CHAPTER FOURTEEN

 

RANDI RAISED her head and looked up at him.  Did she hear him correctly?  “You want me to go to Atlanta? With you?”

“Yeah.” He held on tighter when she started to back away from him.  “Just hear me out, okay?  If I let you go, will you just sit?  Let me discuss it with you?”

Randi stared silently.  Sure, she thought.  Why not?  Surely, she could manage a trip to Atlanta with everything else going on in her life, she fumed.  But he looked so desperate.  Her heart melted and she nodded her head.  “Okay, you have ten minutes.”

Randi sat at the table while Trevor paced.  “You know I’m all for renovation, right?  One of the main reasons I bid for your project is because you and Brina want to take something old and refurbish it.  I’d much rather do that in Atlanta. My sister says they’ve been doing a lot of renovating of old factories in some of the districts.  I’ve been doing some research and found an old cotton mill that’s for sale.”

“They’re pretty big,” Randi commented.  “Lot of potential, though.  Expensive.”

“Not if I can talk the developer into channeling their money in that direction.  Imagine it.  They could put businesses in the main level and units in the upper levels.  Buildings that size, they could probably get fifty units in each one that could be rented on a weekly basis.  In addition to the businesses downstairs.”

“I’ve always wanted to go to Atlanta.  Even considered it before I moved here.  But it was too big and competitive for me.  Lots of sites though.  Georgia Aquarium, Botanical Gardens, Centennial Park, Fox Theatre...”  She leaned back in her chair.  “Trevor, you might have something.  But why do you want me to go with you?”

“I want you to walk through the property with me.  Help me check it out.  Design it.  Sell it.  If they like it, then I’ll do the construction and you do the interior design and decoration.”

“Are you serious?  Trevor, it’s near the end of the school year.  I can’t just pull Scott and Sandy out of school.”

“I’m not saying you’d have to pull them out of school.  It would be just for a few days.  We could schedule the trip the weekend before my meeting.  I can talk to the realtor, arrange a walk-through and then we could take a couple days to put together a proposal for the developer.  Hearing about your computer program, it should be a piece of cake for you to put something together.  I do the construction, you do the decorating.”

“I thought you didn’t like interior decorators.”

Trevor looked shocked.  “Who said that?”

“Brina.  She said whenever you two discussed the firehouse, you always made a face when she said she wanted to discuss it with her decorator.”

“Okay,” he sat at the table.  “I might have had a different opinion about interior decorators a few weeks ago.  That was before I met you.”  He reached for her hand and smiled.  “You and I could make a good team. Will you at least think about it?  It might be a long weekend and Monday.  Four days at the most.”

Randi’s heart skipped a beat.  Could she survive four days with Trevor?  Just Trevor?  No boys, no friends in tow. She hadn’t been alone with a man one entire day much less four.  She studied him, wondered if he might have an ulterior motive.  Not that she wouldn’t be interested, but she had to consider her boys and Tim’s petitioning for joint custody.  How would that look?  Who would she get to watch the boys for that long?

“Trevor, I’ve got to think about this.  I appreciate your wanting my input but I’m also in the middle of a custody battle and I have to think about my boys.”

“I’m sure Harriet will take into consideration your business.  They don’t even have to know that you’re with me.  You could just say that you’re looking over a job and leave it at that.  Maybe Ginny will keep the boys.  Didn’t I hear her say something about that the other night?”

“Yeah, but that was for over-night, not four days.”

“Maybe she and Cliff might like to try their parenting skills.  All you can do is ask.”

“Why do I get the feeling that you’ve already asked?”

“Well, I did mention that I might need your help on a project when I caught her before she left the school today.  She asked where and when I said Atlanta, her eyes lit up.  Said she would talk to Cliff.”

“I bet her eyes lit up,” Randi exclaimed.

 

As soon as the boys were in bed, Trevor reached for her laptop.  “Will you at least look at the property?” He pulled up the online listing and they studied the pictures.

“The property is u-shaped with three four-storied brick buildings.  Probably takes half a block if not all of it. The back side is open and already has a parking lot. The railroad runs parallel two blocks away making it easy for commuters if they make it residential units.  Or travelers if they make it like a resort.  Or they could do both.  There’s a water tower and smoke stacks in each building that can be updated to provide water and heat and air.”

“Needs a lot of work but has potential too,” Randi said.

“Nothing that can’t be fixed.  I’d leave the exterior alone, just do some cosmetic changes around the buildings.  I’m sure some of the multi-paned windows will need to be replaced but I want to keep everything as original as possible.  I might even be able to replace some of the panes at minimal cost.”

He pulled up another picture that showed an open space between the three buildings.  “Could put a pool here, make it the courtyard at one end for the units and outdoor seating for a restaurant at the other end.  The outer windows look over the skyline.  In all directions.”

“Do they have any pictures of the interior?”

