Page 4 of Axel

“Aren’t you coming?” She told Mr. Hathaway that she had to get some work done here for the deadline of tomorrow morning. “Oh, you’ve got the job. I have had ten or more companies come out here, and not one of them showed me the fireplace or the floors. I’d be stupid not to hire your company after you going the extra mile to show me that sort of thing, don’t you agree?”

“Thank you. You still want to know how much it’s going to cost, though.” He said that they could work that out later. Right now he wanted her opinion on the furniture and if it was worth the cost to get them cleaned up. “Dixons don’t need to know that we were talking about them, do they? I mean, it’s hard enough in this business without pissing off someone that you may have to work with somewhere down the road.”

“I understand completely. And while we’re looking out there, if you could call Girlington and ask them to come out, I’d appreciate it.” She told him that her dad had the cell phone and he’d gladly make the call. “You don’t carry a cell phone?”

“Usually, yes. But not when we’re on a job. Dad carries around this burner phone to call home and such, or in this case, someone to come out to a job site, but we don’t want to be distracted by senseless phone calls while working.” She went to the barn with her dad and Axel, what he begged herto call him to look around. Even the flipping barn was a beautiful piece of art.

Jamie showed up about the time she’d gotten to the bedroom furniture. She wanted it all. And the master bedroom set was the most beautiful piece that she’d ever seen. Just to touch the huge bed when it was raw like this was more than she ever could image happening. But to see it before and after…that was going to be epic for her.

It was nearly supper time when they finished up with the house. Axel walked around with the two of them after Jamie quoted a price on the furniture and was going to do that for the man. Dad would point out things that he could see with his experience of older homes and she made notes about it on the company tablet. Axel then invited them out to dinner.

“I’m sorry, Axel, but we’re having dinner at the house already. My wife, Dani, will about have it on the table when we get there as it is.” Dad looked at her and she couldn’t read his face. “Why don’t you come to the house tonight. I know for a fact that there will be plenty of food. My son was going to be there but he’s been called out of town as of this afternoon.”

“I’d love that. Thank you very much.” After giving him the address, she and her dad got ready to leave the house. She was going to have to have a talk to her dad about inviting strangers to the house, but he’d just laugh at her and tell her that it was his home, too. “I’ll see you there in about half an hour if that’s all right.”

“Sure it is. Just come on down, and we’ll have a nice meal together while Mac here figures out what it’s going to cost you to have your house redone. It might take her a while. She’s got herself a program on the computer at home that does the estimates right. Right down to how many nails it’s going to cost us to do the work. My Mackenzie, she’s brilliant.”

Embarrassed now, she walked to the car. She didn’t like compliments nor did she take criticism all that well either. But she’d keep her mouth shut and do what her dad wanted until the man left. She still didn’t care for Axel but she really wanted the job for this house.

Mom met them at the door. She looked slightly upset but didn’t say anything to her. She hoped that she was going to tell Axel he was on his own tonight, but all she did was welcome him with open arms and bid him to go to the library to wait for dinner to be ready.

“It’s been a day, I’ll tell you.” Her mom was obviously upset because her Irish accent was stronger. “I’ve had to fire Mrs. Curtain and her daughter, Trina. Caught them stealing, I did. They were stealing right from the cupboard like it was something of a grocers. Oh, I tell you that I’m so mad that I could put a hex on them.” At the shocked look on Axel’s face, Mom laughed. “I don’t be really going to do that. I’m only saying that because it makes me want to use a few choice words to them.

~*~

Axel couldn’t believe how much fun he’d had having dinner with the Booths. At first, he wanted to smack Mac around for being snippy to her father, but he soon learned that they did this all the time. One of them would take a swipe at the other until they ran out of things to say. Then, the other would start. Dani seemed to be in a better mood after dinner and he couldn’t have been more delighted when she told him about Mac and her construction experience.

“There she was, all of seven years old, taking down the drywall in her room. Wanted a bigger closet than the one she had in there. Not that I blame her. It was barely fit for a person to stand in it much less the clothing as well. Her daddy went in there ready to bust her bottom when she turned to him and told him she was going to use her birthday money to buy the drywall and would he please show her how to hang it. The two of them have been in business since. And the closet? Well, it’s a right nice one, too. She doubled the space, and it only took her a couple of weeks to learn a new trade, hanging drywall.”

“They were just bits and pieces that she could do then. But she got the hang of it right quick. Never been as proud of her as I was that day. And I get more and more out of her daily when we’re working.” Charlie, what he insisted he call the other gentleman, put his hand on the back of Dani’s chair while finishing his part of the tail. “Worked every job, too, that you have to work with reconstruction. Mac here can plum out a bathroom or kitchen and do the rewiring as well. You do understand thatyour house is going to need rewiring, at least in the kitchen, correct?”

“A heavier load is what one of the others quoted me. But all he said was that it was going to have to happen and didn’t tell me that he’d do it.” Both Charlie and Mac said,Daniel Jefferson. It shocked him when they knew which person had told him that. “Would he have done it?”

