“I don’t handle your father’s legal matters,” Mr. Dart replied. “As I said, I represented your grandparents.”
“What did their will say?” Hayes asked. “If Cassidy Trout was left something in it, she had a legal obligation to be told about it.”
“That’s correct. There’s a fiduciary duty.” There was that word again. “It’s the law. But the custodian would have–”
“Assume the custodian didn’t share anything,” Hayes added.
Mr. Dart paused, then said, “Your grandparents left everything to their daughter, your mother, Maura Cove. The will stipulated that none of it was to be included in marital property if she married, which she did, to Mr. Conrad Trout, um… twenty-four years ago. Your grandparents’ inheritance was solely hers. It couldn’t even be touched or modified in her personal will. When she died, it passed to you.”
My eyes widened even though the man couldn’t see. “Me? Not my brothers?”
“Your grandparents’ will specifically stated that the inheritance could only go to a daughter of MauraCove upon her death. It seems the land passed from daughter to daughter.”
“Meaning I inherited the money. It’s mine.”
“Yes, that’s correct. And the rest of the estate.”
I eyed Hayes. “What’s the rest of the estate?” he asked.
“The Two Rivers Ranch.”
19
HAYES
I hadthe lawyer email all papers for Cassidy’s inheritance to my office. Instead of reviewing them, we headed to the sheriff’s station.
“You okay?” I asked, glancing over at my wife.
Cassidy stared out the passenger window of my truck. “It’s mine.”
“Yeah.”
“The ranch is mine. And money. Lots of money.”
“Yeah.”
“He was supposed to tell me.”
All I could do was keep saying yeah.
Once we parked and got out, I opened the door tothe building and said hi to Marge, the office manager. “This is Cassidy,” I said as way of simple introduction.
Marge smiled and shook Cassidy’s hand.
“Your brother’s in his office.” She tipped her head in that direction.
“Thanks,” I said, then set my hand on Cassidy’s back and led her down the hall. I stopped halfway to Colt’s office. Leaning in, I whispered in her ear. “There’s nothing more I want to do than introduce you to everyone as my wife, but with this new… development, I think it’s best we keep it to ourselves a little longer.”
“Meaning you don’t want it to get to my father.”
I nodded.
“Okay,.” she said agreeing.
“Good girl.”
Hayes stuck his head in Colt’s office. “Hey, got a minute?”
