by Di Morrissey
‘No, not at all. It was just a fun selfie. But I’m pretty sure that’s what started him calling Sally and then chasing us. It’s so creepy.’ She paused. ‘You know that cigarette butt we found? Well, I bet it was him who went to the cave. The timing makes sense. He probably saw that we’d been there and had rummaged around a bit, and decided he needed to keep a closer eye on what was going on at Arcadia. That might have prompted him to look up Sally’s Facebook page.’
‘Could be,’ Dan agreed. ‘And this fungi research could mean big dollars. He’d be pretty paranoid about anything that could threaten it.’
‘But if there’s so much at stake for him, why would he risk getting so reckless? If he’s been stealing from Arcadia without anyone knowing for years, why would he suddenly steal the truffles as well?’
There was silence down the line while Dan thought about it. ‘Probably for the money. You said Toby and Sally made no secret of the fact that it looked like it would be a big crop,’ he said. ‘Broadbent must have worked out that he could make some money on the side to fund his work. He’s obviously getting greedier and willing to take bigger risks.’
‘Oh, this is all really unsettling, let’s talk about something else,’ said Jess. ‘Actually, I have some news.’
‘Oh, good news, I hope. You’re not going back home?’ His voice sounded anxious.
‘Where’s home?’ She laughed. ‘I can’t keep camping here, much as I love it. No, I think I might have a lead on a job. I saw the ad online today and I’ve started to do some research. I wanted to talk to you about it.’
‘Sure. Where is it? Who with?’
‘It’s an environmental consultancy firm, gets peanuts from the government, apparently, but has huge public and philanthropic support – it’s based on the model of the American Schweitzer Fellowship Program, which was inspired by Albert Schweitzer. You’ve heard of him?’
‘Of course, not too many of his ilk around these days, but his work lives on. Sean is a fan of Dr Schweitzer and the work the Schweitzer Institute does in Africa. What would you be doing?’
‘Well, according to the job description I could be working in various places depending what projects the firm takes on – tackling land clearing, studying the effects of run-off and development affecting the Great Barrier Reef, that sort of thing. I’m keen on their programs to protect old-growth forests and prove how valuable they are.’
‘Very different from what you were doing at the uni in Sydney. But with your passion and training, Dr Foster, I think you’d be the ideal candidate. No more white coats, microscopes and reports in a lab, eh?’
Jess laughed. ‘I hope you’re right. You know, being here has really refocused me. And meeting you, and through you so many amazing people, has been inspiring. Thanks, Dan.’
‘Have you talked about it with Sally and Toby?’
‘Not yet. I wanted to discuss it with you first. I won’t mention it to Mum and Dad till I’ve applied and know something definite. They do wonder how I’m managing, and where I’m going with my life. They asked me if I wanted some money last week, which was thoughtful of them.’
‘When are you coming to Hobart again? We can have lunch, or dinner.’
‘Well, if I get an interview I’ll be up. Now, that’s enough about me. How’re things with you?’
*
Over lunch, when Jessica told the others about Denyse’s email and Dan’s suggestion of taking legal action, Sally said immediately, ‘That’s not a bad idea. That man has been trespassing and stealing.’
‘I’m not too clear on the whole thing,’ Mollie said. ‘I mean, how do we prove that Broadbent was ever here on the property? I know it’s a long shot, but it’s possible that someone could have found the same mushrooms in another forest.’ She shrugged. ‘We need extra security to keep people out. You know, motion cameras, or something. And signs along the boundaries so that trespassers – Broadbent especially – know they’d be caught on camera if they tried to get in.’
‘A letter from a solicitor warning him off would be cheaper,’ said Toby.
‘Well, let’s think about it,’ said Sally. ‘I’ve had enough of this Gordon Broadbent scaring me and apparently sneaking around Arcadia. I’ve been feeling sick to the stomach with the stress of it all.’ Sally’s face was drawn and tired.
Later in the day, Sally and Jessica found a quiet place and talked the idea through.
‘Sal, I didn’t want to worry your mum earlier, but I took Dan to the cave when he first came here,’ said Jessica, ‘and we found a cigarette butt. Someone had been there recently and my guess is that it was Broadbent.’
