Red Delicious Death Read Online Free

Meg shook her head, Frances went on, “Let us know when Seth gets here. Come on, you two—there’s a back set of stairs, which is perfect for what you want.”
    While the trio clattered up the uncarpeted stairs, Meg wandered around the downstairs rooms. Even with a solid structure, it was a pretty safe bet that the house would need a major overhaul to turn it into a business—which meant a major outlay of capital. Did the kids have a clue what they were getting themselves into? And had they given any thought to zoning, permitting, a liquor license? Or did they only have pie-in-the-sky ideas about opening a nice place to eat? Meg wasn’t sure whether she envied them their youthful optimism, or pitied them for the rude awakening that undoubtedly awaited them.
    “Hello?” Seth called out from the front of the building.
    Meg went out to greet him, and watched as he approached, the usual spring in his step. She always thought that he looked like the original town settlers would have looked: compact, solid, competent. That wasn’t surprising, since the Chapins had been among those founders. And if anyone could steer the Czarneckis in the right direction, Seth could.
    “What’s the story? Are they really interested, or just looking?” he asked her.
    Meg shrugged. “I can’t really tell. They saw a couple of other sites, but even I could tell they wouldn’t work. I think they like this place, and Frances is giving them the pep talk. And as a plumber, you can tell them what they’ll need to do in the kitchen, which is pretty much a blank slate at the moment. And as a selectman, you can tell them about permitting.”
    Seth held up a hand, grinning. “Whoa! First we’d better figure out if they’re serious. You think they’d be a good fit for Granford?”
    “You’re asking me? I think they make me feel old.” Meg sighed.
    Seth laughed. “Can it, Meg. You’ve taken on a lot of new things recently, so I don’t think you’re too stodgy yet. Let’s see what they’ve got to say.”
    As Frances, Nicole, and Brian made their way down the stairs, Seth stepped forward to greet them. “Hi, I’m Seth Chapin—Granford resident, contractor, plumber, and selectman. You name it, I’ve probably done it. You’re thinking about using this place as a restaurant?”
    Nicole’s eyes were brighter than they had been when she went up the stairs, Meg noticed.
    “Well, it’s not definite, but it’s the nicest place we’ve seen, if we can get a deal we can afford. We know we’ve got a lot of expenses coming. Can you take a look at the kitchen?”
    “No problem.” Seth led the young chefs back toward the kitchen, leaving Meg and Frances in what must once have been the front parlor.
    “What kind of funds have they got?” Meg said in a low voice.
    Frances grinned. “Enough. From what they’ve said, Nicole’s dad gave them a nice check as a wedding present, and they’ve been saving their pennies since. I’ll get them a good deal, if they go for it. I know the owners pretty well.”
    “Are there restrictions on what you can do with a historical structure in Granford?”
    “Some. We’ll see. I hope Seth doesn’t scare them off.”
    “He’ll be fair. I’ll bet the selectman side of him would want this to work, but I don’t know if that talks louder than the plumber-renovator side.”
    Nicole emerged from the kitchen alone. “Guy stuff. They’re talking about drains and venting.”
    “You both plan to cook?” Meg asked.
    “Oh, yes! We both love it—although Brian took more business courses than I did. And we’ve got another friend—he couldn’t make it today because he had some stuff to finish up in Boston, but he could be here by next week. He’s our sous chef. So Brian will take care of the build-out, and then later, the front of the house. I’ll handle planning menus and do most of the cooking, and Sam will deal with the vendors and prep work. We’ve got it all planned out.”
    Seth and Brian emerged