CHAPTER 82

The rest of the week passed quickly, after Saturday's practice I decided to call Mrs Timmons, certainly by now, they had to have made final arrangements for Courtney's funeral. I was driving back to my hotel when I called, her Dad answered the phone quickly.

"Hey Mr. Timmons, it's Brian. I was just calling to see…uh, what are the arrangements… and when ?", I asked.

"Brian, I was going to call you later today. I'm glad you called.", he said.

"Remember that last time in the room, when Courtney told you she needed us, when you walked out ?', he asked.

"Yes sir, I do.", I answered.

"Well her last wish was....", he began, I could tell he was getting emotional.

"She asked that we not put her in the cold ground alone...she asked that we cremate her, that way she could always be with us, here at home.", he choked out.

Once again, I felt the tears stinging my eyes, but I knew Courtney, and that made perfect sense.

"I understand Mr. Timmons.", I replied, softly.

We should receive her ashes tomorrow or the day after. You're welcome to come by here the next time you're in town, if you feel like doing so.", he offered.

"I will sir.", I promised, hanging up.

I was torn about how I felt at that moment. I had wanted to say goodbye to Courtney, one last time. Even though seeing her in a coffin was not that last image of her I wanted in my mind, somehow I felt cheated. But if that was Courtney's last wish I had to respect it.

We were off Sunday, had a morning practice only on Monday, we were done by noon. I placed a call to Alexis , but she was out to lunch. She called me back about an hour later, she had just received my message.

"Brian, what can I do for you ?", she asked, pleasantly.

"Alexis, I was wondering if you knew anyone in real estate ? I was debating on what to do , but now since Courtney is gone, I doubt I will spend much time back home. Sooooo….. I guess I will need a permanent place here.", I said.

"Brian, once again, I am so sorry about Courtney. I can't imagine how you must feel.", she said, sincerely.

"Thanks Alexis.", I replied.

"Actually I do know someone out here who is in real estate. He got me my condo, I like him a lot, he is a no nonsense guy.", she informed me, "You want me to call him for you ?"

"Yes, if you don't mind.", I asked.

"Not at all. By the way, how is camp going ?", she asked.

"It's going fine. I still have a lot to learn though.", I answered

I had no sooner hung up with Alexis, when I received a call from Cindy Taylor telling me all of my paperwork was back and ready to be picked up. I swung by her office, picked up all of my papers and permanent checks. I drove down to the bank, rented a safety deposit box, placing all of the documents inside. On the drive back home, I once again decided to stop in and look for a new car. As I past the dealership, I happen to see a very nice Cadillac Escalade parked out front in the display area. I pulled into the dealership and parked, making my way to where a dozen or so of them were parked.

As I was peering into the windows of the different vehicles, a well dressed salesman approached me from behind.

"Nice aren't they ?", he asked.

"Yes, they really are.", I answered.

The vehicles were absolutely gorgeous, but so was the sticker price, some of them coming close to eighty thousand dollars. No way I was going to pay that much for a vehicle. I had just gotten to the second row when I noticed an all black version, beautiful chrome trim, with a saddle colored, wood grain trimmed interior. He must have noticed my reaction to the vehicle, he quickly moved over to me.

"Go ahead, get inside, have a look.", he offered.

I opened the driver's door, and slid into the driver's seat. It was a little tight, I began to reach under the seat for the adjustment bar.

"No, no. Right here, these buttons control the seats.", he stated pointing to the side of the seat.

"This model has fourteen position front seats, with memory settings, all leather, French stitching. It has a ten speaker premium sound system with 5.1 surround sound. It has DVD monitors in the rear of both front seats. Built in GPS, phone and media center standard. Seats as well as the steering wheel are heated in this model.", he started.

"This has a 403 HP, 6.2 Liter engine, with Magnetic Ride Control, which adapts to rode conditions. It's quite a vehicle, none like it out there.", he ended, "I could make you a great deal on this one."

"I don't know, that's a lot of money.", I said, pointing to the sticker.

"I could do much better than that, if you're really interested.", he answered.

We talked for a while longer, I asked him what time he was getting off. He replied that he would be there until eight that evening. I thanked him and told him I might be back. He gave me his card, his office and cell phone numbers on it. As I drove off the lot, I called Alexis again, this time she was available.

"Alexis, I don't mean to be a pain in the ass.", I started.

"Brian, that's why I am here. What's up ?'", she answered.

"Well I just left the dealership, I was looking at a vehicle, but I'm not sure, it's a great deal of money.", I told her.

"Brian, you have agreat deal of money.", she replied, laughing, "But I understand what you're saying."

"I have never bought a vehicle alone, I guess that sounds sad huh ?", I stated, trying to hide the embarrassment in my voice.

"Look, I am leaving here in a few minutes, I don't mind going with you, at least I can give you a second opinion.", he offered.

"You don't mind ?", I asked, somewhat surprised.

"Brian, you just paid me almost one hundred thousand dollars, no I don't mind.", she replied.

