Early the next morning, Jack received a text message from the bank notifying him that the $5000 bail he had paid was returned. Only then did he remember the unfortunate father and son.
It seemed that after paying the bail, he had forgotten all about the matter. Apparently, that guy named Daniel Lawson had behaved himself. Jack also remembered that his son's name was Jacob.
At the time, because of the gunfight with the drug dealer in the parking lot and saving Chief Grey, he had been so worried about the aftermath of the shooting that he never thought to contact the other party. He hadn't expected the case to be resolved so quickly.
So, Jack called Lawson and found out that due to his good record, a sympathetic judge, and Angela's favorable testimony, Lawson was only sentenced to one month of community service and had now put the case behind him.
Thinking it over, Jack decided to drive over to check on the father and son. After all, since he had already helped, he might as well follow through and make sure Lawson didn't get into trouble again.
On the way, he bought a bunch of food like milk and cereal. Remembering the worn-out stroller he had seen at their door, Jack spent another $100 to buy a brand-new children's bicycle. He then drove to the white two-story house.
Located in a middle-class neighborhood on Genesee Street, Jack noticed that although the residents were mostly blue-collar workers, there weren't many African Americans loitering around. The streets were old but very clean.
Seeing Jack in plain clothes, Daniel Lawson still looked a bit nervous, and his son Jacob clung timidly to his father's pants, apparently recalling that nightmare morning.
Jack smiled and put down the large bag in his hand. "It's okay. I'm just glad you didn't go to jail. I also brought a gift for little Jacob. It's in the trunk."
Lawson expressed his gratitude profusely. Seeing this man, crushed early by life, Jack felt a pang of sadness, remembering how similar he was to his own late father.
Jack took a blue child's bicycle from the trunk, unwrapped it, and pushed it in front of Jacob. Seeing the boy happily riding around the yard, both men shared a satisfied smile.
"So, what are your plans now?" Jack asked.
Lawson, looking a bit more hopeful, replied, "I plan to sell this house and move to Salt Lake City. My father runs an auto repair shop there and is willing to take us in."
"Have you found a buyer yet?" Jack inquired.
Lawson shook his head. "The economy is bad, and this isn't a particularly desirable neighborhood. The bank has given me three months to pay back the loan, or they'll repossess the house."
Jack hesitated. Regardless of his future with Hannah, living at her place indefinitely wasn't ideal. Especially if they became a couple, he didn't want to seem like he was freeloading.
Although he didn't have much money at the moment and was resistant to loans, his inherent stubbornness made him consider investing in real estate.
Moreover, now that he was officially an LAPD officer, banks tended to offer favorable loan conditions to police officers.
He had been looking for rental properties for some time, but none had caught his eye. Now, this house intrigued him.
He politely asked Lawson if he could tour the house. Surprised and skeptical, Lawson quickly led Jack through it.
The house wasn't large, just two stories with four rooms, a living room, two bathrooms, and about 200 square meters in total. There was a small basement for storage or converting into a gun vault. If the room next to the living room was converted into an enclosed kitchen, it would meet Jack's needs.
The key feature was the large backyard, about 70-80 square meters, where Jacob was now riding his bike. It sparked many ideas in Jack's mind.
"Would you consider selling this house to me?" Jack asked. Once interested, he didn't hesitate. As a traveler from another world with a system, he had some confidence.
"Are you serious?"
Lawson looked ecstatic. He couldn't possibly repay the loan and would face severe financial hardship if the bank repossessed and auctioned the house.
Jack shook his head with a smile. "Don't get too excited yet. You need to get a real estate agent to appraise it. I'll see if the price is right and get a friend to help evaluate it. I'm not very knowledgeable in this area."
Overjoyed, Lawson immediately began contacting a real estate agent.
Jack also called John, who was well-versed in this field, to help him out.
After arranging for John to come by after work to inspect the house, Jack spent the afternoon at the bank, applying for pre-approval for a formal loan.
He had researched the process online, which was quite complex. Fortunately, escrow companies could handle everything for a fee.
"I've checked the structure and utilities; everything's fine. The house is less than ten years old and needs minimal repairs. A price of $450,000 is reasonable given the area. You've got a good deal," John said, smiling after his inspection.
Jack felt relieved but also more sympathetic toward Lawson. In this cursed country, a middle-class family could lose everything due to a few setbacks, without a chance to recover.
All Jack could do was hope his small help allowed the father and son to start anew in Salt Lake City.
"So, you're moving out soon?" Hannah asked when Jack came home, sweat still on her face from her workout, looking a bit miffed.
Jack smiled and ruffled her hair, deliberately messing up her golden locks. That expression didn't suit her sweet nature.
"I need a place of my own."
Seeing her still upset, he teased her, "I'll need a lady of the house. I wonder if someone is interested."
Hannah's face turned bright red, and she hugged his arm tightly. Smelling the floral scent mixed with sweat on her, Jack thought of something.
It wasn't that he disliked her scent; having trained together often, he was used to it. In fact, at times, that scent of female hormones was quite enticing.
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