“Hobson, yup. Ever see the movie Arthur?”

“Uh, no, I don’t…wait. Russell Brand?”

“Nope. Short guy, so funny. Funniest drunk since W. C. Fields.”

“I’m very lost here,” she said.

Mr. Lusk said, helpfully, “Dudley Moore.”

Solomon pointed to Mr. Lusk. “That’s him. Not him, though. Not his character. He was a rich kid who grew up into a wealthy man, but he had the same butler since he was a boy. Funny British manservant, old guy, straight face, cut him down to size every single time. Blackwood is a little like that, except he’s only older inside. Hard to like, at times, but good to know. That pretty well sums him up.”

Odessa nodded, needing to get this conversation back on track, pivoting to Solomon’s house. “Anything else you want me to take care of at your residence while you’re here?”

“Can’t think of anything. Just the damn fish.”

“The fish is fine.”

“Well, I wasn’t all that worried, to be honest,” said Solomon.

She chuckled too long. “By the way, while I was there, I was looking for a net for Dennis, to take the fish out of the bowl of dirty water? And I found one in the small closet off the kitchen.”

“Good.”

“Yes.” She nodded, working her way up to this. “But while I was in there, I noticed the back wall—”

Solomon smoothed out the blanket beside his hips. “Have you listened to any of them yet?”

“Any of…of the tapes?”

“Well, yes. Sounds like you found my hidden room.”

“I really didn’t mean…I’m not normally a snooper. But that ‘room’ represents about a third of the house…”

“Did you listen?”

Odessa shook her head, surprised he was so unperturbed at her trespassing on his inner chamber. “No.”

“You should. When you’re ready.”

“When I’m…ready? For what?”

Solomon nodded, then coughed suddenly, turning away from her to reach for a Styrofoam cup of water with a short straw sticking out.

Mr. Lusk grinned at her in the moments Solomon was turned away from them. He motioned to his own elbow, then nodded to Solomon. Odessa, confused, looked at Solomon’s arm where intravenous fluids entered his circulatory system. Then she understood: Mr. Lusk was hinting that Solomon was sedated, which might explain his oblique questions and answers.

Solomon turned back before Odessa could look to Mr. Lusk for more information.