Nick instantly wondered how the man could afford three new cars. He worked a part-time job down at the local warehouse while Willy worked at the lumber yard.
Gary whistled and leaned against his patrol car. “I looked at one just last month. How much did each of those set you back?”
Wilbert’s eyes flashed over to Nick quickly and, suddenly, Nick got a sinking feeling.
“Didn’t cost nothing. Yet,” Wilbert responded as his chest puffed out.
“Yet?” Kyle asked. “How’d you manage that?”
Nick took a step closer to his uncle as his hands balled into fists.
“Dad’s lawyer said we could put this place up as collateral, since everyone in town knows the ranch is rightly his,” Willy blurted out. Wilbert glared at his son.
“You…” Nick started, but his anger was too great to allow him to continue.
“Bucky gave me these here trucks and Marge’s SUV because he knows I’m gonna get this place in the end,” Wilbert said firmly. “When everything is transferred into my name, I’ll have plenty to pay him off. All this will be mine finally.”
Bucky’s was the local car dealer that sat just outside of town. His was the only car dealership for about a hundred miles of Cedar. He was also one of Wilbert’s best friends.
“Now, that there is fraud. You don’t own this place. Not yet,” Kyle said smoothly. “Putting up property that isn’t yours legally is a crime.” He moved towards Wilbert.
“Not according to…” Willy started, but Wilbert jerked his head towards his son.
“Shut up, Willy,” Wilbert shouted.
“Wilbert, is this true?” Gary asked. “Did you purchase these trucks by putting this ranch up as collateral?”
“I ain’t saying nothing until I talk to my lawyer,” Wilbert barked out. “Come on, Willy, let’s go home.”
The three of them watched Willy and Wilbert climb into their new trucks and drive off. Willy took a little longer since he had to back up the truck and the trailer before hauling out of the driveway fast.
“If I were you, I would’ve pressed charges,” Kyle said under his breath as he headed back to the patrol car.
“Give us a call if they come snooping around again. Until your father’s will is read, I’d stick close to the property. I wouldn’t put it past those two to try something else,” Gary added.
Nick watched the patrol car disappear down the driveway and cursed under his breath. He put the horses away and then called Stephen McKinney and relayed everything that had just happened.
“As executor of the estate until your father’s will is read, I can assure you, neither Wilbert nor Willy has any right to put the property up as collateral. You don’t even have that right at this point. As I mentioned in our meeting yesterday, your father put me in charge of everything financial until after the reading. His only stipulation was that you remained on the property until then. He left no previsions for Wilbert or his family. I’ll have to make a few calls to clarify things. I’ll start with a call to Bucky.”
“Yeah, I figure that’s a good place to start too,” Nick agreed.
“Are you okay?” Stephen asked.
“Yeah,” he answered as he wiggled his jaw. “Just pissed. I don’t know why my dad decided to play games like this. Is there any way we can speed up the reading?”
“No, all I can say is your father had his reasons,” Stephen said. “I’ll keep you posted what I find out.”
After hanging up with Stephen, Nick headed inside and up the stairs to the room he’d moved back into when his father had gotten sick. His little cabin that sat on the back of the property sat empty now. Most of his things were still in the cabin, but he figured he would move it all over after the will was read. Either that, or he’d be packing it up to move off the property.
Glancing into the mirror, he groaned at the sight of his swollen lip and eye. He was covered in hay and sweat and decided what he needed was a long hot shower.
When he stepped out, he felt a little steadier and more refreshed and not as frustrated as before, especially after reading the text message from Stephen.
“Talked to Bucky. Wilbert presented him with a deed to the ranch, which is why he opened a line of credit for the three vehicles. I’m having him email a copy of what Wilbert gave him. Whatever it is, it is fake. I assure you, the deed has not yet been taken out of your father’s name. I’ll keep you posted.–S”
Heading down to his father’s office, he decided to meet with Daryl and the rest of the workers later that day. He sent Daryl a message requesting he gather everyone at the barn in an hour for the meeting. Currently, there were eight people working on the ranch, not including Daryl, four of which were camping out on the property.
For the next hour, he tried to make heads and tails of his father’s office. His mother had been the tidy one in the relationship.