Another Dead Republican by Mark Zubro Read Free Book Online Page A

our blood. We have a family Trust. We are here to protect our interests. The Trust is very clear on what happens when someone dies.”
     
    I’m not sure I cared about his family Trust. It didn’t bother me that he didn’t want me involved in his grief and sorrow. That was none of my business. I did know I cared about Veronica and helping her through this. A rampaging bull elephant he might be, but perhaps if he raged at me, Veronica might be spared some grief later. And what was this crap about not being “blood”? Was this son-of-a-bitch planning to leave her destitute? He wouldn’t want his grandkids out on the street, would he? Hard to tell, he was a Republican after all.
     
    We were interrupted by a tap on the door.
     

ELEVEN
     
    Wednesday 9:03 A.M.
     
    The door opened. A woman peered into the room. She balanced a briefcase and a cup of coffee in one hand and held the door handle in the other. She said, “I was told Veronica was back here.”
     
    I said, “She’s still with the children.”
     
    The woman came into the room. She was in her mid-to-late-thirties, slender, and wore a white shirt and a dark gray pantsuit. She said, “I’m Enid Achtenberg, Veronica’s attorney.”
     
    Mr. Grum said, “We don’t need any outside attorney. The family has attorneys. You’re not wanted. Get out.”
     
    “You’re Mr. Grum,” she said.
     
    “Yes, so what?” His voice was still at bellow level.
     
    Nobody else from the family had rushed in to see what was going on. Maybe the rest of them were used to bombast beyond all levels of decency, or he was the one in the family who did the bidding and commanding and they didn’t dare interfere. Although, according to Veronica, Edgar’s mother ruled the roost.
     
    Ms. Achtenberg said, “I’m here to see Veronica at her request. I can wait in the car.”
     
    I said, “I’m Veronica’s brother. This is my husband Scott. We were here when Veronica called you.” I touched Scott’s arm. “Scott was the first one you talked to. You are welcome to wait for Veronica here with us.”
     
    Ms. Achtenberg said, “Poor Veronica. Those poor kids.”
     
    “You can’t ignore me,” Mr. Grum said. “You don’t get to say who stays or goes in this house.”
     
    Before I could say, neither do you, Scott said, “Is there anything else we can help you with, Mr. Grum?”
     
    The gargantuan hulk pointed at each of us in turn. He gulped and blubbered, made inarticulate noises. Finally, he stormed out the door.
     
    Ms. Achtenberg clicked it shut behind him. She came over to the desk, placed her coffee on it, and put her briefcase on the floor.
     
    I pointed at the heaps of stuff on the floor. “Mr. Grum seems to be intent on making a mess.” Scott and I bent down to pick up papers and paraphernalia. Achtenberg lent us a hand in cleaning up the Grum-induced chaos.
     
    As we worked, she said, “He’s a hell of a piece of work.”
     
    I said, “The whole family is nuts.”
     
    She scanned the mess Mr. Grum had created on the floor and said, “Veronica’s father-in-law seems to have anger issues.”
     
    We picked up the larger intact pieces of junk and put them off to the side. The larger smashed pieces we deposited in the trash can. The smaller bits and pieces would need to be vacuumed. We placed the papers back on the desk.
     
    Finished cleaning, Scott and I sat behind the desk. Achtenberg took a comfy chair on the opposite side. She said, “Veronica always talks about you, how close you are. You’ve been a big help to her over the years. She says you both are good guys.”
     
    I said, “Married into this family, she needed all the friends she could get.”
     
    She looked at Scott, “How’s your shoulder?”
     
    “Healing okay, thanks. The doctors have some hope.”
     
    “Good, and thank you for taking a stand for the working people in this state.”
     
    Scott said, “Just a link in the chain.”
     
    The stand she was referring to was