“Kind of an odd combination of odd jobs, don’t you think?”

“I think I don’t want to answer any more questions.”

“Fair enough. You can ask me something if you want.”

“Do you have a first name?”

“Henry. But I never liked it.” He explained this patiently, having explained it all before.

“Even your mother calls you Boone.”

“Yeah. I never really know what to call her.”

I must have given him a peculiar look. He said, “I didn’t grow up with her. She left me with my dad when I was eighteen months old. He died last year.”

“Sorry. I didn’t know any of that.”

“Why would you? It’s all right, it’s just the way it was.”

He spoke with the same practiced matter-of-factness. I couldn’t understand how it would be all right.

“I didn’t see much of her until I was an adult. Even then, it’s been hit or miss. Last time I saw her? Four years ago, and that was because I was out here on vacation.”

“But you get along. I mean, don’t you?”

“Oh, she’s always pleasant with me. Just not very involved. You know how she can be.”

I did know. He went on. “So there haven’t been a lot of Mother’s Day cards over the years. I don’t know why she was so injured that I didn’t call her as soon as I got into town. She’s not entitled to feel that way. Maybe because other people were involved, and it made her look bad.”

I was trying to fathom it all and I couldn’t. “Was there something, maybe something going on between your parents?”

“There were other things she wanted to do. And I guess being a bad mother was the most transgressive thing she could think of.”

Do you know how hard it is for a woman to be selfish? she’d said. Maybe this was what she meant. Still, I didn’t like hearing it. How could you leave your own child? I didn’t think anyone would set out to be a bad mother just to prove a point.

I said, “How do you know Ed and Doug?”

“Ed’s my mother’s attorney. I guess I’m her accidental next of kin. I mean there’s nobody else. Ed and I are in touch from time to time. We’re trying to get her to take care of herself.”

“She can already take care of herself.”

“She’s not getting any younger.”

“What do you want her to do, exactly?”

“Ed’s an ethical guy. He’s looking out for her best interests. I’m sorry, I can’t go into any details because—”

“Ethics,” I said, and he nodded. “You came into town just to do whatever it is you’re doing with her?”