A little bit of sin Chapter 17.2

keeping it going!!

I'll do an author's note in a moment

enjoy...

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Synthia really didn’t want to go off and tell Taylor how she’d lost half her mind over a racist white man. Taylor would never understand because she was all about being in control over a man. “Just send me the figures and I’ll write the check out.”

Taylor must have took the hint and decided not to press it. “What about the bank loan?”

“I know you have the power to work this work this out. Can you stall the bank loan or sell
it right under them, but just let Reggie know you have a private investor.”

“Why are you doing this? Who is this guy? ”

Looking at the building again and touching the window just as she had touched Colin’s chest, with tenderness. “Just someone who needs a chance. A break.”

“As if you cared. You’re always preaching about never making personal investments, Synthia. And you have never strayed from any rules you’ve enforced upon your customers.”

“This isn’t an investment. It’s me spending money that I can spend without worrying
about payback. I want the interest rate three percent lower than the banks and I want you to make sure he knows it’s a private loan, but don’t make him aware of who it is. Make sure Reggie specifies this. I don’t want it to be known until I make it known.”

“What if he – whoever the stupid man is – don’t want to accept those terms.”

“He’d be crazy not to. That’s five percent lower than what the bank would charge him or even the government would give to him. Plus I’m sure he’s most likely tried those too and was turned down as well. I’ve no doubt he’ll accept it.”

“I’m confused. If you want to be nice to this guy,” Taylor had a sarcastic tone to her voice. “Why don’t you just give it to him?”

“I want to be nice, but I want him to be indebted to me.”

“Giving and vicious.” She giggled wickedly. “I like it, Syn, but I’m still confused.”

“Don’t try to figure it out, Taylor. I’m still trying to do that.”

“Fine. I’ll get it done and send it over to your office email.”

“Thanks Taylor. Are you in Detroit now?”

“No. I had to get to Chicago just last night. Dalton’s called an emergency family meeting, but he doesn’t want to discuss the details.” Her voice sounded worried.

“What do you think is wrong?”

“I don’t know, but I haven’t seen or heard from my baby brother, Armando in about a week since he went on vacation. I know Dalton ordered him to take one, but this is odd that he just doesn’t even contact my father.”

“Where’d he go?”

“On a private yacht down in Florida.”

“You mean Jared Parker’s vacation investment your father was excited about?”

“Yes. Armando was chosen to go on the initial voyage, but communication was lost about a couple of days ago. No GPS and no tracking on the radar according to Renaldo.”

“Your big brother, Renaldo, actually is caring enough to get involved.”

“That’s what’s making me worry. When Renaldo cares about something you know it has to be important. You and he are alike in that regards about caring about what other people are doing, that’s why I’m wondering about you and this guy.”

Even though Taylor was teasing, Synthia could still hear the worry in her voice.

“Have you talked to Jared?”

“My father said to let the professionals handle this. They’ve hired the Heart Agency, which according to my father is the best in the world.”

“Let me know if I can do anything,”

Synthia said sympathetically, knowing how much she would be upset if something happened to her brother. They said their good-byes and she hung up the phone and moved back up to the building.

The older woman existed her shop, pulling her coat closed and walking up to Synthia. She paused a little taken aback by looking at Synthia up close, but Synthia was used to that.

“Hi,” the woman said.

“Are you Ms. Barlett?” Synthia asked.

Now the woman looked a little distrustful. “And if I am?”

“Then I would like to speak with you. I’m Synthia Nolan. I run an investment firm.” She extended her hand out.

“I’m Ms. Barlett,” she answered shaking her hand, but still looking warily. “Are you interested in this property?”

“I’m interested in the person trying to get this property. Do you really think you can get that loan for him?”

“How do you know about it?”

“It’s cold out here. Why don’t we get inside to your place, where it’s warmer?”

“I’ve got clients I need to attend to.”

“I’m here to help. That’s all, Ms. Barlett.”

After a moment, the woman turned around and went back into the shop. Synthia followed
and was reminded of an eighties style hair salon with the old chairs, extra people sitting around just because and the sound of the old Motown playing softly in the background. The smell of pressed hair was acrid to her nose initially, but she got used to it as she took her coat off. Even though it was the middle of the day, the salon was pretty packed with people.

“Is your chair open?”” Synthia asked.

“It can be, but I haven’t said I was going to discuss this anymore with you. Colin’s
business is only his business and I don’t think I should be discussing it with anyone.”

“Do you really think Colin would allow me to help him if I offered?”

The woman looked like she wanted to agree with Synthia, but she wouldn’t say this verbally. Getting a cloak, she pointed to a station near the back and asked, “Why do you want to help him?”

Synthia sat back in the chair and let the woman put the cloak around her neck. “Just clip the ends, Ms. Barlett and re-style it. Before I answer your question though, I would like to know why do you want to help him?”

“Colin’s grandparents on his mother side lived not too far away from here and when his brother ran away from home, Colin was dropped off here during that summer, while his parents concentrated on looking for Bernard.”

The woman obviously assumed Synthia knew more about Colin than just a name. Synthia didn’t indicate how much she knew and didn’t ask any questions while the old woman went into the past.

“Colin used to wander the streets a lot looking evil enough to start a fire in his eyes and we used to call him the little crazy white boy.” The woman smiled fondly as she remembered. “His parents lived out in Howell, but they were always broke and so were his grandparents that lived here, so Colin was always badly dressed and once I caught him rummaging through a garbage can for food. My grandfather owned that garage and this salon has been in my family for six generations. My grandmother would also see Colin starving and even though he was a hateful little prick, according to my grandmother, she would be nice to him. Eventually he accepted the task of cleaning up around the garage in return for a sandwich and a pop. My grandfather showed him how to rebuild an engine when that boy was only ten years old and Colin took to fixing cars like a moth to flame. When he returned grown and I saw him come by everyday looking in that closed building, I knew that’s what he wanted.”

“And you’re helping him out despite what he did? And despite what he believed in?” she asked.

Ms. Barlett came around the front of her holding up hot curlers. “Do you really know what he did?”

“I know enough and I know you do too. That’s why I’m so curious as to why you want to help him out.”

“Maybe you only think you know what happened, Ms Nolan.”

The piercing brown eyes weren’t soft and concerned anymore. They were hard and definitely ready for a fight, but Synthia wasn’t sure what they were fighting about.

‘She’s protecting him. Any woman could see she was protecting him and your face isn’t
helping assure her that you mean right by him.’

“How do you really know Colin?” the woman demanded to know.

A little bit of sin won't hurt Chapter 17.2 (c) 2009 Sylvia Hubbard. All rights reserved.

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