Chapter 24
Fin
“Contesting the will? It hasn’t been made public yet, has it?” I asked.
“It entered probate about a month ago. It became public then. Trish said the process would take time. The court followed Dad’s desire and named Aunt Rachel and Uncle Darin as executors.
The next stage is asset identification. Supposedly, that’s what Mr. Eads has been doing with Daphne.
Uncle Darin said they’ve been spending a lot of time together.
” She took the glass of wine I poured by the stem and looked down into the dark red liquid.
Looking up, she sighed. “Daphne brought him to today’s game.
On a sidenote, Grant was upset about that.
Anyway, I asked Joe Eads about the estate, and he informed me that Trish will get a notice from the court tomorrow.
Daphne is officially contesting the will. ”
I took the second glass and leaned against the counter. “On what grounds?”
Vee pressed her lips together and shrugged.
“Marriage. I called Trish on the way home from the game.” She leaned against the kitchen island facing me.
“The State of Kentucky protects a spouse from being disinherited by something called ‘elective share’ or ‘statutory share.’ Trish said by that ruling, Daphne is entitled to one-third of all real property and one-half of personal property. Trish said she anticipated this was coming.”
“And she didn’t tell you?”
“There’s no way to go to get ahead of this. And her hope was Daphne wouldn’t do it in time. The law requires that the spouse contest the will within a specific amount of time once probate begins.”
“Vee,” I asked, “what does this mean about the Coopers?”
Tears swelled in her green eyes. “I don’t know.”
Taking the glass from Vee’s grasp, I put it on the kitchen island and wrapped her in my arms. She laid her face against my robe-covered chest and wrapped her arms around my waist.
“I don’t care about the money or his properties.
” Her words were muffled against the robe.
“I don’t want to split ownership of the Coopers.
” She pulled away and looked up at me. “I don’t trust Daphne.
She could sell her portion or…” Vee shook her head.
“I don’t even know. If she’s upset about Bre’s claims, she might do anything to punish Dad.
She knows how much the Coopers meant to him. ”
“What did Tricia say?”
“She has a copy of the will. It’s long and complicated. Her team has been going through it line by line. She said she’d call me tomorrow.”
“Let’s call down for some dinner.”
Vee nodded. “We can watch the game. Let’s hear all the talking heads say how great you played.”
A few hours later, we were both on the couch, the Coopers’ game from earlier today was entering the fourth quarter. The Coopers were up, and we both knew the outcome. It wasn’t holding my attention. Clarks’ odd behavior and something Vee mentioned was gnawing at me.
“You mentioned your cousin being upset,” I prompted.
Vee had her head in my lap watching the game. She looked up. “Grant. Yeah, he wasn’t happy about Joe Eads being Daphne’s guest.” Vee sat up. “He wasn’t his normal cocky, narcissistic self. I don’t know how many bourbons he had, but he was definitely not fit to drive home.”
“Did he?”
“I hope not. I left before he did.” She pursed her lips and hit pause on the remote. “Grant told me that we should talk.” She shivered. “I mean, I don’t enjoy talking to him when he’s sober. I wasn’t really interested in what he had to say while intoxicated.”
“You didn’t talk to him,” I probed.
Vee hummed as if she were thinking. “I was caught off guard by the news about Daphne and the will. Leigh made me eat a sandwich. I went to Grant because he looked…I don’t know, forlorn.”
That was a good description of how Clark looked earlier.
Vee shrugged. “Not himself. Besides, what he said didn’t make sense.”
“What did he say?”
“He said the fucking note. Things would be different.”
I cocked an eyebrow. “What note?”
“That’s the thing. I didn’t ask and I don’t know.
He said it wasn’t supposed to be there. Daphne and Joe Eads entered the room and the conversation.
Daphne was her usual loud self, especially after a few of her game-day Diet Cokes and gin—or rum.
She’s not particular. The three of them started talking about Dad’s car collection. ”
The note wasn’t supposed to be there.
“Could he have been talking about the note from Bre that they found in your dad’s glove compartment?” I asked.
“I mean, maybe,” Vee said. “Or a note in one of his cars, something Dad wrote, or heck, it could be a note in his office Aunt Rachel found. I don’t know. I doubt Grant will remember what he was talking about tomorrow.”
“I have a confession.”
Vee’s eyes widened. “What kind of confession?”
“There’s something I should have told you before now. I just wasn’t sure how or when to bring it up.”
Vee stood. “I swear to God, Fin, if you haven’t been honest with me… What are you confessing? Is there someone else? Were you not divorced?”
“Whoa.” I stood and reached for her hands.
“Vee, this isn’t about us. The only thing I have to confess about us is that I’m so fucking in love with you it hurts.
I never imagined we’d fall back together as seamlessly as we have.
It feels like we were never apart, but we were.
I missed too much of your life, and you missed too much of mine. ”
She let out a slow breath. “What then?”
“A while back, the day we went to Tony’s for our first date...”
Vee nodded.
“I met Clark for a beer.”
She tilted her face and scrunched her nose. “You met my Clark—Preston—for a beer? Why?”
“Well, he’s no longer your Clark. You’ve been upgraded.” I flashed a grin. “Now, you have me.”
