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Butch spotted Toby and the boss strolling toward the barn. “Don’t think I’m gonna wait that long.” No harm in asking, right?
“Seriously?”
“Why not?” No time like the present.
“Let me know what it’s like, okay?” Paul called after him as he walked away.
The barn sat midway between the paddock and the path that led up to the house. A gravel parking lot had been created beside it with space for a few vehicles. The most noticeable feature of the new structure was the lack of windows on the first floor.
Butch could only guess at why they’d designed it that way.
Maybe their guests don’t want to be observed.
He walked up to the wide main door. Toby and the boss were talking, so he hung back. Power tools covered the floor space inside the door: Butch had caught the sound of drills from eight o’clock that morning, and he’d wondered what they were working on.
Those drawings he’d seen had stuck in his mind.
“Want to take a peek?”
The boss’s smile made it seem as though Butch’s presence wouldn’t be an intrusion.
“If that’s okay.”
“Sure. Go on in. Toby’s in there.” The boss patted him on the shoulder as he headed out.
Butch stepped carefully around the tools. A wooden staircase rose to the left of the door, turning one-eighty degrees at the wall before rising higher. He peered at the landing above his head.
“It’s really coming together.” Toby stood in the open doorway in front of him.
“The boss said it was all right for me to have a look.” Butch pointed to the second floor. “The bedrooms are up there, right?”
“Correct. Do you want to see them?” Without waiting for a response, Toby led the way up the stairs. “It’s got nine bedrooms and one huge bathroom.” He chuckled. “Now all we need are the guests to fill it.”
The bathroom faced them, and Butch peered through another open doorway. Two of the walls had showers placed at regular intervals, and there were four sinks and four toilets against another. The floor was bare, but there was a stack of tiles leaning against one wall, along with a roll of black fabric. A hole had been cut out in the center of the floor for a drain, and two bidets awaited installation.
“Come see the rooms.”
He followed Toby through another doorway to a narrow corridor, with three doorways to the right, and four to the left.
“I thought you said there were nine rooms.”
Toby pointed back to the staircase. “There are two more in the roof space.”
Butch poked his head through into one room. “Looks exactly like it did on the plans,” he commented.
“Oh, so you saw those?” Toby’s voice held amusement.
“Yeah, just the once.” Butch withdrew. “Is it okay if I take a look downstairs?”
“You can look wherever you please. None of this is a secret, all right?”
Butch grinned. “Yeah, good luck trying to keep any secrets onthisranch.”
“I’m sure there are a few.” Toby headed down the stairs, Butch behind him.
The main room was still a shell, with portable lights here and there, so he guessed it had power. Six wooden pillars lined the center, three on each side, supporting the beams that ran across the ceiling. The room took up maybe two thirds of the space, with another doorway in the center. Beyond it was a dark hallway.
“What’s through there?”
