Deep Down (Lockhart Brothers #1) (29 page)

“Yeah. You?”

“I’m alright. Can we step outside?”

He let go of me and took my hand, leading me out to the bench we’d been sitting on the first time he asked me out. For a minute, we just sat, my hand in his lap as he ran his thumb over my knuckles.

“This is awkward,” I finally said. “I feel like I should say I’m sorry because you lost, but—”

He squeezed my hand and let out a single note of laughter. “I don’t really take it like that. I worked my ass off on that case. I gave Chuck the best defense I was capable of. That was all I could do.”

“But are you disappointed?”

He shook his head slightly. “The evidence was solid. And Mark did a good job with it.”

“So did you. I was a little pissed at you a couple times during your closing argument, so I think that means you were doing a good job.”

Reed let go of my hand and wrapped his arm around my shoulders, pulling me against him.

“I love you so much,” he said, kissing my temple.

“I love you, too.”

“Yeah? Not pissed at me anymore, then?”

“No.”

“I think we need to talk about getting an arrest made in your case. The statute of limitations isn’t up. You don’t have to decide now, and I support whatever decision you make.”

I leaned back so I could meet his gaze. “I’ve been thinking about it. I want to do that.”

“Good. I can make contact with the state police in Michigan. I think they’ll take the case since he’s a police officer.”

I nestled myself against his chest again. “Kind of funny that the strength of a sixteen-year-old girl ended up being my wakeup call.”

“We all walk different paths, Beauty. You’re the strongest person I’ve ever known.”

His words, and my decision to move ahead with charges against my father, filled me with a sense of peace. Hiding from the truth had been my means of coping for a long time, but I was ready to face it now. And not facing it alone made all the difference.

A COUPLE BLISSFUL MONTHS
passed after the trial. Reed, Noah and I were nearly inseparable. When the ground thawed and spring started making an appearance, we’d walk to the park from Reed’s apartment after dinner every evening, with Snoop in tow.

Noah still spent every Friday night with Margie and Gene. Reed and I often spent those nights in bed with a bottle of wine and no worries about how loud we were being.

Charges had been filed against my father, and he was free on bail while his attorney worked on a plea deal. I was relieved, because while I’d been prepared to testify in a trial, his guilty plea made things much easier. Reed was following the case closely, and he kept me updated.

Today I was making the short walk to a downtown law office to meet another Lovely attorney, Dan Stegall. Dan had business he wanted to discuss with me, and Reed was meeting me there. When I’d received an official letter from Dan requesting a meeting I’d freaked out and told Reed I was sure my dad was suing me for visitation with Noah, or defamation of character or some other nonsense.

Despite his assurances that no attorney would take that case, I had a nagging fear in the back of my mind. Life was absolutely perfect right now, almost too good to be true, and I was scared that it would change.

Dan’s office had plain white walls and was filled with utilitarian furniture that gave off a sterile smell. I liked the faint smell of books in Reed’s office much better. As soon as I walked in, a receptionist greeted me.

“Miss Gleason? Mr. Lockhart is catching up with Mr. Stegall now,” she said, leading me down a short hallway.

“Maggie, please call me Ivy. I know I’m here on business but I’m still plain old Ivy,” I said. Maggie was one of my regular customers at the diner.

“Sorry,” she said, wrinkling her nose. “Work habits die hard. Go on in, Ivy.”

“Hey, babe,” Reed said, standing up when I walked in.

“Ivy, nice to formally meet you,” Dan said, standing up to shake my hand.

“You, too.”

“Okay, let’s get to it,” he said, sitting back down behind his desk. It was impeccably clean, with only one file on the polished dark wood surface. Reed’s desk was always filled with stacks of books, files and papers. I loved it when I walked into his office and he looked up at me from behind his desk, wearing his reading glasses.

“So, Ivy, this would normally just be a meeting between you and I . . . unless Mr. Lockhart is your counsel?”

I glanced at Reed and he winked at me.

“Something like that,” I said, smiling.

“Excellent. In that case, I’ve called you here to tell you that you are the sole recipient of the estate of Walter Grieves.”

My mouth fell open and I gave Reed an incredulous look. “Me?”

Dan nodded. “Yes, and it’s a significant estate. I’ve been closing things out as per Mr. Grieves’ request, but he hardly owed anyone anything. I had to negotiate a few things with his publisher, but we’ve concluded our business and everything is in order.”

My heart pounded as I took in the news. I pictured Walter sitting next to me on the bench in the park that day, wearing his hat and trench coat, telling me I should feel like a survivor. Tears welled in my eyes and I broke down in tears.

“I’m sorry,” I said. Reed put an arm around my shoulders and I leaned against him.

“It shouldn’t be me,” I said. “He hardly knew me.”

