Roskov book 24, p.26
Roskov, Book 24, page 26
‘And this is a trend I’ve started, to avoid hotel rooms and noisy people and to rent a villa big enough for the entire family.’
‘That’s better,’ the actress put in. ‘Hotels can annoy me greatly. And I would never stay in one if you were there.’
They laughed.
‘I don’t snore,’ I told her.
‘It’s the loud explosions keeping me awake, machinegun fire. I like a quiet hotel.’
I shot her a peeved look. ‘I’ll book a house next time, outside of New York, but I often fly in, do a show and then fly straight out.’
‘I hate that, so tired afterwards. You’re young enough, but I would be ill after doing that.’
I told the presenter, ‘When there’s a baby crying the passengers all look at me, as if it’s my fault.’ They laughed. ‘So I have to go calm the baby.’
‘You still meet Jenny Patrick?’
‘In the summer mostly, they keep her busy. She has condos in Corsica and she comes to visit us there, stays a month usually, a wind down from the stress of filming. She likes to walk naked down the beach.’
‘She goes naked?’
‘France allows for nudists on most beaches, public or otherwise. We have naked horse riding at dawn and sunset. And the sexy models that like to visit walk along the beach naked.’
‘And you?’
‘No, not me, someone might photograph me and then my parents would see it.’
They laughed.
‘And how’s Claudia?’
‘About to get married, settled into a life of building villas in Corsica and selling them. And she owns like twenty condos in Germany as well, all of her earnings very sensibly sunk into property.’
‘I loved the two old Jewish men in the movie.’ They laughed. ‘The look on their faces when she takes a shower.’
‘Most people were shocked when she took that shower, but apparently the big boobies don’t calm babies – so there’s another theory I had out the window.’
They laughed.
The aging actress put in, ‘Big boobs are great, till you get past forty and they start to head south.’ The audience laughed. ‘She’ll look odd in the nursing home when she’s seventy!’
I put in, ‘She’ll be rich by then, a nurse or ten at home. She has a great rental income already. And Jenny Patrick’s condos and villas have trebled in value since she built them, plus she gets a good rental income, so she has something to fall back on when she gets old.’
‘And when you’re old…’ the presenter nudged.
‘I think I’ll be shot before I get old, and that the twins will get my estate, my villas in Corsica, my share of the main hotel. So my four kids and eight granddaughters won’t starve.
‘But much of our income is now coming from our computer business, first in Britain and now in Europe, and we lease computers to large companies and schools - and now EU governments, and this year we’ll lease out perhaps three hundred thousand computers.’
‘Three hundred thousand?’ the presenter gasped. ‘That’s a lot of computers!’
‘Yes, we’ve grown rapidly. And when it comes to Americans in Mexican nursing homes, I think I’ll end up housing a million or two of them. I don’t do things in half measures.’
‘No, we’ve seen that. And how many people will end up in your British nursing homes?’
‘Hopefully, ten years from now, anywhere between one million and two million, and that will satisfy the needs of those that are lonely and afraid and … with no money behind them, relying on state benefits.
‘France will go a similar route, and the EU has now woken up to the idea, that not only will their pensioners be happier, but that these large nursing homes save a great deal of money for the state.’
‘Ricky Roskov, we are out of time, so thanks for coming on.’
The audience applauded.
Back in my allotted Spartan room, my phone trilled, an American number, images starting to appear.
‘Mister Roksov, I have The President for you.’
‘Go ahead.’ I waited.
‘Roskov?’
‘Yes, Mister President.’
‘You’ll place a million or more Americans in nursing homes in Mexico?’
‘That was fast, are you spying on me?’
‘Our embassy staff there saw the show.’
‘Well the answer is yes, we are moving that way, the first hundred thousand places being built as we speak, the ground cut, new American and Canadian business partners – this is not my British fund money pushing this along.’
‘And the cost per resident?’
‘If you consider a basic furnished room without a balcony, electricity and a bottle of water a day, we could easily house someone for less than five hundred dollars a month.
‘They then pay for their café meals when they see fit, same for beer in the bar, and we’d make a margin on the food and drink.
‘When they need medical care they pay per service, or a nurse by the hour, and that nurse would be less than ten dollars an hour, and the drugs there are very cheap.
‘So someone could start out paying five hundred dollars a month and then rise to a thousand dollars a month if they were sick.’
‘That’s cheap compared to most nursing homes…’
‘Some of our nursing homes will be targeted at poor Americans, some aimed at richer Americans, a sliding scale, more rent paid for a balcony and a view. And we make on beer and food.’
‘The way our veterans drink … you’ll do well,’ he quipped. ‘What timescale are you working to?’
‘Ground is cut in Cancun and Tijuana, ten months to open the first ten nursing homes in both locations, rapidly followed by a hundred more nursing homes.’
‘We can’t use Medicare abroad…’
‘If you can divert money to me somewhere in the world, for some reason, I can divert it back.’
‘That might be needed, yeah, to get around Congress, but we will try and vote on it after the first few nursing homes are open, the figures detailed.’
‘You have a million Americans in Mexico, so how do they pay now?’ I asked.
