Read Online Dreams Adrift (A River Dream Novel) by DW Davis - Free Book Online Page A

know if there’s anything in the terms that would allow
me to evict him.”
    Astonished, my father said, “You want to evict
him? What’s going on?”
    “ I promise, Dad, I’ll explain
later. Right now I just need to know if there is a clause or
something that will allow me to threaten him with
eviction.”
    My father, trusting that I knew what I was
doing, asked me, “Has he damaged the building, done something
illegal, impaired his ability to do business in some way that would
keep him from being able to pay the rent? I’m not sure of the exact
terms of his lease, but those are fairly standard
things.”
    Nodding to myself, I replied, “Oh, you could
say he has impaired his ability to do business. Once word gets out
of how he treated the Laney teachers today, he may never get
another customer through the door. Thanks, Dad, I have to
go.”
    Mr. McHale was eying me skeptically as I hung
up the phone. “Michael, I know you have connections, but how are
you going to evict DeLuca?” Disdain dripped from his voice as he
said the restaurateur’s name.
    I gave him a brief explanation. “It’s easy,
Mr. McHale. I own the building, and Mr. DeLuca just severely
impacted his ability to meet the rent in a very negative
way.”
    “ Oh.” That was all Mr. McHale
said, but a big smile spread across his face.
    I told him that as soon as he could get the
staff back on the bus he should take them to Dupree’s Pizza. Alfred
would be expecting them. Then it was time for me to have a little
fun.
    As Mr. McHale and I returned to the banquet
room, we heard Jason trying to explain to an irate Mr. DeLuca why
he couldn't arrest the teachers.
    “ Mr. DeLuca, sir, please
understand that you have no cause to arrest anyone here. It isn’t a
crime to change your mind about eating at a restaurant.”
    Before Mr. DeLuca could respond, I
intervened.
    “ DeLuca,” I said, harshly and with
deliberate disrespect, “you have more important things to worry
about right now than this fine group of educators. You need to
start trying to find another location for your
restaurant.”

 
     
     
    Eleven
     
     
    Mr. DeLuca turned toward me so fast he almost
lost his balance.
    “ What do you mean? Who do you
think you are? You’re just a lousy cop.”
    I felt a chilling smile cross my face. “That
was probably a poor choice of words, DeLuca. I am not a police
officer, nor did I ever claim to be. I merely offered to take Mr.
McHale to the other room as I needed to talk to him. If I were a
cop, however, I could probably make a good case against you for
unlawful detention. Several good cases in fact, as many cases as
there are teachers in this room.”
    I turned to Jason and asked him, “Am I right
about that, Sergeant Lewis?”
    “ I’m sure the District Attorney
would want to at least look into the allegations, should any of
these fine educators choose to press the issue,” Jason said with a
barely suppressed grin.
    Confusion showed on Mr. DeLuca's face. “What,
what, wait a minute here! Who are you then, if you’re not a
cop?”
    At that point I knew I had him. “That, DeLuca,
I think we should discuss in private.”
    Something in my tone must have gotten through
that thick skull of his. “Very well, we will go to my
office.”
    There were some things I wanted made clear
first. “And the teachers, they are free to go,” I asked, “without
any more threats or accusations?”
    Mr. DeLuca did not look as though he liked
that idea. “Yes, alright, get them out of here. I won’t press
charges.”
    Jason looked at me with a puzzled expression,
but Mr. McHale took him aside and whispered something to him. Jason
looked up and gave me a nod. Paul began ushering the staff out the
door. Maeve started to come over to me, but I waved her off. I
mouthed to her that I would tell her later. She shrugged and
followed the rest of the staff out the door.
    At least there had been no other customers in
the restaurant. Primavera’s usually only opened