Page 105 of Gifted & Talented

Meredith: What?

Gillian, still disturbed, turns to Arthur.

Gillian: Arthur, I’m sorry to interrupt, but what do you mean ‘did you kill Philippa’?

Meredith: Yes, back to that. Gillian asks a very important question, Brother Accusatory.

Lou looks at Arthur, who isn’t really looking at anyone. Not in the sense that he is ignoring them; more like he is underwater and can’t physically hear them.

Lou: It kinda seems like a lot to dig into right now.

Arthur: Yes. In fact I’d love it if we could take care of this quickly. I’m still in a great deal of shock, I think. Oh, and Yves—they’re waiting for us at the hospital.

Yves looks up from where he has been making pancakes in the kitchen.

Yves: The hospital?

Arthur: Well, the morgue.

Arthur barks an incredibly unstable laugh. Gillian looks worriedly at him, as does Eilidh.

Eilidh: Are you okay, Arthur?

Arthur: I actually can’t feel my fingers, so let’s just go talk to the lawyers.

The family shuffles into the dining room where the lawyers are waiting. Meredith has seen Lou but not acknowledged her presence. Which is very astounding because Lou is holding a wriggling Monster, or not really holding, as it were. Certainly not successfully.

Eilidh: Should… everybody be here?

Meredith then looks at Lou. Arthur looks at Dzhuliya. Eilidh looks at Yves. Monster looks at the chandelier and points to it. Then he points to the light fixtures on the wall.

Monster: Ball! Ball. Ball. Ball!

Lou: Those are sconces. But close!

Arthur looks pale, like he will vomit at any moment. Yves stands beside him and sets a hand on his shoulder. Gillian looks as if she’d like to do the same but can’t quite figure out the mechanics of such a motion. Instead, she stands erect beside him, the perfect politician’s wife.

Arthur: Let’s just get this over with. Do we really even care who hears this? It’ll be public knowledge soon anyway.

Eilidh looks at Meredith, who is being unusually quiet.

Meredith: Yeah, let’s just hear it.

The lawyers exchange a glance. Ryan shrugs insouciantly, so John proceeds.

John: So, the judge ruled that Mr. Behrend does indeed have the valid last will and testament. There may still be some legal challenges, depending, but it does not appear thatThayer was coerced in any way, and medically he was, as far as we know, of sound mind.

Lou mouthsAs far as we know?with a questioning look on her face. Yves gives her a small wave with his free hand and replies soberlyI’m Yves!

John: And so—

John clears his throat as if hoping someone, specifically Ryan, will interrupt and take over. It’s clear he isn’t happy at allaboutwhat he has no choice but to say.

John: As to the most contentious matter, which is that of the ownership shares in Wrenfare Magitech. Your father has bequeathed the entirety of his majority shares to—

John clears his throat again. His eyes dart helplessly around the room.

John: His eldest daughter. Meredith Honora Wren.

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