by Ginny Lynn
The 1972 white luxury sedan came up like a still from a classic movie but there was no femme fatale in the back of the four-door vehicle. Once stopped, out stepped a very thin man wearing a somber gray suit which matched his worn leather briefcase. His hair was a few wisps of steel gray waving in a sudden breeze from the direction of the driveway. He wore simple horn-rimmed glasses over beady eyes surrounded by fine wrinkles. If he were a dog then he’d be an anorexic dark sharpei. His bearing carried sad tidings better than the suit that swarmed his frame.
“You must be Ms. Renata. I’m Mr. Thorton White of White and Company Attorneys. I hope your travel here was a gentle one,” he stated in a weak voice as he offered me a bony hand.
I paused at his phrasing but took his hand to receive a limp handshake.
“Yes, and I’ve been wondering when you would arrive.”
“My apologies, ma’am. I’m one of the few attorneys in town so times can get very tense when disparity falls around the district.”
“Well, I hope everything is going to be okay.”
He gave me a deep look. “So do I. Now, let’s go into the house so we can cover the legalities which bring us together. Shall we?”
He motioned me forward and I began the walk back into the darkened house. As I’d been outside and not used to the lack of lights, I hadn’t thought about the house being layered in shadows. It wasn’t my house and it just slipped my mind, which was not my normal attention to detail. Mr. White walked to a side table and retrieved a small box of matches in a manner that had me realizing just how well he knew the insides of this place. Striking one, he walked to the brass candle holder by the staircase and lit the slim cream taper. I may have to carry a flashlight around with me while I’m here, if I could find one.
“You have already realized your grandfather might have liked his modern conveniences but he abhorred fake lighting. That’s why there are so many windows but no lamps around the estate. He saw no need in installing humming fluorescent bulbs to guide him to bed at night.”
“I find it odd as there are other ways of solving the problem,” I stated out loud and then saw a semblance of a wry smile cross the old man’s face.
“Yes, we have many a southern eccentric out here but you get used to their ways after a while. If you choose to stay then you can make any changes you see fit within the confines of the will.”
I squeaked as out of the dark, behind me, a smooth voice invaded the conversation. “Sir, will you be needing me this evening?”
“Mr. Giles, good evening.” They shook hands like old friends. “Yes, I will need to discuss a few things with you but not until after my talk with the young Ms. Renata. What room would be best to use as we discuss the sad matters at hand?”
I was still getting my heart to slow down as I turned to see the shape of Kenrick in the shadows behind me. He stepped forward, to the edge of the flame lit area, and a side of his face was brought into view. That handsome face looked straight at me. “The lady’s library will suit you well.”
Chapter Four
The lack of light hid my blush as I glanced at the chair I had vacated hours ago. Kenrick had led us up here without the use of any light so he had to have been around here for a long measure of time if he had the entire layout memorized like this. I had thought he had done this simply to mess with me but he had a gift for this creepy meandering in the void of lights. He had been kind enough to have lit another candle off of Mr. White’s as we had all gotten into the room, for my benefit. Mr. White had been left with the other candle as he had claimed that old men needed more light than the younger generation. The window was now closed and Kenrick placed the brass holder on the desk in front of the array of glorious bookcases.
Why this room when there were plenty of other rooms ready for company? I would have been just as comfortable in the main living area than up here where I’d had that intimate dream. And why had Kenrick looked at me when he’d mentioned coming up here. It’s not like he would have known he was the star in that unconscious moment. I averted my face as Kenrick looked at us before leaving us in private. Was I reading too much into his piercing gaze? Lord. My face was flaming.
As soon as the door had clicked shut, Mr. White set his candle on the desk, opened his leather case, and pulled a stack of paperwork from the worn depths. I chose to sit on the floral print loveseat instead of the chair from before. I just couldn’t get over my embarrassment at what my mind had pictured when I had been so drained from my vision. Maybe it was the supernatural sexiness of the vision that had brought my sleeping self into a kiss from the lips which had licked blood from my skin. I was getting a headache from all of this, not to mention slightly turned on at the feeling of his lips on my skin, reality or not.
“Ms. Renata, as you know, your step-grandfather passed away in his sleep over three weeks ago after succumbing to several illnesses. He had been fading away since your grandmother had left him last year. I would venture to say he was dying of a broken heart once she had crossed over without him.”
“I know the autopsy had said she had died of natural causes but I still believe there is more to it than that. If I hadn’t been told I could lose my job, then I would have been here to question things at the funeral. Now, no one is around to answer my inquiries about the whole matter.”
He had opened the topic so I sucked down the tears to use this to my advantage.
“Yes, I can see how you would think that as she was found by the cemetery the day of her passing, God rest her soul. But there were no wounds or signs of foul play at the site. It was pronounced a heart attack, and I have satisfied myself with that conclusion.”
