Proof of Murder (Beyond the Page Bookstore Mystery #4) - Lauren Elliott Page 0,48
up on Main Street because it’s the same time every day, and he always wears his white hat and carries a cane umbrella.”
Addie chuckled. “I guess I’m off to see Dapper Dan, then.” From her vantage point, all she could see was a woman perusing the sale rack by the front door. “Where is he?”
“He’s over by the History and Mystery sections.”
“I should have known. Where else would a suave gentleman be found?” Addie primped her hair and smiled at the woman as she sidestepped around her and made her way to the wall of shelves on the far side of the shop. “Art? How nice to see you again?” She held out her hand in greeting.
“Good morning.” He closed the book he’d been examining and glanced at his gold wristwatch. “Or should I say almost good afternoon?” he said with a crooked grin.
“Yes.” Addie rubbed her hand over her middle. “And my stomach tells me it must almost be lunchtime.”
“That’s exactly where I was headed when I decided that you might just be the one person in town who can help me.”
“Oh?”
He gestured with the book in his hand. “I understand from Maggie and Vera that you are the expert on this local ghost legend book.”
She looked at the copy of The Ghosts and Mysteries of Greyborne Harbor and shook her head. “I would never call myself an expert, but I have read it in depth. Why?”
“I’m not sure if you’re aware”—he tucked the book under his arm as he pulled a business card from his inside jacket pocket—“but I am the listing agent for Hill Road House.”
“No, I wasn’t.” She turned the card over, glanced at it. “Congratulations?”
His laugh rumbled in his chest. “Some might not think I should be excited by it, but since it’s my first listing in town, I have to make the best of it. Besides, I’m really under the gun with it to prove myself worthy to Maggie.”
“Really?”
“Yes, she only hired me because Vera insisted, and then she had to wait until I took the Massachusetts real-estate course and then pass my state licensing. She kept me on as an office employee even when I couldn’t do anything for her but write advertising copy and fetch coffee.”
“I’m really confused now. I thought you were already a real-estate agent—or did I misunderstand last night?”
“I am, but each state requires agents to be licensed in their region regardless of the years’ experience I had in Seattle. It didn’t count for anything out here.”
“I vaguely remember hearing something about all that. But how can I help you today?”
“You see, in this industry it’s all about the money.” He rubbed his thumb and forefinger together. “And so far, I haven’t brought any into the agency. I feel like this listing is a test, not only of my sales abilities but also to prove to Maggie that I’m worthy of dating her mother.”
“How would it be a test?”
He leaned in closer. “Because none of the other agents in the office would take the listing . . . It’s considered a tough sell, and Maggie . . . well, let’s just say she made it clear if I didn’t she might not have a position open for me much longer.”
“I see.” Addie rolled her bottom lip between her teeth. “What does this book have to do with any of this?”
“Because, my dear”—he waved the book in the air—“I believe I’ve hit on the perfect sales campaign, and this book, and a few of these others about local hauntings and pirate legends, will help me sell a house that is rumored to be haunted.”
Addie’s brows knit together. “But isn’t that something you’d want to downplay?”
“Not when the house’s reputation has spread up and down the eastern seaboard. I can’t get ahead of it, so my thought is to exploit it for all it’s worth.”
“That’s an interesting sales tactic.”
“So far, it’s working.” A tiny smile touched the corners of his lips. “I have two potential buyers coming to view it later next week.”
“And in full disclosure, you did tell them the rumors about the house?”
“That is exactly why they are interested in seeing it. Now I just have to make sure the auction house is cleared out by then.”
“That shouldn’t be a problem. Tomorrow the yard sale starts, which should clear out a lot of the inventory.” She rubbed her forehead. “Or did Blake extend everything because of the library being closed down as a crime scene?”