The Key

Chapter Eleven

"Idiot Swiss! All I asked was that he follow that Ian Dewar, that's it! Is that too much to ask? It would appear so. I just wanted to stop him from snooping around. Scare him off. He isn't easily scared obviously." Hillary spat. "I should have looked after it myself. Just like I had to look after Chloé myself."

Hillary laughed out loud. Her voice echoing in the huge empty mausoleum of a house that she lived alone in. Thinking to herself, 'How easy it was to get Chloé to slip to her death. Just taking a run at her for that key was enough.'

"I have to have that key. I am sure that is why that Ian fellow is in Geneva. Something to do with that key. It had to have great significance otherwise that stupid girl would not have swallowed it. It had something to do with Walt. He said something about her not needing his money. She was self-sufficient. But he was adamant that it was something that was for her and him."

Hillary was obsessed about that key.

She must find out about it.

Must have it.

•••••

Ian ended the call with Cassandra promising her that he would contact her as soon as he had more information to share.

Something was plaguing his conscience. He had to talk to Cassandra before their relationship went any further.

"I've got to call Mac. Cassandra is going to put the ad in the paper today. I need him to be onboard with my plan." Talking to the chocolate colored walls.

Ian called Mac and explained everything to him. Of course this was unofficial police business and Mac would help him out no problem. Mac could not believe what Ian had told him about Geneva and the key. Ian never ceased to amaze Mac with his intuitiveness and his logic.

Ian then called Jean-Luc again for more local help.

"Who is the top lawyer in Geneva?"

"That would be none other than Boniface Carle." He said in his French dramatic way.

"Can you take me to his office?"

"Of course, no problem. Why?" Jean-Luc was curious.

"It is just a hunch but I think that Chloé would have secured her holdings and her Last Will and Testament to the best lawyer in Geneva. Let's find out."

•••••

The lawyer's office was not impressive by American standards but certainly impressive by European standards. The office was ancient. Old money. Old success. An institution.

As a foreigner Ian was able to gain entry fairly easily. Jean-Luc thought it best to stay in the taxi this time and Ian was to go in by himself.

"You do not need me this time." He explained to Ian. "Your foreign accent and being American will get you further than I can."

"All right then. I will take your word for it." Ian said with a smile. Not sure of what Jean-Luc was talking about. But Jean-Luc did know what he was talking about.

Ian did just fine on his own.

"Mr. Carle will see you now Mr. Dew-are. Please, right this way."

Mr. Carle's secretary escorted Ian through the wood-paneled hallway down to large double doors with a small understated plaque on the door that simply stated the lawyer's name. Everything about the office was understated. Europeans generally didn't feel the need to shout their successes. They laughed at Americans for their need to do just that. The quality and richness of the office spoke for itself.