The Greatest of These by Greg Wendleton (have you read this book .txt) 📗

Presley also maintained contact with Special Agent Mueller who was leading the search for the, then unknown, man from the blue Ford van. The latest update received included the information on the owner of the van and his connection to the Maui Health hospital emergency room. Bojing “Bobby” Wang had been picked up and was being held for questioning. As the day wore on the updates provided no new information. The man being held was not talking.

So, we all waited.

In the early afternoon, Scott Crowley asked me if we could meet privately. Having nothing else to do, other than watch a golf tournament from Los Angeles on the television, I gladly accepted his invitation. We went to my bedroom and sat in the two chairs that flanked the front window of the bedroom.

“Garret, I have some documents for you”, Scott stated as he opened an accordion file folder.

“I see. Is this what we discussed yesterday?”

“It is. I worked on it last night and I must say, I’m very pleased with the outcome.”

Mr. Crowley pulled out documents, spreading them out on the bed as we now stood, hovering over the financial paperwork. He showed me multiple accounts in various institutions within the United States, as well as stock and mutual fund holdings. Many of the transactions dated back to the early years of the twenty-first century. It all looked very legitimate, in my untrained eyes, and I was overwhelmed by the level of work he had undertaken.

“I can’t believe that you were able to create this detailed of a paper trail in one night. I don’t know what to say, other than thank you. What do I owe you for this?”

“You don’t owe me anything Garret. I feel like it was my privilege to help you legitimize your holdings. The bottom line is you have $2,108,507 in accessible funds. Some of the money is less liquid, tied up in money market funds, stocks and bonds, but you do have over $600,000 in on-hand cash. Unfortunately, that money isn’t earning much. I placed it with a bank paying just over six-tenths of a percent interest per annum. That would generate about $3,600 per year of taxable interest income.”

“Wow! This is unbelievable. Special Agent Presley will be happy that I’ll have some tax liability”, I said with a chuckle.

Scott laughed as well while nodding his head in agreement. “If you have the time, I’d like to talk to you about one additional matter.”

“Oh absolutely. I would never dream of telling anyone that you were the architect of this portfolio. Your secret is completely secure with me.”

“Oh, I have no doubt about that. But, that’s not what I wanted to discuss. I want to broach the subject of this house.”

“Oh, yes, please.”

“Good. I have the feeling that your reputation and job prospects in San Antonio are damaged and possibly so for a long time to come. I know the truth, but people are hard to turn loose of the theories that the media have built. I’d like for you to consider coming to work for me at Paradise Realty, and purchasing this house.”

“I don’t know what to say, again. Thank you for the job offer first. I think you are right about my prospects in San Antonio, or the mainland for that matter. The Company sure threw me under the bus.”

“Yes, that was unprofessional on their part. A labor attorney would probably like to take a chunk out of their hide on your behalf.”

I chuckled again, and said, “Probably so. But, at this point, I’m happy to be in the position I’m in right now. Of course, I would have to consider Fonda’s career and her feelings on the subject of moving.”

“I understand. The job offer is an open-ended opportunity. Let’s talk about this house.”

My energy level picked up and I leaned forward in the chair I had resumed sitting in. “Please, I am all ears!”

“Leilani and I bought this house in 1996 and paid $250,000 for it. We lived here for nearly twenty years, until we built our current home in Lahaina. I’ve put some money into making upgrades and improvements, but I know it needs updating and some repairs. The damn vacation renters don’t care what they do to your house. I want to get out of the vacation rental game and focus on listing and selling real estate again.”

“I understand. Leilani and I spoke some the other day about your history with this house. I have to tell you; I love this place. I have some DIY skills and have been fantasying at night, instead of sleeping, about things I would do inside and out.”

A big grin spread across Scott’s face. He knew from experience; this was when a client was sold on a property. “Really? What would you do?”

“Well, I’d replace the sliding door from the kitchen to the lanai with a larger collapsing slider to open up the inside to the outside. I’d build an outdoor kitchen off to the side. I wouldn’t do anything to block the ocean view and those spectacular sunsets.”

“That million-dollar view is the greatest feature of this house.”

“You speak the truth, Scott.”

“What else would you do?”

“I wasn’t in the master bathroom but for a few seconds, but I would try to put a free-standing tub in there for Fonda and update the walk-in shower. Maybe put new flooring throughout the house too. Oh, and refresh the kitchen cabinets and install new appliances.”

Scott nodded his head then said, “That sounds like a pretty good plan. I’m thinking it would take about $100,000 to get this house to where you would want it.”

“I hadn’t gotten that far in my dreaming, but yeah, that seems pretty accurate.”

Scott sat silently for a few moments, then continued, “The appraised value of this property is $749,000. If I was to list it, I’d ask $699,000 and create a bidding war.”

I sat back in my chair and sighed, “I