Page 15 of Ghost in the Garden
“You live here alone?” Solomon asked in surprise.
“With my wife,” the man said. “What is it you want to know?”
“Begin with your name and your position here,” Solomon said.
“Fraser,” the man said reluctantly. “Frank Fraser. I pass on problems to the landlord and make sure the rents are in on time.”
“Are they?” Solomon asked mildly.
“Not so bad here. Next door…” He trailed off, biting his lip.
“You performed the same service for the building that collapsed.”
“Yes,” Fraser said. “Not my fault it fell. I told Mr. Gregg all the problems. Up to him to do something about it, isn’t it? I ain’t got the money or the authority. I just live here cheap for collecting all the rents.” His face twisted into a grimace. “You’d think I pulled the bloody building down myself for all the abuse I get now.”
“I suppose you’re the face of the landlord they never see. Or do they?”
“Not now, they don’t. Nobody sees Mr. Gregg anymore.”
“Then how do you deliver the rents? Or haven’t you had to yet?”
“Weekly ones, I have. They were all weekly next door. One or two here are monthly. I take them to Mr. Gregg’s office.”
“To Mr. Lambert?” Solomon asked.
A shadow passed over Fraser’s face. He looked away toward the window as though something had caught his attention. “Don’t know any Lambert.”
Solomon sighed. “Please. I don’t pay for lies.”
Fraser swore. “If he knew I talked to you or to anyone else, I’d be dead. What’ll my wife do then?”
“What do the wives of all those injured men from next door do now?”
“That ain’t my fault!”
“I gather it’s Mr. Gregg’s fault, and the law will punish him for it. Maybe. Who’ll be your landlord then?”
Fraser shrugged. “How should I know?”
“Isn’t it Lambert? In fact, isn’t he your joint landlord now?”
“I only ever dealt with Gregg,” Fraser said.
Solomon took a guess. “But Lambert’s promised you can stay on here doing what you do if you keep your mouth shut.”
“A man’s got to live. I got a wife.”
“And you’re to keep taking the rents to Gregg’s old office.”
Fraser nodded sullenly.
Solomon took some coins from his pocket, but didn’t yet pass them on. Fraser’s eyes were glued to them. “I understand some of the surviving tenants from next door live here now.”
“Reduced rent for a couple of weeks.”
“Mr. Gregg is all compassion,” Solomon murmured.
“Rooms are bigger, less leaks,” Fraser said. “Bit of a squash, maybe, but these people got nowhere else to go.”
