story Chapter 2

[Butchern]

Abraham Broder's house sat just outside of Charleston proper in the town of Summerville, so it took a little less than an hour to reach it from the hospital. It was now getting to be late afternoon.

 

Broder's house was a modest affair in downtown, just up the street from Summerville Baptist. The front yard was gated with a wrought-iron fence, and the walk to the front yard was lined with sago palms. The investigators could see several large oaks and pines rising up above the white two-story house from the back yard.

 

The investigators had called ahead to let the Broder family know they were coming. His only surviving relatives, a son and a daughter-in-law, were currently at the house going through some of his things. The investigators were visiting to pay their respects and to "handle some estate business." They did not get into the details over the phone.

 

When they pulled up, the son was sitting on the porch, flipping through a book.

Edited September 27, 2022 by Butchern (see edit history)

[Sir Lazeabout]

Malcolm strides up to the porch.

 

"Ah, Mr. Broder?" he says, hand extended. "Malcolm Trask - perhaps your father mentioned me at some point? We corresponded frequently. Thank you for agreeing to have us here. And please accept my condolances on your loss - your father was a great man, a gentleman and a scholar of a rare sort."

[DogTheGoblin]

"I miss him dearly. I can hardly imagine what you- both of you must be going through." Martin chimed in, stepping onto the porch just behind Malcolm. The fact this was Broder's house was not lost on him, however this went, he wanted to handle it with the upmost respect. "There are only a handful of men like him, and the world is worse off without him." Stone bowed his head, stepping aside to allow space for the rest of the party.

[matt_s]

Coupard nods in somber greeting. I hope we find you as well as the times allow. Our most sincere condolences on your loss. Our business here should be straightforward and you need not trouble yourself by moving from your porch. Although if you wish to accompany us I will raise no objection.

 

 

[Caystodd]

Livingston followed the men up to the porch. She felt the awkwardness they expressed in their greeting and wondered how they might broach the subject of their investigation at a time like this. And though she was dressed in her usual conservative dress, she wished she was wearing more black for the visit.

 

"Good afternoon," she said as the others greeted Broder's son. "So sorry for your loss."

[LaChupa]

Maria did not know these people, and they did not know her, so she kept her distance as they moved up the sidewalk. She tried her best to keep an eye out for birds without looking like she was losing her mind.

[Butchern]

Broder's son did stand up to shake everyone's hand. He introduced himself as David Broder, and thanked the investigators for their kindness. "I know you folks were important to my father. I appreciated what you meant to him as well."

 

After a few more pleasantries were exchanged, the talk turned to business.

 

On 9/27/2022 at 7:26 PM, matt_s said:

"Our business here should be straightforward and you need not trouble yourself by moving from your porch. Although if you wish to accompany us I will raise no objection."

 

"And what is your business exactly? I wasn't clear from the phone call exactly what you needed. I know my father left you some items in his will, but I thought that was all handled by the attorney and his Rabbi."

Edited September 29, 2022 by Butchern (see edit history)

[Sir Lazeabout]

"Well, I for one would like to ask you a few questions of your father's last days, if you wouldn't find it too disagreeable," Malcolm says. He smiles sadly. "In his last letters he... half-hinted at some things that it would greatly help my peace of mind if I could more fully understand. Do you know if he had undertaken some new study of some sort, or was otherwise occupied with some personal project?"

[DogTheGoblin]

"For myself, I just wanted to have a look around myself. One last feel for the man, you understand?" Stone spoke, looking straight to David. Sincerity in his eyes as he spoke the words. Yes, they came for another reason but Martin saw a chance to reconcile with Broder one more time before moving on. Something David was possibly doing himself, or so Stone would assume. Either way, he hoped to persuade the man allow the party, or at the very least himself, to enter.  

[Caystodd]

Livingston waited for the discussion to die down before she called Maria over and produced the key they had been left in the estate.

