Chapter 6 - Sarah Discovered The Transfer Before Dying
Ava’s mother, Sarah, died four years earlier from pancreatic cancer.
For most of those years, Ava believed Sarah never knew the house had
been transferred.
The email proved otherwise.
Mercer produced more correspondence.
Three months after the deed was recorded, Sarah emailed Diane:
WHY DOES THE TAX NOTICE LIST YOU AS OWNER?
Diane replied:
DAD IS RESTRUCTURING THINGS. DON’T WORRY ABOUT IT.
George read the exchange.
“I never told her that.”
Another email came from Sarah.
I SPOKE TO MOM’S NURSE. SHE COULD NOT HAVE SIGNED ANYTHING THAT DAY.
Diane did not answer in writing.
Two days later, Sarah met Charles Mercer at his office.
There were no notes from the meeting.
But Mercer’s calendar listed:
S. HALE — BRIARWOOD / DEED ISSUE.
Ava felt sick.
Her mother had discovered the problem.
So why had she never told Ava or Ryan?
George answered quietly.
“Because she was diagnosed a month later.”
Sarah’s cancer became the center of everything.
Treatment.
Pain.
Family visits.
The house dispute vanished beneath a medical crisis.
Or so everyone thought.
Ryan remembered something.
Near the end of her life, Sarah gave him a sealed banker’s box.
She said:
“Don’t open this until you and Ava are ready to deal with the family.”
Ryan had stored it in a climate-controlled unit after Sarah’s funeral.
He had never opened it.
Ava stared at him.
“You had a box for four years?”
Ryan looked ashamed.
“I thought it was letters and estate papers.”
May you like
George said:
“Go get it.”
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