Sally looked aggrieved. ‘Right, then. That’s it. I’m making an appointment with the solicitor,’ she declared.
*
The next evening Jessica danced into the sitting room waving a bottle of champagne as Toby poured himself a cold beer. ‘I have bubbles. French ones. Would you prefer this? Where’s Sally? And Mollie?’
‘Mollie is cooking and Sal is giving Katie her bath. Are you celebrating something?’ His voice sounded flat.
‘Is everything okay?’ Jessica looked concerned.
‘Sorry, Jess, I don’t want to put a dampener on things. Is it about your job?’
‘Sort of. I rang them this morning and spoke to the manager. We talked for ages about the position and my experience. Well, she called back just now and asked me to come in for a formal interview with the bigwigs on Wednesday. It sounds promising,’ she said as she opened the champagne.
‘Hey, congratulations. That’s great news. They’re mad if they don’t hire you.’
‘I think mentioning Sean Hyland’s name helped,’ she said. ‘The manager realised then that I had a good idea of what was going on internationally as well as in Tassie.’
‘Here, let me.’ Toby poured her a glass of champagne and tipped his beer into a tall glass for a change. ‘Good luck. I think it’s great you’re starting on a whole new path, Jess.’ He clinked his glass against hers.
Jessica eyed him over her glass as she took a sip. ‘What’s up, Toby?’
‘Hmm. Sally sometimes says each of us can manifest things, that as soon as you think of something, someone else does too.’
‘Yep, that might be true. Has someone beaten you to a great idea?’ Jessica sat down in what she’d claimed as ‘her’ chair.
‘Not exactly. It’s a bit shocking really.’ As Jessica raised her eyebrows, he pulled an envelope from his pocket and put it on the table.
Seeing the letterhead, she asked, ‘You’ve been to a solicitor already?’
‘Not us. Him. Broadbent has gone on the attack first.’
‘You’re joking! Saying what? Does Mollie know?’
‘Yes, she’s very upset.’
Jessica glanced at the letter and back at Toby. ‘What does it say?’
‘Basically the lawyer says that his client’s instructed him that Hilda Holland’s will was a forgery, possibly made by Stephen Holland, and Broadbent claims he can track down the real one, which apparently has Hilda leaving everything to the oldest surviving Broadbent.’
‘What does that mean?’ Jessica stammered.
‘If his claim is true, then Gordon Broadbent would be the legal owner of Arcadia,’ Toby said, rubbing his hand over his eyes.
‘What! Surely that’s not possible.’
Toby waved the letter. ‘Well, we don’t really know what documents he’s got to prove his claims but we have to take this seriously. The solicitor is only putting in the letter what his client has instructed him to say. He says Broadbent is “willing to negotiate to avoid costly court proceedings”, but that he will start formal legal proceedings if he has to.’
‘If he has to?’ asked Jessica.
‘The lawyer wants us to make Broadbent an offer. He says Broadbent is willing to be “reasonable” – ha! �
�� and would be willing to come to some sort of arrangement for the division of Arcadia’s land. We’ll have to be prepared for whatever could happen next.’
Jessica shook her head distractedly. ‘But if Broadbent is right and there is another will, why didn’t he get hold of it and go to his lawyer years ago?’
‘We don’t know. Maybe he’s only recently found out about it.’
‘What does Mollie know about this?’
‘Nothing. She’s never heard of anyone questioning the authenticity of Hilda’s will; it was long before she and her mum came on the scene. Now Mollie is not only scared and upset, but angry.’
‘God, I’m not surprised. I might go and check she’s okay.’ Jessica hurried into the kitchen, where Mollie was standing at the stove, stirring something. ‘Can I help, Mollie?’
‘Dinner is under control,’ Mollie said tightly.
Jessica reached out and touched her arm. ‘Toby just told me about the solicitor’s letter. It must be frightening, and of course it’s a shock. But I’m sure it can’t be right.’
‘If this terrible claim is true, then I could have lost Arcadia years ago. Now Sally and Toby could lose it, but I won’t let that happen.’ Mollie’s eyes had a dangerous spark. ‘I want to know why Broadbent waited so long to bring this up. Do you think he’s only just found something valuable in those mushrooms and now he wants permanent access to them?’
