Bennett leaned forward. “Mind if I make the call since I know him?”
“Let’s put him on speaker so we can both talk.” After Bennett’s real estate partner had become ill, her listing passed to Bennett, so he represented the trust as the selling agent.
Ivy perched on the edge of the chair, tapping her fingers as she watched him dial the number.
As he dialed the number, he gave her a reassuring smile that did little to calm her nerves.
“Hello, this is Mayor Bennett Dylan from Summer Beach.” Bennett pressed the speaker button, introduced Ivy, and summarized the issue. “It’s regarding the Erickson estate.”
Resting her arms on the desk, Ivy leaned in to listen to the conversation. The lead attorney and trustee Bennett knew was on vacation in Hawaii.
“This is Pierce Grainger. I worked on the Erickson case as well. How can I help you?”
Bennett glanced at Ivy before responding. “We’re inquiring about the possibility of an old Swiss bank account associated with the Erickson estate. Specifically, accounts that might have been designated for the Summer Beach Library and Art Museum.”
There was a brief pause on the other end. “Swiss accounts? No, there was nothing like that in the estate. We did a thorough inventory of all assets at the time of Mrs. Erickson’s passing. No foreign accounts of any kind were listed. She kept her banking relationships in San Francisco.”
Ivy’s shoulders slumped, but then she straightened again as a thought occurred to her. “But then, there might not be,” she said, loud enough for Pierce to hear. “What if the account was opened before or during the war, and the information was lost or forgotten when Mrs. Erickson developed Alzheimer’s? It wouldn’t have been part of the known estate. Or what if it had been bequeathed to her from her father?”
“That’s possible, I suppose,” Pierce said slowly, though his tone suggested skepticism. “But extremely unlikely. We were quite thorough.”
“Would it be possible to investigate?” Ivy was unwilling to let go of the possibility so quickly. “We’ve found documentation suggesting funds were specifically set aside for a library and art museum, along with what appears to be a Swiss bank address and what might be an account number.”
Another pause, longer this time. “You could try, or we could look into it on your behalf. But I should warn you that Swiss banks are notoriously private. Without the proper documentation and proof of connection to the account holder, it’s nearly impossible to access information, let alone funds. Especially after all this time.”
The unspoken message was clear.Don’t get your hopes up.
“I understand,” Ivy said. Disappointment crowded in on her. “Thank you for your time.”
Bennett ended the call with a few more pleasantries, then turned to Ivy. Her face must have betrayed her feelings because he reached over and squeezed her hand.
“It was always a long shot.” His tone held a note of apology.
“Do you think I’m letting that call deter me? That was his opinion, not mine. I have other ideas.” Standing, she straightened her shoulders with determination. “I’m just getting started.”
His face shone with admiration for her. “Bravo. What’s next?”
“I need to think.” She picked up the laptop bag she had grabbed on their rush from the inn. “See you back at the house for dinner. Unless you’d rather go out.”
“Everything is getting fairly dusty at the house.” He stood and took her in his arms. “Your choice.”
“I’ll make a plan.” She kissed him before leaving.
Ivy arrivedat the Oceanview Cafe and looked around. “Table for one,” she said, giving her friend a hug.
Hallie seated her with a knowing smile. “You look like you could use some peace and quiet.” She led Ivy to a corner table with the best ocean view. “This renovation is turning you into a refugee.”
“A very grateful one,” Ivy had replied, sinking into the chair.
“Coffee?”
“Bring it on, please.”
“Are you expecting anyone else?”
Ivy shook her head. “Shelly and Poppy are planning a book festival to benefit a new bookmobile and, eventually, a library.”
Hallie’s face lit. “That’s wonderful news. We were devastated when the library was destroyed. We sometimes drive to another one, but it’s a little too far to just pop in, especially with our little ones. Let me know if there is anything I can do to help support the cause. I know what it’s like to lose everything in a disaster, so I’d be happy to host a fundraiser here for it.”
