ell in a steady, miserable dri

. She wore a simple black dress, the collar p

t the polished wood of the casket at the b

ose. It landed so

ers began to walk away,

the paved path, a man in a cheap gray suit step

Guthrie?" t

e stoppe

e from his briefcase and shoved it ag

nd walked a

top of the envelope open and pul

laugh echoed acr

rge black umbrella. Brenda and Ricky walked closely behind him, their faces twisted

hand. "That's a court order. I've filed a lawsuit to freeze all of my mother'

oing to spit out every penny you s

oked down at

nic in her eyes. There was no fear. Instead,

bpoena into her b

ulled out an old, slightly yellowed

ecords, Vernon?" Charlotte asked, her voi

faltered. "What ar

folder. She pulled out a thick piece

shoved the paper direc

the bottom," Cha

eyes scanned the text. His h

g had been legally gifted and transferred. The date on the stam

on the deed was C

ng with ice. "That building has been mine for a decade. Your lawsui

saw the date, she let out a piercing shriek. "T

e mud. "Where is my house, D

closer to Vernon,

ned, "I will counter-sue you for malicious prosecution.

his heavy black umbrella, gripping it l

nted a finger toward the stone p

"Security cameras. Hit me, a

teeth together so hard they squeaked.

ut of his trembling hands. Sh

ked away, leaving her parents stand

er the shade of a massive oa

inch. He had watched the entire confrontation. He saw the way she didn'

s silver cufflink. A rare, ge

n on the intercom

stant. "Find the case number for the lawsuit fil