Page 98 of Forever Dead

“The Eleanor Marsh farmstead and the old Tully property,” Connor said.

For the first time, Cutler’s posture changed. Not much. His arms remained folded, but his weight shifted.

“What about them?” Ray asked.

Selena said, “Historical title records show both were owned by the Cutler family at one point.”

“Long time ago.”

“How long?” Selena asked.

“Depends which property you mean. My great-grandfather’s people had land all through that part of the county.”

“The Marsh property?”

Ray’s mouth almost turned to a grimace. “That one was ours around a hundred years ago.”

“And the Tully place?” Selena asked.

“Same.”

Connor said, “You ever try to get them back?”

Ray’s gaze moved to him. “You already know the answer or you wouldn’t be here.”

“I want to hear yours,” Connor said.

He grinned. “Yeah. I’ve disputed property boundaries around both places that were poorly handled when the land was sold by my family.”

“Recently?”

“Over the years.”

Selena asked, “What kind of disputes?”

Ray uncrossed his arms and put one palm against the porch rail. “Old deeds in this county were written by men who thought a creek and a big tree counted as survey equipment. Boundaries move. Records conflict.”

“Did you claim ownership?” Selena asked.

“I claimed what belonged to my family.”

“Did either dispute go to court?”

“One did,” Ray said. “Marsh. County ruled against me. Dumb bastards.”

“When?”

“Eight years ago, maybe nine.”

“You still angry about that?” Connor said.

“Please,” Ray said with a grin. “Do I look like an angry guy?”

“And the Tully property?” Selena asked. “What about that one?”

“Never got that far. Jack Tully and I settled where we thought the line should be as it ran onto a piece of land I still own.”

“Friendly settlement?”