Drizzled with Death(79)
“I thought you weren’t talking to me.”
“You didn’t think you should tell me about Mom and Lowell?”
“No, I didn’t. You reacted exactly like everyone expected. Which is why no one wanted to tell you.”
“Tell me what any of you have gained by keeping this from me.”
“I guess that’s a good question. Looking at it that way, I don’t suppose there was anything improved by that.”
“Well, that’s something, at least. It’s more than anyone else will admit. I’m the bad guy because I loved my father and don’t enjoy my family keeping secrets from me.”
“How can I make it up to you?”
“You can’t.”
“That’s not fair.”
“You’re a lawyer; you understand how little fair matters anytime there is a disagreement.”
“So what can I do to get back on your good side?”
“As a lawyer, what would you suggest?”
“Compensation for pain and suffering.”
“So I should ask for something I want in order to forgive you?”
“That’s right. Ask for something much more valuable than you expect to receive and bargain down from there.” He flicked an imaginary speck of something off a miniature picnic table.
“Ask Piper to marry you.”
“What?” His finger bore down on the table and snapped it in two.
“Since the family is running around airing out hidden depths of emotion, I thought it was time to mention you have been in love with Piper since the first time I brought her home after school and she liked what you did with this place.” I waved my hand around the pyramid.
“You can’t be serious.”
“You said aim high and work down from there. How about a tempestuous weekend fling?”
“Dani.”
“Then I want you to ask her out on one date.”
“Why now?”
“I don’t like her latest boyfriend. I’m worried she’s going to start thinking about settling down. If she is going to settle, I would rather it was for you.”
“Thanks.”
“Not that she would be. Settling, I mean. You are a great catch. I just hate seeing you shrivel up like a slug hit with table salt whenever you spot her zipping around town in another guy’s car.”
“Are you saying you want your friend to settle for a disintegrated slug?”
“You know I’m not. I think she keeps picking losers because in her heart of hearts she doesn’t want things to work out with them since she is secretly waiting for you to pursue her. You’ve got to be the only man in town under seventy not trying to get her to give them a private tour of what’s beneath her waitress uniform.” Loden blushed so deeply it was like a beautiful sunset was taking place right across his face.
“I can’t.”
“Okay, then you’ll have to tell me what you know about trusts instead,” I said, watching him put the finishing touches on a covered bridge.
“You mean like a legal thing?” He gently put down the paintbrush he was holding and gave me his full attention.
“Yes. What are they exactly and why would someone have one?”
“The reasons for creating a trust are about as varied as the people who create them. There are a number of different types. One of the most important details is whether the trust is revocable or irrevocable.”
“I assume one is permanent and the other is subject to change?”
“That’s right. Once a trust is irrevocable, it is no longer possible to get the entrusted property out of it. Why are you asking?”
“Lewis Bett left his property in trust.”
“I know. He consulted me on it.” Loden didn’t have an active legal practice, but he was a member of the New Hampshire Bar and he happily took pro bono cases that interested him from time to time.
“What did he say?”
“You know I can’t tell you that. I shouldn’t even have told you he consulted me about a trust.”
“Then I’m not forgiving you. Your choice.”
“You drive a hard bargain.”
“You know how I like to get my Christmas shopping done early, and I want to know whether or not to keep you on my list. Besides, Lewis is dead and so is Alanza. You don’t have a client in this situation at all, and my business is flapping all over the riverbank gasping for a bit of air.”
“Since you put it that way, I guess a bit of information won’t do any harm. Lewis Bett came to me several years ago to ask about setting up a trust for his property. He wanted to leave it to a family member, but he didn’t want them to be able to run through all the money in a hurry. He wanted them to be able to leave the bulk of the wealth to the next generation.”