"So noted."
Mr. Creech appeared almost to smile at his audience, although the dim light and the character of his face made it difficult to tell. “I am instructed to inform those present of several matters. My client provided for all arrangements necessary to the disposition of his remains, including the purchases of coffin, headstone with inscription, and burial plot adjacent to that of his late wife. Furthermore, he desired no memorial or funerary service in a house of worship, whether Protestant, Catholic, Jewish, or any other faith or creed. Said burial is to be conducted without benefit of clergy, and may be attended by any persons who wish to be present. My client stipulated that any mourners in attendance shall be free to speak in a spontaneous fashion. Let it be noted that these instructions have been read and understood."
"So noted," said Miss Wick.
"Did I hear the word 'inscription'?" Clark asked.
"Let me find the exact wording." Creech turned a few pages. "The inscription on my client's headstone is to read as follows: first line,tobias kraft, in capital letters; second line, the dates of his birth and death; third line,trust in the unexpected, in smaller capital letters, followed by an italicized attribution to Emily Dickinson."
“‘Trust in the unexpected'?" Clark said. "What the devil is that supposed to mean?"
“I gather that my client found it a helpful sentiment." Creech turned the page and looked back up. "We have now reached the reading of Mr. Kraft's last will and testament. May I assume that the parties assembled here are willing to forgo a reading of the introductory paragraphs and move directly to section C, his bequests?"
Nettie leaned over to whisper to May, and Creech said, “I assure you that nothing relevant to your concerns shall be neglected by moving to section C. In any case, copies of the entire document will be distributed at the conclusion of this meeting."
"Skip the mumbo jumbo," Nettie said.
"Be it noted that it has been agreed to begin the reading of the will at section C, Bequests."
Miss Wick uttered her echo.
Creech began reading in his flat, emotionless voice. “I, Tobias Kraft, therefore direct that upon the occasion of my death the entire contents of my estate be distributed in the following manner. (1) The sum of five thousand dollars is to be given anonymously to the Red Cross. (2) The sum of five thousand dollars is to be given anonymously to theUnited States Holocaust Memorial Museum, located in Washington, D.C. (3) All clothing in my possession at the time of my demise is to be donated to Goodwill Industries. (4) The remainder of my estate, including all funds in checking accounts, money market accounts, stocks and bonds, mutual funds, and real estate held either by me personally or by the legal entity T.K. Holding Corporation, I hereby bequeath to Valerie Dunstan, known as Star Dunstan. Should Valerie Dunstan predecease me, the bequest shall be made to her son, Ned Dunstan."
He looked up from the will. "Let it be noted that Mr. Tobias Kraft's bequests have been read and understood."
Nettie drowned out Miss Wick's response. "Either you left something out, or I didn't hear you right."
"Let me explain it clearly, then, so that there will no misunderstandings. The terms of my client's last will and testament donate ten thousand dollars to charitable causes. His clothing goes to Goodwill. The majority of his estate has been inherited by the young man seated on the couch behind you."
In varying degrees of shock, they swiveled their heads and gaped at me.
Clark looked back at Creech. "What kind of estate are we talking about here?"
“If you will give me a moment . . ." He took another bundle of papers from the folder, scanned the top page, put it aside, and glanced at the second. “In liquid funds, the estate consists of five hundred and twenty-five thousand, four hundred and twenty dollars, not counting interest earned since the last statements. Mr. Kraft also owned the building in which he resided and conducted his business, as well as one multiresidential unit on Chester Street and two commercial properties in downtown Edgerton. Their accumulated value would be approximately eight hundred thousand dollars, taking into account the insurance settlement due on the property recently destroyed by arson."
Nettie and May sat rooted to their chairs.
“In addition," Creech said, turning to another page, "my client held two insurance policies on his life. His wife was the original beneficiary of both policies. Upon her death, he named Valerie Dunstan as his beneficiary or, in the case of her demise, her son, Ned Dunstan. Each policy provides a three-hundred-thousand-dollar death benefit, so the total death benefit is six hundred thousand dollars. I have spoken to Mr. Kraft's insurance agent, and he and I will be handling the forms. With luck and the cooperation of the authorities, the checks from the insurance companies should arrive within three to four weeks."
He may have smiled again, but I could not tell. "Mr. Dunstan, soon you will be a rather well-off young man. If you do not already enjoy the services of a good accountant, I suggest that you find one."
“I didn't hear my name yet," May said.
"You aren't going to," Nettie said. "How much are you getting out of this deal, Creech?"
“I will overlook that remark, Mrs. Rutledge." Creech straightened the papers and closed the folder. "Under stress, people often speak rashly."
"You haven't begun to hear rash," Nettie said. "How much was it?"
"Well, let me think," Creech said. "For the preparation of Mr. Kraft's will, I was compensated at my usual hourly rate. The total fee probably came to something like live thousand dollars, what with the various changes made over time. Mr. Dunstan and I have entered into no prior arrangement, apart from the one executed in front of you, for which I received one dollar. Mr. Dunstan will be invoiced for the time I spent on his behalf earlier today, which had no connection to this matter. Far from colluding with me to change the terms of Mr. Kraft's bequests, I believe it is clear that Mr. Dunstan had no prior knowledge of those terms. I would go so far as to say that Mr. Dunstan is flabbergasted."
Nettie whirled in her chair and sent out storm signals. “I want to hear the truth. Did you know what was going to happen when you came in here?"
“I had no idea," I said. Miss Wick's pen flew across her pad. “I'm flabbergasted, all right. Toby told me he was going to take care of me, but I thought he was talking about a job in the pawnshop."
"Now I see it," Nettie said. "Now I know why you told the old scoundrel he should come to the hospital. I bet you've been paying him social calls."
Creech's emotionless voice was like a splash of cold water. "Mr. Kraft's will was last amended two weeks after the death of his wife. The date was April seventeenth, 1965. At the time, I believe Mr. Dunstan was a few months short of his seventh birthday. I also believe it is clear that Mr. Kraft's intention was to bequest the bulk of his estate to Mr. Dunstan's mother, and that he has inherited by default."
"Nettie," May said, "did the old swindler leave everything to Star?"
"He sure did," said Nettie. "And because she was taken from us, the whole wad comes down to her little boy."
May craned her neck to look at me. "Neddie, you're not going to keep it all, are you? Maybe you haven't gotten very far in life, but you're a good-hearted boy all the same."
Without deigning to turn his head, Clark said, "For a factory hand, you're getting a whole lot of money, boy. I hope you can stay on the straight and narrow."
"Mr. Dunstan," Creech said, "have you any intention of assuming my client's pawnbroker business?"