Chapter 4: The Secret My Father Left Behind
For several seconds, I couldn't hear the wind outside.
I couldn't hear the guests gathering their coats.
I couldn't even hear the fire crackling behind me.
All I could hear was my mother's voice.
"Your father left something else when he died. Something you were never supposed to find.""
I looked at her.
"What does that mean?""
Diane wiped her cheeks with the back of her hand.
"Not here, Rebecca.""
"Actually, Mom, I think here is exactly where we're going to talk about it.""
Olivia dropped her purse onto the sofa.
"Can we please not turn this into another one of your dramatic episodes?""
I turned toward her.
"You just admitted that you used a folder Dad left behind to obtain my personal information.""
"That's not what I said.""
"It's exactly what you said.""
Jason stepped between us.
"Everybody needs to calm down. There's a lot of emotion involved, and nobody is thinking clearly.""
I looked at him.
"You've been standing in my house for an hour telling people you own it. I think my thinking is perfectly clear.""
He opened his mouth, then closed it.
My mother moved toward the kitchen.
"Rebecca, please. Let me explain privately.""
"No more private conversations.""
I took my phone out and called Mark Ellis back.
"Mark, I'm going to need copies of every document submitted in connection with this property.""
"Understood.""
"And please preserve all communications, including emails, text messages, and any identification documents attached to the application.""
"Of course.""
I glanced at my mother.
"Was there anything else submitted under my name?""
Mark paused.
"Yes. A notarized statement indicating that you were voluntarily relinquishing your interest in the property because of financial hardship.""
I felt something twist inside my chest.
"Financial hardship?""
"That's the wording.""
"I've never been in financial hardship.""
"I understand. I'm simply telling you what's in the file.""
"Who notarized it?""
"I'll include that information in the documents.""
I thanked him and ended the call.
Then I turned to my mother.
"Where is Dad's folder?""
She stared at the kitchen floor.
"At home.""
"Where at home?""
"In the office.""
"Mom.""
She finally looked up.
"Your father's old filing cabinet.""
I glanced at Olivia.
"How did you get access to it?""
She crossed her arms.
"Mom gave me the key.""
I remembered that cabinet.
It had stood in my parents' basement for as long as I could remember. My father kept military paperwork, insurance records, property documents, and old family photographs inside it.
After he died, I'd offered to help my mother organize everything.
She refused.
She told me she wanted to handle it herself.
I hadn't questioned her.
Now I wished I had.
"What exactly was in that folder?"" I asked.
My mother hesitated.
"Documents concerning the lodge.""
I frowned.
"Dad died before I bought the lodge.""
"Yes.""
"Then how could he have left documents concerning it?""
Olivia looked at Jason.
Jason looked at the fireplace.
And suddenly, I remembered something.
Three years ago, when I first showed my father the Zillow listing, he'd been unusually quiet.
He had studied the photographs for nearly ten minutes.
Then he'd asked me for the address.
I remembered him typing something into his old laptop.
I remembered him saying, "Well, I'll be.""
When I asked what he meant, he had closed the screen.
"Nothing, sweetheart. Just an old memory.""
At the time, I'd assumed he recognized the mining district.
Now I wasn't so sure.
"Mom," I said, "what did Dad know about this property?""
She sat down.
Her face had gone gray.
"Your father knew the original owner.""
"Who?""
"An old friend. A man named Walter Bennett.""
The name meant nothing to me.
"What did he have to do with the lodge?""
My mother pressed her lips together.
"Before your father retired, he helped Walter with some paperwork. Walter didn't have children. He had been married once, but his wife died years earlier.""
"Okay.""
"When Walter became sick, he asked your father to keep some documents for him.""
I glanced at the fireplace.
"Why?""
"Because he trusted him.""
Olivia let out an impatient breath.
"Mom, just tell her.""
Diane looked at her.
"Don't rush me.""
"You're the one who said we'd explain everything.""
I turned toward my sister.
"What have you been told?""
Olivia lifted her chin.
"That the property was supposed to stay with the family.""
"Which family?""
"Our family.""
"How?""
She hesitated.
"Because Dad promised.""
I stared at her.
"Promised what?""
"That we'd eventually inherit it.""
A cold silence settled over the room.
I looked at my mother.
