Chapter 4 - SARAH'S LETTER
Dana Brooks arrived after midnight in snow boots, carrying two laptops and the expression of a lawyer who had just found fraud on paper.
She read the incapacity petition twice.
"This medical report is fake. The license number belongs to a retired doctor in Oregon."
Mark leaned back. "It was a draft. Dad's been forgetting things."
Richard stared at him. "Name one."
Mark said nothing.
Dana tapped the filing date. "This was prepared for Monday morning. Monday is also the board vote on Richard's family-share restructuring."
Richard understood immediately.
"You wanted me declared incompetent before the vote."
Mark's jaw tightened. "I was protecting the company from an old man who won't let go."
The words hurt more than Richard expected.
Then Noah appeared on the landing holding a wrinkled envelope.
"Grandpa? I found Mom's letter."
Mark shot to his feet.
"Noah, give me that."
The boy stepped back.
The envelope said: For Noah, when you are old enough to ask hard questions.
Noah opened it, read a few lines, then handed it to Richard.
Sarah wrote that Mark's anger frightened her, that money had become an obsession, and that she worried Noah would grow up thinking love had to be earned.
One paragraph stopped Richard.
If you ever feel afraid in your own home, go to Grandpa Richard. He will be angry that you waited, but he will open the door.
Noah whispered, "I tried."
Richard looked up. "What?"
"I called you last year. Dad took my phone. After that I could only call when they listened."
Richard kept reading.
Sarah mentioned a safe-deposit box at Mountain Federal and a silver key kept with Noah's things.
Dana asked, "Where's the key?"
Noah looked at Claudia.
"She found it."
Claudia blurted, "You won't find anything in that box."
Richard turned slowly.
"How do you know?"
May you like
Before she could answer, the lodge alarm began screaming.
Someone had opened the garage.
