believe it now. Elizabeth never said a word about a new manager, much less that she’d hired one. Cynthia, the previous one, left to have a baby, and I got the impression she’d be coming back,” Whit said. “In the few dealings I’ve had with Will, he hasn’t given me one straight answer, just one excuse after another. I don’t trust him.”
“Someone else made an observation about him,” I said, unscrewing the top off my water. “They thought he acted like a man with something to hide. That same person thought he’d done prison time.”
“Will missed the deadline to turn over the records,” Whit said. “I had to file an extension. Frankly, I don’t understand the hold up. He hasn’t been in charge long. What surprises me is, he has control of the records. I find it difficult to believe that Elizabeth would give him access to all the financial information. She certainly didn’t with the last manager.”
“Does the fact that Will missed the deadline send up a red flag for you?”
“Not yet. I’ll give him a couple of days, and then call him again. When I receive them, I’ll let you know.”
“What’s your opinion of my hiring another attorney to handle my interests? I tossed the idea out to Tucker in frustration. He didn’t like it, and didn’t want another attorney in the mix.”
“I’ll bet. He’s not a team player,” Whit said. “You’re already having problems dealing with Tucker, so I think your idea is a good one. He represents the estate and has no obligation to you, legally or otherwise. The fact that he even breathes is suspect to me.”
“Actually, I blurted it out without thinking.”
“Tucker’s acting within his rights as executor, not to allow you access to the property, but my question is, why wouldn’t he? In my opinion, he hasn’t given you any choice but to hire someone else to look out for your interests.”
“I appreciate the advice.”
“I’ll do what I can to help. I can contact Howard Sherman, another probate attorney, if you want.” He walked me to the door. “By the way, I hear you and Zach are a couple. Elizabeth would’ve been ecstatic. She liked that young man a lot.”
I gave him a little smile and a hug. “Thank you for making time for me on such short notice.”
I was about to tell him Zach and I were only friends, when someone called my name.
It surprised me when Jimmy Spoon walked into Whit’s office. “Hello, Mr. Spoon.”
He cleaned up well. He wore tan linen slacks, a short-sleeved silk shirt, and Gucci loafers. His hair was tied back, there was not one speck of dirt or grease on him and I’d swear he’d had a manicure.
“Call me Spoon. Still with Zach?” he whispered in my ear.
“I see the two of you have met,” Whit commented. “Jimmy’s one hell of a mechanic. He found a part for my Jaguar even the dealer couldn’t get.”
So Whit calls him Jimmy. “Nice to see you again, Spoon ,” I said.
Chapter 14
I drove down the Overseas Highway thinking about the transformation of Jimmy Spoon, who’d gone from looking like a hard-core criminal to a solid citizen, despite the fierce tattoos. No wonder women were attracted to him.
The news of my relationship with Zach had obviously traveled all over town. I wanted it to be true. The last thing I wanted was for anyone to find out it started as a made-up story. In a small town, a story-lie would haunt me forever.
I drove reluctantly towards home; the idea of spending the rest of the afternoon with Dario made me queasy. He didn’t inspire confidence, and I had a suspicion he’d make things worse if he could. I wanted to ask him a few questions, to find out what was actually going on. I should mind my own business and go for a swim.
Everything appeared quiet. In fact, too quiet. I hoped for an uneventful evening with Dario.
As I walked into the house, a door closed upstairs. Jazz meowed from the living room. “Where’s Dario, Jazz?”
“I’m right
“Someone else made an observation about him,” I said, unscrewing the top off my water. “They thought he acted like a man with something to hide. That same person thought he’d done prison time.”
“Will missed the deadline to turn over the records,” Whit said. “I had to file an extension. Frankly, I don’t understand the hold up. He hasn’t been in charge long. What surprises me is, he has control of the records. I find it difficult to believe that Elizabeth would give him access to all the financial information. She certainly didn’t with the last manager.”
“Does the fact that Will missed the deadline send up a red flag for you?”
“Not yet. I’ll give him a couple of days, and then call him again. When I receive them, I’ll let you know.”
“What’s your opinion of my hiring another attorney to handle my interests? I tossed the idea out to Tucker in frustration. He didn’t like it, and didn’t want another attorney in the mix.”
“I’ll bet. He’s not a team player,” Whit said. “You’re already having problems dealing with Tucker, so I think your idea is a good one. He represents the estate and has no obligation to you, legally or otherwise. The fact that he even breathes is suspect to me.”
“Actually, I blurted it out without thinking.”
“Tucker’s acting within his rights as executor, not to allow you access to the property, but my question is, why wouldn’t he? In my opinion, he hasn’t given you any choice but to hire someone else to look out for your interests.”
“I appreciate the advice.”
“I’ll do what I can to help. I can contact Howard Sherman, another probate attorney, if you want.” He walked me to the door. “By the way, I hear you and Zach are a couple. Elizabeth would’ve been ecstatic. She liked that young man a lot.”
I gave him a little smile and a hug. “Thank you for making time for me on such short notice.”
I was about to tell him Zach and I were only friends, when someone called my name.
It surprised me when Jimmy Spoon walked into Whit’s office. “Hello, Mr. Spoon.”
He cleaned up well. He wore tan linen slacks, a short-sleeved silk shirt, and Gucci loafers. His hair was tied back, there was not one speck of dirt or grease on him and I’d swear he’d had a manicure.
“Call me Spoon. Still with Zach?” he whispered in my ear.
“I see the two of you have met,” Whit commented. “Jimmy’s one hell of a mechanic. He found a part for my Jaguar even the dealer couldn’t get.”
So Whit calls him Jimmy. “Nice to see you again, Spoon ,” I said.
Chapter 14
I drove down the Overseas Highway thinking about the transformation of Jimmy Spoon, who’d gone from looking like a hard-core criminal to a solid citizen, despite the fierce tattoos. No wonder women were attracted to him.
The news of my relationship with Zach had obviously traveled all over town. I wanted it to be true. The last thing I wanted was for anyone to find out it started as a made-up story. In a small town, a story-lie would haunt me forever.
I drove reluctantly towards home; the idea of spending the rest of the afternoon with Dario made me queasy. He didn’t inspire confidence, and I had a suspicion he’d make things worse if he could. I wanted to ask him a few questions, to find out what was actually going on. I should mind my own business and go for a swim.
Everything appeared quiet. In fact, too quiet. I hoped for an uneventful evening with Dario.
As I walked into the house, a door closed upstairs. Jazz meowed from the living room. “Where’s Dario, Jazz?”
“I’m right
Similar Books
