The Key in the Attic(40)

His eyes were warm and understanding. “I’ll be glad to help in any way I can. What do you need?”

“You have to do a lot of granting permits and such for people who want to build anywhere in Stony Point, don’t you?” Annie asked.

“Well, I don’t personally do it, but it’s something the city does. Why?”

“How hard would it be to find out if someone is about to clear some land somewhere and is planning to start construction?”

He shrugged and shook his head vaguely. “I don’t know. I suppose it would depend where it is.”

“I guess what I’m asking is this: If you were to contact another town and ask for that kind of information, would they tell you?”

“It’s usually public information. I guess you could call up the county clerk’s office or the city clerk if it’s an incorporated area. Is it someplace nearby?”

“Fairfax County, Virginia.”

“Virginia?” He chuckled. “And what’s all the way down there?”

She told him about Geoffrey Whyte and the clue about the trees.

Ian knit his brow. “How would you know whether these trees you’re looking for are on a place about to be developed? And if they are, how would you know the right ones?”

The phone on his desk buzzed, and excusing himself, he picked it up.

“Yes, Mrs. Nash?” He nodded. “I see. No, I’ll get it. Ask her to hold for just a minute.” He put his hand over the receiver. “Speak of the devil.”

Annie cringed. “Burly Boy?”

“Ms. McMillan herself. I guess I’d better take it. Do you mind?”

Annie grinned at him. “Do you mind if I listen in?”

He shook his head, chuckling. “Always the sleuth, aren’t you? Sure, if you want to listen, go ahead. I’ll even put her on speaker, if you’ll stay out of the conversation.”

“Ooooh, yes, please. I promise I won’t make a peep.”

Ian punched the flashing button on his phone. “Good morning, Ms. McMillan. How are you?”

“Pressed for time, Mr. Butler.”

“Just so you’ll know, I have a friend of mine here in the office with me,” Ian said, glancing at Annie, “so our conversation won’t be strictly private. Is that OK with you?”

“That’s your call to make, Mr. Butler.” The woman’s words were cool and clipped. “I just wanted to let you know I’ve been on the telephone with Mr. Huggins about that Main Street property he owns. Due to the scheduling of some of our other construction projects, we’d like to get this one taken care of immediately. It will be some time before construction will start there, even if we can close very soon, but as you can well imagine, the timing on every project affects many of others.”

“I can understand that, Ms. McMillan,” Ian said. “How can I be of help?”

“Mr. Huggins has given one of his tenants an option to purchase, provided she can make the necessary financial arrangements by the end of next month.”

“Yes, that is my understanding too.”

Ms. McMillan laughed brusquely. “Let’s be honest here, Mr. Butler. I’ve spoken to Ms. Brock. She has no reserves, no assets, and not even the vaguest prospect of obtaining any by the end of next month. You know that as well as I. She certainly knows it. And I’m quite sure Mr. Huggins knows it too.”

“He might. I’m not sure what this has to do with—”

“As I told you, I’ve been trying to reason with Mr. Huggins about this. Of course, it’s been very difficult having any sort of a detailed conversation with him. He’s forever attending to something about his wife’s treatment and then having to call me back.”

Annie fumed at the thought of poor Mr. Huggins being badgered by this woman at such a difficult time, but she held her tongue.

Ian’s usually genial expression was growing more and more stony. “He does have a lot of things on his mind right now, Ms. McMillan, as I’m sure you can understand. Anyway, I’m assuming there’s a reason you’ve called me about this.”

“Yes, of course.” The woman’s voice fairly crackled with disdain. “I suppose that, as the mayor, you have more than a little influence there in your little town. I thought you might be able to reason with Mr. Huggins and with Ms. Brock about this option and see if you could get them to agree to cancel it.”

“And why would I want to do that, Ms. McMillan?”

“I think your town council was impressed with the numbers we gave them as far as what having one of our locations would do for your local economy. And of course, there are other community-enhancing efforts—literacy programs, green energy and conservation awareness, those sorts of things—which our corporation would bring to your area. It would obviously be in the best interest of Stony Point to get this deal done and as quickly as possible, don’t you think?”