Ashes to Ashes

I WISH I COULD GO STRAIGHT TO LILLIA’S HOUSE and find out what the eff happened between Alex and Reeve, but that scoop will have to wait. Instead I go to the Preservation Society immediately after school. I march right into Danner’s office. I’m so mad I’m shaking.

“Where’s my letter, Danner?”

“Excuse me?”

I sit down. “I want my damn letter of recommendation! I did everything you richy-riches asked for, including picking up your damn dry cleaning. Don’t you get that you’re screwing with my future?”

“I already wrote you one, Kat. I mailed it in a few weeks ago.” She narrows her eyes. “I told them how you were a woman of great poise and promise.”

Oh. Oh, shit. “Well, um, do you think I could possibly get another copy? Like, now?”

Danner looks like she wants to throw me out onto the street. And honestly, I’d deserve it, for the way I just spoke to her. “Please. If I don’t get this letter, I don’t have a shot. Please don’t ruin my life because I’m a freaking idiot.”

Danner opens her mouth, then closes it, then stands up. Grimly she says, “Let me get another piece of letterhead into the printer. I didn’t save my original, so I don’t know if I’ll be able to channel all the wonderful things I wrote about you the first time around, but I’ll try to pull something adequate together.”

Thank freaking God.

Danner leaves the room, and a few minutes later old Evelyn comes shuffling in wearing some amazing silk pantsuit and kitten heels, even though she’s ancient. I love Evelyn. The feeling must be mutual, because when she sees me, she brightens like her big honkin’ diamond ring.

“Oh, Kat, good. I didn’t realize you were working today.” She hands me a stack of papers. “Can you file these? I have no idea where they go.”

“Sure, Evelyn.” It’s the least I can do.

I walk out to the file cabinets in the hallway and start putting things where they belong. Press releases in the media file, contractor bids in the development files.

A power of attorney document? No clue where that goes.

It’s from Greenbriar Sanitarium.

In light of current medical concerns, Erica Zane has been awarded by the state full authority to execute all decisions, financial and otherwise, for her sister, Elizabeth [Bette] Zane.

Underneath that is a deed transfer. Mary’s house. Donated to the Jar Island Preservation Society.

I don’t get it. That house has to be worth a mil. It’s one of the oldest on the island, and a landmark. I figured Mary’s family is well off, but not enough to give away a house like that for free.

I’m relieved, obviously, because clearly Aunt Bette, or Aunt Elizabeth, is getting the help she needs.

But what about Mary?

There are other papers too, stapled to this one. I set the rest of the pile of filing on top of the cabinet and take this stack back to Danner’s office. I’m about to slide them into my bag to show Lillia, when Danner comes in.

“What are you doing?”

Shit. Think fast.

“Sorry. I was filing these papers but I thought I heard my phone ring.” I stand up. “Congrats on the Zane house. I’m glad it went through.”

Danner eyes me suspiciously. She takes the papers out of my hands and replaces them with an envelope. “Best of luck to you, Katherine.”