As he reached the end of the driveway, he glanced toward the house.
The porch light glowed warmly.
Ruth was still standing there.
For a moment, he imagined Thomas beside her.
A little older.
A little heavier.
Smiling proudly at the place he'd built.
Then Bear turned onto Willow Creek Road.
He had no idea that the real-estate company was already preparing its next move.
And this time, it would not arrive with a cargo van.
It would arrive through official records that made Ruth appear to have voluntarily sold her home.
By eight o'clock the following morning, Nora Ellis had already discovered three serious problems with the purported property transfer.
The first was the sale price.
According to the recorded documents, Ruth had transferred her home and the surrounding property for ninety-four thousand dollars.
Nora had ordered a preliminary valuation review.
Even allowing for the age of the house and the costs of maintaining the creekside land, the property appeared to be worth several times that amount.
An unusual price didn't automatically prove fraud.
People sometimes sold property below market value for legitimate reasons.
But a sale at a deep discount, allegedly signed by an eighty-year-old widow who denied receiving any money, demanded careful examination.
The second problem involved the date.
The purported deed stated that Ruth had personally appeared before a notary on March 18.
Nora asked Ruth where she'd been that afternoon.
Ruth couldn't remember immediately.
She sat at the kitchen table, staring at the calendar hanging beside the refrigerator.
Then her expression changed.
โMarch eighteenth?โ
โYes.โ
Ruth touched the calendar.
โThat was the day I went to the cardiologist.โ
Nora leaned forward.
โAre you certain?โ
โMy appointment was in Knoxville. My neighbor drove me.โ
The attorney nodded.
โWhat time?โ
Ruth thought carefully.
โEarly afternoon. The office was running late. We didn't get home until after supper.โ
Nora wrote down the information.
The document stated that Ruth had appeared before the notary at two forty-five that afternoon in Cedar Hollow.
If Ruth's recollection was correct, the timing would be difficult to reconcile with her medical appointment.
Nora didn't treat the memory as conclusive proof.
She requested relevant appointment and travel records with Ruth's permission.
She also asked whether the neighbor would be willing to provide a statement.
The third problem was even more troubling.