Page 53 of Bear's Grip
Natalie inhales sharply and then frowns. “It’s definitely Jeremiah. But it doesn’t make any sense. He always spoke up for me. He would tell my foster parents that they should let me be a kid.”
Siege frowns. “So who is he?”
“I guess you could call him my foster uncle,” she says. “My foster father’s brother, he’s also a minister at the church. He lived in the house as well, along with their mother. Eleanor was a nice woman, I actually called her Granny Ellie.”
Rigs leans forward slightly, his voice even. “Explain the dynamic. It sounds seriously messed up to me.”
Natalie takes a breath and glances at me before turning back to Siege.
“She wasn’t part of the abuse. She was quiet, kind, and looked out for us as best she could. She cooked extra food for us when no one was looking. Bought socks when our foster parents said the money ran out. By the time I was fifteen she was frail, mostly bedbound, and she hated what they were doing.”
Tank mutters from the window, “Then why didn’t she stop it?”
“She tried,” Natalie responds softly. “Once. When I was fourteen, we even reported it together. We thought maybe if an adult came forward with me, someone would take it seriously. Nothing happened. Our foster parents talked themselves right out of trouble by saying she was senile and the investigation got dropped.”
“After that, they threatened to put her in a home if she spoke out again. She was scared they might follow through. If I’m honest, so was I.” After a brief pause, Natalie continues. “So, she stopped fighting directly. But she still did what she could to protect me and the others. As she got frailer, one of my chores was to look after her. Though I didn’t mind. I loved her.”
Zen asks quietly, “And that’s why she left you the inheritance?”
Natalie looks confused. “What inheritance?”
Zen glances up from his tablet, and asks, “You didn’t know that she left you every cent she had to her name?”
She shakes her head. “No. I came to Rick because I had nowhere else to go. I didn’t know there was money, much less that she wanted me to have it. Granny Ellie never said a word. Are you sure about that? How did you find out?”
Zen turns the tablet towards her. “Your name popped up on the estate record yesterday. You’re listed as sole heir.”
Rider connects it instantly. “They’re after the will. They must be, right?”
Siege’s voice drops to a low growl. “It might be that he wants to get rid of you because he’s the next in line if anything happens to you.”
No one speaks for a brief moment as we all think over his words.
“Maybe they thought if they got rid of Rick that getting rid of you would be easier,” I say, getting angrier by the second. “Or maybe you were the target, and they thought Rick might give you a ride?”
Natalie’s hands curl flat against my cut as she gazes up at me. “Jeremiah was always quiet and when he talked, it was about what God would want us to do. His brother was all fire and brimstone, but Jeremiah seemed like a nice man. He actually encouraged me to leave. I have a hard time believing he’s part of this. What if I’m all wrong about him?”
I squeeze her hand soothingly.
Siege studies her for a long second, picks up the remote control to the big screen mounted on the side wall and turns it on. “Zen, show them what you found.”
Zen’s fingers fly over the keyboard, and a county probate document jumps onto the screen. It’s a last will and testament for Eleanor Elliot.
Natalie freezes in place. “I didn’t know this existed.”
Zen scrolls. “It was filed a week before she died.”
He enlarges the text on the screen.
I, Eleanor Diane Elliot, being of sound mind and body, hereby leave all property and funds held in my name to Natalie Lynn Mullins. She is my only heir.
A long silence spins out as we read through the first part of the will.
Dutch speaks first. “You’re certain this is the latest filing?”
Zen taps the bottom of the screen. “It’s been officially notarized, timestamped, and county registered. This is the only one on file.”
Siege leans back in his chair. His eyes are still on Natalie. “Do you think your foster father knew about this?”
