"PARDON ME?"
Jesse smiled. Now that he knew Kathy was informed of nothing, it was funny to see the shock in her face.
"Mrs. Mary Anne Sloan established in a recent modification of her will and testament that we, Katherine Schneider and Jesse Tanner, would be heirs to all her properties on the island, which are Patty's Bed & Breakfast, the Pink Roses Hotel and a car she kept to move around on her visits there, two or three times a year."
Kathy looked puzzled.
"I'm sorry. I just can't find any sense in all this. Would… Would you let me ask you a few questions to see if I finally understand? Because I haven't slept much and maybe I'm losing things here due to a lack of rest."
Jesse shrugged.
"Sure. Go ahead."
"Ok. This first question may sound a bit rude, but remember it's for the sake of clarity. So that I can decide what to make out of the information you've already given me."
He seemed relaxed. Not like a person who had something to hide.
"No problem."
"Why would she leave you - let's forget about me for a second - two such properties if you were only her employee?"
"I worked for Mrs. Sloan for eight years. And you know how she was - she cared for the people who were around her and made them her family, when she thought them worthy."
"And she thought you worthy."
"I guess."
Kathy raised an eyebrow. Show-offs didn't win her heart.
"Mary Anne was a shy person," he continued. "Maybe she didn't seem shy, but she was. And she didn't trust people easily. However, when, in time, she got to think someone was trustworthy, she gave her soul completely. That is what I was referring to. I suppose it was quite different with you. She must have felt comfortable since the very beginning."
Were there traces of a sarcastic accusation in his words?
"Was Mrs. Sloan uncomfortable with you at first?" asked Kathy, determined to read between the lines.
Touché.
"Probably. But that's another story. Actually, a rather long story. Too long for a hasty breakfast."
Kathy found herself scrutinizing his words again, but she soon decided it was a wasted effort. There, obviously, was more than he was telling, which made everything he said questionable.
"Is her family aware of the terms of the will?" she asked, intending to lead the conversation into a more concrete and practical path.