Ryan's type. A glitzy blonde, dressed in a business suit and heels. ''I'm sure I will.''
''Shall we just start? If you want to stop at any time, just hold up your hand, and I'll halt the recording.''
''Sure, go right ahead,'' he said taking a looking at her breasts as she reached behind her to pick up the microphone. She put it on the highly polished table and cleared her throat.
''Today we're in downtown LA, with real estate mogul Ryan Jacobson. Thank you for agreeing to see us, Mr. Jacobson.''
''My pleasure Kelly.'' He took a lot down at her bronzed legs and wondered how she got them so smooth looking.
''A lot of people know you as the secretive billionaire businessman. Perhaps you would tell us how you got started.''
''Sure. Well, I went to construction college and learned how to build, and then I worked for a real tough guy called Jake Inchmore as a young apprentice. He clipped my ears a few times; I can tell you. I learned a lot from him.''
''And when did you start your own business?''
''As soon as I knew what I was doing. I was very grateful to Jake for teaching me all he knew. You know, the day I told him I was leaving to set up my own company, I was terrified of what he'd do to me. But he was really supportive and pleased I had some entrepreneurial spirit.''
''You certainly do.''
''The company you have built has seen a good amount of controversy hasn't it?''
''In what way?'' he asked.
''Well your core business is buying apartment buildings, doing some refurbishments and increasing the rents drastically. There have been a number of high-profile cases where your company has evicted old people and families with young kids. People who couldn't pay the new rents.''
''I knew it. I fucking well knew it. I'm the dumbest businessman in this whole Godforsaken city. I thought you were different; that's why I invited you here. But you're just the same as all the others. Now get the hell out of my office.'' Ryan swiped his arms over the table and knocked the microphone onto the floor.
''That's the first and last time, Steffi, never again,''he said as he walked past her desk. ''Bloody media. And don't say I told you so.''
''Well I did,'' Steffi said. ''If she hadn't been so good looking, you would never have agreed to the interview.'' Typical Ryan, she thought. He was a great business man but a sucker for a pretty woman. She couldn't remember the number of times she had a tearful lady on the phone asking after his whereabouts.
Ryan slumped into his giant leather desk chair and looked through his emails. There was one from Alina telling him she would arrive in LA around eight that evening. She told him she would take a cab to his home and not to bother sending a driver.
''Steffi,'' he shouted. Steffi arrived in his office with a note pad. ''Alina's coming this evening. I'll bring her to work in the morning. How long do you think you'll need to handover?''
''I think I can teach her all she needs to know in a month. After that, she can have my phone number and call me if she needs to know anything.'' Steffi looked at Ryan and noticed how tired he looked.
''You're not overdoing it are you?' she asked.
''What makes you say that?''
''You look tired.''
''I am tired. Tired of people who don't keep promises. This morning we had to hold a guy over the edge of a building and threaten to drop him.''
Steffi laughed. ''You have a wild imagination, Mr. Jacobson.''
If only she knew the real truth, he thought. ''I'm going home. If you need me, you know where I am.''
The Black Rolls Royce drove to Beverley Park and pulled into a gateway. The security guard came out of his hut and opened the gate. As Ryan's car passed, he waved and closed the gate.
Ryan loved his home. At just thirty-five, he was the youngest resident in the area. At an average price of thirty million dollars, the houses in the immediate area were owned by business people and Hollywood stars.
Getting out of the Rolls, he pulled out his cell. ''Party time,''