 

"Mr. Broder, I know we are asking a lot, and we understand your reluctance to help total strangers. But this is at the heart of our inquiry." She held up the key. "Your father left us this specifically, for our stewardship, without any indication as to what it unlocks. We are, of course, a little concerned that something of special importance or of a time-sensitive nature is being neglected. Do you recognize it? Does it fit any of the cabinets or boxes here at the house?"

[Butchern]

On 9/30/2022 at 2:15 AM, Sir Lazeabout said:

"Do you know if he had undertaken some new study of some sort, or was otherwise occupied with some personal project?"

"Nothing that we are aware of," David said. "He was retired, but if you knew him, you know that means nothing." He smiled fondly at the thoughts of his dad. "He was at the College nearly every day for some meeting or other, and he was very active in his synagogue. We found nothing in his scholarly papers that he was working on, awaiting publication on, or anything like that."

 

23 hours ago, DogTheGoblin said:

"For myself, I just wanted to have a look around myself. One last feel for the man, you understand?"

David looked uncomfortable at the suggestion. He took a breath and was about to try to politely say, "no" when Dr. Livingston interrupted.

 

1 hour ago, Caystodd said:

"Do you recognize it? Does it fit any of the cabinets or boxes here at the house?"

David closed his mouth again and looked at the key. "Hmmmm. No, it doesn't fit anything here. We have access to all of his belongings here in the house and in his office. But I did find a recent cash payment for a safe deposit box at People's National Bank in Charleston. There was no contract paperwork or key or any other identifying papers. Just a one time cash payment to reserve the box for 90 days. He opened it about four weeks ago. The deposit ledger said it was empty. I'll bet if you presented your copy of the will documents and the key, they would let you open it to put your mind at ease. I can show you the receipt. I'll be right back."

 

David disappeared into the house and left the investigators standing on the front porch. He quickly returned with the receipt which had the box number, box number 534.

[matt_s]

Coupard considered this.

 

That is indeed curious. A one time payment in cash for a fixed duration on a supposedly empty deposit box. I had not spoken to Broder for some time before his death. Was he acting oddly at all even in a manner that you think irrelevant or trivial? I hardly want to jump to conclusions or awkwardly probe around your family's private affairs, but this arrangement with the box is a little bizarre.

 

In any case, I apologize for the intrusion. We will talk with the kind folks at the Bank about this deposit box per your excellent suggestion.

 

 

 

[Sir Lazeabout]

Malcolm nods, smiling wistfully.

 

"It's true, some men are just not retirable," he says. "Well, I suppose it's possible that his mind was just wandering near the end, and that the remarks that unsettled me meant nothing. But I might try asking at the College as well, just to make sure."

[DogTheGoblin]

The look on David's face was enough to tell Martin that he had overstepped. Regret filled the reporter, but he had to ask. He bowed his head in a silent apology and refrained from speaking any further. Having already insulted the man's privacy, Stone didn't want to make the man any more uncomfortable. 

 

But regardless of the refusal, a half smile formed at the mention of the deposit box. Nodding along with Coupard and Malcolm's suggestions, he added his own thank you to David and awaited for the party to press on.

[Butchern]

On 10/1/2022 at 7:34 PM, matt_s said:

Was he acting oddly at all even in a manner that you think irrelevant or trivial? I hardly want to jump to conclusions or awkwardly probe around your family's private affairs, but this arrangement with the box is a little bizarre.

David shrugged slightly and shook his head.

 

"He seemed fine to us. We spoke regularly, but we live in Columbia, so we only saw him a few times a month. His passing was sudden and unexpected. As for the safe deposit box . . . I don't know. The bank letter says that it is empty, at least at the time of purchase. Perhaps he only needed it for a few months for something he was working on. There was nothing in it listed in his will or any of his papers. Perhaps he left something in it for you. He did give you the key."

 

David sounded more and more curious about the box the longer he talked, but he didn't seem worried that there might be some secret valuable in the box.

 

The investigators said their goodbyes. David assured them that it was not trouble and that he didn't feel intruded upon and that he understood all their questions and wasn't offended at all. As the investigators departed, they checked their watches. It was already getting late and the bank was closed for the day. If they could clear their schedules again tomorrow, they could visit the bank first thing in the morning.