A Serpent's Tooth by Matty Dalrymple

Author:Matty Dalrymple [Dalrymple, Matty]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: William Kingsfield Publishers
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

30

The next morning, Ann arrived at Rowan and Del’s Unionville home, a small, neat Victorian with a freshly painted white picket fence in front. The two-car detached garage looked like it had also had a recent coat of paint, but a slight list to one side suggested that some structural work was needed as well. Summer-themed wreaths hung on the cherry red front door.

When Rowan answered Ann’s knock, she looked less tense than she had the day before, although no less sorrowful.

“Come on back to the kitchen,” she said, leading Ann down the center hallway. “Del had to go back to the winery. One of the temperature gauges was acting funny. Hopefully he just needs to replace the batteries in the thermostat. If it’s a problem with the HVAC system…” She shook her head. “Although I guess it’s not our problem anymore.”

Ann wondered if Niall Lynch would be looking over Del’s shoulder, providing pithy commentary on Del’s efforts to remediate the issue.

Rowan waved her to a chair at the kitchen table. “I just brewed some herbal tea—would you like some? Or I could make you coffee.”

“Tea’s good—thanks.”

Rowan brought a teapot and mugs to the table. She poured two steaming cups—more appealing, despite the already hot morning, than Ann would have expected—and lowered herself onto a chair. “How did it go last night?”

“I was able to contact Niall.”

Reading from her phone, Ann told Rowan about the Hungarian Barrel 44 borrowed from Pocopson Winery and Niall’s interest in how it compared to its French counterpart.

“I guess we should get the barrel back to Ed at Pocopson,” said Rowan. After a moment, she added with a sad smile, “I didn’t really disbelieve that you could do what you can do, but hearing the proof … what a skill to have.”

Ann slipped her phone back into her knapsack. “It can be a mixed blessing, but it has its benefits.”

Ann recounted her conversation with Niall, playing down her impression of Rowan’s father as an insensitive bully and softening his obsession with the winery passing to his son. She conveyed his belief, at least initially, that his fall must have been caused by his heart condition, and his surprise about the disappearance of the will he had been carrying.

“‘Will,’ singular?” asked Rowan. “So the shredded document in his office was one of the two wills?”

“Yes.” Ann hesitated. “The one he destroyed was the one favoring you.”

Rowan drew a deep, trembling breath, then puffed it out. “I guess I shouldn’t be surprised.”

“Harkin has the benefit of gender and seniority, and I guess Niall thought he could get him interested in the business right up to the end. Beyond the end, in fact. Your father is obviously a … challenging personality.”

Rowan gazed into her mug. “He could be difficult, but I suppose he did what he did because he thought it was for the best.”

“I can imagine some people might not be as understanding as you are.” She took a sip of tea while she considered how to approach the next topic.

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