Chapter 8 - Jared's House
Jared thought he had misunderstood.
“My house?”
Martin’s voice turned careful. “I suggest you speak privately with your wife.”
“No. You brought up my house. Explain it.”
Lauren reached for the phone. Jared moved it away.
Martin sighed. “North Harbor obtained bridge financing eighteen months ago. The lender required cross-collateralization.”
Oscar said, “Using whose property?”
“Several assets.”
“Names.”
Silence.
Oscar’s voice sharpened. “You called me. You said I was in danger. Now stop performing and tell us what you did.”
Martin replied, “I did what Lauren asked me to do.”
Lauren shot to her feet. “That’s a lie.”
“Is it?”
“You said it was temporary.”
“You signed every instruction.”
Jared looked at her as if he no longer recognized her.
“Signed what?”
Lauren shook her head.
Martin answered for her. “A personal guaranty tied to the residence you own together.”
Jared’s knees nearly gave out.
Their home in Evanston was worth more than two million dollars. He had bought it after his software company’s first major funding round. It was where he and Lauren had planned to raise children.
“You put our house behind this?”
Lauren whispered, “I thought I had time.”
“How much debt?”
Martin would not answer.
Oscar asked a different question. “Who is the lender?”
Martin said, “Lake Frontier Capital.”
Oscar wrote the name.
“Tomorrow’s transfer,” he said. “How much?”
“Two hundred and fifty thousand.”
Jared laughed once in disbelief. “We don’t send two hundred fifty thousand dollars a month.”
“No,” Martin said. “Tomorrow is the balloon payment.”
Lauren covered her mouth.
Jared looked at her. “You knew.”
She did not deny it.
Martin continued, “If it isn’t paid by five p.m., the lender can begin enforcement.”
Oscar asked, “Why would North Harbor owe a quarter million dollars if its only purpose was supporting me?”
Martin’s voice lowered.
“Because supporting you was never its real purpose.”
The call disconnected.
Jared stared at the black phone screen.
Oscar stared at Lauren.
May you like
“What was North Harbor really for?”
Lauren whispered, “To keep my family from finding out what my mother did.”
