Page 43 of The Earl's Wrangler
“Your uncle left a sizable estate.He was a financial advisor in Dallas and very successful.He left quite a bit of money, but there was a stipulation in the will that as long as your father was still gambling, he was not to inherit anything.Your uncle named you as his secondary beneficiary, with the same stipulation.”
“Sawyer doesn’t gamble,” Randall said flatly, “and we know for a fact that his father is still gambling because people have been after him to collect on his debts.That’s part of why Sawyer is here.We thought he would be safer if he was out of the country.”
“All right.I’m going to need statements on what both of you know about your father’s gambling and who he owes money to.”He seemed a little overwhelmed.“I was hoping you might know where your father is.”
“Nope.The last time I saw him, he was threatening me to try to get money so he could pay his debts.That was about ten days ago, I guess.He called to threaten me over the phone because he didn’t know where I was.I think I got that call last week.I haven’t heard from him since.”Sawyer didn’t know what to make of this, and he was grateful Randall was there with him.
“So as long as Sawyer’s father is gambling, he doesn’t inherit?”Randall asked.
“No.That isn’t exactly true.If he stops gambling, then it doesn’t change the will.It’s written so that if your father hasn’t already gotten help and is still gambling, which it seems he is, then he is permanently ineligible to inherit.All indications we’ve received in our inquiries indicate that he does not meet those qualifications.And that is the reason for my visit.I went to the ranch where you worked in Wyoming and had a devil of a time getting them to tell me where you were.I practically had to swear in blood that I wouldn’t reveal where you were to anyone.”He shivered.
“Mrs.J can be quite fearsome.”
Arthur nodded.“And her husband was intimidating too.He made me sign a nondisclosure agreement.Those people are determined to keep you safe, that’s for sure.You’re obviously well liked and cared for.I asked them not to contact you because I needed to verify your father’s situation before I contacted you.”
“Thank you.”Sawyer cleared his throat nervously.“So what else do I need to do?”
“Nothing at the moment.Now that I have found you, I need a permanent address and a way to contact you.Then I can submit the estate for probate.Once that’s completed, the funds will be released to you.Under normal circumstances, this sort of thing takes a few months, but it could take longer given the complexity of the stipulations and the fact that your father could fight the will.We have no idea since we have been unable to locate him.”
“While you were in Wyoming, did you happen to speak to the debt collector they have in jail who was threatening Sawyer for his father’s gambling losses?”
Arthur nodded.“I believe we have a very good picture of what has been happening.But I must caution you.If and when you do receive the funds, they are not to be used in any way to pay for your father’s debts.Your uncle stipulated that he and the rest of the family had been through enough trouble because of his gambling and that under no circumstances was any of his money to be used for that purpose.”He seemed to relax a little now that he had delivered his message.
“That’s no problem.I suffered enough too because of his issues.I’m not going to pay for them now.”Sawyer pushed away the number of times his father had gambled away the food money or the rent and how many times they snuck out of town or were simply evicted and had to move somewhere else.“My father did not provide a warm, happy childhood.He seemed to become obsessed with making it big quickly.The next big score or some jackpot was just around the corner.There were days when the only time I got to eat was at school.So if anything comes my way, I’ll abide by my uncle’s wishes and not give my father a dime.”The money was nice and all, but he wished he had known about his uncle when he’d needed him so badly as a teenager.
“Okay.Let me make a few notes.”Arthur pulled open his case and a legal pad, writing things down as Sawyer waited.He asked a number of questions, which Sawyer answered, giving him his phone number and an email address.“Excellent.I’ll forward you some forms that I’ll need you to review and sign.Then we wait for approval.”
“Thank you,” Sawyer said, and they all stood.He shook hands with Arthur, and Randall did as well before showing him to the door.
“I don’t think I’ve ever met an earl before,” Arthur said softly at the door.
“You need to come to Wyoming.We have earls, dukes, and viscounts.Apparently we’re the new hangout for the nobility.”Sawyer grinned and thanked Arthur once more before closing the door.
“I take it that was completely unexpected,” Randall said.
“I didn’t even know I had an uncle.My father never mentioned him, and if I met him, it was when I was a baby.It seems kind of strange to have relations I didn’t know.”Randall snickered and pulled a copy of a thick book off one of the shelves.“What’s that?”
“Debrett’s.It’s the definitive guide to the English peerage.It has all the family lineages, how we’re related, and how titles were acquired and so on.Basically here, there are no unknown relatives unless some family is trying to harbor a real secret.And let me tell you, that’s pretty rare and difficult to do.”He opened the book to his family.“Here is a history of my family detailed from the first earl and how he was given the title and estate, and it goes through each successive generation.”He pointed.“And here I am.The latest in a long line.”
“I see.So you’d use that book to figure out who would inherit everything if you don’t have children.”
“Exactly.But because of how far back I’d have to go to find another relative, I’d probably get a lawyer and have him do the appropriate research for me.That way it would be done correctly.Though as I said before, I probably will have children of my own someday.I’d love to get married, and then I could find a surrogate to have an heir for me.”He closed the book.“You really had no idea you had an uncle?”
Sawyer shook his head.“I know it sounds crazy.It does to me.I mean, some long-lost uncle dies and leaves me money?It seems like something out of a bad novel, and yet it happened.Granted, I don’t know how much is involved or if I’m going to get anything at all, so I’m not going to count my chickens.”He had plenty to deal with, and wondering about thehow muchesand thewhenswould only make his head spin.Arthur didn’t seem too forthcoming in that department either, so maybe he wasn’t authorized to divulge that information.Not that it mattered.“We should figure something out for lunch.”
“The pub is always an option.”
“Or one of us could cook.”
Randall laughed.“Do you really think I can cook anything?No one taught me anything in the kitchen.I can do the most basic things and heat stuff up, but that’s all.”
“Me too.I’m not helpless, but I can’t do anything fancy.So maybe the pub isn’t a bad idea.The cooking there is a lot better than mine.”
“Maybe.But what are we going to do?We can’t eat at the pub all the time.If we do, there will be talk in the village.Though I suppose there is plenty of that already with the way we are with each other.”
“Yeah, I’m sure you’re right.”
“Maybe I can talk to Celeste and see if she has any ideas.My mother used to have someone who came in and did the cooking.I usually eat at the club when I’m in London.”
