Page 114 of Ten Day Affair
The thought settles in my chest like a stone I can’t swallow. I don’t want her caught in this. Not like this.
The rooftop terraceat Meridian's corporate headquarters offers one of the best views of midtown Manhattan. On a clear day like this, you can see all the way to the Hudson. But Marcus Hoffman isn't looking at the view. He's staring at his salad like it might crawl off the plate.
“So, tell me what’s going on?” I cut into my steak, keeping my voice even.
He looks up but doesn't say anything. He isn't giving anything away. That's fine, I don't mind working for it.
“Last week, your team was eager to push the letter of intent. Now our lawyers can’t get a single call returned.”
Marcus shifts in his chair. "Just some internal restructuring. You know how these things go."
"No, I don't. Not with multi-million dollar deals on the line. Enlighten me."
He takes a sip of water, buying time. The silence stretches between us while an airplane passes too closely overhead.
"Look, Cole, nothing's changed fundamentally. We're just taking a beat to reassess the timeline."
"Reassess what, exactly? The numbers are solid. The property valuations haven't shifted. What's there to reassess?"
"Legal wants another round of due diligence."
I set down my fork. "On what?"
"Just dotting i's and crossing t's. Standard procedure."
Bullshit. Marcus has been working in healthcare acquisitions for twelve years. He knows what standard procedure looks like, and this isn't it.
"Marcus, we've known each other for what, five years? You recommended the Palm Beach property to me. You said Meridian was looking for exactly this type of investment.So cut the corporate speak and tell me why your guys are fucking dragging their feet all of a sudden."
He glances around the empty terrace, then leans forward. "Someone called our compliance office."
My blood goes cold. "What kind of someone?"
"A reporter. From Palm Beach. She's asking questions about board disclosures, conflict of interest protocols, that sort of thing."
The steak turns to cardboard in my mouth. Here we go.
"What did your compliance tell them?"
"Nothing. Standard no-comment response. But the questions were specific, Cole. This wasn't some fishing expedition. Whoever called knew about the shell company structure."
My hands want to shake. I keep them flat on the table. "And that spooked your legal team?"
"Wouldn't it spook yours? We're talking about a forty-million-dollar acquisition. If there's even a hint of impropriety, we don't want our hands on that."
"There is no impropriety."
"I'm not saying there is. But optics matter. You know that better than anyone. That's why they're pausing. They want to see if there is any 'there there' before committing to anything."
Optics. The word that kills more deals than numbers.
I reach for my phone. "I need to make some calls."
"Cole, it's probably nothing. Just some local reporter looking for a story that isn't there. Let's all just give it some time to die down."
But I'm already standing. "Thanks for lunch, Marcus. Let me know when your team finishes their reassessment."
He nods, relief flickering across his face. "Will do."
