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"No He continued to work until the health issues forced him to retire Said it was cathartic for him to stay busy He also redecorated the house" The lawyer shrugged "It was ho His e frohborhood, even after they’d lost his dad to extortionists

Her insistence on staying put was Cannon’s nuht He’d lost his dad, so he had been determined to protect his mother and sister And he had--until his mother had passed aith cancer Noas just him and his sister, andwhatever it was Tipton had eued, Cannon asked, "So nohat?"

"You sign a few papers and take ownership alongside Ms Sweeny Fifty-fifty The two of you can decide to stay put, sell or one can buy out the other"

Cannon shook his head "Have you seen Yvette?" He couldn’t i the house, but even if she did, where would she get the funds? She’d betwenty-three now Still young for such responsibilities

But finally old enoughfor him

"She was in yesterday"

Had Yvette expected him to be there, as well? Looked forward to it?

Or ht dredge up a past better forgotten

Whitaker turned the papers, placed an ink pen on top and pushed them toward Cannon "If you wouldn’tuntil he’d read it all and figured it out

The lawyer sighed, pushed back his chair and stood "Read Tipton’s letter I’m sure it’ll all make sense then"

"You knohat’s in it?"

Whitaker looked away "No, of course I don’t Tipton gave it tohis throat, the lawyer ht up to the end He knehat he was doing, what he wanted"

And he wanted so around his desk, the lawyer clasped his shoulder "I’ll give you a fewthe door behind hi over to a , Cannon leaned a shoulder on the wall and studied the envelope It was sealed, all right, closed with tape wrapped completely around it He tore off one end of the envelope With a sense of foreboding, he pulled out two neatly typed, folded papers Opening thenature at the bottoan to read Each word made his heart beat heavier with trepidation--and anticipation

Yes, Tipton knehat he wanted He’d spelled it all out in great detail One particular paragraph really got to Cannon

This is her home, Cannon No matter what, she should be here She always trusted you and you were always there, such a good boy

Despite the enormity of what Tipton wanted, a touch of hu that he enty-six, only a grandpa would call him a boy

I know it’s a lot to ask, especially after you already risked your life for us But she’s too cautious now, too guarded If you’ll agree, I know you can free her froain

Did Tiptonattacked, threatened with the worst a woman could suffer?

No, he didn’t want to think about that now; it still enraged hi an unwilling spectator to the cruelty