Final Option

replied, sharply.
    “Is not Elena who needs to be careful,” the maid sneered. “Is the Meesus who needs to be careful. She thinks if I have no job I must go back to Guatamala, no tell anybody about gun.”
    “What gun?” I demanded.
    “Meester Hexter’s gun. The one he keep in the money drawer in his desk. Meesus Hexter, she so mean with money. When I go to her for job she say she pay me two hundred per week. Two hundred a week, I say, that too little money. Must be crazy work for two hundred a week in big house in Lake Forest America. My sister, she work for Meesus Franklin. She make four hundred and twenty-five dollars a week plus she get three weeks’ vacation—go back to my country. I go home from interviewing thinking Meesus Hexter crazy, cheap lady. That night, the job agency call me, say every week Meesus Hexter, she give me check for two hundred and Meester Hexter, he give me one hundred fifty a week, cash money. But I no tell Meesus Hexter that Meester pay me money.”
    “What does this have to do with a gun?” I asked. “Meester Hexter always keep gun in drawer where he keep the money. I see it Friday when he pay me.“
    “Last Friday? What time?”
    “Friday morning.”
    “What kind of gun?”
    “What kind of gun?” parroted Elena as if she found the idea that there could be more than one kind completely fantastic. “Black gun,” she answered finally.
    “After Mr. Hexter was killed, didn’t you talk to the police?”
    “Sure. The police, they come. They ask me questions. Just like TV.”
    “Did you tell them about the gun?”
    “No, they no ask me about no gun. They ask me about the Meesus and the Meester. Are they happy? Do they fight? Do they make love?”
    “But you didn’t tell them about the gun?”
    “They no ask. They ask about fighting. I tell them the Meester and the Meesus, they fight all the time. They fight in the morning. They fight at night. Friday night the children come for dinner, they all fight. Sunday morning, before we leave for church, they still fighting. Policeman ask what fighting about. I tell them—‘You listen to rich people fighting it make you crazy. I no listen.’ ”
    “Elena,” I said slowly, taking time to think. “If you would like, I will speak to Barton Jr. about getting you your severance pay.”
    “Meester Barton very nice.Very funny. Please, you talk to him.”
    “Is there someplace I can call you after I talk to him? Where are you living now?”
    “I stay with my seester at Meesus Franklin’s. She nice lady. I do ironing. I give you phone number.” Repeating my promise to see what I could do about getting her severance pay, I ushered Elena out of my office. When I returned, I picked up the phone and placed yet another call to Detective Ruskowski.
     

CHAPTER 12
     
    I didn’t really have the time, but curiosity prompted me to pay a quick call on Ken Kurlander. I found him in his corner office preparing to leave for the day.
    “Do you have a minute?” I asked. “I wanted to know how your meeting with the Hexter children went this morning.”
    “About as I expected. These situations are often difficult, especially with an individual like Margot. After his sisters had gone, I spoke privately with Barton Jr. about whether or not Margot is truly competent to have control of the money that is coming to her.“
    “Competent or legally competent?” I ventured. “Legally competent,” replied Kurlander dryly. “That’s a very rough row to hoe. Very rough.”
    “It’s a very large sum of money that will likely be taken from her by the first crank cause or charlatan that attracts her affections.”
    “It’s her money,” I said, though I knew it wouldn’t earn me any points with Kurlander. “I’d be surprised if Barton felt differently.”
    “You and Barton seem to be aligned on any number of issues,” replied Kurlander tartly. “But who do you think Margot will turn to for support when she’s squandered the money her father left her? Barton might not have the stomach to institute guardianship proceedings for his sister, but either way the end result will be the same. Margot is, to put it in its most favorable light, unstable. Whether Barton likes it or not, he will have to be his sister’s keeper. If he bites the bullet now and institutes legal proceedings, he will at least insure that he has the funds with which to provide for her.”
    “Certainly Margot’s father was aware of his daughter’s shortcomings. He