An Unexpected Magician, page 4
“We don’t know,” Uncle Grant said. “There is no real magic on either side of your family, Justin. That means…”
Justin’s eyes grew. “That means it came from a different person. Did I have a different mother?”
“Or father,” Winston said. “Or both parents.” He shrugged.
“That explains why I was so hated when I grew up. It was my siblings and then me, by myself. It had to have been my mother,” Justin said. “My father must have had a child from a different woman, a magician.”
“Don’t jump to conclusions, lad,” Grant said. “Melinda and I weren’t around Pancel when you were born.”
“But my grandfather and Uncle Turpin would know,” Justin said. “Uncle Turpin is good at keeping things from me.”
“That’s unfair,” Aunt Melinda said, “but not entirely untrue. Now that I remember, I never heard about Roberta being pregnant with you.” She shrugged her shoulders.
Justin took a deep breath. “Knowing this doesn’t change my past. What was done was done. My mother never treated me like a child of hers. Father kept everybody at arm’s length. I’ve almost gotten over what they did to me, and now I may know why. The future doesn’t change with the knowledge of a different mother, but my potential does. I don’t know what to do with magic.”
“You can heal,” Lisiane said.
“I can’t picture myself as a healer. I don’t have to decide immediately? Lisiane will teach me magical healing regardless of my future, right?”
“Right!” Winston said. “You’re only sixteen, and we have more for you to learn. You have a few more options than before all this happened yesterday.”
“More options,” Justin said. “Are there more tests?”
“You don’t need an audience for those. Everyone saw that you have exceptional power. We will learn more about your capabilities in the next few months,” Lisiane said. “Magical healers need to know the basics you have already learned. It never hurts to know how to fix someone up.”
Justin shook his head. “Magic and now a personal mystery.” He looked at Uncle Grant. “You are going to have to write to my grandfather.”
“I’m not sure your grandfather is in the shape to respond, but we will visit your Uncle Turpin and Aunt Verona. I’m taking the girls to visit Pancel and see the sights,” Grant said. “We can accomplish both tasks with one trip.”
“I have a few books for you to take with you, Justin,” Lisiane said. “Be careful when you practice. Learning magic can be dangerous.”
Justin packed his clothes and returned to Grant’s manor to help prepare for the journey back to Pancel.
He stood at the window in the twilight, looking at the grounds. He had tried to be calm about learning of his family situation, but he could no longer hold back thinking about what had been done to him.
When did his father plan on telling him about his lineage? Who was the woman who had given birth to him? Did he mean so little to her that she dropped Justin on his father’s doorstep? Perhaps she died in childbirth, or Roberta, his stepmother, had killed her. Anything could have happened. Justin closed his eyes and shook his head. He hoped to find answers when he visited his grandfather, who might have his family’s records, but would he be successful?
~
Justin had thought returning to Pancel would feel like returning home, but as they stopped at Uncle Turpin’s house, home to Justin for more than a year, the emotion was absent.
Natalie and Maggie stayed in the wagon while Justin, Grant, and Melinda stood at the door. One of Uncle Turpin’s boys greeted them.
“Is your father in?” Melinda said. “I’m your Aunt Melinda.”
“He is at Grandpa’s going through everything,” the boy said. “He died a few weeks ago.”
Grant looked at Melinda. “Maybe the word was coming to us when we left.”
Melinda grunted. “Not likely,” she said once the door was closed.
A horse and Turpin's carriage were at Bertie’s hitching rack. Justin walked alongside the carriage and spotted some of his grandfather’s possessions.
Turpin, with his arms full, walked out of the house.
“Stop right there!” Melinda said.
“Melinda,” Turpin said, stopping on the path, his face bright red. “What are you doing here?”
“Justin had questions to ask his grandfather since he is Bertie’s only living relative.”
Turpin sputtered. “I’m only taking what Bertie took from Brian’s estate.”
“Don’t those belong to Justin? You have no right to them,” Grant said.
“Who says? You?” Turpin said accusingly.
“I’m the boy’s guardian. I brought my papers. If I have to, I’ll take these to the closest constabulary office,” Grant said.
Turpin’s eyes slid away from Grant. “You’d never do such a thing to your wife’s brother.”
“His wife will stand beside him, Turpin,” Melinda said. “We will help you put those things back. From what I can tell, you are stealing from Justin, but then you are used to doing that, aren’t you?”
Turpin dropped what he held in his arms and began tossing things out of his carriage. Verona came out looking surprised.
“Leave everything where it is,” Turpin told his wife as he continued to empty the carriage.
Grant stepped to the carriage and began to remove the contraband, much more carefully than Turpin. Justin approached, but Grant shook his head.
“Come here, Justin,” Melinda said. “What can the girls do while we are cleaning up Turpin’s mess?”
“There are some climbing trees in the back,” Justin said.
“Good. I’ll take the girls there after Grant is through helping.”
Justin got the unspoken message and nodded. “I’m going inside.”
Grandpa Bertie’s house looked like it had been raided, and it had, Justin thought as he walked through the house. Turpin had already taken some of Bertie’s possessions, including his parent’s things. Justin sat down at the small table in the sitting room. As he looked around, there wasn’t anything he wanted.
