by Andrew Grey
Auction Action© 2017 by Andrew Grey
All Rights Reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, without permission in writing from the publisher.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.
For more information contact:
Riverdale Avenue Books
5676 Riverdale Avenue
Riverdale, NY 10471.
www.riverdaleavebooks.com
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Cover by Scott Carpenter
Digital ISBN: 978-1-62601-403-9
First edition published by All Romance Ebooks 2011
Second Edition November 2017
Chapter One
“Good morning, Holloway Antiques,” Frederick said as he answered the old-fashioned rotary phone that sat on the Louis XIV table. He was using it as a desk at the moment. “How may I help you?” He’d been about to close for the day and had almost let it ring, but that simply wasn’t in his nature.
“Frederick, I’m so glad I caught you,” the woman on the line said, in such a frantic tone he didn’t recognize the voice. “This is Saundra Garlock, and I need your assistance right away.” Frantic was an understatement. Frederick had known Saundra for many years, and he’d never known her to be anything other than a lady who was always in control of everything. “I need to speak with you on an urgent matter. I’m calling from my car and I’ll be at your shop in ten minutes if Hudson can somehow get through this traffic.” She sounded frazzled and definitely off her game.
“I’ll wait for you. Please tell Hudson not to worry on my account and instruct him to park in the loading zone out front. I’ll give him the pass.” Even as he said the words, Frederick was looking around the shop and immediately realizing that it was not ready for a visit from Saundra. “I’ll look for you.”
“You’re a good young man,” she said, and disconnected.
Frederick placed the phone in the cradle and immediately sprang into action. His shop was located in a fashionable neighborhood in Milwaukee. When he’d opened it eight years earlier, the neighborhood was just beginning to gentrify, and now it was filled with city-living yuppies and empty-nesters, and the one thing they had in common was disposable income.
The space his shop occupied was only 20 by 20 feet with a small storage area in the back. He’d originally taken the space because it was all he could afford, and had intended to either move to a larger store or expand, but as the business grew, so did the reputation for the quirky little store with some of the finest French antiques in town. The store’s reputation and its size suited Frederick perfectly. At 4’8” and less than 100 pounds, he’d never needed much physical space.
Slipping off his desk chair, Frederick walked through the store, picking up a Sevres vase and a pair of brass Napoleonic candlesticks as he moved. He placed both inside the case along the side wall, adjusting other items so they didn’t look cramped, and closed the door. He also removed the painting from the display easel and carried it into the back room. Setting it aside, he picked up the Napoleonic-era portrait he’d just purchased, and while he hadn’t had a chance to have it cleaned yet, he knew it would catch Saundra’s eye. After placing it on the easel, he stood in the back room and set up his stepstool, beginning the careful process of moving plastic tubs around until he found the one he wanted.
Opening the lid, he pulled out an Animalier bronze of a tiger that he’d just purchased and placed it on the table in the very center of the store. There was no way Saundra could miss it. Frederick had learned on her first visit to his shop that she did not like to be sold on anything. She had her own ideas, and no one was going to change her mind, but that didn’t stop Frederick from strategically placing items to make sure she saw them. Next he found a Royal Sevres swan and placed it with the tiger before pulling the back-room curtain closed and standing in the middle of his shop. The walls were covered with paintings from just above the furniture to the ceiling. When you only had 400 square feet, you had to use every bit of available space. The few pieces of furniture were expensive examples of the cabinetmaker’s art, and they served as both inventory and display. Everything in the shop was for sale, including the table he was using as a desk and the chair behind it.
Frederick had just finished dressing the store when he saw Saundra’s limousine pull up to the curb. Hudson opened the back door for her, and she glided from the vehicle to his front door, her ermine coat floating above the sidewalk as she practically floated into the shop. Saundra was the very definition of poise and elegance. Jet black hair, perfectly quaffed and flawless makeup that took ten years off her actual 60 or so. With her wide eyes and full lips, there was no doubt she turned heads when she was younger. Saundra still did. “Frederick,” she said as the door closed, holding out her hands so they could be taken. “The shop looks amazing,” she said after he’d kissed her on the cheek, standing on tiptoe to do it. “I love the bronze,” she commented, looking more closely at the tiger ready to pounce on his prey.
“There are no flaws and the patina is perfectly original,” Frederick said proudly as Saundra’s attention wandered away to the other items in the shop. “That portrait needs to be cleaned,” she commented as she stopped in front of the easel. “I would assume that your completing that work would be included in the price.”
“Of course,” Frederick said evenly.
“All right, let’s get the preliminaries out of the way. I’ll take the tiger, the swan and the portrait, just like you knew I would. And now I’d like to ask you to lock the door so we won’t be interrupted.” This was an unusual request, but Frederick flipped the sign to Closed before locking the door. “As I said, I need a favor. There’s a charity auction at the Union Club. One of the members left their art collection to the club, and they decided to hold a private auction for their members.” She opened her pocketbook and pulled out an envelope, handing it to him. “This is an invitation to the auction, and I would like you to go. There’s an item up for auction that I wish to buy, but I do not want anyone to know I am the purchaser.”
