I scrutinize that crack in my footprint.

Need to get new boots soon…

Or I’ll have wet feet…

“I'm scared,” I admit.

His voice is soft. “Of what? Committing? To him?”

“No, not exactly. What if it all went wrong?”

I know that I sound like some spoiled child, complaining about homework or the wrong cookies with my milk, but the words keep coming… “What if I lost my job? Or Ryan was doing badly? If we couldn’t pay, we could lose everything.”

Klempner shrugs. “So, what’s the difference with that to paying rent for the rest of your life? That’s always going to be money down the drain. If you’re on a mortgage, you’re building it up.” He sniffs, scratches his nose. “It seems to me, that you need to sort out your priorities; to decide what it is you really want…”

He’s making a lot of sense…

But he keeps talking. “… Too many people go through life making do. If you fuck up what you really want, you could spend the next twenty years of your life regretting it, before you get another chance.”

“Like you did?”

His gaze goes distant, staring off down at the lake. “Like I did.”

Why are you talking to me like this?

Lawrence Klempner in the role of agony aunt…

However, my good sense rules and I keep that thought firmly inside my head where it belongs.

But I do keep speaking. “It’s just… it’s such a huge amount of money. I’m really worried we can’t afford it.”

Klempner sucks at his cheeks. “You work for Haswell? Do I have that right? And he’s arranging the purchase for this Mill you want to buy?”

“Yes, that's right.”

“And your Ryan, what does he do?”

“He owns his own company. They make heating and ventilation systems. He's doing a lot of contract work right now for James and Richard.”

“He’s the company director?”

“He is, yes.”

“So… his files are a matter of public record. Haswell probably has a very good idea of what he's worth too. And he knows what size of orders Ryan’s company is likely to pull in over the next few years?”

“I suppose so.”

Klempner huffs. “There’s no suppose about it. You don't get into Haswell’s position without having a knack for putting a value on people.” He levels a finger at me. “If he thinks you can afford it, you can afford it. And he’s the one offering you the sale and setting the price.”

Still I hesitate.

He lets out air. “Kirstie, you do realise that Haswell's selling it to you under value?”

He is?

at the

With the terms of payment, the agreed interest rate and the time period… he's… well, if he's not losing money, he could have made a lot more by following his original

said he didn’t have

arches brows, tilts his head. “Really? So why do you imagine he had an option on the place?

he’s saying to me sinks in. My mind races. “But why

all in there…” He thumbs back into the house… “Jenny, James, Haswell and his wife… But they’re clearly all looking out for each other… Haswell seems a decent enough man. But you can be sure that to be where he is, he’s been playing the game at

words over in my

Lawrence Klempner…

much does he know about

rest

talk as

life… I went looking for skeletons on Haswell and I couldn’t find any. So far as I can see, he's as honourable as big business ever allows.” He aims a finger at me.

you’ve been pulled under the collective family wing. Haswell’s making his best effort to do you a favour. A big favour. No offence meant, Kirstie, but there're not too many women in your position who would be made an offer like

didn’t do that

raised the alarm when Ben might have murdered Jenny and Mitch. And you identified Baxter as Jenny’s kidnapper.” He muses then smiles. “Haswell aside, I’ll not forget that. If you ever need my help, Kirstie, you can

He really is looking

just taking the air,

me. “Baxter’s still

about him?

me.” His eyes flash fury. “I have no reason to believe

mouth drying, “You think he'll come

not. He knows I'll be looking. But...” He rocks his hand back and forth... “Just in

His words hang, half-said…

though,” I say, “Isn’t

then breathes in, lets

him, and I still don't understand why. He

two of you were

colleagues. We knew

it's someone else,

his head inclining.

Someone close enough to get inside his head… Is Baxter married? Is there

his teeth. “Not that I’m aware of.

begin to feel awkward. “You didn’t mention Michael,”

his head, jolting

Richard, Beth, Charlotte. You didn't

laugh. “I understand why my

don’t like Michael?

simply don’t think it’s a meeting of minds Jenny was opting for when she married

being

a brow. “You think

the letters after his name, but whatever he feels inside, James isn’t good at expressing it well. And he

Klempner seems genuinely

“Michael… has emotional intelligence.”

brow rises further. “Emotional intelligence? Really? That's an idea

Slaver... Trafficker… Murderer…

It doesn't mean it's not

muses. “It's something Mitch is strong on.

hooker? I suppose if you can read people it's got to make you better at

doesn’t seem offended. More amused. “Perhaps. Still… she didn't

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