Speakeasy (True North #5)(77)

“Sure. But I’m not ready. And Lyle is. If I release the property to him, he can build a direct competitor, and I don’t get a say in how that gets shaped.”

“Your uncle is Lyle’s biggest investor, though,” Griffin points out. “Won’t he make sure the plan works for everyone?”

Well, this is embarrassing. “Not necessarily, no. Otto is still bitter that I opened the Gin Mill without giving him a controlling stake.”

“Ouch!” Grandpa yells. “Otto’s got your balls in a vise, kid.”

“Thanks for that image, Grandpa,” May says. “Alec, where can I read this agreement between you and Hamish?”

“It’s just emails I printed out. They’re in a folder in my truck.”

May jumps up before I can stop her and disappears outside. When she comes back, she pops open my folder on the table and begins to flip through the pages.

“Told you it was messy,” I say.

“It is…” She turns another page. “But you have a purchase price ironed out, as well as a timeframe. It’s not as precise as I wish it was. But still! A judge might rule in your favor. I give you a fifty-fifty chance.”

“A fifty-fifty chance…” I repeat slowly. “But only if I force the issue. So if Tad’s lawyer blows me off today, I’d have to file suit to stop him from selling it to someone else? That sounds ugly.”

“It would be,” she admits. “I’d help you. Or if there’s a conflict of interest, Rita will. But it will take some time.”

I let out a big sigh. “You know what? No. If Tad’s lawyer is a dick on the phone today, I’m just going to have to let it go. It’s a waste of resources to make Tad fight a suit and to piss off Lyle. Because even if I win, I’ll still lose.”

“Not true, because you could flip the place to Lyle,” May suggests. “Take out fifty grand. Use it to improve your own property.”

Griffin’s laughter makes a loud booming sound. “The family shark has a point.”

And holy crap. The things I could do with fifty grand. But only if it doesn’t cost me the goodwill of several people in town and lots of court fees, too. “I’ll call them back after breakfast and see if they’re listening. Although Tad had his lawyer call instead of talking to me himself. So I’ve got a bad feeling about his willingness to negotiate.”

“I’ll need to be in on that call, too,” May says, straightening up the papers with her good hand. “Maybe they know you’re in the right, and they’re just trying to intimidate you.”

When she looks up at me, determination burns brightly in her eyes. She’s going to defend my rights, and she can’t wait to do it.

How did I get so lucky?

I don’t consider the consequences; I just lean over and kiss her on the lips. “Remind me never to cross you, hot stuff. It’s much better to play on your team.”

May smiles, and then she blushes furiously. It’s so cute that I have to kiss her one more time. Just a quick one.

“Get a room!” Grandpa yells. “Oh wait, you did. Right over my head last night…”

“Grandpa!” several people say at once.

“Well, nobody refilled my coffee. I’m not responsible for the things I say.”





After breakfast, I wash some dishes until Ruth shoos me out of the kitchen. May is waiting for me at the dining table with a land line and a legal pad. “Let’s do this,” she says. “What’s the number?”

We dial, then she puts the call on the speaker setting. “Could I please speak to Mr. Harrison?” I ask when the office picks up.

“Hello, Mr. Rossi,” the lawyer says when he comes on the line.

“Hello, sir. You left a message for me yesterday, saying you had some news about the mill property?”

“Indeed I do,” he says. “There’s a recent will, and you’re in it.”

“A will?” That doesn’t make much sense. “I’m trying to buy the property.”

“I know,” he says. “And two weeks ago, right before his big surgery, Hamish updated his will, including a provision about your purchase rights. It’s a long couple of paragraphs, and I’ll just read the entire thing, if that’s okay.”

“Sure, go ahead.”

The lawyer clears his throat. “‘With regard to my business property located on State Road Eleven, if said property has not been disposed of by the time of my death, it should be noted that I have an arrangement to sell the building and the parcel of land together to Alec Rossi, also of State Road Eleven. At the time of this writing, Alec is not quite ready to complete the purchase at our previously agreed-upon price. I will allow him one year from the date of my death to complete the purchase at a price of one hundred seventy-five thousand dollars.’”

“One…seventy five?” I stammer as May’s eyes grow round. And now I notice that Griffin and Audrey are shamelessly eavesdropping in the doorway.

“That’s what it says,” the lawyer agrees. “But there’s more. ‘In the event that Alec cannot complete the sale within a year, the property will revert to my son Tad, along with my other assets. Although a year should be plenty of time to secure financing at that price. Please let it be noted that this is a below-market sale, and should not be contested as such. It should also be noted that Alec bought his similar property at the same price, causing market values to rise in the meantime. The recent increase in the value of Colebury river property is almost entirely due to his efforts. It is my intention to put my saleable property in Alec’s capable hands at an advantageous price while still preserving an inheritance for my son.’”