“These are your father’s assets,” the lawyer replied. “He can do whatever he likes. Within reason.”
“You call this reasonable?”
Her attorney chose not to respond.
When Laura turned back to Sol, he proceeded to lay out the property sale, the agent, details related to the Christie’s auction. On and on. Jenna did her best to shut it all out. She kept her gaze fastened on the hands in her lap. Every time she glanced up, she was blasted by a unified loathing. As if she was responsible for any of this mess. Jenna knew it wasn’t Dino’s parting bequest. Not really. His estate was worth at least thirty million, and probably a good deal more. Fifty thousand dollars was a drop in the bucket. What enraged them was her closeness. How Dino had trusted her. Not them. Never them.
She picked at a flaking cuticle and reflected on how wise the old man had been. Not allowing this pack of squabbling, greedy, grasping harpies to poison his final days.
From somewhere in the vague distance, Jenna heard Sol say, “Two representatives of the surviving family must agree to serve as official observers during the house sale and property auction.”
Jenna listened to them squabble over this new responsibility, not wanting the duty, trusting no one else. She resisted the urge to glance at her watch. She had hoped to rejoin Noah, work a few hard hours in the heat, put all this nonsense behind her. But the longer this took, the less likely she’d make it back in time. Jenna could almost feel her watch’s second hand beat out time’s passage on her wrist.
Suddenly, without warning, she sensed Dino entering the room.
Occasionally in the first few days after a patient’s passage, she experienced such moments. As if the dearly departed had popped by, or drifted in, for a final farewell. Normally a week back home was enough to fully separate her from the emotions and the passage and the person now gone. Afterward it all took a rightful place among her other memories. She had done her best by them and their clan. Their time was over. She remained among the living. Rest in peace.
This was different.
The old man seemed so close, almost like he stood beside her chair. Enjoying the squabble like he would good theater. Taking pleasure from . . . What, exactly? Seeing how they cared so much for his wealth and so little about the man himself?
No, Jenna decided. He had long known this, and simply put it aside as one of life’s unsolvable problems. Dino certainly had had his share of those. No, this was something else entirely.
She knew it was ridiculous, wondering what a former patient might be thinking, over a month since he had left it all behind. As if this was real. As if Dino was indeed urging her to pay attention, enjoy this final mystery . . .
She heard Sol say, “Your designated observers must commence with their duties this very afternoon.”
The chorus of protests grew louder still.
This time, she was certain Sol could barely suppress his grin.
When the room finally quieted down, Sol went on. “They must serve as witnesses to the opening of Mr. Vicenza’s secret safe.”
Eloise leaned forward, said to Willifred, “Iknewit was there.”
Willifred had the ability to show a spoiled child’s petulance at every comment. “Youthought it was in the old man’s boat.”
“It is located, and I quote”—Sol lifted the document and read—“in the cellar, behind the central panel. Surrounded by the fuel that kept everything purring along.”
Eloise demanded, “What on earth is Daddy talking about?”
“Come on, Mom,” Willifred said. “His wine collection.”
She sniffed. “Inside the house thatwomanwas guarding. She probably cleared it all out days ago.”
Sol shook his head. “Actually, Ms. Greaves’s thumbprint is required, since it disarms the home’s master switch. But the lady in question was not aware of the safe’s existence until now. Which also requires a code Mr. Vicenza has apparently never shared with anyone. The code is 02021919, the date of his birth.”
Eloise demanded, “What’s in the safe?”
“I was told it contains a quantity of gold bullion. I haven’t—” Sol was halted by a tirade of voices, all demanding now to serve as observers.
Jenna leaned back, amazed at how the old man insisted on dragging her further into this mess. In the months following her being taken into Dino’s confidence, he had insisted the security firm recode the master alarm that controlled all the home’s locks. But this was a new one. She tried to recall him ever mentioning a cellar safe, and came up blank.
“That is so like Pop,” Laura said. “Secrets were his favorite way of avoiding human contact.”
“Mom.”
“Well, it’s true.” She pointed at Jenna. “And to have this one involved only adds insult to injury.”
