by Paula Mowery
There was no discussion except for Alex’s directions as she told him where the lawyer’s office was located. He pulled into a parking spot. “Ready?”
She bit her bottom lip, met his gaze, and nodded.
He followed behind Alex, led by the lawyer into the conference room, which was cold and nondescript with an oblong table and accompanying chairs. An older woman rose to greet Alex. Upon sitting down, he spied a man seated across the table. Who could these people be? As far as he knew Miss Olivia had only one relative and that was Alex. The man appeared rather cross, instead of mournful with his wrinkled brow and set jaw. Alex stared momentarily at the man with wide eyes and semi-slack jaw. Was she confused or surprised by his presence, too?
The lawyer cleared her throat like a signal to begin, although there was really no need, for the room was already silent.
“Good morning. I am Mrs. Sutton. I will be reading aloud a letter in Mrs. Lyndon’s own hand.” She held up a sheet of stationery. “She insisted on writing an informal will of sorts in this manner.”
“Dearest Alex, you are the only daughter of my only daughter. Who could have believed that she would go home before me? Yet, cancer can be a mighty opponent, and God has His plan for us all. You, Alex, have been most precious to me.” A sob escaped from Alex. “You will find my final words and your inheritance all in the Word. Use it wisely. Keep your journals. Don’t give up on love. Welcome those things God brings into your path. Until I meet you on the other side, take care and know I love you. It is signed, Granny Olivia.” Mrs. Sutton glanced at Alex.
Tears streamed down Alex’s cheeks. The lawyer pushed a box of tissues across the table. Alex snatched two and dabbed her face.
“There’s a P.S. here. For my dear and longtime friend Millie, please take the tea set. We have shared many tea times around that old tea pot. It belongs to you.” The lawyer nodded toward the older lady. “For Brant, who has faithfully served me, I want you to have the small coin collection. I know you have an interest in that area.”
“That’s it?” The man across the table let out a heavy sigh.
Alex glared at him. “What were you expecting?”
He rolled his eyes as if he had no time for idle chat. “I just thought…it doesn’t matter.”
“I am her only living relative, her granddaughter, Alexandra Lyndon.” She leaned forward in an almost challenging stance. She sucked in a breath and turned toward Mrs. Sutton. “Thank you for your time. Could I have the letter?”
“Yes, of course. Your grandmother insisted on writing it herself. She kept saying it was important to get it right. I’m not sure why.”
Alex reached for the letter and handled it as if it were a million dollars, hugging it to her chest. “Sounds like her.”
“What did she mean exactly about your inheritance being in the Word?” Mrs. Sutton leaned forward, brows knitted.
Alex paused and grinned. “You obviously didn’t know her very well, as I suspect of others.” She glanced across the table at Brant and then back to the lawyer. “My grandmother was a Christian woman who was strong in her faith. To her, the instructions from the Word of God, the Bible, are a precious inheritance. But, her life was proof enough.” She stared at the letter again.
The older woman patted Alex’s arm then the two enfolded each other in an embrace. They pushed back both drying tears with a tissue. “Honey, are you all right?”
“I think so.”
“Of course, she had already deeded the house and its contents to you months before her death. So, I guess that’s it.” The lawyer shrugged.
“Thank you again.”
Chase offered his arm to Alex, and she wrapped her dainty hand around it. They walked in silence to the car. He helped her into the passenger seat and then jogged around to the driver’s side and hopped in.
“I’m sorry this wasn’t any help in finding the manuscript.”
“That’s okay. It was a longshot.” He angled his body toward her. “I really am sorry for your loss.”
“Thank you. I feel so guilty.” Her lower lip quivered. “Granny had requested I come for a visit when she deeded the house, but I just couldn’t get away. I was foolish. I should’ve made more of an effort. I would’ve had more time with her.” She sniffed.
“Don’t beat yourself up. Do we ever show our loved ones enough of how special they are to us? I don’t think so.”
