We dispensed with the usual games straight away.
“Why do you want my property so much, Mr. Maxwell?”
“Dylan, please.”
He dipped his head in acknowledgment. “George.”
“Because I own the pieces on either side of you, George, and I have plans for it. For all of it.”
“Which are?”
I indicated the chair beside him. “May I?”
“Please.”
I sat down, crossing my leg
s. “I want to develop the property. Make it a high-end travel destination.”
“You’re going to tear down the inn and rebuild?”
“Yes.”
“And destroy the forest?”
“No. I plan to use the land in a better fashion. Expand the entire operation.”
“How?”
“In the summer, there’ll be a new outdoor pool, tennis courts, and boats to use on the water with a huge pier overlooking the ocean. Hiking trails with guides. Ocean tours, whale watching—everything my R&D team can come up with to make this a destination people will flock to, all year-round. The hotel will be five-star—beautiful rooms and suites, as well as an indoor pool, spa area, and gourmet dining. The cottages will all be updated and made into luxurious getaways. In the winter, there’ll be cross-country skiing, sleigh rides, snowshoeing, and other winter activities. It will draw a lot of people. It’ll be good for the town and the local merchants. A win-win situation for everyone.” Uncrossing my legs, I leaned forward, resting my elbows on my knees. “I plan to invest a great deal of money here.”
“I’m not sure the town will be prepared for that.”
I smiled knowingly. “George, I’ve been preparing for this for a long time. I’ve already purchased a number of the empty business fronts. There will be high-end shopping and local wares. I’ll make sure the merchants are ready.”
“You’ve planned this all out.”
“I have. The final piece is your property.”
He nodded, looking past me to the window.
“I always planned to live here until I die.” He indicated his legs. “Until the accident happened.”
“Is that why you’re selling?”
He snorted. “We both know why I’m selling. If I don’t soon enough, I’ll lose the place.”
He was right; we both did know that. But to my surprise, I wanted to know more. I wanted to understand.
“What happened?” I asked quietly.
“My son and I were on a trip down south. Foolishly, we didn’t have travel insurance. We went down for a few days, and neither of us even thought about it. We were in a car accident.” He blew out a long huff of air. “My son, Eric, was killed. I was left in this chair. Without insurance, the medical bills were horrendous.”
“I’m sorry for your loss.”
“That moment took away almost everything that mattered in my life. The only things I had left were this place and my daughter-in-law and granddaughter.”
“Why have you decided to sell now?”