‘Pensions and saved money, not Medicare – they come north across the border for treatments, and some are entitled to it but don’t bother with it.’
‘I can address the Republicans in Congress, get some votes on our side, do a few chat shows.’
‘That may help, yeah. So what are you doing in Israel?’
‘Boring old trade show for Britain, my Prime Minister with me. And you know … if you sent money to Israel to buy military kit from Britain, I could use some of that money in Cancun.’
‘That was how Iran-Contra worked. And people ended up in trouble.’
‘Being accused of siphoning money to American pensioners for lower medical costs … would be an odd day in court.’
He laughed. ‘It would, yeah, so … I’ll give that some thought.’
The next incoming call was Blair. ‘Your show was very neutral, nothing controversial thankfully.’
‘Just had President Clinton on the line.’
I heard the sigh. ‘We do have channels he’s supposed to go through!’
‘He was talking to Roskov the business man, not the politician. And he’s keen about nursing homes for Americans in Mexico, so I asked him to think of ways to divert money to you … to divert to me.’
‘I can think of a few already, just the laws his end.’
‘Have a think and let me know, but keep it quiet. And the money doesn’t need to move for at least ten months.’
‘Tomorrow, 10am.’ The line went dead.
I called the twins for a chat, then they put Rolf on, who was still worried about the rapid growth of our computer business. But Ross Daniels was now helping out, and payment for the ships that brought the computers from Asia would be delayed to help Rolf.
Trade fairly
After breakfast with the Intel staff and British Aerospace staff, we all mounted the buses and set off the short distance to the large trade fair hall, and we were checked as we went in, at least they were – security never bothered to check me.
Inside, I found various exhibition stands for British Aerospace, for our drug manufacturers, for military vehicle suppliers, and even Airbus was here.
Blair came walking up, and not with his happy face on. ‘I’ve just been informed that Israel got a loan, your doing, and that they’ll buy ten times more from us than they need – military kit.’
‘Clinton, he wants to divert some cash to me. So work out what it might be worth, as additional funds, and kindly divert some to my nursing homes for Yanks in Cancun.’
‘He wants to subsidise the nursing home places?’
‘In a small way, because Medicare can’t be used abroad.’
‘Ah. Well we got a large order, just that I can’t tell the damn media why!’
The Israeli Prime Minister came walking up with his posse, a slight limp evident. He shook Blair’s hand then mine. ‘The American deal is … in progress.’
Blair and I both nodded.
I told them, ‘What scoundrels we are, money diverted to sick old Americans.’
He smiled. ‘An odd conspiracy, yes.’
I faced Blair. ‘Is there anything else I can twist this guy’s arm for?’
‘Ten Airbus 320s…’
‘Done,’ the Israel PM said with a nod.
‘Done?’ Blair queried.
‘Done. Coffee?’ He led us off, Blair scowling at me as I grinned back at him.
Coffee at a stand-up café, and I asked the Israeli PM, ‘What happened to your knee?’
‘My grandkids’ toys on the floor.’
I smiled. ‘A serious hazard in any household.’ Eli, can you ease the pain.
I can.
‘You never know, it may just clear right up.’
The Israeli PM gave me a knowing look, Blair distracted and not following.
I began, ‘What about regular flights direct to Corsica?’
‘We had some interest in that, so we’ll get a few slots and see. But the aircraft will probably be empty on the way back.’
‘Plenty of pilgrims there, they might be interested in a three-day trip to The Holy Land.’
‘Ah, yes. Can you advertise it to them?’
‘Done,’ I quipped. ‘So three day gaps between flights, overlapping, and your citizens can stay for six or nine days or just three.’
Blair cut in, ‘Should you not discuss it with Paris first?’
‘Hell no, the Corsican’s hate Paris politicians. And Corsica controls its own slots. And … I’ll subsidise the tickets a little to boost interest.’
Blair unhappily asked, ‘Does the Prefect there always do what you ask?’
‘I control ninety percent of the island’s trade, so yes. But when I asked him to be polite to Paris … he swore at me.’
I faced the Israeli PM as we sipped our coffees. ‘Send some of your staff with their wives, I’ll subsidise a few rooms, get the place known to your people.’
He nodded. ‘They know of it through you, but few visit.’
I began, ‘Maybe Paris can give you an extra slot, Paris to Corsica to here and back. That way you can get Paris Jews here as well as to my island.’
‘They will resist, the airlines.’
‘I’ll talk to them.’
‘You’ll talk to them?’ Blair unhappily queried.
‘The French Government needs my help, my face on their nursing and foster home crisis, an outsider seen to diffuse what’s becoming a growing problem and a huge financial burden to them. So I can ask, they can say no.’
The Israeli PM asked, ‘What crisis?’
‘French people hate French nursing homes, and they hate that French foster homes are incubators for next year’s murderers. Successive French governments have failed to tackle the issue, no consensus on what to do – till I came along, an outsider and neutral.
‘They spend twice what the British Government does on social issues, and most of the money is wasted - and they get no thanks for it.’
‘A mess,’ Blair agreed. ‘And sometimes an outsider is needed, and they see you more as a businessman than a politician.’