“Walter was a very private man,” Dan said. “I’m not sure anyone knew him well. He didn’t have any family when he died.”

I thought about the daughter he’d lost and shook my head sadly.

“He thought a lot of you, Ivy,” Dan said. “He was very clear about what he wanted. He instructed me to give you this letter from him, liquidate anything you don’t want from the estate and pay all proceeds to you.”

“Liquidate . . . you’re selling his things?”

Dan nodded. “The house, his vehicles and his personal property. I’m planning an estate sale.”

“I want his books. And his computer. Anything related to his writing, I want to keep.”

“Sure thing.”

“How much are we talking here, Dan?” Reed asked.

Dan looked down at a paper on his desk. “Without the estate sale proceeds it’s a little over eighteen million.”

I sat back in my chair, shock rendering me speechless.

“Wow,” Reed said. “Ivy, this is amazing.”

“I don’t . . . I can’t even . . .”

“Take some time to let this sink in,” Dan said. “In the meantime, here’s the letter he asked me to give you.”

He passed me a blank white envelope and I looked down at it and tucked it into my purse.

“Would you like me to work with your counsel from here on out?” Dan asked, grinning as he glanced between Reed and me.

“That would be great, Dan,” I said, taking the hand Reed held out to me.

Now that the preliminary meeting was concluded Reed and I said goodbye to Dan and walked outside. I headed for a nearby metal bench where I sat down and opened the letter from Walter.

Dear Ivy,

I’m most disappointed to be dead. I had so many more books to write and dishes of oatmeal to eat. But it wasn’t meant to be, apparently.

I guess by now you know I’m leaving everything to you. Being able to do so is one of the greatest pleasures of my life. You’re much more to me than daily breakfast company. Your hard work and devotion to your son remind me just how strong and resilient the human spirit is.

Do amazing things with this money. Travel. Have fun. Finish that degree. Most importantly, write. In some measure, it makes me feel like you’ll be finishing what I can’t.

All my best on living your dreams.

Walter

I was crying hard by the time I finished reading. I passed the letter to Reed and he held me against his chest as he read it himself.

“Wow,” he said. “You do leave quite the impression, Miss Gleason. I have to agree with him there. You deserve this.”

“But . . . it’s just so unexpected. I don’t know what to do with that kind of money.”

“Don’t do anything with it until you’re ready. Keep going to work every day and living life as usual. With time, you’ll know what to do. I can help get a trust set up for Noah, and you’ll need a will immediately.”

“Will everyone in Lovely hear about it?” I asked.

“No. Dan is bound to keep this information confidential. And you and I won’t be telling people about it right now. That’s important, Ivy. People will come knocking on your door if they hear. I don’t want you in danger. Word will get out eventually, but for now let’s keep it to ourselves.”

“No, I won’t say anything to anyone. At least not now.”

Reed’s face fell with disappointment.

“What?” I put a hand on his knee.

“I was planning to propose to you before long, and I don’t want it to come off like I did it because of the money.”

I laughed and cupped his cheeks in my hands. “Reed, I’d never think that.”

“We’ll have a prenup drawn up.”

“We will
not.
What’s mine is yours. Now stop talking about paperwork and set your mind to thinking about engagement rings instead.”

His eyes softened. “I like the sound of Ivy Lockhart, don’t you?”

“Very much. I can hardly wait.”

He kissed me and walked me to the diner door before heading back to his office. When I walked in and saw Margie staring up at Springer on the TV screen, I walked behind the counter and pulled her close in a big hug.

“What’s this for?” she asked, hugging me back.

“Just for being you.”

“Can you believe this guy?” She nodded up at the TV. “Got three different women pregnant in a month. Why would any of those bimbos want him? I’d kick him to the curb.”

I took a pastry from the cabinet and bit into it. “Margie, what would you do if you won the lottery?”

She laughed and shook her head. “No chance of that happening. I don’t even play.”

“But if you did . . . what would you do?”

“I’d pay for Noah’s college. Buy you and him a nice little house with a yard. Replace the roof on our house. And buy Gene a new grill for the kitchen here.”

“You wouldn’t want to travel somewhere amazing? Or buy a yacht?”

She waved a hand. “We’re simple people. Lovely’s our home. If we had all those things I mentioned, life would be just about perfect.”

I smiled, now knowing the first things I’d do when I got the money. Being able to help the people I loved was an amazing gift in itself. Once again, Walter proved to be the wisest person I’d ever known.

As I sat at the counter eating my pastry I thought about my life. I had so much to be thankful for. Four years ago I never would have dreamed that my life would turn out the way it had. But I was still Ivy Gleason and the things that mattered to me then, still mattered to me now. I had grown and matured and I was proud of everything I had accomplished and knowing that Reed and Margie and Gene and Walter felt the same way about me made my heart full. I was one lucky girl.