~ Chapter One ~ #2
“What?” Regan’s voice rose as several of the water bottles on the credenza tipped over in their tray.
Both Sandra and Regan turned toward the noise, and saw several associates of Sandra’s rumble past the conference room.
Their lumbering must have caused the bottles to topple.
Sandra’s head shook back and forth slightly, her lips pulling tight, before she returned to Regan, ignoring the commotion. Nothing broke or spilled so Regan assumed it was fine, and if she couldn’t bother, neither would he.
He faced Sandra focusing on her lips as he spoke. “What’re you talking about?”
“Maxum had additional family assets that took us some time to sort out and investigate.”
“That doesn’t make sense.” Regan snorted. “When his mother died in 2019, we settled all this. There was nothing else.” He spared a quick look meeting her gaze.
“That’s not quite accurate.” She pushed the documents toward Regan. “It’s all here.”
Regan snatched the files and started flipping through everything, shaking his head. A cabin in Boulder Creek, a house in Kings Beach, a house in Edmonton Canada, a condo in Puerto Vallarta Mexico, annuities and investment funds. “This… how?”
She started to open her mouth, but his gaze bore into her, cutting off any response. “But you never said—he never mentioned—” He pushed the documents back to her before standing and turning toward the window.
“Please, Regan.” She gestured to his chair.
“No. No… You’re telling me that the man I spent twenty-five years of my life with hid all this from me. He never mentioned any of this. I knew his family had some money, but… He…”
Sandra cleared her throat. “When Susan passed, their estate went to him and you. However, these assets stayed with Maxum and only Maxum. Once he passed, we were required to investigate if there were any other living relatives in the Jones family, and the investigation took time.” She adjusted her blouse.
“Well, give everything to them.” He waved a hand at the papers as if shooing them away. “I don’t...” Outside, rain pattered against the exterior window, heightening as Regan’s frustration increased.
“After our investigation, we found no additional relations, so per Maxum’s wishes, everything transferred to you.
And…” She pulled out an envelope and pushed it over to him.
“He left this for you. I don’t know what’s in the letter—I hope he’ll explain.
But whether you want the property and money or not, legally everything belongs to you now. ”
Regan raked a hand through his hair, peeking at the sealed envelope. He took as deep a breath as viable. How was any of this possible? Why didn’t Max say something? He found his seat again and picked up the envelope—he wanted answers. He ripped the seal open, then pulled out a hand-written note.
Don’t be mad , the note started.
Regan snorted. “Too late.” He glanced over at Sandra. “Sorry.” He continued reading.
Don’t be mad. I hope you never read this letter.
However, if you are, then… surprise! You’re rich…
well, comfortable. There’s so much I hope I explained to you, but I have a feeling if you’re reading this, then I didn’t have the time I thought I had and for that I’m sorry.
As much as I trust our lawyer, most of this I can’t go into here.
You need to go to the cabin in Boulder Creek.
Sandra, or whoever is managing this, will have the keys.
There is a purple book with gold writing on my desk that will explain everything.
Also, when you meet Lutin, be nice. They can be a bit much, but I know you’ll get on… I hope.
I love you now and forever.
Max
Regan read the letter, turned the paper over, and read the document again before finally facing Sandra. “He said you’ll have keys for me.”
She pulled out a set of keys and pushed them over to him. “I hope the letter helped.”
He folded the letter and pushed it into his pocket. “What do I need to sign?” he asked numbly. The sooner he finished here, the faster he could get home, then to Boulder Creek and find out what the hell is actually going on. He glanced out the conference room window, as the rain stopped.
Well that’s something, I guess.
In a haze, Regan found himself back home in East San Jose, pacing the floors of his and Max’s home. Resting on the dining room table were the files from the lawyer and the keys to the mystery cabin in Boulder Creek.
“This is crazy.” He scanned the empty house.
“I’m being stupid.” He crossed the living room to the coffee table and picked up his phone to type the address of the place in Boulder Creek.
It’d take him about an hour to get there, if he left right now.
But then what? All this got dropped on his lap and what was he supposed to do now?
Go on some wild goose chase to a cabin he knew nothing about, find a book that would explain all this.
And what was there to explain? And who the hell was Lutin, and what kind of name was that anyway?
And if it starts raining again, I’m fucked.
The way he figured, Valentine and Susan Jones were a lot more affluent than he knew, and Max never made a fuss about his family. They struck Regan as a typical upper middle-class family, nothing special, and now he knew otherwise.
I bet the money had been passed down. Same with the properties. Everything owned free and clear.
He glanced around his home. “We did alright…” He smiled.
“We never wanted for anything. We paid our bills. We even traveled.” He rubbed his chin, the stubble scratching his hand.
“But now…” He crossed over to the files on the table and picked them up.
He flipped to the balance sheet, then took in the total value of everything.
“What am I even going to do with this?” He snatched up his phone again and pulled up his text messages, staring at his boss’s number blankly.
Do I call out sick? Do I say there’s some kind of emergency? Do I quit? Thank god I have the weekend to figure this out.
He slipped the phone into his pocket, grabbed the house keys, and picked up the files. Then he marched to the front door, and out to the driveway and his Jeep.
He provided his navigational system with the address of the house and pulled up his music mix from his phone.
Singing along to the music as he drove, the time in his car alone gave him the break he needed to think about a plan.
He’d go to Boulder Creek today, check the cabin out.
He hoped there’d be other keys for the other homes there.
If so, he’d make plans to go up to Kings Beach in the morning.
It was early spring so 80 wouldn’t be bad, assuming they didn’t get any late snow, and he could check out the house there.
He could at least get familiar with the places here and he’d worry about the places in Canada and Mexico later. That would take planning.
Unless I can snap my fingers and instantly appear there.
He snickered at the thought as he made his way from 280 to Highway 17.
The best route to the house would take him up Bear Creek road.
He glanced at the Jeep’s clock. At least he wouldn’t have to deal with Friday afternoon traffic.
Also, the earlier rain cleared up, leaving clear skies so the road wouldn’t be an issue.
He was more curious as to who this Lutin person was.
Max never mentioned him, them, her, he wasn’t sure?
“I bet they’re some kooky old caretaker that’s missing all their teeth and smells like they need a bath and to do laundry.
” He shuddered at the thought. “Well, I didn’t find anything that stipulated I need to keep them around…
but I also didn’t see anything in the paperwork that said they worked for the family.
” He changed lanes as he started his climb up the hill to Boulder Creek.
“This is all nuts. I guess I’ll know more when I get there. ”