Chapter 21

To make a small bathroom look larger, go for white tile, cabinets, flooring, and walls.

The Green home was just a few blocks from the college campus and would be a convenient place for parents to stay when visiting the college. The small apartment over the garage was going to be a gold mine for the owners.

I rang the bell, and a petite woman with silvery blond hair opened the door.

“Hi, I’m Laura—

Before I could get my introduction completed, she flung her arms around me. “Laura, I can’t tell you how relieved I am to see you.”

Well, at least my fears of having to deal with a disgruntled client whose project had been delayed were for nothing.

Theresa stepped back and ushered Nita and me into her house. “Sorry. I shouldn’t have done that, but I was so worried this project wasn’t going to be completed in time, and I already have the space booked. If I had to cancel, the parents would be really unhappy because all of the local hotels are filled for those dates.”

“I understand. I’m sorry you’ve been worried, but Nita and I are here to complete the work.” I introduced Nita, who braced herself for a possible hug.

Theresa walked us out to the garage, which had an outside staircase leading to the apartment above. The area around the entrance was beautifully landscaped and would provide a shaded glen with seating for guests to relax.

“It has a keyless entry, so we don’t have to worry about lost keys or keycards,” Theresa explained. She gave us the entry code so we could go in and out without a problem. “And we can change it anytime we want to.”

After giving us a tour of the surprisingly spacious area, she said she would leave us to our work. I was pleased to see the furniture that Monica had ordered arrived okay and had been put in place. That would help speed things up. Everything she had selected was super durable, including tabletops that wouldn’t mark if someone placed a cup or glass on them without a coaster.

I pulled out the folder Kimberly had given me that contained the design drawings and a list of the items we would place inside. Monica had keyed the décor to the historic community around the college. Nita took some before photos. Later she’d take some after shots so I could show Monica. She probably wouldn’t be totally satisfied with the job we did, but in her position, she shouldn’t complain. And if she went to prison, she couldn’t inspect our work.

Once rented, the place would need to be turned over quickly for each new guest, and Monica had designed everything for easy cleaning. The hardwood floors would be easier to maintain than carpeting, and the rugs were all machine washable.

After we carried in everything from my car, including our tool bag, we set to work. Among the equipment we always carried to a home staging was a three-step ladder, which we set up to hang the curtain rods and room-darkening draperies. I noticed the Roman-style shades didn’t have pull cords, which could easily become entangled or break. Smart move because over time and with frequent use, they could be broken. They also could present a danger if any guests had young children with them. We hung the draperies and then used a steamer to remove any folds or wrinkles in the fabric.

“I’ll give Monica credit. She put a lot of thought into everything,” Nita observed. “She even included a laptop workspace and lots of open shelving instead of drawers. That way people won’t leave things behind like they do when they put things in drawers.”

Monica had provided multiple sets of white linens, which would give the place a spa feeling. Everything was of excellent quality since it would be changed frequently and needed to be durable. She had even included two white bathrobes to give a sense of luxury.

The mention of Monica brought to mind the image of her sitting in that dismal jail. Would she ever be in a comfortable place again with touches of luxury? My momentary satisfaction of seeing her in prison had disappeared to be replaced by feelings of pity. Her situation looked pretty hopeless. I didn’t want that to happen to anyone, even my worst enemy.

Nita and I made the bed. Monica had avoided using a cloth headboard to prevent it from getting dirty. The sixty-inch wooden headboard provided a nice focal point for the room.

We positioned two luggage racks in convenient spots, set up a coffee station in a space that had been designed for that purpose, and completed all the other tasks on our list.

Several hours later, Nita plopped down on a two-seater sofa that held a foldout bed. “I’m exhausted. But I must say, the place looks splendid.”

I sat down next to her and pulled out the checklist. “Do you think we’ve forgotten anything?”

“If something is missing, I’m sure the guests will let Theresa know.”

As a final act, I spritzed lavender air freshener and then went to get Theresa for her inspection. The place was fabulous as a high-end, short-time rental.

Theresa was suitably impressed and joyfully went around the space inspecting everything. “Oh, it’s everything and more than Monica promised. Thank you so much. I know people are going to enjoy staying here.”

“It was Monica’s design and work. We just executed it.” It took us well into the evening, but I was happy the work was completed and we wouldn’t have to return tomorrow to finish.

“Speaking of Monica, that was such a shame about her and Damian Reynolds,” Theresa said. “Just when we thought he was gaining some happiness in his life after the tragedy in his family.”

Nita and I looked at each other. Tragedy? “We hadn’t heard about that,” Nita said. “What happened?” Thank goodness for Nita’s willingness to ask pointed questions.

“Oh, dear. Sorry. I shouldn’t have said anything. My husband is on the board at the college and was involved in hiring him. Forget I said anything.”

I knew Nita would have liked to prod her for more information, but I didn’t think we’d get anything further from her, especially since it was obvious she thought she had been indiscreet saying what she had. We’d have to find another source of information.

After we got back into my car, I pulled out my smartphone and did a search on Google for Damian Reynolds. “Nita, you need to see this.”