She agreed to pick me up at my hotel in less than an hour. I drove back to the hotel, cleaned up a bit and was waiting for her as she pulled up at the front entrance. I climbed in the front seat, closing the door, thanking her once again for her time. As usual she was impeccably dressed in an all maroon business suit, stockings and heels. We drove over to the dealership, pulled in the parking lot and got out. The salesman from earlier recognized me from inside the showroom, he came out and made his way over to me quickly.

"Hi, this is my friend and agent Alexis, I hope you don't mind , I asked for her opinion.", I told him.

"Uh, no….that's fine.", he answered nervously, looking her up and down, then glancing at the new BMW we had drove up in.

"Show me the vehicle you're talking about Brian.", she asked.

We walked over across the lot to where the Escalade's were lined up. I led her down the aisle to where the one I had looked at earlier was parked. I opened the door and she eased her way into the vehicle. She looked it over carefully, then turned to me with a smile.

"This is really nice Brian. Have you drove it yet ?", she asked.

"No, not yet.", I replied.

"Well, let's drive it. See if it rides as well as it should.", she stated.

"I'll be right back with the keys.", the salesman told us.

He hurried off in the direction of the showroom to get the keys. Alexis got out of the vehicle and stood next to me.

"If you like it after we test drive it, give me a wink. Let's see how well I can negoiate another deal for you.", she said, smiling.

The salesman returned, handing me the keys. I got in the driver's side, Alexis climbed into the front as well, the salesman got into the back. As I followed the salesman's predetermined route, he constantly pointed out the extra features this vehicle had in it. It had the Platinum Package, as he called it, which upgrade the interior by close to ten thousand dollars. I had to admit, this was a gorgeous vehicle, the seats were softer than most sofas I had sat on. The instrumentation package was so technical, it was overwhelming at first. The sound system was incredible, it had a total of fourteen speakers located around the cabin. I was just about hooked as we pulled back into the lot. The salesman got out, I handed him the keys back, he asked us to follow him back to his office. On the way back, he made a fatal mistake, one that I never noticed, but Alexis sure did, right away.

"You know, someone ordered this vehicle with just about every option available, but when it arrived it had the wrong color interior, it was our fault. So we had to order them another vehicle, you're really getting deal.", he stated.

Alexis tapped me on the shoulder and winked, at the time, I just didn't get it. We moved inside to the salesman's office, we were quickly joined by another man who was introduced to us as the general manager. He shook both of our hands, then turned to me sitting on the end of the salesman desk.

"So what do we have to do to get you into that vehicle today ?", he asked, with a sly smile.

I hesitated trying to appear to be business savy, which was a joke, I was far from it. Alexis however, reveled in negotiating, it was her world.

"What you have to do is make us an offer we can't refuse.", she said to him calmly, with no hesitation in her voice.

"Well you know, this is not your ordinary Escalade on the lot, this has just about every option imaginable. You can't walk on any other lot in town and find this car.", he replied, smiling smugly.

"Yes, I know. It's a special order vehicle you got stuck with. In addition, you're not going to find many people walk onto this lot willing to pay eighty grand for an SUV.", Ashley countered.

"Oh we will move it, sooner or later.", he shot back.

"Well price it right and it will move tonight.", she countered.

The two jawed back and forth for close to fifteen minutes. Alexis wanted him to throw out an opening price, he kept asking what we were willing to pay. Finally he saw he was getting no where with Alexis, he decided to play along.

"Tell you what, I'll let you drive it off right now, tax, title and license for seventy eight, five.", he offered.

"I bet you will.", laughed Alexis, "But that isn't about to happen."

"Well then, where do you see the price coming in at.", he said, sarcastically.

"More like sixty five.", she said, no expression on her face.

"Sixty five ?", he huffed, "I have more than that in the car."

"Look, I tell you what, I bend a little. I'll go seventy five even, but that's my bottom line. I am breaking even at that number.", he offered.

As I was sitting back watching these two negoiate, with my money, none the less, you could definitely see who had the upper hand. Alexis reached across and tapped me on the shoulder, I turned to her.

"Brian, at seventy five plus, I can get you into a BMW 7 Series, loaded. Let's call the guy who sold me my 550.", she offered.

I shrugged my shoulders, she pulled out her cell phone, scanned a few numbers then pressed dial. It took several minutes, but she finally was able to talk to the salesman she had dealt with.

"Hi Gary, this is Alexis Clarke, how are you ?", she asked, "Good listen, I am here with a client, we are looking at a vehicle. What I am wondering is, what would it take to get him into a BMW 7 Series, basically loaded, and what do you have?"

She listened intently for a few minutes, no expression on her face. The salesman and the general manager were hanging on her every word. She finally wrapped up her conversation, tossing her phone back into her purse.

"Brian, for what they are asking here, you can get a Series 7, loaded for a few thousand more.", she informed me.

"You're talking two completely different vehicles Brian.", the salesman chimed in.

I looked back at Alexis, I was not sure what I wanted to do. I think she sensed it right away.

"Look, let's go over and look at the BMW, drive it, if you would rather the Escalade, we can come back tomorrow.", she offered.

"Sounds good.", I said.