Hawaii - James Michener [574]
"I'm not interested in hotels," the visitor said.
"What are you interested in?" Hong Kong asked evenly.
"I represent Gregory"
The name literally exploded in the quiet office, ricocheted around Hong Kong's ears and left him stunned. Finally he asked, "You going to bull your way into the islands?"
"You have used exactly the right word," McLafferty said coldly. "Six months from now, Mr. Kee, we will have bulled our way into the biggest goddamned store right," and he whipped out a secret map of downtown Honolulu, "here." Forcefully he jabbed his finger at a prime intersection.
When Hong Kong saw the location he gasped. "The Fort will break you, Mr. McLafferty," he warned.
"Nope. We're too strong. We're ready to lose five million dollars the first three years. We have resources of nearly half a billion behind that. The Fort is not going to break us."
"But it won't let you buy that land, or lease it either. You simply aren't going to get in there."
"You're going to buy it for us, Mr. Kee."
"It's not for sale," Hong Kong protested.
"I mean, you're going to get the leases. You'll use an assumed name ... a dozen assumed names. After today I won't see you again, but we'll arrange some system of keeping in contact. Gregory's is breaking into Honolulu, and don't you ever doubt it."
"If The Fort doesn't break you, it'll break whoever buys the land for you. It has great power to retaliate."
"We've thought about that ... a lot, Mr. Kee."
"Why don't you call me Hong Kong?"
"And we spent more than a year analyzing your position out here. If you keep in a solvent position, Hong Kong, nobody can hurt you. And if they try, we stand ready to spend a good deal of the five million we know we'll lose, shoring you up."
Hong Kong liked this daring, cold-blooded Boston Irishman, and after a moment's reflection asked, "You have to have that specific comer."
"No other," the lawyer said.
"How long do I have?"
"Six months."
"You agree to pay fifty per cent above going rates?"
"We'll do better. You give us a strict accounting of actual costs, and we'll give you a hundred per cent commission.'
"You know that if The Fort hears about this . . ."
"We know. That's why we chose you to negotiate the leases."
Hong Kong leaned back. "You're certainly aware, Mr. McLafferty, that the profit to me is not very substantial. But nevertheless you're asking me to risk my business life in a head-on tangle with The Fort. How do you reason?"
"We say this. O. C. Clemmons wants to come into these islands, but The Fort won't let them. Won't sell them land. Won't provide shipping. Won't do anything. Same with Shea and Horner, same with California Fruit. The Fort has cold-bloodedly decided that no mainland firm will be allowed in Hawaii. They are determined to sat their own prices, keep competition out, garner all profits to The Fort."
"I know all that," Hong Kong said evenly. "Maybe better than you. But why should I fight your battle?"
"For two simple reasons," the lawyer said. "You're right that we can't begin to pay you for the risks you'll be taking if The Fort decides to eliminate you, as they may. But remember this, Hong Kong. Here is the real estate you control." And on this map Mr. McLafferty pointed to almost every parcel Hong Kong then held. It was remarkable that the man knew so much. "Now if Gregory's comes in, and O. C. Clemmons, and Shea and Homer, the entire economic life of Hawaii gets a boost. Land is scarce. They have got to buy from you, and every inch you have will double and treble in value. Hong Kong', you've got to believe that an expanding economy is good for everyone, a stagnant economy is bad for us all. Your profits will come indirectly. And the irony of it is, if The Fort had let us in ten years ago when