Grant walked in. “How much has he taken?”
“That wasn’t his first load,” Justin said, shrugging. “There wasn’t anything I wanted, and I certainly didn’t expect to have any of my parents’ things.”
Justin looked out the window as Verona drove the empty carriage, and Turpin rode the horse out of the drive.
“What about money?” Grant asked. “You should have that.”
Justin walked to the study and opened the drawers to the big desk. It hasn’t been dusted or cleaned for a long time. He pulled out a strongbox from a drawer. He shook it.
“Empty.”
Grant looked back toward the front of the house. “Thieves,” he muttered.
“I think the house is mine,” Justin said. He opened another drawer and pulled out a stack of portfolios. “Maybe there is a will in here.”
“Or at least some document with a lawyer’s name on it,” Melanie said, walking in with the two girls.
“We might as well spend the night here,” Grant said. “Find some empty bedrooms. I think Bertie used the biggest one.”
“Then you won’t find us sleeping in that one tonight,” Melanie said. “We have enough food in the wagon, but don’t pass up buying more.”
Justin found a file with papers about his family’s death. “Here,” Justin said, handing the file to Grant.
“Then let’s head into Pancel. I know this address,” Grant said. “Let’s go now.” He checked the locks so Melanie and the girls would be safe.
Chapter Five
~
P ancel’s center was half an hour away, and Grant found the lawyer’s office in a block of four and five-story office buildings.
The lawyer occupied the entire third floor and was available to meet with them. Grant and Justin were shown to a small conference room and waited for the lawyer to arrive.
“You have a matter to discuss?” the older man asked as he rushed into the room.
Grant placed a sheet of paper on top of the portfolio before he slid it across to the lawyer.
“This is my certificate of guardianship for this boy, Justin Spede. His family died three years ago.”
The lawyer raised his hand. “I handled Brian Spede’s will and Bertie Bender’s, although contacting you, young man, was next on my list.”
“Justin’s maternal grandfather, Bertie Bender, died two weeks ago, and Justin understands that Bender’s house is his. There was also cash involved, which Justin’s uncle, Turpin Spede, removed from the house,” Grant said.
“I know Turpin. I handled the guardianship papers, including,” the lawyer looked at the certificate, “this one. Justin is correct. The house is his, and it is a handsome house on a lot of property in the area. Some of Bender’s cash has been given to Turpin Spede as compensation for being the sole caretaker of Bender for the last two years.”
“That’s not right,” Justin said. “I took care of Grandpa Bertie for three weeks once Uncle Turpin kicked me out of his house.”
“Can you prove that?” the lawyer asked.
“I was there,” Justin said.
The lawyer shook his head. “There are witnesses on Turpin Spede’s claim.” He shrugged. “I’m sorry, but as the executor, Turpin has the right to cover personal expenses. The bank account isn’t exhausted by any means. I can handle the formal transfer of Bender’s house and current expenses right now. There is a matter of funeral expenses and my fees,” the lawyer said. “Turpin said you had given up your claims to your grandfather’s house, but that was obviously incorrect.”
“And the contents?” Grant said.
The lawyer shrugged again. “There wasn’t an inventory, so if Spede has removed anything, I’m afraid it is gone unless you can get him to surrender those goods to you.”
Justin sighed. It was all so unfair.
“We will handle the rest while we are in Pancel,” Grant said. “Let me know what the funeral costs were and your fees.”
“There will be a tidy sum left over, I assure you,” the lawyer said. “Wait here while I draw up an interim property transfer. That will keep your uncle from removing anything else since Justin is a relative and Turpin Spede isn’t.”
“I’d like Justin to have a copy of his father’s and Bender’s will,” Grant said.
“Of course. Copies are already in my files and certified by the Imperial probate court. I will retrieve them.”
Justin looked at Grant, who shook his head until the lawyer left the room.
“Is Uncle Turpin in cahoots with the lawyer?” Justin asked.
Grant pulled the documents out of the file and looked at the dates. “Probably not. Most of these papers were generated after your parents died. Turpin couldn’t have known we’d be visiting. We didn’t know Bender had died.”
They waited for half an hour before the lawyer returned with another portfolio. He pulled out the papers.
“Here is the bill for the funeral and our fees. This is an authorization to pay my firm for services rendered. Brian Spede’s will and Bertie Bender’s will is here. My assistant is still processing the property transfer document. You will have to have it certified at an Imperial administration office, which is conveniently located a block away, and here is a copy of your birth certificate, which I don’t think you, Justin, have ever seen. Turpin Spede said he or Bertie never bothered to look at it, and I believe him.”
Grant took the birth certificate and quickly looked at it before handing it over to Justin. “This is interesting,” Grant said to his nephew.
Justin’s eyes searched for the name of his mother. Fidelia James was a name Justin had never seen before. “This isn’t a Roberta Spede or Roberta Bender here,” Justin said.
“No,” the lawyer said, looking at Grant before his gaze returned to Justin. “There is no evidence that Bertie Bender knew his daughter wasn’t your mother. It isn’t mentioned in his will.”
Grant leaned forward. “Does that invalidate the will?”
