I opened my mouth to explain, but there was no way to tell her, right in front of the agent, that there was gold inside the walls.
Just then that aged voice spoke up again, thick with mockery:
“Tch, still trying to haggle? Don't you know how many people out there have their eyes on me?”
“That good-for-nothing William James next door tried to marry Simon's daughter years ago, out to drain the family dry, and it didn't pan out. Now that Simon's gone, he's got his sights set on this place again. He's coming to see it tomorrow. When the house gets snatched right out from under you, don't come crying to me!”
My mind went blank, and the words just tumbled out “I really like this place. Why don't we lock in the contract today?”
Jackson scrambled to dig the contract out of his bag “That's fantastic, man! Sign today, and we can start the paperwork tomorrow!”
The words were barely out of his mouth when someone rapped hard on the door.
Jackson went to answer it.
Standing outside was a middle-aged man in his thirties, short, wearing a navy-blue jacket, supporting a gray-haired old woman on his arm.
“William? What are you doing here today?” Jackson blinked, caught off guard.
William squeezed a step inside, his gaze sweeping over me and Sarah “The old lady wanted a look first, worried tomorrow might be too late. The house hasn't sold yet, has it?”
Jackson looked a little awkward “Well……Mr. Perry here is in the middle of negotiating. He's pretty serious about it.”
“Let's not waste time,” William cut in flatly. “I'll add fifty grand. Eight-fifty, full cash, and I can wire it today.”
That aged voice flared up in an instant:
“What did I tell you! William, that dog! Back then he clung on like a leech trying to marry in, and Simon wouldn't have him. Now Simon's barely gone and he's already after this house. Who knows what he's scheming! Could it be he knows Simon left a little stash inside?”
Heat rushed to my head “I'll add two hundred grand!”
The whole room went silent. Sarah stared at me. Jackson's jaw dropped and stayed dropped.
William sneered, his face full of contempt “You can cough up a million?”
Jackson looked torn “William, Mr. Perry got here first……”
William patted the pocket of his jacket “I've got eight-fifty on my card, ready to swipe anytime. I just worry the guy who got here first doesn't have the means, all bark and no bite.”
I clenched my fists.
I had five hundred grand total on my card. The rest I'd have to borrow.
But the second I thought about the gold in the walls and the cash above the ceiling……
“I'll have the full amount together within three days. Let's sign the contract today first.”
William watched me coldly “Don't blame me for not warning you. If you sign and can't come up with the money, the deposit's nonrefundable.”
Jackson jumped in “That is the rule, actually. Maybe you want to think it over a bit more, man?”
Sarah finally couldn't take it. She yanked me out into the hallway and hissed through gritted teeth “Kevin Perry, have you lost your mind? A million dollars for this dump? Where are you getting a million? Did that agent slip something in your drink?”
Watching her, frantic and furious, my mind raced.
Tell her the truth? Would she even believe it?
“Sarah, trust me just this once. This house really has……”
“Has what?” Tears spilled down Sarah's face. “I've been with you three years, and you can't even come up with a decent place for us to get married in. Which of my friends got married without a newly renovated place? I didn't hold it against you, and now you go and dump this rundown little wreck on me! You want to sign, then sign, but the moment you do, we're through!”
She spun around and ran down the stairs.
When the contract was passed to me, my hand shook a little.
After I signed and pressed my thumbprint, Jackson tucked the contract away, grinning ear to ear “Man, you're a decisive guy! We'll do the paperwork tomorrow, just pay the full amount within three days.”
William sneered “You'd rather blow up things with your girlfriend than let this dump go. Don't tell me you found something inside the house?”
