Chapter Thirteen: Building Blocks And Repair
Numbers
We were sitting out at the Holbeck wharf at midday and talking business.
“We might not have been able to hire Mia permanently, but I’m glad we were able to get her to help us out on this one. That detective was ruthless,” Bones said. “I managed to get her to see things from my perspective a little bit.”
My stomach was full from a delicious grilled burger, fries and coke. Brainpower. “I don’t know if you did. Mia is convinced that the Holbeck police will start running patrols in the neighborhood.” I burst his optimistic bubble, but I wanted him to be realistic about what we might be up against.
“I agree, they probably will start doing that. We’re trying to rebuild our brand and now, we have this hanging over our heads,” Bones said as he looked out over the steady flow of the river.
“We can do it,” I said enthusiastically as I warded off Bones’ skepticism. “It’s going to take time, and we’re going to have to be patient. If the Devil Riders are popping up and trying to infiltrate our turf, we have to highlight them. We have to call it in every single time. They don’t know they run the risk as well. If they keep sending their distributors to our neck of the woods, we can do all sorts of things. Extra cameras around Wheelz. Asking around in the neighborhood, getting informants involved.”
Bones nodded as he tapped his fingers on the table we were sitting at. “The extra cameras in Wheelz are a given. That we should do. When Mia showed that security footage to the detective, I realized we don’t have cameras out the back.”
I nodded. “I know, a small but necessary dent in the budget.”
A dark shadow came over Bones’ face.
“What is it?” I asked.
“I received a call last night from the casino. They think they saw more dealing going on in the back parking lot. I have to go over and talk to security to see what’s going down.”
“Shit, Bones. We can solve it. You need to hire another two security patrols only for the back parking lot.”
“We own the casino, not the whole joint, but I can get a meeting with the manager John Boyer and let him in on what’s happening.”
“Sounds like a good plan. See? We can sort this out. The more they come for us, the more we shut it down,” I convinced him.
“How are we looking financially, Numbers? Where do our greatest assets lie?”
“I know our books by heart, and we can gain the most money from the casino bar and Wheelz. We are up this quarter by 15%. Both of these investments are providing steady growth for the club. We have a nice little buffer, about 140K. We do have to take in consideration that 50K we owe. Are we going to call a club vote on that one?”
Bones grimaced as a gust of wind picked up and blew across our faces. “We’re going to have to. I haven’t received any more calls from the cartel, but that makes me feel they are plotting. It’s not unlike them, and they don’t take too kindly to unpaid debts. Remember back in 2010? Darias?”
I shivered when his name came up. He turned on the cartel and tried to sell their product under their nose in Holbeck. He ended with a bullet hole through his forehead for his trouble. He was shot in cold blood and found slumped in a back alleyway. “Don’t remind me. That was horrific. All over the news for eons. We can’t get to that level of bloodshed.”
“Agreed. I want to see if I can work out a better deal with them or something. I don’t think we should have to give them that money. The shady deals that Snake was cutting had nothing to do with us. The cartel should take it up with him.” Bones put his foot down on it.
I rolled my neck around. “We have that deli meeting this week. Tomorrow, in fact. Let’s see what the numbers are like there. That might be our ticket. It will be some work if we take it over and renovate. It won’t be easy. We have to first think of a suitable business that will work there. You know what I mean?”
“Entirely. Did the deli work when it was thriving? Or was it just because of the health inspection issue?”
I paused thinking about it. “I can’t be sure. These are the types of questions we need to ask the owner.”
“Okay. How long do you think it would take to approach Red Stone about a buyout?”
“Honestly?” I paused. “I don’t like our chances because of where we are right now with the public. We have to improve our standing in the community first. We have to get our ducks in a row.”
“That’s true and Snake knows that. He doesn’t know I want to buy the casino, but he keeps sending his goon pack into the area. It’s bullshit.”
“I know, but like I said we just keep chipping away and eventually, they will have to move on. If we can raise the capital and nothing else major happens, it’s likely we can make a run to purchase it in two to three years. It’s within our grasp, but... ”
“What’s the but? C’mon, out with it.”
“We may need the bank’s help, which is why I say it will be good to have good standing in the community. They won’t give us a loan if we don’t. We’ll look like too much of a liability for them to take on.”
“Understood. Let’s clean up our act first then.” He smirked at me for a minute.