Scotch on the Rocks

Chapter 3: Life in the Clouds

Ellington Mansion. Saturday, May 19, 2007.

El gazed longingly at the photos. She'd come to the mansion for a meeting about the girls club. She hadn't expected to find a siren calling her name.

For a moment, she let herself dream about what it would be like to live in uptown Manhattan. "I'm familiar with Huntsman Mews," she told June and Janet. "A client lives there. It's not technically a mews but it has that kind of feel. The townhouses aren't as large as the typical brownstone, and the equestrian touches are lovely."

"This townhouse is in sound condition," Janet said. "But it's dated. The couple who live there didn't want to be bothered with remodeling it. They love the neighborhood and are interested in finding a family who appreciates it just as much. They'd prefer to avoid using a real estate agent and listing it on the market. Peony offered to check around for a buyer."

"Do you know what the asking price is?" El realized she shouldn't go there. But a fixer-upper could be much more affordable. Plus, she and Peter could work on it slowly, putting their personal stamp on it. Stop that! Even a bargain would be more than they could afford.

When Janet mentioned the price, her heart sank to the floor with the thud of reality. Their neighborhood in Brooklyn was one of the hottest areas in the borough, but even so, the maximum they could get was only about half the asking price. They'd never qualify for the mortgage.

Her eyes drifted around the living room as she watched her fantasy dreamhouse float away. June and Janet knew of her interest in moving to their area, and also the difficulties it would entail. The move had become a joke for her and Peter. They'd discussed it seriously only once. After checking the range of prices for townhouses in the neighborhoods they were interested in, they realized it simply wasn't feasible.

"I have a friend who's interested in purchasing the house as an investment," June said, taking a sip of coffee. "She doesn't want to live there and has no desire to tackle the necessary remodeling. She'd like to partner with someone willing to make it a joint venture. They would be co-owners with my friend providing the mortgage. The partner would build up equity by handling the renovation. My friend's only interested in a small fee for the mortgage. She expects that the partner would eventually become the sole owner."

As El listened, her heart started to soar once more. Could she and Peter possibly live in the clouds too? But undoubtedly it still wasn't realistic. The terms sounded too good. There had to be a catch. Still, no harm in daydreaming a little bit longer. "For whoever your friend partners with, there would be additional savings," she pointed out. "New York City has a generous program of tax credit for the restoration of homes in a historic district. Huntsman Mews was built in the 1890s. It would surely qualify."

June smiled. "You sound like you've already researched the idea."

El nodded. "I'd thought of buying a fixer-upper for our next house." She paused to smile. "Mainly because of all the projects I've had Peter tackle. Someday we'll want to move so we can have more space. You probably know I've daydreamed about living in Manhattan."

June nodded sympathetically. "I remember your comments when we sketched ideas for Neal and his friends in Arkham."

"I loved the idea of the Gilmans and Sara all living within walking distance of Neal and June," El said. "For my situation, the work aspect is a big factor. So many of our activities are in Manhattan, I'm starting to begrudge my time-consuming commutes."

"We wish you could live closer too," Janet said. "If you're interested in Huntsman Mews, I could let Peony know."

"Do you know anything about the person interested in buying it?" El asked.