The top-floor meeting room felt a lot smaller to Finn, with eight people crammed around the table, compared to the last time Gonzalez had been there when it was just the two of them. With Victor’s presence too, a far more impressive display of drinks and snacks had been provided, spread across the wooden tabletop, from pastries to a tray of exotic fruits. Most of the attendees had already got stuck in before the meeting started, but Gonzalez hadn’t touched a thing. Neither had Finn. He didn’t need caffeine or sugar; his brain was fired up enough for this highly anticipated – for him, at least – meeting.
‘Everyone,’ Victor said, rising. ‘I know there’s a lot of excitement around the table today but let’s try and keep this to schedule, as I know you’re all very busy. Firstly, it goes without saying that we’re immensely grateful for Minister Gonzalez once again for taking time out from his family vacation to be with us today.’
A slight pause while the group nodded and murmured their appreciation.
‘I’ll hand over to Finn to tell you all why we’re here.’
Victor took his seat. Finn rose as all eyes turned to him. Happy, expectant eyes mostly. Except for two people. Gonzalez, who looked sullen, and Mariana, who looked…
What exactly?
‘I’d like to echo Victor’s comments,’ Finn started. ‘It really is a great privilege to have Minister Gonzalez with us today, and to have had his company several times over recent days.’ The look on Gonzalez’s face was not quite as angry as it had been when Finn had showed him the catalogue of photos of him and his favorite male sex workers. Most notably Rico, the young man who – apparently – Gonzalez had first met when Rico was only sixteen, and who Gonzalez had been sending money to on a regular basis to help keep him in that nice apartment.
‘As you all know, I’ve been working alongside Mariana recently…’ Did he catch some snide looks at the mention of her name? ‘…as we worked through the final pieces of the puzzle to ensure the start of operations for our consumer electronics operations here in Mexico. But I’m delighted to say that, as of this morning, we have now been granted by the Mexican government, and specifically by Minister Gonzalez’s trade department, a total of thirteen import trade licenses, and twenty-seven export trade licenses for Travers International Consumer Electronics Mexico.’
He paused and took in the applause from the group. The most animated, by far, was Victor. Like a small child who’d won a teddy bear at a fair. Gonzalez had a forced smile on his face and nodded at the people around the table in turn, accepting their gratitude.
‘Thanks to everyone who’s assisted on this project so far, but my biggest thanks must go to Minister Gonzalez, not only for helping us to put these final issues to bed, but for taking time away from his vacation in order to do so.’
‘Your thanks means a lot to me,’ Gonzalez said, somehow finding enough acting skills to sound sincere as he put his hand to his heart. ‘And I’ve been very grateful for your hospitality here. But now, I really must get back to my family.’
He stood up and a hush fell across the table at the unexpected move, but it was gone again a moment later when Victor moved over to the minister, shook his hand and patted him on the back. There were smiles all around as Gonzalez left the room with the billionaire.
Chit-chat followed for the next five minutes or so, although Finn barely said a word to the others, before Victor strode back in with a huge grin on his face.
‘I can’t believe it, folks. This is really it. I thought us getting started before the end of the year would be a task, but we’re not even into summer, and in seven days’ time, when the first microprocessors arrive, we’ll be up and running.’
He beckoned Finn out of his seat.
‘And it’s all thanks to this guy.’
A slap on the back for him too. All down to Finn? Well…
Mariana certainly didn’t look impressed by that remark.
Finn retook his seat and Victor carried on with what sounded like a well-rehearsed speech. No projector, no notes, but polished words, nonetheless. Most around the table sat in fascination, in awe, as Victor spoke of the business and his plans.
‘Of course, this first step won’t see us with full production capabilities in Mexico yet. We’ll be reliant on sourcing processors and other key components from the Far East until we get direct access to the raw materials but—’ he focused on Finn ‘—it’ll need a few more dinners between Finn and Minister Gonzalez to iron out the specifics of how that will all work.’
By which he meant Gonzalez hadn’t signed off on everything they’d wanted. Just the bare minimum, really. A play of power from him, Finn thought. Backed into a corner with the evidence of his debauchery, he’d had no choice but to give Finn something, but he’d fallen short of giving everything. Why?
