by Mark Zubro
Ms. Achtenberg said, “I’m here to see Veronica at her request. I can wait in the car.”
I said, “I’m Veronica’s brother. This is my husband Scott. We were here when Veronica called you.” I touched Scott’s arm. “Scott was the first one you talked to. You are welcome to wait for Veronica here with us.”
Ms. Achtenberg said, “Poor Veronica. Those poor kids.”
“You can’t ignore me,” Mr. Grum said. “You don’t get to say who stays or goes in this house.”
Before I could say, neither do you, Scott said, “Is there anything else we can help you with, Mr. Grum?”
The gargantuan hulk pointed at each of us in turn. He gulped and blubbered, made inarticulate noises. Finally, he stormed out the door.
Ms. Achtenberg clicked it shut behind him. She came over to the desk, placed her coffee on it, and put her briefcase on the floor.
I pointed at the heaps of stuff on the floor. “Mr. Grum seems to be intent on making a mess.” Scott and I bent down to pick up papers and paraphernalia. Achtenberg lent us a hand in cleaning up the Grum-induced chaos.
As we worked, she said, “He’s a hell of a piece of work.”
I said, “The whole family is nuts.”
She scanned the mess Mr. Grum had created on the floor and said, “Veronica’s father-in-law seems to have anger issues.”
We picked up the larger intact pieces of junk and put them off to the side. The larger smashed pieces we deposited in the trash can. The smaller bits and pieces would need to be vacuumed. We placed the papers back on the desk.
Finished cleaning, Scott and I sat behind the desk. Achtenberg took a comfy chair on the opposite side. She said, “Veronica always talks about you, how close you are. You’ve been a big help to her over the years. She says you both are good guys.”
I said, “Married into this family, she needed all the friends she could get.”
She looked at Scott, “How’s your shoulder?”
“Healing okay, thanks. The doctors have some hope.”
“Good, and thank you for taking a stand for the working people in this state.”
Scott said, “Just a link in the chain.”
The stand she was referring to was Scott’s activities on behalf of workers. Most professional athletes have unions and some even make statements supporting working people. Scott had issued statements, come to the state for rallies, and contributed substantial money to their causes. I’d joined him in many of these activities, but he’s famous and I’m not, so his presence was significant and mine wasn’t.
Scott’s fame can be a pain in the ass. Even if this injury ended his career, he had what some said were already Hall of Fame numbers. Fans can be a nuisance. In public, usually a ball cap pulled low over the eyes and a pair of sunglasses disguised his identity from all but the most discerning. Our favorite restaurants helped by seating us as far from prying eyes as they could. Leaving huge tips didn’t hurt either and quite often people are willing to go out of their way to please a star.
I said, “How long have you known Veronica?”
“We first knew each other at the University of Iowa. We’ve kept in touch over the years. She and I meet for coffee, not as often as we’d like. Maybe three or four times a year. I’d never met old man Grum until today. I’d only seen him at the wedding and that was years ago. This morning, she called you first?”
“Yeah. She called and we rushed up here. We arrived about dawn.”
The door opened.
TWELVE
Wednesday 9:21 A.M.
Veronica stepped in. The women saw each other and hurried into each other’s arms.
When they unclenched, I asked, “How are the kids?”
Veronica hesitated. “I think. I guess.” She dabbed at her eyes with a tissue she held crumpled in one hand. She shook her head. “Numb. We’re all numb. I asked what they wanted to do. They want to go to their favorite pancake house to eat. They need to eat something. I’m going to take them to eat.”
“Do you want us with you?” I asked.
“No. I think it should just be me. I want them to be able to talk if they want to. They’re getting dressed. We’ll leave in just a minute.”
Achtenberg asked, “Just a couple things before you go.”
My sister halted with her hand on the doorknob.
Achtenberg asked, “Do you have guns in the house?”
Veronica’s hand flew to her throat. “The police told me he was shot.”
