Chapter 2 - The Building Nobody Wanted
I learned the truth over cold chicken and mashed potatoes.
The children weren't all orphans.
That would have been simpler.
Some had parents working night shifts.
Some had mothers living in shelters.
Some belonged to families choosing between rent, heat, and groceries.
Lucy and her six-year-old brother, Danny, lived upstairs with their grandmother.
Grace had discovered the place two years earlier while volunteering at a neighborhood pantry.
“How long have you been doing this?” I asked.
“Helping here?”
“Yes.”
“About eighteen months.”
“And you never thought to mention it?”
“You hired me to cook.”
“You're taking food from my house.”
“Food your guests throw away.”
“That isn't the point.”
Grace folded her arms.
“What is the point?”
Nobody usually spoke to me like that.
The children watched us like spectators at a tennis match.
“The point is that you lied.”
“I never lied.”
“You concealed it.”
“You never asked where your leftover asparagus went.”
A boy raised his hand.
“I hate asparagus.”
Grace pointed at him.
“Thank you, Mason.”
I almost smiled.
Almost.
Then the front door opened.
A heavyset man in a leather jacket entered.
His gaze landed on me.
The confidence vanished from his face.
“Mr. Ashford.”
“Victor Crane.”
Grace looked between us.
“You know him?”
Victor swallowed.
“Everybody knows Mr. Ashford.”
I stood.
Victor immediately stepped backward.
“Why are you here?” I asked.
“This is my building.”
“Then you should be embarrassed.”
His face tightened.
“I came about the rent.”
Grace moved toward him.
“You said we had until Friday.”
“Changed my mind.”
“You can't do that.”
Victor shrugged.
“Gas company wants payment. Taxes are behind. Building costs money.”
Lucy moved closer to Grace.
Victor pointed around the room.
“This little charity project ends tonight unless somebody pays.”
“How much?” I asked.
Grace turned.
“Nathaniel, don't.”
It was the first time she'd used my first name.
Victor named a figure.
I stared at him.
“That includes six months of penalties.”
His eyes shifted.
“Administrative expenses.”
“You mean gambling losses.”
His face drained.
Grace looked at me.
“You know about that too?”
“I know a great deal about Victor.”
Victor cleared his throat.
“Maybe we should discuss this privately.”
“No.”
I stepped closer.
“You'll give Grace until Friday.”
“I can't—”
“You can.”
Victor nodded immediately.
“Friday.”
Then he left.
Grace waited until the door closed.
“You threatened him.”
“I corrected his schedule.”
“You can't solve everything by frightening people.”
“It solves an impressive percentage of things.”
Several children laughed.
Grace didn't.
“I don't want your money.”
That surprised me.
“Excuse me?”
“This place doesn't need a rich man appearing for one night, writing a check, and disappearing.”
“I'm not offering charity.”
“Then what are you offering?”
I looked around.
The answer came unexpectedly.
“Something permanent.”
Grace studied me.
“Why?”
I didn't know.
So I gave her the only answer I could.
“Because I'm tired of eating twelve-course dinners while children three miles away wonder whether there's enough chicken.”
Lucy looked up.
“Does that mean you're bringing chicken tomorrow?”
Grace covered her face.
I looked at Lucy.
“Yes.”
“Pie too?”
“Don't push your luck.”
Lucy grinned.
And Grace laughed.
That sound followed me home.
But Victor Crane wasn't finished.
The next morning, my attorney entered my office carrying a folder.
“We have a problem.”
“Crane?”
He nodded.
“He sold the building.”
I stood.
“To whom?”
“A development company.”
“When?”
“Three days ago.”
Grace had until Friday.
May you like
But the building didn't.
Demolition proceedings had already begun.
