Free A Pain in the Tuchis: A Mrs. Kaplan Mystery by Mark Reutlinger Page A

area, not just a neighborhood, so a lot of the people we see have never been in before, or they go to whatever branch is handy when they need a prescription filled. They might come in here once or twice a year. And even with people who come in regularly, we’re under pressure to get prescriptions out as fast as possible, so for the most part they hire clerks to deal with the public—to take in the prescriptions and deliver them when they’re filled—and about the only time we pharmacists talk with customers is when we’re called out to make sure that someone taking a medicine for the first time knows what it is and how to take it. There’s not much time or opportunity to really become acquainted, or talk with them if we already know them.”
    “But here you are talking nicely with us, are you not?”
    “Of course, but I’ve had to make this my coffee break; otherwise I couldn’t take so much time with one customer.”
    “I see,” Mrs. K said. She sounded a little concerned, as a mother might be if her son was having difficulty at work. “So if you are not happy, are you planning to continue working here?”
    Daniel lowered his voice further and said to us, “As a matter of fact, I’m not. Can I tell you something in confidence?”
    “Certainly,” Mrs. K said.
    “Well, I guess it’s sort of an ‘every cloud has a silver lining’ thing. While my mother’s passing was a very sad thing, it was not really unexpected given her age and her illness. She died peacefully, and what more can you ask? When it’s a person’s time, it’s their time; it is all in the hands of
Hashem.
” (
Hashem
just means “the name,” and it is how many religious Jews refer to God.) “And as a result, I’m expecting to receive an inheritance that should allow me to quit this job and do whatever I want. It’s not the way you want to become wealthy, of course, but it will be a great help to me. And that’s what my mother wanted.”
    “And how do you know this inheritance is coming to you?”
    “Well, it’s not official yet, but to be honest, I did help my mother to draw up her will. She didn’t trust anyone else, even her lawyer. So I know there was a large gift to me. She wanted her estate divided half to me and the other half split between Fred Herrington and the Home. But I probably shouldn’t be telling you this until the will is official. And to be honest, I haven’t yet seen the will—I never had a copy. I think the police have it, but if so, it should be in her lawyer’s hands anytime now.”
    “And who is this Fred Herrington, that he should be getting a quarter of the estate?” I asked.
    Daniel looked surprised. “I’m sorry, I assumed you knew. After my dad died, maybe a year later my mother met this fellow Fred Herrington. He was somewhat younger than her, but they seemed to hit it off. They ended up living together for about four years, including the time when my mother made the will I’m telling you about. I don’t think they ever actually married.”
    Mrs. K clicked her tongue. “Who knew?”
    Mrs. K and I certainly did not. I doubt even Mrs. Bissela did.
    “How did you feel about this, as Vera’s son?” Mrs. K asked.
    “Well, I guess I had mixed feelings. On the one hand, he seemed to make my mother happy, which was often a pretty good trick, and I appreciated that. On the other, I couldn’t help worrying that he was just after her money.”
    “Did you suggest this when your mother said she wanted him in her will?”
    Daniel laughed. “I did kind of hint at it, maybe a bit more than hint, but if you knew my mother, you know that when she decided to do something, you didn’t easily talk her out of it. In fact, if you tried, she just might get even more determined.”
    I could believe that.
    “So what happened to Mr. Herrington?”
    “Actually, I’m not sure. At that time my mother wasn’t living very close to me and I only saw her occasionally, and Herrington and I didn’t really get