Page 41 of Key West Homecoming

“Good. And I need a copy of Jake’s letter.”

“I made two copies yesterday. Maeve has one, and I have the other. I can bring it to you when we meet.”

“Perfect.”

Emma made another note.

“What else haven’t you told me?”

Emma leaned back in the chair. “There may be someone who knew my grandmother well in the last few years of her life. A man she was seeing.”

“You know his name?”

“No. Connie at Margarita Max’s remembers him coming into the bar with her. She said he used to read to my grandmother.”

“Find him.”

“I intend to.”

“If he knew your grandmother well during the period when she signed that later will, I want to know what he remembers.”

Emma wrote his name on her list even though she didn’t have one yet. Gloria’s gentleman friend would have to do for now.

“There’s something else,” she said. “Jake has lived in the cottage for three years. He signed his lease with Arthur and paid him rent every month. Until I showed up, he had no reason to think there was a problem.”

“And he gave you the letter?”

“Yes.”

“Do you trust him?”

Emma didn’t answer immediately.

Three days ago, Jake Kelleher had been nothing more than a stranger living in her grandmother’s cottage. Since then, he’d given her the letter without knowing exactly why she wanted it and had accepted her promise that she would tell him the truth when she could. He had trusted her first.

Rachel’s question wasn’t difficult after all.

“I do.”

“Then don’t lose that. He may become an important witness, especially if the letter was meant to keep him quiet until the sale closed.”

Emma looked again at the words she’d written that morning.

Protect the tenant.

“I understand.”

“One more thing,” Rachel said. “Your uncle is going to find out very soon that you have a lawyer. My office will notify him once I’m formally involved. After that, don’t speak to him without me. If he calls, texts or emails you, send it to me.”

Emma thought about Arthur’s last call and how easily he had tried to explain everything away.

“That won’t be a problem.”

“Good.”

Emma looked over the notes covering the page. There was one question she wanted to ask before they hung up.

“Rachel?”