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"Well, maybe they need the money. Youdidsay those shifts were the best, right?"

"Sure, but don’t you think that's odd? I mean, to be asked every single time to switch?"

"Maybe a little," I admitted. "But hey, they've gotta make their rent somehow, right?"

At this, she gave a hard scoff.

Obviously, there was more to the story. With growing concern, I asked, "What now?"

"Rent," she said. "How much do we pay a month?"

"Twelve-hundred." I smiled. "As if you didn't know."

"Yeah. Twelve-hundred. Wanna know what thelastpeople paid?"

"I dunno. A thousand?"

She gave another scoff.

I tried for a joke. "You should probably stop that or you're gonna hork up a lung or something."

From the look on her face, she wasn't amused. "Ha ha. Now, guess again."

I gave it some thought. "Nine hundred?"

She shook her head. "You're going in the wrong direction."

No, I couldn't be.That made no sense. "Sorry, what?"

"The last person – or who knows, maybe a few persons ago –theypaid more."

Now, I was really confused. "How much more?"

"A lot."

"How much is a lot?"

"Eighteen hundred."

I was beyond stunned. "Wait a minute, so they paid eighteen hundred for this place?"

"No, it's worse," she said. "They paid three thousand. I meant thedifferencewas eighteen-hundred."

The numbers hit hard and fast. I heard myself say, "No."

"Yes."

Silently, I took a slow look around. The place was absolutely fabulous, and only a block from the beach. The first time I'd seen it, I'd been blown away by our good luck.

But apparently, luck had nothing to do with it.

Still, I was having a hard time processing what she'd just said. "But I write the checks," I murmured. "They go to that realtor."

"Yeah," Cassidy said. "A realtor who manages the property – ontheirbehalf."

"Are you sure?"

"Oh yeah."