Breath of Scandal(124)
"Point!" he cried.
Baring her teeth, Jade lunged forward, tackling him, and following him down into the grass.
"Foul! Foul!"
Jade tickled his fibs. But he surprised her by rolling to his side and throwing her off. She sat up, panting. "When did you learn to do that? Only a few months ago I could hold you down for an hour."
"I'm growing."
She looked at him with maternal pride. "You certainly are. 11
"How much do you weigh, Mom?" "How indelicate!"
"No, really. How much?"
"About a hundred twelve pounds." "I already outweigh you!"
"What in the world are you two doing?" Cathy was watching them from the veranda.
"Playing soccer. I lost," Jade said ruefully. Graham bounded to his feet and helped pull her up.
"There's a telephone call for you," Cathy said. "Should I tell them to hang on until half-time?"
"Very funny," Jade remarked as she trudged up the steps, Cathy laughed. "I'll pour you a Coke."
"Thanks," Jade said over her shoulder as she padded in stocking feet toward the telephone in the hall. "Hello?" "Miss, uh, Jade?"
"Yes. 11
"This is Otis Parker."
It had been over a week since she had left the contract at his house. She had resisted the temptation to call him and was very pleased that he had finally phoned her. She responded with feigned equanimity. "Hello, Mr. Parker."
"Some feller answered the phone when I called the number on the card you left. He gave me this number." "That would have been Mr. Burke. I hope this call means
that you've decided to accept my offer."
"No, not quite. I'm gonna think on it awhile longer." She folded both hands around the telephone receiver and nodded a distracted thank-you to Graham when he delivered her cold drink.
"Mr. Parker, I'm prepared to increase my offer." She had to proceed with caution, especially since she didn't know for certain why he was stalling. "What would you say to an offer of seven hundred fifty thousand?"
He covered the mouthpiece. Jade could hear snatches of a muffled conversation. He was conferring with someone. Mrs. Parker? Was he asking her opinion, her advice? Or was he being coached by a third party?
He returned to the line. "To offer that much, I'd say you want the property real bad."
"I do. " "What for?"
"I'm not at liberty to disclose that." "Hmm. Well, I--
"Before you give me your answer . . . I'd also be willing
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to give you eighteen months to vacate. In other words, GSS would own the property as soon as the deed was transferred, but we wouldn't assume occupancy for a year and a half. That would give your family ample time to relocate. You wouldn't be obligated to take that amount of time, but you would have the option."
Jade sipped her Coke while another muffled conversation ensued. Her fingers were almost as cold as the frosted glass. When Mr. Parker came back on the line, he said, "I'll have to call you back."
"When?" "When I've made up my mind." "Mr. Parker, if another party is-" -That's all I'm saying tonight. G'bye."
For a long moment after she hung up, she stared at the telephone receiver, wishing she had said more, wishing she had said things differently. So much was riding on her handling this situation with kid gloves. Not only was her pride at stake, but her future with GSS.
Otis Parker hung up the telephone and turned to his guests.
"Well, Otis, what will you tell her when you call her back?" Ivan peered at him from beneath his brows.
Otis scratched his head and looked uncomfortably toward his wife, who was sitting silent and rigid on the sofa. "I don't rightly know what to do, Ivan. She's offering seven hun'erd and fifty thousand and giving me over a year to move out. You can't hardly beat a deal like that."
,,We can and we will." Neal's jaw appeared carved in granite, his eyes as brittle as glass. Throughout the meeting with the Parkers, he had declined to sit down. After carrying Ivan in and depositing him in the easy chair with the greasy headrest, he had stood, negligently leaning against the wall, appearing to be more at ease than he was.
it had been a hell of a week. He wanted this deal consummated, the sooner the better. He didn't like being in hock up to his eyebrows. But he'd gone this far, so he'd
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just as well go the distance. If it meant mortgaging a few luxuries like the boat and the beach house on Hilton Head, he'd do it. He gave his father an imperceptible nod.
"Give us a few weeks to match her offer," Ivan said, turning back to Otis. "You owe me that after all the times I've extended you credit." Then Ivan did what he did best. He employed subtle fear tactics. "I don't mind telling you, Otis, that I'm disappointed in you. The first time Jade broached the subject of buying this place, you should've come and told me. I wouldn't have found out if I hadn't had spies on the lookout for my interests. I thought they were lying the first time they told me you were involved in that Sperry gal's scheme to ruin me.