Chapter Seven
Chase
Sometimes, when I talk to a potential client, I just know they are a great person and someone I want to do business with. We might not be able to come to an agreement right away, but I can tell a good person when I see one. When I talked to Jordan, I knew she was a person I’d like to have around.
It’s not as if I can describe exactly what it is that makes me have that feeling about someone. It’s not what they look like; I’ve worked with bald old men and young hipsters. I wouldn’t say I believe in auras or mystical pathways or anything like that. But there is a chemistry between people that either works or it doesn’t. You can’t just pretend to have it. Jordan and I had it. Words were not even necessary because I could see the connection in her eyes.
Of course, the physical connection is important when men and women are involved. And wow, did I feel that between the two of us. Just looking at her, I felt my whole body react with a desire to have her. It was awesome and a little scary all at the same time. I had actually muttered the word marriage to this girl.
What was I thinking?
I didn’t know her at all. I didn’t know anything about her, really – except she was a lonely woman from a tiny country that I didn’t really know much about. She certainly didn’t look like any lonely woman I had ever seen before. She looked like the kind of girl I would go up to in a second if she was in one of the clubs I frequented. On the other hand, Jordan didn’t look like the type of girl who frequented clubs, at all.
Did knowing a lot about a woman ever really help me? Most of the women I actually dated would go on and on about their lives, and I certainly didn’t feel the same connection as I did with Jordan. Not that I went on very many real dates, though.
When Jordan and I had agreed to Skype, there was no thought in my mind that I would offer to fly her over to the United States. I simply wanted to see if she was real. But having her in front of me threw me off. Something came over me, and I just blurted it out.
She was beautiful, and I couldn’t stop looking into her eyes. The way they looked back at me made me think she could actually see right through any bullshit I might try to throw at her. It was probably the first conversation with a woman that I had been totally honest in everything I said.
I didn’t normally lie to women or anything like that. But, I often flirted and said things that I didn’t actually believe were true. Things like, “Oh, you are the prettiest girl in here.” I knew women liked to hear that stuff, and if I had to say it in order to get together with a woman, that was perfectly fine with me.
Jordan didn’t require me to say anything I didn’t feel one hundred percent to be the truth. Everything about her said that she was an honest and caring woman, and I wanted to get to know her more. It didn’t hurt that she was very easy on the eyes.
I had no intention of telling her that I might want to get married to show my father that I was responsible. But it just came out of my mouth. Honesty really hadn’t been one of my best qualities, but in the brief conversation I had with Jordan, it felt necessary. My conversation with her felt very real, and I liked that feeling. I felt more like myself than I did the entire month I had dated my last girlfriend. That really said a lot about how comfortable Jordan and I were together in just a short time.
If things didn’t work out with her, we could just do a couple of dates, and she could use her return ticket and go back home. No harm done. But maybe things would work out. She didn’t seem like the type to have casual sex, but if that was her thing and she didn’t want anything more, I could certainly accommodate her for that, as well. My life was nothing if not flexible. But I did need to start working more consistently. There was no way I could pay Jose Escabar back if I didn’t get my father to give me the company.
Flying Jordan out to see me would be useless if Escabar sent his goons after me. I couldn’t exactly take her on a date if I was missing my fingernails. I desperately hoped Escabar would be able to wait until I settled things with my father. I simply had to continue to make my payments to Escabar each month and then pay him off when I took over the company. It was going to cost me twice as much as I owed him now, but if I just made my monthly payments, everything would be fine.
The idea to go to my brothers for money was certainly on my mind. All four of them were living good lives, and I knew that if push came to shove, they would hand over their very last dime to me. But once I went to them, I was pretty much going to have to admit to my entire family how much I owed Escabar. There was no way I was going to do that, if I could avoid it. Obviously, if it came down to Escabar breaking my legs, then I would have to reach out to them.
My family still brought up a five-dollar bet I made to eat a hot tamale and how quickly I lost my money. If they knew I owed over $200,000 to Escabar, I wouldn’t live it down. And, I definitely wouldn’t get control of my father’s company. Owing that much money to a shark like Escabar was a bad decision; I knew it after the fact, and I had learned my lesson. But no one in my family would understand that. They would all think that I was just really bad at making decisions.
As I thought about Escabar, I realized it was almost time to meet up with his goons. I had to make a payment for the month or they were going to get pretty rowdy with me. Hopefully, Escabar hadn’t lost his patience and would be willing to let me make another interest only payment.
It did involve me pawning a few things that I owned and I sold off some paintings from my house. I could feel the financial crunch, and I needed to get things figured out as soon as possible.
