Today’s
excerpt is from Bigfoot Bait, Book #2 of the Becker Trilogy. While the “hunt team” stocks up on food for
the coming days, Janet makes a deal to buy 10% interest in the general store
and make a loan to the buyer for the other 90% of the selling price. Enjoy and have a fantastic day.
m.j.
When the caravan
of vehicles reached Entiat, Bob, Hector, and Dan filled up, while the other two
vehicles were driven directly to the motel, the plan being to top off those
tanks in the morning. None of the six
people in the group had a bit of trouble getting to sleep. But getting up was a different matter.
All, however,
were eating in the all-night café by three in the morning. After they finished, they all descended on
the country store—except Jim and Holly, who pulled up at pumps. Jim told Holly to go ahead into the store,
and took care of filling (then moving) both cars.
Inside, Janet
told the others to do the shopping, when she saw Jeb working again. She walked up to him smiling. “Hi, Jeb—your guy still sick?”
“Afraid so,
Janet. Nice to see you again. All these folks with you?”
“Yes. I’ll introduce them as they start piling
things up on the counter. Right now, I
want to talk to you about the clerk who wants to buy you out. What say Dan and I loan him ninety percent of
the money—and kick in the other ten percent to buy a ten percent interest in
the business? The loan would be
interest-free.”
“Wow! Not only beauty, but nice to boot…with a bit
of business savvy. I’ll go for it—and
I’m sure Harvey will, too. That’s his
name, by the way.”
“Yeah…you told
me that yesterday.”
“Oh, yeah, so I
did. See what happens to you when you
get old?”
“You’re not
old…just seasoned.”
As Jim came in,
Janet looked around the store and saw no one besides those with her were in
there. “Hey, gang, the youngster behind
the counter is named Jeb. Introduce
yourselves as you bring stuff up to the counter, so he can ring it up.”
Jim walked in
Janet and Jeb’s direction. “Hi, Jeb—I’m
Jim. Okay, you folks picking stuff out…don’t
take all of anything. Leave the man
something to sell to others.”
Jeb
laughed. “Hi, Jim. You folks just go ahead and take what you
want. I got more in the back to restock
the shelves with. Got nothing else to do
this time of morning…except to look at pretty ladies. But the ladies will be leaving too soon.”
Jim
grinned. “Jeb, what do you have in the
way of coolers for sale? Also, do you
happen to have any dry ice?”
“No dry ice, but
plenty of bagged ice. The coolers are
stacked over that-a-way.”
Jim looked where
Jeb pointed as he spoke, then walked toward the coolers. “Come on, Jan—you can grab a couple, too.”
Janet followed
along and was soon carrying two of the coolers, with Jim carrying two,
also. Jim put his on the counter as he
looked at Jeb. “Okay, start ringing
things up as we bring ‘em over.”
Jeb nodded and
rang up the four coolers, even as Jim went to grab the last two there. Janet took one to the outside ice machine,
put two bags of ice in it, then brought an extra bag for a cooler back
inside. Seeing that, Jim did the same
thing. In no time, they had all six
coolers sitting there, with two bags of ice each.
Seeing all the
things being picked out by the other four, Jeb hurried into the back and
brought out several boxes. By the time
he got back, his counter was filled. In
a matter of half an hour, everything was rung up, packed up, and on its way to
various vehicles. During the process,
those who hadn’t already met Jeb introduced themselves. When most of the items were packed in their
vehicles, Janet was the last to leave.
“See you in a day or two, Jeb.
Take care.”
“Hey, young
lady—do you even want to know how much I’m selling this place to you and Harvey
for?”
“Nah. Just write up some sort of an agreement, as I
outlined it. Nothing fancy. I’ll write you a check when we bring your
skillet and cutting board back.”
“You’re sure
awful trustin’.”
“Jeb, not many
men in my life have I had total trust in.
You and Dan are two. The other
guys you just met are some more. See
ya.”
“Thanks,
Janet. By the way, the skillet and
cutting board will be yours when you write that check.”
“Only ten
percent mine.”
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