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.He isn't here, but come in.I've got a strawberry rhubarb pie."Oh boy.I made my eyes wide as possible and stared at Raven.Get us out of here."I love strawberry pie," Raven said.Five minutes later, I was seated on the tiniest sofa between Corey and Raven with doilies falling on my shoulder, a fine China plate balanced precariously on my knee and a glass of lemonade on the coffee table.The house smelled like old people.The sofa material was stiff and scratchy.There wasn't a TV in sight.How in the world did this woman live?“It’s so nice to meet Harry’s friends,” she said.“I don’t get too many young visitors.These days, it’s just the postman and the neighbors.I go to church with Mrs.Blume up the road.Her car looks just like my late husband’s…”Yeah, she was a talker.Stories rambling into each other and going on forever."Mrs.Gunther," Corey started for the tenth time since we had been in the house."We came over because Harry mentioned…a computer problem.” He turned to me for a quick moment, winking, telling me this was the ruse he was going with, before looking back at Mrs.Gunther.“You’d been complaining about it being slow and not working right?”"Oh, Harry makes a fuss but I told him not to worry.When I talked to him, I was just a little confused, but it’s fine.Fred’s fine, too.” She paused, took a long sip from her glass.Was Fred the other grand kid who talked her into a Ponzi scheme? I exchanged glances with Corey.Corey hadn’t eaten more than a bite of his pie because he was the one talking and making the courtesy nods and noises required in conversations.He cleared his throat.“Oh, was Fred here?"She paused again for full a minute, like she was thinking and then nodded.“Yes, sweet Fred.He fixed everything.Harry doesn’t have to worry about it.The amount wasn’t that much and I didn’t need it.”I got the impression she assumed we were actually here looking into the money problem.She wasn’t worried Fred used it in a scam? Two hundred thousand dollars wasn’t anything to sneeze at.We were strangers, though, so it wasn’t like it was our business.If she didn’t want us looking into it, there was nothing we could do.Suited me just fine.I’d be happy to check out a few albino alligators and head home.Corey slid me a look, silently begging me to help.Me? I groaned internally and put my empty plate on top of the coffee table."Ma'am, Harry said he'd feel better if we helped.He said Fred was in over his head and too embarrassed to tell you.This … investment might not be the right one for you."Corey's look changed to please shut up.I shrugged.What did he want? I couldn't lie to her.There were Jesus babies in the room.Mrs.Gunther brightened."Harry does worry about me too much.""Exactly," I said."Harry was worried about you.If you really feel strongly about it, though, would it hurt to show us? He only wants you to keep what belongs to you.Corey here is a real pro at this, though.If you show Corey everything is fine, Harry will believe him and he won’t have to worry about you.We may even be able to find a better investment for you and Fred."“I don’t know,” she said.“Really quickly?” I asked.“He just needs to know you’re not going to end up in a cardboard box.”Corey made a sound like he was choking.Raven smiled in a way that said he was holding back a laugh.She smiled pleasantly, but touched at her neck like she was nervous.“Well, if you think you could help.I don’t want to trouble you.” She rose from her overstuffed settee by putting a lot of pressure on the arm rest and then the cane she used.I thought she was about to fall over.Corey jumped up immediately and tucked his hand under her elbow.“I’ll help,” he said.She blushed and hem-hawed about this, until Corey asked her where to go and she gingerly pointed to a hallway.She kept her computer in the bedroom.When they were out of earshot, Raven started chuckling.“What’s funny?” I asked.“He’s taking an old lady to her bedroom.”I had to laugh at this.I stole Corey’s plate and Raven and I divided the rest of the pie between us.After, Raven took the plates and stood up, heading to the kitchen.I was going to sit and not touch anything, but I didn’t want to be alone with the Jesus babies and old people smell.I hopped up and followed.Raven placed the plates by the sink and then started up the water.He dug under the sink, and found a bottle of soap.“You're going to do her dishes?” I asked.“Yes,” he said [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]