Page 38 of Her Property

“Is that why I’m staying at your lake house?” she said, unable to stop herself.

“There’s aline, Catherine.”

Cat pinched her lips. The way he said her name she knew she needed to dial back. But her suspicion that there was something more he wasn’t telling her.

“Alfred, I should have never said yes to taking those photos for you. I don’t want to be your spy. You said I needed to come up here to de-stress, but let me tell you, getting involved in some years-old property dispute where you’re trying to destroy a man for building asummer campfor troubled kids… this is not a stress-free endeavor.”

Alfred was quiet.

Fine, if this was how he wanted to do it, she would ask him herself. Outright.

“Why are you so hell-bent on destroying this man? You know you’ll win this lawsuit.”

“Of course I will.”

“But to what end? Why do youcareso much?”

Alfred was quiet on the other end of the phone, except for his breathing. No, his wheezing.

Cat’s anger went to ash, replaced by concern. “Alfred are you okay? Your breathing—”

“I’m fine!” he snapped. “Catherine, all I want you to do is take some goddamned pictures. Tell me if the man has come up there and done work since I was last on the property. The stop work order I got actually works in his benefit, did you know that? So he won’t be pouring work into that giant building or any of the dilapidated shacks on that property when he’ll just have to tear them down when the court rules in my favour.”

“Tear them down?”

“The main outbuilding is on my property. The road is on my property. When I get that court order Jake Colson is going to have to get that shitoffmy property.”

A wash of great sadness settled on Cat at the vitriol in Alfred’s voice, the bitterness in his words.

“Why do you hate him so much, Alfred? Tell me that, please.”

“Colin Colson should have left well enough alone.”

“Colin?”

“Stella’s father. He’s the one who hated me, when all I... I…” Alfred took another wheezing breath.

“Who’s Stella?” Cat asked softly.

There was a long pause on Alfred’s side where she could hear that worrisome wheezing again. Alfred wasn’t taking care of himself. He worked himself to the bone, she’d never seen him eat a vegetable. She could picture him now, loosening his tie so he could take a proper breath.

“Alfred?” Cat said. “Are you okay?”

“Just take the pictures, Catherine,” Alfred said. Then there was a click as the line went dead.

Cat’s mind swirled.

Colin Colson should have left well enough alone.

Alfred didn’t want his own problem solved. But if she could figure it out, he’d thank her later. This was bigger than the land dispute, she knew now. It was an old festering wound that she had the power to fix.

She had the clues in her hand. Now it was time to talk to Jake.

Cat grabbed her coat, not stopping to think if this was a good idea. Of course it was a good idea. But when she opened the door, the wind hit her hard, plowing her hair back and billowing her coat.

Casey was right, this was a serious storm.

Over the lake, the clouds rolled low and dark, and the wind whipped a vortex of crackling brown leaves at her, a burst of pine needles slapping across her cheek like sharp fingers.

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