“You told them no, I hope. I like to say that your father had few friends but no enemies. I would have said that at the funeral if I’d, if I’d . . .”

“Don’t worry about it. I understand. It was a long way to come.”

“Yeah. Older I get, anything farther than ten blocks seems a long way to go.” Ron was no older than sixty years old, Harry thought, but let it go.

They talked some more. About Alice, and about what might happen to the store up in Maine, then Harry said, “I’ve got a strange question, Ron. Do you know someone named Grace? I don’t know her last name but she knew my dad, and she said she met him down in New York at your—”

“Irish girl with pretty eyes? Her last name’s McGowan. You know the apartment on Third that Jim Mills sold to me for a thousand dollars in 1978? She’s renting that from me.”

“Still?”

“Far as I know. She’s paid up on rent. She’s a nice girl, helped us clear books from the basement when Sandy hit. She did know your dad ’cause he was down here then, as well.”

“Were they close?”

“Were they close? Who? Your father and Grace? I didn’t particularly think so, but it’s not like I was paying attention. Why? Does she say they were?”

“No, no. It’s just that she came to the funeral.”

“No shit. That is a little strange.”

“You think they were having an affair?”

The line was silent for half a second, and Harry could almost hear Ron’s shrug. “Uh, I would say no, but what do I know? Your father and I didn’t talk about that stuff.”

“But do you think it’s a possibility?”

“Harry, I don’t know. Your father seemed like a happy man, but he did come down to New York a lot. She’s a pretty girl, Grace, but she’s no Alice, I’d say.”

Harry wondered for a moment if Ron had ever met Alice, then remembered the time that she’d come down to New York to visit.

“Thanks, Ron,” Harry said.

“You need money, Harry?”

“No, no, I’m fine. But I might need some help dealing with this store.”

“Call me anytime, okay? Let me give you my home number, too.”

After writing it down—not surprised that Ron didn’t have a cell phone—Harry asked if Ron knew how to spell Grace’s last name. He wrote that down as well.