Brian Deiter stood on the front porch of Ruby’s general store. “Everyone’s going to come?” “I spoke with Mrs. Carter about an hour ago. She contacted everyone who has a property that she believes they might want to sell,” Alec told him. “What if she’s wrong?” Brian grabbed Alec by the arm. Alec removed the man’s hand. “Ruby Carter is never wrong. But if no one agrees to sell, well, then you know where you stand as far as this project is concerned.” “Yeah,” Brian grumbled. “Nowhere.” Alec shrugged and went inside to look for Ruby. There were seven or eight property owners who Ruby had identified to Alec as possibly wanting to sell. Tom Mullan was one of them. He’d already agreed, but he’d allegedly come to offer moral support to Alec, though Alec knew his motives weren’t quite that altruistic. If no one else sold, the chances that Deiter would build anything on the island were practically nonexistent.
