Ask Troy if I’ve let her down—well, except about the terrarium. Don’t ask her about the terrarium. I did let her down a little bit about that. But that’s the only thing.”
“What?” Hope asked, looking confused.
Tanner plunged on. He had to make her understand. “And your family isn’t uprooted, Hope. That’s what I’m trying to tell you. Suzanne owns the ranch now.”
Hope frowned. “What are you talking about? I was there, remember? Big Julie owns it.”
“Big Julie doesn’t own it. I’ve been trying to tell you. Your mom owns it. Jack sent her a letter telling her. You didn’t get the letter?”
Hope remembered the letter from Mecklenburg and Sievers addressed to her mother that even now was lying in her bag. She picked up her bag and pulled out the letter, scrutinizing the return address.
She looked up. “This is just another of your tricks.”
“I don’t have any tricks. Call Jack if you don’t believe me.”
She fished her cell phone out of her bag, dialed, and was put through to Jack.
“Hope, you are a difficult person to reach. Did you get my letter?”
“I have a letter from Mecklenburg and Sievers, but it’s addressed to my mom and she’s not here. I want to confirm what’s in it. Can you tell me?”
“I don’t see why not. Your mother owns the ranch free and clear. Derek sold it to her for a dollar. I’m—”
Hope blinked. “Wait a second. Derek sold it to my mom for a dollar? That’s not possible.”
“Sure it is. I’ve got the paperwork right here. And believe me, a lawyer is never wrong about paperwork.”
“How did Derek get the ranch? Just two days ago it was Big Julie’s.”
“Well, after that it was Derek’s,” Jack said firmly. “The lead abatement report isn’t in yet, and we have some other conveyances to file, but I think everything should be wrapped up by tomorrow.”
“Lead abatement,” Hope said, remembering Bob. “Were those the guys who came out on Monday?”
“They were.”
“I’m glad I gave them coffee, then.”
Jack laughed. “Do you have any other questions?”
“Well, of course I do, Jack. How did Derek get the ranch?”
“It reverted to the original owner, according to federal forfeiture law, after Big Julie was arrested during the card game. That was Derek McNaughton. And Derek sold it to Suzanne, through me, for a dollar.”
“Why did he do that?”
“He realized that he hasn’t treated your family fairly for the last seventeen years, and to make up for not paying alimony, child support, and other court-ordered expenses, he decided to sell you the ranch. He’s doing the right thing here.”
“And yet, everything sounds so wrong. When did mom give you a dollar?”
“Actually, she gave me two dollars. One dollar went to Derek for the ranch and one went to me, to retain my services.”
Hope paused to think. Jack’s story was too glib and his voice was too smooth. She knew she was missing something. She just didn’t see what.
“So Jack, tell me. How did you get mixed up in this?”
Jack cleared his throat. “Maybe you want to talk to Tanner about that.”
“Maybe I want to talk to you. Are you the family lawyer, or not? We can fire you, you know.”
“Oh, no, don’t do that. You’re my most lucrative clients.”
Hope laughed. “Oh, good, we’ve retained a snotty lawyer. Send us a bill. If we have a two-million dollar ranch now, we can afford to pay it. I just want to know how we got here.”
Jack voice sounded amused. “Give it up, Hope. You want to find out what happened, talk to Tanner. I’m his lawyer, too. I can’t reveal any confidences.”
“I knew it! You guys did something.”
“The dollar that your mother gave me three days ago for legal fees is now earning me about ten cents an hour. Gotta go, Hope. My pro bono cases make me richer than you guys.”
“But Jack—”
“The letter says that Suzanne owns the ranch. Talk to Tanner. Heaven knows he’s been trying to talk to you.”
Hope closed the phone and dropped it into her purse before she turned back to Tanner, a puzzled look on her face.
“Mom owns the ranch,” she said, sounding stunned. “Evidently, we don’t have to move after all.”
“Told you,” he said, stepping closer. “Hope—”
“Stop right there,” she said, cutting him off. “Thank you for getting the ranch back. I don’t know how you did it, but I appreciate it. Very much. Don’t think that I don’t. But that doesn’t change anything, Tanner. You’re still who you are and I’m who I am and