Page 9 of Benga's Rise

“Roger, VP.”

~*~

Banks slides in with a basket of food. His meatball and sausage sub looks good. I’m ordering that next time. I never get the same thing when I eat here. Shaking my head, I acknowledge him after Cort does by throwing him chin. My ham sub is good too so I eat while he talks.

“The houses. Guy named Reynolds bought the mortgages from a bank that was going under. Everything was fine until a few months ago. He started calling the notes in and raised points. Homeowners that couldn’t afford his scam found another bank or walked. With the plants here closing, income is tight for those who stayed. My guess is your kid’s mom won’t qualify as a single income and she walked. I found four more that had kids, but I didn’t know names to see if your others are there. I found yours by the mom’s job.”

I nod putting my sub down knowing he’ll give me more and he does. “I got everything Reynolds bought from the courthouse. Some are now Mason houses. He’s holding the mortgage on them too. He started in the village last month. We need to stop that. He isn’t hitting illegal, but it should be. The scam with the points isn’t in writing. He’s doing it over the phone. I called two that went to new banks. They didn’t record him but were nervous. He spouts law at them and gives them three days for a decision.” Banks is done and picks up his sub.

Cort looks at me. “The sentinel kid I talked to was from here. Dad was hosed and gave mom an ultimatum. When she wouldn’t leave, he sold, left her with no money, home and a kid. They ended up in C. She’s got a good job, so I was curious.”

“Holy fuck. There are more kids there from here?”

I nod. “Leo, the sentinel, said he had one a grade above him when he was at the school and another in the gang.” He was pissed about the supplier. He didn’t get everything I said. Shit.

He takes a deep breath. I know he’s going to feel responsible. “We need to stop him and will fix it,” I say before he gets too deep in it.

Banks nods. “We need to talk to the Masons before Reynolds starts more shit, but yeah. I’m in.”

Cort smiles. “I’ll call Dan tonight and we’ll meet tomorrow.”

Crisis averted... for now.