“Didn’t anyone think it strange for a woman of good health to be found like that by the cemetery? Why was she out there, and why didn’t her doctor see she was physically sliding downhill?”
“Madam, I’m not knowledgeable about her health, as my specialty was not involved. Your family never let on any concerns where their health lay so I left it to them to handle. I’m only the attorney, not their physician, so I can only apologize for your loss. I was proud to know those wonderful people.”
Keeping fresh tears from leaking down my face, I was aware of how rude I was being to a man just as in the middle of this as I was.
“That being water under the bridge, what do we need to handle as of this moment? He was cremated and had his ashes mixed with the soil on my grandmother’s grave, so no further arrangements are needed.”
“Ms. Renata, I am aware of your frustration at the situation but you had mentioned on the phone that you had not been able to visit with your family after the recent circumstances since college. Neither of us is to blame for the sad happenings since then but we will both do what is needed to get through the next few stages.”
Being properly chastised by an elder, I stomped my hurt feelings aside. “I apologize for my negative way of approaching this but you must realize I’m confused and displeased with the lack of information given to me the last year.”
“You must also be feeling guilty for not having the time to spare for them since you left the campus to pursue your career, but these things do happen for adults who are spreading their wings. At my last visit with her she had stated how wonderful it had been to visit you at your dorm, so know that she was very proud of you.”
“She was the best family I could have asked for and my regret is a weight I will have to bear.”
After a moment of awkward silence, he cleared his throat and began shuffling through the papers at his fingertips.
“I’m afraid to say you will not be comfortable with the decision in front of you. There are two options stipulated in the will and as you are the remaining member of your grandmother’s family, a majority of the estate has been left to you.”
Shock was an understatement.
“Did he not have any family at all?”
“You might find it strange but he never had any children before he met your grandmother and she had given birth
to your father many years before she had met your step-grandfather. The whole of the estate is the house and its sixteen acres of property, which include the pecan orchard, the cemetery, the greenhouse, and 2.5 million dollars.”
Holy shit.
He continued, “The house and all its trappings, the investment of his family money, plus the contracts with the neighbors, equal a total net worth of approximately 4.5 million dollars.”
Breath halted. Time stopped. My heart bounded.
“Excuse me?” I squawked.
He actually smiled for all of a second and then washed it away with his more customary mood of sad tidings. “It is a shocking amount but Mr. Fenmore was from old money that had been invested in oil before his marriage to your grandmother. A sum of the money had been used to update the plantation once Mrs. Kenmore decided to move in. He had her complete any changes she wished as long as the lighting and a few other areas were left as they were,” he added with a ghost of a smirk.
“That would explain why she didn’t install lamps around the house. I still find it unusual but I’m not one to throw stones on that regard. Please, go on.”
“Having the house stay in this state is still part of the guidelines but normal updating is acceptable. I have been instructed that my office will be holding the escrow account for the upkeep of the estate in its entirety. We have a detailed list of what is approved for any changes and a list just as long of what is not.”
Figures.
“Here is where we get deeper into the situation. Mr. Fenmore still has business dealings and they will be carried into the future by the shareholders of the oil company he founded. The interest from that will be deposited into the account, as usual. Mr. Giles will be offered a chance to stay on and look over the maintenance of the estate, as he has been for the last few years.”
“So that’s what he does around here?”
“He would be named as the caretaker, if you had to put a title to the duties he performed for your family. Your grandmother agreed to him being hired after she moved in and began treating him like a son.”
“He’s barely said anything to me about this so it’s comforting to know where he stands in this. What else can you tell me?”
“I know little about Mr. Giles other than what has been shared with me. You are normal in wondering about the man but anything you need further answers on will have to be asked of him. I don’t like third tales in anything other than facts entailed in the case itself.”
“I respect that.”
“Good. I can give you a list of the smaller details of the will, if you agree to stay at the estate for another few days. Mr. Fenmore wanted you to get a feel for the property as you pondered over the paperwork. He thought it was fair so you could make a more precise decision about your future.”
“Anything I need to know about while I’m taking the time to follow your instruction?”
“Normal activity will resume here as you get your bearings. In two days’ time, I will be back to hear what you have chosen to do. I’ve already scheduled the next pick up of pecans and you will have Mr. Giles here to see to any details needing to be handled as you absorb your surroundings.”
“What about the rest of the crew? Does that mean they will be staying on with whichever person owns the property?”
He quirked a thin eyebrow at me. “What crew would that be, Ms. Renata?”
“Aren’t there more employees working here? A chef, a gardener, or a maid? Somebody?”
“No, it’s just you and our Mr. Giles.”
“Excuse me?” I said, in a state of mild shock.
“As Mr. Fenmore got more depressed, he let more of his staff go. He had not felt that he needed very many people watching over the place after your grandmother had been taken away. You weren’t aware of this?”
