“I certainly hope so. You’re a part of the Port family too, ya know.”
“Thank you, sir. That means a lot. I’ve lived here on this property for over thirty years now. I’m not quite sure what I’d do someplace else.”
“Well, let’s hope you don’t have to find out anytime soon.” Donovan felt the dogs tug at their leashes and he knew they were getting restless. “I better get back to the office soon. We can’t have Mrs. Astor’s cat waiting too long for me or I’ll have to refer it to a therapist.”
The two men chuckled, and Bernard tipped his ball cap at Donovan as they parted ways. On the way home to drop of his dogs, Donovan wondered who Prescott would have left everything to. If he wasn’t leaving any of it to his ex-wives, and he didn’t have any children, who else could it be? Prescott was worth a small fortune, so whoever the beneficiary was, they’d be inheriting a hefty sum of money. Must be nice.
4
Riley
Riley took the envelope inside and sat down at her desk before she opened it, knowing whatever the letter said made the news final. She sighed as she pulled out a typed letter, and a smaller, sealed envelope also fell onto the desk. She read the words on the enclosed fancy stationary with tears in her eyes.
Dear Ms. Maxwell,
Enclosed is a personal letter written to you by Jameson Prescott, Esquire, to be delivered to you upon his death. As the sole beneficiary of his estate, we ask that you make arrangements immediately to visit our office for a formal reading of his last will and testament. This matter does require some urgency, as the inhabitants of the estate are now legally in your care as well and will need to be tended to as soon as possible.
While I am sure you have many questions, we will do our best to answer them and to assist you in the transition of ownership of assets, per Mr. Prescott’s wishes.
We look forward to seeing you.
Sincerely,
Annabeth Carmichael, Esq.
The address of the law firm was a short subway ride away from her home and Riley glanced up at the clock on the wall to see if she could go now. Unfortunately, it was after hours for most normal businesses, so she resolved to go downtown first thing in the morning, without an appointment.
Riley was still in shock, and read the lawyer’s letter several times before remembering there was a letter from Jameson. Scrambling to open it, she didn’t recognize the scrawling penmanship, as they’d only ever emailed or spoken directly. The cream-colored stationery had an embossed logo at the top of the page. A swirling “JP” was encompassed by a circle at the center, just above his words.
Dearest Riley,
If you are reading this letter, unfortunately, the news isn’t good. I went to Switzerland not on business, but for the treatment of a rare type of bone cancer. I’ve been unwell for some time now and knew that the possibility I might not return existed, so I have taken precautions to ensure everything is handled, and that you are taken care of.
I’m sure this is all quite overwhelming, and I do not wish to burden you, so I have made arrangements for you to have legal counsel as well as help when you go to Port Henry. As I look back on our friendship, I have but one regret, and that is how I wasn’t honest with you about my condition. In my defense, it was such a great joy to me when we’d chat that I selfishly didn’t want to ruin it with talk of cancer and disease. Instead, I chose to keep our talks to the things that made us both laugh and smile.
In all my marriages, I never had children, but if I did, I’d have been the proudest man in all the world if they’d turned out to be as kind and smart as you are. Which brings me to what will happen next. Since I did not have any official heirs, I am leaving everything that was mine to you. I can only imagine your jaw is on the floor right now. I’ve sensed your speculation about how much money I actually had, and you will know soon—it’s a lot.
There will be enough for you to travel the world, which I hope that you do, as well as take care of any financial responsibilities that you have. My home will also be yours, and everything inside. My caretaker and longtime friend, Bernard, will be waiting for you at the house in the Port, ready to help you. He has been in my service for thirty years or so and can answer most of your questions, as I’m sure there are many.
Lastly, Riley, I wanted to thank you. Our friendship has meant a great deal to me, and although it began as a business transaction, you’ve gotten to know me better than anyone I’ve ever met, aside from Bernard. It has been my honor to be your friend, and in my passing, it is my honor to help take care of you and your future. I wish that I could be there to answer your questions, and to help you transition into what most assuredly will be a bit of a strange new life, but know that I am with you in spirit, always.
Your loyal friend,
Jameson Prescott
Riley gently set the letter down on the table as the tears poured down her face. Until that very moment, she hadn’t realized just how valuable her friendship with Jameson had been. The financial windfall she was to receive was so far from her conscious that she’d completely forgotten about it until she read the letter again and then one more time after that.
I can’t believe I didn’t know. We talked almost every day.
She opened her laptop, which was sitting in front of her, and pushed the two letters to the side. It wasn’t too late in the day to send an email, so she pulled up her account and drafted a note to Annabeth Carmichael, indicating she would be at their office at nine the next morning to discuss the Jameson Prescott letter she received. Within moments of hitting send, a reply arrived from Ms. Carmichael, thanking her for the expedient reply and letting Riley know she’d be ready to see her.
After a restless night of tossing and turning, Riley pulled herself together and headed downtown to meet with the lawyer. With a combination of sadness and apprehension, she found herself walking in slow motion through the lobby of the large building. The spring sun cast a glaring light across the marble floor, causing her to shield her eyes for a moment while she tried to figure out where she was supposed to go.
“Riley Maxwell?” a voice called to her.
She spun around to see a rather tall woman approach, wearing tall heels and a very big smile. “Uh, yeah?” she replied tentatively.
Shoving her hand out, the woman reached for Riley’s and introduced herself. “Riley, I’m Annabeth Carmichael. One of Jameson Prescott’s attorneys.”