morning.
"Just lucky, I guess," she quipped as she went back to the outer office.
Mac struggled through the stack, sorting it into 'today', 'this week', and 'lose it' piles. Much of the last pile lay on the floor because he had missed the paper-recycling bin. The cleaning crew last night had moved it from its usual spot.
Still sitting at the bottom of the second pile for about the fifth day was an invitation to attend the formal retirement dinner of the Chief of Police of a Syracuse suburb. Mac was ignoring it, of course, because he just couldn't picture himself at a black-tie affair. All those years in undercover work meant no ties at all, much less a black bow. Two tickets were available for him and a guest, the invitation said.
Carolyn would fit in perfectly at that kind of thing. He wondered if she would even accept his invitation. Figuring the worst she could say was 'no', he reached for the phone but was stopped by the buzz of the intercom.
"Chief, Mavis just called to confirm that Elliot White, who owns the property where The Costume Nook is located, hasn't bought or sold any other properties within the past year. She also mentioned that the gray sedan was illegally parked by her building when she got home last night a few minutes after six. A man was in the driver's seat just like last time."
"Did she get the license number?"
"Said she couldn't see that well without walking right up to it. She's convinced he's 'up to no good', to quote her exactly."
"The next time she calls, have whoever is on duty run right up there and check it out."
"Will do. And Ms. Houseman is here for you. She says you have a date–" Through the intercom, Mac could hear Sandi's voice correcting Ellie, but without much conviction. "I mean, ah, an appointment. To show you a house."
Mac didn't bother to depress the button to respond. He grabbed his uniform jacket and coat and strode out, pulling them on. He would ask Carolyn about the banquet at dinner tonight. Right now he hoped this house was the one he was looking for. He needed to have his own space to start living his own life.
With a smile on his face at the thought of living on the lake, he went to greet Sandi. He quit smiling when she brightened as if his smile was all for her.
They drove back along the west side of the lake. This time, instead of passing the point Mac had noticed the last time, she turned and headed down the blacktop drive entering the woods there. The lake views could only be described as spectacular.
With plenty of land around it for privacy, the house rambled on one floor, with a wide deck across the lake side. The view from there was fantastic enough to convince him to buy it even if the insides were a shambles, but the house was in nearly new condition. He poked through every nook and cranny before he walked out to the point where he stood at the water's edge. He could see up and down the lake from this vantage point. He drew in a deep breath.
He felt like he'd come home.
His decision was the easiest one he'd made since coming to Lakehaven. "When can I move in, Ms. Houseman?"
"I knew you'd like it. If you've seen enough, let's go to the Lake Inn and have lunch. I'll tell you all about what the owner's son told me. And please, you must call me Sandi. No one's that formal here in Lakehaven."
Mac nodded and followed her to her car. This house looked perfect. There would be plenty of good exercise for his bum shoulder by cutting the deadfall in the woods. When it was too cold or wet to work outside, he would enjoy installing wall cabinets in the den. Yeah, living in Lakehaven was turning out to be not half as bad as he once thought it would be.
"I spoke to the owner's son this morning and I feel we can do business."
Sandi beamed at the smile that spread across Mac's face. She never stopped talking about the house all the way to the restaurant. Mac listened carefully this time because he wanted to learn all he could about the place. Sandi was certain the
"Just lucky, I guess," she quipped as she went back to the outer office.
Mac struggled through the stack, sorting it into 'today', 'this week', and 'lose it' piles. Much of the last pile lay on the floor because he had missed the paper-recycling bin. The cleaning crew last night had moved it from its usual spot.
Still sitting at the bottom of the second pile for about the fifth day was an invitation to attend the formal retirement dinner of the Chief of Police of a Syracuse suburb. Mac was ignoring it, of course, because he just couldn't picture himself at a black-tie affair. All those years in undercover work meant no ties at all, much less a black bow. Two tickets were available for him and a guest, the invitation said.
Carolyn would fit in perfectly at that kind of thing. He wondered if she would even accept his invitation. Figuring the worst she could say was 'no', he reached for the phone but was stopped by the buzz of the intercom.
"Chief, Mavis just called to confirm that Elliot White, who owns the property where The Costume Nook is located, hasn't bought or sold any other properties within the past year. She also mentioned that the gray sedan was illegally parked by her building when she got home last night a few minutes after six. A man was in the driver's seat just like last time."
"Did she get the license number?"
"Said she couldn't see that well without walking right up to it. She's convinced he's 'up to no good', to quote her exactly."
"The next time she calls, have whoever is on duty run right up there and check it out."
"Will do. And Ms. Houseman is here for you. She says you have a date–" Through the intercom, Mac could hear Sandi's voice correcting Ellie, but without much conviction. "I mean, ah, an appointment. To show you a house."
Mac didn't bother to depress the button to respond. He grabbed his uniform jacket and coat and strode out, pulling them on. He would ask Carolyn about the banquet at dinner tonight. Right now he hoped this house was the one he was looking for. He needed to have his own space to start living his own life.
With a smile on his face at the thought of living on the lake, he went to greet Sandi. He quit smiling when she brightened as if his smile was all for her.
They drove back along the west side of the lake. This time, instead of passing the point Mac had noticed the last time, she turned and headed down the blacktop drive entering the woods there. The lake views could only be described as spectacular.
With plenty of land around it for privacy, the house rambled on one floor, with a wide deck across the lake side. The view from there was fantastic enough to convince him to buy it even if the insides were a shambles, but the house was in nearly new condition. He poked through every nook and cranny before he walked out to the point where he stood at the water's edge. He could see up and down the lake from this vantage point. He drew in a deep breath.
He felt like he'd come home.
His decision was the easiest one he'd made since coming to Lakehaven. "When can I move in, Ms. Houseman?"
"I knew you'd like it. If you've seen enough, let's go to the Lake Inn and have lunch. I'll tell you all about what the owner's son told me. And please, you must call me Sandi. No one's that formal here in Lakehaven."
Mac nodded and followed her to her car. This house looked perfect. There would be plenty of good exercise for his bum shoulder by cutting the deadfall in the woods. When it was too cold or wet to work outside, he would enjoy installing wall cabinets in the den. Yeah, living in Lakehaven was turning out to be not half as bad as he once thought it would be.
"I spoke to the owner's son this morning and I feel we can do business."
Sandi beamed at the smile that spread across Mac's face. She never stopped talking about the house all the way to the restaurant. Mac listened carefully this time because he wanted to learn all he could about the place. Sandi was certain the
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