“I guess you’re right.”
“Who were the other two people in there if you are the only family?”
“The older woman is Millie. She has been Granny Olivia’s neighbor and friend since before I can remember. Now she’ll be my neighbor. I don’t want to neglect her. Granny wouldn’t approve of that.” She swiped her nose with a tissue. “The man was Brant. I just met him. He takes care of the yard and maintenance duties. I’m not sure why he was there, or that I should’ve agreed to keep him on.”
“Let’s get you home. You’ve had a rough couple of days.”
Chase pulled into the driveway of Alex’s house and put the car in park. “Do you need a few days? I can make myself scarce.”
“No, we need to continue to look for that manuscript. I know you’re eager to find it and go home.”
Not that eager to go home anymore. “Do you have any ideas?”
“Well, I do know Granny Olivia didn’t trust a bank for her money, but the man that opened my account sure knew her pretty well. I never asked if maybe she had a safety deposit box or something.”
“Sounds like a good place to begin. How about I pick you up about nine in the morning? We can check it out.”
“Okay.” Her voice was low.
“Look, you have to know that Miss Olivia was more than a client of mine. I didn’t need to come all the way here from New York to pick up her manuscripts, but I did. She was a great lady.” His voice broke, and he cleared his throat to regain his composure.
“Thank you for saying that. I’m glad you told me. I guess I wondered if it was all about finding the book for the money.” She diverted her gaze to her lap.
“No. But, that book deserves to be found and published. It’s only fitting the end of her story be told. You know what I mean?”
She looked at him and nodded. “I think I do.”
“You do know that all of the royalties will divert to you, right?”
“Really?” She bit her bottom lip.
“That’s the way she wanted it.”
She shifted in the seat. “So, she told you about me?”
“Sure. She was quite fond of you. She used to tell me stories.” He stroked his chin, grinning.
“Oh, no! I’m not sure I want to know.” She feigned covering her ears and shaking her head.
They both laughed. Chase escorted her to the front door. “I’m glad I’m getting the opportunity to meet you.”
Her face reddened. “See you in the morning.”
Chase resisted the urge to kiss her.
* * *
I peeked out the curtains, watching Chase pull away. What a couple of days this had been!
The evening was still early, but my lack of sleep the night before was catching up to me fast. I stumbled up the stairs into the bedroom. As I completed my Bible reading and journal writing, I fell back onto the pillow. My mind still reeled from all that I had learned. Granny Olivia, an author. Not just any author, but a famous one. But, no one knew who she was except me…and Chase.
“And, what kind of things did you tell Chase anyway?” I said toward the picture of Granny and me on the bedside table. “You were always one to be full of surprises.”
CHAPTER FIVE
When Chase arrived at the hotel, he plopped onto the bed with a heavy sigh. He experienced some degree of shock over Miss Olivia’s death. He still couldn’t believe she was gone. Her fans would miss her books, but he would miss the woman. There would never again be a need to come to East Tennessee to retrieve her latest manuscript. His shoulders drooped and his heart ached with the realizati
on. He lay back on the bed. Every trip had become like an oasis in the busyness that was his life.
A smile crept to his face as he visualized Alex with her petite form and dark wavy hair. Her olive green eyes sported copper flecks and were hard to look away from, and he adored the dimple on her right cheek when she smiled. He hadn’t expected to find Miss Olivia’s granddaughter, nor had he anticipated to discover her so alluring. He felt himself rather rude to even think about her that way at this time, just after losing her granny, as she called her. He couldn’t help himself. She filled his thoughts no matter what else he tried to concentrate on. Finally, he focused long enough to call his mother. She would want to know about Miss Olivia.
“Hello? Son?”
“Yes, it’s Chase, Mom. Everything okay there?” He sat up, leaning his back on the bed’s headboard.
“Oh, yes. How about with you?”
“I had to make a quick trip to Tennessee. I have some bad news.” He ran his fingers through his hair.