Frederick nodded. He’d often acted as purchaser’s agent for a number of his wealthier clients at the various auctions around town. “What is it you would like me to bid on?”
She again went to her handbag and handed Frederick an envelope. “The details are inside. Cocktails begin an hour before, because they want to get everyone liquored up prior to the sale. Most of the stuff is simply ghastly. Arlene had dreadful taste, but I have been trying to purchase this painting from the old bat for over a decade.” Her eyes blazed for a few seconds and then faded. “I will go up to a million for it.”
Frederick refused to whistle and instead nodded his head. “When is the auction?”
“That’s the favor, cocktails begin in an hour,” Saundra explained before stepping toward the desk. “I know it’s an imposition,” Saundra added as she pulled out her checkbook. Frederick sat down and made up her receipt. Once he handed it to her, she wrote the check and gave it to him.
“Saundra, this is too much,” Frederick explained lightly, handing her back the check.
“No, it’s not. This is an imposition, and I appreciate your help, dear boy.” She stepped toward the door, and Frederick hurried around to unlock it. “I’ll send a car to your home to pick you up.” She glided out without asking for his address, giving Frederick an air kiss while Hudson opened her door, and she disappeared inside the limousine. Frederick watched the huge vehicle glide away from the curb before going inside to close the store for the
night. Frederick picked up the check and allowed himself a smile. She’d added $5,000 to the amount for his trouble, and Frederick shook his head as he turned out the lights.
Closing the store didn’t take long, and Frederick hurried to his Ford Focus and drove home as quickly as traffic would allow. He needed to get changed and be ready when Saundra’s car arrived. Somehow, Frederick managed to clean up and change into his tuxedo as well as find his proper overcoat before his doorbell rang. Frederick hated being rushed, but it couldn’t be helped, and he remembered the invitation from Saundra before leaving the house. He climbed into the back of the car, enjoying the luxury.
Frederick had to admit, it seemed pretty amazing to be riding in the back of a limousine, but Saundra never did anything by halves. And she knew as well as Frederick did that he would have called attention to himself if he were to pull up to the Union Club in his car. “Mrs. Garlock said I was to wait for you,” were the only words the driver said to him the entire ride.
The driver navigated the streets like the professional he was, pulling under the portico and holding the door open. Frederick thanked him and went inside. Handing his invitation to the doorman, he was escorted inside.
Frederick found himself in the grand ballroom, where more diamonds and gowns glittered than at the Academy Awards. Everyone was dressed to the nines, and Frederick felt a bit out of place. Servers wandered through the room with glasses of champagne, and Frederick lifted a glass, standing off to one side watching the spectacle. He had to remind himself that he was here to do a job and secure the item Saundra wanted, so he wandered over to the items on offer and slowly perused each one, listening for snippets of conversation. If there was one thing Frederick knew how to do, it was scope out an auction room. He knew it was the kiss of death to be too obvious, so he looked at all the works on offer before checking out the portrait Saundra wanted. He had to agree with her, it was the only truly top-quality item on offer, and he admired it without looking too long.
“That’s what we’re here for,” he heard someone say from behind him, and he saw a tall and stunning figure with the face of the Marlboro man, and what appeared to be the body of a Greek god, in a tuxedo. The guy he was speaking to was tall and thin, and he looked like some twink kid with blue hair.
“Really,” the kid whined. “Can’t we just leave and go dance?” He actually began to gyrate his hips slightly, and it wouldn’t have surprised Frederick to hear the kid whine, “I’m horny.”
“You didn’t have to come with me,” Greek God said in his rich, deep voice, and Frederick sipped from his glass so he wouldn’t appear to be listening.
“You said this would be fun. It’s just a bunch of old people.” Twink Boy pouted, setting down his glass and grabbing two more from the tray, downing first one, then the other in a gulp. “Well, that was as fun as it gets, can we go now?”
Frederick felt laughter coming on, so he backed away out of earshot, but to where he could still watch people looking at the painting. He also got the added bonus of being able to watch Greek God and Twink Boy carry on an argument until the boy stormed away in a huff and left the room. For a second, Frederick felt sorry for Greek God and followed him with his eyes until he felt another set of eyes staring at him. As he shifted his gaze toward the painting, he saw Greek God staring deeply at him. Frederick knew when he was being mentally undressed, and turnabout was definitely fair play.
Fredrick stared back for a few seconds—never one to back away from a challenge—until Greek God’s tuxedo lay in a mental heap on the floor. Greek God looked away, and Frederick turned and moved through the room. It hardly mattered where Greek God was looking. Besides, Frederick figured that he was probably looking for an easy good time, now that his likely sure thing for the evening had flounced off, but a mental undressing was all Greek God was going to get from him.
“Frederick,” Saundra called as she approached, and he pushed his mental drama from his mind. “Scoping out the competition?”
