Stone got up and went in to lunch.
Chapter 5
THE OTHERS WERE already gathered at the table in the large A kitchen. Stone went over to Mabel Hotchkiss, who was stirring something on the stove. “Hello, Mabel. I’m Stone Barrington.”
She shook his hand. “Hello, Mr. Stone.”
“Just Stone will do.”
“It’ll be on the table in a minute,” she said.
Stone sat down. “Anybody hungry?”
“Was that Caleb Stone I saw leaving?” Lance asked.
“Yes, and I’m afraid Caleb isn’t having a very good day. He had planned to move into this house tomorrow.”
“I take it you disabused him of that notion.”
“I did, and I gave him a copy of Dick’s will. The poor guy has also learned that he’s not inheriting any money from his brother.”
“Does he know how much he’s not inheriting?”
“He probably has some idea.”
“Is he going to sue?”
“If he can think of grounds. Turns out, he’s an estate attorney, with a Boston firm,
I suppose.”
“You’d better file that will for probate as soon as possible.”
“I intend to. I have to get a death certificate, though. There’s a state trooper coming this afternoon; maybe he can help me with that. How much do you know about Dick’s affairs, Lance? Did he have a residence in Washington?”
“Not yet. I learned from the DDO’s office that they were house shopping in Georgetown, but they hadn’t found anything yet.”
“How long had they been back in Washington?”
“Less than a week. They sold the house in London, apparently.”
“I guess that means this house was Dick’s only residence, so I can go to the local probate court. Mabel, what’s the name of this county?”
“Waldo.”
“And what’s the county seat?”
“Belfast, up the coast.”
“How long a drive?”
“From Lincolnville, half an hour, forty-five minutes.”
“Thanks. I guess I’ll go up there first thing tomorrow.”
A lunch of shrimp and rice was served, and everyone ate quietly until Mabel left the room.
“What did you learn from Seth this morning?” Lance asked.