“Freya’s not a kid,” I say. “You said it yourself. She’s a grown woman who makes her own choices.”
“And those choices put one person on center stage. Not Duncan Gilcrest. And definitely not you.”
“I can handle myself,” I say.
Paul crouches beside a wide, flat rock. “Get on the other side of this,” he says.
We lift the rock together and use it to form the top edge of the wall.
“Freya’s using you because Gilcrest won’t let her control his every move,” Paul says. “That’s what she does. That’s what she’s always done. And Gilcrest is probably keenly aware that the moment he gives in to her, she’ll get bored with him. But he’s getting desperate, too.”
Paul’s worked with Freya for decades. He probably knows her better than nearly anyone else, but the person he describes now doesn’t mesh with the woman I spent the day with yesterday. Still, she admitted she’d used me to make Gilcrest jealous. She also posed for the cameras outside the police station and slowed her truck to be sure that reporter gave chase. Maybe she’s using me in other ways, too.
And maybe she’s a better actor than I realized.
Half an hour later, we set the final stone in place along the top of the wall.
“These projects never end,” Paul says, admiring the work. “I prefer New York, where I call the super when something needs attention.”
I sit on the wall to test its stability. “Solid,” I say. “Satisfying, too.”
“Keep telling yourself that,” Paul says. “I noticed a crack in the firepit at Idlewood. Guess who needs to fix it now. You.” He leans on the crowbar. “That cut on your head healed. Send me the hospital bill, and I’ll take care of it while we settle the estate. Any thoughts on who whacked you? Or why?”
“I had a suspect,” I say, “but he didn’t pan out.”
Paul takes in the information without comment, waiting for me to fill the silence.
“Vance Moodey and my mother were dating,” I continue.
Paul raises his eyebrows. “Your mother was good with a secret,” he says.
“Secrets like why Reid owes Vance money.”
Paul swings the crowbar over his shoulder and begins to retrace the path to the farmhouse. “Once your mother’s will is out of probate, you, Reid, and I should sit down and go over the estate so you can get a sense of what you’re dealing with. If you have questions about creditors, we can cover them then. Reid Construction is a complicated business. The condos by the marina, the ones where Freya’s staying, haven’t sold. Reid’s the owner, so it’s been a strain on the firm. Now that spring’s fully underway, they should move.”
I don’t know a lot about real estate, but I do know brand-new lakeside construction sells quickly. Or it should. “That project finished over a year ago,” I say.
“They need to repour the foundation. It’s not a big deal.”
“That sounds like a huge deal.”
We reach the crest of the hill. Below us, Burkehaven Farm sits nestled among the trees. In the distance, an SUV glides into the driveway. Duncan Gilcrest gets out and peers up the hill toward where we stand, then begins hiking our way.
“I wondered when he’d show up,” Paul says.
“Did my mother know Reid had money tied up in those condos? Or about other creditors like Vance?”
“Jane was the president of the company.”
And my mother would hardly be the first company president who lost track of the accounting at her organization, but like any good lawyer, Paul’s made a career of evading answers.
“My mother called you the night before the fire,” I say.
“Your mother and I talked a lot,” Paul says.
Down below, Gilcrest has begun to cross the pasture toward us, his black anorak blowing in the breeze. I need to ask Paul my questions before the detective reaches us. “You were my mother’s lawyer,” I say. “The night we played cards, Jane said what was happening at Burkehaven would never happen to Idlewood, even when Reid mentioned property taxes. Mrs. Haviland is the chair of the conservation commission. And when I was out in the helicopter with Seton just now, she told me Mrs. Haviland had been after Jane to put Idlewood in conservation.”
Paul turns to face me, and I can see him calculating how much to reveal. “Andrea can be persuasive,” he says. “I’ll give her that.”
