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As soon as I was in the room, I picked up the phone and dialed my father.
“Spencer,” he greeted coldly, having no idea how he knew it was me.
“What can I do to get you to call this off? I’ll pay for the ranch. Anything you want I will do.”
He laughed. I could hear him in his office chair as it creaked. I imagined him getting comfortable. He loved this part of the game.
“Spencer, there is nothing you could do, beg, offer that would change this decision. I’m doing this solely for my own pleasure. To screw you over as you’ve screwed me.”
“How?” I asked, calmly. “What I have I even done to you?”
“You defied me,” he stated. “And now you must pay.”
“And this is just to teach me a lesson?”
“No, not to teach you a lesson. Lessons are for people I plan on keeping around. This is, like I said, only for my own pleasure. I want you to suffer.”
Suddenly my hate for him seeped out in a muddy, vicious river and was replaced with pity.
“Dad,” I said with mercy, “I forgive you.”
He didn’t respond. I had mystified him.
“I will let you do these things to people you’ve never met before because I hope beyond all hope that you will discover the cruelty and hate that has taken up residence in your heart and soul and you will change yourself.”
He inhaled loudly. “Listen, you little—” he began, but I hung up before he could finish.
I made one more phone call.
An hour or so later, Bridge and Jonah arrived. I was so amped up that Dr. Caldwell told me they may have to postpone surgery if I couldn’t get my blood pressure in check. I knew as soon as I could get Bridge and Jonah to help I would be able to calm down.
“I have seven million, two hundred ninety-three thousand, eight hundred fifty-nine dollars and seventeen cents stashed away in a bank account in Zurich,” I began, shocking them. “And a few hundred thousand more sitting in a deposit box in Kalispell in Cricket’s name. My attorney in New York is aware of what I want and he’s put all the funds in Zurich in your name, Bridget.”
Her eyes blew wide. “Me?”
I laughed. “Yeah, you. Here’s the phone number,” I said, handing her a pad of paper. I had written all the information she needed. “I’ll be in surgery and recovery and we have a limited amount of time before Dad closes the doors on the Hunts for good.
“Jonah, I’m so, so sorry that my family has harmed yours so egregiously, and I know my father has stolen a hundred years’ worth of land that was your legacy.” I sighed, afraid I’d break down. “But I am asking you and your family to forgive mine and accept this money, however much you need, to buy yourselves another ranch.”
“We can’t take this,” Jonah answered.
“Jonah, this is not up for negotiation. You will take this money, or when I get out of here, I will buy one anyway and move all your stuff there. This way is better because you can choose what’s best for your family.”
“I’m-I don’t know what to say,” he said. “Thank you.”
“No, no thank you’s. This is the best way I know how to right a wrong.”
“Bridge, all you have to do is call this number.”
Bridge nodded, pocketed the pad of paper, kissed my cheek and she and Jonah set out to fix what our father had done.
I had done all I could do. Now it was time to let Dr. Caldwell do what all he could.
Chapter Thirty-Six
They rolled me down the hall and into the elevator and pushed the button for the third floor. My heart beat wildly with nerves and anticipation of seeing Cricket. The letter I’d written her was tucked into an envelope entitled “just in case” and I clutched it in my hand tightly.
They wheeled my gurney down the hall toward number seven, and I gripped the letter so tightly I almost crushed it. The doors opened and they backed me up a little to make room for her. I sat up a little to get a good look at her and I couldn’t believe how valuable she looked. She was priceless.
