The Greatest of These by Greg Wendleton (booksvooks txt) 📕

My iPhone rang at about three o’clock, after we had run to HEB and restocked our neighbor’s refrigerator and shelves. It was JoAnn, our realtor. “Well, kids, I have great news! All three families that toured your home want to buy it. If it’s okay with you, I’m going to set a deadline of five this evening for all best, and final offers. How does that sound?”

Since I had her on my speaker, Fonda heard everything JoAnn had said, and answered for us. “JoAnn, you are amazing! That sounds like a wonderful idea. We will be waiting for your call, after the offers come in. Thank you.”

“Well, kids, sit tight and start packing. I’ll talk to you soon.”

Three offers arrived at JoAnn’s office just before the deadline. She called us and asked if she could come over. Of course, we said yes. She arrived at 5:30 and we sat down at the kitchen table.

Removing the offers, JoAnn said, “The first couple didn’t want to go over the asking price, but the last couple offered $410,000.”

I exclaimed, “That’s great!”

“But the second couple, offered five percent over asking, $419,000.”

Fonda answered for us this time. “If there aren’t any contingencies or special requests, we’ll take the highest offer. The move to Maui won’t be cheap.”

JoAnn slid the offer sheet across the table and said, “No contingencies. They would like to close by April 15. Is that acceptable?”

Continuing to speak for us, Fonda said, “Yes, that closing date will be fine. Where do we sign?”

Pointing out the places for us to sign, JoAnn wrapped up the business portion of our meeting rather quickly. “Well, kids, I’m glad I could help you out and I hope you’ll keep me in mind if you know anyone else looking to buy or sell.”

I sat quietly and listened to the conversation continue. “I think we just might know someone looking to sell. I’ll let them know and give them your business card.”

“I sure appreciate that. Well, let me get this paperwork submitted and let the couple know that they just bought a house!” She stood and I shook her hand. Fonda and JoAnn hugged and whispered something to each other that I couldn’t make out. No sooner had she arrived, JoAnn was gone.

I looked at my wife, trying to recognize who had inhabited her body. I finally worked up the nerve to ask, “Honey, what’s going on?”

“What’s going on? I’m getting out of San Antonio, and Texas for that matter, as quickly as possible. Step one was to sell this house. Step two is pack our belongings that we want to take and arrange for them to be shipped to Maui. Step three, is leave and don’t look back.”

“Okay, I understand all of that, but it’s like something has come over you.”

“Garret, do you for one second believe Conrad was in that house when it blew up? Because, I don’t. He killed those men and I don’t think he’s going to stop there.”

Now I understood where the aggression and motivation were coming from. “I don’t think he was in that house either. But I don’t think he is hanging around San Antonio. He has the FBI looking for him, and he knows that.”

“I hope you are right. I’m not going to wait around though and find out. We can sign the closing papers in Hawaii. We don’t have to be here. JoAnn confirmed that for me just before she left. How soon can we pack our stuff and make arrangements to leave?”

“I’ll go to work on the arrangement first thing in the morning.”

Fonda sat back down in her chair and her shoulders slumped and she began sobbing. I went to her side and kneeled taking her hands in mine. “I love you Fonda, more than anything and I will sacrifice my life to protect you.”

“I don’t want you to sacrifice your life, I just want you to find that bastard and kill him.”

EPILOGUE

We left c 29, having sold or donated all of our furniture. A moving company had packed our kitchen, most of our clothes and our personal effects on the previous Friday. They said it would take close to a month for our small amount of household goods to be transported to Long Beach, loaded into a twenty-foot cargo container and shipped to the port in Kahului, Maui. A partnering mover would pick up our belongings and deliver it to our new home. In the meantime, we would close on our house located in San Antonio and use the proceeds from the sale and an additional three hundred thousand dollars, from my newly legitimized funds, to pay cash for Scott and Leilani’s house in Kihei.

Chad and Jamie had returned to San Antonio and been reunited with Chief and family members from various states. Their daughter and son-in-law could not travel to see them, due to the ongoing COVID pandemic.

They too had elected to list their house with JoAnn Bess, and again she had worked her magic and garnered an above asking offer in less than two weeks. The Wilhites, who had already closed on their dream home in Kihei, were going to be flying to Maui in mid-April. Chief would be transported in the special cargo area for pets, but he would have to quarantine upon arrival, for as many as one-hundred-and-twenty days! He was not going to like that at all.

Scott Crowley had confessed, to Chad and Jamie, the dark side of his past. He presented them with a file containing a portfolio, similar to mine, after they had closed on the house. The Wilhites were stunned and sat silently for what seemed hours, but was actually less than five minutes. When they recovered, they nodded their heads in unison and accepted Scott’s apology. They saw so many things that they could accomplish with the twenty-five-million dollars. They were in the process of establishing the ‘First Corinthians 13 Foundation’ that would benefit organizations that worked to better the living conditions of