Page 40 of Deception and New Direction

“You look just like your mama,”Ronaldsaid to her.

“Thanks.It’snice to meet you,”Ruthiereplied. “Thisis my chauffeur,Jack.”

I smiled at her introduction of me and shookRonald’shand.

“Everybody come on in.I’vegot sweet tea out,”Hankannounced and opened the door.

Ronald looked to be about ten, maybe fifteen, years younger thanHank, but he also used a cane, so it was hard to tell exactly.Baldwith a potbelly, but he appeared to still have his wits about him.

“MaybeIneed to switch to crutches like you,”Ronaldsaid toRuthie. “Youseem to move a bit more swiftly thanIdo with the cane.”

Ruthie chuckled and offered to teach him as we all sat down.

“Right,”Ronaldsaid, clapping his hands. “Iunderstand you go byRuthienow.Sinceeverything was done legally through your cop friend, it won’t affect the validity of you claiming the trust money when you hit your twenty-fourth birthday next week.”

I hadn’t thought that was going to be an issue, butIwas glad he brought it up.

“Hank tells me you are worried about your dad getting ahold of it, but there’s just simply no way he can unless you give it to him.Yourmama made it very clear in her will that the money goes to you and only you, at your twenty-fourth birthday or if you get married—whichever happens first—andItold your dad that.”

“You talked to my dad?” she asked, seemingly shocked.

“Your father called me about it shortly after your mother died,”Ronaldsaid. “Askedall kinds of questions about how you would get the money.Iinformed him the money was airtight until you turned twenty-four or got married—no exceptions.”

Ronald shrugged and leaned back in his chair. “Neverheard from him again until five years later.Hecalled my office when you were…Iguess around nineteen or twenty, saying you had fallen in love with some man and you were getting married soon.Hecalled wanting to know all the details about the trust again, but with marriage.”

“What?”Ruthieshrieked. “That’sabsurd!I’venever dated a man long enough to even consider getting married, let alone actually got engaged.Whatis he talking about?”

“Did he mention the name of the man she was marrying by chance?”Iasked.

Ronald sighed. “Probably, but that was several years ago and my memory isn’t what it used to be.Sorry.”

“This is insane,”Ruthiemumbled, mostly to herself, as if she didn’t believe what she was hearing. “Ronald, canIjust donate the whole thing?Orare there stipulations to whatIcan do with the money?”

“Once that money is in your hands, you can do whatever you want with it,”Ronaldcontinued. “I’mguessin’ your dad was hopin’ you’d just give him some out of the kindness of your heart, which is the only way he’d get any.Iwould caution you against donating the whole thing though, only because your mom and grandmother would have wanted you to have it in case you needed it.However, if that’s what you want to do,Ican help you find the easiest way to just transfer the money straight over, which will also be easier with taxes.”

She nodded and took in everything he was saying.Ifound myself looking over atHankoccasionally to see if his reaction gave anything away, but so far, nothing.

“I understand you work at a security company,”Ronaldbrought up. “Didthey happen to put up some cameras at your apartment?Ifnot, it might be a good idea for them to do so just to be on the safe side, just in case your dad or brother or a friend of theirs are behind the flower deliveryHankmentioned you got.”

“She’s living with me right now because of her cast, but we can try to add some cameras to the inside of her place next week,”Itold him. “We’relimited on what we can put outside because her complex has strict rules, but we can figure something out.”

“Okay, that’s good.”Ronaldnodded and released a breath he had obviously been holding in. “I’mglad she’s staying with you.”

We chatted with them both a little longer.RonaldtoldRuthiehe’d call her later this week to arrange for her to come to his office after her twenty-fourth birthday to sign paperwork and begin the transfer of the money to wherever she wanted it to go.

AfterRonaldleft, we stayed for a bit to hang out withHankbefore taking off ourselves.

We walked back to mySUV, andIopened the door forRuthie.Asshe turned to set her crutches in,Iput my hand on her waist.

“Hey,”Isaid softly, putting my other hand to the side of her face and using my thumb to stroke her cheek. “Iknow your mind is whirling right now, but we’ve got this.Iknow it’s easier said than done, but try not to worry.”

She nodded at me. “Iknow.I’llget there.It’sjust a lot to take in right now.”

“That’s my girl,”Itold her and then leaned down to give her a quick kiss.

She clearly hadn’t expected that and just stared up at me, then down at my lips.

“You keep staring at my lips darlin’, and we’ll end up givingHanka show he didn’t ask to see,”Itold her.

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