THE GUN:

In my somewhat biased opinion, guns are a curse. The world would be a better place without any guns at all. The more control and regulation the better. I find bullets, and lots of them, in Emily’s bedside tables - enough to fill a small grocery bag. We have the bullets. Now, where in God’s name, is the gun (or guns)? (Atkinson, 2012)

Chapter nine is all about the search for, and disposition of, a gun the executrix has no idea even existed prior to the death of her friend. Her reaction, her decisions regarding the gun, and her tenacity in ensuring the process is carried out to her satisfaction all stem from a personal injury incident years before. The story of the gun serves to illustrate how the emotions and experience of an executor can become pivotal in estate decisions made along the way.