T Is for Trespass

interested…”
    “You have a client in the wings?” Henry stopped and stared at her in astonishment.
    “Of course I have clients. You know that as well as I do. I haven’t committed a crime. Gus is free to do anything he wants.”
    William said, “At the rate he’s going, you’ll end up dealing with his estate. That should settle it.”
    Henry banged his knife down. “Goddamn it! The man is not dead!”
    Charlotte snatched her coat from the back of the kitchen chair and shrugged herself into it. “I’m sorry, but this discussion is at an end.”
    “Conveniently for you,” Henry said.
    I expected to see her stomping out the door, but the two weren’t ready to disengage. As with any clash of wills, each was convinced of his position and righteously annoyed with the other’s point of view.
    “Nice seeing you,” she said to me, buttoning her coat. “I’m sorry you had to be a party to this unpleasantness.” She took out a pair of leather gloves and put them on, working the leather over her fingers one by one.
    Henry said, “I’ll call you. We can talk about this later when we’ve both calmed down.”
    “If you think so little of me there’s nothing left to say. You’ve as good as accused me of being insensitive, untrustworthy, and unscrupulous…”
    “I’m telling you the effect you had on a frail old man. I’m not going to stand by and let you bulldoze right over him.”
    “I did not bulldoze over him. Why would you take Solana’s word over mine?”
    “Because she has nothing at stake. Her job is to look after him. Your job is to talk him into selling his house and land so you can take your six percent.”
    “That’s offensive.”
    “You’re damn right it is. I can’t believe you’d employ such tactics when I specifically asked you not to.”
    “That’s the third time you’ve said that. You’ve made your point.”
    “Apparently, I haven’t. You’ve yet to apologize. You defend your so-called rights without any regard to mine.”
    “What are you talking about? I mentioned the value of homes in this area and you assumed I intended to muscle my way in, abusing your neighbors in order to make a few bucks.”
    “The man was in tears. He had to be sedated. What do you call that, if not abuse?”
    “Abuse, my ass. William talked to him. Did you see anything of the sort?” she asked, turning to him.
    William shook his head in the negative, studiously avoiding eye contact so one or the other wouldn’t suddenly lash out at him. I kept my mouth shut as well. The subject had now shifted from Charlotte’s visit to Solana’s account of it. At the rate they were going at it, there was no way to cut in and broker a truce. I wasn’t good at that stuff anyway, and I was finding it tough to get a handle on the truth.
    Charlotte plowed right on. “Did you talk to him yourself? No. Did he call you to complain? I bet not. How do you know she’s not making it up?”
    “She didn’t make it up.”
    “You really don’t want to hear the truth, do you?”
    “You’re the one who doesn’t want to listen.”
    Charlotte picked up her handbag and let herself out the back door without another word. She didn’t slam the door, but there was something in the way she shut it that spoke of finality.
    In the wake of her departure, none of us could think of a thing to say.
    William broke the silence. “I hope I didn’t cause a problem.”
    I nearly laughed because it was so obvious he had.
    Henry said, “I hate to think what might have happened if you hadn’t brought it up. I’ll talk to Gus myself and see if I can persuade him that he and his house aren’t in jeopardy.”
    William stood and reached for his own overcoat. “I should go. Rosie will be setting up for lunch.” He started to say something more but must have thought better of it.
    Once he was gone the silence lingered. Henry’s chopping had slowed. He was preoccupied, probably replaying the argument in his head. He’d remember the points he scored and forget hers.
    “You want to talk about it?” I asked.
    “I think not.”
    “You want company?”
    “Not at the moment. I don’t mean to be rude about it, but I’m upset.”
    “If you change your mind, you know where I am.”

    I went back to my place and got out my cleaning supplies. Scrubbing bathrooms has always been my remedy for stress. Drink and drugs before noon on Saturday was too sordid to contemplate.
    In the unlikely event that I hadn’t been exposed to enough