“It was just a lawn.”
She shook her head.
“It’s more than that.”
I didn’t understand what she meant.
That night, I barely slept.
Stress. Pain. Fear.
The next morning, sirens woke me up.
Two patrol cars.
Right outside.
My heart dropped.
A knock hit my door.
A sheriff stood there.
“Ma’am, I need to ask you about Mrs. Carter.”
My stomach twisted.
“What happened?”
“She passed away this morning.”
Everything went quiet.
“I… I just saw her yesterday.”
“We know,” he said. “That’s why we’re here.”
I panicked.
“Did I do something wrong? I only helped her with the yard—”
“Then you won’t mind explaining this.”
He pointed to my mailbox.
“Open it.”
My hands were shaking.
Inside was a thick envelope.
My name on it.
And a note.
“You’re a good girl. Don’t forget that.”
I opened it.
Inside were legal documents.
A letter.
And a check.
$250,000.
I couldn’t breathe.
“This… this has to be a mistake.”
“It’s not,” the sheriff said. “She updated her will three weeks ago.”
I read the letter.
She had been watching me.
For years.
She saw me working. Struggling. Trying.
