Cherringham--The Secret of Combe Castle by Neil Richards

Author:Neil Richards [Costello 1, Matthew 1, Richards 2, Neil 2]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-3-7325-0846-4
Publisher: Bastei Entertainment
Published: 2015-08-18T16:00:00+00:00

9. City Slicker

Sarah checked her watch. Nearly one o’clock.

From her position in the window of the Cotswold Gift Shop she had a perfect view of Cauldwells estate agent across the street.

“You sure I can’t help you?” said the woman at the counter.

“No, I’m fine,” said Sarah over her shoulder, remembering to inspect the display case of jewellery. Shopping for jewellery — that was her cover. “Present for my daughter. So hard to find something that’s just right.”

Especially here, she thought. Chloe wouldn’t be seen dead in a Cherringham gift shop, let alone buy earrings from one!

Sarah turned and smiled. But she knew she couldn’t stand here for much longer.

And then through the shop window, she saw Cecil Cauldwell leave his office and head off for his regular two-hour lunch at the Angel.

Sarah had already phoned ahead to find out if Anjii was going to be available. She was hoping that — face to face — she might be able to get the identity of the mysterious potential purchaser of Combe Castle.

But she didn’t want to bump into Cecil — who would guess immediately that she was up to something.

She and Cecil went back a long way and had crossed paths on more than one case.

Not that he was a crook. He just sailed close to the wind if there was any profit to be had.

So Sarah had taken up this observation post in the little shop across the street to be absolutely certain he wouldn’t be around to spoil her game.

And game it certainly was.

Usually it was Jack who did the play acting.

Today it was going to be her …

*

Sarah pushed open the door to Cauldwells full of confidence.

Dressing for the occasion always helped. These days she had just one business suit in her wardrobe, but on the rare occasions she put it on she felt like the boss of a blue-chip company: it was an Agnes B jacket and skirt she’d bought for a thousand pounds way back in her London days.

And that kind of style never went out of fashion.

She looked around the office. All the desks empty — apart from one where a sleek looking woman in her thirties sat at a laptop.

Sarah recognised her from her online searches this morning.

Anjii Laker. One tough cookie if all the hype about this London estate agent was to be believed …

Sarah had watched a couple of videos of her in action at conferences.

Her renowned ‘Close the Escape Routes to Close the Deal’ was a lesson in the dark arts of selling.

She’d joined Cauldwells Notting Hill office two years ago and increased turnover by a third, Sarah had read. Now she was in the Cherringham office — her mission, according to the press release Sarah had downloaded — to ‘seek out premium Cotswolds opportunities and add value to their transactional potential.’

Sarah coughed: Anjii saw her, got up and walked over.

Sarah saw her making a rapid assessment.

Jacket, blouse, shoes — checking I tick all the right boxes, thought Sarah. Little does she know when I’m out of here I’m heading home to make beans on toast for lunch …

“Ms.

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