“In terms of how long she can stay out of sight- if her disappearance is voluntary.”
“Are you suggesting-”
“In terms of who stands to inherit, if it isn’t.”
Anger’s jaw moved back and forth. “That sounds ominous.”
“Not really. I just need to define my parameters.”
“I see. And what
“I don’t have enough information to think anything. That’s why I’m here.”
Anger tilted back in his chair, rolled the bottom of his tie upward, then let it unfurl.
“I’m really concerned for her welfare, Mr. Sturgis. I’m sure you’re aware of her problem- the fears. The thought of her out there by herself…” Anger shook his head.
“We’re all concerned,” said Milo. “So why don’t we get to work?”
Anger swiveled his chair to one side, lowered it, and faced center again. “The problem is that a bank needs to maintain certain levels of-”
“I know what a bank needs to do, and I’m sure you do it really well. But there’s a lady out there whose family wants her found a.s.a.p. So why don’t we cut to the chase?”
Anger didn’t move. But he looked as if he’d slammed his finger in a car door and was trying to tough it out.
“Who, exactly, is your client of record, Mr. Sturgis?”
“Both Mr. Ramp and Ms. Dickinson.”
“I haven’t heard from Don on this.”
“He’s a bit stressed right now, trying to get some rest, but feel free to call him.”
“Stressed?” said Anger.
“Concerned for his wife’s welfare. The longer she’s gone, the greater the stress. With luck the whole thing will resolve itself, and the family will be extremely grateful to those who helped them in their time of need. People tend to remember that kind of thing.”
“Yes, of course. But that’s part of my dilemma. Having the matter resolve itself only to have made Mrs. Ramp’s finances needlessly public without proper legal justification. Because only Mrs. Ramp has the legal justification to request release of that information.”
“You’ve got a point,” said Milo. “If you want we’ll walk out of here and record the fact that you opted not to cooperate.”
“No,” said Anger. “That won’t be necessary. Melissa
“What situation’s that?”
“She’s her mother’s sole heir.”
“Ramp gets nothing?”
“Just a small sum.”
“How small?”
“Fifty thousand dollars. Let me qualify that by saying those are the facts as I know them today. The family attorneys are Wresting, Douse, and Cosner downtown. They may have drafted new papers, though I doubt it. Generally I’m kept well informed of any changes- we do the family’s accounting, receive copies of all documents.”
“Give me those lawyers’ names again,” said Milo, pen poised.
“Wresting. Douse. And Cosner. They’re a fine old firm- Jim Douse’s great-uncle was J. Harmon Douse, the California Supreme Court justice.”
“Who’s Mrs. Ramp’s personal lawyer?”
“Jim Junior- Jim Douse’s son. James Madison Douse, Junior.”
Milo copied it down. “Got his number handy?”
Anger recited seven numbers.
“Okay,” said Milo. “The fifty thousand that goes to Ramp- that the result of a prenuptial agreement?”
Anger nodded. “The agreement states- to the best of my recollection- that Don forfeits claim to any part of Gina’s estate beyond a single cash payment of fifty thousand dollars. Very simple- shortest one I’ve ever seen.”
“Whose idea was it?”
“Arthur Dickinson’s essentially- Gina’s first husband.”
“Voice from the grave?”
Anger shifted in his chair and gave a look of distaste. “Arthur wanted Gina well taken care of. He was acutely aware of the difference in their ages. And her fragility. He specified in his will that no subsequent husband be eligible to inherit.”
“Is that legal?”
“You’d have to consult an attorney on that, Mr. Sturgis. Don certainly showed no desire to challenge it. Then, or since. I was present when the agreement was signed. Notarized it personally. Don was totally amenable. More than that- enthusiastic. Stated his willingness to forgo even the fifty thousand. It was Gina who insisted on sticking to the letter of Arthur’s will.”
“Why’s that?”
“The man is her husband.”
“Then why didn’t she try to give him more?”
“I don’t know, Mr. Sturgis. You’d have to ask-” Self-conscious smile. “Yes, well, I can only guess, but I suppose she was a bit embarrassed- this was a week before the wedding. Most people don’t like dealing with financial matters at a time like that. Don reassured her it was irrelevant to him.”
“Sounds like he didn’t marry her for her money.”
Anger gave a cold look. “Apparently not, Mr. Sturgis.”
“Any idea why he
“I assume he
“They pretty happy together, far as you know?”
Anger sat back and folded his hands across his chest. “Investigating your own client, Mr. Sturgis?”
“Trying to fill in the picture.”
“Art was never my strong suit, Mr. Sturgis.”
Milo looked at the trophies and said, “Would it help if I phrased it in sports terms?”
“Not one bit, I’m afraid.”
Milo smiled and scribbled. “Okay, back to basics. Melissa’s the sole heir.”
“That’s correct.”
“Who inherits the estate if Melissa dies?”
“I believe her mother does, but we’re really getting out of my field of expertise.”
“Okay, let’s move back into it.
Anger hesitated. A banker’s prudishness. Then: “About forty million. Give or take. All of it in highly conservative investments.”
“Such as?”
“State of California tax-free municipal bonds rated double-A or above, blue-chip stocks and corporate bonds, treasury bills, some holdings in the secondary and tertiary mortgage markets. Nothing speculative.”
“How much yearly income does she get from all that?”
“Three and a half to five million, depending on yields.”
“All interest?”
Anger nodded. Talking figures had drawn him forward and relaxed his posture. “There’s nothing else coming in. Arthur did some architecture and development early on, but most of what he accumulated was the result of royalties on the Dickinson strut- it’s a process he invented, something to do with strengthening metal. He sold all rights to it just before he died, which is just as well- there’ve been newer techniques that have superseded it.”
“Why’d he sell?”
