Chapter 6 - The Sheriff at the Door
By the time Daniel and I reached the lake house, two sheriff’s vehicles were parked near the road.
Claire stood beside their SUV with her arms crossed.
Ryan was speaking rapidly to a deputy.
Lorraine sat inside the vehicle with the air-conditioning running.
Frank stared at the lake as though he wished he could disappear into it.
The Hensleys remained inside the house.
Judith had already emailed the property manager copies of the lease and deed.
The deputy walked toward me.
“Mrs. Ellis?”
“Yes.”
“You’re the owner?”
“I am.”
He glanced toward Ryan.
“And you rented the property?”
“Through August fifteenth.”
Ryan stepped forward.
“She failed to disclose that family members already occupied and maintained this property.”
The deputy looked at him.
“Do you live here?”
“Part time.”
“No, he doesn’t,” I said.
Ryan’s jaw tightened.
“We spend summers here.”
“You visit.”
“I’ve invested money in this property.”
“That doesn’t make it yours.”
Claire moved between us.
“Mom, please.”
Her voice was trembling.
“The kids are watching.”
I looked toward my grandchildren.
Ava, fourteen, stood beside the SUV pretending not to listen.
Eight-year-old Mason was holding his baseball glove.
My anger softened.
“Come here, sweetheart.”
Mason looked at Claire before approaching me.
“Are we not staying at Grandpa’s house?”
The question nearly broke me.
I knelt.
“It’s still Grandpa’s house in our hearts.”
“Then why can’t we go in?”
“Because another family rented it this summer.”
His little face fell.
“Did we do something bad?”
“No.”
I hugged him.
“None of this is because of you.”
Behind me, Ryan said, “That’s enough.”
I stood.
The deputy immediately raised a hand.
“Sir, nobody is entering the house without the tenant’s permission.”
Ryan laughed bitterly.
“This is insane.”
The deputy remained calm.
“No, sir.”
He pointed at the paperwork.
“This is a lease.”
Lorraine climbed out of the SUV.
“So where are we supposed to stay?”
The deputy looked genuinely confused.
“I can’t help you with that, ma’am.”
I almost laughed.
Claire’s eyes filled with tears.
“You really planned this.”
“Yes.”
“To punish us.”
“No.”
“To embarrass Ryan?”
“No.”
“Then why?”
I stepped closer.
“Because you told me there wasn’t enough space in the house I built.”
Her face changed.
I continued.
“You told me Ryan wanted the summer for his family.”
“You know what I meant.”
“I finally decided I did.”
Ryan opened the SUV door.
“Everybody get in.”
Then he looked directly at me.
“You think a lease proves you own everything.”
“I have a deed that does that.”
A small smile appeared on his face.
That smile bothered me.
“We’ll see.”
He climbed into the vehicle.
Daniel heard it too.
As the SUV disappeared up the road, he turned toward me.
“What did he mean by that?”
“I don’t know.”
My phone rang.
Judith.
Her first words made the pleasant summer afternoon suddenly feel cold.
“Margaret, we have a problem.”
“What kind?”
“Ryan’s attorney just filed something with the county.”
I gripped the phone.
“What?”
“A notice claiming Ryan has an equitable interest in the lake house.”
I looked toward the road where their SUV had vanished.
“Can he do that?”
“He can file it.”
Judith paused.
“Proving it is another matter.”
Then her voice became very serious.
“But Margaret, he attached documents.”
“What documents?”
May you like
“One of them appears to have your signature.”
---
