gallons in undeclared reserves, right? All oil companies have far more oil in reserve than they admit. How else could you all fix prices, eh?’
‘Everyone does it,’ Frazer said.
‘Of course, of course, but the numbers! Dear me, the numbers! Provoking a shortage when you have a surplus. Sooner or later someone is going to blow the lid off the whole ugly business.’
‘We’re hardly in a position to take the lead in a general house cleaning.’
Lavander gazed at the colourful city square. ‘When it happens,’ he mused, ‘people will go to jail, politicians will be mined, it could go as high as the Cabinet, y’know. It will make your Watergate and Abscam scandals seem as innocent as a day at Disneyland.’
‘That won’t happen.’
‘The American people were humiliated by Watergate and Abscam,’ said Lavander. ‘They’ll be infuriated when they find out just how badly the oil companies are exploiting them. I’m suggesting you use some common sense. There’s plenty of money to be made. You don’t have to break the law.’
‘If that does happen,’ said Frazer, ‘the ax’ll fall on all the others before it falls on us. We’re new.’
‘The weak ones always go first. Law of nature. You’re new, you have problems. The investigators will sharpen their teeth on you new chaps. The hyenas will eat you first, then the big competitors will become very repentant, they’ll say, “Oh, excuse us, we miscalculated,” the politicians in their pocket will say, “Naughty, naughty,” fine them a couple of hundred thousand dollars, excuse them for the good of the economy. What good will that do your AMRAN? They’ll already have ruined you.’
‘A dismal viewpoint, I must say.’
‘Realistic. The script is already written.’
‘Let’s hope you’re wrong this time.’
‘I have a reputation, Frazer. I’ve never associated, in any way, with anything unsavoury. I can help AMRAN, but only if you agree to listen to me and accept my advice. The price is a thousand dollars a day. Thirty days payable in advance. If we go beyond that, you pay another thirty days in advance. And I reserve the right to step out anytime I feel your decisions might place me in jeopardy. That’s my standard deal, take it or leave it.’
‘Well, of course I’ll run this by management and—’
‘This is Friday, Frazer. I will expect your answer by Monday. Say five P.M.? You can send me a message aboard the Gulf Star.’
‘That’s a bit short, what with—’
Lavander’s face clouded up. He was becoming impatient. He cut Frazer off. ‘Right now Hensell’s US output is about twenty thousand barrels a day. The company’s reserves are down to — I’m guessing, of course — sixty million forty-two- gallon barrels. One of the reasons Hensell was going under, they were buying sixty percent of their crude from the Middle East. At premium. Hmmm?’
Frazer stared across the table at Lavander. His neck was turning pink under the ears.
Lavander pressed on. ‘Point is, Mr Frazer, your AMRAN was sold a bill of goods by Hensell’s people. You bought a pig’-.-he stopped and laughed—’ without looking in the poke.’
You insufferable bastard, Frazer thought. But he kept his temper. His job was to keep his temper.
‘What’s going to happen, old chap, is that AMRAN is going to have to dip into its oil capital, so to speak. Tap the reserves of the other members of the consortium, to reduce Hensell’s Middle East commitments. And then, sir, you are on dangerous ground, having to explain oil reserves you supposedly don’t have. The Mafia has the same problem trying to wash its money. You’re going to have to wash your oil.’ He chuckled again, then added, ‘Enough free advice for one day.’
Anger burned deep in Frazer’s stomach, but he had to keep playing the game. ‘So what would you suggest?’
‘I suggest you retain me to keep you out of the soup and to clean up this mess.’
Frazer stared at him across the top of his coffee cup. ‘That’s why we’re here,’ he said slowly, after a several- second pause.
Lavander raised his eyebrows. He looked down into his teacup. ‘I see — hmm. .. I see a message and the message says, “Frazer doesn’t have the authority to make a commitment.” Am I correct?’
‘My job is simply to open up negotiations. We know by your reputation that you can help us. The question is, Can we afford you?’
‘A grain of salt in the ocean. Of course you can afford me. I can help you. The ball is in your court. Let me know.’ He started to get up.
Frazer said, ‘Uh, perhaps we have a little something extra in the kitty.’
‘Ahh?’
Frazer took out a pint jar from his briefcase and set it on the table. It contained sand, sand as white as sugar but streaked with a black compound. Frazer picked it up and shook it, then looked at Lavander and smiled. He held the jar toward Lavander and said, ‘I’ve heard you can look at a core sample and taste it and tell within two city blocks what part of the world it came from and how rich the strike might be.’
Lavander could not conceal his curiosity. But he did not touch the jar. ‘When we have concluded our business, Frazer.’
He’s a crazy old coot, all right, Frazer thought. Crazy-smart. He’s playing games. Corporate one- upmanship.
Frazer was more interested in results. ‘I am authorized to retain you for a minimum of sixty days,’ he said. ‘We will have sixty thousand, in gold, in whatever account you desire, Monday morning, when the banks open’ He smiled and jiggled the jar again. ‘Care to see our hole card?’
