Chapter 151: Lawyer Saul
Of course, the money wasn't donated by Ron to Caroline, even though Ron's current wealth wouldn't make it a problem.
It all came from a life insurance policy that Mr. Channing had set aside for his daughter before his downfall. Knowing not to put all your eggs in one basket, Mr. Channing, for some reason, had placed all the money he'd left for Caroline in the hands of Lawyer Saul.
This unscrupulous attorney specialized in defending gangsters, con artists, and drug dealers, and providing support for various shady operations.
When Ron approached Saul, he discovered that Mr. Channing had been using Saul's services to invest in various peculiar ventures.
For example, a crew in Detroit planned to knock over a bank but had no cash for weapons, so Mr. Channing's money turned into six AR-15s and ammunition, plus gas money for their getaway vehicles.
Or, a twenty-year-old kid from Minneapolis who constantly bragged, "I'm gonna be the next Scarface!" And so, Mr. Channing's money turned into the muscle car and firearms that fueled his delusions.
Saul was merely using them as examples. No matter what—even if Ron shoved a gun in his mouth—Saul refused to reveal their names or their specific operations.
Ron had been in the intelligence game for years, and he'd never encountered such a tight-lipped individual. Of course, that might have been because he wasn't using all his persuasion techniques.
In short, Saul was acting effectively as a sort of underground banker and investment manager. By the time Ron got the access codes and tried to withdraw the money, Mr. Channing's investment had multiplied several times over!
Ron was certain that if the fund Saul managed were legally registered on Wall Street, it would be bought out instantly!
This return on investment was practically highway robbery—in the best possible way!
Furthermore, Saul had the balls to actually release the money when Ron requested it, a move that truly impressed Ron.
When Ron was still struggling with how to legally transfer the money to Caroline without attracting creditors, Saul offered his expertise.
Yes, that's right. It was Saul's idea to launder the money into Caroline's hands through crowdfunding, and he even conscientiously charged a mere 15% commission.
Don't think it was too much—even in the underworld, it was a very reasonable rate.
Here's how it worked:
Ron first convinced Caroline to make a crowdfunding video, and Saul created the website. To give creditors no grounds for complaint, although the crowdfunding was in Caroline's name, the account was registered under Max's name.
Saul explained that the money belonged to Caroline, yet legally didn't belong to her. He offered to provide all legal support and ongoing service.
However, to avoid suspicion, the funds would be deposited into the crowdfunding account in multiple transactions, using numerous different accounts from around the world.
Ron was so impressed by his professionalism that he even introduced Orlov to him and decided to handle all future legal matters through Saul's firm.
"Oh my God! I was thinking of having Max apply for a credit card or a personal loan in her name, but I didn't expect the money to be so..." Caroline was so excited she couldn't find the words, so Ron simply kissed her.
"Wow!"
After a long moment, Caroline gasped for air, finally pushing Ron away with her last shred of self-control. She was afraid she'd pull him down and have sex right there on the diner table.
"So, ladies, can we go now? Earl, can I borrow them for the rest of the day?" Ron lamented his lack of lung capacity and cast a questioning look at Earl.
"No!" Before Earl could respond, Caroline shook Ron's arm and refused. "Even if I'm rich now, I can't lose my job until the cupcake shop is up and running. Plus, today's the lost and found drawing, and there might be something useful in there."
It had to be said that Caroline really knew how to stretch a dollar. Even with a small fortune, she didn't forget to take advantage of free stuff.
The lost and found drawing was an employee perk at Murphy's Diner, where lost items that hadn't been claimed for a month were distributed to staff.
Of course, most unclaimed lost items were worthless little trinkets, so when something weird got mixed in, whoever's turn it was had to model it and pose for a picture.
"Okay, then I'll wait until you get off work. I can hang out somewhere else." This place wasn't far from the Gallaghers', so Ron wouldn't be stranded. "Let's continue the game now?"
"Alright, first item—a scrunchie." Earl reached into the box and pulled out a pink hair elastic.
"Mine!" Caroline snatched it away. "Oh my god, I'm falling so fast."
Oleg chimed in, "If rich people did that, we'd call it being frugal."
"Second item..." Earl continued digging around. "It's a box of pregnancy tests."
"The box is empty," Max said, popping her gum and shrugging. "Why are you all staring at me? Better safe than sorry. A pregnancy test is good news if you're trying, and relief if you're not."
But Ron noticed that Max's gaze lingered a little longer on him.
Well, it wasn't entirely his fault—Max had been the one who initiated things. Ron wanted to crawl under a rock, but thankfully, no one else noticed anything unusual between him and Max.
After getting past the awkwardness of the empty box, they finally had something to model.
"The last item, the one that's been here for six months straight... a wig!"
Max started to tease, "Earl, it's your turn now. Everyone's worn this thing except you."
"Even I took a picture wearing it—you have to do the same." Caroline pulled out her phone, ready to snap a photo.
"Fine, I'm a good sport of a boss." Earl put on the wig, and Ron took a photo as a keepsake, said his goodbyes, and walked out.
What would Caroline and Max do with the money? Ron knew they'd look for a place to open their shop.
But this neighborhood, crawling with junkies and dealers, wasn't a good choice. Unless Max was selling pot brownies, the business would tank, just like in the original timeline.
Ron felt the ideal location for a shop would be in a more stable area, preferably one with higher income and a less stressful vibe, so people would have more time to enjoy artisanal food.
Ron thought about it and decided Pasadena was the perfect spot.
It was packed with colleges and universities where smart people gathered, and intelligence needed sugar to function. Best of all, it wasn't as cutthroat as Silicon Valley, and there weren't any major competitors in the cupcake market there.
If there were, Sheldon would definitely know about it.
Ron pulled out his phone, found a contact, and dialed the number.
(End of chapter)
If you enjoyed this chapter, leave a Power Stone or Review!
P@atreon/Soulforger (45+ advanced chapters)
Buy me coffee - ko-fi*com/soulforger01