“It’s possible my father’s still alive, in whatever Shangri-la he fled to before I was born. Since they never got divorced he’s technically still her closest family member, but I don’t suppose he’d care much more now than he has anytime in the last sixty years. Anyway, I authorized a lawyer who lives near her to serve as her guardian. Why don’t you talk it over with him?” His voice was bitter, six decades of grievance giving it an edge.

“There’s a bit of a problem with that: he’s the one who got the county to put her dogs to sleep. He doesn’t much care about the effect that has on your mother—he only wanted to be appointed guardian so he could get rid of the dogs.”

“I expect you’re exaggerating that,” he said. “What’s your own interest in my mother?”

Just a concerned neighbor? A busybody who can’t keep her nose out of other people’s lives? “She’s a client of mine. I can’t abandon her just because her mind is wandering.”

“A client? What kind of—I go over Mother’s bills once a quarter, after the bank has paid them. I don’t recall your name—Sharansky, did you say?”

“No, I keep saying ‘Warshawski.’ You wouldn’t find a bill—I’ve been doing pro bono work for her.”

“Yes, but what are you doing for her? There are plenty of people around preying on the elderly. You’d better spell your name for me. I’d like Pichea to look into this.”

“How do you know he isn’t one of those people preying on the elderly?” I asked. “Who did you get to investigate him? Are you going to continue examining your mother’s bills now that you’ve given him carte blanche to run her life?”

“He gave me the name of his law firm. I called and they assured me of his credentials and his disinterestedness. Now, if you’ll spell your name for me—”

“But he’s not disinterested,” I squawked. “He wants your mother out of this neighborhood. He wanted the dogs put to sleep; he’s probably hoping she’ll die in the hospital so he can sell the house to some yuppie like himself—”

Byron interrupted me in turn. “My mother is a very difficult person. Very difficult. I haven’t been to Chicago to see her for four years now, but she was acting senile even then. Of course, she’s been acting senile as long as I’ve known her, but at least she used to keep up the property. Well, four years ago I saw she was letting that house go to rack and ruin.” He repeated the phrase as though he’d invented it and liked to hear it rolling around his tongue.