“Why not?”
Erika paused as if she’d never actually thought about it. “I’m…not sure.” She led Saga to the back corner office. “To be honest, I don’t think anyone has ever tried.”
“You could be the first,” Saga offered.
The young woman giggled, and Saga wondered how recently she must have been out of law school. “Maybe.” She knocked on the office door.
“Come in,” Mr. Bowen’s even tenor answered back clearly.
Erika poked her head inside. “Mr. Bowen, Saga Trygg to see you.”
“Thank you, Miss Davies, you may go. Enjoy your vacation, and I’ll see you next week.”
“Yes, sir!” Erika chimed cheerfully, and with that, she was gone.
Saga slipped inside and closed the door behind her with a soft laugh. “She seems nice.”
“What I wouldn’t give for her energy,” remarked Bowen, rubbing his eyes. “But I’m afraid those days are long behind me.”
“You’re still young,” Saga encouraged, which prompted a laugh from the man.
“You’re too kind.”
“I really appreciate you calling me back. It’s been a whirlwind coupleof days.”
“Preaching to the choir, Miss Trygg,” said Bowen wryly.
Saga considered him, wondering if this man had known that in taking the Goff account so many years ago he would have been put through this much. Though, she imagined his retainer was making it well worth his time. “How is Elis?” she asked cautiously.
“Recovering. He actually goes into surgery today for his new liver.”
Saga exhaled, realizing she’d been holding her breath. “Thank goodness. I’m relieved to hear it.”
“As was I,” admitted Bowen. “Apparently he was put at the top due to…special circumstances.”
His evasion to say what those special circumstances were was not subtle, given that he had no knowledge that Saga knew about the missing liver, and it was the sort of confidential information one did not share with others, regardless how close they were with the family.
“I was surprised, actually, to see you at the hospital,” Saga said.
“I’ve known Elis for a while, and since he has no living family anymore…”
“What about Carys?”
Bowen gave a meaningful look that made Saga laugh. “I take it you have not met Carys Varney. First chance she got, she’d probably hold a pillow over his face.”
Saga chuffed a laugh through a wince. She couldn’t argue with that. “You’ve been with the Goff family for a while, haven’t you?”
“They were my first account—back when Eira’s mother passed. Then eventually, I helped when Heath passed, with Elis’s trust, and then unfortunately with the accident that took Elis’s wife… They’re family. Well, practically.” He pointed to a photograph hanging on the wall. “Eira and Heath really got me back on my feet, even helped me secure my first real office.”
Saga smiled and moved to look at the photograph. Her brow furrowed. She recognized Eira—younger of course—and her husband Heath, both standing outside a small office next to a man she couldn’t place. “This isyou?” She couldn’t keep the uncertainty from her voice.
“Quite some years ago, but yes,” he laughed.
How many years ago?“You look so different,” she remarked.
“Age has a way of making its mark.”
Saga wasn’t sure how to tell the man that on top of looking nearly unrecognizable, he looked older in the photograph than he did now. She decided such a comment was far too rude to mention and so she didn’t. “I think it’s just the photo,” she dismissed.
