The Assignment
Copyright© 2023 by Lapi
Chapter 7
We had finally closed on the former ‘Hotel’, now our compound. It should not have been so difficult a thing except some fools got a bit excited. The tax man, you know about them right, the same group that their leader is now on trial, well paying cash for a hotel to them could only mean money was owed too. First, we got a letter, three actually, claiming Ingrid, Lea and Ashanti owed back taxes for the past five years.
I wondered how slaves in Morocco, during that time, could owe US taxes, but hey, you know those, hard sleeping, coffee and donut eating wonders are never wrong, right? After calling about a dozen toll-free numbers where no live person would ever answer, I called Bianca for some help. I told her, “Four Mangos, six Papaya and a dozen pineapples if you can fix this for us, I give up!” She laughed.
The Great State of Hawaii was next. We got another letter, this time demanding all construction stop, immediately. The beach and Hotel were not areas where ‘new’ construction would be allowed. Since John had paid for this and our little corporation, ‘Island Charters’, now owned it I would let his people handle it. They did.
We were about ready to leave our accommodations at Kapaluana for the new home. Our living part was done; just the amenities, compound walls and extra living quarters were not all finished. We got a very welcomed call. Kevin and Laura were getting married. It took a few seconds to tell them their honeymoon here was all arranged. Tickets and transportation would await them and I would explain a few things once they got to Maui. Their next words were not exactly what I expected.