Chapter 11 - THE SECOND DEED
Rebecca returned to Hart House.
She went directly to the basement.
The old hidden compartment was empty.
She searched the walls.
Nothing.
Then she noticed something unusual.
One floorboard was newer than the others.
She removed it.
Beneath it was a metal box.
Inside was the second deed.
Rebecca's hands shook.
Evelyn read it carefully.
The property was not simply transferred to Rebecca.
It was placed into a trust.
And the trust contained a clause.
If any family member attempted to sell, transfer or mortgage the property without Rebecca's written consent, the entire estate would be frozen.
Rebecca stared at the document.
“So Claire couldn't legally sell it.”
“No.”
“Then why did she try?”
Evelyn looked at the signature page.
“She wasn't trying to sell the house for herself.”
Rebecca remembered Claire's fear.
“Who was she working for?”
Before Evelyn could answer, a noise came from upstairs.
They froze.
Someone was inside.
Rebecca quietly closed the box.
They climbed the stairs.
Claire stood in the living room.
She looked exhausted.
“I need to talk to you.”
Rebecca stared at her.
“Who are you working for?”
Claire began crying.
“I didn't want any of this.”
“Who?”
Claire shook her head.
“They threatened Mom.”
Rebecca's expression changed.
“What?”
“They said if I didn't get you to sign, something would happen to her.”
Evelyn stepped forward.
“Who threatened you?”
Claire whispered a name.
Rebecca didn't recognize it.
But Evelyn did.
Her face changed.
“That company hasn't existed for fifteen years.”
Claire looked confused.
“They called themselves Hartwell Holdings.”
Evelyn stared at Rebecca.
“Hartwell Holdings was one of the companies Thomas investigated.”
Rebecca looked at the second deed.
Then at Claire.
“Why does that name appear on Grandma's paperwork?”
Claire didn't answer.
Instead, she reached into her purse.
She pulled out a folded photograph.
“Thomas gave me this.”
Rebecca took it.
The photograph showed Thomas standing beside a car.
Behind him was a building.
Rebecca recognized it.
The old Hart family warehouse.
The building had burned down years ago.
Rebecca looked at Claire.
“When was this taken?”
Claire whispered.
“Six months ago.”
Rebecca's stomach tightened.
Thomas had been alive.
May you like
He had returned.
And he had been watching the house.
