“A homeless family was caught squatting outside one of your properties, sir.” He shook his head. “They’ve been living there for about three weeks.”
“Which property was it?”
“The Hearst.”
“I see…” I paused. “Ages of the family members?”
“Thirty-four-year-old male, twenty-nine-year-old female, and three minors.” He clicked his pen. “A resident saw them setting up a tent in the garden. They even tried to start a little bonfire.”
I held back a sigh.
“We’re temporarily detaining them in the leasing office, but we can’t do much without your move,” he said. “Would you like to press charges?”
“No.”
“Huh?” He arched a brow. “I didn’t quite catch that.”
“I said no.” I kept my voice firm. “I don’t want to press charges against them.”
“Okay, then… Have a good night then, sir.”
“Wait,” I said. “Is my executive assistant there with you now?”
“She is, sir,” he said. “I hope you don’t mind that I called her first.”
“I don’t. Give her the phone.”
Moments later, Sarah’s soothing voice joined the line.
“I’m impressed,” she said. “You’re showing signs of being a human being.”
“Thanks. I need you to look into the family’s background and tell me if the guy was working.”
“He was. He worked twenty years for the city’s bus line before he got laid off last month.”
“And his wife?”
“She was laid off over a year ago. Their old house was foreclosed on, and it’s already been sold.”
A sharp pang hit my chest.
My parents used to hide overdue notices in kitchen drawers the same way this family probably did.
“Can you help them out for me?” I asked. “Get them into a hotel with a food allowance and such?”
“Of course. Six or twelve months of assistance for them?”
“Eighteen,” I said. “And make sure no one knows a damn thing about me being involved.”
“Always, sir,” she said. “Always.”
I ended the call right as Chloe and her friend were heading down the steps.
For some odd reason, I didn’t immediately take them to The Four Seasons. I insisted on treating them to dinner at my favorite five-star restaurant first.
—
Two More Weeks Later
