Chapter 4 - GRANDPA’S WARNING
Grandpa Walt used to say my father could sell ice to a man freezing to death.
When I was a kid, I thought it was a compliment.
Now I understood it wasn’t.
Three days after surgery, Jake drove me to Grandpa’s old house.
Dad had inherited the property but never sold it.
The place had been empty for almost two years.
Jake still knew the garage code.
Inside, dust covered everything.
Grandpa’s workbench sat beneath the window.
Empty now.
I pictured Jake’s red toolbox sitting there years earlier.
“You okay?” I asked.
“No.”
At least he was honest.
Daniel believed Grandpa might have kept duplicate trust records.
We searched cabinets, drawers, boxes.
Nothing.
Then Jake stopped beside the old workbench.
“Grandpa hated banks.”
“So?”
“He kept important stuff in weird places.”
Jake crouched and reached under the bench.
His fingers found a metal latch.
A hidden drawer dropped open.
Inside was a sealed envelope.
FOR EMILY AND JAKE.
Not Madison.
Jake stared at me.
“Why not her?”
I opened it.
Inside was a handwritten letter.
My dear Emily and Jake,
If you’re reading this, something has gone wrong.
My chest tightened.
Grandpa explained that he loved all three of us.
But he worried about Dad’s spending.
He worried about Mom’s obsession with appearances.
And he worried Madison had learned to expect rewards without sacrifice.
Then came the sentence that broke me.
Emily, if they ever tell you there was no money for school, they are lying.
I stopped reading.
Jake whispered, “Keep going.”
The trust money had been created specifically for education, housing, medical needs, and future businesses.
Grandpa mentioned my dream of becoming a physical therapist.
He mentioned Jake’s garage.
He had planned for us.
And our parents had hidden it.
The final paragraph was worse.
Your father asked me twice to give him control of the funds permanently.
I refused.
If he tells you otherwise, find Attorney Samuel Price.
I looked at Jake.
“Who’s Samuel Price?”
A voice answered from the garage door.
“He was your grandfather’s lawyer.”
We spun around.
Dad stood there.
Mom was beside him.
His face was red.
“How did you get in here?” Jake demanded.
Dad ignored him.
His eyes locked on the letter.
“Give me that.”
I folded it.
“No.”
“Emily.”
“No.”
Mom stepped forward.
“This is getting completely out of control.”
I almost laughed.
“You stole our inheritance.”
“We borrowed money.”
“You forged my signature.”
Dad pointed at me.
“Watch your mouth.”
Jake moved between us.
“Don’t point at her.”
Dad stared at his youngest son.
Then his expression changed.
Cold.
“You want to know what Grandpa really thought about you?”
Jake went still.
Dad smiled slightly.
“He wasn’t planning to leave you that trust at all.”
From my pocket, my phone buzzed.
A message from Daniel.
I opened it.
FOUND SAMUEL PRICE.
May you like
HE’S ALIVE.
AND HE SAYS YOUR GRANDFATHER RECORDED EVERYTHING.