I grabbed my things and headed out of my office at the unusual hour of five o’clock. It felt good to have put in a full day of work. Although, I had spent several hours of my day talking to Jordan, it was still a longer workday than usual. My mind was made up and I was committed to learning what I needed to know to take over my father’s company. If he saw me at work every day and I could contribute some new and fresh ideas, hopefully he would reconsider how he felt about me taking over the company. I also knew I needed to get my life more stable, though. And hopefully, meeting Jordan would help me in that area.
***
Driving up to Jose Escabar’s house always made me nervous. Sometimes he wanted to see me in person, but most of the time, I just sat in the front room and talked to his goons. I wasn’t equipped to deal with men like him.
“Chase, I hope you’re here with a payoff tonight,” Marco said.
Marco and I actually went way back to high school. His connection with Jose had been my way into the clubs that Jose ran throughout Atlanta. Although I didn’t frequent those strip joints anymore, I did often go to private parties thrown by Escabar.
“I’ve brought a payment to get me by for now.”
“Oh, Chase. Jose is getting tired of carrying this loan. Can’t you just borrow the cash from your pops and then pay him back? It would cost you a lot less money.”
“Nah, man, my pops can’t know about all this. I need to keep it on the down low.”
“You’re a little too preppy to be causing trouble with Jose. I feel like you’re going to end up getting your legs broken soon.”
Marco was right. There was only so much longer that I could stretch out my payments. Sooner or later, I would run out of money and not even be able to make the payment. It was going to be necessary for me to move quickly and really start showing my father how much I could settle down. I needed Jordan to say yes to getting married.
“I know, man. I’m working on it.”
“Tonight, Jose wants to talk to you if you aren’t making a full payment. I’ll have to go see if he has time to talk right away or if you’ll need to come back later.”
“I’ll wait.”
As Marco left me in the entry room of Jose’s house, I felt like I was being watched. There most certainly were cameras all around, and I knew they were on me right then.
A young guy about my age came out of Jose’s office and walked toward me and then out the front door. He was sweating and looked extremely scared. I could only imagine that he owed Jose some money and had been given his last warning. I also imagined that Jose and I were about to have a similar conversation, I hoped that I would be able to convince him to give me some more time.
Jose Escabar was more than just a local businessman. His connections with the Mexican drug cartel made him a very dangerous man. If anyone was going to try and break into his home or steal anything from him, they would have to be crazy. Security cameras and other monitoring devices were everywhere. They were so well hidden that I couldn’t see them, and I had been to the house several times. But I knew the cameras were there; I could feel them watching me.
The waiting was always the hard part when I had to meet with Jose. Although our relationship had started out as friends, the second I borrowed money from him, it all changed. Our friendship had turned to him being in charge of the money and me always wanting it.
When I was around him, I felt useless and without power at all. He had the ability to knock down even the biggest amount of confidence by just looking at a man. I admired him on one level; he did know how to demand respect. I couldn’t seem to get even the smallest amount of respect from my co-workers.
“Okay, Chase, he’s ready for you,” Marco said as he stood in the doorway.
I stood up and followed him into the large study area. It was a very pretty house, and in any different circumstances, I figured that I would love a tour, but not under the circumstances that we were in at the moment. In that moment, all I could think about was getting things settled and getting out of there as soon as possible.
“Hello, Jose,” I said as I reached my hand out to shake his.
For the first time since I had known Jose, he didn’t shake my hand back. It sent fear throughout my body. As much as I wanted to believe that he thought of me differently than his other clients, that move proved that he just saw me as some guy who owed him money. I didn’t want to be that guy. I didn’t like that feeling at all.
“Chase, you’re disappointing me, boy.”
“Sorry, Jose. Money has gotten tight.”
“Do I look stupid?”
“No.”
“You live in a million dollar home and have a billionaire for a father. Money is not tight. You don’t know what that even means.”
I understood his point. It was difficult to explain how I could have such a nice home and yet not feel like I had enough money for the things I needed to pay for. But I didn’t have the money, that was all there was to it. I didn’t have cash, and cash was the only way to pay Jose back.
“I understand where you’re coming from. My father has cut me off, though; that is why I don’t have money.”
I watched as Jose appeared to be contemplating our conversation. He wanted his money, and I understood that. But I wasn’t purposely keeping his money from him. If I had it, I would have already handed it over and avoided the thousands of dollars in fees each month. My life was worth giving him his money – so were my fingernails.
Jose stood up and moved toward me and fear filled me faster than I could stop it. Marco was right; I was just a little preppy guy without the ability to fit in with their world. I couldn’t even throw a punch and make contact. If Jose wanted to hurt me, it was going to be really easy for him. To protect myself, I needed a gun or something. Which, of course, I didn’t have.
