Page 47 of Ghostridden
But when the two delivery guys rolled up the truck’s rear door with a rattle and boom, I wasn’t so sure. Not only was the thing packed with boxes—and I meanpacked—but there was furniture too.
“Wow. I didn’t realize there’d be somuch. I mean, he was essentially living here, right?”
“Not quite. He hadn’t closed up his Portland house, so I guess this is everything from there plus his business,” Ricky said. “Wonder who boxed it up?”
“Taryn mentioned an estate sale service,” I said distractedly, as one delivery guy—whose name tag read Keegan—pulled out a metal ramp and let it bump onto the asphalt. “I guess they handled everything.”
The second guy—Nando, according to his embroidered shirt—raised a hand to Ricky as he clanked up the ramp in his steel-toed boots. “Ricky. Qué pasa, man?”
“Estoy bien. But you won’t be if you don’t stop in and say hello to Tia before you leave.” Ricky glanced at me. “We’re cousins.”
Nando grinned. “Second cousins. But don’t worry. We’ll be stopping by Tia’s. I heard she made a tres leches cake yesterday.”
I cleared my throat. “There, um, may not be much—”
Ricky elbowed me and gestured to the truck. “Need some help?”
“Wouldn’t turn it down. What’s the catch?”
“I’ve got some stuff to move up to the attic after you’re done.” Ricky raised an eyebrow at me. “How much are we talking?”
“Not a lot,” I said. “And nothing too heavy.”
“No problem.” Nando smiled at me as Keegan wheeled a hand truck stacked with boxes down the ramp. He held out a hand for me to shake. “You must be Maz. Want to show Keegan where you’d like us to park this?”
“Uh, sure.” I hustled up the flagstone path to where Keegan was positioning an adjustable ramp over the porch stairs. I dodged around him to unlock the door, giving Avi a mental thank you for not expressing his feelings with sawdust again, and Sofia for watching Gil. Pausing in the vestibule as Keegan wheeled in the first load, I eyed the boxes—they were the bankers’ variety, so probably papers and books?
I pointed through the library’s doors. “Why don’t you drop those over there next to the dining room archway?”
“You got it.” Keegan tipped the stack off the hand truck and headed back outside.
I peered out the open door at Ricky and Nando maneuvering an upholstered love seat down the ramp. There wasa lotof stuff in that truck. The boxes alone might fill up the available space in the library. And the furniture… Would it upset Avi to see it all? I made a snap decision and hurried onto the porch.
“Hey, guys? Could we store this stuff in the basement, please?”
“You’re the boss,” Nando said. Then he cast a glance over his shoulder. “You gonna want to go through all these boxes down there, though?”
Hmmm. Good point. “How about this? All the furniture goes down there, but I’ve got a completely empty pantry. Let’s put the boxes in there.” The butler’s pantry and kitchen cabinets hadmore than enough space for my food, once I had a chance to go shopping, and I could shut the door to the second pantry to shield the contents from Avi.
The guys were incredibly efficient and speedy once I got out of their way at their apologetic and polite request. I kept my eyes open for Avi sightings, but he didn’t appear, not even when the guys carted his chosen stuff up to the attic. Between the furniture in the basement and the boxes stowed away in the pantry, I resigned myself to hours of sorting through Oren’s possessions, which was only daunting because of the quantity. However, I hoped going through his belongings would help me know him better. In a way, this would be the same kind of project as my job with Thaddeus Richdale’s effects at the Manor, although in Oren’s case, there were people in town—heck, in my own house—who’d actually known him.
Keegan, Nando, and Ricky clattered down the stairs after their last trip to the attic, laughing and chatting. I met them in the entryway.
“I can’t thank you enough, fellas. Do I owe you—”
“Nah.” Nando waved a hand. “We’re good. Taryn paid the bill already and Ricky’s giving us a tip for the extra work.” He patted his flat belly. “Lunch at Taqueria Vargas.”
“Don’t pretend you don’t just want a chance to gossip with Felicia,” Keegan said.
Nando snorted. “Like you don’t?”
“Calm down, guys.” Ricky turned to me. “We’re heading to the restaurant after we stop in at Tia’s. Will you join us?”
“I’d love to, but I’m kinda on the clock. I need to get back to the Manor and get something done today.”
“What about dinner?”
Ricky’s shy glance from under his lashes sent a little shiver up my spine, and you know what? Screw caution and my lousy romantic track record. No reward without risk, right?