‘But even if it takes another twelve, twenty-four months or longer to get to that position, I’m confident we can immediately start to build on our brand presence here, and across Central and South America. Before long we will swamp the competition, providing cutting-edge digital products for the masses at budget prices across this continent and beyond.’
He shook his fist in the air as he spoke, like a general might to gee up an army for battle. All that was missing was some whooping and hollering from everyone else around the table.
Victor continued, but Finn found himself zoning out. Something to do with relief taking over, but something else as well.
Finally, when Victor was done and the meeting was over and everyone headed back to their day jobs, Finn regained his focus. He saw Victor and Mariana giggling about something before the boss stroked her arm – didn’t he? – and left the room.
Just Finn and Mariana remained.
‘Well done,’ she said, coming up to him.
‘Thanks.’ He reached out and gently took her hand. She didn’t move away but she looked edgy and… angry, even though she’d been all smiles with Victor. As usual. ‘I missed you the last couple of days.’
He hadn’t seen her since the night of the drinks with Alyssia, nearly three days ago. He’d wanted to see her. She claimed to have been swamped with meetings, and then spending time with Alyssia, but last night she’d just wanted some quiet time on her own, in her apartment. Except Finn had gone over to her apartment later in the evening and she hadn’t been there.
It didn’t take a huge leap to guess who she might have been with.
‘Yeah. Me too,’ she said.
‘You want to do something tonight?’ he asked.
Now she pulled from his grip.
‘Maybe. Depends how late we finish.’ She fiddled with her hair. Awkwardness. ‘Do you want to tell me how you managed to sway Gonzalez?’
‘Do you want to tell me about Guadalajara?’
‘Excuse me?’
He said nothing but held her eye, challenging her.
‘Finn, what are you asking?’
‘Why do you protect him like you do?’
‘Who?’
Finn sighed. ‘Victor! In Guadalajara, he had those families silenced, didn’t he?’
She pursed her lips, shook her head.
‘I’ve been looking into it,’ he said. ‘And it’s not just hush money, Mariana, it’s threats. It’s violence.’
‘You don’t know what you’re talking about.’
‘I do. Tell me about Hernandez.’
She didn’t.
‘OK. So let me fill in the blanks. Hector Hernandez was in charge of the main sub-contractor for the factory build. He was hung out to dry by Travers after the disaster. Had the prospect of a criminal trial, until he was found dead by his wife. Overdose, apparently.’
‘Are you seriously suggesting—’
‘Oh, it’s not just Hernandez. Perhaps you didn’t know this one, but I’m very good at digging, babe. Guillermo Huerta?’
He left the name hanging. The reaction on her face suggested perhaps she really didn’t know it.
‘He’s a reporter. Or, I should say, he was a reporter. Perhaps investigative journalist would be a better way to describe what he did. But it’s past tense, because he’s dead now too. Apparently, he and Hernandez had spoken several times in the run up to Hernandez’s suicide. There was going to be an exposé about the whole thing, until Hernandez’s suicide and then Huerta’s motorcycle accident.’
Mariana turned and went to walk away but Finn grabbed her arm. She shrugged him off.
‘What do you want from me?’ she asked.
‘Why do you want to protect him?’
‘I never said I did. But what about you, Finn? All this snooping? You think you’re above board? Explain to me then, how did you get Gonzalez to change his mind?’
Finn shrugged. ‘Just managed to put enough pressure on, enough persuasion.’
‘Right.’
She said that as though she clearly didn’t believe him.
‘And where’d you get to on those LLCs in the Caribbean?’ she asked. ‘Weren’t they the blockers? The ownership structures.’
‘We managed to get around that.’
‘So you never did find the answers?’
‘Didn’t need to.’
She shook her head.
‘You know, Finn, I really like you. And the last few weeks have been… great. You want it to continue? There’s one thing I ask from you. Honesty.’
She went to walk away but Finn grabbed her arm again, a little harder this time. She tried but couldn’t pull away, and he let go after a couple of seconds.
‘You know, Mariana, I really like you too. And the last few weeks have been amazing. You want it to continue? There’s one thing I ask from you. Honesty.’
He didn’t see the slap coming. The force sent him a half-step back, his cheek throbbing.
‘Asshole,’ Mariana said, before storming out.