awkward and shy. I wanted to put him at ease.
“I haven’t talked to anybody in about four years. Just been keeping my head down. It’s nothing personal.”
“I’d have helped.”
“I know, Burt, that’s why I couldn’t call you. Turning down your help would have been too painful.”
“Very well. I understand.”
He sat back comfortably in his chair and nodded sympathetically. I felt the warmth of Burton’s undivided attention.
“I did hear some rather startling things about you,” he said.
“It wasn’t the best time.”
“Professionally speaking, you’re lucky it wasn’t worse.”
“That’s how I look at it, Burt. Luckier than hell.”
“Hm.”
I could see he really wanted to ask me a lot of questions we both knew I was hoping he wouldn’t ask, so the conversation hung suspended in midair for a few seconds. I owed him more than that. I took a deep breath.
“It got away from me a little bit.”
“Apparently.”
“I’d’ve done things differently if I’d kept a better grip.”
“How’re you now?”
“Better. Got a little project, I guess you’d call it. Gave me an excuse to bother you.”
“Really.”
“You wouldn’t remember, but there was this old gal that lived next door to my parents’ cottage. My dad used to look after her, and then I did what I could when I was around. When I moved back there I just took up where my dad had left off. Nothing much, just keeping her place going. Driving her places sometimes. Little shit.”
“Regina something.”
“You still got that memory of yours. Regina Broadhurst. Well, she died last week, and I’m the administrator on her estate, and I’m already over my head.”
“Who appointed you administrator?”
“I got this thing from Surrogate’s Court that named me administrator pending a hearing. Mel Goodfellow said since she’d died apparently
“It’s a little unusual, but I think kosher.”
“There’s this Town cop, Joe Sullivan, who rigged it. For some reason he thought Regina’s affairs needed more attention than she’d get from the government. I think he’s a little paternal about the people on his beat.”
Burton nodded, mentally recording everything. I’d forgotten he had such a killer memory. Something I obviously didn’t have.
“There’s only one relative we know of, a nephew named Jimmy Maddox. I found him, and he approved me as administrator.”
I handed the letter to Burton like it was a piece of evidence. Exhibit A. He looked it over.
“What sort of assets did she leave?”
“Well that’s the thing. She’s only got about eight grand in the bank. I don’t think she had anything else. Nothing I can find, anyway. Not even the house, which is owned by a company called Bay Side Holdings, which is a whole other story in itself.”
I told him about getting the tax records and going to see Milton Hornsby. About the little house in Sag Harbor next to the abandoned launch ramp.
“Curious.”
“Exactly.”
“He’s right that he doesn’t have to talk to you. But you have to talk to him, as administrator, as it relates to the transition of the property. You have to handle the dispensation of personal belongings.”
“Her stuff.”
“Her stuff. And settle any outstanding obligations. There might be a security deposit.”
“I don’t think she paid any rent.”
“Then there may be a substantial obligation.”
“Nobody seemed to care. No dunning letters I can find. Hornsby didn’t say anything. Quite the opposite.”
“Well, if it’s any consolation, I think your administrator status is probably defensible. Though this letter you made up for Jimmy Maddox, while elegantly worded, wouldn’t hold up under challenge.”
“Does it matter if I punched him in the nose right before he signed it?”
“You said you were better.”
“He swung first. And I didn’t provoke him. I mean, I wasn’t trying to provoke him.”
“So the dispute was settled?”
“Absolutely. Jimmy Maddox is actually a bigger asshole than I am. He was okay once he got it out of his system. And like I said, if him or some lawyer wants in, it’s all theirs.”
He let that hang in the air for a moment.
“So, what do you think?” I said.
“If Mr. Maddox is agreeable, and there’re no other family members, there’s no reason you can’t continue as you have. I’d only feel better if the language in this agreement was snugged up a bit.”
“I still want to get Hornsby to talk to me.”
“Don’t punch him in the nose.”
“You know what’s been going on with property values lately. Regina’s and mine are the only two buildable subdivisions that sit on the tip of Oak Point. The only legitimate bay front. Her lot’s about a third again bigger than mine. And better, since mine borders the street, the other side of which is just swamp—wetlands, by law—till you get to the channel. She’s got a breakwater and a beach on two sides. About one and a half acres. It’s worth a bundle. Why isn’t he happier?”
“More hostile than happy, apparently.”
“Exactly.”
“I have no idea.”
“And why wasn’t Regina paying rent? And why didn’t he care?”
“We don’t know that he didn’t care. Or that he hasn’t tried to collect. It’s easier to build a fusion reactor than evict an old lady in New York State.”
“Of course, I thought of that. But then why didn’t I know? That’s exactly the kind of thing Regina would’ve been all over me to figure out. To fix for her.”
“Some things are too embarrassing.”
I’d thought about that, too. Why didn’t she tell me she didn’t own the house? Would she have told me she was in financial trouble? Either admission might have been too much of an insult to her dignity.
“Could be.”
Isabella came out onto the patio. Burton held up his empty glass and pointed at mine. She took care of the refills. She’d done it before. Burton told her we were all set. She left without saying much to me. Still mad at me on Burton’s behalf.
“She didn’t take baths,” I said, after Isabella had left.
“Pardon?”
“Regina didn’t take baths. She had an old tin-lined shower next to the kitchen. Used big old beach towels to dry herself off. The bathtub is where you cleaned fish. At least we used to. What was she doing in the bathtub?”
Burton held his drink by the top of the glass and swished it around to melt some of the ice.
“I see where you’re going,” he said.
“I wish I did.”
“What was the cause of death?”
