by Nelly Asher
***
There were four people behind the gates – members of the investigative group. When Evanford started opening the latch, a man in business suit got out of the car parked nearby and headed to the mansion gate.
“Good afternoon. Kevin Evanford, I assume?”
Young man nodded, looking at a stranger with surprise.
“My name is Orlando Kinsley, I'm a lawyer of your uncle Henry. He left me certain instructions. Is a girl named Selena Silver in this house? If she is, I'll tell everything in her presence.”
“All right,” the face of professor's nephew didn't convey any emotions anymore. “Come on in,” he opened the latticed door.
“...It gets damn crowdy in here,” Selena muttered under her breath when another five people came in after Kevin and the sergeant. Forensic expert went straight to the window and started to powder the windowstill and the frame to dust for fingerprints.
“Hello, Selena,” said the lawyer. “Henry Evanford asked me to give something to you and his nephew. I'll start from the top. Two days ago Mr.Evanford came to my office and asked to notarize his declaration of will. The paper is kept in a sealed envelope. He told me to come here and read it to you in adherence to certain conditions. My client said that on June twenty-eight – which is today – I must drive to his house a little while before three in the afternoon, and wait for his call to my cell phone. If there will be no call, I must wait till the investigative group arrives, come in with them and read the contents of the envelope in presence of the police, Kevin Evanford and Selena Silver, if she stays in the mansion. He wrote those instructions, though he didn't notarize them. I can show you the paper if you want.
“I think there's no need to,” one of the officers replied. “Announce his will.”
“So, you knew what will happen to my uncle?” Kevin asked.
“No,” lawyer shook his head. Kinsley went to the table and placed his briefcase on it, moving “The Door” a little towards the girl. Orlando didn't pay any attention to the book. “I saw a man on the stretcher being taken into the ambulance... What's happened?”
“Henry jumped out of the window. He's comatose now,” young Evanford answered evenly.
“Of course, my client's requests looked strange to me, but I had no idea what's on his mind. My condolences,” Kinsley lowered his gaze. He took an envelope out of the briefcase, opened it and pulled the paper out. “I, Henry Evanford, am writing this being in sound mind and judgement. In case of my sudden death, complete or partial loss of physical capabilities I ask not to blame anyone. Whatever happens, I'm the one responsible,” the lawyer paused. “My client told me to show the contents of this envelope to the police,” Orlando gave the document to the senior officer. He ran his eyes through it and turned to the person near the window:
“What's with the fingerprints?”
“It looks like a man jumped on the windowstill, put his hand on a window frame and jumped out,” forensic expert replied.
“I hope you don't suspect us of anything?” Kevin asked.
“There are no grounds,” angrily replied the officer. It was obvious that he barely holds himself back from saying everything he thinks about some kooky idiot that distracts people from important work. “Your testimony was proven true. You won't even have to play the piano.”
“What piano?” the girl moaned. She couldn't believe they've got off that easy.
“It means giving your fingerprints,” he replied with a voice of a man deadly tired of idiots and turned to the forensic guy: “All right, wrap it up, we have some more calls to attend to.”
Policemen left the library, but Orlando Kinsley remained. Once the sound of footsteps in the corridor has subsided, he spoke:
“Of course, that's not all,” the lawyer pulled another envelope out of his briefcase. It had the word “READ” written on it in big, uneven letters. “I, Henry Evanford, am writing this being in sound mind and judgement. In case of my sudden death or loss of physical capabilities my mansion passes into ownership of Kevin Evanford – a nephew who has never become my son...”
Hearing this, young man cocked his eyebrow in slight puzzlement. His son? He didn't even know Henry had that attitude towards him. Today uncle surely keeps the surprises coming. What else is in store?
“However, he only gains the right of inheritance under a certain condition. He has to take a picture near the “Unity” statue in the Park of Blue Rocks, together with Selena Silver. You can use the snapshot camera “Flashphoto”, it's in the equipment storage room. Kevin knows where it is. Selena and Kevin must come together to Orlando Kinsley and give the snapshot to him – it's only then that the agreement comes into effect. Other than that, in exchange for a photo the lawyer will give something I've left him.”