Trevor clicked forward a couple views.  Randi saw large vacant rooms with concrete floors and faded brick walls.  “They will certainly lend themselves to the large open rooms people today are favoring.  You could actually incorporate a kitchen, dinette and sitting area in the room.”

“Your idea of the apartment in the upper level of the firehouse made me think about adding loft bedrooms that overlook the open rooms.  The ceilings are certainly high enough.”

“With a lot of wrought iron,” Randi added.

Trevor smiled when he saw the excitement in her eyes.  “So, what do you say we talk to Cliff and Ginny?”

“Trevor, let me think about this some.  I’m flattered that you’d like me to help but I have a lot to consider.  When do you need to know something?”

“They want me to do a presentation week after next.  If we fly down the Saturday morning before my presentation, I can arrange to see the building that afternoon.  Then we’d have Saturday night and all-day Sunday to put together some ideas and prepare the proposal.   My sister lives down there.”  He didn’t say that she would be out of town.  “She claims she already knows you.”

“But I don’t know anyone in Atlanta.”

“Not Atlanta.  Maryland.  Susan Mitchell.”

Randi’s eyes grew large.  “Susan Mitchell is your sister?  Trevor, if it weren’t for Susan, I might not have my business.”

Trevor was taken aback.  Susan never mentioned knowing Randi this well.  She might be an accomplished business woman but his sister never told him about helping Randi start her business.

“She knew I had started my business while married to Tim.  When the boys were infants, and after I moved into my own home, she encouraged a few of her friends to consult with me when they decided to remodel their homes.  One referral led to another and the rest they say is history.  It’ll be nice to see her again.”

 

“I need help.  Anyone available?” Randi texted her three friends.

“Busy with a wine tasting,” Marcie said.

“What’s wrong?” Ginny texted.

“It’s Trevor.  He wants me to go to Georgia with him.”

“I’ve got this,” Brina texted.  Moments later, Randi’s phone chimed.  “Okay, what’s going on?”

“It’s everything,” Randi exclaimed.  “As if I don’t have enough to worry about with Tim’s shenanigans and Harriet Young’s get-togethers, now Trevor wants me to go to Georgia with him.”

“I know he’s been working on a proposal.  And it’s more than obvious that he is smitten with you.”

Randi laughed. She wasn’t going to offer that he was more than smitten.  “He’s looking at an old cotton mill down there.  He’ll do the construction and renovation and wants me to do the interior design.”

“Hmm.  And what did you tell him?”

“I haven’t told him anything yet.  Brina, I’m beginning a child custody battle.  How will it look if I went away for a weekend with a man?  What about the boys?  I’ve never been away from Scott and Sandy.  Never.”

“Okay.  Sometimes you have to travel to where jobs take you, right?  This could be huge for you and you should be thanking Trevor for including you.  I know you’re worried about the boys but I think three women and two men can keep them entertained for a few days.”

“But what about Harriet?  Tim?  You know he’ll have a field day with this.”

“We don’t have to tell them, do we?  The interviews are over. Everyone’s getting together this weekend.  That should satisfy things.  You can just slip out of town, enjoy yourself with a good-looking man, make your proposal and be back before anyone realizes you’re gone.”

“For four days?  It’s so deceiving.  I just don’t want to jeopardize things.”

“We’ll talk about it Friday night.  We won’t tell the boys until after Tim and Miriam are gone.  Trust me, it’ll be okay.  Tell Trevor you’ll be joining him and plan on having a good time.”

 

Hal paced the front office of the garage, then stopped.  It was his third night at the garage and he thought he saw something at the firehouse.  He reached for Trevor’s binoculars and looked closer.

Sure enough, he saw some movement, watched what looked like three shadows following the beam of a flashlight.  Maybe he didn’t imagine those lights the other night, he thought.

The shadows made their way across the back of the building, paused, then unlocked the door and went inside.

Hal frowned.  None of them looked like Trevor.  Or Aaron, the foreman.  If it wasn’t them, where did whoever it was get a key?

He cracked the door, made sure there were no cars coming and made his way across the street.  Cars awaiting maintenance were parked in the lot and he quietly and slowly moved between them towards the firehouse.

Ignored Trevor’s orders about not going in by himself.

Hal crept to the door and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw it was ajar.  It creaked at the first nudge then was silent.  He grabbed a handful of rocks, slipped inside and listened to determine where they were.  He heard male voices in the front room then saw three bodies huddled around a flashlight that was being shone in different directions.  They looked like teenagers.

“I thought you said this place was being demolished,” one of the boys said.

“That’s what he said.”

“Then what’s with all this stuff?  They even painted over our artwork from last week.”

“Maybe we shouldn’t be here,” a third voice said.

“It’s okay, I tell you.  If he says it’s okay, it’s okay.”

Hal knew he wouldn’t be able to take the three of them by himself but he was determined to teach these boys a lesson.  He reached in his pocket and tossed a rock across the room.

