Willow in Bloom by Victoria Pade Page B

fact they were merely rehashing what had been in the letter they’d both read. “By then Teddy Colton had gone through with the second marriage, to this Kay person, and he didn’t want anyone to know about Gloria or the pregnancy—which would have come out if he’d divorced Gloria and had to re-marry Kay.”
    â€œSo instead he paid Gloria off.”
    â€œBy setting up a trust fund and signing over to her the deed to a piece of property in Washington, D.C. In Georgetown, specifically.”
    â€œAnd the crux of it,” Bram said, as if he were just seeing it for himself, “is that Dad and Uncle Thomas—”
    â€œAnd all of us kids—”
    â€œAre the legitimate heirs of Teddy Colton, while any kids or grandkids he had with Kay—”
    â€œMight have thought they were the heirs, but aren’t, because Teddy Colton’s Reno wedding to Gloria wasnever dissolved. So his subsequent marriage to Kay wasn’t legal or valid, and any kids or grandkids coming out of that union—”
    â€œAre illegitimate,” Bram concluded. “Wow.”
    â€œWow is right,” Willow agreed.
    â€œPlus there’s an inheritance,” Bram said, as if the wheels of his brain were turning smoothly again after the shock of what he’d read in the letter. “And coincidentally, there’s someone in town nosing around asking questions about us.”
    â€œMaybe part of the interest in us involves this deed,” Willow suggested.
    â€œI think it’s possible,” Bram agreed. Then, as if he’d just realized Willow was still pacing, he said, “Would you sit down? You’re making me dizzy.”
    Willow did as he’d suggested, taking the chair across from him. “So what do you think is going on, Bram?”
    â€œI’d say we’ve found proof of what Rand Colton was here looking for last month. That we are connected to this other branch of the Coltons. That we’re the legitimate heirs of Teddy Colton. And that we seem to have inherited some sort of trust fund and some property in Georgetown.”
    â€œI meant does all this have anything to do with the fire and newspaper office break-in and this other supposed guy asking about us around town?”
    â€œMaybe,” her brother said noncommittally. “One thing is for sure, though—this could change some lives. Maybe lives of people who don’t want themchanged. Or it could take something away from someone who doesn’t want to lose it. Until we know exactly what’s going on, I’m thinking that it would be a good idea for all of us to be a little extra careful.”
    â€œAnd to put these documents and the letter somewhere safe,” Willow added.
    â€œAfter we show it to Uncle Thomas. Plus we’d better let all the grandchildren know, too, so they can be on guard in case there’s any move made against any of us.”
    â€œDo you really think we’re in danger?” Willow asked worriedly.
    Bram shrugged. “I don’t know, Will. I don’t know what the D.C. property is worth or how much whoever wants it wants it—if that’s what’s going on here. I don’t know what these other Coltons might be worried about losing to us, either. I do know that I’m taking the letter and the documents right now, showing it to Uncle Thomas and then locking it away at the bank so it’s not here, putting you in possible jeopardy.”
    For once Willow was happy with the protective tendencies of one of her brothers. “You won’t get any argument from me,” she declared. “So, are you going to contact Rand Colton and see what he has to say about this?”
    â€œHe left me a few numbers where he could be reached. But I think first we’d better just let the immediate family know what’s going on and find out who this guy is who’s asking questions about us now.And if he had anything to do with