“I should have called ahead and talked to the supervisor.” Neil rose and began to pace. After another fifteen minutes, his name was called. They were led to a cubicle where a clerk whose name tag read “S. Martin” asked Neil how she could help him. They stood for ten minutes while she searched on her computer for a file under the name of Joseph Parlin. Neil began to fidget. Finally, the clerk looked up with a smile. “It seems Joseph Parlin’s number is active.” “Is there a question?” Neil asked. “Well, twenty years ago we were notified that he was deceased, and his account was canceled. But recently we received an affidavit saying Joseph Parlin was alive. Apparently, he’d been MIA or something. Some ghoulish mistake, I guess. Anyway, the number was reactivated in…July.” “July.” Neil looked at Kate. “He’s been planning this since July. Now, tell me, miss, who submitted that affidavit?
