Catching the Bad Guy (Book Two) (Janet Maple Series) by Marie Astor Page B

Finnegan, licking
the last bit of cheesecake from his fork.
    Magee nodded, taking a sip of his
coffee. “David, Cornelius has told me a lot about your financial expertise, but
I hope that you will allow me to ask you a few questions.”
    “By all means.” David did his best to
put on the most genial expression.
    “Let’s say a certain public company,
let’s call it company A, is in merger talks with another public company, let’s
call it company B. What do you think would happen to the shares of these
companies if the merger were to go through?”
    David suppressed his irritation. Was
Magee questioning him on the rudimentary principles of financial markets?
“Typically, once the merger is announced, the stock of the acquiring company
would decline in price, while the stock of the company that is about to be
acquired would appreciate in price. Of course, that depends on the conditions
of the merger. If the company is being bought at a discount—”
    “It’s being bought at a premium,” Magee
interrupted, “and a handsome one at that. And what would you do if you were to
know about such information several days before the merger was to be
announced?”
    “I’d buy call options on the stock of
the company that’s being acquired. This would require a smaller financial
commitment than buying actual shares of the company and result in a much
greater gain. Of course, I’d have to be sure that the information is reliable,”
David added.
    “It is ironclad, which is why it is
imperative to proceed with great caution.”
    “Oh, calm down, Kevan.” Finnegan poured
himself another drink. “David is not a novice. He knows what he’s doing.
Besides, as New York attorney general, I’ve got everyone covered.”
    “I do not doubt you, Cornelius, but I do
remember a certain investigation involving Bostoff Securities and Emperial
hedge fund, the latter of which, if memory serves me correctly, David was the
owner.”
    Magee’s black, button-like eyes burrowed
into David’s face; in them, David saw ruthless shrewdness. If anything were to
go wrong, Magee would not hesitate to cut anyone’s throat, including
Finnegan’s, in order to save his own neck.
    “Like I told you, Kevan, I’ve got your
back, just like I’ve got David’s. Who do you think put the kibosh on the
Bostoff investigation?”
    “I do not doubt your abilities,
Cornelius. I am merely anxious to ensure that everyone’s interests are
protected.”
    “I know that, Kevan, and I give you my
word that we can trust David. I trust the man with my daughter. Is that not
enough for ya?”
    Here, David felt a pang of guilt, as he
thought about the microphone in his jacket pocket.
    Magee took a sip of his scotch. “It is,
Cornelius. The question is, is it enough for you?”
    Noticing the exasperated look on
Finnegan’s face, David decided to intercede. “Kevan, I understand that we just
met, but I hope that Cornelius’s word will suffice until we become better
acquainted. In the meantime, please feel free to ask me any questions you may
have about my background or professional experience.”
    Magee nodded. “David, I hope that you
will not take me the wrong way. I do not have any doubts about your knowledge
or trustworthiness. I am merely concerned for the safety of everyone involved.”
    Finnegan grunted. “We understand that,
Kevan, but from what you told me, this deal is going to come down soon, and
unless you’ve got someone else in mind to trade for us, you’d better tell David
what it is he needs to do.”
    An hour later David left the Carlyle,
smiling like a cat that ate a canary. Even better than the prospect of making a
hefty profit from Magee’s information was the knowledge that David now had
Finnegan and Magee—the maggot, as David had nicknamed his new acquaintance—by
their balls. Even Finnegan’s connections would not save him from the scandal
that would unleash if David were to release the recording of their
conversation. Finally, his