“What was that?”

“What?  I didn’t hear anything.”

“I know I heard something.  Over there.”

Hal waited thirty seconds, then tossed another rock in another corner.  He watched the boys jump, turn towards that corner.

“What was that?  Did you hear it?”

“Yeah.  Probably just a mouse.  You’re not scared, are you?” the voice taunted.

“I’m not scared but this place is creepy.”

Hal noticed a long pipe near him and a box of supplies.  He picked up the pipe, tossed another pebble in the third corner, then nudged the box aside.  He had to restrain himself from laughing out loud when he saw all three boys jump.

“I don’t know about you,” the first boy almost sobbed, “but I’m gettin’ the hell out of here.”

Hal backed into the darkness when all three boys ran past him.

 

Trevor had just arrived at the cottage when Hal called from the garage.

“Just terrified three teenagers that decided to visit the firehouse this evening.”

“Teenagers?”

“Yeah.  Pretty sure they’re teenagers.  And they had a key.  Watched them sneak across the back and unlock the door.  I snuck over there and managed to get inside without them hearing me.  One of the boys bragged that he had permission to be there.”

“Not from me, he doesn’t.  My foreman called me to say some of the tools were missing. I’m planning to change the locks tomorrow.”

“I couldn’t tell but I’m pretty sure these might be the three boys I see walking along Main Street most afternoons.  Usually around three thirty.  Almost like clockwork now that I think about it.”

“Thanks.  I’ll have to check them out.  Maybe we could use some gofers on the job.”

 

Trevor waited in his truck the next afternoon.  Just as Hal predicted, he saw three boys ambling along the street.  Two were Caucasian, one with blonde hair, the other red hair.  The third was a mixed race with black hair.  All were tall and stocky.  Probably played football, he thought.   

He got out of his truck and walked over to a telephone pole, stapled the flyer to the pole.  Made it a point to turn away just as the boys approached.

“Hey, mister,” he heard one of the boys say. 

Trevor smiled but kept walking.  He didn’t want to be too obvious.

“Mister,” he heard two voices speak louder.

Trevor turned and watched the three boys approach.  “Yeah?”

The red head had the flyer in his hand.  “Are you looking for help?”

Trevor nodded.  “Trying to finish up a project and need some help in the afternoons.  You interested?”

“Well, yeah.  What kind of help do you need?”

“Gofers. Cleaning around the project, putting tools away, organizing things for the next day.”

“How many are you looking for?”

“Two, maybe three.”  He made it a point to look at each boy as if considering them for the job.  “You interested?”

“Yeah,” all three boys said in unison.

“Good,” Trevor turned and walked to his truck.  “Meet me at the firehouse.”  He watched them as he started the engine and saw they were huddled together, whispering.  Figured they’d show up at the job or be suspicious and stay away.  Either way, he had a description and would be talking to Duane Peterson.

Ten minutes after he returned to the job, the boys walked through the front entrance.  “Play along,” he told his foreman.  “I’ll explain later.”

“So,” he reached for his clip-board, “let’s get some names.”  The blonde identified himself as Josh, the red head, Norman and the third, Clay.  “How old are you?”

“Seventeen,” all three spoke in unison.

“Why aren’t you boys working after school?  Or playing sports?”

“We played football,” Josh said.  “Not interested in baseball.”

“And there aren’t too many jobs around here,” Clay added.

“What year are you in school?”

“Juniors,” Norman answered.  “Gonna be seniors next year.”

“What about your parents?  Will they have any problems with you working here in the afternoons?”

All three nodded.

Trevor handed each a form.  “I need you to fill these out and have your parents sign off.  We’ll check into work permits.  He turned to his foreman. “This is Aaron. He’s going to take you around the site, explain what we’re doing.  Bring these papers back tomorrow and I’ll have a list of things you can start on.”

“So, what is this all about?” Aaron asked twenty minutes later.  “We don’t need any more help.”

“We need these boys.  They were here on the site last night and somehow had a key to get in.  I have reason to believe they may have done the graffiti.  Possibly stole the tools too.  I’m going to let Duane Peterson know and we’ll just keep an eye on them.”

 

He noticed the movement out of the corner of his eye and jumped up when he saw Josh and his friends leaving the firehouse.

What was Josh doing there?  Being his usual nosey self?  He was always getting into trouble.  That’s why he had counted on him doing a good job with the graffiti.  But what was he up to now?  He couldn’t afford to have them on the site.  Drawing attention to themselves, confessing to doing the graffiti.  Being encouraged and paid by that contractor.  One thing could lead to another and before long they would know.

Nothing had been said about the missing tools.

Each day he watched them haul stuff out of the building.  He’d walked by the back yesterday and there was still a mess there.  The pile of scrap materials was growing.  Maybe they won’t clear the back.

Maybe they won’t find out.