Whens the last time you talked with him? I said.
Mary had some champagne cocktail to help her think. Any help was welcome.
I cant really recall. Larson? Do you recall when I talked with Brink last?
I believe you and he spoke shortly after Nathans death. He was handling the estate.
Yes. Thats right. Brink came over. He was so kind. He said hed take care of everything.
The brokers handling the estate? I said.
Hes an attorney as well, Rita said.
Renaissance man, I said. Arent you ashamed, Rita, just doing law law?
And that badly, Rita said.
And how is your estate?
Mary looked a little vague. Fine.
She looked at Rita.
Estates in a kind of legal limbo, Rita said. Until the cause of death gets clarified a little.
Do you know how much youve inherited? I said.
Mary shook her head. Nathan always said we didnt talk about our money. That it wasnt dignified.
It might be dignified to know how much you had, I said.
She looked helplessly at Larson Graff.
Mary, Im sorry. Im in no position to know your finances.
Well, Mary said. Certainly your bill is always paid on time, Larson.
Oh yes. It certainly is, Larson said.
The waitress brought lunch, which consisted of three salads and a sandwich. I got the sandwich.
So,
just so I understand, I said to Mary. You dont know what your financial situation is, or you know, and feel its undignified to say?
Mary looked down at her salad. She speared a small slice of avocado and put it delicately in her mouth and chewed it more vigorously, I thought, than it required. When she had swallowed it, she took another sip of her champagne cocktail. Mary was dumb. But she moved very slowly. She looked at me and laughed as if she might be embarrassed.
I dont really know, Mr. Spenser.
Do you object if I find out? I said.
Well, I really.
She looked at Larson. Larson wasnt helpful. She looked at Rita. Rita nodded firmly.
Well, I really think its kind of, I dont want to be offensive, but I really think its kind of nosy.
God forbid, I said.
Rita smiled.
You never got a call from Brink Tyler last Tuesday asking if Spenser could look at the investment statements?
Oh, Rita, Im just so sure he didnt.
Rita looked at me. I looked at Rita.
So whod he call? Rita said.
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
Hawk was in my office when I returned. He was sitting in my chair with his feet up on my desk, reading Simon Schamas History of Britain.
You interested in British history? I said when I came in.
Naw. Read this dudes book on Rembrandt. I like him.
Lot of big words, I said.
Thought you could help me.
White mans burden, I said. Gimme my chair.
Hawk grinned and dog-eared his page and closed the book and got up and came around and plonked in a client chair. I sat at my desk.
There, I said. You looking for a place to sleep?
Nope. Since I aint following anybody for you at the moment, and since somebody tried to shoot your ass the other night, I thought maybe I should hang around with you, case somebody try again.
Plus, I said, you could learn a lot.
Be a privilege, Hawk said. Whynt you bring me up to date on what you doing, so Ill know who to shoot.
I did. Hawk listened without expression, his face the pleasantly impenetrable blank it always was.
You got more information than you can handle, Hawk said when I got through.
I do, I said.
Course it easy for you to have too much information.
How about yourself, I said. You make anything out of it?
Hawk grinned at me. Im just a simple thug, he said. I aint supposed to make nothing out of it.
That may be true of me, I said.
Simple thug?
Yeah.
Thing is, all of the stuff you know doesnt add up to who done what.
That is the thing, I said.
You tell Mary her husband was gay?
No.
Rita gonna find out about Smiths finances for you?
Yes.
When she do youll have more information.
And I still wont know anything.
Be used to that, Hawk said. You think Mary lying, or you think the Brinkster call himself?
If he did, I said, it would be sort of a stopgap. He had to know Id ask her myself pretty soon.
Maybe he figure you aint around, pretty soon.
Because he knew somebody would hit me, I said.
Hawk nodded. Or maybe he did call her, he said. And she lying when she say he didnt.
Which might mean the same thing, I said. Except shes so goddamned dumb.
Dumb enough to think you wouldnt check on her?
She gets by with dumb, I said. She uses it. She may even rely on it.
There got to be some money in here someplace, Hawk said.
See, thats just the reason youre a hooligan and Im a detective, I said. You jump to conclusions. I search for clues.
Heres a clue, Hawk said. A banker, a financial guy, a real estate developer, and a lawyer. All connected in some way to a homicide.
Gee, you think theres money involved?
How I know. You the detective. I is just a hoo-li-gan.
At least were clear on that, I said. Maybe we should revisit Jack DeRosa.
The jailbird? Why him?
Cant think of anybody else? I said.
Hawk grinned.
Least he fit on the list, hawk said. Right after lawyer.