer. When you can actually drive on the road and there’s twice as many people here.”
“It’s a good offer. I’d take this kind of money for a car lot in Los Angeles. And God knows this place isn’t Los Angeles.”
From the back room Rob could hear Lillian mumble, “Thank God for that.”
Arnold only slowed down for a moment. Then he looked directly at Gary and said, “What if I threw in an additional 10 percent and covered all closing costs?”
Gary looked as if he were considering the offer.
Rob gave him some time to make up his mind.
He didn’t want his brother to feel like there were no choices.
Ultimately, this would be his decision. But as the seconds ticked by, Rob began to get nervous that his brother was going to take the offer.
What would that do to their grandfather?
Then Gary shook his head and said, “No, no, I’m sorry, Mr. Marks. I mean Arnold. I can’t sell this place.”
Rob noted the immediate change in Arnold Marks’s demeanor. He tried to keep calm. But he didn’t try very hard. This was not a man used to being told no. It made Rob wonder exactly what this guy was into. Surely a real-estate developer from California could better handle things not going his way.
Marks slowly rose to his feet. “That’s very disappointing. I thought you had better business sense than turning down an offer like this.”
Gary said, “Well, that’s the problem. This isn’t a business decision. It’s a personal one.”
“I hope you don’t personally regret it.”
That’s when Rob spoke up. “What, exactly, is that supposed to mean?”
Arnold Marks glared at Rob, then at Gary. He stomped out of the building without another word. He did manage to spin the tires on his Humvee as he peeled out of the driveway, kicking a couple bits of icy gravel against the office door.
Gary was sweating as he turned to his brother and said, “I don’t think he took that very well.”
Rob shook his head. “We better be ready for anything.”