“You do know your wines, Marcus.” Carmen said as Antuan departed the table.
“Not bad for somebody that listens to 2Pac, huh?”
After dinner Marcus and Carmen sat and talked over cocktails. “Excuse me a minute, Carmen, I think I see somebody I know.” Marcus got up from the table and walked over to the bar. Carmen looked on with jealous eyes, as Marcus approached a voluptuous red head seated at the bar. Marcus tapped her on the shoulder; she turned and immediately jumped to her feet and gave Marcus a hug that made Carmen's eyes narrow. They talked for a while and then Marcus pointed at Carmen. Marcus grabbed her by the hand and literally dragged to the table.
“Carmen Taylor, I'd like to introduce you to Joanna Henley, a long time financial reporter with the Atlanta Journal.”
“It's a pleasure to meet you, Carmen.”
“I asked Joanna to join us for a drink,” Marcus said reclaiming his seat.
“I hope it's alright with you, Carmen? I told Marcus no, that you seem to be enjoying cocktails for two and I hate being the third wheel.”
“Non-sense,” Carmen said, cutting her eyes at Marcus. “Please join us.”
“If you're sure, and I promise not to stay long,” Joanna said as she sat down. “I'm actually waiting for my date.” Joanna glanced at her watch. “Who by the way is very late.”
Marcus signaled for Antuan, and ordered another round for Carmen and himself, as well as, a glass for Joanna, who opted to try the Macherelles Chassagne. Carmen looked on as Marcus and Joanna laughed and talked like they were the best of friends. To Carmen it felt more like they were the ones having cocktails for two and she was the third wheel.
“Tell me something, Joanna,” Marcus said suddenly turning serious. “Were you working at the finance desk when Roland Ferguson was trying to buy Hudson Financial?”
“That was one of my first assignments. Why do you ask?”
“I was wondering why the deal fell through?”
“Nobody really knows why Ferguson walked away from the deal. We had gotten the press releases and everything. When all of a sudden, he walked. It sent the price of the stock into a nose dive.”
“That's when the group of private investors came in and bought it.”
“Right. But they didn't buy it. Hudson structured the deal so he would maintain control.”
“How did he do that?”
“He issued something called Corporate Bond Debt.” Before Marcus could ask what that meant, Joanne continued. “They are issued by corporations as an alternative to offering equity ownership by issuing stock. Like most municipal bonds and treasuries, most corporate bonds pay semi-annual interest and promise to return their principal when they mature. Maturities range from 1 to 30 years.”
“Who was in that group of investors?”
“I don't know, but it shouldn't be that hard to find out,” Joanna said and tipped her head to one side. “Funny you should ask about Hudson, because I'm working on a story on Hudson. Doing a little investigative reporting.”
Now completely engaged in the conversation, Carmen asked, “Anything you can tell us about?”
“I'm looking into the suicide of two people.”
“That doesn't sound financial, Joanna.”
“It does when one is John Heard, an FTC investigator. He took sleeping pills and vodka. And the other is Coleman Wilson, a senior exec at Hudson Financial. His wife found him hanging in his study.”
“That's funny, Joanna, we're—” Marcus kicked Carmen under table. She looked at him quickly and then back to Joanna. “We were just talking about that.”
“You were?” Joanna said curiously.
“About suicide,” Marcus said quickly.
“Oh. I was about to ask what you were talking about them for,” Joanna said finishing her drink as she saw her dining companion arrive. “There's Mark. What do you think Carmen, should I play hard ball with him for being late?”
“Of course you should.”
“That's right, and I'll make him order me a bottle of this wine, it's excellent. Marcus it was good seeing you again, and it was certainly a pleasure meeting you, Carmen,” Joanna said as she rushed off to give Mark a hard time.