“I was not informed and I wonder what else has been neglected in that same category.”
“Pardon me, as I had presumed you and Mr. Giles would have a discussion about the current standings of things. I will speak with Mr. Giles and see what needs to be gone over.”
“Thank you and your help is appreciated in these legal matters.”
“My apologies for any inconvenience and I will see what can be done for you. I’ll give you this list of paperwork to browse over and will gather up Mr. Giles. Excuse me.”
He handed me a thick clip of folders before leaving the room in search of the elusive Mr. Giles. I would have gladly walked away from the room for them to talk but why should I be the one to tuck tail when I hadn’t done anything wrong? I was being overly sensitive, but I’d had enough of this cryptic attitude toward my future. I went to the vast list of items my step-grandfather left to me. That’s when the breath escaped me like a kick to the midsection.
The total monthly income from interest alone added up to more than three months of my old income. I was giddy until I reminded myself this wasn’t my money and there were strings to deal with if I became a puppet of the estate. I needed to be aware of every semblance of fine print in order to make the best decision for myself on this new land in front of me. Included was the utilities and general upkeep of the estate, which had to be headed by Kenrick or by the attorney trust. There was no housekeeper or gardener, as Mr. White had mentioned, but I could hire them from the yearly budget set aside for anything needed on the estate as a whole. Would I want to use some funds for people in here or would I try to keep up the duties myself? It was something to check into.
The cemetery and greenhouse were to be kept up, with the grounds around them not getting into any undesirable state. I hadn’t even been back there to see if there were weeds taking over the faded tombstones. I’d have to make a trip out there tomorrow to see what was needed with landscaping. But I sure wasn’t going to tromp around right now, not at half-past creep thirty.
My eyes bulged at what was written in the next clause. Mr. Kenrick Giles was welcome to live on the property, as he currently was, for as long as he desired and there had been no limitations put upon him. What the hell? And neither of us were allowed to sell the place while we were alive. It had to be handed down to someone worthy of the estate for it to change hands at all. I wasn’t getting a wonderful property; I was getting to be a babysitter for a grown man who had somehow squeezed himself into the stubborn crevices of my stepgrandfather’s heart. Not to mention my dried-out libido. How had he weaseled in with my grandmother? Simple, she had a kind heart and always voted for the underdog, which had been me since I was small. Now they had set me up to live with a complete and utter stranger who had me thinking of husky whispers in silken sheets.
“This is fucking insane!”
“Pardon me?” asked Kenrick from behind me.
I jumped. I was going to have to put a bell on the man.
“Is everything all right, Ms. Renata?” asked Mr. White.
“Sure. I was just surprised over some of the fine print in the paperwork,” came from between my clenched teeth. They probably thought the worst of me after waltzing in on my outburst.
“Do you have any questions for me or do you need some time to digest this?”
“Time is needed for my decision, but I have questions. Do you have time to answer a few of them before you go?
“Yes, Ms. Renata, I can spare a few moments, but I must be leaving soon.”
“Why the urgency? Do you have another appointment this evening?”
“No, ma’am, you were my last one for the day.”
Something about his answers raised warning flags in me.
“I know you’re on retainer and can bill the estate for your time, so why do I get the feeling you’d like to be out of here as quickly as possible?”
It was the nicest way I could ask without being rude again. I had even forced a small smile with my words so it was taken in a warmer light.
“It’s simply my distaste for driving in the dark of night. Nothing more.”
My mind was telling me there was more to it but I didn’t know th
is man well enough to interrogate him about his everyday practices.
Kenrick spoke up from the doorway. “I will leave the two of you to your discussion while I go check on a couple of things.”
“No, Mr. Giles. You can stay as you are a part of this particular conversation. I hate backstabbing so you can hear what I have to say, unless you’d rather hear all of this secondhand, as I have been treated the last day or so,” I stated my point as nicely as possible.
“I’ll be right over here as you ask your questions,” Kenrick replied as he stalked to the window and gave us his back.
He had countered with a snide remark of his own by turning his back to us. Fine. I saw that as a point for myself and not for the quiet man who was treating me like an outcast in a home which could very well be mine. I actually saw the cogs spinning in the attorney’s lined face as he confirmed my suspicions with his next set of words.
“If I’m going to be questioned about the relationship between Mr. Giles and the late Mr. Fenmore then that is confidential and up to Mr. Giles to share if he so chooses. I can only answer the questions relevant to the legalities of the situation.”
“This is about the legalities and what brought them on.”
“Ms. Renata, please be assured I will do what I can but some things are not meant for me to discuss.”
I’d reword it then. “What transpired for my step-grandfather to make sure Mr. Giles was included in the will? You two are acting like co-conspirators and I’m needing to make sure all of this truly is on the up and up.”