Not death, perhaps. But danger. Enough to prepare.
Dorothy read the rest of the letter slowly, every word sinking into her like a nail being driven deeper with each line. Colleen had changed her will three weeks earlier with the help of her godfather, attorney Emmett Calloway. She had shifted the house into trust, protected the babies’ future, and made clear that if she died, Grant was to inherit nothing directly until a full legal review took place.
At the very end, Colleen wrote:
I hope you never read this.
I hope I come home and burn this envelope and laugh at myself.
But if you do read it, then fight for them.
Fight like you fought for me and Fletch after Dad died.
Fight like you always do.
You are the only person I trust.
Your Collie
Dorothy pressed the pages against her chest.
For a moment she let herself grieve again—not just the death, but the secret suffering. The months Colleen had carried triplets and betrayal at the same time. The fact that her daughter had been afraid and had borne that fear mostly alone.
Then Dorothy opened the USB drive materials.