2019-12-11 - Men with Deep Pockets

Some few days after the Gazette decided to inform the whole town that Joshua Foster was a murdering murderer, Byron got a rare call from one of the random people that works at the Firefly Club. Not an unusual call, per se, since 'Monaghan would like to meet with you at 9pm on [date]' is the standard way to set up a meeting between Felix and anyone, but it'd been a while. For all his fanatic attention to the state of his money, Felix does like to give the people he trusts (using the term loosely) a little room to maneuver. So Byron isn't under constant scrutiny or anything.

The point is: Felix would like to meet with Byron. If Byron is amenable to this appointment, then he should come to the club and ask for Andre. If Byron is not amenable to these terms, then he should probably change his name and move to another town.

As with most people interested in the business aspect of the Casino's fate, Byron's been keeping some minor tabs on the ongoing investigation regarding one particular murder at the Seaview Motel. While he showed no interest in the crime itself, news had filtered in to him about theories and the like of what very well might have happened to the Krugers and Foster's involvement in it all, so even before the announcement of Foster's arrest, he already had an idea that that was coming.

Now a summons from Felix is something that Byron's not foolish enough to ignore, so he will head down to the Firefly Club, dressed in business attire. He's always cautious when visiting Monaghan, ever flying under the radar of curious eyes. At the door, he'll ask for for Andre and when led to the back to Felix's office, he will relinquish his sidearm, something that he's been carrying around more of because of that Gray Harbor hospitality (Dreams. It's Dreams).

"This is a nice gun." Andre puts the piece away wherever guest-guns go. "Me, I rely on these guns right here!" He lifts his beefy arms and flexes them, biceps all a-ripple beneath his shirt, then grins a big grin and trots on up the stairs to let Byron into the office. This part is too rote to rehash - come in, have a seat, Felix is behind his desk, as is his custom. A drink is offered but not mandatory, and Andre will be happy to pour out glasses of whiskey if Byron is so inclined. Then he retreats to standing by the door, and the spotlight turns to Mr. Monaghan.

Who has never been one to beat about the bush. "We need men with money and know-how to buy the Casino when it goes up for auction." Inevitably! "Are you in?"

No pressure.

Despite his professionalism or perhaps due to it, Byron will take humor in Andre's antics as he shows off his big guns in light of storing away Byron's own weapon. "I'm working up to that, you know." He says with a grin. Look, he hits up Kelly's Gym a few times a week.

Then the whole song and dance routine comes into play and Thorne is always polite, if rather laid back in Monaghan's presence. Or laid back enough that he's not sitting there like a stiff nervous board. Like always, he'll accept the drink with grace and a lift of the glass in Felix's direction once Andre fills it up.

Byron's not surprised at all that this summons was about the casino. Hell, he had a mind to put in his own bid for it once he'd read the news. "Despite the fact that some eco-freaks will continue to be disgruntled even with the lawsuit dropped and some locals with Bayside addresses having a bit of a fit if their idea of aesthetics differs from the magnificence of the casino's architecture... among other things." He pauses for a sip, "You know I'm in. The casino is a fine investment."

If he weren't on his best behavior already, Andre would totally moosh Byron in a hug for getting his workout on. Remind him on the way out.

Felix is not the mooshy hugging type, but here's a rare sight: he actually cracks a smile. It lasts about half a second, so Byron better not be blinking right then, 'cause it's replaced by an impartial nod in the heartbeat between 'I'm in' and 'fine investment.' "I'll be liquidating some debts to raise the capital, and I need to pull some of my money out of your building." Presumably clean money, does he need to specify that part? "And I'm thinking Easton Marshall as a third investor. You two know each other?" It's not really a question, but he hitches a questioning brow anyway; pretend he's asking and not telling.

Byron's not reminding anyone of anything, especially not for a good mooshing! OK, that's not true, but in this case...

When Marshall's name is brought up, there's just this tiny lift of Byron's brow, followed by a nod, "I know Easton Marshall. He's one of my tenants." And apparently Felix knows of Marshall too. "And I'll have that arranged and delivered to you by...." There's a thoughtful pause and he calculates how much time it will take to go through his various secret and dummy accounts, "Near the end of the week at the latest, the day after tomorrow at the earliest." He says of Monaghan's own money that the man had sunk into the Bayside Apartments.

With a lift of one palm, Felix assures, "We have some time." Mind, he totally files away the offered efficiency in case he ever needs his cash in a hurry in the future, evidenced in the way that previously hitched brow stays lifted, but he dismisses the need for urgency. "Once they pull his business license, Foster will be forced to sell. If it goes to public auction, we'll have to be prepared to compete with those people." He means the ones Byron mentioned earlier - the eco-freaks! "If you approach Foster before it reaches that point, one businessman to another, we may be able to get there before the public does."

Just out of curiosity, Byron has to ask, with a slight tilt of his head, "Has Marshall accepted yet? To cooperate?" He always considered Easton to be a good, upstanding sort. At least in his most recent relationship with the man, being the guy's landlord and having some messed up Dream adventures with him. Then again, Thorne pretends to be that good, upstanding sort, himself. OK, not pretends, but that's the face he puts forward.

And yes, he already expected some sort of competition once mention was made in the paper that the casino may be placed up for grabs. Hell, Isabella told him the other day that it could be converted into an AQUARIUM or water activity recreation center or things along those lines. "Funny that you mention that, I had a mind to meet with Foster before-- well," He waves a dismissive hand, "this fallout to get a better idea on his vision for the casino and get a sense of his plans of operation." He takes another drink from his glass, "I'll reach out to him, see if we can come to some agreement, especially with the predicament that he's found himself in. This would definitely be considered a huge blow to not only his finances but his reputation." Which, in Byron's mind, often go hand-in-hand.

