Shoot First(Stone Barrington #45)(9)
“Oh.”
“Anyway, the place seems to be in fabulous shape. The owner has probably already had it tented.”
“I’ll ask,” Stone said. He called Joan.
“Hi there, what a surprise to hear from you.”
“Yeah, yeah, call the rental agent and find out if the house has been tented for termites.”
“It was tented last week,” Joan said.
“Okay. Tell the agent that the house won’t be rented anymore.”
“Okay.”
“And call Arthur Steele’s office and have the house put on my homeowner’s insurance policy.”
“Already done. Anything else?”
“Yes. I want to know who the seller is.”
“Arthur Steele.”
7
Stone drove to Fleming Street, to the offices of Spottswood, Spottswood & Spottswood and climbed the steep stairs.
Jack Spottswood greeted him in his office with a handshake and a smile.
Stone settled into a chair and took a few deep breaths.
“Would you like a glass of water?” Jack asked.
“Thanks, I’m fine.”
“There’s an elevator, you know.”
“I must have missed that. I’ll tell you a law firm joke,” he said.
“Shoot,” Jack replied.
“A man calls a law office, and a man answers, ‘Spottswood, Spottswood & Spottswood.’
“The caller says, ‘May I speak to Mr. Spottswood, please?’
“‘I’m sorry, Mr. Spottswood died some years ago.’
“‘Then may I speak to Mr. Spottswood?’
“‘I’m afraid Mr. Spottswood is on vacation this week.’
“‘All right,’ the man says, exasperated, ‘may I speak to Mr. Spottswood?’
“‘Speaking,’ the lawyer replies.”
Jack laughed. “Never heard that one.” He reached for a stack of documents and plopped them down in front of Stone. “There’s a condition report and an appraisal there,” he said. “You’ll be delighted to know that it appraised for half a million dollars more than you’re paying for it.”
“I’m happy to know that,” Stone replied, starting to sign documents.
“And the owner had any problems mentioned in the inspection repaired at his expense.”
“Arthur must have wanted to sell very badly,” Stone said.
“He said he wasn’t using it enough—he’s owned it for three years and has been down here twice in that time.”
“Arthur’s crazy.”
“Not entirely, Stone,” Jack said. “He made a million dollars on the sale.”
“Why didn’t you tell me that?”
“I didn’t know you were interested until the paperwork arrived this morning.”
“This morning?”
“About eight-thirty.”
“I hadn’t even made an offer at that time.”
“I guess Arthur figured you’d bite, once you’d spent a couple of days in the house. I think it’s the most beautiful house in Key West, except for mine.”
Stone handed him back the signed documents.
Jack’s secretary leaned through the doorway. “We’ve received Mr. Barrington’s funds,” she said. “Shall I disburse?”
“You may disburse,” Jack said. “Congratulations, Stone, you’ve bought the second most beautiful house in Key West. I hope we’ll see you down here often. Would you like to join the Key West Yacht Club?”
“Yes, thank you,” Stone replied. He had dined there a couple of times.
“I can arrange that for you. Would you like a berth? There’s one going.”
“I don’t have a boat here.”
“My advice is take the berth. Then, should you get the boat bug, you’ll have a place to dock it. There won’t be another one available until somebody dies.”
“I’ll take the dock,” Stone said, rising and shaking Jack’s hand. “Thank you for handling this so smoothly, Jack. I’ll try and send something your way from Woodman & Weld.”
“Always happy to have new business,” Jack replied.
Stone took the elevator down. Why risk breaking a hip?
* * *
—
WHEN HE ARRIVED back at the house, Meg and Viv were having coffee in the outdoor living room. “Did you tell Viv?” he asked Meg.
“Tell her what?”
“Where I’ve been.”
“Oh, yes,” Meg said, “he’s been to his lawyer’s office.”
“My God,” Viv said. “Don’t tell me he’s bought this house.”
“He has.”
“That’s funny,” Viv said, “just last night Dino said to me, ‘I love this house, why don’t we buy it?’ I gave him my list of reasons, including that we couldn’t spend enough time here and that we couldn’t afford it, then I said, ‘If you’ll just be patient for a few days, Stone will buy it, and then we can stay here whenever we like.’”