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I walked into the cafe and took a seat at the counter. "Hi, Sally. How are things going around here?"
"Seems good to me. We sell a lot of pizza. How are you doing?"
"All is well. Chance and I should be in town for a while. At least, I think that's the plan."
Sally slid a large go-cup of sweet tea across the counter to me. She'd been fixing it while we talked. "I'm going to the office. See you in a bit." I walked through the kitchen doors, stopping to say hi to Rick, the cafe manager and cook.
After looking over the accounting reports, I noticed a folder lying on the desk. It was labeled Cryptid Coffee. I looked over the information and went to talk to Rick. "I need to talk to you. Can you spare a few minutes?"
"A few," he said, wiping his hands on the towel that was always tucked into his apron. He followed me into the office and left the door open so he could hear if someone called him.
I asked for a status on the search for a contractor. He'd gotten recommendations for a couple of guys from the larger town about an hour from Wilkins' Gap. "One of them is supposed to stop by tomorrow," Rick said. "I'll show him what we want, and he'll get back to us with an estimate. Same routine with the other guy on Friday."
"Then I've come just in time, I said. "We're thinking of doing some remodeling to the apartment upstairs, and we also have some work for a contractor at the museum. I'd just as soon have one guy do all the work if he can."
I told him a little about what we were planning upstairs and what kind of work was needed at the museum. He gave me the names of the two contractors and the times they were scheduled to be at Hairy's. "I'll plan to be here for both of the meetings," I said. "Thanks for finding them. I still want you to handle the Cryptid Coffee build out, but Chance and I will deal with the apartment and the museum."
"Are you thinking of renting the apartment?"
"Yeah. It's a waste to let it just sit there empty. My best friend from Georgia is moving here to work for us at the Munroe Wilkins Foundation. There isn't a lot of rental property in Wilkins' Gap."
"So, we'll be breaking in another Georgia peach, huh?"
"Now that y’all know the ropes, you might as well put your skills to good use." We both laughed.
Back in the cafe, I visited with Sally and some of the regulars while I waited for my to-go order.