One Millhaven Lane Read Online Free PDF

"It seems your mother borrowed against the policy over the years and never set up a repayment plan. The accrued interest is substantial and ate heavily into the proceeds."
    Asia was puzzled. Her mother had never said anything about being short of money. If she had, Asia would have given her whatever assistance she needed. Why hadn’t she said something to her?
    "Was she in trouble?"
    "It wasn't anything like that."
    "What was it then?" Asia had a feeling she wouldn't like Harry's answer.
    "She borrowed the money to help out your brother."
    "Bobby?" She'd been right. She didn't like the response.
    "To bail him out of jail, probably." The mention of her wayward twin always angered Asia. As a child, he couldn't seem to keep out of trouble. Halloween tricks escalated from annoying to harmful, which later led to malicious acts all year round and a rap sheet a city block in length. Everyone had predicted he headed for juvie court. They hadn't been wrong.
    "I don't know for sure," Harry said.
    "I do. Mom would never have turned her back on her children, even a drug addict, thieving taker like Bobby." Her voice had taken a hard edge. Bobby brought out the worst in her.
    "Asia."
    She detected a note of reprimand in Harry's voice and apologized. "Bobby was always a sore subject with my mother and me. She couldn't see him for what he was, what he'd become and I couldn't see him the way Mom saw him."
    "There's something else."
    She felt a headache moving in. "What's that?"
    "Your mother's will. She left the house to you and your brother."
    The news came as a shock. "Why didn't you tell me this before?"
    Harry raised his eyebrows. "I tried, remember? You didn't want to hear anything about your mother's will."
    She hung her head, remembering the number of messages Harry left on her answering machine to contact him regarding her mother's estate. After several calls, she'd telephoned him to say she'd get back to him when she was ready.
    "I'm sorry," she said. "You're right, of course."
    She took in a deep breath and exhaled slowly before she continued. "I just assumed Mom would leave me the house since Bobby hasn't shown his face in town since he attempted to rape..." She let her voice trail off to nothing. There was no sense dredging up that embarrassment.
    "On the contrary," Harry said.
    "What?"
    "I don't know the frequency of his visits or telephone calls, but your brother kept in touch with your mother. She would have given up her soul for either of you."
    "But Bobby...." She let her voice trail to nothingness, unable to appreciate her mother's love and devotion for a child who respected no one or nothing.
    "For either of you," Harry said, stressing the sentiment.
    Asia nodded, understanding the sternness in his voice. "Obviously." She sighed, slowly coming to terms with her mother's actions. "What does this mean for me?"
    "Since you were named sole beneficiary on all three policies, the insurance checks are yours to do with as you will. The house, however, is an entirely different matter. Your mother's will clearly states that the house be sold upon her death and the proceeds from such sale after disbursements be divided equally between the two of you, per stirpes."
    "Which means?"
    "If either you or Bobby or both of you died, your shares would go to your children. Your mother's grandchildren."
    Asia frowned. "I don't have any children. Neither does Bobby." She thought about that and realized how little she knew about her twin since he'd left the Grove. "At least any that I know of. Why would my mother make that stipulation?" she asked, more of herself than Harry.
    "I explained the significance to her at the time."
    Asia looked at Harry, thinking that he might have come to a wrong conclusion from what she'd said. "I wasn't implying any transgression on your part. My mother trusted you. So do I." A detail struck her then. "When did my mother execute the will?" There had to be a valid reason for her mother to make out her will the way she