“Millhone Investigations.”

Ruthie laughed. “I love that. ‘Millhone Investigations.’ So businesslike. This is Ruthie. I was afraid you’d left for lunch.”

“I was just on my way out. How was your trip north?”

“Good. Actually, it was great. I enjoyed myself,” she said. “I was wondering if you’d had a chance to check the contents of that box.”

Box?

I said, “Shit! I forgot. I’m sorry. Honestly, I blanked on it.”

“Well, I hate to nag, but I called the IRS agent this morning and he was Johnny-on-the-spot. My appointment’s tomorrow afternoon at one.”

“That was quick,” I said. “Which IRS office, local or Los Angeles?”

“He’s coming to the house. I thought I’d have to make the trip downtown, but he says it’s just as easy for him to stop by.”

“Accommodating of him.”

Somewhat sheepishly, she said, “I confess I was sucking up to him. I’m playing the ‘poor widder woman’ with a lot of ‘woe is me’ thrown in. I can’t believe he fell for it.”

“You gotta work with what you have.”

“I’ll say. Tell you the truth, he frightened me with all his talk of interest and penalties.”

“How much does Pete owe?”

“That’s what the agent is trying to determine. He says failing to pay taxes is one thing. Failing to file is a federal offense. It’s not like he wants to get me in hot water; just the opposite. If I come up with any documentation at all, he thinks he can get the issue resolved in my favor.”

“What issue? Is he talking about personal or professional?”

“Professional, but not the 1988 returns. He dropped that idea. I told him Pete had one client this entire past year, so he shifted gears. Now he’s focused on Byrd-Shine.”

“That’s ridiculous. Pete wasn’t a partner in the agency. He wasn’t even a full-time employee. It was all contract work. Who bothers to hang on to old 1099s?”

“I’m just repeating what he said. I don’t want to argue with the man when I’m trying to pass myself off as a conscientious citizen. Pete swore he had access to all the old records, but they weren’t close at hand.”

“When did he talk to Pete?”

“A year ago, I guess. He says Pete assured him he had the paperwork in storage, but it was a hassle to get to and that’s why he was dragging his feet.”

“It does sound like him.”

“Doesn’t it? He never did anything he could put off.”

I said, “Here’s what seems weird: as broke as he was, why would he shell out money for a storage unit?”

“Hadn’t thought of that. You think he lied?”

“Not my point. I’m saying if he’d rented a self-storage unit, you’d have heard about it by now unless he paid a year in advance. Otherwise, the renewal would have come up, don’t you think?”

“True. I guess he might have stuck the paperwork in the attic. I mean, we don’t really have an attic, but we have the equivalent.”