I blinked, fork still suspended. “The RV park? I was there this morning. Some guy told me I couldn’t sleep in my car.”
Reese laughed. “That was probably Kade. He’s my… partner. He actually owns the place.” She pulled out her phone and showed me a photo of a surprisingly nice-looking RV. “It has AC, a bed, a shower, the works. The awning can be finicky, though. I was going to list it tomorrow, but if you’re interested...”
“How much?” I was afraid of the answer.
The number she quoted was less than half what I’d seen online for even the simplest cabin rentals. But it was still out of my price range for more than a few nights.
I stabbed a pancake with my fork as I considered her offer. Wings End was a nice park, even if the owner had kicked me out this morning. But the price...
“That’s really generous, but I...” I inhaled, feeling a pang of embarrassment. “I’m between jobs at the moment. My budget’s pretty tight.”
Reese’s expression softened. “No pressure. Just offering an option.”
I remembered the knife tucked into my bag. “I might have something that could help me out temporarily.”
I reached into my bag and pulled out the pocketknife. “I found this yesterday. The hardware store lady suggested I get it appraised. I was planning to find a jeweler today to see what it’s worth.”
Reese’s face changed the instant she saw the knife. Her coffee mug froze halfway to her lips, her eyes widening.
“Where did you get that?”
“Someone... left it at my campsite.” I wasn’t about to mention the naked man part to another stranger. Not after the hardware clerk had laughed.
Before I could react, Reese’s hand shot out and snatched the knife from my palm.
What the hell?
I stared at Reese, who was now examining the knife as if she’d found the Holy Grail in a box of Lucky Charms. She’d literally snatched it from my hand. Who does that?
“Oh wow, it’s real!” Reese turned the knife over in her hands, her fingers running along the engraved handle with reverence. “This is late nineteenth century, a custom knife design. Look at this craftsmanship.”
Before I could warn her about potential poisons or booby traps, she’d already pulled it from the baggie and was examining each attachment.
“Careful with that,” I said, half-rising from my stool. “We don’t know where it’s been.”
Reese didn’t seem concerned as she unfolded a small blade, a corkscrew, and a specialized tool I didn’t recognize. “The gold inlay work is impeccable. This was definitely made for someone wealthy. Look at these initials here.” She pointed to tiny letters in diamonds that I hadn’t even noticed before.
I leaned closer despite myself. “How do you know all this stuff?”
Reese froze, her enthusiasm faltering as she suddenly seemed to realize how weird her behavior must appear. She snapped the knife shut and handed it back to me, a flush creeping up her neck.
“I’m so sorry. That was incredibly rude of me.” She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, looking embarrassed. “I get carried away sometimes. I love antiques, and I’m actually about to start working on my appraiser’s license. I'm just waiting to hear back about a training program.”
I slipped the knife into its baggie, oddly relieved to have it back in my possession. “So, hypothetically speaking... how much would something like this be worth?”
Reese glanced around, then leaned closer. “Conservatively?” She lowered her voice to a whisper. “Probably fifteen to twenty thousand. Maybe more to the right collector.”
The bite of pancake I’d swallowed suddenly felt like it was going to reappear. “Twenty thousand dollars? As in one thousand dollars, twenty times?”
“Minimum. The gold and diamonds alone are valuable, but the historical significance and craftsmanship multiply that significantly.”
A sudden wave of heat rushed up from my chest to my face. The diner seemed to grow unbearably warm, and I fumbled for my water glass, nearly knocking it over.
“Are you okay?” Reese’s eyes widened with concern.
“Fine.” I fanned myself with a napkin. “Just... hot.” I chugged the ice water, feeling sweat bead along my hairline.
Wonderful. Another hot flash in public, right when I’d received news that might solve my financial crisis.
