Chapter 21
Chapter 21
“ D o you remember the pact we made when we were young?” James asked as he looked up from the pizza they had ordered. James, Elliott, Calvin, and JC were all sitting in the lower level of JC’s home, the same place they’d sat in when they were children.
Hesitating before answering, JC glanced up from his phone. “Friends forever, it’s been our motto most of our lives.”
“It’s the anchor to each of us,” Calvin advised. “You two vowed to protect us for life.”
Elliott laughed as he picked up a slice of pizza from the food tray on the table. “We have paid the price on that promise multiple times over.”
“What? We’ve been perfect angels over the years.” JC chuckled.
“Really?” James frowned. “Shall we start with the two of you setting the pool house on fire?”
“Oh no, that was Joshua,” Calvin clarified.
“What about letting the younger kids put their clothes in the fountain in the yard.” Elliott added as he sat on the sofa facing JC and Calvin.
“No, that was on all of us,” James laughed as he sat on the chair at the top of the semi-circle. “We were playing Madden when we should have been watching the younger kids.”
“It was the twins…your brother and sister who thought it was a good idea to use the wagon to carry the clothes to put in said fountain,” JC crossed his legs at the ankles, placing them on the table between them.
“That was hilarious,” James nodded. “I thought your uncle Al was going to kill Uncle JD because he wouldn’t stop laughing.”
The boys all cracked up remembering the childhood incident. “It was funny,” Elliott stated then looked up at James. “On another note, did you get the results back yet?”
“I did,” James beamed. “Passed it the first time out.”
“Congratulations, man,” they all gave him a fist bump.
“You just passed the bar,” Calvin said as he took a drink of tequila. “What are you going to do now?”
“Marry ZsaZsa,” Elliott and JC replied in unison, then laughed.
“Hell yes, I’m going to marry ZsaZsa,” James chimed in.
“If she will have you,” Elliott teased.
“You and I know she will,” JC shook his head. “We knew the minute they met at the club, he was a goner.”
“I can’t blame you,” Calvin boasted. “ZsaZsa is a looker, with those exotic eyes.”
“No, it’s the regal way she carries herself,” JC stated. “It is impossible not to see she is royalty through and through.”
“Yes, she is,” James nodded. “However, that proposal is going to wait until after she goes home. There are some things she wants to do there, that will take some time.”
“Don’t wait too long,” Elliott suggested. “One of those princes over there may try to steal her from under you.”
“Then we will be going to Emure to steal her back,” James declared unapologetically, then continued. “I’m not concerned about that. Besides, I have a few things I want to do here. That’s why I wanted us to get together today. I have something I want to run by you.”
“What’s up?” JC asked.
“Taylor had a situation that came up right before she married Jason. Two of her cousins from her mother’s side of the family attempted to extort money from her.”
“I know you handled that,” Elliott stated.
James gave him a look, “Knocked it down with no effort whatsoever,” he chuckled, “however, it brought something to my attention that is happening in certain neighborhoods around the country, gentrification.”
JC nodded. “In Richmond they call it revitalizing the city. What they are really doing is stealing Black people’s homes and land from them.”
“That’s right,” James agreed.
“It’s another way for the rich to get richer,” Calvin stated.
“I can’t say anything,” Elliott exhaled. “I’m kind of rich.”
“Kind of,” James laughed. “Man, you own an entire island.”
“Yeah, where the horses run free,” Calvin laughed.
“James, you can’t talk,” JC laughed. “You have access to a trust fund. Hell, Calvin and I have to find jobs and work.”
“Wait a minute,” Calvin interceded as he turned to look at JC, “Your mother owns a multi-million-dollar business. I’m the only one in this group that has to work.”
“That’s my mother’s company,” JC replied. “It’s not mine. I still have to work. Neither Elliott nor James has to work. They are millionaires.”
“I have to work if I want to stay in that status,” James replied.
“I think I’m a billionaire,” Elliott frowned. “I have no idea, to be honest. My mom says one day I really need to pay attention to my finances and take the time to go to my island.”
“You’ve never been?” Calvin asked.
