Chapter 9 - My Mother’s Will
I knew my mother had a will.
I had never seen it.
Dad had said everything passed to him.
That made sense.
They were married.
The house was theirs.
I never questioned it.
Susan unfolded the copy from Karen’s red box.
Dad looked up.
“What?”
Susan read.
My mother left her half-interest in the house to Dad for life.
After his death, that half would pass equally to me and Megan.
Dad’s hands shook.
“I didn’t know.”
Susan looked at him.
“The probate file may have been simplified. Or altered.”
“By who?”
“We need the original.”
The copy in Karen’s box had handwritten notes.
One line was circled.
Beside it Karen had written:
Problem.
I stared at the word.
My mother’s wishes.
My sister and me.
A problem.
Dad said, “She knew.”
“Yes.”
“For how long?”
Susan checked the copy date.
“Eight months.”
A month before Karen began making Lily’s visits difficult.
Everything aligned.
She wanted me gone.
She wanted Megan distant.
She wanted Dad isolated.
My phone rang.
Karen.
I let it ring.
She called again.
Susan said, “Answer. Speaker.”
I did.
Karen immediately began crying.
“Good.”
“I made mistakes.”
“You forged documents.”
“You recorded us.”
Silence.
I continued.
“You photographed my mother’s will.”
She stopped crying.
“Where did you get it?”
“It was in your red box.”
Another pause.
Dad stood.
His face changed.
“Karen.”
She heard him.
“Richard.”
“Where did you get Emily’s will?”
My mother’s name.
Karen said nothing.
Dad repeated it.
Finally she answered.
“Patty found it.”
“Where?”
Susan frowned.
“That makes no sense.”
Karen rushed on.
Susan mouthed: Lie.
Dad said, “What did you do with the original?”
Karen hung up.
Ten minutes later, Susan called the probate court.
May you like
The original will file had been requested for review three months earlier.
By Patricia Wynn.
