Pane and Suffering by Cheryl Hollon

should wait?”
    â€œYes, Miss Savannah, but—”
    â€œIt’s important to wait until I’m finished cutting a piece of glass. I haven’t looked at the invoice, but I think this is German glass and it’s quite expensive. I could have ruined the whole piece.” She stopped as Jacob began to breathe loudly and faster.
    He looked down at his shoes. “I’m sorry, Miss Savannah.” He gulped in a new breath and blurted, “There’s a man outside.”
    â€œWhat? We’re closed. I know I turned the sign around to CLOSED.” She went out of the workroom and stopped just at the front of the display room.
    A man was pointing a small black device up to the roofline of the shop. He was quite short in a sharkskin gray suit with a black shirt and cartoon tie featuring Felix the Cat. It was not a local look. His hair was so thin that he must have faced a daily decision whether to comb it over or shave it clean.
    Savannah opened the door and stepped out onto the sidewalk in front of the shop. “May I help you?”
    He smiled with brilliant white teeth that nearly glinted in the bright afternoon sun. “Good afternoon.” He reached into the inside pocket of his jacket and handed her a business card. “Are you Miss Webb?”
    She took the card without looking at it. “Yes, I’m Savannah. May I help you?”
    â€œI’m Gregory Smythe of the ACME Land Development Company. That’s S-M-Y-T-H-E. ” He enunciated each letter, stretched out to shake her hand, then cleared his throat. “It’s the European pronunciation handed down from my British relations.”
    â€œYou must be the developer everyone’s talking about.”
    He smiled like a Cheshire cat, then immediately frowned. “I’m sorry for the loss of your father.”
    â€œThank you.” No, you’re not sorry at all .
    â€œI’m looking at the properties on this block in the interest of the corporation. We are interested in making a fair market offer for your building. I believe we have already sent an offer to Mr. Webb.”
    â€œYes, I found the offer letter on his desk earlier.”
    â€œThat’s great. Can I come in for a minute and discuss it with you?”
    For a fleeting second, Savannah considered refusing, but in truth she was curious. She virtually towered over the pudgy little man—he was no threat to anything but her temper.
    Nodding, Savannah walked back into the shop with Smythe following. As soon as he entered, he looked up at each corner in the ceiling and poked his head into the classroom and tried to peek into the other rooms.
    Not subtle, she thought. She stood behind the sales counter with her arms folded. “What’s your pitch?”
    â€œDo you know the construction details of this building? Do you have any architectural drawings?”
    â€œThere might be some in my dad’s older papers. I’m not sure, but I think he still has all the original drawings that were used for the construction of this building. Why?”
    â€œI’m trying to estimate the cost of demolishing the individual properties on the block. The amount of concrete in each foundation is a critical cost factor in determining the effort required to remove the debris. It’s part of my report to the corporate office.”
    Savannah dropped her chin to her chest. If I sell out, then I sell out. I’ll have no business to complain about after the sale. She looked back at the slimy excuse for a real estate developer. If I don’t agree, he’ll pester me until doomsday.
    â€œI’ll look into the shop’s records, but I’m not making any promises. I have your card. I’ll contact you if I find them.” She guided him to the door and opened it for him to leave the shop.
    â€œThanks for your time,” he said, absolutely oblivious to the effect he had on the owner of a business that he was callously