“I went a few times when I was younger, but not since joining the FBI,” Elliott admitted. “My mom has gone to visit my grandmother a few times.”
“You should let my mom take a look at your portfolio. She’s a wiz at finances. So is Jazzy.” JC stated.
“She does,” Elliott said. “My dad turned my finances over to your mom when I was young. That’s why I’m a billionaire now.”
“You really should be doing something with that money,” Calvin advised. “I mean, think about how many people you can help.”
“Think of some of the places we visited last year,” JC added. “Imagine what a little money could do to help those people.”
The memory of the attack while out of the country resonated with James. “There are people here who are in the same desperate situation, think about that. We don’t ever want to find ourselves in another situation where someone has to lose their life over money.”
They were all silent for a moment. “It was either them or us,” Elliott reminded them.
“We all agree on that,” Calvin stated. “But I cannot tell you how many times that whole scene plays over in my mind.”
“It continues to haunt me as well,” JC sighed. “But I would take the same action to protect each one of you again, if the need arises.”
“I heard that,” James extended his hand to JC for a fist bump. “That is why I want to share my plans with you.” James continued. “I’m going to need your support and some financing to accomplish what I want to do here in this country. We may be able to stop that desperation we witness in other countries from happening here.”
“Whatever you need, you got,” Elliott stated. “After all, it was your dad who started my dad’s business for him. It’s the least I can do for you.”
“You don’t even know what I’m about to propose,” James stated.
“I don’t need to know. If you found a way to help people, count me in,” Elliott shrugged.
“You should always know the A-Z of what your name is on,” JC advised, then turned to James. “Tell us about your proposal.”
“I want to give homeowners the opportunity to keep their property if that's what they want to do.” James began. “I hope what I’m thinking is wrong, but it seems that some cities are working in conjunction with wealthy parties to ensure certain properties are available for them to purchase, by raising taxes so high that the current homeowner cannot afford to pay those tax bills. The city ends up condemning the property, then selling it to the highest bidder. The bidder then gains control of the property and the land, builds new condos or businesses using low interest loans, all in the name of revitalizing the city. To make matters worse, the property value of the homes that are remaining also rises because of these new buildings. That in turn raises the tax bill on the remaining home‐ owners who were barely making ends meet in the beginning. They are wiping out the history and only security of those remaining families. Not all, but most of the neighborhoods that are impacted are Black.”
“They are squeezing out the little man and it’s all legal,” Calvin interjected. “If you don’t pay your taxes the city can and will take your property.”
“The rich get richer and the poor get poorer. They are effectively eliminating the middleman which causes situations such as the one we encountered.” JC voiced. “What plans do you have to stop this from happening?”
“Here’s what I’m thinking,” James explained. “What if we form a company that will supply the homeowners with low interest loans. The loans will be enough to pay their tax bills, leave a little something to renovate their homes, and some equity in reserve if or when its needed.”
“If they can’t afford the taxes, how are they going to afford a loan? Loans have to be paid back, you know.” Calvin inquired.
“That’s why we will make the loans at three percent interest, no matter how the market fluctuates.” James suggested.
“How much will it cost to renovate the homes and how long will it take?” Elliott asked.
“That would vary from house to house,” James explained. “One house might cost fifty thousand to renovate, but another may cost a hundred thousand.”
“How will you make money from that?” Calvin asked.
“It’s not really about making money,” James stated. “It’s about saving Black communities and creating Black wealth.”
“If it’s not about making money, it may be wiser to set up a nonprofit. Do one or two fundraisers a year to cover the cost of staffing and increase your available cash flow,” JC suggested. “There are also a number of government grants you can qualify for if you are working with underdeveloped areas or certain urban neighborhoods. Another area you can target is underprivileged households with children. Due to income limits the average working person will not qualify because they make too much money and those who do qualify on the income end, will not on the credit score. What is so sad is that neither the income, nor credit qualifications is a fair assessment for who should get assistance from the government. It’s basically a catch-22. Do you know that historically, this government was behind the rise in Caucasian’s wealth. When people say pull up by your bootstrap , they are conveniently forgetting, during 1940 and 1950 FHA loans were given to Caucasians to purchase homes, while Black people were being denied. Now those homes are worth fifty times more than at the time of purchase. It wasn’t because one race worked harder than the other. On the contrary, Black people had to work twice as hard or harder just to get by while the government was giving a helping hand to others.” He shrugged, “If you really look at how the government works, most of their programs should be classified as civil rights violations. They work for the rich, but not for the people the government should be helping.”