Jessica nodded. ‘It does look that way. It strikes me as convenient that all of a sudden, just when we hear of trials at Seawinds of potentially very profitable medicinal products linked to Arcadia’s mushrooms, Broadbent claims he’s discovered a new will that’ll give him ownership of the land.’
Sally came into the kitchen, red-eyed. ‘I’ve put on a DVD for Katie. Just for half an hour while we have dinner. I need time to think. This is all really getting me down. I feel quite exhausted.’
Jessica took her arm. ‘Oh, Sal. I’m sure this will come to nothing. It has to.’
‘Thanks, Jess. I really can’t believe it,’ Sally said. ‘And just when we were about to send him a letter about trespassing!’
Sitting around the dinner table, they barely touched their food. Sally opened the letter again and read it quietly, then pushed it away.
‘When he talks of dividing up the land, I bet it’s the forest he wants, not this house,’ said Sally.
‘Well, I’m not losing our home, or any part of the land,’ said Mollie firmly.
Toby looked at her. ‘Sally and I are seeing our solicitor tomorrow, Mollie. I called him after the letter arrived and made an urgent appointment. Can you please go through the paperwork, see if you can find your father’s will and anything else that might be relevant?’
Mollie nodded. ‘Of course. My father left everything in order. All the most important documents are with the family solicitor. It’s only some of my mother’s things that are stored here.’
Katie appeared at the door, clutching her owl toy, looking sleepy.
Sally scooped her up. ‘You’re ready for bed, sweetheart. Come on, Daddy and I will come and tuck you in.’ She looked at Toby, who got to his feet.
‘I’ll start on the washing up,’ said Mollie.
‘Oh no, Mollie. Let me,’ said Jessica, standing up.
‘No, it’s all right, Jess. I need some time alone to think.’
As Jessica sat down again, her phone rang. She was relieved when she saw it was Dan.
‘You sound down in the dumps,’ he said.
She quickly filled him in on the devastating news from Broadbent’s solicitor. ‘So, after coming here and stealing the truffles and the mushrooms and following Sally and me, he’s made his next move,’ she explained.
‘I wonder if Terry would know anything more that could be useful? Maybe you and Sally should come up and see him?’ Dan said. ‘I can call him and set up a time. I do have an ulterior motive to get you up to Hobart, though – I miss you.’
‘Really?’ Jessica felt a warm rush and smiled to herself. ‘I miss you too,’ she said a bit shyly. ‘But as it happens you might see me soon. I got an interview for that job, so I’ll be up on Wednesday.’
‘I knew you would!’ said Dan. ‘Congratulations. I’m sure you’ll be brilliant.’
‘Gosh, I hope so,’ Jessica replied. ‘Listen, I’d better go. I’ll talk to Sally about Terry. Thanks for all your help.’
‘Sending you all a big hug.’
‘Thanks, Dan. And one back to you.’
‘I’ll collect it when I see you on Wednesday.’
*
Mollie picked up the mail from the box at the front gate when she and Jasper, who was well on the way to recovering from his ordeal during the truffle theft, went for their mid-morning walk. She shuffled through the bills and the junk mail, and then stopped as she came to an envelope that was addressed in unfamiliar scrawled handwriting. There was no stamp. She paused and something made her rip it open then and there.
I know what went on in your family. Your father murdered my great-aunt Hilda, then forged her will to get Arcadia. Your family has been doing my family over for generations. Now I want that land and it’s rightfully mine. And I’ll get it.
Mollie started to shake with shock, then hurried indoors. She was still sitting quietly in the kitchen, her head in her hands, when Sally and Toby returned from seeing their solicitor.
‘Hey, Mum, what’s up?’ asked Sally. ‘You look like you’ve seen a ghost.’
Silently Mollie handed Sally the letter. ‘This was in the mailbox,’ she managed.
Sally read the note and sat down heavily. ‘Oh my God. I’ll make us a pot of tea.’ She gave the letter to Toby, who read it and shook his head.
