The Renfield Syndrome by Clifford Beck - HTML preview

Chapter 14

Within a few days after his mother’s death, he was visited by a sheriff. According to state law, any unattended death had to undergo an autopsy, and the sheriff’s presence caught Caspian off guard, making him think that some trace of the toxin had been discovered. In his mind he saw himself being handcuffed and charged with murder, a situation he would never escape. But to his relief, the sheriff was there to inform him that the autopsy had discovered nothing outside the many distended veins throughout her body. “I wish I had an explanation for you,” he said. “They just didn’t find anything.”

Caspian shook his head while trying to maintain a sullen expression.

“Thank you,” he replied. The officer asked what he wanted for his mother’s remains. The answer was obvious; he wanted his mother’s body cremated in the event that any new evidence should prompt authorities to disinter her remains. A pile of ash could not be examined. There was still the question of what to do about a funeral. Left up to him, he would simply throw her ashes into the ground, having hated her that much.

Having left a significant amount of money to him, he decided that a funeral would be appropriate but only at a minimal cost. He certainly didn’t see his mother as deserving of anything elaborate or expensive, and planning a funeral on the cheap would leave Caspian with a significant amount of money. Reuben and Dorothy, finding out about the windfall that was soon to land in his lap, suggested several ways of managing it. A Roth IRA seemed to be the best investment vehicle, as it would be there for the long term and contribute to his retirement. Should he decide on college, some amount of it could be used for tuition as well. They explained to him that while money doesn’t make the world go around, it does help to grease the axle. While Caspian understood the saying, he decided to put the post-funeral amount in the bank until he could figure out what the next step should be. Reuben and Dorothy, however, decided not to get too involved in his financial matters, as they were concerned that doing so might cause Caspian to lose trust in them. They knew that most people are prone to taking what they wanted, even if it meant robbing their children of a promising future. Not one cent of Caspian’s money would be misappropriated for any reason.