“Of course,” he answered, and they traded cheek kisses. She moved on to work the room while Frederick continued to watch who was paying attention to what. Of particular note was the fact that Greek God was still scoping him out. It was then he realized he’d been a bit foolish and Greek God had simply identified his interest. He could deal with that. Frederick knew auctions and he knew how to win, and he fully intended to within Saundra’s limits.
“Ladies and gentlemen.” The announcer’s voice floated through the room, and all eyes shifted to a small stage at one end of the room. “Good evening and welcome. We are going to start the auction in just a few minutes. I’d like to draw your attention to the terms that are printed in your catalogs this evening.”
The first painting was brought up and placed on the easel behind the gentleman speaking. “Our first item is ready.” The man described the painting and then began calling for bids. Thankfully he had a light manner and didn’t make it sound like a Texas cattle auction, the way many auction houses did. The item sold and Frederick watched who it went to, making a mental note of the amount paid and who did the buying.
Item after item was sold, and Frederick quickly got an idea of who the big spenders were and how they were bidding. Greek God hadn’t bought anything.
“Ladies and gentlemen, this is the last lot of the evening. Portrait of a Lady, by Steven Jennings. Can I have an opening bid of $50,000?” A man in front nodded, and the bidding began… $75,000? 100,000?”. Greek God bid $125,000, and Frederick immediately bid $150,000. The bids climbed, and every time Greek God bid, Frederick immediately topped him. $250,000, $300,000. Frederick had the bid, and the auctioneer called for final bids. Greek God bid $325,000 and threw a smug look in Frederick’s direction, raising his glass.
Frederick nodded, and the auctioneer began once again calling for final bids. “Five hundred thousand,” Frederick said forcefully without raising his voice, and he saw Greek God choke on the champagne he was drinking. The auctioneer called for final bids one last time, and no one said anything.
“Sold!” the auctioneer said with a huge smile, and everyone in the room began to applaud politely, many turning to look at Frederick, who simply nodded to acknowledge the applause before drinking the last of the bubbly from his glass. “Take that, Greek God,” he said with his eyes before making his way to the cashier. In the envelope with the instructions had been a black credit card with his name on it. He simply handed it to the cashier, signed his name, and it was done. He collected the painting, which had been wrapped and properly boxed. Carrying it out the door, he saw Greek God staring at him. He nodded to him as the driver opened the door, and Frederick got inside, the car pulling away from the curb and winding through traffic to Frederick’s home.
“You can leave the painting with me, and I will take it to Mrs. Garlock,” the driver explained. Frederick wasn’t about to do that without specific word from Saundra. On cue, the phone in the car rang, and the driver answered it before transferring it through the speakers.
“You were brilliant, Frederick, thank you. Leave the painting in the car, and Cedrick will take it from there. If there’s any place you wish to go, tell Cedrick. The car and driver are yours for the evening.”
“Thank you, Saundra,” he said with a smile.
“You’re welcome, dear boy.” She hung up, and Frederick asked Cedrick to take him home.
“I need to change and then have some fun,” he told the driver, and Cedrick nodded, pulling up in front of Frederick’s home. He got out and hurried inside, walking up the stairs. Changing out of his tuxedo, Frederick pulled on a black T-shirt and tight leather pants and boots. He may have been small, but he knew in these clothes he was absolutely eye-catching. He’d done well, and tonight he wanted to be noticed.
Leaving the house, Frederick got back into the limousine and gave the driver the address of his favorite bar. One thing was for sure, when he arrived in this vehicle, he was definitely going to be noticed.
The ride didn’t ta
ke long, and Cedrick pulled up to the curb. Frederick got out, and Cedrick handed him a card with a phone number on it, which he shoved into the pocket of his pants before walking toward the club. One thing Frederick had discovered a long time ago was that regardless of how tall you were in reality, if you acted as though you were six feet tall, that was how people treated you. And tonight Frederick walked into the club as though he owned the world.
Once inside, he sauntered up to the bar and climbed onto a stool. When the bartender overlooked, him Frederick simply grabbed the man’s leather harness and pulled the startled bartender down to eye level. He said nothing and simply glared into the other man’s eyes until he heard him moan softly. “That’s what I thought. Bring me a martini and I’ll think about it.” Frederick released him, and the bartender couldn’t move fast enough to get his drink.
Frederick turned around, checking out the room, meeting the eyes of anyone and everyone. It wasn’t long before he owned the room and he knew all the boys were talking about him. Turning back toward the bar, Frederick finished his drink and ordered another. When his drink arrived, Frederick turned around once again and found himself looking into Greek God’s eyes.
“You know, what you did wasn’t particularly fair,” the man said, and Frederick let his eyes wander over the man’s painted-on jeans that left nothing to the imagination and the T-shirt that clung to his wide chest like a second skin.
“If you go into battle unprepared, you deserve to lose,” Frederick explained levelly before raising his glass and sipping his martini. He expected Greek God to get upset or storm away, but what Frederick saw in those deep brown eyes and the subtle way his stance widened was interest. Frederick kept that realization as well as his own gut-thumping desire off his face. If he wanted to remain in control, and he definitely did, then Greek God had to make the first move, or at least the correct first move.
