A door opened behind reception.Ray Parkinson stepped out wearing gray trousers, a blue shirt, and the smile of a man who knew when to show concern and how much of it.
“Connor,” Ray said, spreading his hands.“Good to see you, though I’m guessing this isn’t a social call.”
Connor shook his hand.Ray’s grip was firm, his eyes steady, but the warmth felt arranged.Placed.Like furniture before an open house.
“No,” Connor said.“Need to ask a few questions.”
“Of course.Come through.”
Ray led him into a private office lined with framed land maps and property photographs.Behind the desk, a window looked out over the rear lot, where a company truck sat beside stacked For Sale signs.
“Sit,” Ray said.
Connor took the chair opposite him.Ray sat behind the desk and folded his hands.
“I’m heartbroken about Warren,” Ray said.“You know that, right?We had our problems, but the idea I’ll never get to make it right with him...”He shook his head.“I ain’t happy about that.”
Connor watched him.“Don’t give me that, Ray.”
Ray’s eyes sharpened.“Excuse me?”
“You and Warren hated each other.”
The polished sorrow cracked.Not much.Enough.
Ray leaned back.“True.But I can still feel bad.We were close once.”
“What happened?”
“You know what happened.”
“I know you argued outside Davy’s Hardware last summer and made half of Main Street stop shopping to listen.”
Ray rubbed at his jaw.“That was embarrassing.”
“What caused it?”
For a moment, Ray looked toward the window.“Warren was getting into risky deals.Putting one of our mutual companies at risk.”
“That doesn’t sound like Warren.He was the most careful card player I ever met.”
“He was careful when people were watching.”
“What kind of risky deals?”
“Land contracts with buyers who couldn’t qualify through proper lending.Leases with terms buried so deep they would’ve caused a lawsuit the first time somebody’s lawyer read them.A development option on floodplain acreage that should never have been touched.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know.”
“Ray.”
“I don’t.”Ray’s voice tightened.“Something had him spooked.That’s the best way I can put it.”
“Money problems?”
“Maybe.He sure as hell acted like a man trying to get cash fast.”
