Page 37 of Threads of Kindness
“One last thing,” Tim said. “I don’t want to rain on your parade. I know how excited you are about this property and your museum. But I want to caution you—rein in your enthusiasm and look at this building with clear eyes. The sellers may not accept a reasonable offer.”
“Why are you saying this?” she asked softly.
“Because I want you to buy therightproperty for your museum,” he said. “That means the right locationatthe right price. Emotions often play a large role in choosing real estate, but it’s never wise—especially when acquiring a business location—to let your heart overrule your head.”
Anita took a deep breath. “I don’t want to make a bad financial decision,” she said. “I’ll try to control myself. And I give you permission to tell me if you think I’m making a mistake.”
“Good,” he said. “Because I represent you—and that’s my job.”
“Understood,” Anita replied. “See you at three.”
“Despite what I just said,” Tim added, “I believe the sellers will be reasonable. I want tomake this deal happen for you.”
CHAPTER 19
Anita stamped her feet against the cold sidewalk to keep warm while Tim fumbled with the key.
“This old lock is cantankerous,” he said over his shoulder. “If you buy this place, one of the first things I’d do is change the lock.”
“Duly noted,” she said, trying to keep the impatience from her voice. Now that she was here, standing on the threshold, she wanted him to hurry up. The cleaning crew had replaced the brown paper covering the inside of the window. Passersby still couldn’t see into the shop. She had tried.
A small pickup truck pulled to the curb and parked. She greeted Sam and Jeff as they climbed out to join her.
The tumblers in the lock clicked into place, and Tim pushed the door open. “After you,” he said.
She bounded through the door, with Sam, Jeff, and Tim close behind. Anita walked to the middle of the room and turned in a circle, taking in the cleaned space.
“Gosh, this looks so much different,” she said. “If I close my eyes, I can imagine the magical candy store of my childhood.”
“I’d say they did a fine job,” Sam said. “Based on what Tim told us, it was a complete mess.”
“That’s an understatement,” Anita said. She pointed to the display cabinets and cash register. “I’m glad they left those, as requested.”
“The attorney said the only other things they left in place were a dozen wooden crates in the basement,” Tim added.
“What’s in them?” Anita asked.
Tim shrugged. “Don’t know. He said the owners wouldn’t tell him. They think a buyer might want the contents. If the buyer doesn’t, the seller will arrange to have them removed.”
“Have you ever heard of anybody doing that?” she asked.
“I’ve been in this business for over thirty years,” Tim said, “and this is a first for me.”
“Should I be worried about it?”
“The attorney said the sellers assured him there’s nothing hazardous or dangerous. They think the contents will be a fun surprise for someone.”
“Now I’m really intrigued,” Anita said. “Could I take a teeny peek at them when we’re in the basement?”
“I’m under strict instructions not to open them,” Tim said. “Think of it this way: when people put their houses on the market, they sometimes lock a closet and don’t let buyers see inside. They secure valuables too large for a safe deposit box. The sellers regard these crates the same way.”
Anita looked at Sam and raised her eyebrows.
He shrugged. “I don’t see any reason to worry about it. You’ve got bigger issues to deal with.” He scraped the floor with his foot. “This is beautiful old wood, but it’s badly worn from years of foot traffic. You’ll want to either refinish it or put down new flooring.”
“I definitely want to refinish it,” she said. “Visitors should feel like they’ve stepped back in time when they enter my museum. It’ll be like a journey to the past.”
“I love the sound of that,” Tim said.
