"Scott Nicholson - Must See to Appreciate" - читать интересную книгу автора (Nicholson Scott)

bones.

тАЬGoing to need a little oil there,тАЭ David said, playing the light over the
hinges.

тАЬY-yeah,тАЭ Reynolds stammered, as the cold crypt air wafted up from
the basement and bathed his skin.

тАЬYou going first?тАЭ

тАЬYouтАЩre the guest.тАЭ

тАЬBut you know the territory better.тАЭ

тАЬYes, yes, of course, David.тАЭ

Careful, Reynolds chided himself. He was oh-so-close to nailing this
one down. All he had to do was smile and walk down the stairs, let David
have his little look, rap on a few floor joists, kick the support beams, and
theyтАЩd be back in the office in no time, running some numbers and working
up papers. And Reynolds would be rid of this house forever. All he had to
do was finish the tour.

He surreptitiously wiped the sweat from his brow and stepped past
David into the murk. His feet found the steps and he laughed aloud, trying
to hide his nervousness.

тАЬWhatтАЩs so funny?тАЭ David said.

тАЬI forgot to tell you, the basementтАЩs half-finished. The previous owner
was converting it into a rec room. Talk about your amenities, David. Only a
little bit of payout, and you can have the perfect little hideaway. From the
wife and kids, know what I mean?тАЭ

тАЬI like my wife and kids,тАЭ David said. тАЬWhat about the previous
owners?тАЭ

Damn, damn, damn. They always asked that question. Reynolds
cleared his throat and continued down the roughed-in wooden stairs,
following the flashlightтАЩs beam. The darkness swallowed the light ten feet
ahead as hungrily as the crawl-space swallowed the sound of their
footsteps.

тАЬWell, David, the previous owners wereтАФтАЭ This was the real no-no.
The one thing heтАЩd learned was that you didnтАЩt talk about people who had
died in a house, especially a house you were trying to sell. Buyers were
superstitious.

тАЬтАФthe previous owners were old, and this was a little too much house
for them. They bought into a sweet condo deal on the coast.тАЭ Reynolds