Page 33 of Family Bonds- Garrett & Justine

“You like kids,” Jordan said.

“I do. It worked out well. We were the first to leave. I didn’t ask, but I think Garrett knew I’d had my fill.”

“What’s next with the two of you?”

“I don’t know,” she said. “We both worked yesterday, but I didn’t see him. I don’t often. I had today off. We’ll see what tomorrow might bring.”

“If he asks you on a date, will you go?”

“I brought up being friends,” she said. “Said I wasn’t looking for anything here. I think he understood that.”

“Don’t be silly,” Jordan said. “Have some fun while you’re there. He knows it’s only six months. You know he’s got a year. You’re both located in Boston. You’re making a bigger deal about this. Just see where it takes you more than anything.”

“I guess it wouldn’t hurt,” she said.

“Live a little,” Jordan said. “We know how short life can be.”

“Don’t remind me.”

“Has Elise tried to reach out to you?” Jordan asked.

“Why would you ask me that?”

“It was the tone of voice you just used. I know you. There was a reason for it.”

Justine sighed. “She called on Saturday, but I didn’t answer it. She texted, but I didn’t reply.”

“What did she say?” Jordan asked. “Just block her like me.”

“I can’t,” she said. “Until the trial is over I want to have some inside information. I can’t just walk away completely, but I can’t be there for it day in and day out. I’m not on her side and she has to get over thinking I am.”

“Does Garrett know about Dad?” Jordan asked.

“I did tell him.”

“Wow,” Jordan said.

“I know. It’s shocking,” she said. “I’m not sure why I even said it. But he’s so easy to talk to.”

“Which could be part of why he is struggling with his job. Maybe he takes on people’s problems and it’s hard to turn them off.”

“I’m wondering that myself,” she said. “Which then made me feel bad I told him about Dad. As for Elise, she was complaining about money. That she’s going to continue to contest the will, and the longer this goes on, the harder it is for us to get our money. Like she is trying to guilt me into things.”

Elise wasn’t even fighting for everything by contesting it, just most. Her stepmother thought she was being reasonable that way. It was a joke.

“We both got our life insurance policies and all of Dad’s investments. She can’t contest that. He’s had our names as the beneficiaries for those things since before he met Elise. That was thrown out. That is the bulk of everything right there. All that is left is Dad’s savings account that her name wasn’t on and the house and assets in it.”

“The house is worth a million,” she said. “She needs that and the few hundred thousand in the savings for legal fees. I’m worried that with this going on she is racking up debt against his estate.”

“I talked to an attorney here. An estate attorney. If she’s convicted of murder, she gets nothing. Dad’s estate can’t be touched for her legal fees either. This debt she has, it’s hers incurred after his death. She knows that and she’s panicking.”

“You’re sure?” she asked.

“That’s what I’m being told. We have to let the courts do what they can. Right now, they aren’t deciding on the will because of the criminal investigation. But there is no reason she can win much. He had one life insurance policy at work with her name on it and it’s being held up over her arrest. That’s on her. Dad never changed his will. It’s been the same since Mom left. Not one person can say he wasn’t making a sound decision. Do you want to get an attorney and push this more?”

“No,” she said. “Unless you do?”

“I don’t need the distraction right now,” Jordan said. “Let it ride. As long as you’re fine that the bills are being paid out of the estate to keep the utilities on and maintenance on the property.”

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