His hand reached up and wrapped around my throat, and he pushed me back up against the wall. He was serious about his threat as he clamped down and made it almost impossible to breathe.
I tried not to panic or show too much fear. I knew Jose would relish in the thought of provoking fear in me. Instead, I closed my eyes and tried to relax as much as I could. I held onto the breath I already had in my lungs and then opened my eyes to look at Jose as he talked to me.
“I’m tired of carrying your loan. Either you pay me or I’ll go to your father for the money. And, I’m sure you can imagine how much pain your father would be in if I had to go to him for the money. You’re taking up too much of my time. You have two weeks.”
Two weeks!
It wasn’t possible for me to get a hold of the whole $200,000 in just two weeks. I had to convince Jose to give me a little more time. It was going to take me at least two months to get control of my father’s company, and that was still not a sure thing. The gravity of the situation weighed on me, but I shook my head up and down in affirmation of his request.
He released my neck and took a couple steps back.
I gasped for air and made my way over toward his desk. My body hunched over as I tried to draw in a deep breath. I noticed something on his desk and glanced over at Jose, who was standing with his back towards me. Quickly, I took the opportunity and grabbed the black book and slipped it into my pocket without Jose noticing what I had done.
“You’re a handsome fellow, Chase. I think the best way to get you to pay might be to have Marco do a little cutting on that pretty face of yours. Marco!”
As he screamed for Marco to come into the room, I ran through my head all the possibilities of the moment. There was no way I could convince my father I was responsible if I had a big gash on my face.
“Wait, wait, wait,” I said desperately. “I can’t do business with a cut on my face; it’s how I get things done. I’ll have your money in two weeks.”
“I’m serious, Chase. If I don’t have the full amount in two weeks, I will make sure you are hurt badly, and then I’ll go to your father for the money.”
“I understand.”
“Yes, boss,” Marco said when he entered the room.
“Show Mr. Foster out. Ensure he understands the consequences of what will happen if he doesn’t return with my money in two weeks.”
“Yes, boss.”
Marco grabbed my arm more forcefully than I had expected and pushed me out of the room toward the front of the house. When we were away from Jose, he released his grip and just walked behind me.
“Chase, he’s serious. How are you going to get the money?”
“Dude, I’ve got it worked out. No worries.”
“Man, I’m worried for you. He’ll do whatever he needs to.”
I was one hundred percent sure that Marco was right. Jose Escabar was not the type of guy to make idle threats. If he said he was going to break a guy’s leg, that guy showed up with a broken leg. I had two weeks to get his money, or my father was going to know everything about my sordid lifestyle.
Oh, yes, my father would instantly pay up the money I owed. But that would be it, I wouldn’t get another penny from him and, more than likely, I wouldn’t even have my job with him anymore. It wasn’t an option. I needed to figure out how to get Jose his money.
“Chase, I need to do one last thing before you leave,” Marco said, and I turned around.
Then, BAM, he punched me in the eye.
“Shit, Marco, what was that for?”
“Jose said to make sure you knew how important it is to make the full payment. That’s how I do it.”
“But, shit, Marco. We grew up together.”
“That don’t matter when it comes to business. You’re lucky he didn’t have me slice your face up. That shit don’t go away.”
“God damn, Marco.”
“Go get your shit in order and come back with his money.”
Marco left me on the front steps, holding my eye and dizzy from the force of his fist to my face. I had only been punched a couple times in my life. Luckily, I was usually able to avoid the fights with a little fast-talking. Apparently, that hadn’t worked with Jose and Marco. But I was grateful they hadn’t cut my face. At least a bruise would heal.
As I pulled away from his place, I had to smile, though.
While I was in Jose’s office, I had grabbed a little something that I could use to ensure my safety – especially if I wasn’t able to make the payment in two weeks. This little item was going to be my ticket to avoiding being killed and keeping Jose from telling my father about the money I owed.
I smiled a little at my win in the situation. Never had I stolen something that I felt would hold the key to my safety. It was invigorating. I felt alive. I had the security I needed to make sure I was safe.
I also hoped that Jose wouldn’t realize it was me who had taken his little black book. Because if he knew it was me, it wouldn’t matter if I paid off my loans, he would still kill me. Suddenly, I started to think stealing Jose Escabar’s little black book of contacts was a really bad idea.
Oh, shit! What have I done?
My cocky attitude turned to fear the farther away from Jose’s house that I drove. I wasn’t smart, at all. What the hell was I going to do with his little black book? I couldn’t sell it. Most of the bad guys in Atlanta were in his pocket, anyways. The only other option was to go to the police with it, and I wasn’t about to do that; my father was friends with the police chief and captain in Atlanta.
