Chapter 8

“We did the paint job on this place,” Tim said with a touch of pride. “It was our first job in the area. The ole coot who owns the building liked it so well he rents to us for half the usual price.”

In the headlights, as Jerry pulled up to park near their door, Keely could see the bright colors. Had anyone told her the color scheme she would have shuddered, but it actually looked good—the walls were deep hunter green with Chinese red and gold for the gingerbread and other woodwork such as porch rails, shutters and banisters.

“Wow,” she said. “It’s really unusual, but kinda cool. I like it. Did you guys come up with the colors or did the owner?”

“I guess these were the original colors,” Jerry said. “That’s what Mr. Busich said anyway. We went a little darker than the old hand-tinted postcard he had, but I think it came out pretty good. Looks a lot better than that faded, pukey pink and lilac that it was, anyway.”