Page 21 of Safe With You

Ethan shifted subtly closer to her, and having him near soothed some of her nerves. At least he knew the unspoken struggle taking place.

Mom, Grant, and Christopher took seats directly across from them. Katie met her mom’s eyes a time or two. Mom wore an expression even more pinched and sour than usual, and Katie sensed a chilly undercurrent between them. Beside her, Christopher bounced his knee even more rapidly than Katie as he chewed on his thumbnail, his gaze ranging all over the waiting area. His restless energy only made her more nervous.

Thankfully, they had only a brief wait. In less than five minutes, an office door opened, and Grandma’s attorney of twenty years, Mr. Walden, beckoned them all inside. Grant’s brows dipped more noticeably when Ethan rose to join them.

The office was surprisingly spacious and modern for a small-town law firm. Five chairs sat in front of Mr. Walden’s wide desk. He gestured for them to find a seat, and Ethan gently maneuvered Katie to the far right chair next to the wall while he sat between her and her should-be family as a safety barrier. She sent him a grateful look as she sank down, unsure what she would have done had he not been there. Even a spacious office was far too small to share with her family.

They had barely gotten situated before Grant’s clipped voice chilled the air.

“This is a family matter. I don’t think outsiders should be present.” He practically sneered at Ethan.

Mr. Walden, who’d only just seated himself, peered at Grant over his wire-rimmed glasses. One brow lifted a fraction, though he spoke evenly. “Mr. Hart is a beneficiary of the will and was notified to be here.”

Grant shared a quick, charged look with Mom. After all, whatever Grandma had left for Ethan would leave less for them.

Mr. Walden smoothed his green paisley tie. “I understand these are unpleasant circumstances, so let’s get right to it. I have copies of the will here.”

He distributed them across the desk. Katie hesitated, not wanting to reach for one at the same time as Grant. Ethan, however, took two and handed the extra one to her. She tried to smile in thanks but could only manage a convulsive swallow and a nod.

Mr. Walden didn’t pause long enough for them to read it. “The short of it is this: Mrs. Lachlan bequeathed fifteen thousand dollars each to her daughter, Leah, and her grandson, Christopher.” He nodded to each of them in turn.

Katie caught her mom exhale sharply in disbelief. “Fifteen thousand? That’s it? What of the rest of her estate? I know she had far more than that in her savings. And what of her property?”

Mr. Walden shot her an impatient look. “I am not yet finished.” Mom’s jaw went taut as she must have clenched her teeth, and he continued. “Five thousand is to go to Mr. Hart for his care of her property over the last four years.”

Katie noticed Ethan’s brows shifted subtly upward, but he didn’t respond otherwise. She braced herself for what would come next.

Mr. Walden paused as if even he knew his words would be akin to setting off a bomb in the office. “And finally, the remainder of Mrs. Lachlan’s estate belongs to her granddaughter, Katie.”

A moment of dead silence rang out, and Katie was sure her heart ceased beating. Then, even though they didn’t say anything, Mom and Grant’s reaction was explosive. They looked at each other, mouths open, gearing up for a protest.

Mr. Walden, however, paid them no heed, focusing on Katie. “Since you shared a joint bank account with your grandmother, and she added you to the deed to the property, both automatically reverted to you upon her passing without the need to go through probate.”

Mom slid half out of her chair, her eyes flashing to Katie. “You were on her account?”

Katie gulped. She had lived in fear of the day her mom discovered this particular detail.

Mom shook her head, her voice rising as she spun back to the attorney. “No, this can’t be. I am Ruby’s daughter. I should be the one inheriting her estate.”

“What about me?” Christopher gripped the arms of his chair as if he was about to launch to his feet. His eyes flashed dangerously. “I should get just as much as Katie.”

Mr. Walden eyed both of them, his voice calm but firm. “She made it very clear in her will that this is how her estate is to be divided.”

Mom’s face turned red, and there was no telling what she would have said next if Grant hadn’t rested his hand on her arm. His voice took on a grossly fake tone of regret. “The thing is, Ruby’s mental state really declined near the end.”

Heat burst through Katie. Enough to spawn a surge of boldness she’d never dared use with him. “No, it didn’t. I was with her almost every day for the last four years. She was of perfectly sound mind until the day she died.”

“And you were probably whispering in her ear,” Mom hissed through her teeth.

Grant latched onto this, his voice rising triumphantly. “Sounds to me like undue influence.”

He speared Katie with his icy gaze, and she struggled not to wither underneath it.

“That’s enough,” Mr. Walden cut in, shaking his head as if he were dealing with bratty children. “Mrs. Lachlan wrote her will and put her affairs in order well before her decline in health while she still lived here in Two Lakes. I can attest to her soundness of mind, and as I recall, Katie wasn’t even living in the state. The only alteration Mrs. Lachlan made to her will in the last four years was the addition of Mr. Hart.”

“This can’t be right.” Mom’s voice leaked desperation. Katie just watched her in disbelief. Grandma was dead, yet all Mom cared about was her money. She should be ashamed of herself, but that was the problem. She didn’t seem to possess any such emotion.

“The will is clear. It also contains a no-contest clause, so you’d better have a compelling argument if you wish to contest it. If you lose, you will forfeit the fifteen thousand dollars.”

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