Destroyed Destiny (Crowne Point 4)

“Sorry for the delay,” he said, shuffling through the stack of papers. “Here we go…” He pulled a paper from the stack. “As I said, an estate of this size takes time to get in order. I’m not used to handling something of this magnitude. Luckily it was very cut and dry. Mr. Hale really only had one stipulation: you get all of the money.”

My brow creased. “All? How much did he have? A couple thousand?”

“Sixty million dollars.”

“Million?” I fell back into my chair. “What? How…”

“He did have one rather odd stipulation…” he trailed off, brow furrowing. “Even now, I don’t understand it, but he said you would.”

I nodded slowly, not really listening.

Sixty. Million.

How did Woodsen Hale, the Crownes’ longest working servant, secretly have millions of dollars?

No sooner did the question present itself, than I answered it. There was only one person who loved my uncle as much as I did. The one thorny boy who pretended nothing mattered, while giving everything he had.

Tears peppered my lids.

“Miss Hale?” My uncle’s attorney stared at me. “Did you hear me?”

I cleared my throat, coming back to the present. “No, sorry.”

“As I was saying, he stipulated you must go to Scotland before the funds are to be released.”

I opened and closed my mouth. “That doesn’t make any sense.”

I rubbed my forehead. Why? Then like a lightbulb went off in my head, I saw a possibility. Could it be the coin?

My uncle’s lawyer shrugged. “It isn’t the oddest request I’ve seen—”

“Did he say where in Scotland?” I cut him off, leaning across the table. Eager.

“Mmm…” He checked the papers. “No.”

“I’ve already gone to Scotland this year,” I said.

“Oh, well!” He clapped his hands together, like that settled it.

I sunk deeper into the chair. “My uncle really didn’t tell me where?”

“He left you a letter.” He reached into his pile of papers, and pulled out a wax-sealed envelope. “If there are instructions in there, I don’t know. It wasn’t for me to read.”

I was a little afraid to read it in front of him. I didn’t want to cry in front of a stranger. But my thumb glanced the waxy seal, opening the envelope to reveal an ivory letter.

My dear Storybook,

By now you’ve left Crowne Hall. I hope you’ve found what I left you, I hope your wish came true, whatever you chose.

If you’re ever lost, find Josephine.

If you can’t find her, then remember, I always loved your poetry, Story.

Missing me one place…

I lifted my head. “This is it?”

“I thought the sixty million would have sufficed,” he said dryly.