I wanted those facts organized before Dale came back. He had already attempted to make me sign away my home while I was grieving, and now his lawsuit was stopping the land trust from moving forward. Walt said he would challenge the claim and ask the court to address the notice clouding my title.
Two evenings later, headlights appeared on the road after dark. I recognized Arlene’s car before it reached the cabin. She came to the porch alone, holding a large envelope against her chest.
“May I come in?” she asked.
It was the first time I could remember her waiting for an invitation. I stepped aside, and she sat at the kitchen table without taking off her coat.
Arlene placed the envelope between us.
Land Trust was written across it in Luke’s handwriting. For a moment, I couldn’t bring myself to reach for it.
“Where did you get that?”
“Dale’s desk at the dealership. I still do the books there on Fridays.” She stared down at the table. “After I heard about the lawsuit, I went looking.”
Inside were the easement documents Luke and I had signed at the notary’s office. Our signatures were there, along with the stamp and date. The corners were bent, but every page remained intact.
