Chapter 5 - The Tenants
Ben opened the downstairs door with his lease already in his hand.
Yolanda stood behind him holding their six-month-old daughter.
“I’m sorry,” I said before either of them could speak.
Ben shook his head.
“You didn’t do this.”
That almost made it worse.
He showed me the paper Dileia had left.
NOTICE OF PENDING SALE.
It said Unit A would need to be vacant for owner occupancy.
At the bottom was another version of my signature.
I felt heat crawl up my neck.
“She told us you were moving in after closing,” Yolanda said.
“I’m not selling.”
She looked relieved, then angry.
“We already put down a deposit on another apartment.”
“How much?”
“Eighteen hundred.”
I promised I would cover any nonrefundable amount caused by the fake notice.
Ben tried to refuse.
I insisted.
Dileia had used my property to frighten good tenants. I would not let them pay for it.
Then Ben mentioned something else.
“She wasn’t alone.”
I looked up.
“A man came with her.”
“Buyer?”
“No. Older. Gray coat. He measured the exterior and took pictures of the foundation.”
Gretchen and I exchanged a look.
“Did he introduce himself?”
Ben nodded.
“Frank Merrick.”
I knew the name.
He was the managing broker at Dileia’s office.
That evening, Patricia called him.
He denied authorizing the listing.
Then he denied ever being at Caldwell Street.
I sent him a still image from Ben’s doorbell camera.
There was a long silence.
Finally he said, “I need to speak with counsel.”
Patricia ended the call.
“Interesting.”
“What?”
“A broker who didn’t know anything just remembered he needs a lawyer.”
My phone buzzed with an unknown email.
No subject line.
Just one attachment.
A scanned document titled PRIVATE BRIDGE LOAN.
May you like
Borrower: Caldwell Residential Holdings.
Collateral address: 814 Caldwell Street.
