On Thursday night, at the Britannia Inter-Continental London, Richard walked slowly down the hotel's quiet corridor, a folder tucked beneath one arm and a map spread open in his hands.
The current hotel was an expensive five-star in the heart of London. Richard had acquired the property years earlier, back when he was still finding his footing in the world of real estate.
At the time, however, the hotel had been anything but an attractive investment. A Russian agent had been shot there, turning the property into the subject of unwanted headlines and whispered rumors. For a time, the hotel had developed a reputation as a place respectable guests preferred to avoid.
Most investors had stayed away, but Richard hadn't cared. He had seen the opportunity beneath the bad publicity and bought the property at a price that would have been difficult to imagine for a hotel of its size and location.
