Foreclosure: A Novel by S.D. Thames Page A

O’Reilly.” David felt a surge of pride as he referred to Frank as his client. Frank shook their hands without speaking, and then he took the seat facing the doctor.
    “Is Alton Holloway still running your firm?” Bryce asked David. “His wife and I were on a board together a few years ago. I always liked him.”
    David nodded and noticed Dr. Herington hadn’t budged, likely at the advice of his counsel. David was sure Cummings was here to play a gentleman’s game. “He’s still our managing partner.”
    Bryce stood with his head tilted and his mouth slightly ajar, as though waiting for David to say something witty or charming. “Well, please send him my regards.”
    David strutted around the table and took the seat next to Frank. He pulled out a notepad and set his pen on the table. “So, what’s on your minds?”
    Bryce took his seat next to Dr. Herington. “I presume you know what’s on my client’s mind. We’ve set that out in our demand letter. The condominium you built for Dr. Herington is not what he contracted to purchase. As a result, he’s entitled to rescind his contract and have his escrow deposit returned.”
    David rolled his pen back and forth across the tablet, and met Bryce’s stare. “Bryce, as you know, Pinnacle Homes is currently in litigation with a few dozen purchasers who want their money back, not because there’s a damn thing wrong with their condos, but because the market took a shit in between the time they signed their contracts and when the condos were built. If your client wants his money back, he can file a lawsuit and get in line.”
    Bryce winced like a nun hearing vulgarity. “Dr. Herington has absolutely no reservations about filing a lawsuit against your client.” He glanced at Frank, and then back to David. “We simply thought your client might want to avoid incurring attorneys’ fees and, well, do the right thing.”
    David felt the heat steaming off Frank. “Hear that, Frank? They want you to do the right thing. Do you feel like writing Dr. Herington a check for a hundred grand?”
    Frank looked at David incredulously.
    “You’re right, Frank. That doesn’t warrant an answer.” David returned to Bryce. “Sorry, Mr. Cummings. We’ll pass on doing the right thing.”
    “Well, have it your way. We’ll be filing our complaint tomorrow.”
    “Like I said, get in line.”
    “You know, he’s not like these speculator investors. He had no intention of flipping this unit. He really wanted to live there.”
    David leaned forward. “Is that what you’re going to put in your complaint?”
    “Absolutely.”
    “Then let me tell you what we’re going to put in our answer and counterclaim.” David pulled a file from his bag and slid it across the table. “I totally agree with you, Bryce: Dr. Herington had no interest in flipping this unit. He had every intention of having a nice place where he could spend some time with her .”
    Bryce opened the folder and studied the mug shot of a black woman who could pass for a super model under more favorable circumstances and cosmetics. He feigned indifference as he raised his eyes back to David.
    “Does the name Loanda Rawlings ring a bell?” David asked.
    Bryce looked dumfounded. Dr. Herington bit his lip and faintly mumbled.
    “How about Peaches Lexington?” David snickered. “That’s her stage name. Or is Craigslist name more appropriate?” Dr. Herington averted David’s wink, so David looked to the attorney. “Bryce, your client here was Peaches’ sugar daddy for two years, spending thousands of dollars a week on her. A real big spender. And what love he had for sweet Peaches. So much that he invested in a luxurious unit at Gaspar Towers to give them a place where she could stay, he could keep an eye on her, and, if he was lucky, he might even earn a return on his investment when the fling with Peaches ended. Isn’t that right, good doctor?”
    “This is the most preposterous nonsense I have ever