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Now you see why I dragged you to the attorney’s office every year to ensure everything was in order.
According to Ms. Northrop, Flynn is an innocent pawn. One of my greatest regrets is not doing more to help him, pulling him away from the toxic influence of Errol and Ariana. Over the years, I’ve been unable to contact him and speak man to man. But I should have tried harder. I must ask one more favor of you and that is to see that Flynn is taken care of financially. But only, and I repeat, only if he is able to disconnect himself from Errol and Ariana. For if not, the money will only end up in Errol and Ariana’s greedy hands.
You should also know, and I’m so sorry you’re having to hear this through a note, likely post-mortem, that the cause of your parents’ deaths was suicide. With your mother’s insistence, suffice it to say, they drank a lethal concoction and passed in their sleep. Estate attorneys out of Wayward contacted me looking for Maisie as she was the benefactor, however as she had already passed, the house and contents transferred to you.
That said, you had made it clear, on the few occasions we discussed your family and hometown, that Wayward and your parents were a great source of pain for you. So I kept this to myself as I vowed to protect you and Mia in our marriage vows. And although we didn’t have a traditional marriage, I loved you and Mia like a father and was ever so grateful for the personal sacrifices you made when you married me. Sacrifices which allowed me more precious time with Pearl.
So, I kept your parents’ passing from you until you were ready. Money will never be a problem for you and Mia, and therefore, it seemed more compassionate to remain silent concerning the details of your parents’ death, and your inheritance, given the details were not relevant to your livelihood, but a detriment to your peace of mind.
Please tell Angus how much his friendship has meant to me over the years. And thank him for treating Mia as his own. He is a brutish Scot, with a heart as soft as his beloved Cranachan Scottish pudding. Robert the Bruce would be proud.
Thank you again for the time you gave me with Pearl. Seeing you, Mia, and Pearl spend time together gave me so much joy.
Tell Mia, she is my heart. And everything she needs will always be there for her. In the sun, and the soft wafts of wind surrounding her. Ready and willing to guide her at every turn and looking down on her with heavenly affection.
Yours Truly,
Marshall
Birdie wipedtears from under her eyes and then refolded the paper and slipped it back into the envelope. Mia, equally misty as Lucas had pulled her into his side, rubbing her arm.
Kissing Mia on the forehead, he said, “Your dad was a fine man, Mia.”
She nodded and wiped away a steam of tears with her sleeve.
Birdie felt warm and at the same time sad. At the time of writing that note, he had no idea that it was his longtime friend, Hillsboro, who had been slowly polluting his veins and killing him.
She had been informed that once released from the trunk of the cruiser and taken into custody, Dr. Hillsboro begged for a plea deal. More than willing to expose Errol and Ariana and their evil plans for a reduced sentence.
Unfortunately for him and his retirement plan, they already had enough solid evidence to put Errol in prison while Ariana was in a body bag at the morgue, taking her own nap, lying flat on the rollout shelf of a mortuary freezer box.
Dr. Hillsboro was offered nothing except a new set of handcuffs, without embellishments, and charged with first degree murder without bail, as well as attempted manslaughter. Additional charges to be determined.
“Mom,” Mia said, gulping.
“Yes, baby?”
Tears dampened her long black eye lashes. “I want to go home.”
Birdie looked at Lucas, who was doing his best to hold it together. “I do, too.”
Lucas stood. “I’ll check with Morales to see what, if anything, he still needs from us.”
They walked back out to the common area. Tati and Morales were still conversing privately in the suite’s office. Birdie noticed Grant was gone, as well.
So did Lucas. “Where’s Grant?” he asked.
“He headed back to his hotel,” Pinkie explained.
Birdie held out the envelope in her hand. “I’m leaving you with this letter from Marshall. Thought you all might be curious. We’re going to start packing and head back to Wayward once we get the okay from Morales.”
“We’ll probably be doing the same. Leaving in the morning.”
Flynn stood awkwardly to the side. “Uh, boss, when do you want me to show up for work?”
“Monday is fine,” Lucas said, giving the man a backslap. “You bringing your barista with you?”
Flynn’s eyes self-consciously darted around him. “She no longer shares my affection. She’s now dating a rather abrasive Uber driver. With a poor rating to prove it.”
