All of it designed for Eric.
I turned to Mr. Lawson.
“You knew?”
“Not exactly.”
He explained that Dad had visited him in August.
Dad told him he had arranged something but refused to explain exactly what.
He simply said that when the moment arrived, there would be an unmistakable sign.
Mr. Lawson looked at Eric’s brilliant red jacket.
Apparently, Dad had been right.
“And what were you supposed to do?” I asked.
“Make sure Eric found what he was supposed to find.”
If Eric discovered the suit, Mr. Lawson was supposed to check that the plan had worked.
If Eric came to the funeral without it, Mr. Lawson had instructions to guide him toward Dad’s study afterward.
I almost laughed.
“He planned a backup plan?”
Mr. Lawson gave me a knowing look.
“Your father planned contingencies for everything.”
Of course he did.
Dad had spent his career calculating loads, stresses, weaknesses, and redundancies.