“What is it?”
“Miss Olivia died.”
“Oh, son.” Chase could hear his mother’s voice crack and some sniffing.
“I know. I’m still in shock myself. I never really wanted to think about this day coming, but she was ninety.” He leaned his head back.
“What a godly woman. She will be missed.”
“She already is. By the way, I’m going to make sure everything is okay at the office first, but I plan to stay on a few days.” He stood and walked to his suitcase.
“Why?”
“Well, there’s a bit of mystery going on here for Alex and me.” He shuffled through his clothes until he found his sleep shorts.
“Who’s Alex?”
“Oh, she’s Miss Olivia’s granddaughter.”
“Mmm, really?”
He rolled his eyes at her intrigued tone. “Mom! She didn’t even know that her granny, that’s what she called her, was an author.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, Miss Olivia kept her secret from everyone. When she said it was all about touching lives and not her fame, she really meant it.” He plopped into a chair, sliding his feet out of his shoes.
“So, tell me more about this Alex.”
Chase’s face became hot. His hesitance must have cued his mother to the fact that he had some kind of feelings toward Alex. “You still there?”
“Yes, Mom.” Chase winced and shook his head, reprimanding himself when his voice cracked.
“Is she that attractive?” She giggled.
“I just met her.”
“She has certainly made an impression on you quickly for you to be at such a loss for words.”
Chase could hear the smile in her voice. He visualized her eyes probing his for information. “Well, if you must know, yes, Alex is rather attractive. But, the big mystery now is where Miss Olivia’s latest manuscript is. I’m going to pick Alex up in the morning to begin the search.” He welcomed the mystery, because it gave him a reason to stay and see Alex again.
“Keep me informed on all of the mystery. Oh, and Chase, wear something nice tomorrow. Maybe blue to compliment your eyes.”
“Mom!” Chase heaved a heavy sigh. “I gotta go. Love you.”
She was giggling as she hung up the phone. The heat had yet to leave his face. He stood up and moseyed to the closet, hoping to find a blue shirt.
* * *
The next morning I awakened more refreshed after actually sleeping instead of fretting throughout the night. Hopefully that would help the bags under my eyes to have lessened. This morning I needed to take a little more care in my appearance. Not that I was trying to impress anyone, but I didn’t want to look like something the cat dragged in. Amazing how those little sayings popped right into my head because I often heard them growing up. Granny had all kinds of statements that regularly emitted from my mother’s mouth and now mine.
After showering, I took some extra time with my hair and makeup. I searched until I found my best jeans and a short-sleeve sweater my mother always said flattered my figure. As I stopped for one last look at myself in the bedroom dresser mirror, I laughed at myself. It had been so long since I had any interaction with a man. Not that I was trying to cause anything to happen. I just didn’t want to appear homely. Mr. Chase Carson lived in big New York City and encountered lots of sophisticated people. I didn’t want him to return confirming what was said about us Tennesseans—that we walked around with no shoes and wore overalls. I laughed again at my reflection. Who was I trying to fool? Chase was an attractive and successful man. Who was I? Divorced. Unemployed. Stuck in limbo.
There was the knock and right on time. I scurried to the door. I stopped and took a deep breath, trying not to appear so eager. I eased the door open. “Morning.”
Chase did a double take. “Morning. Um...did you sleep well?”
“Much better last night with some of the mystery about Granny answered.”
“Good, then I guess we’ll be on our way.” He flashed a perfect smile.
I gave him directions to the bank I had set up accounts in. I figured it would be as good of a place to start as any. Upon entering the bank, Mr. Davis spotted me right away. When a person deposited half a million dollars, people remembered.
“Miss Lyndon, what a pleasure. How can I help you today?”
“Well, Mr. Davis, I wonder if we might step into your office so I can ask you a question.”
Mr. Davis eyed Chase suspiciously.