The lawyer shook his head. “Justin is referred to in the will by his name, not his relationship. It was written six months after the death of his daughter and son-in-law.”
“So, Turpin can’t contest it, can he?” Grant said.
“Turpin Spede is specifically excluded. No other relatives have stepped forward, and I wrote the will with Bender. Once the papers are filed, the matter is settled,” the lawyer said. “If you wish, I can file the papers. Let me see how the final documents are coming.”
Grant quickly examined Bertie and Brian’s wills. Certain items went to Turpin and Bertie. Verona Spede and the other children were to get more than Justin in the event of Brian Spede’s demise, but with their deaths, Justin was the sole surviving beneficiary. The distributed assets looked like sentimental pieces. Justin retained the rights to Brian’s inventions and ideas, which weren’t specified in the will.
Brian’s will was straightforward, and it was clear that Justin was the only beneficiary. As your grandfather’s caretaker, Turpin was the temporary executor of Bertie’s estate until Justin arrived in Pancel to take possession of his inheritance.
The lawyer returned. “Any questions?”
“Turpin had the right to remove some of Bertie’s assets?” Grant asked. “We came to visit Bertie since he was in poor health.”
“Poorer than you imagined,” the lawyer said. “Until you two arrived today, Turpin could take whatever he wished. Justin has no recourse on any incidental property already removed from Bertie’s property. Brian Spede’s estate was settled not long after his death by Bertie Bender and Turpin Spede as co-executors. Any other questions?”
“Do you have any idea who Fidelia James is?” Justin asked. “Is she mentioned in my father’s will?”
“No mention,” the lawyer said. “She may be deceased if your true mother isn’t acknowledged anywhere, but I was never tasked with finding out. I did ask Brian Spede about her when he gave me the initial documents for his will, but he didn’t know what happened to her. I understand you arrived on his doorstep when you were a newborn. Are there any other services I can provide? I can get going on an investigation into the life of Fidelia James.”
Justin didn’t want to pay more of the lawyer’s exorbitant fees. A woman entered the conference room, delivering the transfer documents.
“The house and property of Bertie Bender will be yours as soon as you file, as well as a bank account that, as I said, is more than enough to cover my fees and the Imperial filing fees. I will write Turpin Spede and notify him of what we did today since he is an interested party. The fee for the correspondence is already included in my bill.” The lawyer smiled at both of them and stood. “I stand ready to assist you at any time during the transition of the property and for any other service.”
Justin took the lawyer’s card and stared at it while Uncle Grant perused the transfer paperwork.
“This looks to be in order,” Grant said. “We will be on our way to the administrative office. I’ve been there before and know the way.”
Everyone stood. “Very well. Again, should you need my services, you have my card, and my name is all through the documents.” He smiled genuinely enough.
Grant and Justin emerged from the building. Justin looked back at it.
“Are we heading back to Grandpa Bertie’s house?” Justin asked.
“No. The Imperial Administration Office is our top priority. The sooner everything is in order, the better.”
~
“You took your time,” Melanie said in a good-natured way when Justin and Grant returned from the city center.
“The lawyer had the afternoon free, and we settled everything. It took a little extra time to get the filings completed in the administration offices, but that is done, although the Emperor got more than he deserves,” Grant said. “We also managed to buy some provisions. We will stay more than tonight. Justin wants to search the house, and we can discuss if he wants it sold. I hope my army friend is still an estate agent.”
“Get the food inside and let’s go over the paperwork,” Melanie said.
Justin reread everything to Melanie.
“From what I can see, the lawyer did a good job. Was everything in order when you took it to the Imperial Administration Office?” Melanie asked Grant.
Grant nodded. “Other than the fees, yes.”
“Then I suggest selling the house since I don’t trust Turpin. He can be vindictive,” Melanie said.
“You’re right. I don’t want to live here,” Justin said. “Too many bad memories for the three weeks I lived with my grandfather.”
“Then we should look over everything from top to bottom to see if Bertie hid anything, then contact my friend to sell the property. You already have a bank account. You can fatten up with what’s left of your grandfather’s cash, and the house proceeds,” Grant said.
The girls played hide and seek with everyone as Justin, his aunt, and his uncle went through everything. Aunt Verona and Uncle Turpin had already turned most of the house over while stripping it of valuables.
Grant went through the house again, tapping into his military experience to think of hiding places, but nothing turned up. They spent some time putting order back into the house. Justin was to babysit while Grant and Melanie left for central Pancel. There was a stable and connected carriage barn to look over, and Justin took the girls with him.
Bertie hadn’t had a horse or carriage in the barn for as long as Justin could remember. The barn smelled of moldy straw and other stable smells.
“Watch where you step,” Justin said. “There isn’t any poop,” the girls giggled when Justin said the “p” word. “But there is a lot of dirt.”
“What are these?” Maggie, the youngest, asked.
She looked at a workbench covered with old leatherworking tools and leather scraps. Bertie, evidently, never had time to clean it up. The leather and the tools bore a patina of dust and dirt. There was a cleaner section, relatively speaking, than the rest. Justin shuffled the tools and scraps, setting them aside to look at what was underneath.
