Free At the River’s Edge The Chesapeake Diaries by Unknown

try.” He jiggled the key and pushed, and the door opened.
    “Thanks.” Sophie walked past him into a large room that had windows on three sides. “Wow. Living room–dining room combo. I like it.”
    “You have to be kidding. This place is pathetic.”
    “It’s a great space and it has great light,” she pointed out. “And the kitchen … well, it’s okay, I guess.” She fixed the beam of light on the fridge and the stove, opening, then closing the doors. “Of course, there
is
a restaurant right downstairs.”
    She opened one of two closed doors and glanced inside.
    “Bathroom. Shower and a tub.”
    On to the other closed room. “Oh, this would make a really nice bedroom. Big windows on the side and across the back, lots of light. Great view of the river.”
    “And like the first floor, probably infested with all sorts of living things you wouldn’t want to share your space with.”
    Sophie laughed. “Oh, c’mon, Jess, it’s a really good apartment. Spacious, airy, high ceilings …”
    “Old everything here—pipes, wiring. I’ll bet nothing in this building is up to code. And it’s filthy, and I’ll bet there’s mold and that everything in the kitchen needs to be replaced.”
    “Exterminators. Plumber. Electrician. Lots of water and household cleaners.” She counted them off one by one.
    “Sophie, this is silly. Unless you’re ready to quit your job and move to St. Dennis, this is a waste of time.”
    He leaned against the door that opened to the stairwell. “Are you ready to move to St. Dennis?”
    She shook her head no.
    “Then what’s the point?”
    “I wanted to see what was here. I wanted to see if it was a place I could make work for me,
if
I decided that was what I wanted to do. And
if
it ever came up for sale.”
    She pulled the key from her pocket and walked outside. From the top of the stairs, she looked around. The lot next door was completely surrounded by a chain-link fence and was even bigger than she’d originally thought, the parcel being not only longer, but wider as well.
    “What do you suppose that’s being used for?” Sophie pointed to the adjacent property.
    “Doesn’t look like it’s being used for anything,” he noted. “Just like everything else out this way. Except for the bait shop on the other side. You might get some business from the fishermen in the morning—assuming you’re up at four when the boats head out on their first run.”
    Through the bare trees across the road, she could see almost as far as the Madison farm.
    “You can almost see Brooke’s family farm from here.” She pointed toward the barely visible barn roof.
    Jesse leaned on the railing that surrounded the landing and followed her sight line, then nodded. “Yeah, I think that’s the old barn.”
    Sophie turned and locked the door.
    “This place is pretty isolated, though. Not much traffic, no neighbors at night. I doubt the bait shop stays open too late. And next door, that fenced-in place.” Jesse shrugged. “I don’t know what that is.”
    “But as I mentioned, Dallas will be bringing in a lot of people this summer, and if the bait shops gets its permits and dredges for a marina, there will be boats coming and going. And besides, you and Brooke will be living at the farm, so you’ll be right through those trees. Why, we’d practically be neighbors.”
    “Please tell me you’re not serious about all this.” He waved a hand to take in the building.
    “I’m not serious.” She finished locking the door, then handed him the key before taking off down the steps.
    “Why don’t I believe you?”
    “Because you have a suspicious mind.”
    “The only thing that’s suspicious is the fact that you are barely reacting.”
    She smiled and got into the car. He got into the passenger seat and turned to her. “So is your silence your way of conceding that this place is good for nothing but a bulldozer?”
    “I am not conceding anything.” She started the car and turned