“Yes. Did Edgar own a gun?”
Veronica’s hand swept around the room taking in all the stuffed dead animals and lifeless representations of woodland critters. “For all this, he’s got an arsenal. I made him keep them in a storage shed out in the back. I wouldn’t let him have them in the house. It was the first fight after we got married. Then when we had kids, I made sure he had it double and triple locked. I was not going to have an accident with those things.”
“You never touched them?”
“Never. I don’t know what kinds he had. I didn’t want to know what he owned. I’ve never fired a gun.”
Achtenberg said, “Good.”
“Are they saying someone with one of Edgar’s guns…?” She couldn’t finish.
Achtenberg said, “I’m covering all the bases. I want to anticipate what the police might ask.”
Veronica nodded. “I’ve got to get to the kids.”
“Anything we can do here?” I asked.
She came over to the desk. “Yes, keep those people out of here. Before you showed up, Edgar’s family had already been talking about the family Trust. About inheritance. About the will. Already talking about it! I hate them! I hate them! I hate them!” She was breathing almost as hard as her father-in-law. Ms. Achtenberg put a hand on Veronica’s shoulder.
Veronica took a huge breath, calmed somewhat. “Their son is dead, and they’re talking money. I’m going to need help fighting those people. Enid, can you go over our family papers with my brother and Scott? I know you can’t be here every minute, but the more people on my side who know how this works the better.”
Enid said, “I have your permission to talk to them freely?”
“Yes.” She pointed to the closet. “Our family stuff is supposed to be in that room. I know I made Edgar get copies of all the family Trust documents. Even that was a fight. They accused me of trying to steal the family money. It was one of the few times Edgar stood up to them. He said as long as he was part of the family Trust, he should have copies of everything.”
Achtenberg opened her briefcase and took out a one-inch-thick packet of paper and handed them to Veronica. “These are the documents from your file. I stopped at the office on the way here. This might save us some time. These are the documents I worked on for you and Edgar.”
Veronica pointed to the closet and said, “Our copies must be in there with everything else.” She handed me the stack of stuff Achtenberg had just given to her. Veronica continued, “That room is a mess and there doesn’t seem to be any order to it. If you have the time now, I think it would be better if you go over your copies with them. Those people are worse than vultures who haven’t fed in a month. I need allies.” She hesitated. “What about the police? I can leave, can’t I? With my kids? To go eat?”
Enid said, “Yes. If they ask, I’ll explain where you are.” In walked my mom and dad, Veronica’s kids, several strangers, and Mr. and Mrs. Grum and her little dog, too.
Mom had several large boxes of pastries in her hands. Dad had two carrying trays with coffee with small packets of cream and sugar scattered among the coffee cups.
Mom and dad would know to bring food at a time like this.
THIRTEEN
Wednesday 9:32 A.M.
The kids looked dazed and confused. Patricia ran to her mother, grabbed her around the waist, glanced up at us, and then stuck a thumb in her mouth, a reversion in the face of unfathomable crisis. I didn’t blame her. Would that such simple gestures could solve all of
our problems.
Two of the strangers wore ill-fitting sports coats and sported not-very-concealed weapons. The tall one in the brown coat and pants demanded everybody’s name. A third stranger wore a dark gray suit, with a pale yellow shirt, and a yellow tie with dark gray stripes.
The room began to seem crowded what with the cast bronze and iron beasts, whole stuffed dead critters, the heads of dead animals, and now the large herd of humans.
Achtenberg planted herself between the interlopers and the rest of us. One of the new guys towered over her. The other came to about her height. The tall one had demanded our names. Achtenberg said, “I’m Enid Achtenberg. Who are you and why should we give you our names?”
Good for her. This situation was out of control.
Mrs. Grum said, “Arrest them all.”
An image of the Red Queen in Alice in Wonderland flashed through my mind, “Sentence first -- verdict afterwards.” This was making less and less sense. Assumedly the new guys were cops, or were they private security personnel working for the Grums, or they were random people off the street who happened to be wearing guns?
