Letters From Al by Pieper, Kathleen (ebook audio reader TXT) 📕

"Surely Aunt Madeline wouldn't have done something like that without checking with either of you." The thought seemed logical. The estate was well arranged in every detail right down to her aunt's funeral. The opposite of what Leland had intimated.

"You keep saying my aunt's estate wasn't very well planned. Except for the missing bonds it seems to be pretty straightforward." Maddy didn't understand.

"Well, that's true to a point. Part of it was and part of it wasn't. It happens more than you think. Like the bonds. We checked the company. C.G. Johnson & Sons went bankrupt some time ago, so I think Leland is right. The bonds probably weren't worth anything, but we'll still keep checking. As for everything else, yes, it's all in order. You have a nice little investment here." Mr. Drake sighed and shrugged.

Maddy couldn't quite figure out if they were making sense or not. Her parents' estate had been small and easily handled by the family attorney. Then she made the mistake of letting Larry Preston handle things for her. She shook her head tiredly at that thought.

"In case you come upon anything you don't understand, or even if you do, please give Leland or me a call. Here's my card. It will help things along greatly, my dear."

Mr. Drake stepped back and put his suit coat on, giving her a sympathetic look. "You have authority now to take possession of your aunt's home and start going through her things. I would give careful consideration to getting rid of that old house, Miss Morris. A big old home like that might become a burden with upkeep and taxes and such. And Leland can probably get you the best deal on unloading it. I'll be in touch, Leland. Good by."

"Thank you, Mr. Drake. I'll keep it in mind." Maddy accepted his handshake and sat down as Leland showed Jack Drake out. She was relieved and a little overwhelmed now that it was over. A strange sadness overcame her as she waited for Leland to return.

"I can hardly believe this is all over and settled, it's rather sad." Maddy said when Leland sat down across from her.

Leland looked at her kindly. "I know, Miss Morris, and I am sorry. Your aunt was a great lady. She must have loved you very much to want you to have all this." He indicated the will and estate papers on the desk.

"She must have. I just hope I can honor her wishes." Maddy said and got up to go.

"Miss Morris, if I may be allowed to ask, what would you do if you did stay in Nielsen? I'm at a loss since we have no library."

"Well, I still think a bed and breakfast would work, but, it's just a thought."

"I see. Well, that's not entirely impossible. It will need some renovations, however. Oh, I nearly forgot, Miss Morris. I found this envelope addressed to you, personally, in your aunt's desk. It's unopened." He added quickly. "We would have had to open it if we hadn't found you, but since we did, here it is." Leland handed the long, white envelope, sealed and addressed in a definitely feminine hand to Maddy.

Fingering the envelope, Maddy put it in her purse. "Thank you, Mr. Lancaster, but I think I'll read it later. It's been an exhausting morning, and I'm drained. I'll let you know if it's important." Maddy stood up quickly. If she didn't get out and get some fresh air she was afraid she would cry for all the things she didn't know about her aunt. After the generous gift she'd been given she knew there was going to be more to handling her aunt's estate than she'd ever anticipated. It was up to her to make this all mean something.

Maybe her sadness was all about the inheritance that she felt she didn't deservet. It was plain guilt she felt because she hadn't taken the time to know her aunt. The guilt was there to begin with, but her dismissing her aunt way back when she lived here weighed on her mind. She could have been more kind and thoughtful to her. After all, she was her father's favorite aunt.

She wished she had someone to talk to about the way she was feeling. If she handled it right, she wouldn't have to worry about her future and money. But who and where was someone to confide in about her heart? Aunt Polly came to mind, then the thought struck her and she knew where to go, her step quickened and her heart urged her to hurry.

Chapter 5

Maddy pulled her rental car into the neat little corner gas station on Main and Elm Street. She recognized the lone attendant from her morning's blitzkrieg at the truck stop with Alec. This was Tim, one of the guys that had been there. He was quieter than the others, but funny and friendly. She liked him.

Pointing to his embroidered shirt pocket that had Tim on it, she laughed and greeted him. "Hi, Tim, I wasn't sure of the name until I saw your shirt. Alec introduced everyone so fast this morning I wasn't sure I'd remember."

“I know, he told us you were coming to visit. I knew your aunt, too. Nice lady.”

They chatted and she asked for directions to the place where she thought she would find the help she was looking for. Tim was happy to oblige.

"Okay, Tim said it wouldn't be hard to find. A mile north and two miles east, or was that vice versa. Oh, nuts, I wish I wasn't directionally challenged." She was hopeless when it came to directions. "'Find the church,' he said, 'it was close to the church.'" Speaking the words aloud helped and on the next road her tires left pavement and crunched on a gravel drive leading to the gates of the cemetery.

The tall iron gates stood closed but not locked and creaked loudly when Maddy pushed them