Total pages in book: 68
Estimated words: 66642 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 333(@200wpm)___ 267(@250wpm)___ 222(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 66642 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 333(@200wpm)___ 267(@250wpm)___ 222(@300wpm)
How many restraining orders had her mother taken out over the years since she found the courage to leave him? Her mother and stepfather had lived in fear that Marty would find them and one of his unscrupulous contacts would kill them. It was only when they constantly moved and Karter had gone no contact with his relatives that they had found a measure of peace.
At the thought of her mother and what she had gone through over the years, she reconsidered accepting the restaurant. Her mother’s health wasn’t the best, yet she was working every day at a job she hated just to keep a roof over her and Karter’s heads. Karter worked as well, but their constant moving had limited their job choices.
Resigning herself to the fact that she was going to accept her inheritance if she was ever going to further herself to get to the point where she could make a big difference in her parents’ lives, she reached out and took the envelope.
Mr. Keates’ sympathy shone out of his eyes. “It might not seem like it now, but you made the right decision.”
Sophie stared at the envelope. Then why did she feel like she had just sold her soul?
“While I do think you made the right decision, I want to give you a warning. The police found out while investigating your father’s death that he was involved in a counterfeit ring in Kentucky, spanning to Ohio, perhaps even further to other states. The investigation is ongoing. Perhaps it would be safer for you to sell the business rather than moving to Treepoint.”
“You think the police will be investigating me?” Sophie gave the lawyer an unconcerned look. “Let them. I haven’t seen my father since I was eleven years old.”
“I’m not worried about the police. I’m more concerned, and so is the Sheriff in Treepoint, that if your father did have accomplices, they may assume you know where the counterfeit money came from.”
“I don’t.”
“I don’t believe you do,” he hastily assured her. “I just want to make you aware of the situation while you make your decision to keep or sell the restaurant.”
Holding the envelope, Sophie rose to her feet. “I appreciate the warning. I’ll make sure to keep that in mind. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” He smiled. “If I can be of any further assistance, please let me know.”
“I will.”
She left the lawyer’s office and made her way to the parking lot while calling her mom to make sure she was home before driving to her parents’ house.
As she pulled in in front of their rental home, she saw her stepfather’s car was there also.
After knocking on the door, she waited patiently for it to be opened. Then, after she gave her mother the hand signal in the camera that it was safe, her mother opened the door with a beaming smile.
“I thought you were working this morning?” her mother said, pulling her close for a hug.
“I don’t go in until two. I need to talk with you.”
“About what?” Her mother gave her a concerned glance as they sat down on the plain green couch.
“Yesterday, I received a letter from Marty’s lawyer.”
Her mother tensed, and Karter, who was stepping into the living room from the bedroom, stopped in his tracks, his face paling.
“Marty knows we’re in Arizona?”
“He must have, or the lawyer wouldn’t have been able to find me.”
Karter moved further into the living room to sit down on a chair facing the couch and buried his face in his hands in dejection.
“We don’t have enough money to move. We’re barely scraping by as it is. What are we going to do?”
“We don’t have to worry about Marty anymore.”
Karter raised his head. “Obviously, we do, if he mailed a letter to you.”
“Marty didn’t mail the letter to me—a lawyer did. I went to the lawyer’s office today. Marty’s dead.”
Her mother started sobbing, while Karter jerked to his feet to go back into the bedroom, closing the door behind him.
Sophie knew why Karter had left—her stepfather didn’t want her to witness the same reaction her mother was having.
Sliding over the couch cushions, Sophie placed an arm over her mother’s shoulders. “He’s dead, Mom. You and Karter don’t have to be afraid anymore.”
“Are you sure he’s dead? This could be another of his tricks.”
“He’s dead. I called the police department in Treepoint on the way here and talked to the sheriff. He is dead.”
Her mother cried harder. “Thank God,” she mumbled as she started rocking herself back and forth.
“It’s over, Mom. Marty can’t torment us anymore.”
“Thank you, God.”
Karter returned to sit down next to her mother on her other side, pulling her into his arms.
“It’s finally over,” she sobbed into his chest.
Sophie left them to go into the kitchen and found a full pot of coffee. She wanted to leave them so they could be by themselves but needed to discuss what else she had learned.