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“Exactly why I’m here. Can you sit for a minute?”
“Sure.” I pulled out the chair across from him. “Did you order yet?”
He nodded. “Maddie told me I had to have the loaded fries.”
“They are at the top of the menu for a reason.”
“I’m down for that.” Penn laced his fingers on top of his book—now that I was paying attention, I noticed it was a sketch book.
“What can I do for you, Mr. Masterson?”
“Not you too. They don’t even call my dad Mr. Masterson around here.”
“Penn, was it?”
He nodded. “As I mentioned, I was in town for my monthly family dinner. I live in Chelsea.”
I whistled. “Bit of a hike.”
“It is. And I realize it might be a little unorthodox to do a release party out of the city.”
My eyebrows shot up.
“Let me back up. Sorry, I’ve been planning this launch party for my new publishing house for over two years. It seemed like it was never going to get off the ground, but things are finally coming together. Since two of the main graphic artists live in this area, I thought it would be a fun and artsy thing to do.”
“Two?”
“Yes. Ryan Moon lives in nearby Kensington Square and Nolan Devereaux, who is a fairly new transplant to Crescent Cove. And of course, I’m from here as well, though I moved to the city when I was twenty.”
“Devereaux?”
“Yeah, he’s a metal artist and illustrator. He bought the old factory on the edge of town. Turned it into a macabre candy store.”
“Oh, right. Tricks and Treats. His Halloween display last year was insane.”
“That’s the one. You should read his graphic novels. Makes my stuff look like a cotton candy dream. I’m trying to sign Vanessa McNeill, but she’s a wily one. Must be something besides babymaking properties in that lake. Lots of artists out this way.” He nodded to the still lake.
“I never believed in those stories until my nephew was born.” The little boy who was rapidly changing every time I saw him.
“Whatever is out there, I’d love to bottle it. I can use all the capital I can get these days. The publishing game is not for the faint of heart.”
I laughed. “I haven’t read a graphic novel since I was fifteen, sneaking off to the manga spinner at the bookstore.”
Penn opened his leather portfolio and pushed one over to me. “Well, this is me. That’s not out yet. It’s the first pressing of my new series.”
I looked down at the dark, claustrophobic ink with a few pops of neon purple. The eyes of the main character had that ethereal purple and stared right into your damn soul. Angular and sketchy, the figure invited you closer while also urging you to pull away while you still could.
I flipped it over and saw the logo at the bottom corner. A scrolling D and P wrapped around a dissolving pen.
“Clever.”
Penn smirked. “I am that.”
“And because I’ve poured a disgusting amount of money into this venture, I don’t really want to spend a zillion dollars on a fancy Manhattan place for my party.”
“Zillion, huh? Technical term?”
Penn snorted. “It’s damn close. But that boat is a statement. And my entire crazy family is up here. It’s a solid way to make everyone happy. Do you think we could make it happen?”
