The phone rang four times before a gravelly baritone answered.
“Frank here,” he said.
“Frank, it is Clara,” I said. “I am at my father’s house. I need to know if Robert has contacted your office recently.”
There was a silence on the line, followed by the dry, rhythmic tap of a silver pen against a desk.
“He called last Thursday,” Frank said.
“What did he ask you?” I asked.
“He asked me very specific questions about the title transfer, Clara,” Frank said.
“Which title?” I asked.
“The deed to the Elm Lane property,” Frank said. “He wanted to know if a power of attorney allowed a relative to sign over a deed without the owner’s physical presence at the bank.”
“Did he mention Arthur’s name?”
“He said he was asking for a friend,” Frank said. “But he was calling from his cell phone, and I recognized his voice. I told him any such transfer would require a notarized signature and the original deed.”