"Did Dad promise Olivia the lodge?""
"No.""
The answer came too quickly.
Olivia spun around.
"Mom!""
Diane lowered her voice.
"He never promised anyone anything.""
"Then why are we having this conversation?""
My mother looked at me.
"Because your father left instructions.""
"What instructions?""
"He wanted the property to go to someone who would take care of it.""
I laughed once.
"Mom, I did take care of it. I bought it. I repaired it. I paid for it.""
"That's not what I mean.""
"Then what do you mean?""
She reached into her purse and pulled out a small envelope.
It was yellowed around the edges.
My father's handwriting was on the front.
*For Rebecca, when the time is right.*
My throat tightened.
I recognized his handwriting immediately.
The capital R.
The slight tilt of his letters.
The way he always underlined my name when he wanted me to pay attention.
I took the envelope.
"Why do you have this?""
My mother looked away.
"Because I didn't know what to do with it.""
I opened it carefully.
Inside was a single handwritten note.
Becca,
If you're reading this, I hope you've found the place I told you about. Don't let anyone convince you that you have to give away something you've built with your own hands.
There are things about the old property that I never got the chance to explain.
Ask Walter's attorney about the original agreement.
And remember what I taught you.
Measure twice.
Dad.
I read it twice.
Then a third time.
"Who is Walter's attorney?""
My mother looked at the envelope.
"His name is Thomas Reed.""
"Where is he?""
"I don't know.""
Olivia suddenly laughed.
"Well, that's convenient.""
I turned toward her.
"What?""
"Nothing. It's just interesting that Dad supposedly left you some mysterious letter and somehow that makes you the rightful owner of everything.""
I stared at her.
"There's nothing mysterious about it. He wrote me a letter.""
"You're acting like he chose you.""
"He was my father.""
"He was my father too!""
The words echoed through the room.
For a moment, Olivia looked less angry than wounded.
Then she picked up her purse.
"You know what? I'm done.""
Jason moved toward the door.
"Olivia, wait.""
"No. I'm not standing here while she makes me look like a thief.""
I looked at her.
"Then stop behaving like one.""
She spun around.
"You think you're better than me because you bought some broken-down cabin?""
"No. I think I'm the owner because my name is on the deed.""
Her mouth opened.
Nothing came out.
My mother stood up.
"Rebecca, please don't involve lawyers. We can fix this as a family.""
I folded Dad's letter and put it inside my coat.
"Mom, someone submitted a forged authorization and attempted to transfer my property. This is already bigger than a family argument.""
"Your sister could lose everything.""
I looked at her.
"She doesn't own anything here to lose.""
Olivia grabbed Jason's arm.
"Let's go.""
But before they reached the door, my phone rang again.
This time, it was a number I recognized from the county records office.
"Rebecca Hart?"" a woman asked.
"Yes.""
"My name is Angela Brooks. I'm calling regarding the property on Red Mountain Pass. We received a request to review an ownership dispute, and I wanted to verify something with you personally.""
My stomach tightened.
"What kind of dispute?""
"The applicant claims the property was originally held in trust for your family and that your recent purchase violated an inheritance agreement.""
I looked at the deed in my folder.
"Who filed the dispute?""
A pause.
"Olivia Hart.""
I slowly turned toward my sister.
She had stopped at the doorway.
And for the first time since I'd arrived, she wasn't smiling.
"Ms. Hart," Angela continued, "there's one more thing. The application includes a copy of an older property agreement.""
"What agreement?""
"A document dated eleven months before your father's death.""
I gripped the phone.
"What's written on it?""
Angela lowered her voice.
"It appears that Walter Bennett transferred a beneficial interest in the property to someone named Rebecca Hart.""
My knees nearly buckled.
"How much of an interest?""
"One hundred percent.""
I looked at my mother.
She closed her eyes.
Then Angela added:
"But the document also contains a handwritten condition. And that condition may be the reason your sister is contesting the transfer.""
I swallowed.
"What condition?""
Angela paused.
"Your father was named as the person responsible for enforcing it.""
And suddenly, I understood.
My father hadn't just known about the mountain lodge.
He had been protecting something.
May you like
Something my mother and sister clearly knew about.
Something that could explain why Olivia was so desperate to take it.
