Free First You Fall: A Kevin Connor Mystery by Scott Sherman Page A

to look at us at al .
    So far, it was going fabulously.
    Freddy and I sat, too.
    Freddy looked at Michael and kicked me under the table. “Who’s the hunky one?” he whispered.
    I kicked him back harder. “Shhhh!”
    Freddy stuck his chin out at Alana and Paul.
    “They’re whispering!” he whined.
    “I thought you were going to behave yourself,” I hissed.
    A door opened at the far end of the office. A tal black woman with strong features and a bald head walked through it. She was impeccably dressed in a man-tailored black suit with a white silk blouse underneath. Two-inch heels provided a percussive accompaniment to her confident stride and increased her already impressive stature.
    “Thank you al for coming,” she began, sitting down at the end of the table nearest the Harrington family. “I’m Tamela Steel, Mr. Harrington’s attorney.” Freddy elbowed me. “ Get Christie Love,” he stage whispered.
    Ms. Steel looked at him and raised an eyebrow.
    Freddy straightened up in his chair.
    “The purpose of our meeting today is to go over the bequests of Mr. Harrington’s wil . Mr. Harrington left specific instructions …”
    Paul Harrington interrupted her. “Excuse me, Miss, um, Beals, but is this real y necessary?” He spoke in an irritated, above-it-al sigh. “I’m sure you could handle the disposition of my father’s estate in a more appropriate manner. I don’t know why we have to hear about it in front of” he waved his hand at the four of us who weren’t part of his family “these people.”
    The look the lawyer gave him could have melted a brick. “It’s Ms. Steel. And as I was saying, Mr.
    Harrington left specific instructions as to how he wanted his wishes conveyed. Everyone in this room is here at his request.”
    She leaned forward, getting in Paul’s face. “His last request. I trust you have no problem honoring your father’s last request, Mr. Harrington?” I never heard anyone harrumph before, but I suppose that was the noise that escaped from Paul’s lips.
    “Hey,” Freddy whispered, “did that guy just fart out of his mouth?”
    “If there are no more interruptions, then,” Ms. Steel continued, “some time ago, Mr. Harrington taped a video to be played for you al in the event of his death.”
    She pressed a button under the table, and a thin, fifty-inch plasma screen descended from the ceiling.
    The lights automatical y dimmed and a quiet popping sound signaled the presence of hidden speakers in the wal .
    “Cool,” Freddy said aloud. Ms. Steel tried to give him a dirty look, but she couldn’t help smiling. Like I said, Freddy has that way with people.

    Although not, I couldn’t help but notice, with the Harringtons. Paul harrumphed again, and Alana looked like she wanted to strangle Freddy with the strap of her Louis Vuitton bag.
    The screen came on and there, suddenly, bigger than life, was the understandably serious face of Al en Harrington.
    “Thank you for coming,” the familiar voice said. I felt a chil down the back of my neck. “Trust me, I have never been more honest than when I say I only wish I could be there with you today.”
    The skinny woman I didn’t know laughed aloud and then, embarrassed, covered her mouth. Her companion, though, took a sharp breath and started to quietly sob. The skinny one put her arm around her. Opposites attract, I thought.
    I saw Paul Harrington staring at me, but I wouldn’t return his gaze. Although I did wonder why he was looking at me when his father’s last appearance was playing on a screen a few feet away.
    “I’m sure this videotape may seem a bit dramatic to you, but every time I tried to write this down, I found myself uncharacteristical y at a loss for words.
    So, I thought, why not just tape the damn thing and be done with it?
    “First, I’d like to address my sons. Michael, Paul.
    What can I say? I can stil remember the day each of you was born; they were among the happiest of my life. For so many years,