Chapter 32
After church Blake pulled onto the shoulder of the road before the drive that led to Mary’s and evaluated her beautiful beach
home. It was waterfront, and she’d probably put every penny she’d gotten for The Sanctuary property into it. He exchanged
a long glance with Paradise, who sat with the document in her lap. The dread on her face reflected the same emotion churning
inside him.
“I think I’d rather face a sniper right now than get out of this truck and give that will to Mary.”
Paradise glanced down at her lap. “This will come as such a shock.”
“Maybe not. She knows Dean broke into the house looking for it, so she might be prepared for the possibility.”
“We thought we were prepared,” she pointed out. “But none of us believed it would come to this.”
“Good point.” He squinted toward a car exiting the carport space under the pilings of Mary’s house. “Someone is leaving, but
that’s not her car.”
The white car, a Nissan Altima, turned out of the driveway and passed them on the road. The driver was on the phone and didn’t glance their way as he went by. Even with tinted windows Blake recognized him.
Paradise leaned forward and stared after the car. “W-was that Adams?”
“Yep. The bigger question is, what was he doing at Mary’s?”
Paradise whipped out her phone. “I’m texting Jane! Maybe they can apprehend him.”
Blake moved his foot from the brake and accelerated toward Mary’s house. “Something doesn’t feel right about this, babe. He
was sabotaging things at The Sanctuary, and we find him here hiding his car under her house? Most people park in front.”
“We’ll see how Mary acts.” She grabbed her purse and slid the will into it. “I don’t think we should give her the will until
we figure out what’s going on. What if she’s in on this in some way?”
“What are you getting at?”
“What if there never was a will? Maybe Mary is working with Adams and Dean both? Maybe they tried to run us off by making
the place appear unsafe. When that didn’t work, they decided to plant a fake will to take back the property. The rare earth
rights make it worth way more than what you paid for it.”
Blake’s forehead creased. “But Mary mentioned during probate there had been a will.”
“Maybe it played out the way she said until Dean came back and told her how much they’d both stand to gain if she helped him
regain the property and sell it for an insane amount of money. We know Adams is trying to shut us down. Nothing about his
presence here makes sense unless they’re working together. Maybe Dean planted the will at The Sanctuary.”
He nodded. “You’re probably right. I mean, why would Mary act upset about the will if she was in on it?
” He turned into Mary’s drive and turned off the truck.
“Six months ago I would have laughed at such a crazy idea. I’m not laughing now.
Though I’m not convinced, it makes a sick kind of sense.
We didn’t have Allen’s signature checked.
I’ve been in that hayloft a thousand times and never found a cavity in the floor either.
Let’s use caution for now. We’ll talk to Mary and then call Hez. ”
They got out of the truck and mounted the long staircase to the front door, shooing away the gulls that dive-bombed them.
The sound of the waves was a soothing rhythm in the background.
Mary met them on the deck before Blake could ring the bell. Her cheeks were pink and her hands fluttered like a frightened
bird. The scent of her perfume, something obnoxiously floral, mixed with the scent of the ocean. “Good morning.”
When she didn’t meet Blake’s gaze, his suspicions ramped up more. Paradise was right—they needed to be careful here to make
sure nothing underhanded was going on.
“I wasn’t expecting you. I’m having lunch with a friend and don’t have much time. What can I do for you?” Mary folded her
arms across her chest expectantly without inviting them inside.
Paradise smiled and took a step closer to her. “This won’t take long.”
Mary glanced at her watch. “You had a question?”
Blake pulled out his phone and called up his Notes app. “Could you give me the names of some of Dean’s friends? Does he have
any old girlfriends?”
More color flooded Mary’s already blotchy cheeks. “Oh my, that’s a hard one. You know how young men can be—so secretive. He
had a girlfriend a few years ago, but I’m not sure what happened to her or where she is now.”
“What was her name?” he prodded.
Mary didn’t answer for a moment, then finally shrugged. “Elowen Quintero.”
“Unusual name.”
“She said her first name was Cornish and her mother thought it sounded like a fairy. She was very sweet, much too nice for
Dean.” Mary’s lips compressed in a disapproving grimace.
Blake put it in his note. “Any friends he usually hung around with?”
“They always varied. His best friend in high school was Wade Greene.”
“Greene?” Paradise asked. “Is he related to Creed?”
“His brother.”
Blake jotted down the name. Creed wouldn’t welcome them interrogating his brother, but they couldn’t let his disapproval deter
them. Could there be some kind of connection? “Does he still live in the area?”
“I think he lives near Magnolia Springs.” Mary glanced back toward the door behind her. “I really need to get going or I’ll
be late.”
Paradise tensed beside Blake and touched Mary’s arm. “One more question. Mr. Adams was here just before we arrived. We saw
him leave. I didn’t realize you knew him.”
Mary’s face flamed with more color before the red receded and left her pale. “He—he—I mean, we’re seeing a little of each
other.” She glanced at her watch again. “I’m meeting him for lunch, so I really need to go.” She backed away and slipped inside
the house before she firmly shut the door in Blake’s face.
He took Paradise’s hand to walk back to the truck. “I don’t buy it for a second. She’s not seeing Adams. Why would she lie
about that?”
“I think she was taken aback and it was the first thing that came to mind. She probably hoped we didn’t see him.”
Blake opened the passenger door for her to climb in. “Where to first? Adams or Wade?”
“Wade. We’re more apt to get something useful out of him.”
