Page 60 of Script Swap
“I hadn’t heard about Terrence’s injuries,” Carlos explained to me.
Fox waved the words away.“I assured Carlos that my father would never be so stupid as to take out a second mortgage on the theater, and in fact, I wanted to show Carlos that we owned the theater free and clear—without even a first mortgage.”
The expression on Carlos’s face fell somewhere between a grimace and embarrassment.“Fox, I didn’t know he’d been hurt.”
“That’s irrelevant,” Fox said, but their focus was on me.“Because it turns out that my fatherisan idiot.Not one mortgage, buttwo.My God, if he lives through this, I’m going to kill him myself.”
The topic of the mortgage did raise interesting questions, but I found myself considering Carlos instead.“You live in Hastings Rock?”
“Part of the year,” Carlos said.“The summers.”A hint of amusement touched his voice.“I’ve kept track of all your accomplishments.”
“That’s maybe the politest way anyone has ever addressed the issue.And you’re on the theater’s board of directors?”
“That’s right.It’s hard to get integrated into the community when you only live there half the year, so I wanted to be involved, and I’ve always had a passion for the theater.”
“Right,” I said.“And you’re concerned about the second mortgage because…”
I let the sentence trail, and Carlos, with another of those mild grimaces, picked it up.“Because the second mortgage wasn’t discussed with the board.And because this is the kind of thing that we’re meant to be involved in.”
“How did you hear about it?”
“A friend of a friend,” Carlos said.“It’s a small town.People talk.”With a trace of hesitation, he added, “There’s been complaints about checks not being honored.Sometimes, that’s nothing more than an irregularity in the accounts.Funds don’t transfer in time, that kind of thing.But…”
“Is The Foxworthy in trouble financially?”I asked.“Has it been struggling?”
“No more than usual.”But Carlos’s mouth thinned into a line.“Assuming the numbers we saw were…accurate.”
Fox huffed.
“Was there a reason he might have needed the money?”I asked.“An expense that you’d discussed, but maybe he hadn’t communicated his plans clearly?I understand there are major renovations in the near future.”
“Oh God,” Fox said, “don’t get me started on the ‘event space.’”
“We’d already budgeted for the event space,” Carlos said.“Although we had to move up the timeline after the water damage.Once the summer season is over, everything should move ahead smoothly.I understand some other equipment needs to be replaced, but we never discussed a second mortgage.”
“Do you think your father might have needed the money for something else?”I asked.
“I have no idea,” Fox said.“But I intend to ask him myself.Carlos, let me walk you out; I’m sure you’ll need to discuss this with the board.”
“If I’d known Terrence had been hurt,” Carlos said, “I wouldn’t have called.But I couldn’t get a hold of him, and I thought you might know—”
“Of course,” Fox said as they started down the stairs.“It’s not your fault my father is an irresponsible child.”
Carlos said something in response to that, but the echoes in the stairwell distorted the words, and then the front door opened and shut again.
Steps clomped up the stairs.“Well,” Fox said when they rejoined me, “he’s stealing.I suppose that’s a new low.”
“We don’t know what’s going on.Let’s wait and see.”
“What are we going to see?That my father’s recklessness has, once again, brought the family business to the tipping point?That the old fool took out a second mortgage to buy some magic beans?My God, Dash, the magnitude of his carelessness.”Fox drew a deep breath and wrenched at the carbide lamp.“I’m sorry.I didn’t mean for you to have to hear all of that.Poor Carlos; he’s such a sweetheart, and he’s only doing exactly what he’s supposed to be doing.”
“Did you think he was telling the truth when he said he didn’t know what had happened to your dad?”
“Carlos?”Fox laughed.“Dash, you don’t honestly think…”
“I don’t know.I’m asking.Was he at the play last night?”
“I have no idea.He must not have been, or he would have heard about my father.”
