Part 2 (1/2)
”That's very considerate of you, since I tried to move out and you guilted me into staying.”
”You got a letter,” Sherry said, bluntly changing the subject.
”What do you mean?”
”The postman came, put a letter in the box. I came home, took a letter out of the box. Isn't that how it works?”
”Where is it?”
”Kitchen table.”
”Why didn't you give it to me?”
”You didn't go in the kitchen.”
Cora sighed, lifted the plate off her lap, put it on the coffee table.
”I'll get it,” Aaron said.
He hopped up, went and fetched the letter.
”Well, what is it?”
”I don't know. Some law firm in Great Neck. Here.”
Cora's eyes lit up. ”Really?” She tore open the envelope, pulled out a check. ”Hallelujah!” She pointed her finger at Sherry. ”In your face, doubting Thomas! This will tide me over till my next book.”
”What is it?” Aaron said.
”My inheritance. From the late, lamented Chester T. Markowitz. Your little wife here thought it was a scam.”
”Is that a real check?” Sherry said skeptically.
”Of course it's a real check.”
”From Chester T. Markowitz?”
”Don't be silly. Dead men don't send checks. It's from the law firm of Fleckstein and Stone, conservator for the estate of Chester T. Markowitz.”
”Signed by the attorney?”
”Well, it's not signed by Chester.”
”And it's made out to you?”
Cora blinked. ”Yes, it's made out to me.”
”You hesitated.”
”No, I didn't.”
Sherry smiled. ”Cora, I've watched you interrogate suspects. You just exhibited all the cla.s.sic signs you look for. Didn't she, Aaron?”
Aaron looked at Sherry. At Cora. Back at Sherry.
Cora grinned. ”Oh ho, you put him on the spot! He doesn't dare cross you in your condition-”
”In my condition?” Sherry caught herself. ”Nice try. Don't change the subject. You hesitated when I asked if the check was made out to you. Why does that make you uneasy?”
”Boy, you'd have made a demon prosecutor. I'd watch out, Aaron. You're in as much trouble as if you'd married Becky Baldwin.”
Even mention of the attractive attorney who was Aaron's ex-girlfriend couldn't sidetrack Sherry. If anything, it made her more suspicious. ”What's wrong with the check?”
”There's nothing 'wrong' with it. It's made out to Cora Felton Markowitz.”
”Oh, for goodness' sakes!”
”Well, why wouldn't it be, if I'm the widow? What's the difference?”
”You know the difference. You can sign a check made out to Cora Felton and you haven't committed a crime. You haven't obtained money under false pretenses, forged a doc.u.ment, and perpetrated a fraud on the court.”
”Court? What court?”
”I don't know. I'm not a lawyer.”
”Maybe you should have married Becky,” Cora said. ”Well, if you kids are gonna argue...”
”Sit down!” Sherry took a breath. ”Look, Cora, you're a brilliant woman. At solving crimes you have no equal. If this check were made out to any other person whatsoever, you'd be the first to point out all the reasons they shouldn't sign it. But wave ten grand in your face-”
”Ten grand!” Aaron said.
Sherry threw up her hands. ”Oh, for goodness' sakes. Yes, Aaron. Ten grand. This check is worth ten grand.”
”Which is why I'm not leaping to embrace the suggestion that I treat it like sc.r.a.p paper,” Cora said.
Aaron frowned. ”Anything else on the check?”
”No. Just the notation.”
”What notation?”
”Widow's inheritance.”
”Oh?”
”Which doesn't mean anything. Anyone can write anything on a check. All I've gotta do is take it down to the bank and cash it.”