Maybe she wasn’t ready to confront Adams. It might be a conversation Blake needed to have by himself with the man.
Blake had been quiet and reflective since the will had been found. Paradise shot him a glance as he drove to the address Jane
had provided for Wade Greene. If only she could take some of the burden from him, but he wouldn’t let her even if she could.
Things had been off between them since she’d suggested they get married, and she wasn’t sure how to heal the breach.
The address on Bay Road wasn’t far from Jesse’s Restaurant. Children played in neatly kept yards, and Paradise admired the
architecture of the older cottages. Live oaks draped with Spanish moss stretched their branches in a green arch over the roads,
and the neighborhood’s safe, family feel drew her. She could live here.
Blake pulled into the driveway of Wade’s house and shut off the truck. “Jane said he’s married now and has a two-year-old
girl. He’s a firefighter.”
Paradise spotted movement in the side yard and saw a young couple with a toddler and a puppy heading toward the swing set.
“There they are.”
Blake got out, and Paradise joined him at the hood of his pickup. “Since his wife is with him, maybe you should ask the questions.
Our sudden appearance might be less threatening that way.”
She nodded and stepped out in front of him to head toward the little family.
Wade had Creed’s light brown hair, though Wade’s wasn’t thinning like Creed’s, and Wade’s smile spread across his face in a way she’d never seen on his brother’s countenance.
Creed was always stern and a little creepy, and this young man clearly delighted in the little girl and his wife. She instantly liked him.
His wife noticed them first, and she nudged Wade. The wind blew her long blonde hair, and her blue eyes tracked their approach.
Paradise smiled at their little girl, a carbon copy of her mother. The puppy, a fat golden retriever, wiggled its behind and
came toward them. Paradise leaned over to pet the soft fur. “Aren’t you cute?” she crooned.
Wade turned. “Hi there, can I help you?”
Paradise straightened and took a step closer to him. “You’re Wade Greene? I’m Paradise Alden and this is Blake Lawson. He
owns The Sanctuary, and I’m the vet there.”
“The wildlife park?” His wife’s smile returned. “Tessa loves to go there. She’s crazy about the otters.” The woman wore a
gauzy white blouse and a long blue skirt that flowed in ruffles to her ankles.
The little girl beamed when her mother mentioned the otters. “See otters!” She plopped on the grass and threw her arms around
her puppy.
“I love the otters too.” Paradise squatted in front of the toddler. “Next time you come, Tessa, I’ll let you see the otter
babies that were born recently.” The girl’s blue eyes widened, and she clapped her hands. Paradise stood and turned her attention
back to Wade. “I’m sure you’re wondering why we’re here. Mary Steerforth told us you were Dean Steerforth’s best friend.”
He glanced at his wife. “Was would be the appropriate word. He was dating Elowen, and I intervened when he hit her. We got into a fight, and I broke his nose.” Satisfaction vibrated in his voice.
His wife took a step back. “What do you want to know about Dean?”
“You’re Elowen?” When the woman nodded, Paradise floundered for the questions she needed to ask her. “We’d heard you had dated
Dean and had planned to find you. How fortunate you’re both here together.”
Wade folded his arms across his chest. “We don’t see him anymore. He’s a violent jerk that I don’t want around my family.”
Paradise hoped their hostility meant he and Elowen would be more likely to reveal any secrets about Dean they might know.
Paradise directed a commiserating look toward Elowen. “I’m sorry you had to endure that. Abuse should never happen. I grew
up in foster care and experienced some of my own.” When the blonde’s expression softened, Paradise plunged ahead. “Did Dean
ever mention his uncle had left him his property in a will?”
Wade snorted. “Not likely. Dean and Allen didn’t get along. Allen was always pushing Dean to get a decent job, and they got
into plenty of battles. Dean shoved his uncle once, and they didn’t speak for several months.”
“Yet they lived together for a while when Allen and Mary were separated,” Paradise said.
“Only because Allen was trying to get him off drugs. Allen’s boy died of a drug overdose, and when Allen found out Dean was shooting meth, he put aside his anger and tried to get him clean.
He would have known better than to leave his property to Dean at that time.
Allen came home one day and found Dean cooking meth in the kitchen.
That was the final straw. Allen told Dean he couldn’t find another dead boy and packed his things.
He and Mary reconciled about then, so he just went home. ”
“So you never heard Dean talk about expecting to inherit anything?”
“Mary gave him Allen’s truck when he died, but Dean never mentioned anything else.” Wade glanced down at his wife. “Did he
ever say anything to you?”
She bit her lip. “He filed a petition to contest the probate, but it was thrown out.”
“Did you ever see a will?” Paradise asked.
Elowen glanced up at her husband, then bent to pick up their little girl. She didn’t look at Blake or Paradise. “No.”
She’s lying.
And it was something she didn’t want her husband to know. “Thank you for your time. I heard you’re a firefighter, Wade. Thank
you for your service to the community. I’m sure you’re very proud of him, Elowen.”
“Oh, I am!” Her expression went soft. “I love how much he cares about other people, and he’s a great husband and dad. We decided
before we got married that I would stay home and raise our children. He takes good care of us.”
“Bring Tessa over to The Sanctuary this week when you have time. She’ll love the otter babies.”
Elowen shifted the toddler to her other hip. “I’ll do that one day this week when Wade has to go back to work. Thank you!”
Paradise and Blake said goodbye and walked back to the truck. “When she brings Tessa by herself, I’ll find out what she was
lying about. She knows something about the will.”