The tall guy said, “I’m Detective Brendstin. This is Detective Adlow.”
Achtenberg said, “I.D.s please.”
I liked her.
They took out I.D.s and flashed them for a second, put them away.
Achtenberg held up a hand, “Again please, gentleman.”
Brendstin looked like he was holding himself in from reaching out and throttling her. Adlow, much older than the taller detective, kept his eyes down. Maybe he was embarrassed and chagrined, which would be a new development among this crowd.
The third stranger in the black suit said, “I’m Albert Warner, the Grums’ attorney.” He handed Achtenberg his card. She didn’t bother to look at it.
She waited a few beats as the detectives glanced at each other then dragged out their badges. Achtenberg actually examined the detectives’ IDs, took out a pen and paper from her briefcase, and wrote down information from both badges. She didn’t hurry. She didn’t take her time. Just a professional doing a sensible job. I really liked her.
Mr. Grum reached to grab the paper she was writing on. She jerked it away.
An unchagrinned Mr. Grum said, “There’s no need for this. My lawyer has been meeting with the police.”
“Why?” Ms. Achtenberg asked. “Is he a suspect? Does he have information related to helping find the killer?”
Warner said, “I’m sure if we all just sit down and talk about this, we can work things out.”
Ms. Achtenberg asked, “Work what out?”
An excellent question. What the hell was going on here?
Detective Brendstin said, “We need to question everybody about the murder.” Maybe he was reasserting his need to control the situation. If he was supposed to be in charge, he wasn’t doing a good job of it so far.
I said, “The children need to be protected from all this.”
The three kids had clustered around Veronica. They stood silent and wide-eyed.
My mom said, “We’ll take care of them.” Mom’s a brick. She and my dad ushered the kids into the hall. The three kids were very used to my mom and dad so the comfort level was sufficient to cause less disruption than might have been.
Veronica stepped into the hall with my mom and dad and the kids. Mr. and Mrs. Grum evinced no interest in their grandchildren.
Mr. Grum pointed at Scott and me. “These two don’t belong here. They were out of control earlier. They have no status and no place.”
Out of control? I was having a Kafkaesque moment, presented with a complete distortion of reality. It wasn’t just his opinion. It was a complete misrepresentation of what had gone on.
Scott said, “Mr. Grum, why would you say something that was blatantly false and provably not true? Tom and I were both here. You have no witnesses.”
Mrs. Grum spoke, “I was here. I heard and saw it all. Those two were out of control.”
Scott, who always tried to see the best in people, just stood there with his mouth agape.
Enid Achtenberg said, “When I walked in, Mrs. Grum was not here. When I walked in, these two gentlemen,” she pointed at us, “were calmly standing behind the large desk.” She pointed at Mr. Grum, “He was breathing so hard and had turned such an awful color, I was seconds away from using my cell phone to summon paramedics.”
Detective Brendstin asked, “Why would Mr. and Mrs. Grum claim such a thing if it were not true?”
Achtenberg said, “And at a time like this! I agree. It makes no sense. Maybe you should ask them since it is provably false.”
Mr. Grum said, “These people don’t belong here. Officers you need to do your duty.”
This was getting nuttier every second.
The door to the hall opened. We heard Veronica telling the children in the hallway, “I’ll be with you in just a few minutes. I have to talk to these detectives. Go with Grandma and Grandpa. We may have to stay here instead of go out.” She thanked my mom and dad and returned to the room. Veronica stood to my left and slightly behind Scott, Achtenberg, and me.
Mr. Grum said, “We really need to get this settled and wrapped up as quickly as possible.”
Achtenberg asked, “Have they arrested someone?”
Brendstin, the bigger detective, said, “No.”
“Do you have a suspect?”
“No.”
Mr. Warner said, “Do we really need to bother the family at a time like this?”
