Dream On(68)

Roger gives him a wide smile that feels about as warm as a barracuda, reaches into his briefcase, and produces a thin stack of stapled papers. Beside me, Devin shifts his weight. He’s gripping his armrest so tightly his tendons strain. I furrow my eyebrows and return my focus to Roger, who slides the papers across the table.

“As you know, the city of Cleveland has already approved zoning for our new apartment complex going up on West Twenty-Eighth Street,” he says.

“I know. I voted to approve it,” says Councilman Truman.

Roger nods solemnly. “Yes, because you know the city is in dire need of revitalization. Every year for the past four decades, people have been moving out of Cleveland and into the suburbs. If we want a bright future for the city, we need to reverse that trend. We need to entice people to move back in order to build up the tax base.”

The councilman drums his long fingers against the arm of his chair. “What are you getting at?”

“We need more amenities. More businesses, more recreation, and more educational opportunities. If you build it, they will come.”

“Spoken like a true developer. What are you suggesting we build?”

“To start with? A new satellite campus for Cleveland’s community college right here in the heart of Ohio City. It would bring revenue to the neighborhood in the form of new residents, and by extension, the city of Cleveland, while offering a much-needed educational facility for college students.”

“We already have a community college branch downtown, located less than five miles away, so I wouldn’t say a new campus is strictly ‘needed.’?” The councilman rubs his chin. “Then again, it certainly wouldn’t hurt given the increasing demand for affordable college courses. But Ohio City is highly developed. Hell, it took you five years to secure the real estate necessary for your new apartments. Where do you think we could build a campus?”

Roger reaches across the table and flips several pages of the packet before stopping at a black-and-white street map. “West Twenty-Eighth and Providence,” he says, tapping the map twice. “There are three properties ripe for development. Two of them I already own. I purchased them when they went into foreclosure a few weeks ago, but I’d be happy to transfer ownership to the city of Cleveland for below market value. And the third building owes a significant amount of money to the state in back property taxes, which—as I understand from my attorney, Frank, here—you could use as a basis to acquire it through eminent domain. Combined, the three buildings’ footprint would offer enough land to build a multistory community college facility that would benefit the entire city.”

Wait… West Twenty-Eighth and Providence… money owed in back taxes…

My heart nearly stops beating. Roger is talking about Blooms & Baubles. He’s proposing that the city of Cleveland take Blooms & Baubles away from Perry—against his will—using the legal doctrine of eminent domain.

I stare at Devin, openmouthed. He looks everywhere around the restaurant… except at me. Betrayal beats a hot, heavy drumbeat in my chest, and I swallow back the nausea slithering up my throat.

He knew. Devin knew what this meeting was about—that his dad was going to use his connections to take away Perry’s beloved home and store. That’s why he didn’t want me here. Why he tried to prevent me from sitting in on this meeting. He knows I’m friendly with Perry, and by the guilt-ridden look on his face, he understands what his dad is doing is wrong.

But he didn’t do a damn thing to stop it.

The Devin I thought I remembered postcoma would never have betrayed anyone like that, especially his brother.

This Devin? It seems I don’t know him at all.

“Wait,” I say before I can stop myself. “The building you’re talking about at Twenty-Eighth and Providence, it houses a business—a flower shop—isn’t that right?”

Roger’s eyes blaze. “Correct. I know the owner personally, which is why I can promise that if the city acquires the property it would be a blessing for both parties. The business has been in decline for years. The money he’d receive in exchange for the property would improve his life.”

“What if he disagrees? I’m certain he would oppose an eminent domain action. Most property owners do,” I hastily add, so Frank doesn’t catch on to the extent I’m personally enmeshed with the parties involved in this proposal.

Roger chuckles. “Isn’t that what lawyers are for? The city’s attorneys could handle any objections the owner might have. Right, Frank?”

Frank clears his throat. “Potentially. The Constitution stringently protects property ownership as a right, which is why the government can only seize private property through eminent domain for a compelling public purpose. Building a community college would satisfy the ‘public good’ requirement as long as the city’s justification for exercising eminent domain in this case is a solid one. Especially since the owner is behind on their taxes, which the city could argue makes it a ‘blighted’ property, and justifiable to seize.” He turns to me then. “Would you agree, Cass?”

The last thing I want to do is weigh in, but Frank put me on the spot. I don’t have a choice. I swallow. “It depends on the amount of money owed in back taxes. If it’s less than the fair market value of the property, then the property wouldn’t necessarily qualify as blighted, which could give the owner a stronger basis for an objection.” If I remember correctly, Perry owes somewhere in the ballpark of twenty thousand dollars—likely less than what the property must be worth, even given the structure’s age and location. At least he has that going for him.