We locked ourselves in the study, which still smelled of the mild tobacco and old wood that always reminded me of my father. I sat in his large leather armchair while still clutching the unopened envelope in my hand.
“You didn’t want to open that alone, did you?” Brenda asked gently.
I shook my head because I was terrified of what Misty had hinted about my brother Jesse.
“Your father left very specific instructions, and some things were meant to be discovered only at the right time.”
I looked up at her with confusion.
“What is that supposed to mean, Brenda?”
“Go ahead and open the envelope, Cassandra.”
I broke the wax seal and found a letter along with a small brass key tucked inside.
“My dear Cassandra,” I read aloud, hearing my father’s gravelly voice in my mind. “If you are reading this, it means someone has already made a move for the inheritance.”
The letter continued, “Knowing how people are, I bet it was Misty, a woman I never liked because she had the smile of a magazine and the soul of a debt collector.”
Brenda let out a small laugh as I continued reading the rest of the message.