He held the chair for her and let her use his hand for support instead of her cane. "How old are you?"
"I worked right up to my seventy-fifth birthday."
"I am impressed. I intend to retire much younger than that."
"Well, I have no family, and I saw no sense in just sitting here waiting to die."
He retook his seat across from her. "I really appreciate you seeing me, Miss Walker. Like I said, I am trying to find Georgia Marie James."
"What for? If you don't mind me asking."
"She stands to inherit some money. What can you tell me about her?"
"Money, is it? Good for her, she deserves a few pleasures in life after what she went through."
"What did she go through? By the way, do you mind if I record our conversation?"
"I suppose not." Emma watched him pull a cellphone out of his pocket, set it to record, and then put in the middle of the table. "I didn't know phones could do that."
"It can even send this conversation to America, where my boss can hear it…if she is out of bed this early."
"Your boss is a woman?"
"And a smart one too. We specialize in finding missing people."
"Georgia is missing?"
"The school won't give us any information. We know she planned to go to art school, but she didn't show up. What can you tell me about her?"
"Well, she was the sweetest little thing you can imagine, and sad too when she first came. A nanny just dropped her off and that was the end of it. When she was little and no one came for her on holidays, some of us took turns bringing her home. She caught on when she got older and preferred to stay at school."
"She is a talented artist, I understand."
"One of the best. In fact, I bought one of her paintings." Emma pointed at a country landscape on the wall.
"Wow, she is good. Mind if I take a picture of it?"
"I suppose not." She waited while he took the phone off the table, stood up and got a close-up of the painting, making certain he got the signature in the photo.
"Like I said, she was one of the best."
"Did she sell many paintings?" Carl asked, putting the phone back on the table, and then sitting down again.
"Oh my, yes, all the teachers bought one, and she sold several to the parents of other students at the annual school fair each year."
"Did she become bitter when she realized she was all alone in the world?"