“Good afternoon. My name is Stone Barrington. I’m a lawyer at Woodman & Weld. May I speak to Mr. Humphrey, please?”
“I’m sorry, Mr. Barrington, but Mr. Humphrey isn’t in the office this afternoon. May I take a message?”
“Please have him call me at his earliest convenience. It’s in regard to Trenton Sidney, one of your alumni.” He gave her his contact information.
“I’ll let him know.”
Stone hung up.
The fourth and final beneficiary of Trenton’s estate was a special case, and not someone Stone should notify over the phone. The problem was that she lived in Portland, Maine, so it wasn’t like he could just drop in on her on his way to dinner.
He was contemplating how best to handle the situation when Joan buzzed him.
“Oliver Humphrey on one,” she said.
“Thanks.” Stone pushed line one. “Mr. Humphrey? This is Stone Barrington. Thank you for returning my call.”
“Of course,” Humphrey said.
From the noise in the background, Stone could tell the man was traveling in a vehicle.
“Are you familiar with Trenton Sidney?” Stone asked.
“I’m heading home from his funeral right now.”
“Really? If I’d realized you were there, we could have had this conversation in person.”
“You also attended?”
“I did.”
“It was a beautiful service, wasn’t it?”
“It was.”
“I’m still trying to wrap my head around his death,” Humphrey said. “He had so many good years ahead of him. What a tragedy.”
“I take it you and Trenton were friends.”
“I’d like to think so. We’ve had him as a guest lecturer at the college at least once every semester for the last several years. He was very popular with the students. And he and I would always have dinner together anytime he was on campus.”
“Then perhaps you’re already aware that Trenton named the college in his will.”
“Really?” Humphrey said, sounding surprised. “He dropped hints here and there, but never said it outright.” He sighed. “While I’m most thankful for every donation that we receive, coming at the cost of a friend’s life is not the way I would have wanted to receive it.”
“Completely understandable,” Stone said.
“I assume you will need some information from us?”
“Trenton requested that everyone named in his will be present when it’s read. That will likely happen sometime in the next two weeks. My assistant, Joan, will be figuring out a date and time that works for all.”
“Don’t worry about us. Whenever it is, I’ll make sure that a representative of the college is there. We are honored that Trenton even thought to mention us in his will. He exemplified the type of businessman that the college’s founder, my great-great-grandfather, envisioned we would produce.”
“I’m sure he would have appreciated hearing that.”
“Oh, he did, Mr. Barrington. I told him that many times.”
“I won’t keep you any longer. Joan will be in touch.”
