Read Online When the Sun Goes Down by Gwynne Forster - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Gwynne Forster
Ads: Link
didn’t say good-bye, but merely turned and headed for the elevator.
He’d been so impersonal that she’d be a fool to expect anything other than a pleasant evening—as he put it—as a thank-you for her help the past two days. “No,” she said aloud as she locked the door. It was as if he’d decided between giving her a thank-you gift and inviting her to dinner. She shrugged as if it didn’t matter. “He’s a nice guy, properly brought up, and no guy who looks like that one is without ties.”
Carson got back to his office, returned several business calls, and telephoned Gunther. “This is Carson. Shirley and I spent the morning at your father’s house. A thorough search of his personal quarters revealed nothing. I need to see his lawyer. Can you confirm for me that Riggs is legally the executor of your father’s will?”
“He is the executor. He secured a writ prohibiting any action in respect to Father’s estate for one year from the date of Father’s death or until the will is located, provided that it is found and produced before the elapse of a year from the time of Father’s death.”
“Smart man. How much time does that give us?”
“Until the fifth of January.”
“I may need to talk with you again around the first of the week. I’ll call you.”
Minutes after he hung up, his assistant called. “Edgar Farrell on line two, Carson.”
“Montgomery speaking. What may I do for you, Mr. Farrell?”
“Somebody was at the house this morning. I put a couple of things in inconspicuous places, and they were moved, not far, but they’d been moved.”
He bristled at that. Don’t lose your temper, man. “Hmm. So now you’re the detective. I went through your father’s personal quarters this morning and made a thorough search. I don’t have to look there again. I put things back as I found them, but I certainly didn’t try to fool anybody into thinking I hadn’t been there. I was doing my job.”
“Yeah. But you haven’t found the will yet, and I’m flat broke.”
“I’m doing my best, and if you begin to harass me—”
“All right. I get it, but, man, if you were in my situation, you’d feel me better.”
“I don’t expect to be in your situation, Edgar, because I’m not afraid of work, no matter how hard. I’d better get to work, because I won’t find that will while talking with you on the phone.”
He hung up and leaned back in his desk chair, musing over the happenings of that morning with Shirley at the Farrell home. The woman was almost as transparent as air, but her innate dignity kept her in line. He hadn’t had much experience resisting a woman who attracted him when the attraction was mutual, and he didn’t want a relationship with a woman who was, in effect, his client. Yet, he needed an opportunity to clear the air between them, and he hoped a pleasant evening together would be sufficient.
He phoned Donald Riggs. “Mr. Riggs, this is Carson Montgomery. I’ve searched the house, Farrell’s quarters twice, and come up empty-handed. If he had a safe-deposit box, I need access to it.”
“You may try Fairmount or Altman Washington. He had accounts in both. I’ll give you a notarized permit.”
“Thanks, man. I’m anxious to wrap this up.”
“I’m sure of that. I’m surprised Edgar hasn’t driven you crazy by now.”
“My contract with him forbids harassment. I’ll be by your office in an hour. Thanks.”
Carson found safe-deposit boxes in both banks, but neither contained the will or information as to its whereabouts. He informed Riggs of his findings and, for the first time in his career as a detective, admitted that he faced a blank wall.
Gunther met Shirley at the Baltimore / Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, gave her a brotherly kiss on the cheek, and took her bag. “How’d it go in the West Indies?”
“Hot and humid. I don’t see why anyone would want to go there on vacation this time of
He’d been so impersonal that she’d be a fool to expect anything other than a pleasant evening—as he put it—as a thank-you for her help the past two days. “No,” she said aloud as she locked the door. It was as if he’d decided between giving her a thank-you gift and inviting her to dinner. She shrugged as if it didn’t matter. “He’s a nice guy, properly brought up, and no guy who looks like that one is without ties.”
Carson got back to his office, returned several business calls, and telephoned Gunther. “This is Carson. Shirley and I spent the morning at your father’s house. A thorough search of his personal quarters revealed nothing. I need to see his lawyer. Can you confirm for me that Riggs is legally the executor of your father’s will?”
“He is the executor. He secured a writ prohibiting any action in respect to Father’s estate for one year from the date of Father’s death or until the will is located, provided that it is found and produced before the elapse of a year from the time of Father’s death.”
“Smart man. How much time does that give us?”
“Until the fifth of January.”
“I may need to talk with you again around the first of the week. I’ll call you.”
Minutes after he hung up, his assistant called. “Edgar Farrell on line two, Carson.”
“Montgomery speaking. What may I do for you, Mr. Farrell?”
“Somebody was at the house this morning. I put a couple of things in inconspicuous places, and they were moved, not far, but they’d been moved.”
He bristled at that. Don’t lose your temper, man. “Hmm. So now you’re the detective. I went through your father’s personal quarters this morning and made a thorough search. I don’t have to look there again. I put things back as I found them, but I certainly didn’t try to fool anybody into thinking I hadn’t been there. I was doing my job.”
“Yeah. But you haven’t found the will yet, and I’m flat broke.”
“I’m doing my best, and if you begin to harass me—”
“All right. I get it, but, man, if you were in my situation, you’d feel me better.”
“I don’t expect to be in your situation, Edgar, because I’m not afraid of work, no matter how hard. I’d better get to work, because I won’t find that will while talking with you on the phone.”
He hung up and leaned back in his desk chair, musing over the happenings of that morning with Shirley at the Farrell home. The woman was almost as transparent as air, but her innate dignity kept her in line. He hadn’t had much experience resisting a woman who attracted him when the attraction was mutual, and he didn’t want a relationship with a woman who was, in effect, his client. Yet, he needed an opportunity to clear the air between them, and he hoped a pleasant evening together would be sufficient.
He phoned Donald Riggs. “Mr. Riggs, this is Carson Montgomery. I’ve searched the house, Farrell’s quarters twice, and come up empty-handed. If he had a safe-deposit box, I need access to it.”
“You may try Fairmount or Altman Washington. He had accounts in both. I’ll give you a notarized permit.”
“Thanks, man. I’m anxious to wrap this up.”
“I’m sure of that. I’m surprised Edgar hasn’t driven you crazy by now.”
“My contract with him forbids harassment. I’ll be by your office in an hour. Thanks.”
Carson found safe-deposit boxes in both banks, but neither contained the will or information as to its whereabouts. He informed Riggs of his findings and, for the first time in his career as a detective, admitted that he faced a blank wall.
Gunther met Shirley at the Baltimore / Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, gave her a brotherly kiss on the cheek, and took her bag. “How’d it go in the West Indies?”
“Hot and humid. I don’t see why anyone would want to go there on vacation this time of
Similar Books
