Chapter 311

Since I didn't have to go out for a rental car right away, I concentrated on the new office building. Sylvia talked with Jen's paralegal, while I talked to Delbert at the preacher's construction company.

"Del, I hope we can get a purchase agreement for the building next week. If we can, when can you get started on the renovations?" I asked.

"I have people I can put on it just as soon as you give me the go ahead. It might not be as big a job as some, but you are a regular customer. I have been told that you are priority one," he informed me.

"That is nice to hear, even if it doesn't mean much," I said lightly.

"Oh, it was a straight up order from Archer, it was not a suggestion," he informed me.

"Good," I said and I meant it.

When I hung up the phone, I asked Sylvia, "Where do we stand with that bank building tour."

"The agent said to just call and she would try to arrange it any time." Sylvia answered.

"Well it won't be today. I am not able to cope with any more shit at the moment."

I turned my attention to Peter who was working at the far end of the dining table. "Peter how are you doing, have gotten any farther into the Senator than I did?"

"Some, I think. Did you know that he was involved in a real estate venture involving a closed Air Force installation in his state." Peter asked.

"Why would this be relevant?" I asked.

"Because he is being investigated for having arranged for the facility to be donated to his state. Then a shell company bought it from the state, at a sweetheart price. That company bought it for an exclusive gated community development. That shell holding company was set to make millions. Right up until they found that the site had contaminated soil. The company went into bankruptcy and the site is closed off pending federal action for the cleanup. The senator lost a few grand in the shell company, but the other stock holders lost millions I think. I ran them down just on a hunch."

"So tell me, which gangsters is he in bed with?" I asked.

"Believe it or not it's a bunch of Wall Street brokerage houses. I'm running them now." Peter said.

"Have you found anything else?" I asked.

"This could be enough, but I will keep looking," Peter said. "I am going to set up the risk analysis programs and plugging all this in just like it was a game scenario. We should have some information just as soon as I finish the background checks.

"When you trace the brokerage people to the source of the money, give me a list of the investors. Especially the ones who can't afford to lose the money or the ones most likely to be hurt by an investigation. The Senator is on the White House's shit list, that might just slop over onto the investors." I explained. "I would not be surprised to find people who would prefer he didn't testify.

Then I turned to Sylvia. "So are you in a good place to stop. If not get to one, I'm ready to go shopping."

"Five minutes, I have a call into the Realtor for the A1 project. I am going to tell her what we know."

"What do we know?" I asked.

"If we go to the bank after Christmas and make them a cash offer for the building they will foreclose on it damn quick. It will take a couple of months, but we can get it, no problem. If A1 doesn't contest it, which they most likely would, according Jen's guy, if they contest it then it would drag out for a year or more."

"Wait, Jen's paralegal is a guy now?" I asked laughing.

"Apparently a retired clerk of court," Sylvia said.

"I will be damned. I just knew she had daddy issues,. Okay go on." I said.

"I thought I would see if A1 wanted to make you a good deal, so that they could pay off the note and have few bucks left." Sylvia suggested.

"Not too many bucks left over," I suggested.

"Exactly my thoughts. They owe 80k and change on the place," Sylvia said. "The bank appraisal is for 110K."

"So there is about 20K of real equity in the building. Go ahead and contact the Realtor and let's go shopping. I want to see that bank tomorrow, get with His Laboring Few and see if we can get an estimator to meet us there."

"Peter are you ready to go?" I asked.

"Two minutes to save this information and I am ready." he said.

"I do hope you can handle a couple of half dressed women running around in front of you," I said with a laugh.

"It will be a distraction, but I can manage. I think," he replied.

Thirty minutes later found us in the second most expensive lady's boutique in Tryon. The most expensive was just a little smaller. According to Jen, who was pissed that she wasn't invited, the most expensive had a smaller selection. Since I was looking for two dresses my best choice was Willard's Millinery."

"If you had more time, I would say go back to the lady who made our Emmy Dresses," Jen stated coolly.

Peter sat in the dressing area with his laptop while we tried on dresses. Every time I saw Sylvia I was pissed that I didn't get a perfect body during the swap. The problem, I knew, was that to fit into my existing life, I had to look the same as before, and god knew that wasn't even close to perfect. Any other look would defeat the purpose of the swap out.

"I decided on a white toga looking thing, which was almost a mini dress. It showed the scars on my legs as well as a hint of my chest and back scars. I continued to look like the bride of Frankenstein, but it seemed to have worked at the Emmies.

Sylvia picked a long green dress with a slit all the way up to her waist. She would never be able to wear conventional panties with it. When peter saw it he almost fainted. I could see the swelling in his pants. I was surprised to note that it was not small by any means. Sylvia also noticed.