“An upgrade?”
“You don’t think so?”
Vee’s smile bloomed. “Definitely an upgrade. Why did you meet with him?”
“He texted me and asked to discuss something we have in common. I accepted.”
“What did he want to talk to you about?”
Tugging her hands, I led us both to the couch, sitting next to one another. “Vee, I didn’t say anything at first because I wanted to confirm anything I could from what he told me.”
“I don’t understand what you two have in common.”
“We have you in common.”
She lifted her eyebrows.
“I met him at Bourbon on Rye not far from here.” Pausing, I waited for Vee to jump in. When she didn’t, I went on. “He told me a rather interesting if not bizarre story about your family.”
“About my family. How would he have information on my family other than from me?”
“Clark’s father has a fixer.”
Vee’s forehead creased. “A fixer, like Liv on Scandal?”
I chuckled. “I don’t know that I’ve heard the term used except in fiction and politics. I think it’s an all-encompassing title for someone who does what needs to be done. Clark’s father had his fixer do a deep dive into the Hubbards after the two of you became serious.”
She pressed her lips together. “And Ed always seemed nice.”
“He wanted to know what his son was getting into with non-generational wealth.”
“Preston said that.” Vee sat taller. “That’s rude. Lip always said Preston acted like he was better than us. When did he tell you this? Was it around the same time we saw him with Daphne and Grant?”
“Earlier that day.” I nodded. “Birds of a feather.”
“Okay, back to your story. Edward Clark had my family investigated. We must have passed; Preston didn’t break things off with me. I broke up with him.”
“What do you know about your grandfather, Carroll Hubbard?”
Vee shrugged. “A lot. You need to be more specific.”
Inhaling, I shook my head. “According to legend, your grandfather sold his McDonald’s franchises to purchase the team.”
Vee nodded.
“Clark said that your grandfather needed help. He wasn’t well known, and anyone who wants to buy a team must pass a vote by all other owners.”
Vee’s smile grew. “It was amazing. I wasn’t born yet, but I imagine that Grandpa won them over with his ambition and love of the game.”
“Over the last few weeks, I’ve done research. The average price of McDonald’s franchises sold in 1977 and 78—”
“My grandparents had twenty-four, I think.”
“They sold not only the franchise fee but the building and equipment.”
Vee nodded.
“By the late 1970’s, the average selling price within Kentucky was roughly $380,000.”
“Times twenty-four.”
I nodded. “Assuming prices varied, that would add up to roughly ten million dollars.”
Vee furrowed her brow. “But Grandpa paid twenty million dollars for the Coopers. He must have made profit off the restaurants throughout the years, enough to make up the difference.”
“I’ve investigated that possibility. It’s possible, but…”
“But what?” She looked suspicious. “How does Preston think Grandpa Carroll was able to buy the Coopers?”
“Vee, this story is wild.”
She lifted her brow. “You met with my ex and discussed my family. You’re just now telling me about it. What did he say?”
“He said your grandfather partnered, off the record, with Blaine Marsh.”
Her expression changed as if she’d eaten something sour. “He said Grandpa partnered with Uncle Darin’s father?”
I went on to tell her what Clark said. Darin Marsh’s father was a financier who worked for a reputable firm and had connections to other NFL owners.
“But Grandpa bought the Coopers before Uncle Darin and Aunt Rachel were together.”
“Right. Darin wasn’t involved in the original deal.
Carroll and Blaine knew one another. Blaine helped Carroll get the votes needed by the owners to be able to purchase a team and helped with financing.
According to Clark, Blaine Marsh inflated the worth of your grandparents’ restaurants.
That was only on paper. The extra money came from Darin’s father. ”
“Why would Grandpa agree to this? What did Blaine get out of the deal?”
“Vee, I don’t know why or if your grandfather did this. As for what Blaine got; he was promised that his son would eventually be part owner or maybe total owner of the Coopers.”
Vee did the math. “But Aunt Rachel was only a teenager when Grandpa bought the team.”
“In this scenario, your aunt and uncle were persuaded to marry by their fathers.”
Vee took a minute to digest all we said. “Then Grandpa cut Aunt Rachel from the team.”
“Again, according to the story, it was a double cross, not on your aunt. The team was always supposed to go to Rachel or at least half of it. Your grandfather changed his will, not to cut Rachel out, but to cut Darin and Grant out. He did it to hurt Blaine.”
Vee leaned back against the sofa, the game on the television forgotten. “I’m stunned. Why would Preston make up this story?”
“He’s worried for you. He said he’d called and left messages and you haven’t returned them.”
“I spoke to him the first time he called after the breakup. I almost didn’t. Then I remembered how it felt to be ghosted.”
Low blow.
“So that time, I answered,” Vee said. “Since Dad’s death, I haven’t wanted to talk to many people. I answered Emma’s call and a few others. Mustering the strength for Preston was beyond my ability.”
“He wanted to warn you. He believes that your father’s death wasn’t an accident. He also doesn’t think it was Bre who facilitated it.”
Vee’s eyes filled with tears as her mouth hung open. “What am I supposed to do with this information?”
“Keep your eyes open.”