steering wheel several times before slumping her body forward, resting her head against it.
The betrayal cut deep, settling in the marrow of her bones. How could he? She couldn’t believe her grandfather would take care of her father after he’d abandoned her. It didn’t make sense. Christophe had raised his son’s daughter. Helped his son’s wife pay the bills and put food on the table. Scared away his daughter’s nightmares. Kissed the boo-boos. Attended the dance recitals, Christmas programs, princess movies, and played in make-believe tea parties. He was a part of everything in her life that her father wasn’t.
And apparently her grandfather had forgiven him.
Well, she couldn’t. Forgiveness was lost on her and she didn’t care to go looking for it.
The sound of yelling intruded into her thoughts, probably a home run in the nearby game, and she lifted her head to see what the disturbance was about. Her eyes didn’t get past the backpack sitting on her passenger seat. She reached out her hand and turned it over, curious about its contents.
The letter was in the front zipper pocket like Minor had said. She turned the beige envelope over, and ripped it open.
My Dearest Grace,
If you’re reading this, it means that I’m gone and you’re already aware of two things: your inheritance and the mystery waiting for you to pick up before your eighteenth birthday. The backpack this letter was placed in was specially designed to safely hold the contents of the safe deposit box. You MUST use it when transporting the contents from the bank and anywhere else outside the manor.
The backpack is crucial, Grace. If you end up at the bank without the bag, you leave without the contents in the safe deposit box and don’t return until you have it. Then and only then do you retrieve what’s at the bank. Again, I can’t impress enough how important it is for you to take Quentin with you. You must trust and listen to him.
I love you so much, Grace. Don’t ever feel you’re unworthy, for you are worth a thousand times more than all that I could ever give you. I’m so very proud of the young woman you’ve become and honored that I’ve been blessed enough to be there every step of the way.
Don’t shed any more tears for me. You must go on to live your life and fulfill all that you’re meant to be. I’ll always be watching from afar.
Love,
Your grandfather,
Christophe Morgan
As she looked out the windshield through tear-blurred vision, a sense of tranquility settled upon Grace. Her grandfather had loved and cared for her. Hell, he’d loved and cared for all of his family, regardless of whether they appreciated his affection or returned it.
That was just the wonderful kind of man her grandfather was.
It seemed petty to wallow in her anger after reading his words. She wanted nothing more than to know he looked down upon her and was proud of her. She shouldn’t care what he chose to do with his money. It was his.
And she certainly wouldn’t allow herself to act like the rest of her godforsaken family. Grace sucked in a large gulp of air, and silently made a promise to her grandfather. From that moment on, she would not care about what the others received from him, who received what, or whether or not she felt they deserved it. More important things needed to be done.
She grabbed her cell phone from her purse, and dialed Quentin’s number.
“Hello.” His warm voice reached out to her, spreading warmth along with comfort through her body.
“Hi, Quentin. Can you meet me at the bank sometime today?”
He paused briefly before replying, “Of course. What time were you thinking?”
Hoping she wouldn’t sound too pushy, she waited a few extra seconds before answering. “I was actually hoping you weren’t too busy now.”
“How soon can you be there?”
“I’m not sure where the bank is, but if it’s in Woods Cross, I can be there in about twenty minutes,” she said, relieved that he could go.
“Do you know where First Light Credit Union is off of Broadway in downtown?”
“Yeah, I know where it is. I can be there in twenty minutes for sure. Does that work for you, or do you need more time?”
“Nope,” Quentin said. “I’ll meet you out front in twenty.”
Once more, she was thankful for Quentin’s help and his willingness to be available whenever she needed him. “Thank you, Quentin.”
“You are very welcome, Grace. I’ll see you soon.”
Tossing her cell phone in the