“That was Henry Evanford's will,” concluded Kinsley. The two kept silence. “Here are my contacts,” he placed one card on a table before Selena and gave another one to Kevin. “My address and working hours are written there, come at convenient time,” the lawyer closed his briefcase. “Do you have any questions?”
“A billion,” Silver gloomily replied.
“Maybe not that much, but there are at least thirty seven,” noted professor's nephew.
“I've already told you everything that I knew. Mr.Evanford didn't say anything else to me,” Orlando shook his head. “If everything's clear on the subject of the will, it's time for me to go. Once again, accept my condolences.”
Kevin walked the lawyer to the gate. On the way back he noticed something on the floor near the library door. Taking a closer look, he realised that it's a part of a broken pencil, the back end with the eraser. He opened the door and looked from the opposite side. The guess turned out to be correct – the second part of a pencil was lying inside the room. Kevin took both parts and pieced them together. Now it gets clear what thin piece of wood Henry was talking about... Selena recalled it too:
“If you weren't forcing this door and left it open, professor wouldn't have jumped”, she grumbled.
“Henry knew that I'm always closing doors and, obviously, was counting on that,” Kevin replied coldly. “And who are you to blame me, anyway? What's your role in all this, Selena Silver? Are you saying you were just a regular student of my uncle?” he sceptically looked over the cute girl.
“Well yes, imagine that!” she replied harshly. “I said it already, but I'll repeat for those who have trouble hearing from the height of their pedestal! Professor was teaching a class in this semester... He was a good lecturer, I even stayed after the class a couple of times to ask some questions. Being his student was easy and interesting, but after the exams were over, I thought we won't communicate much. Then, all of a sudden, he called my rented appartment yesterday night – I have no idea where he got the number from, was too confused to ask. He asked me to come at three sharp, and explained in detail how to get to the mansion. I suspected that something is wrong, but decided to go anyway. Who could've thought that professor was up to something like that?!”
“We won't understand his logic now anyway, all that's left is to follow the orders,” young man was frowning to his thoughts. “We need to take a picture in Park of the Blue Rocks. I figure there's no reason to postpone it, so let's go there tomorrow morning.”
“No-o, you're the one who needs it,” Selena drawled, “or else you won't get your heritage... As for me, I don't owe anything to anyone!”
“I won't beg you and I won't quarrel,” the gaze of Kevin's grey eyes was fixed on her face. “But do you hate me that much already?” putting the question this way was no accident. Evanford himself has felt a steady aversion since the moment he saw her. Even if her behavior isn't determined by stress, and she is always so short-tempered, it's not enough to justify such a strong, almost hostile attitude. Young man wan't able to find the cause of those feelings, and that was confusing.
“Hate you? It's like I've got nothing better to do!” Silver scoffed. “Okay, see you tomorrow at the park entrance... At
about eleven. Don't forget the camera!” After a few seconds of pondering she added: “If there will be any news regarding professor, drop a message to my pager,” the girl tore out a sheet from the notebook, wrote the number down and headed to the door.
“Hold on a second, what is it you're taking?” he nodded at the book that Selena picked up from the table. For a moment Silver looked like she herself couldn't understand what she holds in her hands, but collected herself instantly:
“No, I've changed my mind. I've got nowhere to put it,” she placed “The Door” back at the table. “By the way... It seems to be the book professor was talking about.”
“Really?” Evanford raised his eyebrows. “So, have you read it yet?”
“No... I'll read it later, when I have time,” without even looking, Silver opened the book cover and suddenly tore out the first page. Folding it in four as she walked to the door, Selena stuffed it into her purse with one hand – the other one was already turning the door handle. “Tomorrow at eleven!” she shouted and darted out into the corridor.
Evanford shrugged. The girl didn't need to run away – it's not like he's going to chase her because of something like that. If the guest was wrong, an unfamiliar book from the uncle's library will simply be of no interest to him. If she was right – all the more reason to leave it as it is, not risking by opening it. Kevin glanced at the book again, turned away and left the library.
