“And we’re not going to find that letter because the longer we linger here, the better the odds are that we’ll be caught.” She jerked her head toward the barn door again. “Go. I’ll take matters from here.”
As Vincent opened his mouth to voice an argument, Mrs. Wagner aimed her pistol directly at Eunice, but right as she cocked the trigger, Arthur raced into motion. Before Eunice could do more than grab her pistol from her pocket, a shot split the air, and a second later, Arthur and Mrs. Wagner were tumbling to the ground.
CHAPTER
Thirty-One
“Of anyone I thought might race to my rescue, you never entered my mind, Aunt Hazel,” Eunice said. “Allow me to say that was a brilliant shot on your part and suggests you may be more proficient with a pistol than either meormy mother.”
Aunt Hazel gave a wave of the smelling salts she’d fetched after Mrs. Wagner and Vincent were carted off to jail, Vincent moaning dreadfully about the gunshot wound to his leg Aunt Hazel had been responsible for and Mrs. Wagner complaining that she was bound to sport bruises all over after Arthur knocked her to the ground in his rush to disarm her. “It’s no secret I found my life in Montana stifling at times. To stave off my boredom, especially after you left, I had to immerse myself in hobbies. Besides whipping up batches of candy, target practice became a predominant hobby of mine. And not that I want to brag, but yes, I’m a better shot than you or Georgette will ever be.”
“That sounds like a challenge.”
“A challenge I’ll take up, but only after I get my nerves under control.”
Exchanging grins with her aunt, Eunice returned her attention to her grandfather’s last will and testament, wanting to review itagain before she made decisions that had to be made regarding the Mason estate.
The moment she’d brought out the will, Uncle Raymond had repaired to his room, her grandfather’s old room, telling Eunice he was going to begin packing because he believed his time residing at Mason Manor had come to an end.
His declaration had left Eunice facing a bit of a dilemma.
Yes, Uncle Raymond had plotted and connived with Mrs. Wagner to steal her inheritance, but he was an elderly man and hewasher grandfather’s brother, a grandfather who’d plotted and connived for most of his life. It really came as no surprise that Uncle Raymond had picked up a few tricks from his brother over the years.
“Anything you missed in the will that surprises you?” Arthur asked, pulling up a chair and taking a seat beside her.
“Nothing in the will, but the day has certainly been one big surprise after another.”
“Probably not the birthday you were expecting.”
“That’s putting it mildly.”
After Arthur had disarmed Mrs. Wagner and Aunt Hazel had shot Vincent, events had unfolded quite quickly.
Ivan, Cooper, Ann, and Judith had rushed into the barn, pistols drawn, Georgette and Douglas following them. After securing Vincent and his mother, and after Vincent’s leg had been wrapped, Cooper had set about what he did best, getting confessions that Ann wrote down.
After drawing out all the pertinent details, Cooper and Ann had left to transport Vincent and his mother to jail, Ivan and Judith going along because it had certainly been proven that the Wagner family was not to be trusted.
Georgette and Douglas had decided to wander off to the stables to see the horses. However, given the way they’d been gazing at each other, Eunice was convinced they weren’t going there because of the horses but instead to find time alone together. The fact that they’d taken to holding hands suggested there might be no talk of divorce in their future but perhaps a reconciliation.
Eunice glanced at the will again. “I’ve been left an obscene amount of money.”
“I can’t argue with that.”
“I also seem to have been left as head of the family.”
“Indeed.”
She blew out a breath. “I don’t know why that thought never settled until now, but with that title comes responsibility.”
“Your grandfather did leave your relatives bequests,” Arthur pointed out.
“True, and large bequests at that, but ... still.” She nodded to Aunt Hazel, who seemed to be enjoying a bit of flirting with Lloyd as they sat on a fainting couch together. “Aunt Hazel was the most loyal to Grandfather and yet he left her a mere million dollars, which is a pittance compared to what he left everyone else. But even being so obviously slighted by her brother, she used a great deal of her inheritance to improve the town of Butte and improve the Mason name. If you ask me, that speaks volumes about her continued loyalty to the Mason family.”
“May I assume you’re intending on rewarding Hazel for that loyalty?”
“I don’t think I’d consider it a reward . . . more along the lines of finally acknowledging her importance in the family.” She glanced at the will again. “I’m afraid I’m going to have to call for another family meeting, even though the last family meeting turned beyond contentious.”
“It is still your birthday. Perhaps you should save further contentiousness for another day.”
