“Listen. I’ve got nothing against you. You seem like a good lawyer. But I’ve got a whole lot of resentment built up against the man that should have been my father. I don’t expect you to understand that, sir, but I’m telling you right now, I’d sooner die in a puddle of piss than take a dime from that old man.”
“I see,” Chapman said. “Well, on a personal note, I can tell you that I can fully respect a sentiment such as that. I represented your father in legal matters for a long time, but I’d never claim to stand by the things he did in his life. The way he treated you, and your poor mother.”
Forrester didn’t want to be rude, but he cut Chapman off in mid sentence. “Get rid of the money. Give it to a charity that looks out for women in my mother’s position. If you draw something up, I’ll sign it. Other than that, is there any reason we can’t end this meeting right here and now?”
“Well,” Chapman said, stalling for time while he thought of the words he wanted. “There is another little matter. A detail, if you will.”
“A detail?”
“Yes, a detail.”
“What is it?”
Chapman opened a drawer in his desk and pulled out an envelope. “This,” he said.
“What’s that?”
“It’s a letter.”
“From my father?”
“Yes, he wanted you to have it.”
“I don’t want it.”
“I have to pass it on to you.”
“I don’t want it,” Forrester said firmly.
“Just take it,” Chapman said, sliding it across his desk. “Don’t read it if you don’t want it. But I’m under an obligation to see that you receive it. I can’t release the funds to you, or to the charity of your choice, until I’ve delivered that letter.”
“I really don’t want it,” Forrester said, looking Chapman in the eye.
“You’d be making my life a whole lot easier, son, if you just took it. You have no idea of the paperwork involved with an unclaimed estate.”
Reluctantly, Forrester reached across the desk and grabbed the envelope. He crushed it into his pocket and stood up.
“And that’s it?” he said.
“That’s it for now,” Chapman said. “I’ll draw up the paperwork to give the estate to charity, as you’ve requested, and I’ll get everything ready for you.”
Forrester nodded and walked to the door. Before opening it he paused and turned back to the lawyer.
“Sorry to be such a pain. I know it’s not your fault. I just really didn’t see eye to eye with the old man.”
He opened the door and left before Chapman could say anything.
Chapman’s law office was on Main Street and Forrester left his truck where it was and walked toward the diner. As he crossed the street and entered the diner parking lot, he saw a heavily muscled guy with broad shoulders and dark stubble come out of the restaurant. He looked furious, and as he approached Forrester, he seemed to be squaring up for a fight.
“What are you looking at, dip shit?” the guy said.
Forrester looked him in the eye but said nothing. Life was too short to be getting in a fight with every lowlife that took it upon himself to try and cause trouble. He walked right past the guy, who watched him like a hawk. The guy was mad, and Forrester wondered why. He looked around and saw no one. The man had just been in the diner. Something must have happened in there. All he could think about was Elle.
“Hey,” the guy said. “I’m talking to you, fuck head.”
Forrester sighed. He stopped walking and turned back to the guy.
“You from this town?” Forrester said.
“Not that it’s any of your business, but no, I’m not,” the guy said.
“But you came into this diner to cause trouble?”
“I cause trouble wherever the fuck I want.”
Forrester took a step toward him. The guy sized him up and immediately did the math. He took a step backward. Forrester had the look of a fighter, and the guy wanted no part of it.
“Not in this diner you don’t,” Forrester said. “I see you in here looking for trouble again, and you won’t walk out. You’ll leave on a stretcher.”
Forrester wasn’t in the mood for talking to the guy, and he wasn’t in the mood for wasting time. He turned his back on him without waiting for a reply, and stepped into the diner.
Chapter 20
Elle
ELLE WAS IN THE KITCHEN composing herself when Kelly rushed in.
“He’s here. Elle, he’s here.”
Elle felt faint. “What? Gris? He’s back?”
“No silly, not him. Forrester.”
Her stomach did a flip. “Oh my God. Forrester’s here?”
“He came back for you, Elle.”
Elle took a deep breath. That was exactly the thought she was having too. She’d given Forrester the chance to escape. She’d given him an out. But he was back.
She straightened her dress and pushed her hair back behind her ears.
“How do I look?”
“Beautiful,” Gracie said unceremoniously. “Now go get this guy before that other guy steals you away from us.”