The men fell silent until that silence was interrupted by the sounds of LuAnn and Lisa approaching. The door to the terrace opened and the pair came out.
In person, Lisa Savage resembled her mother even more than in the photo. They both walked the same way, easy glides, no wasted energy.
“This is Mr. Riggs, Lisa.”
Riggs had not been around many children in his life, but he did what came naturally. He put out his hand. “Call me Matt, Lisa. Pleased to meet you.”
She smiled and squeezed his hand in return. “Pleased to meet you, Matt.”
“That’s quite a grip.” He glanced up at LuAnn and then Charlie. “That particular attribute must run in the family. If I keep coming over here I might have to start wearing a steel glove.”
Lisa smiled.
“Matthew is going to build a studio for me, Lisa. Out there somewhere.” She pointed toward the rear grounds.
Lisa looked up at the house in undisguised wonderment. “Isn’t our house big enough?”
All the adults burst into laughter at that one and finally Lisa joined in too.
“What’s the studio for?” Lisa asked.
“Well, maybe it’ll be kind of a surprise. In fact, I might let you use it too, sometimes.”
Lisa grinned broadly at the news.
“But only if you keep your grades up,” said Charlie. “By the way, how’d your test go?” Charlie’s tone was gruff, but it clearly was all a facade. It was obvious to Riggs that the old guy loved Lisa as much as he did her mother, if not more.
Lisa’s mouth dropped into a pout. “I didn’t get an A.”
“That’s okay, sweetie,” Charlie said kindly. “Probably my fault. I’m not all that good with math.”
Lisa suddenly broke into a big smile. “I got an A plus.”
Charlie playfully cuffed her head. “You got your mother’s sense of humor, that’s for sure.”
LuAnn said, “Miss Sally has some lunch ready for you. I know you didn’t get a chance to eat at school. Run along and I’ll see you after I finish up with Matthew.”
LuAnn and Riggs walked through the rear grounds. Charlie had begged off. He had some things to do, he had said.
After Riggs had walked the property he pointed to a clearing that was level, had an unobstructed view of the distant mountains, but still had shade trees on two sides. “That looks like a nice spot. Actually, with this much land, you probably have a number of potential locations. By the way, if I knew what you were going to use the place for I could make a more informed choice for the site.” He looked around. “And you have a number of outbuildings already. Another option would be to convert one of those into a studio.”
“I’m sorry, I thought I was clear on that. I want it done from scratch. None of the other buildings would really do. I want it set up like yours. Two stories. The first floor could be set up as a workshop for some of my hobbies, that is, when I get around to having some hobbies. Lisa is into drawing and she’s getting pretty good. Maybe I could take up sculpting. That seems like a very relaxing pastime. On the second level I want a woodstove, a telescope, comfortable furniture, built-in bookcases, maybe a small kitchen, bay windows.”
Riggs nodded and looked around. “I saw the pool area. Are you planning on a poolhouse and maybe tennis courts?”
“Next spring. Why?”
“I was just thinking that we might want to tie those and the studio into an overall plan. You know, use the same materials or some combo thereof with the poolhouse and the studio.”
LuAnn shook her head. “No, I want it separate. We’ll put in a large gazebo for outdoor entertaining and all that. It’ll be mostly Lisa using the pool and tennis courts. I want those facilities closer to the main house. The pool is already close. The studio I want farther away. Sort of hidden.”
“That’s fine. You certainly have the land.” He checked out the slope of the property. “So do you swim or play tennis?”
“I can swim like a fish, but I’ve never played tennis and I really don’t have any desire to start.”
“I thought all rich people played tennis. That and golf.”
“Maybe if you’re born with money. I haven’t always been wealthy.”
“Georgia.”
LuAnn looked sharply at him. “What?”
“I’ve been trying to place your accent. Lisa’s is all over the place. Yours is very faint, but it’s still there. I’d guess you spent a lot of years in Europe, but you know what they say, you can take the girl out of Georgia but you can’t take Georgia out of the girl.”
LuAnn hesitated for a moment before replying. “I’ve never been to Georgia.”
“I’m surprised. I’m usually pretty good at gauging that.”
“Nobody’s perfect.” She flicked her hair out of her eyes. “So what do you think?” She looked at the clearing.
Riggs stared at her curiously for a moment before answering. “We’ll have to draw up plans. They’ll help you get it exactly the way you want, although it sounds like you have a pretty good idea already. Depending on the size and complexity, it could take anywhere from two to six months.”
“When could you start?”
“Not any time this year, Catherine.”
“You’re that busy?”
“It’s got nothing to do with that. No sane builder would start on a project like that now. We need architectural plans and we also need to get building permits. The ground will be freezing soon and I don’t like to pour footers after that. And we wouldn’t be able to get it framed and under roof before winter set in. Weather can get real nasty up here. This is definitely a next spring project.”
“Oh.” LuAnn sounded deeply disappointed. She stared off at the site as though she were seeing her hideaway fully completed.
Trying to make her feel better Riggs said, “Spring will be here before you know it, Catherine. And the winter will allow us to work up a really good set of plans. I know a first-rate architect. I can set up a meeting.”
LuAnn was hardly listening. Would they even be here next spring? Riggs’s news about the construction schedule had dissipated much of her enthusiasm for the project.
“I’ll see. Thanks.”
As they walked back to the house Riggs touched her shoulder. “I take it you’re not into delayed gratification. If I could put it up for you right now, I would. Some sleazy builders might take on the job and charge you a healthy premium and then proceed to turn out a piece of crap that’ll fall down in a year or two. But I take pride in my work and I want to deliver a quality job for you.”
She smiled at him. “Charlie said you had excellent references. I guess I can see why.”
They were passing by the horse barn. LuAnn pointed at it and said, “I guess that counts as a hobby. You ride?”
“I’m no expert, but I won’t fall off either.”
“We should go for a ride sometime. There are some beautiful trails around here.”
“I know,” was Riggs’s surprising reply. “I used to walk them before this property was sold. You made an excellent choice in real estate, by the way.”
“Charlie found it.”
“He’s a good person to have around.”
“He makes my life a lot easier. I don’t know what I’d do without him.”
“Nice to have somebody like that in your life.”
She cast a furtive glance at him as they continued back to the house.
Chapter thirty-one
Charlie met them at the rear entrance. There was a suppressed excitement in his manner, and the darting glances he gave LuAnn told her the reason: Pemberton had found where the man in the Honda was staying.