“‘As far as that goes’? Is there something that isn’t standard?”
“There are a few anomalies I should point out. The one-bedroom carriage house within the grounds of the property isn’t part of the estate. Your grandmother sold it to Hazel Aiken about fifteen years ago, along with the small plot of land it sits on. Esther also left a personal letter for you.” Henderson indicated a pale envelope on the desk.
“Wait. You said ‘royalties’ earlier. What royalties?”
“From her book sales.” The attorney thumbed through the sheets of letter-size paper, pulling one out from the middle. “Estheraveraged sales of around eight to ten thousand books a year per title. It didn’t make her a fortune, but the royalties will now come to you.”
“I didn’t know she was an author.” Jackson hadn’t even paused to think of his grandmother as a person; she’d been relegated to a distant memory for a long time now.
“She wrote crime fiction under the name of E.V. Huxley. There are eleven titles in print so far, with one more yet to publish. I made a point of reading them once I met her. Esther kindly signed my copies.” Henderson smiled as she slid the envelope across the desk. Jackson made no move to reach for it.
Pushing up from his chair, he strode to the window, staring down onto the main street of Pine Springs, his back to the room. “I’d appreciate it if you’d tell me what it says.”
“Oh, well, I’m sure it would be better if—”
“Please.”
Behind him, he heard paper unfolding and Henderson began to read.
Dear Jackson,
I am so sorry we have not been able to have this conversation in person.
I hope life is treating you well. You may not believe it, but I have thought of you often.
Amity Court is very dear to me, though I appreciate that you may consider it more of a liability. It’s been expensive to upkeep and I’m sorry I haven’t managed to leave it in a better state than it is.
Whatever you want to do with the house is your choice. It isn’t my intention to dictate how you live your life. Sell Amity Court if you wish and I hope that the proceeds allow you to do something truly fabulous with my blessing.
In return, I ask only that the following requests are adhered to:
You reside at Amity Court for one solid month from the date of receiving this letter.
Leah Raven continues to live and work in the house, either until it is sold or for a period of up to eight months, so she can complete and submit my final book.
You get to know the house. Feel the peace. Enjoy Leah’s company. Don’t let two weeks go by without an overnight stay while it remains in your ownership.
Give Leah a complimentary ticket to this year’s fundraising event for the Dominic Hale Foundation.
If you choose to sell, and once the sale goes through, make a gift to Leah of whatever you see fit from the proceeds. I leave the amount entirely up to you.
If Leah freely chooses to leave Amity Court, that is her prerogative. If she wishes to stay but is made to leave, the entirety of my estate will revert into a trust providing college scholarships for aspiring writers from impoverished backgrounds. Likewise if any of the above requests are not met.
I wish you much happiness, good fortune, and contentment in the rest of your life.
Your loving grandmother,
Esther Hale
Jackson turned in disbelief. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”
The attorney looked up. “Miss Raven isn’t exactly a beneficiary, or I would have contacted her directly. What you have here from your grandmother is a list of requests. While there is some flexibility, I must highlight that they are legally binding.”
“She must have been losing it.” Jackson curled a finger into the collar of his shirt. “Those requests are bizarre. I can’t just disappear from the office for a month while I ‘feel the peace.’” He stalked over to the desk. “Why do I have to babysit Leah Raven? Why can’t she live and work somewhere else? And what’s to stop me giving her a pocketful of loose change once the sale goes through? If it’s really up to me.” Jackson glared at his hands and made a deliberate attempt to relax them.
Henderson slid the letter back into its envelope. “Esther and Miss Raven had become close. It’s my understanding that your grandmother wanted to ensure she was not instantly without a place to live, and I have the money to pay her wages here for you. However, any information you divulge at this stage is up to you, and the amount you give Miss Raven from the sale of the house is, as Esther says, yours to decide.”
Leah’s hesitant smile flashed into his thoughts. He didn’t know how she’d managed to twist his grandmother around her finger or what her gameplan was, but she’d find it harder to mess with him. “The house will be going straight on the market, so she won’t be there for long. I’ll have to think about the rest.” He pickedup the envelope, shook hands with the attorney, and thanked her for her time.
