Free Barbara Levenson - Mary Magruder Katz 03 - Outrageous October by Barbara Levenson Page A

receptionist, secretary and all around good helper but she has a lot of curiosity. She never has understood attorney-client confidentiality.” Dash pointed to the chair next to his desk and I sat down. Sam settled on the hooked rug that covered part of the pegged wooden floor.
    “I understand. I have a mother, too. I’m afraid Sam scared your mother. I apologize for bringing him along, but he gets tired of being left in the car.”
    “He’s no problem. Everyone has dogs around here. Now how can I help you? Are you investigating Carolyn’s murder?”
    “Oh, no, I’m not a private investigator. I’m a criminal defense attorney.”
    “Have you been retained by someone who claims to be an heir to the Brousseau estate? I carefully researched for any missing heirs before I closed the estate.”
    “I’m not here in any professional capacity. I really came up here to forget about clients or crimes for a while. I just stumbled into this whole thing. I’m a good friend of Lucy Stern. Her grandmother, Mrs. Morgan, left her the Morgan house and Lucy offered it to me for a place to relax for a while. I guess I jumbled up her directions. Anyway, I’ve been staying in the Brousseau house for the last two days. It was my mistake. I took a wrong turn and ended up at a murder scene. I guess this will seem hilarious someday, but right now I feel like an idiot.”
    Dash smiled and then laughed. He had a nice smile; not a heartbreaker smile like Carlos. It showed the crinkles around his eyes and it kind of made you relax. I sat back in my chair and smiled back.
    “The way I discovered my huge mistake was when I found this stack of mail in the front hall.” I pulled the mail out of my backpack and handed it across the desk.
    Dash looked through the letters and frowned. “This is strange. Some of these letters were sent to a post office box in Rutland. The owner of the house is. Mrs. Brousseau’s son and only heir, Tom Brousseau, but I forward any papers to him at a post office box on Cape Cod, outside of Boston.”
    “The house is in excellent condition. I think someone has been living there. Maybe a caretaker is taking advantage of a nice empty house and getting paid at the same time.”
    “Maybe in Miami, but not in High Pines.” Dash looked indignant.
    “Well, do you know who the caretaker is for the house?”
    “Tom told me he hired some real estate agency. He e-mailed me the information in case I needed to contact someone. I’ll have to search my file.”
    “I’ve taken up enough of your time. I need to get back to the Brousseau place and get packed up and out of there before I get arrested for trespassing, and I want to find my real vacation house before it gets dark again. If you find out anything about who has been hanging out in that house, give me a call. I’m really curious.”
    “Sorry I haven’t been more help. Why don’t I follow you back to the Brousseau place and take a look around. I can help you get your stuff moved over to Lucy’s house and make sure you don’t get lost again.”
    “I couldn’t impose on you and drag you out of your office. You probably have more appointments or paper work.”
    “Nothing that can’t wait ‘til tomorrow.”
    “Okay, I’d like some company while I get packed up. Fred Collins suggested the place may be haunted, not that I believe in ghosts. But there have been a lot of strange noises there.”
    “I don’t know. There are a lot of stories about ghosts in these old houses. Where’s your car?” Dash ushered me past Daisy who was immersed in another phone conversation.

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    CHAPTER
    TWENTY-TWO
    Dash followed my SUV in a Subaru sports wagon. We entered the house together with Sam leading the way.
    “The night I got here there was a fire in the fireplace and a glass of wine poured and waiting on the kitchen table. I figured that Lucy’s caretaker had gotten everything ready for me. Now that I know I wasn’t expected at this house, I have to believe that someone