“What if his lawyer can file something to stop us? I don’t know, and I don’t want to know. It’s not worth the risk.”
“Maybe not to you, but what about me? Dad, I want to be the one to tell him . . . before it happens. Otherwise, I look like I’m sneaking around stabbing him in the back.” She cast a pleading look at her mom. “He deserves better from me.”
“What about what I deserve from you?” her dad asked, his hurt tone burying her in guilt. “Didn’t I sell you this house at a discount when I could’ve easily gotten more money—and been paid in full—on the open market? Weren’t you the one who wanted to hold on to this house for sentimental reasons? Don’t you owe me, your father, more consideration than you owe Grey Lowell? Don’t your mom and I deserve to retire in peace, without financial worry?” He shook his head, sighing. “Please don’t argue with me. Not now, when we still have so much going on with your brother’s trial. What I want—what I expect—from you tonight is your loyalty to your family, not to Grey Lowell. He’s not your husband. He’s not even your fiancé. For all you know, he’ll be out of your life a year from now. Don’t put our whole family’s future in jeopardy because of your infatuation.”
Trapped! If she forewarned Grey and he did find a loophole, her family would never forgive her. If she didn’t, Grey might never forgive her, either. A lose-lose situation.
“How will I face Grey with this latest maneuver?” she mused aloud.
“Head held high, like I’ve always taught you,” came her dad’s quick reply.
Chapter Twenty-One
The next morning Grey licked the remains of two chocolate-glazed donuts with sprinkles off his fingers before opening the door to the town hall. He squinted at the directory in the lobby, searching for the location of the town clerk’s office. Adler had told him he could search the public land records to find maps of the property in question. If any easements or rights-of-way existed, they’d be noted in surveys or land descriptions. Of course, Grey’s disability meant reading those maps could very well turn into mission: impossible.
Grey strode down the musty hall thinking about what he had at stake. Matt’s smug face and remarks had run through his head all night and morning. He’d tried to ignore the idiot, but his gut warned him to prepare for bad news. When he’d called Avery last night, the call went straight to voice mail and she hadn’t returned the call—a first since they’d starting dating a month ago.
He shook his head, needing to focus on the task at hand. A middle-aged woman behind the counter smiled as he approached.
“Good morning,” he began, reaching into his pocket to retrieve the paper with the property information Trip had finagled from Kelsey. “I’m hoping to take a look at any surveys and subdivision plans filed in connection with this property. Can you pull them for me, or show me how to find them?”
The kindly-looking woman took the paper from him and studied it. “Give me a minute.” She disappeared behind a few rows of books. Moments later, she returned carrying a large book with Grey’s notepaper stuffed in its pages like a bookmark. “You can sit over there and take a look.” She pointed to a metal table pushed up against the wall.
“Thanks, ma’am.” Grey plunked the book down and opened it to the page the woman had marked for him. It took him a few minutes to orient himself with the creek and road they parked along last winter. Then he used the legend to try to map out the general outline of Wade’s proposed purchase, which did look like it would include the access point they’d been using. Unfortunately, Grey didn’t see any kind of easement or other right-of-way denoted on the survey.
After ten minutes of chasing his tail, he closed the book, sat back, and scrubbed his hands through his hair. Another dead end. Wade’s development would cost them a third of the best runs they’d found. Just as he pulled out his phone to call his partner, it rang. Grey didn’t recognize the number.
“Grey Lowell.”
“Mr. Lowell, this is Brad Michaels, the prosecutor in the State’s case against Andy Randall.”
Oh shit. “Good morning.” Grey straightened up in his chair. “What can I do for you?”
“I’d like to talk to you before the hearing. I don’t need you to testify because we’ve got solid evidence without you, but I’d like to get a victim impact statement. It can be helpful with sentencing. Do you have some time this morning?”
Grey glanced at his watch. A favorable statement would help put Avery’s family at ease. At least he could do one positive, productive thing today. “I can stop by now.”