They all stared at him, then Elliott spoke. “Isn’t your father the President of these United States?”
“Yes, however these programs were put in place ages before he became president. Unraveling the details of most programs would take centuries and people who really care. That’s not who we have in Congress right now. And the way some of the states have gerrymandered voting maps, we will never have representation of the people or for the people.”
“From what you are saying I see two problems, one political and the other economical,” Calvin surmised. “First, we need to change the people we have in Congress. We should do a little research on candidates in each state who are really for the people. Then find a way to get them elected to Congress. The second problem is how do we identify the neighborhoods, and the people who are really in need?”
“The political issue is what I’m interested in working on.” JC exhaled. “I want to form an organization whose sole purpose is to find good people who are willing to get into a little good trouble by running for a variety of political positions across the country.”
“Now that is something I would be willing to invest in, for sure,” James acknowledged.
“Let’s say we get your project off the ground, then take a look at what JC is planning,” Elliott interjected. “Knowing him, he will have the proposal and the name of every community worker in all fifty states, and its territories.”
JC smiled. “In the process of collecting names now.”
“See what I mean,” Elliott chuckled. “You better have a plan in place before JC’s mind starts kicking in. Where do you want to begin, James?”
“The neighborhood in Baltimore where Taylor’s cousins were living. They really don’t have the money to fix the place up. I’m thinking of starting there.”
“What are the surrounding properties like?” JC inquired.
“Here are a few videos from the area,” James said as he pulled out his phone.
“Share them on the big screen,” Calvin instructed.
As the pictures loaded on the large monitor on the wall, the young men found themselves frowning.
“As you can see, I have pictures from different times of the day and night,” James stated. “To the left, check out the police presence where the new homes begin. From where the patrol car is parked, the area in front of the cousins’ old residence can be seen. At no time does that officer or his partner attempt to stop any of the incidents that take place on that entire block.”
“There is no way they cannot see what those people are doing.” Calvin stated.
“Before you can renovate any of that area, you will have to clear out the criminal activity.” Elliott advised. “Have you reported any of this to the authorities?”
“I did,” James nodded his head. “They said a patrol car would be sent out. This video covers a complete 48-hour period after the call. Other than the patrol cars coming and going around the new homes, did you see any?”
“Not a one,” JC replied as he sat up. “Who owns the new development that is being protected?”
“Funny you should ask,” James smiled as he clicked a document on his phone. The document appeared on the screen. “The company is listed as Owens & Owens Properties. However, if you take a closer look, it is financed by Americas Bank. Guess who is on the board of advisors for the city? Nelson Owens, as in Councilman Nelson Owens. A deeper dive shows that Councilman Owens and Police Commissioner Jay Cobbs, were both on the planning board of the new development.”
“There seems to be a conflict of interest,” JC suggested.
“Not if the interest is greed,” Elliott stated.
“There is more. This entire block is about to be auctioned off due to unpaid taxes. Only two homes, the cousins’ old home and the house next door, which belongs to a Mrs. Stella Crabtree, are not in danger of being confiscated by the city. Last week, Priscilla, Taylor’s cousin received a visit from a representative of Owen and Owens. They wanted to buy the house for $5,000. When she said no, they went up to $10,000. That’s when she came to me.”
“What did you tell her to do?” Elliott asked.
“I told her to hold on to the house. Then I went to see Mrs. Crabtree. She also had a visitor from Owens & Owens with a similar offer. She turned them down. Her house was purchased by her father back in the 1950s. Through the years her family has worked hard to keep the house in the family. She’s not giving it up for some measly money when the people are going to make millions from redoing the neighborhood. She said they will just have to build around her.”
“Good for her,” Calvin cheered. “Is she living there alone?”
“No,” James smiled. “She has two sons who stand taller and bigger than any of us. I know because they stood over me the entire time I was there.”
