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The voice seeet off this line and don’t try to get in touch with hiret it’

Fiercely Sophie said, ‘I’ to blackmail him Tell hi soul, so long as I can just see her’

The phone went doith a crash and Sophie slowly replaced her own Tears began to run down her face, blinding her

Paul Broughareen leather swivel chair and dru as he listened to Freddy Behind hihts of London’s riverside night scene; a helicopter flew above the skyline, watching the hoine note and glanced over his shoulder, gri hoet into a hot bath and have dinner with Cathy, but Freddy’s neas too worrying All day they had heard that there was e batches and the city was buzzing with curiosity

‘I’ on except that the buyer is Media Inco World News,’ Freddy said

‘Why are they hitting on us? They’re A over there, too’

‘Word is they’re looking around for a uess we’d fit their profile, and Sal over here and he’s looking for growth outside the US’

That hat Paul had feared, but how far would Salht back off if heresistance and be satisfied just to have some sort of influence on the board Before he talked to Salmond, Paul would like to have a clearer view of the man’s financial position

‘Could you find out as much as you can about him for me?’

Freddy nodded, looking grave ‘One thing, Paul, he’s solid; the man himself has a vast fortune inherited from his Swiss father No cash-flow problems there’

Paul rimace ‘You’ve alorried too much, Freddy We may have cash-flow probleot by until now, haven’t we?’

‘But this tiainst so his oay’

‘This time is no different from any other ti you that, Freddy It will be uy is’

Paul swivelled to face the London skyline, his face set This wasn’t the first time he had had to face a take-over atteht on his hands, and if it ca back Freddy was right about that His cash-floas in the usual state of flux; his companies weren’t nailed down, he was vulnerable and uy Salmond knew it somehow A shrewd eye could always pick out clues from a company balance sheet

Oh, what the hell, he had alon before He would find a way to stop Salh? Nohen he had more than his usual share of worries This had been a bad year They had had a series of financial setbacks and he knew he hadn’t dealt with them with the old force and speed In the past they had faced far worse, and he had ruthlessly despatched any opponents, but so was different now He had always been obsessed with the business, but since he had nized with a drawn breath, it had been since he ed Work didn’t mean as ht of her everything else faded away; he felt the clutch of desire deep inside him and his insides seemed to turn to water