Chapter 3
The patrol car turned the corner with a muted crunch of tires on gravel, its overhead light bar dark but unmistakable in its dull blue finish. Deputy Martinez parked perpendicular to the driveway, cutting the engine immediately. The gravel crunched again as heavy boots stepped out onto the property. Julian lowered his phone slowly, his eyes darting toward the officer with an expression of vindicated relief. He stepped past Eleanor, though she made no move to block him, and marched down the stairs to meet the law enforcement officer halfway.
"Deputy, thank god," Julian said, his voice laced with the desperate urgency of a man watching his life unravel. "This woman is trespassing. She is physically barricading the entrance to my lawfully inherited home with lumber and nails. I want her arrested for property damage and attempted seizure."
Deputy Martinez, a stocky man with graying temples and a well-worn leather duty belt, adjusted the brim of his campaign hat before looking past Julian toward the porch. He offered a polite, professional nod to Eleanor, who simply stood beside her barricade, resting one hand lightly on the handle of her hammer. The mutual recognition between the officer and the older woman did not escape Julian's notice. His jaw tightened instantly.
"Morning, Mrs. Vance," Deputy Martinez said, his voice carrying easily over the morning breeze. He walked up the wooden steps, bypassing Julian entirely for a moment, and cast a critical eye over the heavy oak planks secured across the white door. "Looks like you're making steady progress."
"Good morning, Frank," Eleanor replied, her demeanor softening just a fraction for the local officer. "I am simply securing my newly acquired premises in accordance with Section Four of the county transfer statutes. As the primary deed holder, I have a legal right to ensure the structural integrity of the property against unauthorized entry."
May you like
Julian whipped around, his face turning an even deeper shade of crimson. "Are you out of your mind, Frank? You know me! My family has lived in this house for forty years! Look at her! She’s wearing a cardigan and pearls, acting like she’s gardening, while she steals my inheritance!"
Deputy Martinez held up a gloved hand to stem the tide of Julian’s rising panic. He turned to face the younger man with a patient, tired expression. "Julian, calm down. Let's look at the paperwork before we start throwing around words like theft. Mrs. Vance brought the county registrar down to the station at seven o'clock this morning. I read the stamp myself. The transfer is legally binding. Your father's estate was insolvent."
