'Have you ever met any MacKennas in Savannah?'
'Not that I recall. I believe Kate and her sisters are the only MacKennas I know, but then I do meet so many people and I don't always catch the names.'
'You still haven't explained what makes you responsible for the explosions.'
'Consider the circumstances,' he said. 'I invited Kate to my estate, and I insisted she bring her products, and boom, she's nearly killed. And through a Realtor I encourage her to look at my warehouse, and boom, she's nearly killed again. I own both properties, you see. I am responsible. I just don't know how or why. I'm hoping you'll be able to figure that out.'
The only thing Carl might be guilty of was telling everything he knew to anyone who would listen. Someone used him for information.
'What's your financial situation?' Dylan asked.
'Dismal at the moment. Abysmal. I've completely overextended myself. But it's temporary,' he assured him. 'I'm building a gallery on my property-which will be magnificent when it's completed-and I've sunk the rest of my money into this latest project. But I have no doubt the return will be well worth the risk.'
Dylan was a little surprised by Carl's candor. He was an unusual character and a complete contradiction. On the one hand he was pretentious and arrogant, and on the other he was straightforward and considerate. One thing was certain, he wore his heart on his sleeve for everyone to see, so there was little pretense when it came to his feelings.
'How did you meet Kate?' Dylan asked. It seemed such a curious friendship to him.
Carl smiled. 'I met her at the hospital. It was several years back. She was there with her mother, and I was visiting my sister, Susannah. Kate was in high school, but she was already a beauty. And such a presence. Do you understand what I mean?'
'Oh, yes.' He understood perfectly.
'She could start pulses racing even back then. My sister actually introduced us. Kate was waiting for her mother to come out of X-ray, and my sister was waiting to be taken in, and they began to chat. They became dear friends in no time at all. Susannah was two years younger than Kate,' he thought to add. 'Kate told her about the candles she was making with all the strange scents, and she asked Susannah if she would give her opinion of some of them. My sister was thrilled. Kate made her feel very important.
'Susannah was ill for quite some time-in and out of the hospital so often she called it her home away from home.' He paused with a melancholy smile at the memory. 'Kate's mother went into remission, so Kate didn't need to come to the hospital anymore, but she never forgot Susannah. She visited her often, and even after she started college, Kate would make a point of seeing her when she came home for vacations. And no matter where she was, every week, she would send a little something to Susannah. A candle, a special lotion, a flower… a gift to tell her she was thinking about her. Each time Kate started working on a new product, she would call to get her input. I know Kate didn't really need Susannah's opinion, but she asked for it just the same. It gave Susannah something to look forward to, especially in her last days when she was so weak.' Carl's voice cracked when he said, 'We lost Susannah in September. But Kate, my dear, dear Kate, still hasn't forgotten her. She told me she wanted to do something special in her memory, and so she's developed a special perfume that will be named after my sister. Susannah was her given name, but we called her Sassy.'
Chapter Thirty-one
DYLAN WASN'T ABOUT TO LET KATE WALK INTO THE SMITH AND Wesson building to sign any papers until he was absolutely certain she would be safe. Figuring out all the details and coordinating security measures with Nate and the Charleston PD, the FBI, and the Savannah PD would not only take time but would also be a logistical nightmare, and that meant that the three o'clock meeting this afternoon would definitely have to be rescheduled.
One solution would be for the attorney to bring the papers to Kate. The Silver Springs police station would have been a good location, but anywhere away from the heart of Savannah and the MacKenna brothers would have been acceptable.
Unfortunately, the location for the meeting couldn't be moved. When Dylan got Anderson on the phone and suggested other arrangements, the attorney was most apologetic as he explained that a change of venue wouldn't be possible.
'I must follow Compton MacKenna's instructions. He insisted that the meeting take place at Smith and Wesson. He liked to direct every facet of his affairs. He signed his new will in the conference room on the second floor, and that is where he wanted the transfer of his estate to take place. He even went so far as to assign seating. Kate must first listen to his advisors and his accountants as they explain how Compton accumulated his fortune, and when they are finished, she can sign the papers.'
'Is that a mandatory condition?'
'I'm afraid so, yes.'
'What was his reason for setting it up this way?'
'There were several reasons,' Anderson said. 'He expected Kate to follow in his footsteps, and he therefore believed that his advisors would guide her in future decisions that would increase his fortune. It is not a condition of the will, however, that Kate continue to employ them, and as her attorney I will strongly recommend that she fire the lot.'
Before Dylan could ask why, Anderson continued. 'I also believe Compton wanted to impress her, to brag, if you will. In his mind Kate was a prodigy, his prodigy.'
'She won't like hearing that.'
'After having spent a very brief time with her, I have already judged her to be nothing like Compton… or his advisors,' he added.
'You'd think someone who was going to hand over that much money to one person would want to get to know her,' Dylan surmised.
'I mentioned that very thing to him a few months ago, but he became indignant at the suggestion. He felt his investigation told him everything he needed to know about Kate and her sisters. He was quite the recluse at times-I suppose one would call him eccentric. He had difficulty establishing any sort of personal relationship. I think, as long as he kept his transactions on a strictly business level, he could control them. I was his attorney for the last seven years and found him to be extraordinarily inflexible. He preferred to work through his financial associates.'
'How many are there?'
'Six in all,' he replied. 'Four advisors and two accountants. I've already given their names to Detective Hallinger.'
Dylan was walking back and forth in the hall of the police station while he talked to Anderson on his cell phone. The door to the lounge was open. The tiny room was furnished with a synthetic leather sofa and a soda machine. Dylan went in and dipped into his pocket for some change as he continued his conversation. He asked the attorney to e-mail him the names and phone numbers so he could do a little checking on them, too. Just to be on the safe side. Who knew, maybe he'd find out something Nate had missed. Remote possibility… but still…
'Did Compton also want to control the time for the meeting from his grave, or can that be rescheduled?' he asked and then quickly answered his own question. 'It has to be rescheduled. There's just no way it can take place this afternoon.'
'I understand,' Anderson said. 'Compton was more flexible about the time. He realized people do get sick and there are emergencies. I believe the only reason he wanted the meeting scheduled two days after his death was to make certain his advisors and accountants would be in Savannah in time for his funeral. It was his way of making sure someone besides me showed up. What about tomorrow evening at seven? Would that be convenient for Kate?' Anderson asked. 'Or the day after that? The others are coming in from out of town. They'll stay in Savannah for as long as necessary. But, you know, the sooner those papers are signed, the better for everyone's peace of mind.'
And better for her chances of survival, Dylan thought. 'How much notice do you need?'
'Whatever you can give me.'