Not bother the family in a murder investigation? I began to get a feeling that I was lost in unreality, very much like Oz but with no charm, no magic, and no heroines or heroes.
Brendstin said, “We have some questions.”
Achtenberg said, “What exactly do you need, detectives?”
Veronica took my hand.
The cops said, “We need statements from everyone.”
Achtenberg said, “I am not an attorney for anyone here but Veronica Grum. Is she under arrest?”
“No.”
“I understand you interrogated her earlier.”
Brendstin said, “Yeah. We talked with her.”
Achtenberg said, “Then that should be sufficient. She won’t be talking to you any further. Certainly not until she has had time to confer with me.”
Mr. Grum said, “We’re trying to find out who killed my son.”
Achtenberg said, “We all want to know that. We all also know that the most likely suspects in a murder are the family and acquaintances of the deceased. Now, I know what my client is going to do. She is going to be silent.” She pointed at Scott and me. “These two gentlemen just arrived after being called by my client. They can’t possibly add anything to your investigation.”
Brendstin said, “We gotta talk to everybody.”
Mr. Grum said, “We need to minimize any scandal. We have to all cooperate.” He pointed at Achtenberg, “She has no official standing in this family. Who invited this lawyer here?”
Veronica spoke up, “I did. I will do precisely what she says.”
Achtenberg put a hand on Veronica’s hand. “In a few minutes my client is going to return to taking care of her children. I think those three youngsters have to be our major concern. They’ve just lost their father. Detectives?” She used a tone that dared them to disagree, more authority in it than all Charles Dudley Grum’s bombast.
Mrs. Grum said, “We’ll take the children to breakfast.”
Veronica spoke immediately. “No, I want them here with me.”
Mr. Grum said, “Well, really, you can’t keep them away from us.”
Mrs. Grum’s voice rumbled. “Edgar is looking down at you from heaven. Would he like seeing you acting like this?”
Veronica began turning nearly as purple as her father-in-law had been a few minutes ago.
Achtenberg broke in. “My client will be making all the decisions regarding her family. Her decision is for them to be here with her. That should be
sufficient for all involved.” She glared at the Grums, then turned her stare on the detectives.
None of them raised any objections.
“We should all leave this room,” Mr. Grum said.
Veronica said, “No, Tom and Scott are going to stay here.” She placed her hands on her hips and glared at them. She was adamant and there was nothing they could do.
The Grums wanted us out, an excellent reason to stay. Their presence in the house was somewhat understandable. Their insistence on us leaving this room was totally suspicious. Their obvious connection with the police, beginning to be worrisome. Something was in this room they did not want us to see: a key to the murder, a key to the family’s finances, a secret drug stash, the lost treasure of the Incas, one of the stuffed animals was secretly crammed with treasure, or hints to how they kept power and stole elections in Harrison County? I suppose I could speculate pointlessly and endlessly.
Veronica, Scott, and I stood stock still in the room. Achtenberg motioned to the cops and Warner, “Could I see you for a minute, in the hall? And maybe the Grums could wait in the living room.” Her calm intransigence was met with grim acquiescence.
As they were leaving, Achtenberg turned to us, “Wait for me, please.”
Warner and Achtenberg were talking a mile a minute as they pushed through the door.
When they were all gone, Veronica let out a sigh. “I’ve got to get to the kids.”
“Mom and dad will handle them until it’s time to go.”
Veronica said, “We’re staying here. I want the walls of my home around me, and who knows what my in-laws will try next.”
“Good idea to stay,” I said.
And if she’d decided to leave, I’d have said, “Good idea to go.” Support for her was paramount, not choosing to believe I knew best about what she should do or say. If she wanted opinions, she’d ask.
FOURTEEN
Wednesday 9:58 A.M.
A few moments later Achtenberg returned. She, Veronica, Scott, and I ensconced ourselves in the dead-animal den.
Veronica said, “This is a nightmare.”
Achtenberg said, “I’m sorry for how awful this has been for you.”
