The lawyer looked at her in concern.
“I’m all right. I’ll get my breath.” Slowly, her breathing eased.
He handed her a green folder and sat down in a Morris chair. “You’ll find everything documented. Mitchell joined the Army two years after he left home. We weren’t able to trace his movements before then.” His voice was carefully uninflected with no hint of the despair that drove Mitchell away and the lost days that now would never be accounted for. “He trained at Fort Sill. He served a three-year tour in Germany and was stationed at the U.S. Army Garrison in Schweinfurt.”
I heard a tiny click. I have acute hearing.
The Morris chair creaked as Wade rose to hand several papers to Susan.
“He met Marlene Schmidt in Bad Kissingen. That’s a resort spa not far from the post. She was nineteen and worked in the gift shop at the Steigenberger Hotel. Here’s a picture taken by a friend. It was sent in a digital file, but I printed it out for you.”
I glanced over Susan’s shoulder.
“What a beautiful girl. What a kind face she had.” Susan’s voice was soft.
Standing amid summer greenery near a placid pond, Marlene tossed a flower into the water. Slender and blond, she was laughing as a light breeze ruffled her pink sundress.
My eyes moved to the hall door. The knob turned ever so slowly, and the door opened a tiny crack.
“Their wedding was an outdoor ceremony in Kurpark an der Saale. Keith was born a year later on June 6 at the Sixty-seventh Combat Support Hospital in Würzburg. Here is a copy of his birth certificate. He is four and a half years old.”
Susan took the printout.
I breezed into the hall.
Jake pressed close to the hairline crack, one hand tight on the knob.
Wade’s voice carried well, as lawyers’ voices usually do. “Mitchell and his wife and son returned to the United States and to Fort Sill. He was deployed to Iraq where he was killed in an ambush in Ramadi. The notification of his death came to you because he listed you and Tom as his next of kin when he joined and never altered the information.”
“Marlene and Keith?”
“They were living in an apartment in Lawton. She thought about going home to Germany, but she decided to stay in the United States for Keith’s sake. She was working at a convenience store not far from the post.”
“Why didn’t she come here?” Susan’s voice was anguished. “She knew about us, didn’t she?”
Wade settled again in the chair. “My secretary spoke to one of the platoon wives who knew Marlene fairly well. She wasn’t certain, but she thought Mitchell had never explained why he wouldn’t go home or contact his parents and Marlene didn’t feel she would be welcome. All she had was your name and the address. You know how it is in the military, Mitchell’s home address was listed here in Adelaide. She approved his body being sent to Adelaide. She wanted him to be buried at home. Last month, Marlene caught a cold and was treated for bronchitis but died four days later of pneumonia. Another friend, Lou Chavez, looked after Keith while Marlene was in the hospital. When Marlene died, Lou took care of him. She decided to bring Keith here because her husband had received orders to Fort Lewis. She didn’t feel she could take Keith with them.”
“Thank God.” Susan’s voice was strong. “My grandson.” She took a breath. “This changes everything.”
The cushion in the Morris chair squeaked. “I assumed such would be the case. I brought a copy of your will.”
Jake took a quick breath, her face strained.
Susan was brisk. “I know the provisions. They don’t matter now. I want Keith to inherit the estate. He will live here. I’d intended to leave Pritchard House to Jake. Instead, I suggest she receive a life interest in the house, contingent upon the house being kept up for Keith. On her death, of course, the house would become Keith’s. That seems a fair solution. I’ll speak with Jake.”
Jake’s face twisted in a scowl.
“More important, I need to choose a guardian for Keith. Peg and Keith have fun together, but she’s still in college. I could ask my friend Jane Ramsey. There is so much to think about. Perhaps Tucker will be willing to remain on the ranch as the operator. Keith may or may not have an interest in running Burnt Creek when he is grown. Oh”—Susan’s tone was passionate—“I wish I could live long enough to see what he likes and what he wants to do and who he will be. Perhaps I’ll get stronger. I have a reason to live now.”
“What about the previous heirs? Do you wish to leave them anything?”
“Yes, of course.” Susan’s answer was quick and decided. “They’ve been a part of my life for so long now. I know the value of the estate has fallen with the hard economic times, but oil is still selling at a fairly good rate. I want to make a difference for all of them. Each should receive a bequest of two hundred thousand dollars.”
Papers rustled. “I’ll put together a draft. Let me check my notes.” He was quiet for a moment, then asked abruptly, “There’s the matter of Dave Lewis. Is that still on the table?”
Susan’s laughter was soft. “Dear Wade. You’ve opposed my loaning money to him from the first, haven’t you?”
Jake’s face folded in a frown.
Wade cleared his throat. “I think it is unwise. He still hasn’t submitted a business plan to me. When I met with him, he was too vague to suit me. And too cocky. With the economy down, it doesn’t seem like a good time to build a clinic that is twice as large and fancy as it needs to be. He’s called me three times to ask when the money will be available.”
“Indeed.” Her tone was considering. “I hadn’t made a final decision. Of course, I want to see Peg happily launched. She’s a wonderful girl. Frankly, I’ve never especially cared for Dave. Sometimes too-handsome men think the world revolves around them. He can be extremely charming when he chooses and I’m afraid Peg is dazzled, but he seems very dictatorial. I’m afraid Peg was too young when her father died and she may be looking for the sense of security that comes from letting other people make decisions. But that’s not my business. I suppose I listened to his plans for her sake. And”—she sounded rueful—“I didn’t really care about the estate then. Now I care. However, there was no commitment. I merely said I would consider providing the money interest-free. Now, I definitely want to see a business plan and also the blueprints for the building. When he calls again”—her voice was cool—“tell him he needs to submit a formal proposal.”
“I’ll do that.” Wade sounded satisfied.
“You give good advice, Wade. Now is no time for extravagance. There seem to be too many demands on me suddenly. Tucker recently asked about buying a new bull. Gina wants me to pay off her credit cards. I am not inclined to do that. She must learn to live within her means.”
“She’ll have to face financial reality sooner or later. Now, about the new will”—he was businesslike—“our office closes on Christmas Eve and we won’t reopen until January second.”
Susan’s words tumbled out. “I hope you don’t think I’m being unreasonable, but I want to sign the will as soon as possible. That will give me peace. Could you possibly have it ready for me by Monday?”
“This coming Monday?” He was clearly dismayed.
“Please, Wade. I know it’s the holidays. But it will mean the world to me to be sure everything is arranged for Keith.”
There was only the shortest hesitation before he answered. “I understand.” His voice was kind. “I’ll bring the instrument here Monday at ten o’clock.”
In the shaft of light from a hall lamp, Jake’s face looked pinched. She began to ease the tension on the knob.
As soon as the panel shut, Jake would hurry downstairs. Susan Flynn would never know her conversation with Wade Farrell had been overheard. I made my decision on the instant. With a firm shove, I pushed the door open. It banged against the wall.