So what then?
The door flew open and crashed against the wall. Heart racing, Mia spun.
Verna, carrying a large box, trudged into the office. She eyed Sydney with a stern reprimand. “Come get this shredder. If you have time to stand around and gossip, you have time to help me clean this place up.”
Sydney passed Mia, giving her an I-told-you-so look on the way.
Mia followed Sydney. “It’s good to see you, Verna.”
Verna let her purse slide down her arm and plop onto her desk. “About time you decided to stop in.”
Ooh, shewastesty. That wouldn’t deter Mia from asking about the barn, but she would ease into it.
Mia held up her folder. “I was wondering if I could make some copies.”
Verna jabbed a finger at the far wall and sat in the squeaky chair behind her desk. “Copier’s over there in the corner where it’s always been.”
“Thanks.” Mia crossed the room and started her copies, the older machine humming efficiently.
“We were all sad to hear about Wally’s passing,” Verna said, sounding like the kind woman Mia remembered. “I know you were like a daughter to him and will miss him.”
“I will,” Mia said, keeping her tone casual but wondering why Verna didn’t say she would miss him too. “Say, I was wondering when you started locking the barn.”
Verna’s penciled-in eyebrows arched. “We never lock the barn.”
“The doors were chained on the day of the fire.”
“That’s news to me.” She slowly laced her fingers together and stared at them in fascination.
Mia changed pages on the glass. “Any idea who might have locked it?”
Verna’s gaze darted around the room then lighted on a pack of Lucky Strikes that had fallen from her purse. She tapped out a cigarette and dangled it from the corner of her mouth, but didn’t light it.
“Nothing in there worth locking up.” She leaned back in the sagging chair. “Now if you don’t mind, I have work to do.”
Good one, Verna.The best non-answer Mia had ever heard. Was the manager hiding something?
Mia searched her face, but her expression hardened. So fine. Pushing more for answers would only spook the woman. Make her close down more. Mia didn’t want that. She would have to come back later and find a way to better ease into the topic.
Mia put the documents into her folder. “One more thing before I go. Did Uncle Wally handle the insurance on the property or did you?”
Verna dug in her purse and extracted a blue lighter to set it on the desk “Wally didn’t handle much of anything.”
Did Mia detect a note of frustration with Wally? She would have to watch for that. “Have you filed a claim for the barn, then?”
“The fire just happened yesterday. I ain’t no miracle worker.” The cigarette bobbed with each word.
“Do you think you can get to it today?” Mia replaced the will with the letter, making sure to hide the cutout letters from Verna’s and Sydney’s view.
“Like I said, I ain’t a miracle worker.”
“If it helps, I can file the claim,” Sydney offered.
“No.” Verna gave her a stern look. “You’ve got enough to do as it is. I’ll make time for it.”
Mia took out her last copy and slipped it into the file. “I’ll check back tomorrow to see if there’s anything you need from me.”
Mia waited for Verna to reply but she didn’t speak, so Mia smiled at the older woman and turned to the door. She mouthed thank you to Sydney and waved.
