When Aiden’s hand tenses on my knee, I glance at him.
The plan was always to get out of here as quickly as possible, and this sale could be my ticket home. I’d have enough money to quit the restaurant and focus on my last year of college. I could pay my rent for a year and get Mom the help she needs.
I didn’t expect to meet someone like Aiden. Someone who lights me up and makes me feel safe. But it’s been less than twenty-four hours. I can’t change my plans for that.
“Yes, I’m selling.”
Mark puts the contract down. “Then you should consider taking it. The offer looks good on the surface, but I’ll need to go through the details. If you leave it with me, I’ll get back to you tomorrow.”
I should be happy, but something is nagging at me. “Why would they want to buy it? Why such a good offer?”
Mark sighs. “Who knows. If they’ve appointed Ridgeway and Thorn, then they’ve got a lot of money. I don’t try to understand the whims of rich people.”
“The boundary markers were moved,” Aiden says.
Mark frowns at him. “How so?”
Aiden explains what we found yesterday, and while Mark listens, the frown on his forehead increases. When Aiden’s finished speaking, he turns to his laptop and pulls up a file.
“The southern edge of your land borders four properties.” He taps at something on the laptop. “I can’t think of a reason why the other landowners would move the markers.”
“Are any of them thinking of selling?” I ask. “Maybe they want to make it seem like their property is larger than it is.”
“Leave it with me,” Mark says. “I’ll look into it and get back to you.”
“Thank you.”
Mark’s expression turns kind. “How are you holding up? It’s a lot to take in.”
Aiden squeezes my thigh, a quiet show of support.
“Okay, I guess. Did my father leave anything else? A note or letter for me?”
Did he speak about me?I want to ask. As far as I know, there were never any alimony payments, and Mom said he never knew about me, but I know that can’t be true.
“Your father was a quiet kind of man,” Mark says, and I lean forward, hungry for any scraps of information about the man I never knew.
“He kept himself to himself. We hardly saw him in town.”
Mark shuffles the papers on his desk and fishes out the will. “It was lucky. Or perhaps lucky isn’t the right word.” He chuckles to himself.
“What was lucky?”
“He only made his will three weeks before he passed away.”
My stomach churns. That sounds like too much of a coincidence.
“Why did it take so long? He passed away almost a year ago.”
“No one was aware that your father had a will.” Mark explains. “He filed it online with a lawyer in Charlotte who didn’t realize he’d passed away. When someone passes with no will and no heirs, the property goes to the state, who sells it off. It’s a long process because we have to be sure there’re no heirs. I wasappointed administrator, and about a month ago, this lawyer turns up with a will.”
“Naming me as his heir.”
Mark nods. “It put a few noses out. Joel wants the property to expand the veteran’s center, and Ridgeway and Thorn weren’t happy an heir had been found. Although if you take their offer, they may get what they want and sooner than expected.”
Mark smiles, but I find it hard to share his good mood. Why would my father, a recluse who passed his entire life without trying to contact me, suddenly write a will? And only three weeks later, he’s gone.
11