‘It’s horrible, just horrible,’ said Mollie. ‘Why would he even say that about my father? It’s not true, so he can’t prove anything.’
‘Mum, I don’t believe it either, but you weren’t born then, so it’s hard to know what went on in Grandad’s first marriage,’ said Sally gently.
‘You’re right, I don’t know anything about their marriage, but I knew my father. He was dedicated to saving lives! He would never have done what this man is suggesting. Broadbent is really scraping the bottom of the barrel with this. He must be very, very keen to grab our land,’ said Mollie bitterly.
‘Seems that way,’ said Toby. ‘He’s getting desperate, and his behaviour is spiralling out of control. I think he might be a bit unhinged. In a way, this note is useful evidence of that.’
‘I need some fresh air,’ said Mollie. ‘Don’t worry about tea for me, love. I’m going out to the garden for a while.’ She pushed back her chair and went out the back door.
‘I wanted to tell her what the solicitor had to say,’ sighed Sally.
‘Let her cool down first. That’s a shocking thing to read,’ said Toby, pushing the note away from him.
‘Oh, hello, you’re back,’ said Jessica as she joined them, then stopped short when she saw their faces. ‘What’s up?’
‘Mum found this in the letterbox this morning.’ Sally handed her the note and Jessica skimmed it.
‘No way! This is outrageous. Really nasty. What a horrible man.’ She dropped the note as though it were burning her fingers. ‘Ugh. Poor Mollie. So did your solicitor have any good news?’ Jessica asked.
‘He took a very balanced approach,’ said Sally. ‘He explained that the lawyer’s letter doesn’t mean formal legal proceedings are underway, and that’s good. He said Broadbent is probably just trying to intimidate us to force us to negotiate: court cases cost a fortune, and a lot of people choose to settle and compromise, even if they’re in the right, because it’s cheaper that way. Our lawyer reckons that’s what Broadbent is hoping we’ll do. Informally he said that if it went further, we could consider trying to negotiate to relinquish part of the property, the forest and surrounding
area, which is a big piece of land. I can’t even bear the thought of that, though.’ Sally paused, looking wretched. ‘This whole thing is making me feel sick,’ she added. ‘Poor Mum.’
‘She’ll come out fighting, you know her. But it’s a huge shock. Dan suggested we see what Terry has to say, and after reading that note, I think it’s even more important that we talk to him again,’ said Jessica quietly. ‘He might know something. Why don’t you come up with me when I go for my interview and we’ll see him together? Dan can set up a meeting.’
‘Yes, that’s a good idea,’ said Sally slowly. ‘Maybe Terry knows more than he originally let on. I’ll look for documents up in the attic again, too, but I don’t think I’ll find anything new.’
‘Perhaps Stella had her own hiding place for her most important papers. She might even have something about Stephen and Hilda.’
‘I’m not going back to that cave!’
‘No, there’s nothing left there anyway. What about the bedroom I’m using?’
‘I don’t think so. If there was anything in this house, I think Mum would have found it when she redecorated.’
‘Why don’t we have another look in Stella’s studio. You never know,’ suggested Jessica.
‘I’m sure it’s all been gone through, but I guess it won’t hurt.’ Sally sighed as she followed Jessica down the hall.
They stood in the doorway of the studio, which was now the comfortable sitting room.
‘I’m trying to look at it through my grandmother’s eyes,’ said Sally. ‘Mum said she spent most of her time in here.’
Jessica looked about the room. ‘Did you find out where that Chinese cabinet we saw in the photo is?’
‘Oh, yes. Mum said it’s in the visitor’s room in her place. We can go and look now,’ said Sally.
They made their way over to the cottage and opened the double doors leading into the guest room.
‘There it is,’ Jessica said with satisfaction, and walked over to it. Sally stood next to her as Jess opened the cabinet and pulled out each of the three drawers. ‘Now, what’s in this bottom drawer . . . paintbrushes. A palette . . . and something back here.’ Reaching right to the back, she drew out a brown envelope. ‘What’s in here?’ Jessica sat back on her heels. ‘Leaves, dried roses. A receipt from the art supply shop . . . what’s this?’ It was a small sealed white envelope. She handed it to Sally and stood up.