Going to the police would ensure that I had to admit to everything I had done. My father and my whole family would know how much I had fucked up over the last few years.
My heart started to race. I felt sweat as it formed on my brow. I had made a huge mistake. I stole the contact book of one of the Mexican cartel’s biggest associates; there was nothing that could save me now. My bright idea could turn into the one reason I ended up getting murdered. No way was he going to let me off once he figured out I had stolen his precious black book.
I needed to turn around and give it back to him.
No!
I couldn’t just go back in there and tell him I stole something from him. Crap! I had Jose Escabar’s little black book and I owed him $200,000. My body started to shake as the gravity of what was going on set in. There was no way for me to avoid this. I was in way over my head, and I needed to reach out for help.
I pulled my car over and sat on the side of the road, shaking. My whole life was crumbling around me. The lifestyle I wanted wasn’t anywhere to be seen in my future. I had nothing left. There was nothing to get me through all of it.
As much as I thought I had friends and family who would support me, none of them would be there if I was face to face with Escabar. None of them would hand over $200,000 without tons of questions and, likely, they wouldn’t be all right with the answers I gave them. Yes, my brothers would give me the money to make sure I was safe. But man, would I pay for it the rest of my life. Maybe my family was right about me making bad decisions all the time, it certainly didn’t feel like I had made any right ones.
Slowly, I tried to take some deep breaths. I desperately needed someone I could confide in and could work with to get through all of it. Mathew and Carlos were the closest things I had to someone I could confide in. But did I really want to bring them into this mess? The second either of them knew what was going on, I was positive they would stop being my friends. Even years of friendship couldn’t withstand this horrible mistake.
I picked up my phone to call one of my brothers. Surely, one of them could be there for me without telling my father. I’d call George; he’s the oldest and most levelheaded. Maybe he could help me.
“George,” I said as I tried to control my voice.
“Hey, Chase. I can’t talk right now. Cindy and the kids are waiting for me – we are heading into a movie. Can we talk later?”
“Oh, sure,” I said as calm as I could.
“Thanks. Brandon is graduating in a month. You should come out and say hi. You know you’re his favorite uncle.”
“Sure. Yeah, of course, I’ll be there. I’ll talk to you later. Have fun.”
“Will do. Talk to you later.”
As I hung up, I knew I shouldn’t bother any of my other brothers. They all had their own lives and their own things to worry about. I didn’t need to be adding more to them by telling them what was going on with me. I certainly didn’t need to put them in danger by bringing them into the world of Jose Escabar.
Just like my father, any one of them would pay off Jose for me. I might have to reach out to them if the deadline came near, but I hopefully could avoid it. All four of my brothers were financially successful, and I felt like the loser of the family, for sure. But in the end, I would much rather go to one of my brothers for the money than to my father, at least they wouldn’t cut me off from the entire family.
My mind spun with all the options, and then I saw a text on my phone from Jordan. A smile flashed across my face almost instantly. As I thought about our conversation earlier in the day, I couldn’t help but think that I wanted to be the kind of man she was impressed by. Not impressed by my money, but truly impressed by the type of person I was. Certainly, I couldn’t say I would impress her at all if she knew who I was at that moment.
Just seeing her name on my phone calmed me down right away. I couldn’t wait to meet her in person. I didn’t know her at all, but there was something about that girl that I really wanted to have around. Her smile, her eyes, her lips – I couldn’t wait to have them all right there with me.
“Got the information from your assistant about my flight. Can’t wait to meet you,” her text read.
“I’m excited to meet you, too. Have a safe flight,” I responded.
I took a couple deep breaths and drove the rest of the way home. It was going to be a long couple of days waiting for Jordan and trying to figure out how I could get the money I needed. I also had to get my house ready for her to visit. I didn’t want to force her to sleep in my room, so I needed to pull some things out of the garage and set up the second bedroom for her.
Hopefully, things would go really well with us and she wouldn’t want to sleep in there. But at least for the first night, she would probably want her own space. I couldn’t help smiling as I thought about having Jordan actually in my home. But the weirdest thing of all was that I thought about what it would be like to make her breakfast in the morning and sit around the table. I didn’t think about what it would be like to have her in my bed. It was odd for me to think about any woman in more than a sexual way.
As I walked into the house and looked around, I decided I definitely needed to pick up before Jordan arrived. The house looked like a bunch of frat boys had taken over. That certainly wouldn’t impress her when she arrived. I wasn’t in a position to hire someone to clean up for me, so I took to cleaning it up on my own.