Page 69 of Deception and New Direction

AsIwalked up the porch,Ronaldopened the door and welcomed me in.

“Sorry to bother you, dear, but he’s just being as ornery asI’veever seen him,”Ronaldsaid asIwalked by him and through the door. “He’sback in the kitchen.”

I had no sooner taken a few steps into the kitchen whenIsawGranddadtied to a chair at his dining room table.Hehad a cloth between his teeth and a gash on his forehead.Hewas awake and staring at me with horror in his eyes.Obviouslythis whole situation was wrong, but asIturned around it got worse asIcame face-to-face with my father, who currently had a gun pointed at my face.

“Well, well, well, if it isn’t my estranged daughter,” he sneered. “Tryingto get us all arrested wasn’t good enough for you.Youhad to run away and take the money you owe me with you.”

“I don’t owe youanymoney,”Ishot back, which probably wasn’t the best thing to do since he had a gun andIdidn’t, butIwas sick and tired of him controlling me.

“The money your mom left you is mine,” he barked at me. “Istayed married to her, even though she didn’t abort you likeItold her to when we found out you would be a girl.Thenshe goes and gives all that money away toyouinstead of tomewhen she dies—what a fucking waste.”

There was a lot to take in there, butIwas also worried aboutGranddadand the gash on his forehead.

“What do you want?”Iasked him.

“The money, and you’re going to give it to me, orI’llkill the old man,” he said.

“I don’t have it.It’sall been donated,”Itold him, andIwas so happyIhad gone that route.

My father’s angry face changed into a leering smile asRonald’svoice chimed in from in front of me. “Aboutthat.Unfortunately, that paperwork went missing, so all that money is still sitting in your bank account,”Ronaldinformed me.

I turned to look at him, only to see him smiling as though this was no accident at all.

“I see dear old sis is just now figuring out the whole plan…”MybrotherJasonstepped out from the hallway.

“Jason, what’s going on?”Iasked, hoping that he could talk some sense into our father and explain what was happening. “PleasetellDadto calm down and lower the gun.”

“No can do, sis.What’sgoing on is that years of planning is finally coming together,”

he answered cryptically.

“When you were fifteen, your brother broughtMalover to the house, andIcould see right away he had the hots for you,” my dad chimed in. “IknewMalwould be my ticket.Itold him to keep it in his pants until you turned eighteen, and then he could marry you and get rich.”

“AfterIgot over the fact that our bitch of a mom didn’t leave me shit for money,Idecided to get in on the plan and helpDadout,”Jasonadded. “Itold him you were one of those bitches who needed attention and shit, soItoldMalto give youthe jewels, but he fucked it up and you were just creeped out. “

I realized suddenly that all those years he wasn’t as mean as my dad,Ihad assumed it was because he cared.Inreality, it was all for show—he just wanted the money too.

“We had everything set up to get you drunk and haveMaltake you to a chapel and get married, but then you went to the cops and got him arrested and fucked everything up,” my dad said angrily. “Thenyou ran away and took our money with you, until our golden ticket popped up.”

My confusion must have been written all over my face, because my father kept going.

“Good oldRonaldhere called me to let me know where you were, so your brother andIset a new plan in motion.Ronaldwas more than happy to help by getting you to come out here to help poor oldHank.”

What?Iturned to look over atRonald, who was smiling.

“How could you?”Iasked him. “Granddadis your friend.”

“So is your dad, but he pays better,”Ronaldresponded, as though this was the simplest explanation and all that was needed. “Ifyou had just gotten married inVegaslike you were supposed to, your grandfather would be fine right now.”

“What?”Iwhispered.

“Good oldRonaldhere offered to help fast track the transfer of the money when you marriedMal—for a fee,” my dad said. “Hewas just as pissed as we were that you ran away.”

“As luck would have it,”Ronaldinterrupted, “Hankhere called me shortly after you arrived to check in on the trust money and let me know you had moved here to be closer to him.”

OhGod.

“Thanks toGrandpappyhere,Ronaldkept an eye on you whileDadandIworked to getMalout on early release so we can get you two hitched,”Jasonshared. “Unfortunately, that went a lot slower than planned… which brings us to the new plan.You’regoing to transfer over all the money to my bank account and thenI’llgive everyone else their cut.”

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