The Miraculous Plot of Leiter & Lott by Jonathan Lowe Read Free Book Online Page B

held intermittent views of the Arabian Sea beyond. David ordered a Mahi sandwich, then tilted his head, shifting his eyes toward an unusual couple seated at the end of the long, ebony bar. The man there was late sixties, ruggedly handsome, with dark gray hair and beard. He wore a tailored black sport coat with a white shirt, open at the collar. A red handkerchief barely protruded from his lapel pocket, and square silver cufflinks adorned his protruding sleeves. His female partner was also Caucasian, but early thirties, tall, gorgeous, with short brown hair and the perfect skin of a model. They both sat at an angle, partly facing each other, but occasionally making eye contact with a passing guest.
    "What's their story, do you think?" David asked, out of curiosity.
    Etherton chuckled, leaning forward. "You don't recognize him? That's 'the most interesting man in the world.' From those beer commercials a few years back. Except now he works for Ivanka ."
    "Trump hired him? As what. . . decoration?"
    "I'm sure they're well paid to mingle." Doug leaned back, scanning the other patrons in the room. "Lot of wealthy Japanese come here. Quite a few celebrities, too. Rooms start at two grand a night, no discounts. They can't really lower the price, or they'll have people from the Atlantis resort coming over to stay. Extras in the way of ambiance, like this, helps maintain exclusivity."
    David snickered. "Since when did you become a hotel buff?"
    "You mean like Gregg Swann?"
    "Yeah. Tell me about him too."
    "Don't know much. He’s a Stanford grad, son of a refinery tycoon, former friend of The Donald. Only met him once, at a party thrown for Prince Edward. Shakil introduced me."
    "But you have questions, you said."
    Doug scratched at his beard, then lowered his voice. "I have a theory."
    "Which is?"
    "Something you can help me with, when we get back to the condo. I'd rather not speculate here."
    "Why is that?"
    "See that guy at the other end of the bar? No, don't look for a second." He paused, smiling slightly. "Okay."
    David turned to see a dark, clean shaven Arab man in a blue shirt, sipping at a Heineken. "Yeah?"
    "I think he's been following us."
    "Why?"
    "Because you arrive just before drone aircraft crash into two of their most cherished towers, killing seven people. So far. That's why."
    When lunch came, David took a bite out of his sandwich, then picked up his rocks glass and clinked it against Doug's own as a toast. "To new beginnings," he said, "whatever that ends up meaning."
    "It means a lot around here," Etherton said. "And did I mention that's why we called our latest survey scope on the mountain ‘New Horizons’?"
    "No, you didn't. You're kidding."
    "Okay, I'm kidding. But that's the story I stick to, talking to potential benefactors. And you better believe you need to impress them if you expect them to open their wallets."
    "Hard to impress billionaires, is it?"
    Doug ticked off an imaginary ledger with one licked finger. "Unless you're using astronomical figures, which I definitely do." He slurped at his whiskey sour. "It's what they understand. Bigger is better, and all that. Vast wealth, infinite possibility. . . sure. But get them to see they'll be able to brag about something more impressive than having the longest yacht in the harbor, and you've got your first step inside the teak door."
    "Sad that it comes to this," David said. "Looking for handouts from egomaniacs."
    Etherton looked out one of the window panels toward Cirque Du Soleil's permanent theatre further out on the Palm trunk. Then he laughed. "Yeah, it's a dirty job, but somebody's got to do it. Right?"
    "Long as you don't get dirty in the process, I suppose."
    Doug sighed. “Ah, well, they’re not really dirty. They’re misguided. Their guide has promised a lot, and also delivered a lot, but no one really knows what happens next except maybe Sheik Mohammed himself. He’s got dreams that are bigger than anyone has ever had.