Vanilla Vices by Jessica Beck

I’d had enough of the niceties of civilized conversation. “What’s going on?”
    “Actually, we have business to conduct, Suzanne,” she said. “Grace, would you mind excusing us?”
    “Certainly,” she said, shooting a smile my way as she turned toward the door.
    There was no way I was going to let that happen. “It’s okay. She can stay.”
    “I don’t want to break your attorney–client privilege,” Grace said happily.
    “We both know that there’s nothing she can say to me that you’re not going to hear about the second I leave this office,” I answered.
    “Do you mind?” Grace asked Teresa.
    “No, if Suzanne wants you to be here, I don’t have any issues with it.”
    “Now that we’ve cleared that up, what is this about?” I asked.
    “I thought you already knew. Didn’t he say anything to you about his intentions?” the young attorney asked me, clearly puzzled by my question.
    “It might help if I knew exactly who we were talking about,” I said.
    “Dan Billingham, of course. Suzanne, not only are you his main beneficiary, you’re also listed in his will as his first choice as executrix. Are you certain he didn’t say anything to you about his plans?”
    “Trust me, this is all news to me,” I said. “Why would Dan name me? We were friends, but I never thought too much about our relationship one way or the other.”
    “Well, he had pretty strong feelings about you.”
    “What does this entail?” Grace asked.
    “It’s all pretty straightforward, actually. I’d be happy to help you in any way that I can. First things first. The death certificate has already been issued, so we’re free to move forward.”
    “Is there any rush to do it?” I asked, still surprised by Dan’s last gesture.
    “I suppose it could wait until tomorrow,” Teresa said with a frown.
    “Teresa, would you excuse us for one moment?” Grace asked her.
    “Certainly. Would you like my office?”
    “No, we’ll just step outside. We won’t be long,” Grace said as she took me by the arm and led me out to the sidewalk.
    “Grace, what is this about?”
    “Suzanne, I know this has caught you off guard, but it might be the break we’ve been hoping for.”
    “How so?”
    “If you’re Dan’s executrix, you’ll have access to his shop and his room above it. There might be a host of clues lurking there. Don’t we owe it to him to find his murderer as quickly as we can?”
    “I suppose so. It just feels a little ghoulish to me. The man just died last night.”
    “You’re not doing this for the money. After all, how much could Dan really have? We’re trying to track down his killer. That’s the noblest of reasons to act quickly.”
    “Okay, you’ve convinced me. I’m glad you came with me, Grace.”
    “There’s no place else I’d rather be,” she said.

    We walked back into Teresa’s office. “Sorry about that. Since I’m here right now, should we go ahead and get started?”
    “Excellent,” she said with that bright smile of hers. “I’ve got the file right here.” She opened a cabinet drawer of her desk and pulled out a thin folder.
    “Is that it?” I asked, staring at the paucity of it.
    “Are you honestly surprised that the man would want as simple an instrument as possible?” she asked me. “There is a list of bequests here attached to the document, but the balance of it goes to you. I’m afraid that it’s no fortune, but you should come out of it okay once the business has been liquidated.”
    “Am I obligated to sell Aunt Teeks?” I asked her.
    She looked surprised by my question. “No. Of course not. I just assumed that since you already have a business, you wouldn’t want another one. That’s none of my concern, of course. Once the bequests are met, you’re free to do whatever you wish with whatever remains.”
    “Does she have to decide what she’s going to do immediately?” Grace asked. “After all, this is all news to her.”
    “No, absolutely not.