said, “I have your permission to talk to them freely?”
“Yes.” She pointed to the closet. “Our family stuff is supposed to be in that room. I know I made Edgar get copies of all the family Trust documents. Even that was a fight. They accused me of trying to steal the family money. It was one of the few times Edgar stood up to them. He said as long as he was part of the family Trust, he should have copies of everything.”
Achtenberg opened her briefcase and took out a one-inch-thick packet of paper and handed them to Veronica. “These are the documents from your file. I stopped at the office on the way here. This might save us some time. These are the documents I worked on for you and Edgar.”
Veronica pointed to the closet and said, “Our copies must be in there with everything else.” She handed me the stack of stuff Achtenberg had just given to her. Veronica continued, “That room is a mess and there doesn’t seem to be any order to it. If you have the time now, I think it would be better if you go over your copies with them. Those people are worse than vultures who haven’t fed in a month. I need allies.” She hesitated. “What about the police? I can leave, can’t I? With my kids? To go eat?”
Enid said, “Yes. If they ask, I’ll explain where you are.” In walked my mom and dad, Veronica’s kids, several strangers, and Mr. and Mrs. Grum and her little dog, too.
Mom had several large boxes of pastries in her hands. Dad had two carrying trays with coffee with small packets of cream and sugar scattered among the coffee cups.
Mom and dad would know to bring food at a time like this.
THIRTEEN
Wednesday 9:32 A.M.
The kids looked dazed and confused. Patricia ran to her mother, grabbed her around the waist, glanced up at us, and then stuck a thumb in her mouth, a reversion in the face of unfathomable crisis. I didn’t blame her. Would that such simple gestures could solve all of our problems.
Two of the strangers wore ill-fitting sports coats and sported not-very-concealed weapons. The tall one in the brown coat and pants demanded everybody’s name. A third stranger wore a dark gray suit, with a pale yellow shirt, and a yellow tie with dark gray stripes.
The room began to seem crowded what with the cast bronze and iron beasts, whole stuffed dead critters, the heads of dead animals, and now the large herd of humans.
Achtenberg planted herself between the interlopers and the rest of us. One of the new guys towered over her. The other came to about her height. The tall one had demanded our names. Achtenberg said, “I’m Enid Achtenberg. Who are you and why should we give you our names?”
Good for her. This situation was out of control.
Mrs. Grum said, “Arrest them all.”
An image of the Red Queen in Alice in Wonderland flashed through my mind, “Sentence first -- verdict afterwards.” This was making less and less sense. Assumedly the new guys were cops, or were they private security personnel working for the Grums, or they were random people off the street who happened to be wearing guns?
The tall guy said, “I’m Detective Brendstin. This is Detective Adlow.”
Achtenberg said, “I.D.s please.”
I liked her.
They took out I.D.s and flashed them for a second, put them away.
Achtenberg held up a hand, “Again please, gentleman.”
Brendstin looked like he was holding himself in from reaching out and throttling her. Adlow, much older than the taller detective, kept his eyes down. Maybe he was embarrassed and chagrined, which would be a new development among this crowd.
The third stranger in the black suit said, “I’m Albert Warner, the Grums’ attorney.” He handed Achtenberg his card. She didn’t bother to look at it.
She waited a few beats as the detectives glanced at each other then dragged out their badges. Achtenberg actually examined the detectives’ IDs, took out a
“Yes.” She pointed to the closet. “Our family stuff is supposed to be in that room. I know I made Edgar get copies of all the family Trust documents. Even that was a fight. They accused me of trying to steal the family money. It was one of the few times Edgar stood up to them. He said as long as he was part of the family Trust, he should have copies of everything.”
Achtenberg opened her briefcase and took out a one-inch-thick packet of paper and handed them to Veronica. “These are the documents from your file. I stopped at the office on the way here. This might save us some time. These are the documents I worked on for you and Edgar.”
Veronica pointed to the closet and said, “Our copies must be in there with everything else.” She handed me the stack of stuff Achtenberg had just given to her. Veronica continued, “That room is a mess and there doesn’t seem to be any order to it. If you have the time now, I think it would be better if you go over your copies with them. Those people are worse than vultures who haven’t fed in a month. I need allies.” She hesitated. “What about the police? I can leave, can’t I? With my kids? To go eat?”
Enid said, “Yes. If they ask, I’ll explain where you are.” In walked my mom and dad, Veronica’s kids, several strangers, and Mr. and Mrs. Grum and her little dog, too.
Mom had several large boxes of pastries in her hands. Dad had two carrying trays with coffee with small packets of cream and sugar scattered among the coffee cups.
Mom and dad would know to bring food at a time like this.
THIRTEEN
Wednesday 9:32 A.M.
The kids looked dazed and confused. Patricia ran to her mother, grabbed her around the waist, glanced up at us, and then stuck a thumb in her mouth, a reversion in the face of unfathomable crisis. I didn’t blame her. Would that such simple gestures could solve all of our problems.
Two of the strangers wore ill-fitting sports coats and sported not-very-concealed weapons. The tall one in the brown coat and pants demanded everybody’s name. A third stranger wore a dark gray suit, with a pale yellow shirt, and a yellow tie with dark gray stripes.
The room began to seem crowded what with the cast bronze and iron beasts, whole stuffed dead critters, the heads of dead animals, and now the large herd of humans.
Achtenberg planted herself between the interlopers and the rest of us. One of the new guys towered over her. The other came to about her height. The tall one had demanded our names. Achtenberg said, “I’m Enid Achtenberg. Who are you and why should we give you our names?”
Good for her. This situation was out of control.
Mrs. Grum said, “Arrest them all.”
An image of the Red Queen in Alice in Wonderland flashed through my mind, “Sentence first -- verdict afterwards.” This was making less and less sense. Assumedly the new guys were cops, or were they private security personnel working for the Grums, or they were random people off the street who happened to be wearing guns?
The tall guy said, “I’m Detective Brendstin. This is Detective Adlow.”
Achtenberg said, “I.D.s please.”
I liked her.
They took out I.D.s and flashed them for a second, put them away.
Achtenberg held up a hand, “Again please, gentleman.”
Brendstin looked like he was holding himself in from reaching out and throttling her. Adlow, much older than the taller detective, kept his eyes down. Maybe he was embarrassed and chagrined, which would be a new development among this crowd.
The third stranger in the black suit said, “I’m Albert Warner, the Grums’ attorney.” He handed Achtenberg his card. She didn’t bother to look at it.
She waited a few beats as the detectives glanced at each other then dragged out their badges. Achtenberg actually examined the detectives’ IDs, took out a
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