Interesting question, Byron Thorne. Interesting enough that, even at his most impassive, Felix's eyes light a little with curiosity. "Do you have a reason to suspect he wouldn't?" (You know, other than the obvious.) Actually, before Byron even gets to answer, Felix presses on with, "Feel him out for me. If you think he won't be interested, then we'll - " KILL HIM. " - find someone who will."

Easing back into comfort with the conversation, Felix nods about the idea of Byron having a pre-arrest meeting with Foster. "This snafu aside, he's not an idiot. He knows money. Just has bad people." Does this need to be said? Probably not, but. "Keep my name out of it. Selling to Byron Thorne may be a desirable way to save face."

Selling to Felix Monaghan is probably technically illegal.

Byron nods slowly before leaning forward to place his half-drained glass at a corner edge of Felix's desk, "Will do. Just spent a couple of days with him in Las Vegas, but I'm sure he wouldn't mind some good investment advice. Let's hope the talks of endangered fish didn't get to him."

"But of course, my own reputation is at stake here." His public persona! "And I'm in no way planning on ruining a good thing." Like flying under police radar-- when murders aren't happening in his apartments. "I'm sure that he's hoping to get some money or compensation back despite the prison sentence, though by playing up to his dreams and his ideals, we're bound to come to some sort of agreement."

The whole thing with the endangered fish is funny. Felix doesn't have the 'chuckle' gene, but rest assured: it made his current typist snicker. The character is busy digesting the Vegas information, nodding acceptance of this as good information to have. "Let me know how much he's good for." Easton, he means. "If we have to bring in a fourth investor, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. But I should have," some big number of money. "If that's not half Foster's asking price, then let those people buy it and turn it into an aquarium." Beat. "And we'll buy it from them when they go out of business."

Go out. Are forced out. It all ends the same.

"He's under house arrest in Ocean City at the moment. Here's his lawyer's number." Don't ask how. There's information that Byron really doesn't need. The business card slides across the desk at the end of Felix's fingers. "Find out where Marshall stands before you call him, though. If he's not in, then - " HE'S A DEAD MAN. " - we'll want to secure a new partner before we come calling."

"Our biggest threat would have been the Pursleys. With the dropped lawsuit, which I will assume also means they have no actual interest in the casino, if others want to band together to build an Aquarium or some aquatic life refuge in its place, they really have their work cut out for them." Byron says easily enough, but he will add, "However, that doesn't mean that I'll discount their bleeding hearts completely. People with money like to be seen donating to what they believe is a good cause." Thorne does this quite often! "But yes, I'll inquire with Marshall. Hopefully, his love for games of chance will endear him to this investment."

His posture straightens once Felix brandishes Foster's lawyer's card and he immediately reaches for it to look the details over. "Thanks. I'll get on this ASAP." The card is pocketed into his jacket breast pocket, "Easton first and then hopefully Foster. And if talks with Easton falls through," Let's hope that they don't, "There's new and old money alike in this town that we may be able to tap into."

After shaking his head at more talk of this aquarium idea, Felix soothes that irritation with a sip from his glass, letting whiskey burn away the desire to beat people into submission about this aquarium thing. "Hopefully so," he says regarding Easton and leaves it at that, deferring to Byron's officially official Silver Tongue stat to smooth things over with the TIBS/TwIBS guy. "Agreed," to the latter, and then he stands, offering a handshake across the desk. "Keep me posted."

But don't run straight out. Andre's been busting at the seams to deliver a squishy hug to Byron, on account of Byron has all that warm cuddliness.

When it looks like their talks are over and done with, Byron rises from his chair to seal the deal with a firm handshake. "I will." He responds to keeping Felix up-to-date. "I'm sure that this will be the start of a new and lucrative venture."

If anything, Byron wasn't expecting to be assaulted by the big guy on his way out, but he'll offer a quick, "Thanks for the drink." This is when he does expect to get handed his sidearm back! So unsuspecting.

"So am I." Sure about this, Felix means. He'll just stay here in his office, hating on aquariums and anyone that thinks they're a good idea, till he hears back from Byron.

Andre leads them on out, and just be grateful that roll went the way it did. Instead of a Lennie-hug, Byron gets a beefy arm looped around his neck, with Andre squishing himself next to the slighter fellow in the narrow stairway out of the office. "You're welcome for the drink! I'm real proud of you for getting in such good shape, that's really good for your body and for your mind." He says this with such conviction, just like they do on all the workout videos he watches, giving Byron a one-armed squeeze at the bottom of the stairs. "Here's that little gun," which looks tiny in his hands, "to go with those monsters you're packing." More big smiles from Andre when he hands over the gun.

Feeling the weight of Andre's arm suddenly looped around his neck, Byron is forced to stoop forward and he literally feels like a rag doll in the man's grip. Despite the awkwardness of it all, especially when a few others, probably part of Felix's organization, litter the hallway, he'll take it all in stride and smile, even laugh a bit at the larger man's infectious giddy high spirits. "Right... exactly. Good for your body and mind." Uh huh. Once he's released, a hand automatically straightens his suit jacket before straightening his tie with well-practiced skill. He's then handed his weapon back and this he carefully slips into the holster beneath his jacket, which he then rebuttons up. "See you around."

As much as he'd like to say: But not anytime soon, he's been handed more business with Monaghan, so he'll most likely be back.

The nice thing about being Andre is that no one is going to call him out. For anything. Ever. The nice thing about being the person that Andre is hugging is that no one is going to call Byron out, either. "See you a-square!" he calls back cheerfully. (Wits-1 in action.)