‘As someone said to me recently, I showed that I cared first, and then raised the money for nursing homes.’
‘No one else could have done it,’ Blair agreed. ‘Our people don’t like the idea of nursing homes either, but you made such places appealing to them.’
‘We’re learning from it as well,’ the Israeli PM put in. ‘They plan a few places like Frances House, on the Dead Sea.’
‘Do you get American Jews retiring here?’ I asked.
‘Not many, maybe we can improve that figure.’
‘If you have Frances House style places in the sunshine, they’ll fill up. Build in clusters, have shops and cafes outside, and swimming pools, things to do. And I’ll consult on it for free.’
He nodded.
Laz’s voice began, A car approaches, a bomb inside.
Take over the driver’s mind, drive to somewhere safe and detonate.
Moment.
Blair had stepped away.
I leant in, ‘A car bomb approaches, it will be dealt with.’
We heard the distant blast, barely audible, radio calls made in a hurry.
‘Who?’ the Israeli PM asked.
Laz, who was it?
A Palestinian of course, from Hebron, linked to Hamas.
I leant in again, ‘A Palestinian from Hebron, links to Hamas. Don’t worry, they’ll not get near this place. How’s the knee?’
He flexed his leg. ‘Like new.’
‘Was there a thank you … in there?’
‘Thank you, yes.’
I shook my head at him.
Blair was soon worried by the news of the car bomb, but the event would not be cancelled. I conducted an official tour and spoke to many people, taking an interest in the military hardware on display.
Lunchtime, and the Israeli PM had a task for me, if I was free. In a side room stood a bald old man, a senior intelligence officer, and on the table he had many faces seen in black and white photos.
I faced the PM. ‘You confided in this man?’
‘In order for you to assist us in delicate matters, I need more than just me knowing.’
I nodded, faced the man, and the table between us slid to one side by magic, the man then floating to me till he was eye-to-eye, and shocked. ‘Betray my trust and I’ll burn you alive, over and over.’ I widened my stance and displayed my wings. ‘Understand?’
The man nodded, terrified.
He flew slowly backwards, the table soon back in its place.
‘Laz, the photos.’
Four flew up and hovered, caught by the man.
‘Will there be anything else?’ I asked.
The Intel man studied the faces. ‘One of these is … a surprise to us.’
‘Laz?’
Laz appeared as an old man, right beside the Intel man, shocking him. He pointed at a face. ‘He has an interest in drugs and small Palestinian boys, and will harm you greatly when the detail becomes known.’
‘Deal with him quietly,’ the PM insisted.
Laz added, ‘The others are spying on you, as you already suspect.’
The PM asked Laz, ‘My Trade Minister…’
‘Is a loyal Israeli, but would slit your throat the first chance he gets.’
The PM glanced at me. ‘My … daughter’s husband, Ari.’
Laz told him, ‘Is a good man, and loyal, yet he discloses your secrets to anyone that will listen – after a few drinks, a growing habit that he hides well enough for now.’
The PM nodded to himself, looking deflated.
‘Anything else?’ Laz gruffly asked them.
They shook their heads, and Laz disappeared.
The Intel chief finally asked, ‘What are you, if I am allowed to know?’
‘I walked these lands during The Crusades, and I’ve lived probably twenty times over.’
‘And the man that appeared?’
‘An angel, and … very old.’
The PM noted, ‘Roskov alerted me to the car bomb before it got here.’
I told the Intel man, ‘And you, you earn your damn keep and don’t expect too much help from us. You get a salary, so earn it.’
He nodded sheepishly.
Laz suddenly appeared again, and faced the PM. ‘Ari will … vomit violently when he drinks from now on, which will deter him. When the alcohol hits his stomach … it will cause a reaction.’
I smiled. ‘One way to cure an alcoholic.’
The PM told the Intel man, ‘Monitor him, and his reaction to alcohol, he may be less of a problem. And I fail to understand why my daughter chose him.’
Laz explained, ‘Your daughter had panic attacks in university, and he aided her and soothed her, a non-sexual relationship to start. He has a very good heart, but … is a bit of an idiot.’
The PM faced me, his arms wide and then allowed to flop. ‘She never said anything to me or her mother!’
‘Of course not,’ Laz loudly stated. ‘You were busy, important work, and she did not want to worry you.’
The PM heaved a sigh. ‘Just like her mother, I’m always the last to know when someone is sick.’
I grinned at him. ‘You can spy on your staff and citizens, and your enemies, but not on your family.’
Laz bowed his head at me and vanished, and the PM led me out.
After some lunch I again visited the various stands, the car bomb outside creating a few TV minutes, and I spoke at length to the Airbus staff.
Done at 3pm, and I headed back for a shower and a rest. I called Russel at the property business later, and he reported the stock markets heading south in a hurry. But that was good, because he had sold short many stocks, and he had a month to make good on delivering them.
He reported that a batch of sixty houses had been completed near Watford, all sold, and all sold at a good price. He also reported two thousand repos coming our way from several building societies, those houses spread around the UK. Smythe wanted to grab a few.
