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Authors: Jayne Ann Krentz
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the council members would go wild if they believed that a wealthy off-shore investor was preparing to turn Whispering Waters Cove into a glitzy destination resort.
"Any company moving into Whispering Waters Cove will want to pick up the land it needs as cheaply as possible before word gets out and all the locals decide to try to make a killing," Davis added. "It's common to send in a good point man to buy the big parcels before anyone knows what's happening."
Crazy Otis Landing was a nice chunk of waterfront property, Charity reflected. It could easily form the heart of a major resort. "You think Elias Winters might be acting as a point man for an off-shore investor?"
"I think it's a reasonable assumption, given what I've heard about Winters."
"But why would he agree to renew the leases at the old rates if he wanted the pier for his client?" Charity was irritated by the rising note in her own voice. There was no call to get emotional about this, she thought. This was business. She had once been very good at business.
"If I'm right, you're looking at three- to five-year planning in action," Davis explained.
"In which case, renewing the leases for another year is no big deal," Charity said glumly. "Whoever is be hind the operation may not intend to start construction for another couple of years."
"Exactly. Why not let the present tenants hang around for a while? Besides, it helps maintain the low profile."
"I get the picture," Charity said. "If we want secure leases here on the pier, we'd better negotiate them for at least three years, maybe five."
"Relax," Davis said cheerfully. "It's not your problem. You've got more than enough business savvy to keep your little bookstore going regardless of what happens to the pier. In fact, a major resort would probably do wonders for your bottom line. People on vacation read a lot. You'll be okay."
But Bea, Yappy, Radiance, and Ted didn't have her skills and business acumen, Charity thought. They were not what anyone in the corporate world would call players. It was true that they had improved then-business methods in the past year, but their little shops were unlikely to survive a sudden, major redevelopment of the pier.
"Thanks, Davis. Say hello to Meredith."
"I will. About time you came into the city to see us, isn't it?"
"I'll get in one of these days."
"Good." Davis hesitated. "Sure you're not bored with running that little pier shop yet?"
"I'm sure."
"I have a bet with Meredith. I give you six more months before you come back to Seattle."
"You're going to lose, Davis."
"We'll see. By the way, Charity, one more thing."
"Yes?"
"A word of warning. Watch your step with Winters. Rumor has it he's not just a player, he's a winner. Every time."
"No one wins every time, Davis."
Charity said good-bye and hung up the phone. For a while she gazed blindly at the display of mystery titles that occupied a large section of one wall.
Why was she feeling such a letdown, she wondered. She knew how the players in the business world worked. Davis had only said aloud things that she, herself, should have suspected from the start.
The truth was that she did not want to believe that Elias Winters might be deliberately deceiving her. During the past ten days she had begun to hope that he was exactly what he claimed to be. A man who had come to Whispering Waters Cove to find some answers.
A man who had something in common with her.
The soft knock on the kitchen screen door came after dinner that evening. It startled Charity, who was sitting at the table, filling out yet another in the seemingly endless series of bureaucratic forms that always threatened to drown a small business. Her pen slipped on the first letter of her name just as she was about to add her signature. The C came out as an odd little squiggle.
Charity threw down the pen and shot to her feet. She whirled to face the door. A dark figure loomed on the step.
"Who's there?"
"Sorry, didn't mean to scare you." Elias
"Any company moving into Whispering Waters Cove will want to pick up the land it needs as cheaply as possible before word gets out and all the locals decide to try to make a killing," Davis added. "It's common to send in a good point man to buy the big parcels before anyone knows what's happening."
Crazy Otis Landing was a nice chunk of waterfront property, Charity reflected. It could easily form the heart of a major resort. "You think Elias Winters might be acting as a point man for an off-shore investor?"
"I think it's a reasonable assumption, given what I've heard about Winters."
"But why would he agree to renew the leases at the old rates if he wanted the pier for his client?" Charity was irritated by the rising note in her own voice. There was no call to get emotional about this, she thought. This was business. She had once been very good at business.
"If I'm right, you're looking at three- to five-year planning in action," Davis explained.
"In which case, renewing the leases for another year is no big deal," Charity said glumly. "Whoever is be hind the operation may not intend to start construction for another couple of years."
"Exactly. Why not let the present tenants hang around for a while? Besides, it helps maintain the low profile."
"I get the picture," Charity said. "If we want secure leases here on the pier, we'd better negotiate them for at least three years, maybe five."
"Relax," Davis said cheerfully. "It's not your problem. You've got more than enough business savvy to keep your little bookstore going regardless of what happens to the pier. In fact, a major resort would probably do wonders for your bottom line. People on vacation read a lot. You'll be okay."
But Bea, Yappy, Radiance, and Ted didn't have her skills and business acumen, Charity thought. They were not what anyone in the corporate world would call players. It was true that they had improved then-business methods in the past year, but their little shops were unlikely to survive a sudden, major redevelopment of the pier.
"Thanks, Davis. Say hello to Meredith."
"I will. About time you came into the city to see us, isn't it?"
"I'll get in one of these days."
"Good." Davis hesitated. "Sure you're not bored with running that little pier shop yet?"
"I'm sure."
"I have a bet with Meredith. I give you six more months before you come back to Seattle."
"You're going to lose, Davis."
"We'll see. By the way, Charity, one more thing."
"Yes?"
"A word of warning. Watch your step with Winters. Rumor has it he's not just a player, he's a winner. Every time."
"No one wins every time, Davis."
Charity said good-bye and hung up the phone. For a while she gazed blindly at the display of mystery titles that occupied a large section of one wall.
Why was she feeling such a letdown, she wondered. She knew how the players in the business world worked. Davis had only said aloud things that she, herself, should have suspected from the start.
The truth was that she did not want to believe that Elias Winters might be deliberately deceiving her. During the past ten days she had begun to hope that he was exactly what he claimed to be. A man who had come to Whispering Waters Cove to find some answers.
A man who had something in common with her.
The soft knock on the kitchen screen door came after dinner that evening. It startled Charity, who was sitting at the table, filling out yet another in the seemingly endless series of bureaucratic forms that always threatened to drown a small business. Her pen slipped on the first letter of her name just as she was about to add her signature. The C came out as an odd little squiggle.
Charity threw down the pen and shot to her feet. She whirled to face the door. A dark figure loomed on the step.
"Who's there?"
"Sorry, didn't mean to scare you." Elias
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