Elliott laughed. “In other words, you are not worried about Mrs. Crabtree being forced out of her home.”
“Not in a threatening way, no,” James replied. “However, the company has a request in to condemn the entire block. If they succeed, she may be forced to move.”
“That doesn’t seem right,” Calvin objects.
“It’s not. That’s why I am putting in a bid to purchase the abandoned homes and assist those still living on the block with paying the back taxes and renovating their homes. If they want to stay, they can. Those who want to go, can get a better price for their homes.”
“How many homes are we talking about?” Elliott asked.
“There are a total of ten homes. Five on each side of the street.” James explained.
“You should look at the homes that back them up on the other streets,” JC suggested.
“I did,” he put up another picture. “This was a rendering of what this area can look like.”
“Wow, that’s nice,” Calvin smiled. “Three story homes with garages.”
“And nice yards. Not big…but nice,” JC added.
“I took Xavier and Zack Davenport with me to look at the feasibility of my idea. This is what X-Man came up with. Zack said he could do the work on all of the houses for $500,000.”
“Did he put in a contingency fund?” JC asked. “These are old houses. I can foresee, electrical and plumbing issues.”
“Not to mention getting permits from the city to do the work,” Elliott informed. “If the councilman puts up blocks to get permits, it could delay the projects.”
“Which will cost more money,” JC added.
“You also may want to consider any damages, or stolen equipment that may take place while you are renovating.” Calvin stated. “I mean, from what we just saw on the videos, it is clearly not the safest neighborhood in the city.”
“Community activists could help with that, and any issues that may arise with city hall, in most areas,” JC suggested.
James sat up, from his relaxed position. “You know, one of Jason’s cousins, is an activist in the Atlanta area. I wonder if he could connect me with someone here.”
“Most activists keep up with others working for different communities,” Elliott stated. “Do you want me to check him out?”
“No, I got a pretty good feel for him when he came for the wedding.” James replied.
“You should reach out to get his opinion before you proceed.” Elliott suggested. “I mean, we can’t let anything happen to you before you get a chance to marry ZsaZsa.”
James smiled, “I’m not worried about anything happening to me, because I know you got my back.”
“Fact,” Elliott confirmed with a nod of his head. “Now, my question to you is, how are you going to maintain your millionaire status if you are not making money off of these houses you are buying? I mean, ZsaZsa loves you and all, but I don’t think she is going to want a broke-broke man.”
“The sale of the vacant homes,” JC replied. “Once the renovations are complete, the property values in that area are going to go up for sure. You can keep the payments on the houses you renovate for the owners at a very reasonable rate, while selling the other homes at market value or above.”
Calvin nodded. “With the other area that is under construction now those homes are selling close to a million each. You don’t have to go that high, but you can certainly make a good profit.”
“All right. I’m in,” Elliott stated. “And to show you how committed I am to ZsaZsa staying with you, I’m only asking for 10% on my investment. That way you can keep your millionaire status and the government out of your project.”
James smiled, “I accept that in the spirit that I know you meant it, for now. As the project progresses, we can renegotiate. As for ZsaZsa I’m worried about her saying no.”
“She won’t say no,” JC replied. “She may say wait a while, but she loves you. You two are meant to be together.”
“It freaks me out when you talk about getting married,” Elliott shook his head. “Man, we’re too young for that.”
“Calvin and I are too young,” JC agreed, “however, you two are older. My mom was in her twenties when she married my dad.”
“So were my parents,” Calvin stated.
“My parents were still in college when they got married,” James sat back relaxing into the conversation. “They were also in their twenties when they got divorced. That’s one of the reasons I’m going to give ZsaZsa all the time she needs to accomplish what she wants to do in her country. Once we say I do, I want it to last forever.”
“Forever is a long time to be with one woman,” JC said. “I know I’m not ready.”
“I like Zoe, but I’m not thinking about long term with any girl.” Calvin stated. “I want to enjoy my youth.”
“I hear you on that,” Elliott gave Calvin a fist bump, then looked at James. “We got your back, but this marriage thing, you are on your own with that.”