“No, sir. He might well have left it open for you to have someone else come in and do it, but you’d have to put that in writing for him. Also, if he tells you that he’s going to need fifty sheets of drywall, then he’d only going to work until the fifty is gone. Won’t go out of his way to tell you he needs at least another sheet of the stuff.” The more he spoke with this family, the better he was feeling about telling them that they had the job. “Someone else you might want to watch out for is old man Trimble. Don’t rightly know if you have silver that needs to be cleaned up but he’s not too trustworthy about that sort of thing. He’ll find you cheaper pieces and then tell you that is what you gave him to work on. After that, he’ll fence it off for a much better deal after it’s cleaned up. Now, I don’t usually go around bad-mouthing my fellow reno guys, but I’d hate to see you ripped off when you’ve been a stand-up feller about your house.”

“I can’t thank you enough.” It was Mac who told him about the lawn services. “I do have a lot of grass that needs to be cut, that’s for sure.”

“Also, you’re renting out the land that would lay fallow if you didn’t. I’d check my receipts on that, too, if I were you. I’m not saying that the realtor or whoever you purchased that house from is steering you wrong, but I’m betting that you don’t get paid in the low months when there is no planting can be done.”

“You think that they’re only paying me in the productive months?” She said that she didn’t know for sure, but she’d bet that was why the Heathers were having so many money problems. “I’m assuming because it’s doubtful to me that you have anything to gain about this that you’re dead on the money. Do you think that the agency is in on it?”

“As I said, I don’t know for sure, but they were biting at the bit to have that house to sell. If no one paid enough during the auction, the real estate company in town was going to be able to sell it for a large profit.” He told her that he’d gotten it at the auction. “I figured as much. I’d keep an eye on your profits, Mr...Axel.”

That was a great deal to digest, so he pulled out his phone and began making notes on things. He’d have his brother look into the information that he’d been given, Penrod being a homicide detective, and see where that landed him. He did wonder if Mr. Lundon was aware of things going on too.

It was nearly ten when he made his way home. He’d had such and enjoyable time at the house, and the food was so delicious that he found himself wanting to see what they had for breakfast. After he was shown the closet that Mac had fixed, it surprised him that she still lived at home and in the same room as a child. But then, when Charlie was walking him to his car, still talking about the things in the house that he’d loved, he asked him about Mac.

“Her name is Mackenzie Caroline Booth but she can’t stand to be called that. Left at the alter she was literally left there by the man that we all thought was a good feller. But then I walked her right up to him, having the biggest odd smile on his face. He then took the time before leaving her to tell her that he only wanted to marry her on account of her having money. But there wasn’t any. Or so he thought. Left her there to deal with all the fallout the little pisser did.” Charlie laughed. “Her mother and I renewed our vows that day, had us the grandest party you’ve ever seen and she moved back home with us because she was heartbroken. Wouldn’t know if to see her, but I could hear her crying at night, and then…” He snapped his fingers. “She was over him. I think that him getting arrested was a big factor in that. Donald Richardson is his name. He was a con artist she found out and watched him close enough that when he tried to get an elderly woman to turn all her funds over to him after they got married, he’d leave her high and dry. Turned out that was what he’d been planning to do with my Mac but she had him sign a prenup for again as he assumed was lots of money.”

“I don’t mean to be crass or anything, but is there a lot of money? You’ve hinted at that twice now.” He laughed, it was like a barking sound that had him thinking that the man had been laughingall his life. “You’re a good man, Charlie.”

“Yes, sir, you are too. Me and my wife, not counting the businesses, own a house in about every country that there is. Insurance money, too, as well as a nice retirement bundle that we’ve never touched but put into every week. Millions. Mac has quite a bit more with her grannie leaving her all her money and a house too. She never liked me, but she did like our kids. Our son, Charles, he works for the government in real estate for them and makes a good living off that as well. He’s married with a son and one on the way. And they have an extremely comfortable life. Neither of them would have to work for what he had, but he likes to stay busy. So does Milly, his wife.”

He put out his hand and was happy that the man took it. He really had enjoyed his time with them and was glad that they had shown up while he was there. Axel was sure that he had chosen the right people for his house.

The next morning, he was up bright and early. He’s slept well, too, knowing that his days were numbered in the condo. To have his own yard was something that he’d never considered before, and he was happy that he was getting a very large one. Turning on his computer, he opened the email from Booth construction. The estimate was a little higher than he thought it would be, but he knew nothing about this particular line of work. However, when he opened up the work sheet, he was surprised to find that Mac’s dad had been right. There was a listing for nails in each room and how many they’d need to get the job done. If he was honest with himself, he’d say that was a great many nails but he didn’t have any idea if that was a lot or not. It wasn’t his area of expertise.

After making himself breakfast, he headed out. His thought was to go and find something to do, to keep himself busy while he worked out his two-week notice. But he found himself back at his house. There was already a construction crew on site, and he thought that he could learn a few things from them as well.

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