“Oh, I’m sorry. He’s with me. This is Chase Carson.”
The two men shook hands. Then we followed the bank manager into his office. After we were seated, I began. “I know you told me the other day that Granny Olivia never trusted putting her money in a bank. But I wondered if she might have had a safety deposit box for other valuables?”
Mr. Davis clucked his tongue and shook his head. “I’m afraid not. As I said, she would tell all bankers or financial-types that she apologized for her distrusting manner. She always said it was nothing personal.” He shrugged and grinned, folding his hands onto his desk.
“Thank you for your time.” Chase started to stand but stopped.
“Have you lost something?” Mr. Davis leaned forward, brows raised.
“Not exactly. I believe there is more to my inheritance.”
“More money?” Mr. Davis’ eyes bulged.
“No, it is something else. But, thank you.”
Chase rose to exit.
“If there is anything else I can do for you, don’t hesitate to call.”
I nodded at the bank manager. “Oh, actually, I was planning to deposit another check in my savings account, but I’ll just take care of that with one of your tellers.”
Mr. Davis jumped to his feet. “No need. I can take care of that for you.”
I suppressed a chuckle at his flighty manner.
When we were back in Chase’s rental car, I let out a heavy sigh.
“I would’ve loved to have been there when you opened that account with him. I’m surprised he didn’t pass out.”
I leaned my head on the headrest and laughed. “He was quite excited that I wasn’t like my grandmother and kept my money myself.”
“Now what?”
I turned in the seat to face him. “I suppose we could ask around the neighborhood. I have found since I’ve been here everyone knew and loved Granny Olivia. Maybe we could get some kind of clue.”
“Okay.”
“The best place to start would be Millie, the next door neighbor. She and Granny were close friends.”
“The lady from the will reading?”
I nodded.
Chase started the engine, and we headed back toward the house.
Millie immediately invited us in, and I made the introductions. I made a quick explanation of Chase’s connection with Granny Olivia. “Millie, we are looking for a final manuscript that Mr. Carson knows is complete. We know she didn’t have anything in the bank.”
“Oh, no, sh
e would never put a thing in any bank. You’re right about that.” Mille studied her folded hands for a moment. “The only other place she frequented was the church. She was devoted to her church.”
I looked to Chase. “I don’t think she would hide a manuscript at the church, but we might get some kind of hint or clue if we visit there. We could talk to the pastor.”
We said our goodbyes and headed back to the car. Before Chase left the curb, he turned toward me. “By the way, it’s Chase, not Mr. Carson.” His eyes looked warm and the deep blue color seemed to sparkle.
My face heated, and I could only nod.
We found the pastor in his study. “Dear Miss Olivia, I miss her already. She always encouraged me, and that is few and far between for a minister.”
“We are just trying to solve this mystery of the missing manuscript. I’m sure it’s not here, but we thought maybe something you might say would give us something to go on.” I scooted to the edge of my chair.
“Well, all I can say is she called me just two weeks before her death and asked if I would come for a visit. I went right over. She discussed her funeral arrangements for a few moments and then she handed me an envelope.” The pastor smiled and shook his head. “She laughed and indicated that was her tithe for the next few years. I didn’t open it until I arrived back at the church. It was a substantial amount of money. But, I wasn’t really surprised. She was always meeting needs for the people of our church. She gave several scholarships for youth trips, and when she heard there was someone in need, she was always there to provide. She was faithful right up until those last few weeks. She was active in the senior group and especially the Women’s Missionary Union. She was…a precious saint.”
“I know. The more I hear about her, the more I wished I had gotten to know her even better,” Chase said.
As each person spoke fondly of Granny, I became prouder, and yet there was a degree of sadness. I was wishing the same thing Chase was, that I had been around during this last phase of her life so I would have known her better. “Thank you.”
I slumped into the car with a heavy sigh.
“This is hard on you. I’m sorry.” Chase’s tone sounded so sincere.
