Insatiable Appetites

7

Stone called Herbie Fisher at home after dinner, told him about Eduardo, and asked him to work on the new case. The kids arrived after eleven; Stone greeted them all, sent Ben to Mary Ann’s apartment, then went to bed.

The following morning, Stone had Joan print out a representation agreement, which was mostly boilerplate, then Fred drove Stone and Herbie to nether Brooklyn. As they turned into the driveway, they were flagged down by a uniformed policeman. They identified themselves and, after a call to the house, were admitted.

Pietro met them at the door, somehow looking older since yesterday, then he led them to Eduardo’s study. Mary Ann sat at her father’s desk, rifling drawers and peering under the large piece of furniture.

“Good morning, Mary Ann,” Stone said. “How is your father this morning?”

“In a deep coma, thank you.” She stared at Herbie. “Who’s this?”

“Mary Ann, let me introduce Herbert Fisher, a partner at Woodman & Weld, who will be assisting me in this matter.”

“Bring us coffee,” she said to Pietro, who vanished.

“What were you doing under the desk?” Stone asked.

“Looking for secret drawers,” she replied.

“Before we begin, Mary Ann, let me explain a few things about how we will work.”

“All right, go ahead.”

Pietro appeared with a silver tray bearing a coffeepot, creamer, cups, and a plate of small pastries.

“Leave us,” she said to him. “Go ahead, Stone,” she said, when the man had gone.

“First of all,” Stone said, “we can represent the estate or we can represent you, personally, but not both. Since you are, presumably, an heir, that would be a conflict of interest. Which will it be?”

Mary Ann thought about that for a moment. “You will represent the estate,” she said. “I’ll find my own attorney.”

“Fine. You must understand that we will, in a sense, be representing the court, and that means we must keep you at arm’s length while we do our work.”

“All right,” she said.

“I want to go off the record here for a moment,” Stone said. “What I’m now about to say to you is to be confidential among the three of us.”

She looked at Herbie, then back at Stone, and her eyes narrowed. “Yes?”

“Before I begin to look at a will or any other documents, I must tell you that we can deal only with those assets mentioned in Eduardo’s will and any others listed in financial statements. Is there a will?”

“Yes, it’s in a safe behind the bookcase, there,” she said, pointing. “I don’t know how to open it.”

“Does Pietro?”

“He says no.”

“Then I will have steps taken to open it. What I meant by my previous statement is that, if Eduardo undertook during his life to remove cash, property, or other assets from his taxable estate by concealing them in secret accounts or corporations, I cannot know about it. I must be in a position to tell the probate court, honestly, that I am not aware of any assets not listed in my petition to the court. Is that clearly understood?”

Her eyes narrowed, and she said softly, “Yes.”

“Something else: you are going to have to become accustomed to the idea of the estate’s paying very substantial inheritance taxes. If you obsess over taxes, you will start making mistakes that will pile up and are likely to fall on you. From what little I know of Eduardo’s affairs, he is very wealthy and, even after taxes, his heirs will come into large sums of money and/or property. You must be content with what’s left.”

“I understand.”

“Good. Now I must ask you, has anything been removed from the house since Eduardo fell ill?”

“I suppose the maid took out the trash.”

“I will need to see any trash bags not yet collected,” Stone said. “Has any piece of artwork been removed?”

“Not yet.”

“You may not remove anything that belongs to the estate from the house, until the court gives permission.”

“I understand.”

“Who is Eduardo’s secretary, and where is she?”

“Her name is Angelina Bono, and she is upstairs with my father.”

“Good. When we’re done here, please tell her I’d like to speak with her.”

“When will we be done here?”

“We’re almost finished, and we’re back on the record. Do you know who Eduardo has appointed as his executor?”

“He told me long ago that I would be his executor, and that the fact was in his will, and he has never said anything to indicate that he changed his mind.”

Stone removed a document from his briefcase and handed it to Mary Ann. “This is a representation agreement between Eduardo’s executor and Woodman & Weld. Please take your time and read it, particularly with regard to our fees, and if you agree, sign both copies.” He handed the papers to her. “If we should subsequently learn that Eduardo appointed a different executor, we must have that person execute the document.”

Mary Ann read the entire agreement, then signed it, and returned it to Stone.

“Thank you,” Stone said. He signed the documents and returned one to Mary Ann.

There was a sharp rap on the study door.

“Come!” Mary Ann said.

Pietro entered the room, looking agitated. “Anna Maria,” he said, “your father is awake.”