Looking For You All My Life Part 20

the newspaper office. As it was Sat.u.r.day, no one else was

there and she had to unlock the doors and turn on the lights

herself. She puttered around the empty building waiting for

him to arrive, and just when she was about ready to give up,

she noticed a new s.h.i.+ny black pickup, with its sales stickers

still intact, park out in front of the office. And out sauntered

Rick. She bit her lip and prayed for grace. This wouldn't be

easy.

After settling into her office, she turned on her tape

recorder and began. "Mr. Westerly told me that you all

signed the sale papers for his property last week, and the sale

is final. Is that correct?"

"Yep. We're past the five-day rescission deadline too." He

folded his arms across his chest and leaned back in the chair.

"So it's all finished and done now."

Maggie glanced toward her window. "Is that a new truck

out there?"

He grinned. "Well, a developer's got to look prosperous,

if you know what I mean, plus it'll be a tax deduction. We've

already ordered some magnetic signs to put on the doors of

our trucks, and our name is TS Development. Personally, I

wasn't sure if we should be spending too much money just

yet, but as Greg says, it takes money to make money."

"Yes, that brings me to another question, if I may. Where

did you and Greg come up with enough money to purchase

Westerly's land?"

He laughed. "Ever heard of a thing called a loan?"

"I see. And regarding the selling price-do you feel that

you offered Mr. Westerly fair market value for his land?"

This made Rick laugh again. "Maggie, this is business."

She looked intently at him, searching for any sign of con-

science. "I'm sorry, Rick, Mr. Westerly gave me the impres-

sion that you were his friend."

Rick's face grew cloudy, but he said nothing.

Looking for You All My Life37

"I did a little research yesterday and learned that

according to local real estate values, the Westerly property

Lwas worth about twice what you and Greg paid Mr. West-

erly for it."

His brows lifted. "That much, eh? Well, thanks for that

information. Might be helpful down the line."

Maggie tried to contain the hostility that now bubbled

within her. Turning her gaze downward to her notepad, she

continued, "And does Mr. Westerly know of your plans to

develop his property?"

"Look," his eyes narrowed. "I know what you're getting

at, but the fact is Arnold coyld do with his property as he

wished when it was his property. But it's no longer his prop-

erty now."

"When do you plan to start developing the land?"

"Just as soon as possible. You know what they say, time